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Category: India

  • Australia confident AUKUS submarine pact will proceed amid U.S. review

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Australia‘s Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday he was confident the AUKUS submarine pact with the U.S. and Britain would proceed, and his government would work closely with the U.S. while the Trump administration conducted a formal review.

    Australia in 2023 committed to spend A$368 billion ($239 billion) over three decades on AUKUS, the country’s biggest ever defence project with the United States and Britain, to acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines.

    A Pentagon official said the administration was reviewing AUKUS to ensure it was “aligned with the President’s America First agenda”, on the eve of expected talks between President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

    In an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio interview, Marles said AUKUS was in the strategic interests of all three countries and the new review of the deal signed in 2021 when Joe Biden was the U.S. president was not a surprise.

    “I am very confident this is going to happen,” he said of AUKUS, which would give Australia nuclear-powered submarines.

    “This is a multi-decade plan. There will be governments that come and go and I think whenever we see a new government, a review of this kind is going to be something which will be undertaken,” Marles told the ABC.

    Albanese is expected to meet Trump for the first time next week on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada, where the security allies will discuss a request from Washington for Australia to increase defence spending from 2% to 3.5% of gross domestic product.

    Albanese has said defence spending would rise to 2.3% and has declined to commit to the U.S. target.

    The opposition Liberal party on Thursday pressed Albanese to increase defence spending.

    Under AUKUS, Australia was scheduled to make a $2 billion payment in 2025 to the U.S. to help boost its submarine shipyards and speed up lagging production rates of Virginia-class submarines to allow the sale of up to three U.S. submarines to Australia from 2032.

    The first $500 million payment was made when Marles met with his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth in February.

    US NOT MEETING PRODUCTION TARGETS

    The Pentagon’s top policy adviser Elbridge Colby, who has previously expressed concern the U.S. would lose submarines to Australia at a critical time for military deterrence against China, will be a key figure in the review, examining the production rate of Virginia-class submarines, Marles said.

    “It is important that those production and sustainment rates are improved,” he added.

    AUKUS would grow the U.S. and Australian defence industries and generate thousands of manufacturing jobs, Marles said in a statement.

    John Lee, an Australian Indo-Pacific expert at Washington’s conservative Hudson Institute think tank, said the Pentagon review was “primarily an audit of American capability” and whether it can afford to sell up to five nuclear powered submarines when it was not meeting its own production targets.

    “Relatedly, the low Australian defence spending and ambiguity as to how it might contribute to a Taiwan contingency is also a factor,” Lee said.

    John Hamre, the president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a former senior Pentagon official, told a Lowy Institute seminar in Sydney on Thursday there is a perception in Washington “the Albanese government has been supportive of AUKUS but not really leaning in on AUKUS“, and defence spending is part of this.

    Under the multi-stage pact, four U.S. commanded Virginia submarines will be hosted at a Western Australian navy base on the Indian Ocean from 2027, which a senior U.S. Navy commander told Congress in April gives the U.S. a “straight shot to the South China Sea”.

    Albanese wants to buy three Virginia submarines from 2032 to bring its submarine force under Australian command.

    Britain and Australia will jointly build a new AUKUS-class submarine expected to come into service from 2040. Following a recent defence review, Britain said it would boost spending on its attack submarine fleet under AUKUS.

    Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who struck the AUKUS deal with Biden, said on Thursday Australia should “make the case again” for the treaty.

    AUKUS would build more submarines across the three partners and was “fundamentally about strengthening collective deterrence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific against potential adversaries”, he wrote on LinkedIn.

    (Reuters)

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on June 11, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 5,95,936.52 5.18 2.50-6.55
         I. Call Money 15,257.24 5.31 4.80-5.35
         II. Triparty Repo 3,83,941.95 5.20 5.16-5.30
         III. Market Repo 1,94,273.33 5.13 2.50-5.60
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 2,464.00 5.41 5.35-6.55
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 34.50 5.17 5.05-5.25
         II. Term Money@@ 738.00 – 5.60-5.85
         III. Triparty Repo 1,555.00 5.30 5.15-5.50
         IV. Market Repo 375.60 5.15 1.00-5.45
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Wed, 11/06/2025 1 Thu, 12/06/2025 1,124.00 5.75
    4. SDFΔ# Wed, 11/06/2025 1 Thu, 12/06/2025 2,67,414.00 5.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -2,66,290.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       8,471.32  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     8,471.32  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -2,57,818.68  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on June 11, 2025 9,30,891.85  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending June 13, 2025 9,41,551.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ June 11, 2025 0.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on May 16, 2025 3,48,763.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2025-2026/527

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 12, 2025

  • Amid Iran tensions, U.S. withdraws diplomats, military families from West Asia over security concerns

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The US State and Defence Departments have begun moving non-essential personnel out of several locations across West Asia amid growing regional tensions, CNN reported citing US officials and sources familiar with the matter.

    While the exact cause of the shift in posture remains unclear, a defence official told CNN that US Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring “developing tension in the Middle East.”

    President Donald Trump, commenting on the situation, said, “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place… we’ve given notice to move out, and we’ll see what happens.

    CNN reported that the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the region has been authorized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. “The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority,” an official said.

    CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Kurilla postponed his scheduled testimony before a Senate committee due to the evolving situation, according to a defence official. The State Department, in coordination with the Pentagon, is also preparing to order the departure of non-essential personnel from US embassies in Iraq, Bahrain, and Kuwait, as well as the consulate in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, CNN reported.

    A local Iraqi official, however, stated that the movements were not connected to the security environment in Iraq. A State Department spokesperson said, “President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad… Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq.” The department also updated its travel advisory, citing “heightened regional tensions” as the reason for the ordered departure.

    CNN further reported that President Trump expressed waning confidence in reaching a new nuclear agreement with Iran, telling a New York Post podcast that Tehran may be “delaying” the deal. “I’m getting more and more less confident about it… Something happened to them,”

    Trump said, adding that his instincts suggest the deal is increasingly unlikely. In a related development, CNN cited sources saying Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday to stop discussing a potential attack on Iran. The call, according to Trump, went “very well, very smooth.”

    Last month, CNN reported the US had obtained intelligence suggesting that Israel was preparing for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. US officials noted signs of Israeli military posturing, including the movement of air munitions and completion of an air exercise, though a final decision by Israeli leadership had not been confirmed.

    Amid these developments, Iran’s Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh issued a stern warning. As per Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, he said if nuclear talks fail and conflict erupts, the US would be “forced to leave the region,” asserting that all US bases are within the reach of Iranian forces. “The adversary will certainly suffer heavier casualties,” he added, though he did not clarify whether he was referring to the US, Israel, or both. (ANI)

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump may try to strike a deal with AUKUS review, but here’s why he won’t sink it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University

    The Pentagon has announced it will review the massive AUKUS agreement between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia to ensure it’s aligned with US President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda.

    The US undersecretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, is reportedly going to oversee the review.

    The announcement has raised concern in Australia, but every government is entitled to review policies that their predecessors have made to consider whether or not there’s a particular purpose.

    The UK has launched a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS too, so it’s not actually unreasonable for the US to do the same.

    There’s a degree of nervousness in Australia as to what the implications are because Australia understandably has the biggest stake in this.

    But we need to consider what Colby has articulated in the past. In his book, The Strategy of Denial: American Defence in the Nature of Great Power Conflict, he made the case the US could “prepare to win a war with China it cannot afford to lose – in order to deter it from happening”.

    So, with a deterrent mindset, he sees the need for the US to muscle up militarily.

    He’s spoken about the alliance with Australia in very positive terms on a couple of occasions. And he has called himself an “AUKUS agnostic”, though he has expressed deep concern about the ability of the submarine industrial base in the US to manufacture the ships quickly enough.

    And that leads to the fear the US Navy would not have enough submarines for itself if Washington is also sending them to Australia.

    As part of the deal, Australia would eventually be able to contribute to accelerating the production line. That involves Australian companies contributing to the manufacture of certain widgets and components that are needed to build the subs.

    Australia has already made a nearly A$800 million (US$500 million) down payment on expanding the US industrial capacity as part of the deal to ensure we get some subs in a reasonable time frame.

    There’s also been significant legislative and industrial reforms in the US, Australia and UK to help facilitate Australian defence-related industries unplug the bottleneck of submarine production.

    There’s no question there’s a need to speed up production. But we are already seeing significant signs of an uptick in the production rate, thanks in part to the Australian down payment. And it’s anticipated the rate will significantly increase in the next 12–18 months.

    Even still, projects like this often slide in terms of timelines.

    Why the US won’t spike the deal

    I’m reasonably optimistic that, on balance, the Trump administration will come down on the side of proceeding with the deal.

    There are a few key reasons for this:

    1) We’re several years down the track already.

    2) We have more than 100 Australian sailors already operating in the US system.

    3) Industrially, we’re on the cusp of making a significant additional contribution to the US submarine production line.

    And finally, most people don’t fully appreciate that the submarine base just outside Perth is an incredibly consequential piece of real estate for US security calculations.

    Colby has made very clear the US needs to muscle up to push back and deter China’s potential aggression in the region. In that equation, submarines are crucial, as is a substantial submarine base in the Indian Ocean.

    China is acutely mindful of what we call the “Malacca dilemma”. Overwhelmingly, China’s trade of goods and fossil fuels comes through the Malacca Strait between Malaysia and Indonesia’s island of Sumatra. The Chinese know this supply line could be disrupted in a war. And the submarines operating out of Perth contribute to this fear.

    This is a crucial deterrent effect the US and its allies have been seeking to maintain. And it has largely endured.

    Given nobody can predict the future, we all want to prevent a war over Taiwan and we all want to maintain the status quo.

    As such, the considered view has been that Australia will continue to support the US to bolster its deterrent effect to prevent such a scenario.

    Could Trump be angling for a deal?

    As part of the US review of the deal, we could see talk of a potential slowdown in the delivery rate of the submarines. The Trump administration could also put additional pressure on Australia to deliver more for the US.

    This includes the amount Australia spends on defence, a subject of considerable debate in Canberra. Taking Australia’s overall interests into account, the Albanese government may well decide increasing defence spending is an appropriate thing to do.

