Category: Justice

MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Violation of European law on political party financing in Greece – E-001784/2025(ASW)
Source: European Parliament
The Authority for European Political Parties and Foundations is the independent body responsible for monitoring the compliance of European Political Parties and Foundations with Regulation No 1141/2014. Not national parties.

The Commission is aware of media reports concerning the allegations referred to in this question. However, under the EU Treaties, the Commission has no general powers to examine how individual cases are investigated by the authorities of a Member State, as specific cases fall under the responsibility of the competent authorities of each Member State.

The Commission monitors significant developments concerning the rule of law in Member States, including the anti-corruption framework, in the context of the annual Rule of Law Report.

In December 2023, the Commission published a recommendation on inclusive and resilient elections[1] addressed to Member States, political parties, political foundations and campaign organisations.

That Recommendation promotes high democratic standards for elections in the EU, including measures regarding funding of political parties and encouraging election integrity and fair campaigning.

The Commission is preparing the European Democracy Shield, which will provide a strategic approach to safeguard and strengthen democracy in the EU.

In this context, the Commission will also continue to support Member States to strengthen the fairness and integrity of electoral processes, including through the European Cooperation Network on Elections.

[1] C/2023/8626.
Last updated: 15 July 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Limitation of the parliamentary right of inquiry – facts which are being examined before a court – E-002758/2025

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer E-002758/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Marieke Ehlers (PfE)

Article 226 TFEU and Article 3 of the Decision of 6 March 1995 on the detailed provisions governing the exercise of the European Parliament’s right of inquiry state that a parliamentary committee of inquiry investigates alleged contraventions of Union law or instances of maladministration in the implementation of Union law, except where the alleged facts are being examined before a court and while the case is still subject to legal proceedings.

Since the exception applies to FACTS that are being examined before a court, does this mean that facts that are being examined in appeal proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union fall outside this exception, and thus do fall within the remit of parliamentary inquiry law, since in such appeal proceedings the facts themselves are not re-examined, as these appeal proceedings are limited solely to questions of law?

Submitted: 7.7.2025

Last updated: 15 July 2025

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Call for caution amid increased road fatalities

Source: Government of South Africa

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has reiterated its call to motorists to exercise caution and show respect to each other on the roads.

This call comes after a spate of fatal crashes that claimed 15 lives since last Thursday.

The RTMC expressed concern over the increase in road fatalities, attributing the collisions to reckless and negligent driving. In all three incidents, vehicles were involved in head-on collisions.

On Sunday, 13 July 2025, two vehicles collided on the N18, approximately 40km from Mahikeng toward Setlagole in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West Province. Four people died on the scene. A fifth victim’s body was later discovered when fire emergency vehicles were booked into the South African Police Service pound for safekeeping.

Another fatal crash in North West occurred on Friday, when four vehicles were involved in a multi-car crash on the N4 between Swartruggens and Groot Marico, resulting in five deaths.

“It is alleged that one vehicle collided with another [and] two other vehicles also crashed into each other at the scene,” RTMC spokesperson, Simon Zwane said.

On Thursday, five more people, including a toddler, were killed in the Northern Cape when a light delivery vehicle that was being chased by the police collided head-on with another vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The crash took place on the N18 near Hartswater. – SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The government has extended the implementation period of the program for the socio-economic development of Crimea and Sevastopol

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The decision was made on the instructions of the President.

Document

Order dated July 14, 2025 No. 1900-r

The implementation period of the state program “Socio-economic development of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol” has been extended until 2030. The order to this effect was signed by the Chairman of the Government Mikhail Mishustin. The previous version of the state program assumed the completion of its activities in 2027.

Continuing the implementation of the state program will make it possible to create new educational and medical institutions, build more than 160 km of gas supply and distribution networks, repair 628 km of water supply and sanitation networks, and bring more than 1.2 thousand km of roads into compliance. It is also planned to implement projects to create six tourist infrastructure facilities and carry out major repairs to five cultural heritage sites.