    There’s a delicate dance to be had here between the Trump administration, the Australian government, and in particular, their respective defence departments, about how to achieve the most effective outcome.

    It’s highly likely whatever decision the US government makes will be portrayed as the Trump administration “doing a deal”. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not a bad thing. This is what countries do.

    We talk a lot about the Trump administration’s transactional approach to international relations. But it’s actually not that different to previous US administrations with which Canberra has had to deal.

    So I’m reasonably sanguine about the AUKUS review and any possible negotiations over it. I believe the Trump administration will come to the conclusion it does not want to spike the Australia relationship.

    Australia has been on the US side since federation. Given this, the US government will likely make sure this deal goes ahead. The Trump administration may try to squeeze more concessions out of Australia as part of “the art of the deal”, but it won’t sink the pact.

    However, many people will undoubtedly say this is the moment Australia should break with AUKUS. But then what? What would Australia do instead to ensure its security in this world of heightened great power competition in which Australia’s interests are increasingly challenged?

    Walking away now would leave Australia more vulnerable than ever. I think that would be a great mistake.

    From 2015 to 2017 John Blaxland received funding from the US Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative (subsequently disbanded by the Trump administration). This was used to write a book (with Greg Raymond) entitled “The US Thai Alliance and Asian International Relations” (Routledge, 2021). John currently is a fulltime employee of the ANU.

    – ref. Trump may try to strike a deal with AUKUS review, but here’s why he won’t sink it – https://theconversation.com/trump-may-try-to-strike-a-deal-with-aukus-review-but-heres-why-he-wont-sink-it-258798

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 11th, 2025 Heinrich Highlights Harmful Impact of DOGE Cuts to the Department of the Interior, Slams President Trump’s Interior Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — In his opening statement, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member on the U.S. Energy and Natural Resources Committee, grilled the U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum over the Trump Administration’s budget request for the Department of the Interior, which will further gut the Department already reeling from chaos and mismanagement by the “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE.

    VIDEO: Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks on the Department of Interior’s Fiscal 2026 budget request before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, June 11, 2025.

    “Mr. Secretary, when you were going through the confirmation process, I believed that you would be a responsible steward of our public lands, conservative, of course, but responsible. And with your experience in the private sector and as a governor, I believed that you could rein in the sometimes reckless tendencies of DOGE, at least within the Department of Interior,” said Heinrich in his opening statement. “We’re never going to agree on everything, but I thought we could agree that our public lands are the greatest heritage of our nation, and we have a responsibility to hand them down to the next generation, well-stewarded.

    Heinrich continued, “This budget request will not resource your department to responsibly steward our lands and waters. The proposal for the Interior Department operations next year includes a 30 percent cut across programs. It’s no exaggeration to say that this would cripple the Department as we know it.”

    A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.

    A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:

    We are here today to talk about the budget proposal of a department that is, quite frankly, not resourced to meet its mission.

    Parks are cutting hours and services for visitors. Ranger tours are cancelled. Toilets are overflowing and trashcans sit unemptied.

    Permits are languishing on empty desks. Energy projects are delayed or cancelled.

    Contracts slowly wind their way through a byzantine bureaucracy that was invented overnight.

    The senior leadership positions at the department are mostly vacant.

    Roughly 100 park superintendent positions are vacant. Five of the seven regional director positions for the National Park Service sit empty.

    At the Bureau of Land Management, about a third of senior leadership positions are vacant, including both deputy directors and the director position itself.

    And the front-line staff is in no better shape.

    After promising to hire 7,700 seasonal employees to serve Americans visiting their national parks this summer, the Park Service has managed, at least according to public reports, to hire only half that. Memorial Day is gone. The 4th of July just around the corner.

    And all of this has occurred before this budget request is put place.

    Mr. Secretary, when you were going through the confirmation process, I believed that you would be a responsible steward of our public lands, conservative, of course, but responsible. And with your experience in the private sector and as a governor, I believed that you could rein in the sometimes reckless tendencies of DOGE, at least within the Department of Interior.

    We’re never going to agree on everything, but I thought we could agree that our public lands are the greatest heritage of our nation, and we have a responsibility to hand them down to the next generation, well-stewarded.

    This budget request will not resource your department to responsibly steward our lands and waters.

    The proposal for the Interior Department operations next year includes a 30 percent cut across programs.

    It’s no exaggeration to say that this would cripple the department as we know it.

    The cut to the Park Service is paid for by getting rid of most park system units.

    The National Park System would have to lose more than 350 of its 433 units to swallow that kind of a proposed cut.

    And yet, the Department has still not told us which units those might be.

    Any hope for a speedier permitting system from the BLM is gone, with a proposed 35 percent cut to that agency.

    Anyone who needs a recreation permit, a right-of-way, or a grazing lease will be left waiting. That is not efficiency.

    The 35 percent cut to the Bureau of Reclamation puts critical water infrastructure at risk of failing to safely deliver water to farmers, fish, and people.

    The proposal completely eliminates the WaterSMART program that provides resources to local, often rural communities and water users to conserve water and to make efficiency improvements to their water infrastructure, thereby reducing conflicts over this scarce resource.

    The nearly 40 percent cut to the U.S. Geological Survey would kneecap the scientific research we need to understand how our natural world is changing in the face of a changing climate

    And the major reduction to the Natural Hazards program would leave communities more vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanos, and landslides.

    The proposal also completely eliminates the biological resources program at USGS, which could mean abandoning bird flu monitoring, closing the most advanced wildlife disease lab in the United States, and discontinuing research efforts for climate adaptation.

    The USGS migratory bird research also directly informs the Fish and Wildlife Service’s bag limits for migratory bird hunting seasons. Eliminating this research would hobble the management of migratory bird hunting seasons.

    One of the seven pillars of the North American model of wildlife conservation, the foundation of wildlife management in the United States, is scientific management. We cannot manage wildlife without wildlife science.

    The budget proposal also overturns the bipartisan work of this committee in 2020 to pass the Great American Outdoors Act signed into law by this president.

    Instead of supporting reauthorization of this great accomplishment, this budget robs the Land and Water Conservation Fund in order to pay for deferred maintenance projects.

    And lastly, but most importantly, this budget request, if implemented, would cause irreparable harm to Indian Country.

    With 30-plus percent cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, this budget represents a dereliction of every treaty obligation this country has to tribes and their members.

    This proposal even cuts the BIA’s Public Safety account, belying any claim that this administration might try to make that it cares for the safety of people of Indian Country.

    Mr. Secretary, you promised to prioritize the needs of Indian country in your time leading this department, but this budget simply doesn’t give you the resources to be able to effectively accomplish that.

    I think we need to do better, which I say out of respect for you and our shared values.

    It is often said a president’s budget requests that they’re “dead on arrival” on Capitol Hill.

    For the sake of the shared landscapes that we hold in trust for our grandchildren. I hope that’s the case for this budget.

    I yield back my time.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Relief to Michigan Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by March Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA –The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Michigan small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents affected by the severe winter storms occurring March 28-30. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on June 5.

    The declaration covers the counties of Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Otsego and Presque Isle.

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

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

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

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

    SBA’s EIDL program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

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

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for PNPs, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Beginning Thursday, June 12, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Cheboygan County to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    The DLOC hours of operation are listed below:

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) 
    Cheboygan County

    Indian River Chamber of Commerce

    3435 S Straits Hwy.

    Indian River, MI 49749

    Opening:  Thursday, June 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Permanently Closing: July 10 at 4 p.m.

    Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

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

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 8, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Mar. 9, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland

    Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express themselves – both in person, and online.

    In our new research published in Lingua, we analysed more than 1.7 billion words of online language across 20 English-speaking regions. We identified 597 different swear word forms – from standard words, to creative spellings like “4rseholes”, to acronyms like “wtf”.

    The findings challenge a familiar stereotype. Australians – often thought of as prolific swearers – are actually outdone by Americans and Brits, both in how often they swear, and in how many users swear online.

    Facts and figures

    Our study focused on publicly available web data (such as news articles, organisational websites, government or institutional publications, and blogs – but excluding social media and private messaging). We found vulgar words made up 0.036% of all words in the dataset from the United States, followed by 0.025% in the British data and 0.022% in the Australian data.

    Although vulgar language is relatively rare in terms of overall word frequency, it was used by a significant number of individuals.

    Between 12% and 13.3% of Americans, around 10% of Brits, and 9.4% of Australians used at least one vulgar word in their data. Overall, the most frequent vulgar word was “fuck” – with all its variants, it amounted to a stunning 201 different forms.

    We focused on online language that didn’t include social media, because large-scale comparisons need robust, purpose-built datasets. In our case, we used the Global Web-Based English (GloWbE) corpus, which was specifically designed to compare how English is used across different regions online.

    So how much were our findings influenced by the online data we used?

    Telling results come from research happening at the same time as ours. One study analysed the use of “fuck” in social networks on X, examining how network size and strength influence swearing in the UK, US and Australia.

    It used data from 5,660 networks with more than 435,000 users and 7.8 billion words and found what we did. Americans use “fuck” most frequently, while Australians use it the least, but with the most creative spelling variations (some comfort for anyone feeling let down by our online swearing stats).

    Teasing apart cultural differences

    Americans hold relatively conservative attitudes toward public morality, and their high swearing rates are surprising. The cultural contradiction may reflect the country’s strong individualistic culture. Americans often value personal expression – especially in private or anonymous settings like the internet.

    Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. This is partly due to the lingering influence of religious norms, which frame swearing – particularly religious-based profanity – as a violation of moral decency.

    Significantly, the only religious-based swear word in our dataset, “damn”, was used most frequently by Americans.

    Research suggests swearing is more acceptable in Australian public discourse. Certainly, Australia’s public airing of swear words often takes visitors by surprise. The long-running road safety slogan “If you drink, then drive, you’re a bloody idiot” is striking – such language is rare in official messaging elsewhere.

    Australians may be comfortable swearing in person, but our findings indicate they dial it back online – surprising for a nation so fond of its vernacular.

    In terms of preferences for specific forms of vulgarity, Americans showed a strong preference for variations of “ass(hole)”, the Irish favored “feck”, the British preferred “cunt”, and Pakistanis leaned toward “butt(hole)”.

    The only statistically significant aversion we found was among Americans, who tended to avoid the word “bloody” (folk wisdom claims the word is blasphemous).

    Being fluent in swearing

    People from countries where English is the dominant language – such as the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland – tend to swear more frequently and with more lexical variety than people in regions where English is less dominant like India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Ghana or the Philippines. This pattern holds for both frequency and creativity in swearing.

    But Singapore ranked fourth in terms of frequency of swearing in our study, just behind Australia and ahead of New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. English in Singapore is increasingly seen not as a second language, but as a native language, and as a tool for identity, belonging and creativity. Young Singaporeans use social swearing to push back against authority, especially given the government’s strict rules on public language.

    One possible reason we saw less swearing among non-native English speakers is that it is rarely taught. Despite its frequency and social utility, swearing – alongside humour and informal speech – is often left out of language education.

    Cursing comes naturally

    Cultural, social and technological shifts are reshaping linguistic norms, blurring the already blurry lines between informal and formal, private and public language. Just consider the Aussie contributions to the July Oxford English Dictionary updates: expressions like “to strain the potatoes” (to urinate), “no wuckers” and “no wucking furries” (from “no fucking worries”).

    Swearing and vulgarity aren’t just crass or abusive. While they can be used harmfully, research consistently shows they serve important communicative functions – colourful language builds rapport, expresses humour and emotion, signals solidarity and eases tension.

    It’s clear that swearing isn’t just a bad habit that can be easily kicked, like nail-biting or smoking indoors. Besides, history shows that telling people not to swear is one of the best ways to keep swearing alive and well.

    Martin Schweinberger has received funding from from the Centre for Digital Cultures and Society and the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Queensland. He is currently funded by the Language Data Commons of Australia, which has received investment from the Australian Research Data Commons, funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

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

    – ref. 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears – https://theconversation.com/201-ways-to-say-fuck-what-1-7-billion-words-of-online-text-shows-about-how-the-world-swears-257815

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy to HHS: Fight foreign shrimp imports that hurt Louisiana and threaten Americans’ health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging his department to work with its partners to prevent unsafe foreign shrimp from reaching American consumers.
    While U.S. shrimp manufacturers comply with bans on antibiotic use and numerous environmental regulations, not all shrimp producers in countries like India, Ecuador, Indonesia and Vietnam abide by the same standards. A recent decline in transparency among members of the foreign shrimp industry has raised further concerns.
    “I write to express my concern regarding the ongoing public health risk posed by the importation of farmed shrimp into the United States. In 2021, the United States imported approximately 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp, accounting for over 90% of the nation’s consumption,” Kennedy began the letter.
    “A growing body of academic research and investigative reporting indicate that imported shrimp frequently contain illicit antibiotics and harbor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. One of the most prevalent risks associated with warm-water shrimp aquaculture is antibiotic use, which poses significant health threats related to potential parasitic infection along with disease outbreaks,” the senator explained.
    “Fortunately, President Trump is taking action. On April 17, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which strengthens the domestic seafood industry and addresses the need to eliminate unsafe imports, promote ethical seafood sourcing, and level the playing field for domestic seafood producers,” Kennedy added. 
    “In light of the President’s executive order and the ongoing health risks posed by imported seafood, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies to strengthen inspection capabilities and stop this harmful seafood from being sold domestically,” he wrote.
    Background: 
    In Dec. 2023, Kennedy introduced a bill to bolster the Seafood Import Monitoring Program’s ability to audit foreign seafood imports that its producers misrepresent. Senate Democrats blocked Kennedy’s bill.
    In May 2024, Kennedy questioned then-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on safety risks associated with imported shrimp and crawfish, drawing attention to foreign countries that subsidize their seafood industries and engage in false advertising.
    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Advocates for U.S. Trade Promotion, Global Food Programs in House Agriculture Committee Hearing with Secretary Brooke Rollins

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

    [embedded content]

    CLICK HEREto download Rep. Mann’s questioning

    CLICK HERE to watch Rep. Mann’s exchange with Secretary Rollins on YouTube.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) questioned U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins during her first appearance before the House Agriculture Committee. During Rep. Mann’s questioning, he thanked Secretary Rollins and President Trump for their leadership and advocacy on behalf of American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers and highlighted the need for sound federal policy that promotes trade opportunities for American agriculture and recognizes international food aid as a tool for U.S. national security that supports domestic producers.

    Excerpts:

    [Opening Statement]:Secretary Rollins, thank you for being here today and thank you for your leadership in supporting farmers, ranchers, and ag producers across America. It was an honor to have you visit the Big First District of Kansas your first week on the job back in February, right after you were confirmed. We had the chance to participate in a roundtable discussion with ag producers, stakeholders, and toured Finney County Feeders and the Ponderosa Dairy. We even met with some local FFA students, which was a huge highlight of mine and I know it’s something that’s near and dear to your heart as well.  In one of my first meetings with President Trump, I distinctly remember him telling me of his love for American farmers and I appreciate that you share that passion. Over the past few months, you and President Trump have led the way in supporting rural America, and I look forward to continuing to work with you for the next four years as we Make Agriculture Great Again. 

    [On trade opportunities for Kansas farmers]: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a major step forward for the future of American agriculture. We were able to strengthen crop insurance, raise reference prices, and really help our producers. We were also able to include historic landmark investments in funding for trade promotion programs in the House version. After the last administration’s failure to act on expanding international markets, I have been really encouraged at your efforts to rebalance trade to support American farmers and ranchers. In particular, I appreciate that you will be traveling on a trade mission to India here in the next few weeks, where greater market access for crops like sorghum would be a game changer for Kansas producers and a clear win for both the United States and India. With this significant upgrade in trade promotion resources, can you share what you and Ambassador Greer will be pursuing to unlock opportunities for U.S. exports of commodities, like sorghum, as part of the ongoing trade negotiations with India?  

    Rollins: India is reflective to your point on sorghum and a lot of our row crops; there is just so much opportunity there. I think we have talked a lot this morning about national security—agriculture security is national security. A lot of that is opening markets with our friends like India and moving away from other markets that clearly are not aligned with us on a value-by-value basis. What I have found with Ambassador Greer, Secretary Lutnick, with Secretary Bessent, and the ultimate dealmaker, President Trump, is they are—we are—relentless. I think I have mentioned this a couple of times, but I think it is worth repeating: the few countries that have already visited me—everyone is so anxious to support this vision of opening up more American products and decreasing the tariffs while working on the non-tariff trade barriers. There is a lot more to come, and would love to work with you, though, as we are working with India and other countries specific to sorghum and other row crops. 

    Mann: I’d love to.I think India is a huge opportunity for sorghum and other commodities as well. Thank you for that.

    [On Food for Peace]:Earlier this year, I introduced legislation to move back to USDA a program that is not only dear to the people of Kansas, but also vital to our ag producers in the country. Food for Peace is a program that I have long supported, and it supports American agriculture while helping feed millions of people around the world. It was originally housed with the USDA when it was created over 70 years ago; a Kansan came up with the idea years ago. My bill would return it back to its roots, to return it home to the USDA, ensuring its long-term sustainability. I’m optimistic that Congress will soon act to codify this move, realigning Food for Peace with USDA where it began. If and when that transition takes place, can you commit that the Department will continue to fund and operate Food for Peace as robustly as it is currently being administered? I welcome any thoughts about Food for Peace.

    Rollins: Sure, and understanding that it is moving through the system and not wanting to get ahead of President Trump specifically, but we stand ready if that is the Congressional direction. We will work with you and your partners to ensure the continued sustainability and success, and make changes if necessary. 

    Mann: A great program, right? We are shipping commodities grown here in bags that say, “A free gift from the American people.” It is good for our farmers, good for our shippers, good for the mouths that receive it. 

    Four days after Secretary Rollins was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Rep. Mann welcomed the Secretary to the Big First District to tour National Beef Packing Plant, High Plains Ponderosa Dairy, and Finney County Feeder in southwest Kansas. Rep. Mann has applauded Secretary Rollins’ decisive leadership on combatting the Highly-Pathogenic Aviation Influenza (HPAI). Following the decision to halt imports of Mexican livestock to protect livestock from the New World Screwworm, Rep. Mann commended the announcement from USDA.

    ###

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland

    Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express themselves – both in person, and online.

    In our new research published in Lingua, we analysed more than 1.7 billion words of online language across 20 English-speaking regions. We identified 597 different swear word forms – from standard words, to creative spellings like “4rseholes”, to acronyms like “wtf”.

    The findings challenge a familiar stereotype. Australians – often thought of as prolific swearers – are actually outdone by Americans and Brits, both in how often they swear, and in how many users swear online.

    Facts and figures

    Our study focused on publicly available web data (such as news articles, organisational websites, government or institutional publications, and blogs – but excluding social media and private messaging). We found vulgar words made up 0.036% of all words in the dataset from the United States, followed by 0.025% in the British data and 0.022% in the Australian data.

    Although vulgar language is relatively rare in terms of overall word frequency, it was used by a significant number of individuals.

    Between 12% and 13.3% of Americans, around 10% of Brits, and 9.4% of Australians used at least one vulgar word in their data. Overall, the most frequent vulgar word was “fuck” – with all its variants, it amounted to a stunning 201 different forms.

    We focused on online language that didn’t include social media, because large-scale comparisons need robust, purpose-built datasets. In our case, we used the Global Web-Based English (GloWbE) corpus, which was specifically designed to compare how English is used across different regions online.

    So how much were our findings influenced by the online data we used?

    Telling results come from research happening at the same time as ours. One study analysed the use of “fuck” in social networks on X, examining how network size and strength influence swearing in the UK, US and Australia.

    It used data from 5,660 networks with more than 435,000 users and 7.8 billion words and found what we did. Americans use “fuck” most frequently, while Australians use it the least, but with the most creative spelling variations (some comfort for anyone feeling let down by our online swearing stats).

    Teasing apart cultural differences

    Americans hold relatively conservative attitudes toward public morality, and their high swearing rates are surprising. The cultural contradiction may reflect the country’s strong individualistic culture. Americans often value personal expression – especially in private or anonymous settings like the internet.

    Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. This is partly due to the lingering influence of religious norms, which frame swearing – particularly religious-based profanity – as a violation of moral decency.