In addition, it is planned to complete the development of part of the exits from the Tavrida highway, continue the construction of treatment facilities for the medical cluster facilities in Sevastopol, and finance the restoration of coastal protection structures located in Crimea and on the territory of the yacht marina in Sevastopol.

The President instructed the Government to ensure the extension of the state program implementation period until 2030 following a meeting devoted to issues of socio-economic development of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. It took place in January 2025.

“With the support of the President and the Prime Minister, we are creating the necessary conditions for a comfortable life on the Crimean Peninsula. Over the years of the state program for the development of Crimea and Sevastopol, more than 700 objects and events have been completed, which have eliminated basic infrastructure restrictions on the peninsula, including ensuring the energy security of the region, transport accessibility with the mainland of Russia. It is important that the program works comprehensively: it not only modernizes the infrastructure, but also creates new opportunities for business – for this, a free economic zone is in place. Extending the program until 2030 is an important step to complete the projects that have been started and launch new ones. We are planning large-scale work: from road construction to modernization of social facilities. This will improve the quality of life of people and give an additional boost to the region’s economy,” said Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

The signed document introduces changes toGovernment Order of November 11, 2010 No. 1950-r.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Federal Court rules Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne

Australian Climate Case

The Federal Court has handed down its long-awaited judgement in a four-year climate case
brought by Torres Strait Islanders.

Elders Uncle Pabai Pabai and Uncle Paul Kabai took the Australian government to court on behalf of their community, arguing the government has a duty of care to protect them from climate change. They also asked the court to legally recognise the cultural loss and harm they are experiencing from sea-level rise and climate-induced flooding.

But the court declined to recognise either duty or to legally recognise cultural harm.

Many climate justice advocates hoped today’s decision would be the climate equivalent of the famous Mabo decision, which recognised native title. There are many parallels. At stake was the legal recognition of the harms and loss of connection to Country that Australia’s First Peoples are experiencing through government inaction on climate change.

Vulnerability and leadership

Torres Strait Islanders are well placed to bring this kind of legal claim.

To sue a government for climate inaction, plaintiffs often have to show they are particularly impacted by climate harms over and above the rest of the population.

Claims across the world have been brought by Indigenous peoples, farmers, young people who will experience catastrophic climate impacts in the future, and people with heat-sensitive illnesses.

The islands on which Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul live, Sabai and Boigu, are extremely low-lying. Climate-related flooding is already affecting whether people can live there.

Importantly, small differences in future emissions scenarios will significantly impact their habitability. Every fraction of a degree of warming will matter.

During the case, climate scientists gave evidence that on the current emissions scenario, the islands are highly likely to be uninhabitable less than 25 years from now.

This will force Torres Strait Islanders to leave, severing them from thousands of years of tradition, fulfilment of their traditional practices (called Ailan Kastom), and connection to country and identity.

The legal claim against the Commonwealth

Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul argued the Commonwealth government has a duty to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change when setting national emissions-reduction targets. They argued the government breached that duty by not setting targets in line with the best available science. This would involve calculating reduction targets by reference to Australia’s share to keep global warming to as close to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels as possible.

Second, they argued the government has a duty to protect property, the fulfilment of their traditional customs, and the health and life of Torres Strait Islanders from climate impacts. They argued the government breached that duty by failing to properly fund the construction of sea walls.

What the Federal Court said

Justice Wigney’s judgement emphasised the existential threat of climate change. It noted Torres Strait Islanders are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts and face a “bleak future” unless urgent action is taken.

But it accepted the government’s argument that setting emissions reductions targets, and allocating funding for protective infrastructure, involves “policy” considerations a court can’t review.

When do governments owe a duty of care to climate vulnerable groups?

Plaintiffs elsewhere in the world have successfully argued that their government owed them a duty of care to protect them from climate harms by lowering emissions. But the argument has had mixed success in Australia.

To establish a legal duty of care, plaintiffs need to show they have some kind of special relationship with the defendant. This relationship arises through factors such as the plaintiff’s vulnerability to a certain harm, and the defendant’s knowledge of, and control over, that harm.