    Significantly, the only religious-based swear word in our dataset, “damn”, was used most frequently by Americans.

    Research suggests swearing is more acceptable in Australian public discourse. Certainly, Australia’s public airing of swear words often takes visitors by surprise. The long-running road safety slogan “If you drink, then drive, you’re a bloody idiot” is striking – such language is rare in official messaging elsewhere.

    Australians may be comfortable swearing in person, but our findings indicate they dial it back online – surprising for a nation so fond of its vernacular.

    In terms of preferences for specific forms of vulgarity, Americans showed a strong preference for variations of “ass(hole)”, the Irish favored “feck”, the British preferred “cunt”, and Pakistanis leaned toward “butt(hole)”.

    The only statistically significant aversion we found was among Americans, who tended to avoid the word “bloody” (folk wisdom claims the word is blasphemous).

    Being fluent in swearing

    People from countries where English is the dominant language – such as the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland – tend to swear more frequently and with more lexical variety than people in regions where English is less dominant like India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Ghana or the Philippines. This pattern holds for both frequency and creativity in swearing.

    But Singapore ranked fourth in terms of frequency of swearing in our study, just behind Australia and ahead of New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. English in Singapore is increasingly seen not as a second language, but as a native language, and as a tool for identity, belonging and creativity. Young Singaporeans use social swearing to push back against authority, especially given the government’s strict rules on public language.

    One possible reason we saw less swearing among non-native English speakers is that it is rarely taught. Despite its frequency and social utility, swearing – alongside humour and informal speech – is often left out of language education.

    Cursing comes naturally

    Cultural, social and technological shifts are reshaping linguistic norms, blurring the already blurry lines between informal and formal, private and public language. Just consider the Aussie contributions to the July Oxford English Dictionary updates: expressions like “to strain the potatoes” (to urinate), “no wuckers” and “no wucking furries” (from “no fucking worries”).

    Swearing and vulgarity aren’t just crass or abusive. While they can be used harmfully, research consistently shows they serve important communicative functions – colourful language builds rapport, expresses humour and emotion, signals solidarity and eases tension.

    It’s clear that swearing isn’t just a bad habit that can be easily kicked, like nail-biting or smoking indoors. Besides, history shows that telling people not to swear is one of the best ways to keep swearing alive and well.

    Martin Schweinberger has received funding from from the Centre for Digital Cultures and Society and the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Queensland. He is currently funded by the Language Data Commons of Australia, which has received investment from the Australian Research Data Commons, funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

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

    – ref. 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears – https://theconversation.com/201-ways-to-say-fuck-what-1-7-billion-words-of-online-text-shows-about-how-the-world-swears-257815

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 12, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Watch the Episodes here:

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

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

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

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

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

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

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

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

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

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

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

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

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

    submit@merck-foundation.com

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Ensure Tax Parity for Tribes & Boost Economic Development in Indian Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that Tribes receive the same tax benefits and economic development tools as local and state governments. Specifically, this bill will help create good-paying jobs, foster local investment, and support businesses in Indian Country by updating the federal tax code and removing unfair tax burdens on Native American communities.

    “Tribes in Nevada and across the country deserve access to the same tools as state and local governments to strengthen their communities and support their local businesses and services like health, housing, and education,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Our bill makes commonsense updates to the tax code to ensure fairness, create more good paying jobs, and keep more money in Indian County.”

    “I’m pleased to join Senator Cortez Masto in introducing the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act, which aims to fix unfair tax rules that have limited economic growth in Native communities for far too long. By allowing Tribal governments to make better use of housing tax credits, improve the ability to issue tax-exempt bonds and incentivize new investment incentives, we’re opening the door for them to finance more infrastructure projects and promote job growth,” said Senator Murkowski. “I appreciate Senator Cortez Masto’s leadership as we have worked to ensure more Native communities benefit from this bill. Together, we have an opportunity to empower Tribal nations to build stronger, more resilient economies.”

    This bipartisan legislation would create parity between Tribal and state and local governments in the federal tax code by:

    • Updating rules for issuing tax-exempt debt to ensure Tribal governments are treated the same as state and local governments;
    • Ensuring that essential pension and employment benefits are taxed in the same way as benefits from state governments;
    • Ensuring that Tribal General Welfare Benefits are not unfairly categorized as income related to Supplemental Social Income eligibility or benefit amounts;
    • Creating new business opportunities in low-income Tribal communities with a $175 New Markets Tax Credit;
    • Increasing the effectiveness of Tribal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in Indian Country;
    • Extending and updating the Indian Employment Tax Credit to better serve Tribal families;
    • Allowing Indian Health Service (IHS) professionals to access recruitment and retention tax incentives; and
    • Making it easier for Tribal families to adopt children and for Tribes to enforce child support.

    “Providing for parity and equity among States and Local Governments, and Tribes and ANCs, when it comes to Tax Exempt Bonding for governmental and economic development purposes, as this bill will do if enacted, is long overdue and will be a major stimulator for growth, economic development, and job creation in Indian Country, the areas of our Nation that desperately need it, and will productively use it,” said Old Harbor Native Corporation CEO, Kristina Woolston.

    “The introduction of the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act in the Senate is a necessary and overdue effort to modernize the federal tax code in recognition of Tribal sovereignty. The bill reflects decades of Tribal efforts to secure tax parity. It guarantees Tribal governments have equitable access to financial tools, including tax credits and housing incentives, needed to build strong self-determined economies. NAFOA commends the bipartisan leadership behind the legislation, especially Senators Cortez Masto and Murkowski. We urge Congress to act swiftly to ensure that Indian Country is fully included in the nation’s tax and investment framework,” said NAFOA Board President Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

    “We thank Senators Cortez Masto and Murkowski for their consistent engagement with Tribal issues and for leading the bill’s introduction in the Senate. The Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act takes essential steps to align federal tax policy with Tribal sovereignty by addressing long-standing barriers to capital, workforce, and infrastructure development. As the legislation advances, NAFOA is committed to providing technical expertise that centers the realities of Tribal communities to support its passage,” said NAFOA Executive Director Cory Blankenship, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Member.

    You can read the text HERE and a summary of the legislation HERE.

    Senator Cortez Masto is one of the strongest champions for Native American communities in the Senate. In 2020, alongside Senator Murkowski, she passed the bipartisan Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act to help address the epidemic of missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous women. She has repeatedly called on the administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing funding to protect Native communities. She is pushing bipartisan legislation to support Tribal law enforcement and improve public safety in Native communities—one of the recommendations of the Not Invisible commission. Cortez Masto has also helped secure $125 million in additional funding for Tribes and urban Indian health organizations within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to address the mental health needs of Native communities. She has also introduced legislation to help make it easier for IHS to recruit and retain doctors and to address health disparities for Native Americans in urban areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: What family firms like Rothschild can teach Canadian businesses about resilience

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Liena Kano, Professor, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary

    The Gunnersbury Estate, which was purchased by merchant and financier Nathan Mayer Rothschild in 1835, is seen in London in 2022. (Shutterstock)

    Family businesses constitute a vital component of Canada’s economic landscape. They make up 63 per cent of privately held firms, employ nearly seven million people and generate about $575 billion a year.

    While Canadian family-run businesses express international ambitions, their overseas engagement tends to be more conservative compared to their non-family counterparts.

    In today’s turbulent economic environment — marked by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and shifting trade patterns — international competitiveness is more important than ever.

    Around the world, family firms have shown remarkable resilience in the face of external shocks. Some of the world’s longest-standing corporations are family-owned, having endured world wars, revolutions, natural disasters and pandemics. For Canadian family firms aspiring to expand abroad, such examples offer both inspiration and insight.

    Among such long-standing multinationals is Rothschild, a centuries-old European family-run investment bank. Our case study of Rothschild, based on historical analysis, highlights how the family’s enduring relationships, reliable routines and long-term goals gave it significant advantages in international business.

    At the same time, however, families can contribute unique biases, especially “bifurcation bias” — a tendency to favour family resources over equally or more valuable non-family ones. Our study reveals that bifurcation bias can compromise a firm’s international trajectory, especially in distant and complex markets.

    A brief history of Rothschild

    Mayer Amschel Rothschild was a German-Jewish banker and the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    Initially a merchant business, the firm was founded in the late 18th century by Mayer Amschel Rothschild, a Frankfurt Jew.

    Rothschild and his wife, Guttle, had 10 children, including five sons: Amschel, Salomon, Nathan, Carl and James.

    In 1798, Rothschild sent Nathan to Manchester, England, which initiated the firm’s growth in that country and a transition from merchant operations to financial transactions.

    By the 1820s, Rothschild became a multinational bank, with Amschel, Salomon, Nathan, Carl and James leading banking houses in Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Naples and Paris, respectively.

    Bonuses and burdens of family bonds

    Nathan Mayer Rothschild was sent to Manchester in 1798.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    In the 19th century, the Rothschild’s strategy of relying on family members initially worked well for the firm.

    The five Rothschild brothers corresponded in a coded language and shared a common pool of resources at a time when shared balance sheets were uncommon in international banking.

    Their close familial bonds allowed the brothers to move information, money and goods across international borders with a speed and reach that wasn’t accessible to competitors. Rivals, by contrast, had to worry about protecting sensitive information and enforcing commitments.

    This internal cohesiveness safeguarded the Rothschild’s business, facilitated transactions and allowed them to maintain resilience through the periods of significant political upheaval: the Napoleonic wars, revolutions and, ultimately, the First World War, which interrupted economic and social progress in Europe.

    However, this same over-reliance on family became a disadvantage when Rothschild expanded into the United States.

    Missed opportunity and bifurcation bias

    The Rothschilds showed an interest in the American market as early as the 1820s. However, their repeated attempts to send family members to the U.S to expand operations failed, as none were willing to stay, preferring the comforts of European life.

    August Belmont was a German-Jewish immigrant to New York City in 1837 as an agent of the Rothschild bank in Frankfurt.
    (Shutterstock)

    Since they were unable to establish a family-based anchor in the country, the Rothschilds appointed an agent, August Belmont, to run the U.S. operations on their behalf in 1837.

    However, Belmont wasn’t given the authority to exercise entrepreneurial judgment, make investments or enter into deals. He also didn’t have unrestricted access to capital, was never entrusted with an official Rothschild mandate or acknowledged as a full-fledged partner.

    The Rothschilds were unwilling to delegate such decisions to someone who was not a direct male descendant of the founder, Mayer Amschel Rothschild.

    This failure to use Belmont as a link between the family — with its successful experiences, capabilities, routines and connections in Europe — and the American market — with its growing opportunities and the valuable networks Belmont had begun to develop — ultimately prevented Rothschild from replicating its success in the U.S.

    The Rothschilds were eventually eclipsed by the Barings and JP Morgan banks in America. Both competitors followed a different path in the market by opening full-fledged U.S. subsidiaries under their corporate brands with significant funds and decision-making autonomy.

    Escaping the trap of bifurcation bias

    Bifurcation bias does not always have an immediate negative impact. In fact, biased governance practices remained inconsequential for the Rothschilds — as long as there were enough capable family heirs available to lead the bank’s dispersed operations.

    In the short- to medium-term, the family’s connections, time-tested routines and mutual reliability built a well of resilience that sustained the bank through the 19th century, one of the most volatile political periods in European history.

    But as a firm’s international ambitions outgrow the size of the family, bifurcation bias can damage competitiveness, both in international markets and at home.

    At some point, family firms must shift from emotional, biased decision-making to efficient governance systems, which may involve incorporating non-family managers and selecting resources, locations and projects that do not carry emotional significance.

    A Cargill factory building in Wroclaw, Poland in 2020. American business executive William Wallace Cargill founded the Cargill company as an Iowa grain storage business in 1865.
    (Shutterstock)

    Many successful family firms implement tools in their governance systems to detect and eliminate biased behaviour. For instance, family-owned multinationals such as Merck (Germany), Cargill (U.S.) and Tata Group (India) have checks and balances that prevent decision-makers from thinking only in family terms.

    The most successful strategies to safeguard against bifurcation bias invite outside scrutiny into corporate decision-making: appointing non-family CEOs, establishing independent boards, hiring consultants and granting partners decision-making powers.

    Lessons for family firms

    Today, as the global business environment faces arguably unprecedented volatility, firms are seeking to build resilience to survive the turbulence.

    While multi-generational family firms must learn to guard against bifurcation bias to thrive in international markets, their demonstrated ability to withstand external shocks offers valuable lessons for other companies.

    How can non-family firms emulate the Rothschild’s success and longevity? The Rothschild case teaches us the value of having a shared organizational language, setting long-term goals, maintaining stable routines and placing a strong emphasis on brand reputation.

    These strategies can help any company, family-owned or not, build resilience during volatile times.

    Liena Kano receives funding from SSHRC.

    Alain Verbeke receives funding from SSHRC.

    Luciano Ciravegna receives funding from INCAE Business School, where he leads the Steve Aronson Endowed Chair.

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

    – ref. What family firms like Rothschild can teach Canadian businesses about resilience – https://theconversation.com/what-family-firms-like-rothschild-can-teach-canadian-businesses-about-resilience-254279

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The silent killer: We need better risk governance to beat extreme heat | GP 2025

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Extreme heat is no longer a seasonal inconvenience. It’s a systemic, cross-cutting threat, silently claiming lives, stressing economies, overwhelming cities, and widening inequalities. Yet it remains one of the least governed climate hazards.

    At a high-level special event on extreme heat risk governance at the 2025 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025, leaders from governments, international agencies, labour unions, academia, and the humanitarian sector came together to discuss how better governance can protect people’s lives from the “silent killer.”

    “Extreme heat is the deadliest of all climate-related hazards,” said the World Meteorological Organization’s Director-General Celeste Saulo. “Yet it remains the least recognized and least managed.”

    The crisis is heating up

    Between 2000 and 2019, extreme heat caused an estimated 489,000 deaths annually. Heat takes its toll on global productivity, with International Labour Organisation estimates showing that in low- and middle-income economies in particular, the costs of injuries from excessive heat in the workplace can reach around 1.5 per cent of national GDP. And these risks are intensifying.

    “This is not just a health crisis. It is an economic, labour and governance crisis,” said Dr. Saulo.

    Despite this, as of 2023 only half of national meteorological services were issuing extreme heat warnings, and just 26 countries had dedicated heat-health early warning systems, WMO reported. 

    Urbanisation is compounding the threat. Cities are warming up twice as fast as the global average, and 68% of the global population projected to live in urban centres by 2050.

    From a reactive to a systemic approach

    Much of the current global approach to heat is reactive: authorities issue warning during events, the respond to spikes, and measure the toll on communities and economies. But the impacts cascade across sectors – disrupting health, labour, agriculture, education, and energy – and this requires a systemic governance response.

    “Heat is a systemic and pervasive risk,” said Dr. Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India. “It cuts across public health, economic stability, and ecological resilience.”

    The problem is not technical, but a lack of effective plans and policies to implement live-saving measures.

    “Most of the extreme heat impact is predictable,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain. “If something is predictable, it’s preventable.”

    Responses need be rapid, and taken at the level of local communities, using cross-sectoral partnerships.

    Lessons in local leadership

    Examples from several countries demonstrate how integrated governance can work:

    • India first developed a local plan in Ahmedabad and now has 250+ cities and districts with operational heat action plans (HAPs).
    • France, after a devastating heatwave in 2003, launched a multi-ministry effort to integrate adaptation and risk communication. Stakeholders were asked to imagine life under a +4°C scenario, and then develop local and national resilience strategies around this likely reality.
    • The Philippines has developed a real-time “iHeatMap” platform and set up a cross-sectoral national task force to manage health, food, energy, and water impacts during heat events.

    To guide cities in improving heat governance, the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative has developed a resource package on urban extreme heat risk management, which gives practical recommendations to help local and national governments create urban heat strategies.

    “We are learning through lived experience,” said Senator Rosa Galvez of Canada – such as the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia, which lasted 27 days and resulted in 618 deaths. “But we must understand that we cannot adapt forever.”

    Protecting the poorest

    “Poor people can’t afford poor design—especially on a heating planet,” said the International Labour Organization’s Mia Seppo.

    To address this imbalance, we need climate-informed finance that protects workers and promotes inclusive infrastructure investment.

    “Financial strategies must align with just transition principles,” Ms. Seppo said. “Climate risk must be integrated into investment decisions.”

    “Any development project should have a heat risk element,” said Dr. Mishra. “Projects should include protection for both users and workers. Construction companies, for instance, must provide heat protection for labourers.”

    Benoît Faraco, France’s Ambassador for Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, said that regulatory levers and standards can drive climate-resilient investment and avoid maladaptive pathways.

    “Standards and regulation play an important role in prevention. You cannot build a hospital or school as if climate change was not happening; it’s your job in the design to integrate mitigation and adaptation strategy,” he said. “If you let the market do things on heatwaves, people run to buy air conditioning systems, and during peak electricity demand this results in more fossil fuel use. It’s misadaptation.”

    A global framework for local action

    To facilitate coordinated approaches to extreme heat, UNDRR, WMO, WHO and the Global Heat Health Information Network are developing a Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance. This initiative aims to align actors across sectors, and to support national and subnational entities in integrating extreme heat into their DRR, climate, health, and urban strategies.

    The Common Framework is designed to support the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, which outlines eight essential course corrections:

    • Accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources.
    • Enhance investments in sustainable, low-carbon energy systems to mitigate heat-related risks.
    • Promote climate-resilient agricultural practices, such as drought-resistant crops and sustainable irrigation.
    • Strengthen food supply chains to withstand heat-induced disruptions.
    • Integrate urban planning with heat mitigation measures, including green infrastructure and shaded areas.
    • Prioritize nature-based solutions that enhance resilience across sectors.
    • Implement national heat action plans, including early warning systems.
    • Establish heat-safe working conditions and policies.

    These actions form the foundation of effective heat governance and call for integrated leadership across all sectors of society, at all levels of government.

    “We must mainstream heat into both climate and disaster governance. We must embrace a multi-hazard approach,” Dr. Saula said. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to align, scale and accelerate.”

    Every extreme heat death is preventable

    Closing the special event, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Kamal Kishore said we should aim for zero heat-related deaths next heat season.

    “We have the science. We know what to do. Now we must act – urgently, together, and at all levels,” he said.

    We can start by making schools safer against extreme heat.

    “One of my dreams is that in five years we will have 100,000 heat-resilient schools in all heat-prone areas,” Mr. Kishore said. “It’s not rocket science. We know what it takes to build heat-resilient schools in terms of built environment. We know how to incorporate green spaces and water bodies in schools. We know what kind of awareness children need to have to deal with heat waves.”

    The Common Framework will provide tools to make schools, homes, and workplaces safer from the heat – but political will, coordinated governance, and community-centred approaches will determine whether the world beats the heat or succumbs to it.

    We need to act for heat resilience today. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 12, 2025

  • India bats for global action in fighting terrorism during key East Asia Summit meeting

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (IANS)

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Urges Immediate Action by Meta to Prevent Investment Scam Advertisements on its Platforms

    Source: US State of California

    Meta must do better to protect consumers from financial harm 

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

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

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

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

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

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

    A copy of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: BoldSign® Wins Developer’s Choice in the 2025 Postman API Network Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Syncfusion®, Inc., the enterprise technology provider of choice, today announced that its eSignature solution, BoldSign®, won the Postman Developer’s Choice Award. Selected by Postman’s worldwide developer community, the award spotlights APIs that deliver exceptional user experience, measurable business value, and active community engagement. Syncfusion coming in at number one is a result of its commitment to building tools that developers and businesses trust.

    “BoldSign started with a simple goal: give developers an eSignature API that lets them plug in, sign, and ship without friction,” said Daniel Jebaraj, CEO of Syncfusion. “This award tells us we’re on the right path and motivates us to keep raising the bar with features that help our customers move their products forward.”

    Businesses choose BoldSign due to its:

    • Fast, friction-free signing: Legally binding signatures captured in seconds.
    • Easy implementation: Most teams roll out in under a day with no heavy IT lifting.
    • Web-to-mobile flexibility: Seamless experience for in-office and on-the-go staff.
    • Bank-grade security and compliance: Robust encryption and compliance with SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and eIDAS regulations.
    • Scalability: Usage-based plans stay cost-effective for individuals, startups, and large enterprises.
    • Real-time human support: Direct access to BoldSign experts whenever questions arise.
    • Customer-driven roadmap: Continuous feature drops shaped by user feedback.