As First Peoples, Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul argued they have this kind of relationship with the government. They pointed to a range of factors such as the particular vulnerability of the Torres Strait Islanders, and the government’s control over climate harms to them.

Novel duties of care can be imposed on government and public authorities. But Australian courts have sometimes declined to do this where they would have to judge how governments have weighed different policy considerations.

This is partly because it would be too difficult for the court to decide whether the government had met the legal standard of behaviour.

Courts are more willing to find a government owes a duty of care where the government is merely applying a policy, or where it can measure the government’s behaviour against clear standards. But courts have also acknowledged that the distinction between making policy and applying policy is blurry.

Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul argued the Australian government has committed to the Paris Agreement, and this sets out a clear legal standard of the “best available science”.

The Australian government argued its decisions about climate policy involve complex political priorities that a court shouldn’t review. It argued it shouldn’t be bound by the best available science as a legal standard.

Paul Kabai and Pabai Pabai at Boigu Island, the most northerly inhabited island of Queensland. It is part of the top-western group of the Torres Strait Islands.
Talei Elu

The role of courts in protecting people from climate harm

Today’s decision is a setback for both the climate and Indigenous justice movements. But the situation isn’t as bleak as it may seem.

Across the world, plaintiffs in courts are gaining legal ground on climate accountability. It’s becoming easier to attribute harms to emitters, and to develop standards against which governments can be measured. And courts frequently reject government arguments that their contribution to climate change is minimal. They emphasise that each country must do its share for global collective action to work.

It is a question of when, rather than if, law will adapt to deal with climate impacts. Much like a rising tide breaking against a seawall, the future impact of climate change on things that law already protects is too extreme for the law to resist.

Liz Hicks has previously received a Commonwealth Research Training Program stipend and currently receives funding from the Manchester-Melbourne-Toronto Research Fund for a project on constitutional accountability and the environment. She is also a member of the Australian Greens Victoria.

– ref. Federal Court rules Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change – https://theconversation.com/federal-court-rules-australian-government-doesnt-have-a-duty-of-care-to-protect-torres-strait-islanders-from-climate-change-259999

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 15, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Federal Court rules Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne

Australian Climate Case

The Federal Court has handed down its long-awaited judgement in a four-year climate case
brought by Torres Strait Islanders.

Elders Uncle Pabai Pabai and Uncle Paul Kabai took the Australian government to court on behalf of their community, arguing the government has a duty of care to protect them from climate change. They also asked the court to legally recognise the cultural loss and harm they are experiencing from sea-level rise and climate-induced flooding.

But the court declined to recognise either duty or to legally recognise cultural harm.

Many climate justice advocates hoped today’s decision would be the climate equivalent of the famous Mabo decision, which recognised native title. There are many parallels. At stake was the legal recognition of the harms and loss of connection to Country that Australia’s First Peoples are experiencing through government inaction on climate change.

Vulnerability and leadership

Torres Strait Islanders are well placed to bring this kind of legal claim.

To sue a government for climate inaction, plaintiffs often have to show they are particularly impacted by climate harms over and above the rest of the population.

Claims across the world have been brought by Indigenous peoples, farmers, young people who will experience catastrophic climate impacts in the future, and people with heat-sensitive illnesses.

The islands on which Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul live, Sabai and Boigu, are extremely low-lying. Climate-related flooding is already affecting whether people can live there.

Importantly, small differences in future emissions scenarios will significantly impact their habitability. Every fraction of a degree of warming will matter.

During the case, climate scientists gave evidence that on the current emissions scenario, the islands are highly likely to be uninhabitable less than 25 years from now.

This will force Torres Strait Islanders to leave, severing them from thousands of years of tradition, fulfilment of their traditional practices (called Ailan Kastom), and connection to country and identity.

The legal claim against the Commonwealth

Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul argued the Commonwealth government has a duty to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change when setting national emissions-reduction targets. They argued the government breached that duty by not setting targets in line with the best available science. This would involve calculating reduction targets by reference to Australia’s share to keep global warming to as close to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels as possible.