    “Winning Developer’s Choice is both humbling and energizing,” added Jebaraj. “We’re just getting started—look for new features, expanded SDKs, and deeper integrations so teams can scale from 10 to a million documents without switching platforms.”

    Learn more about the BoldSign® eSignature APIs in Postman. For more information about fast, secure, and scalable eSignature functionality in BoldSign, visit its website.

    About Syncfusion, Inc.
    Headquartered in the technology hub of Research Triangle Park, N.C., Syncfusion®, Inc. delivers an award-winning ecosystem of developer control suites, embeddable BI platforms, and business software. Syncfusion was founded in 2001 with a single software component and a mission to support businesses of all sizes—from individual developers and start-ups to Fortune 500 enterprises. Though its pilot product, the Essential Studio® suite, has grown to over 1,900 developer controls, its mission remains the same. With offices in the U.S., India, and Kenya, Syncfusion prioritizes the customer experience by providing feature-rich solutions to help developers and enterprises solve complex problems, save money, and build high-performance, robust applications.

    Contact: Brittany Kearns
    Phone: 571-271-7211
    Email: brittany@crossroadsb2b.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pickleball Company Owner Waives Discharge of Over $47M in Unsecured Debt After USTP Investigation

    Source: US State of California

    A pickleball entrepreneur who was forced into bankruptcy by investors he lured with promises of generous returns recently agreed to waive his bankruptcy discharge after an investigation by the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), preventing the discharge of more than $47 million in unsecured debt.

    On May 14, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved a voluntary waiver of discharge by debtor Rodney Grubbs, owner of All About Pickleball LLC, an apparel and equipment company that did business as Pickleball Rocks. As a result, Grubbs remains personally liable for his debts, and creditors are free to pursue payment from him after the case is closed.

    Grubbs solicited investments from pickleball players and fans from across the United States, usually in the form of promissory notes with purportedly guaranteed interest rates of 10 percent or higher. In December 2023, several unpaid investors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Grubbs under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Grubbs opposed the petition, but after a hearing in which he testified to using new investors’ funds to pay back previous investors, the bankruptcy court granted the involuntary petition and ordered the case to proceed. Grubbs eventually disclosed nearly $1.6 million in assets and more than $47 million in liabilities, the vast majority of them unsecured debts owed to hundreds of individuals.

    As part of its extensive investigation, the USTP’s Indianapolis office obtained Grubbs’ personal and business financial records and examined him under oath. Ultimately, Grubbs — who also faced allegations from multiple creditors consistent with a Ponzi scheme — elected to waive his bankruptcy discharge.

    “The USTP is committed to addressing fraudulent and abusive conduct that threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy system,” said U.S. Trustee Nancy J. Gargula for Region 10, which includes the Southern District of Indiana. “Our commitment to protecting consumers and those who fall victim to various schemes that come to light in bankruptcy is unwavering.”

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pickleball Company Owner Waives Discharge of Over $47M in Unsecured Debt After USTP Investigation

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A pickleball entrepreneur who was forced into bankruptcy by investors he lured with promises of generous returns recently agreed to waive his bankruptcy discharge after an investigation by the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), preventing the discharge of more than $47 million in unsecured debt.

    On May 14, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved a voluntary waiver of discharge by debtor Rodney Grubbs, owner of All About Pickleball LLC, an apparel and equipment company that did business as Pickleball Rocks. As a result, Grubbs remains personally liable for his debts, and creditors are free to pursue payment from him after the case is closed.

    Grubbs solicited investments from pickleball players and fans from across the United States, usually in the form of promissory notes with purportedly guaranteed interest rates of 10 percent or higher. In December 2023, several unpaid investors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Grubbs under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Grubbs opposed the petition, but after a hearing in which he testified to using new investors’ funds to pay back previous investors, the bankruptcy court granted the involuntary petition and ordered the case to proceed. Grubbs eventually disclosed nearly $1.6 million in assets and more than $47 million in liabilities, the vast majority of them unsecured debts owed to hundreds of individuals.

    As part of its extensive investigation, the USTP’s Indianapolis office obtained Grubbs’ personal and business financial records and examined him under oath. Ultimately, Grubbs — who also faced allegations from multiple creditors consistent with a Ponzi scheme — elected to waive his bankruptcy discharge.

    “The USTP is committed to addressing fraudulent and abusive conduct that threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy system,” said U.S. Trustee Nancy J. Gargula for Region 10, which includes the Southern District of Indiana. “Our commitment to protecting consumers and those who fall victim to various schemes that come to light in bankruptcy is unwavering.”

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs

    UK Government’s Plan for Change delivers record settlement for Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion over the SR period to deliver public services

    Working people across Scotland will benefit from significant investment in clean energy and innovation, creating thousands of high-skilled jobs and strengthening Scotland’s position as the home of the United Kingdom’s clean energy revolution.  

    The UK Government has confirmed £8.3 billion in funding for GB Energy-Nuclear and GB Energy in Aberdeen. This is alongside an increased commitment to the Acorn Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage project, which will receive development funding.   

    The Spending Review, outlined today, Wednesday 11 June, announces targeted investment in Scotland’s most promising sectors to grow the economy and put more money in working people’s pockets.  It delivers an extra £9.1 billion over Phase 2 of the Spending Review, through the Barnett formula.

    The government also confirmed £25 million for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Freeport.   

    These investments are part of a wider package, with funding for hydrogen production projects at Cromarty and Whitelee.

    Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said:  

    Putting more money in the pockets of working Scots by investing in the country’s renewal is at the heart of this Spending Review and our Plan for Change.

    The Chancellor has unleashed a new era of growth for Scotland, confirming billions of pounds of investment in clean energy – including new development funding for Acorn – creating thousands of high-skilled jobs.

    Scotland’s leading role at the heart of UK defence policy has been strengthened and there is also significant investment in our trailblazing innovation, research and development sectors.

    And the Scotland Office will work with local partners to ensure hundreds of millions of pounds of new targeted support for Scottish communities and businesses goes to projects that matter to local people. This means that the UK Government is now investing almost £1.7 billion in dozens of important growth schemes across Scotland over 10 years.

    To maximise the benefit of recent trade deals with India, US and the EU we are continuing the Brand Scotland programme to promote inward investment opportunities boosting Scottish exports of our globally celebrated products.

    And we are delivering a record real-terms funding settlement for the Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion over the Spending Review period through the Barnett formula. That’s more money than ever before for them to invest in Scottish public services like our NHS, police, housing and schools.

    This is a historic Spending Review for Scotland that chooses investment over decline and delivers on the promise that there would be no return to austerity.

    Investment in Scotland to strengthen UK defence  

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

    The long-term future of the Clyde is secured through an initial £250 million investment over three years which will begin a multi-decade, multi-billion pound redevelopment of HM Naval Base Clyde through the ‘Clyde 2070’ programme.   

    Investing in innovation and R&D  

    Scotland will also become home to the UK’s largest and most powerful supercomputer, with up to £750 million committed to its development at Edinburgh University. This world-class facility will give scientists across all UK universities access to extraordinary computer power, further strengthening Scotland’s research and innovation capability.   

    The UK Government is backing Scottish industry with a share of increased UK-wide R&D spending set to grow from £20.4 billion in 2025-26 to over £22.6 billion per year by 2029-30. Scotland will also benefit from a £410 million UK-wide Local Innovation Partnerships Fund.  

    Targeted support for Scottish communities   

    The government is also investing £160 million over 10 years for Investment Zones in the North East of Scotland and in Glasgow City Region, and confirming £452 million over four years for City and Growth Deals across Scotland.  

    A £100 million joint investment for the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth deal with the Scottish Government (£50 million from UK Government and £50 million from Scottish Government), demonstrating the UK Government’s continued commitment to the Grangemouth industrial area.  

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

    Supporting Scottish businesses  

    The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is trialling a Strategic Partnership with Glasgow City Region to provide enhanced, hands-on support to help it develop and finance long term investment opportunities. The NWF has already made its first investment in Scotland with £43.5 million in direct equity for a sustainable packaging company, which is to build its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility near Glasgow.  

    Through its Nations and Regions Investment programme the British Business Bank is delivering £150 million across Scotland to break down access to finance barriers and drive economic growth.  

    The settlement also allocates £0.75 million each year to champion our ‘Brand Scotland’ trade missions to promote Scotland’s goods and services on the world stage and to encourage further growth and investment.

    A record settlement for Scottish public services   

    The Government has been clear that local decision-making against local priorities is central to delivering growth.   

    The Scottish Government will receive the largest real terms settlement since devolution began in 1998, with an average £50.9 billion per year between 2026-27 and 2028-29, enabling the Scottish Government to deliver for working people in Scotland.  This includes £2.9 billion per year on average through the operation of the Barnett formula, with £2.4 billion resource between 2026-27 and 2028-29 and £510 million capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30. 

    This investment and record settlement is made possible by the tough but necessary decisions taken in the October Budget.

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    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 12, 2025

  • India showcases labour reforms at 113th International Labour Conference in Geneva

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday highlighted India’s strides in labour welfare and social security during his address at the plenary session of the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva. Representing India, he outlined key achievements and advocated for balanced global labour standards.

    India’s unemployment rate has dropped from 6% in 2017 to 3.2% in 2024, with over 7.5 crore formal sector jobs created in the past seven years. The Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, with a budget of approximately $12.81 billion, is set to further boost formal employment. The National Career Service (NCS) portal is being enhanced to connect Indian workers with global job opportunities, facilitating international labour mobility.

    The Minister emphasized India’s efforts to integrate gig and platform workers, projected to reach 23.5 million by 2030, into the mainstream. The e-Shram portal, a national database of over 300 million unorganised workers, including gig workers, enables targeted social protection. India’s social security coverage has surged from 24.4% in 2019 to 64.3% in 2025, benefiting around 940 million people, supplemented by food and health security schemes.

    Addressing the ILC’s discussions on biological hazards, Dr. Mandaviya supported worker protections but cautioned against overly broad definitions that extend beyond workplaces, particularly for informal sectors and MSMEs. He proposed a risk-tiered approach to balance safety and operational realities, urging the ILO to consider diverse national contexts in setting global standards.

    India’s Code on Social Security 2020 recognizes platform workers as a distinct category, and the country is fostering an education-to-employment ecosystem by aligning universities, industry, and skilling centers. .

    June 12, 2025

  • Shivraj Singh Chouhan to engage with farmers in Bardoli as Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan concludes

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhanon Thursday will interact with farmers in Bardoli, Gujarat, marking the culmination of the 15-day Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel will also attend the event.

    Launched on May 29 in Odisha, the nationwide campaign has seen the Union Minister engage with farmers across Odisha, Jammu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, and Delhi. In Bardoli, Chouhan will participate in a Kisan Chaupal to personally address farmers’ concerns and discuss practical challenges.

    The campaign has mobilized 2,170 teams comprising 16,000 scientists, reaching over 1.08 crore farmers nationwide. It focuses on delivering region-specific agricultural research tailored to local climatic conditions, soil fertility, and other factors. The initiative also aims to identify farmers’ challenges and shape future agricultural research and policies.

    June 12, 2025

  • India’s PSUs and PSBs turn into wealth creators in last 11 years

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has strengthened India’s public sector undertakings (PSUs) in the last 11 years, turning them into wealth creators and making them integral to the nation’s growth, the data-focused X handle infoindata showed on Wednesday.

    With focused reforms, strategic autonomy, and capital support, PSU market cap surged across the energy, power, and infrastructure sectors.

    While NTPC saw its market cap reach Rs 3.27 lakh crore in 2025, from 0.99 lakh crore in 2014, Power Grid saw its market cap touch Rs 2.80 lakh crore in 2025, from 0.55 lakh crore in 2014 (till June 9), as per data sourced from the DIPAM and the Department of Public Enterprises.

    Other PSUs like IOCL, Power Finance, BPCL, GAIL, NHPC, BHEL, etc, also saw a meteoric rise in their market caps in the last 11 years.

    On the other hand, the market cap of public sector banks (PSBs) also surged in the last 11 years.

    The SBI saw its market cap reach Rs 7.32 lakh crore in FY26, from Rs 1.51 lakh crore in FY16.

    PNB saw its market cap touch Rs 1.29 lakh crore in FY26 from 0.06 lakh crore in FY16, while Bank of Baroda’s market cap reached Rs 1.28 lakh crore from 0.34 lakh crore in the same time frame, as per the data.

    “In 11 years, the Modi government transformed public sector banks from the NPA crisis of the UPA era to record market capitalisation through structural reforms such as asset quality review, bank mergers, targeted recapitalisation, and measures to resolve bad loans,” said infoindata on X.

    Meanwhile, India’s top public sector companies in the financial, power and energy sectors recorded a robust growth in profit during the January-March quarter of 2024-25, which is expected to further strengthen the government’s fiscal position.

    The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), and insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) led the charge with a net profit of Rs 18,643 crore and Rs 19,013 crore, respectively. SBI’s net profit for the financial year 2024-25 has now soared to Rs 70,901 crore, while LIC has recorded an impressive net profit of Rs 48,151 crore for the year.

    In the energy sector, Coal India earned a net profit of Rs 9,604 crore during the fourth quarter, while Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) registered a net profit of Rs 7,265 crore, with upstream oil exploration giant ONGC registering a net profit of Rs 6,448 crore during the quarter.

    In the power sector, the country’s largest electricity producer, NTPC, recorded a net profit of Rs 7,897 crore, while Power Finance Corporation (PFC), which also comes under the Ministry of Power, earned a robust Rs 8,358 crore. Power Grid Corporation of India also registered a strong profit of Rs 4,143 crore during the January-March quarter.

    (IANS)

    June 12, 2025

  • Labour Ministry showcases 11 years of transformative reforms under Modi govt

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    As the Modi government celebrates 11 years of inclusive governance, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has spotlighted its achievements in labour welfare, social security, and public healthcare, with Hyderabad emerging as a hub of transformative initiatives.

    The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) Regional Office in Barkatpura has become a benchmark for efficiency, managing over 27 lakh accounts with digital innovations, rapid claim settlements, and robust grievance redressal. Notably, 98% of Pension on Higher Wages claims have been implemented, setting a national standard.

    In Sanath Nagar, the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College and Super Specialty Hospital leads in public healthcare, serving over 72 lakh beneficiaries. With more than 1,000 beds, advanced diagnostics, and IT-enabled services, it exemplifies patient-centric care and medical education.

    The Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW) has empowered over 50 lakh unorganised workers in the Beedi, Cine, and mining sectors through educational scholarships, healthcare support, and social protection programs.

    To showcase these milestones, the Ministry is hosting a Press Tour in Hyderabad from June 11 to 14. Journalists will engage with officials, beneficiaries, and service providers through guided tours, live demonstrations, and presentations, offering a firsthand look at how 11 years of governance have delivered tangible benefits to the labour sector.

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Announces Town Halls in Eastern Oregon, Columbia Gorge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    June 11, 2025
    Senator’s upcoming open-to-all town halls June 19-21 will be in Malheur, Baker, Union and Hood River counties
    Portland – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold open-to-all town halls next week in Malheur, Baker, Union and Hood River counties.
    Heading into these four open-to-all town halls from June 19-21, Wyden has held 1,120 open-to-all town halls in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. 
    “Oregonians throughout our state count on elected officials to be available in their communities to answer questions and hear their views and concerns,”  “Wyden said. “That expectation has always been a vital part of the ‘Oregon Way.” And in these unprecedented times with our country facing unprecedented challenges, these in-person conversations in every nook and cranny of Oregon are more important than ever.”
    The schedule for the upcoming town halls is as follows:
    Thursday, June 19
    Malheur County, 6:30 pm MT, Four Rivers Cultural Center, Meyer McLean Performing Arts Theater, 676 SW 5th Ave., Ontario
    Friday, June 20
    Baker County, 1:30 pm PT, Baker City Armory, 1640 Campbell St., Baker City
    Union County, 5:30 pm PT, La Grande High School Auditorium, 708 K Ave., La Grande
    Saturday, June 21
    Hood River County, Noon PT, Hood River Valley High School, Bowe Theater, 1220 Indian Creek Road, Hood River
    Doors will open one hour before the town hall start times for attendees. For everyone’s security, backpacks and large bags will not be allowed in the town hall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Helps Introduce Bipartisan Resolution in Support of “National Trailer Safety Week”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today Congressmen Chris Pappas (NH-01), Rudy Yakym (IN-02), Tim Burchett (TN-02), and John Garamendi (CA-08) introduced a bipartisan resolution expressing support for the designation of the week of June 2-8, 2025, as “National Trailer Safety Week” in the United States.

    “This National Trailer Safety Week I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution highlighting the importance of trailer safety,” Rep. Pappas said. “Trailer safety and education, from recreational use to every day on the job, is critical to keeping everyone on our roads safe.”

    “I’m proud to put forward this resolution highlighting the critical importance of trailer safety,” Rep. Yakym said. “In northern Indiana, the manufacturers I represent build everything from towable RVs to cargo and horse trailers. Promoting safe towing practices is key to keeping our roads safer and making sure people across the country can continue to enjoy the many advantages trailers offer.”

    “I used to sell utility trailers and car haulers,” Rep. Burchett said. “I am happy to work with my colleagues to advocate for trailer safe-use practices. We need to continue working to keep our roads and highways safe for everyone.”

    “Every year, 50,000 trailer accidents injure 21,000 Americans and kill hundreds,” Rep. Garamendi said. “I am honored to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution to raise awareness about trailer safety and help keep our roads safe. Trailer Safety Week is a critical opportunity to ensure that both manufacturers and drivers have the information they need to keep America’s roadways safe.”

    “Trailer Safety Week strives to enhance roadway safety for all Americans, and we truly value the ongoing support and acknowledgment at the federal level,” Alex Stowe, National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) Executive Director said. “With nearly one million new trailers hitting our nation’s roads each year, accessible education on trailer safety is crucial. Whether you’re towing a boat for a weekend getaway or a utility trailer for work tasks, having the essential knowledge for safe towing is crucial. Trailer safety is synonymous to traffic safety, impacting everyone. We extend our gratitude to Representatives Yakym, Burchett, Garamendi, and Pappas for recognizing the significance of our Trailer Safety Week initiative and the role it plays in improving roadway safety.”

    Read the full resolution here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Zoom completes rollout of Zoom Phone in six telecom circles, with plans for further expansion in India

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JOSE, Calif., June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zoom Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) today announced the further expansion of its industry-leading Zoom Phone service to four major metro telecom circles in India — Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Karnataka (Bengaluru), and Andhra Pradesh & Telangana (Hyderabad). The Delhi NCR Telecom Circle includes the Union Territory of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, NOIDA, and Gurgaon. Licensed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) India, Zoom Phone is now available in six telecom circles in India, including Maharashtra (October 2024) and Tamil Nadu (Chennai) Telecom Circles (February 2025), thereby covering key business and technology hubs in the country. Zoom also plans to bring Zoom Phone to additional telecom circles across India, accelerating its commitment to make AI-first modern telephony available to more organizations across key states in India.

    “Zoom Phone addresses the growing demand for cloud telephony by offering simplicity and modern functionality for distributed workforces. India is an important market for us, and our expansion plans beyond the six key telecom circles demonstrate our commitment to providing customers with a unified work platform. This expansion also reflects the growing traction Zoom Phone is receiving, especially from multinational companies, as businesses in India move away from legacy PBX systems toward more flexible, AI-first collaboration solutions that enhance employee productivity,” said Velchamy Sankarlingam, president of Product and Engineering, Zoom.

    Zoom Phone offers businesses simplicity and modern functionality, empowering dynamic workstyles and hybrid teams. Available as an add-on for existing paid Zoom customers, it supports inbound and outbound calling through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), enabling enterprises to replace legacy private branch exchange (PBX) systems and consolidate communication needs onto a single AI-first platform in Zoom Workplace.