Second, they argued the government has a duty to protect property, the fulfilment of their traditional customs, and the health and life of Torres Strait Islanders from climate impacts. They argued the government breached that duty by failing to properly fund the construction of sea walls.

What the Federal Court said

Justice Wigney’s judgement emphasised the existential threat of climate change. It noted Torres Strait Islanders are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts and face a “bleak future” unless urgent action is taken.

But it accepted the government’s argument that setting emissions reductions targets, and allocating funding for protective infrastructure, involves “policy” considerations a court can’t review.

When do governments owe a duty of care to climate vulnerable groups?

Plaintiffs elsewhere in the world have successfully argued that their government owed them a duty of care to protect them from climate harms by lowering emissions. But the argument has had mixed success in Australia.

To establish a legal duty of care, plaintiffs need to show they have some kind of special relationship with the defendant. This relationship arises through factors such as the plaintiff’s vulnerability to a certain harm, and the defendant’s knowledge of, and control over, that harm.

As First Peoples, Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul argued they have this kind of relationship with the government. They pointed to a range of factors such as the particular vulnerability of the Torres Strait Islanders, and the government’s control over climate harms to them.

Novel duties of care can be imposed on government and public authorities. But Australian courts have sometimes declined to do this where they would have to judge how governments have weighed different policy considerations.

This is partly because it would be too difficult for the court to decide whether the government had met the legal standard of behaviour.

Courts are more willing to find a government owes a duty of care where the government is merely applying a policy, or where it can measure the government’s behaviour against clear standards. But courts have also acknowledged that the distinction between making policy and applying policy is blurry.

Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul argued the Australian government has committed to the Paris Agreement, and this sets out a clear legal standard of the “best available science”.

The Australian government argued its decisions about climate policy involve complex political priorities that a court shouldn’t review. It argued it shouldn’t be bound by the best available science as a legal standard.

Paul Kabai and Pabai Pabai at Boigu Island, the most northerly inhabited island of Queensland. It is part of the top-western group of the Torres Strait Islands.
Talei Elu

The role of courts in protecting people from climate harm

Today’s decision is a setback for both the climate and Indigenous justice movements. But the situation isn’t as bleak as it may seem.

Across the world, plaintiffs in courts are gaining legal ground on climate accountability. It’s becoming easier to attribute harms to emitters, and to develop standards against which governments can be measured. And courts frequently reject government arguments that their contribution to climate change is minimal. They emphasise that each country must do its share for global collective action to work.

It is a question of when, rather than if, law will adapt to deal with climate impacts. Much like a rising tide breaking against a seawall, the future impact of climate change on things that law already protects is too extreme for the law to resist.

Liz Hicks has previously received a Commonwealth Research Training Program stipend and currently receives funding from the Manchester-Melbourne-Toronto Research Fund for a project on constitutional accountability and the environment. She is also a member of the Australian Greens Victoria.

– ref. Federal Court rules Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change – https://theconversation.com/federal-court-rules-australian-government-doesnt-have-a-duty-of-care-to-protect-torres-strait-islanders-from-climate-change-259999

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Reappointment of a Ministry of Justice non-executive board member
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Reappointment of a Ministry of Justice non-executive board member

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Mark Beaton, as a non-executive board member of the Ministry of Justice, for 3 years from 15 July 2025.
The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Mark Beaton, as a non-executive board member of the Ministry of Justice, for 3 years from 15 July 2025.

MOJ non-executive board members exercise their role through influence and advice, supporting as well as challenging the executive, and covering such issues as:

Support, guidance and challenge on the progress and implementation of the Outcome Delivery Plan.

Performance, operational issues, adherence to relevant standards and on the effective management of the Department.

The recruitment, appraisal, and suitable success planning of senior executives.

The appointment and reappointments of MOJ departmental board non-executive board members are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and reappointment process comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Prior to joining the Ministry of Justice, Mark Beaton worked for 27 years for Accenture; one of the World’s leading Technology, Consulting and Outsourcing organisations. During this time, he served on the Board of Accenture Operations and was a Global Leader in the Outsourcing business. He also led the Cloud and Security businesses for Europe. Mark spent 10 years working in the Technology, Digital and Consulting businesses as a consultant, including many years in Public Service for clients such as DWP.

Mark was also the Executive Global Sponsor for Equality, Inclusion and Diversity for 187,000 people in Accenture Operations. After retiring from Accenture, Mark has worked for the past three and a half years as a Non-Executive Director in the NHS.

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Updates to this page

Published 15 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Government working to safeguard the integrity, effectiveness of the police

Source: Government of South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured South Africans that government is hard at work to safeguard the integrity and effectiveness of the police service.

The President made these remarks in his weekly newsletter to the nation, just a day after announcing the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate serious allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

“We have taken this decisive step because we are determined that the important work that has been done to rebuild our law enforcement agencies and security services should not be compromised.

“It is necessary that we establish the facts through an independent, credible and thorough process so that we can safeguard public confidence in the police service. This is particularly important as we seek to put the era of state capture behind us,” the President said.

The commission of inquiry, to be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, will investigate allegations made by General Mkhwanazi that the Minister of Police and others had colluded to interfere with police investigations.

The commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates.

Among the allegations that the commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime; suppression or manipulation of investigations; inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership; commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation, victimisation or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence.

“The commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate’s operations,” the President said.

Institutions under scrutiny include the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, the Judiciary and Magistracy, and the metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.

The commission will also investigate whether any members of the National Executive responsible for the criminal justice system, were complicit, aided and abetted, or participated in the acts mentioned above.

The commission will be asked to report on the effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms, and the adequacy of current legislation, policies and institutional arrangements in preventing such infiltration.

It will make findings and recommendations for criminal prosecutions, disciplinary actions and institutional reform.

Once established, the commission shall consider prima facie evidence relating to the involvement of individuals currently employed within law enforcement or intelligence agencies.

Where appropriate, the commission must make recommendations on the employment status of such officials, including whether they should be suspended pending the outcome of further investigations.

The commission will also be empowered to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution, taking into account the nature of the allegations and evidence the commission will uncover.

In order for the commission to execute its functions effectively, the President decided to put the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence with immediate effect. He said the Minister has undertaken to give his full cooperation to the commission to enable it to do its work.

In his place, the President has appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia as Acting Minister of Police. Cachalia is currently a professor of law at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council. He previously served as an MEC of Community Safety in Gauteng.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that the commission is being established against the backdrop of significant progress in rebuilding and strengthening the country’s law enforcement agencies and security services.

In recent years, the South African Police Service, the Special Investigating Unit, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and other bodies have been making important inroads in the fight against organised crime and corruption.

“It is essential that we maintain this momentum and that we intensify this work. We will ensure that the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies continue to function without hindrance as the commission undertakes its work,” the President said.

He called on all members of the law enforcement agencies and security services to remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law and adhering to their code of conduct.

“I call on all South Africans to support the commission in its work and, where appropriate, to provide any information or assistance the commission may require.

“In establishing this Commission of Inquiry, we are affirming our commitment to the rule of law, to transparency and accountability, and to building a South Africa in which all people are safe and secure,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Induction is heating up at your favourite eateries

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

MIL OSI News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin delivers remarks at opening of 2025 ILA-ASIL Asia-Pacific Research Forum, urges democracies to jointly address challenges posed by authoritarian expansion

Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

July 8, 2025

No. 232

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung on July 7 attended the opening of the 2025 International Law Association-American Society of International Law Asia-Pacific Research Forum, where he addressed more than 50 noted international scholars from over 20 nations.

In his remarks, Minister Lin said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been promoting the policy of integrated diplomacy, which aimed to deepen partnerships with like-minded countries based on the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. He explained that Taiwan had proactively leveraged its diplomatic strengths—consolidating diplomatic ties, expanding its alliance of friendly nations, and integrating the resources of the public and private sectors with the goal of having Taiwan continue to be a Taiwan of the world.