    Zoom Phone also integrates seamlessly with Zoom Contact Center to offer a unified experience with features like call transfer, call forwarding, and call recording accessible within the Zoom Contact Center environment. Zoom Contact Center can access Zoom Phone user details like extensions, Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers, and usernames, enabling caller identification and routing.

    In addition to services in the six active telecom circles, Zoom Phone enables businesses to maintain seamless collaboration across India, even in regions where Zoom Phone service is not yet available. Through Zoom’s self-service web portal, customers can acquire native phone numbers based on specific telecom circles, such as Karnataka, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai, enabling them to establish a local presence in those regions. These native numbers operate over the PSTN, allowing customers to place outbound calls and receive inbound calls nationwide, regardless of their physical location. This allows organizations to maintain continuity and flexibility in their collaboration strategy, even in telecom circles where Zoom Phone is not directly available.

    Enhanced by Zoom AI Companion, which is included at no additional cost with eligible Zoom paid accounts, Zoom Phone offers powerful AI features to boost productivity. These include post-call summaries so users can focus on conversations instead of taking notes, voicemail task extraction to easily identify next steps, and voicemail prioritization to better manage time and attention. Zoom Phone also integrates seamlessly with Zoom Workplace, leading business applications, and hardware providers, offering robust security, scalability, and an intuitive user interface.

    “We are thrilled that Zoom Phone is now available in six of India’s most prominent business and technology hubs. Each of these cities is home to thriving ecosystems of local enterprises and multinational corporations that will benefit from Zoom Phone’s flexibility and seamless integration into their existing workflows. Bringing Zoom Phone to additional telecom circles is a natural next step in our commitment to empower more organizations with access to reliable, modern AI-first telephony,” said Sameer Raje, general manager and head of India & SAARC region at Zoom. “Zoom Phone and Zoom Contact Center are purpose-built to work seamlessly together to empower organizations to deliver unified communications and superior customer and employee engagement. With this launch, we are excited to help businesses streamline collaboration, support flexible workforces, and enhance employee and customer experiences.”

    To learn more about Zoom Phone, please visit the Zoom Phone page.

    About Zoom
    Zoom’s mission is to provide an AI-first work platform for human connection. Reimagine teamwork with Zoom Workplace — Zoom’s open collaboration platform with AI Companion that empowers teams to be more productive. Together with Zoom Workplace, Zoom’s Business Services for sales, marketing, and customer experience teams, including Zoom Contact Center, strengthen customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more information at zoom.com.

    Zoom Press Contact
    Hayley Yap
    APAC Communications Lead
    press@zoom.us

    The MIL Network –

    June 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Politics based on grievance has a long and violent history in America

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Peter C. Mancall, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

    A statue of Christopher Columbus, toppled by protesters, is loaded onto a truck on the grounds of the state capitol on June 10, 2020, in St Paul, Minn. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

    Recently, President Donald Trump declared that he is “bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.” He hopes to make up for the removal of commemorative statues important to “the Italians that love him so much.”

    But Columbus Day had not been scrapped or reduced to ashes. Although President Joe Biden issued a proclamation for Indigenous Peoples Day in October 2024, on the same day he also declared a holiday in honor of Christopher Columbus.

    Nonetheless, Trump posted in April 2025, “Christopher is going to make a major comeback.” By using Columbus’ name, which means “Christ-bearer,” a president who covets the praise of faith leaders yoked the explorer to his campaign promise: “For those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.”

    By reasserting the importance of Columbus, the president took a stand against the toppling and vandalism of statues of Columbus. In this case, his act of retribution for his supporters focused on the holiday, which he could declare more easily than returning icons of a fallen man to empty pedestals.

    Trump’s statement invoked the politics of grievance – a sense of resentment or injustice fueled by perceived discrimination – that have characterized his actions for years.

    The list of targets for his retribution, which have included Harvard University, elite law firms and former allies he believes have betrayed him, now exceeds 100, according to an NPR review.

    As a historian of early America, I am familiar with how grievance marked the colonial era. Throughout this period, grievance fueled rage and violence.

    European grievance in America

    Europeans who arrived in the Americas following Columbus’ 1492 journey claimed the territories in the Western Hemisphere through an obsolete legal theory known as the “doctrine of discovery.”

    Spanish, English, French, Dutch and Portuguese rulers, according to this notion, owned portions of the Americas, regardless of the claims of Indigenous peoples. This presumption of ownership justified, in their minds, the use of violence against those who resisted them.

    In 1598, for example, Spanish soldiers patrolling the pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico demanded food from local residents, whom the colonizers saw as their subordinates. The town’s inhabitants, believing the request excessive, fought instead, killing 11 Spaniards.

    In response, the governor of New Mexico, a territory almost entirely populated by Indigenous peoples, ordered the systematic amputations of the hands or feet of residents whom the soldiers thought had participated in the attack. They also enslaved hundreds in the town. Roughly 1,500 residents of Acoma died in the conflict, according to the National Park Service, a response seemingly driven more by grievance than strategy.

    English colonizers proved just as quick to deploy extraordinary violence if they believed Native Americans deprived them of what they thought was theirs.

    In March 1622, soldiers from the Powhatan Confederation – composed of Algonquian tribes from present-day Virginia – launched a surprise attack to protest encroachments on their lands, killing 347 colonists.

    The English labeled the event a “barbarous massacre,” using language that dehumanized the Powhatans and cast them as villainous raiders. An English pamphleteer named Edward Waterhouse castigated these Indigenous people as “wyld naked Natives,” “Pagan Infidels” and “perfidious and inhumane.”

    Opechancanough was paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy in present-day Virginia from 1618 until his death in 1646.
    mikroman6/Getty Images

    War began almost immediately. Colonial soldiers embraced a scorched-earth strategy, burning houses and crops when they could not locate their enemies. On May 22, 1623, one group sailed into Pamunkey territory to rescue captives.

    Under a ruse of peaceful negotiation, they distributed poison to some 200 Native residents. By doing so, the colonial soldiers, driven by grievance more than law, ignored their own rules of war, which forbade the use of poison in war.

    Grievance drove colonists against each other

    Even among colonists, grievance promoted violence.

    In 1692, residents of Salem, Massachusetts, believed their misfortunes were the work of the devil. Their anxieties and anger led them to accuse others of witchcraft.

    As historians who have studied the Salem witch trials have argued, many of the accusers in agricultural Salem Village – modern-day Danvers – harbored resentments against neighbors who had closer ties to nearby Salem Town, which was more commercial.

    The aggrieved found a spokesman in the Rev. Samuel Parris, whose own earlier failure in business had led him to look for a new path forward as a minister. Parris’ anger about his earlier disappointments fueled his indignation about what he saw as inadequate economic support from local authorities.

    In a sermon, he underscored his financial irritation by emphasizing Judas’ betrayal of Jesus for “a poor & mean price,” as if it was the amount that mattered. The resentful residents and their bitter minister fueled the largest witch hunt in American history, which left at least 20 of the accused dead.

    The painting ‘Trial of George Jacobs of Salem for Witchcraft’ in 1692 by T.H. Matteson.
    Tompkins Harrison Matteson/Library of Congress via AP

    The most obvious forerunner of today’s grievance-fueled politics was a rebellion in the spring and summer of 1676 by backcountry colonists in Virginia who battled their Jamestown-based colonial government. They were led by Nathaniel Bacon, a tobacco farmer who believed that provincial officials were not doing enough to protect outlying farms from attacks by Susquehannocks and other Indigenous residents.

    Bacon and his followers, consumed by their “declaration of grievances,” petitioned the local government for help. When they did not get the result they wanted, they marched against Jamestown. They set the capital alight and chased Gov. William Berkeley away.

    Bacon succumbed to dysentery in October, and the movement collapsed without its charismatic leader. Berkeley survived but lost his position.

    The rebellion has become etched into history as a violent attack against governing authorities that foreshadowed the 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

    When President Trump invokes alleged insults to one community to satisfy the yearnings of his followers, he and his allies run the risk of once again stoking the passions of the aggrieved.

    Acts of grievance come in different forms, depending on historical and political circumstance. But the urge to reclaim what someone thinks should be theirs can lead to deadly violence, as earlier Americans repeatedly discovered.

    Peter C. Mancall has received support from the University of Southern California, the Huntington Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Oxford University to support his research on early America.

    – ref. Politics based on grievance has a long and violent history in America – https://theconversation.com/politics-based-on-grievance-has-a-long-and-violent-history-in-america-257202

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 12, 2025

  • Om Birla to inspire future IAS officers at Mussoorie Training Program

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will visit Mussoorie, Uttarakhand on Thursday to address the valedictory ceremony of the 127th Induction Training Program at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. He is scheduled to arrive at Jolly Grant Airport at 9:45 AM and reach Mussoorie by 11:30 AM, returning to Delhi the same day.

    The training program, tailored for officers promoted from State Civil Services to the Indian Administrative Service, hosts 97 participants from 19 states, including 73 male and 24 female officers. Aligned with the national vision of “Viksit Bharat @2047” and “Mission Karmayogi,” the program aims to prepare ethical and capable civil servants for national-level leadership roles.

    Built on seven thematic pillars—Good Governance, Personality Development, Collaborative Learning, Technology, Leadership Insights, Entrepreneurship, and Regional Understanding—the initiative equips officers for policy-making, inter-regional coordination, and institutional leadership.

    June 12, 2025

  • Indian Railways introduces Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal bookings from July 1

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian Railways has announced significant changes to its Tatkal ticket booking system, effective from July 1, to ensure fair access and curb misuse. The reforms focus on enhancing user authentication and restricting agent bookings to prioritize genuine passengers.

    Starting July 1, only Aadhaar-authenticated users will be able to book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website and mobile app. From July 15, Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will become mandatory for all online Tatkal bookings. Additionally, Tatkal tickets booked at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through authorized agents will require OTP verification sent to the user’s registered mobile number, also effective from July 15.

    To prevent bulk bookings, authorized agents will be barred from booking Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window. For AC classes, this restriction applies from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, and for non-AC classes, from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

    The Ministry of Railways has directed the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC to implement necessary system upgrades and inform all Zonal Railways. Passengers are urged to link their Aadhaar with their IRCTC profiles to avoid booking issues.

    June 12, 2025
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