Noting the extreme turbulence of international relations and the severe geopolitical challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region, Minister Lin said that in recent years, China had repeatedly challenged the rules-based international order, gravely undermining democracy, the rule of law, human rights, freedom, and even fair trade. He observed that the world’s leading states had gone on alert and that an increasing number of countries had acted by sending warships through the Taiwan Strait, underscoring that the Taiwan Strait constituted international waters and demonstrating the great importance that they attached to the security of the Indo-Pacific region.

Minister Lin also pointed out that China had long sought to pressure Taiwan in the international arena, enacting the Anti-Secession Law in 2005 and 22 guidelines on punishing independence in 2024, among other legal warfare tools. He said that China had inappropriately distorted UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758, seeking to weaponize the text and transform it into a tool to suppress Taiwan’s international participation and provide cover for an armed invasion. He stated that China had used the resolution as justification for its false claims that Taiwan was a part of China and that the Taiwan Strait was China’s internal waters, adding that such claims were clearly contrary to the facts and to democratic values.

Minister Lin noted that in response to China’s efforts to distort UNGA Resolution 2758, last year the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, the European Parliament, and the parliaments of Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic passed resolutions clearly opposing China’s misrepresentations. He said that senior US officials had also publicly expressed a similar position and that the international community had gradually gained an accurate understanding of Resolution 2758—that it neither mentioned Taiwan nor precluded Taiwan’s international participation.

Looking back on history, Minister Lin remarked that following the Second World War, the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, which was binding under international law, had supplanted the political statements contained in the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. He also pointed out that the People’s Republic of China had never governed Taiwan. He said that since the mid-1980s, Taiwan had experienced political liberalization and democratization, leading to the completion of its first direct presidential election in 1996. At that point, he said, the central executive and legislative representatives of government of the Republic of China were all elected by the people of Taiwan—and since then, the Republic of China government had been the sole legitimate government exercising effective rule over Taiwan and representing Taiwan internationally. He added that this underscored the cross-strait status quo that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China existed as equals, with neither being subordinate to the other. He said that the Republic of China (Taiwan) had experienced three changes of governing party—in 2000, 2008, and 2016—that had consolidated the democratic system and helped create a clearer sense of national identity, reflecting the Taiwanese people’s pursuit of and desire for freedom and democracy.

Minister Lin went on to explain that, in response to dramatic changes in the international geopolitical landscape and the threat of authoritarian expansion, President Lai Ching-te had issued 17 national security measures. He said that China’s vaulting ambition had alerted the international community to the fact that Taiwan was not subordinate to the PRC. He observed that this had upended China’s cross-strait framework, making the issue of democratic Taiwan and authoritarian China not merely a regional matter, but a question the countries of the world must address together.

Minister Lin emphasized that the more secure Taiwan was, the more secure the world would be, and that the stronger Taiwan grew, the more secure the world’s democracies would be. He reiterated that Taiwan was a Taiwan of the world and said that the Republic of China (Taiwan), as a democratic nation and a force for good in the world, had demonstrated that it was part of the global village through the continued application of democratic processes and through its international participation.

Concluding his remarks, Minister Lin said that Taiwan would continue to be at the forefront of the global battle against authoritarian expansionism, adding that Taiwan would work with like-minded countries to defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure regional peace, security, and prosperity. (E)

MIL OSI China News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘Court’s ruling has the force of law’

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government has the obligation to establish an alternative framework for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, following the final decision by the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) and the CFA’s ruling is legally binding.

Chief Executive John Lee made the statement in reply to reporters’ questions before attending an Executive Council meeting this morning.

“In the case of Sham Tsz-kit v Secretary for Justice, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has a positive obligation to establish an alternative framework for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.

“The decision made by the CFA is final. The Hong Kong SAR Government cannot contravene the determination of the CFA, and must take appropriate follow-up action.”

Mr Lee emphasised that the CFA’s ruling has the force of law and is legally binding on the Government, adding that the Government must not act in violation of the court’s ruling.

Furthermore, the Chief Executive pointed out that under the Basic Law, the Government is responsible for proposing and introducing bills, while the Legislative Council’s duties are to scrutinise, amend, and vote to pass or reject the bills introduced by the authorities.

He stated that under the Basic Law, the Judiciary exercises independent adjudication power and LegCo exercises legislative power, with both of them performing their respective constitutional roles.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government respects the Judiciary and the LegCo in exercising their respective powers under the Basic law.”

In addition to noting that the alternative framework now proposed by the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) complies with the CFA’s judgement, Mr Lee explained that it was formulated by the CMAB after thorough research and full consideration of legal advice.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government will make every effort to facilitate LegCo’s scrutiny of the bill introduced by the CMAB, assist LegCo in completing the scrutiny expeditiously, and respect LegCo’s final decision,” he added.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘Court’s ruling has the force of law’

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government has the obligation to establish an alternative framework for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, following the final decision by the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) and the CFA’s ruling is legally binding.

Chief Executive John Lee made the statement in reply to reporters’ questions before attending an Executive Council meeting this morning.

“In the case of Sham Tsz-kit v Secretary for Justice, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has a positive obligation to establish an alternative framework for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.

“The decision made by the CFA is final. The Hong Kong SAR Government cannot contravene the determination of the CFA, and must take appropriate follow-up action.”

Mr Lee emphasised that the CFA’s ruling has the force of law and is legally binding on the Government, adding that the Government must not act in violation of the court’s ruling.

Furthermore, the Chief Executive pointed out that under the Basic Law, the Government is responsible for proposing and introducing bills, while the Legislative Council’s duties are to scrutinise, amend, and vote to pass or reject the bills introduced by the authorities.

He stated that under the Basic Law, the Judiciary exercises independent adjudication power and LegCo exercises legislative power, with both of them performing their respective constitutional roles.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government respects the Judiciary and the LegCo in exercising their respective powers under the Basic law.”

In addition to noting that the alternative framework now proposed by the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) complies with the CFA’s judgement, Mr Lee explained that it was formulated by the CMAB after thorough research and full consideration of legal advice.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government will make every effort to facilitate LegCo’s scrutiny of the bill introduced by the CMAB, assist LegCo in completing the scrutiny expeditiously, and respect LegCo’s final decision,” he added.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana: Africa’s Reparations call now a unified demand- President Mahama

Source: APO

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“Africa’s call for reparative justice is no longer a whisper—it is a unified demand grounded in historical truth, moral clarity and our unwavering commitment to dignity. As we implement the 2025 Theme of the Year on Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through reparations, we reaffirm our shared resolve to correct historical wrongs and injustices through restitution, healing and holistic systemic transformation.”

This powerful declaration was made by H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana and the African Union Champion for Reparations, as he delivered a progress report in Malabo on the AU’s 2025 Theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”

Addressing the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, President Mahama stated that notable progress has been achieved by the AU Commission and Member States in implementing the theme.

He expressed particular satisfaction with the recent decision by the Executive Council to extend the focus on reparations for a decade, covering the period from 2026 to 2036.

“This undoubtedly affords us, as a Union, the opportunity to sustain the momentum for the realisation of this noble cause, as well as map out well-thought-out strategies to mobilise adequate resources to champion implementation of the theme domestically,” President Mahama stated.

President Mahama issued a call for global partnership, saying, “We call upon all nations, within and beyond Africa, to partner with us in shaping a more just and equitable world for the sons and daughters of the motherland.”

The former Ghanaian President noted the deep connection between reparations and African identity and dignity.

“Restitution to the African, therefore, is restoration of our full human dignity,” he stated, adding that the movement aims “to speak of history on African terms, of healing deep civilisational wounds and of restoring to African peoples our rightful agency in shaping our past, present and future.”

He underscored the necessity of reparations for African progress and unity, arguing, “We cannot speak of development without identity or speak of unity without acknowledging the erasure that has fractured our heritage.”

President Mahama stressed the importance of a unified African narrative on the global stage and encouraged robust partnerships, particularly with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Looking ahead, he announced that Ghana and Togo will co-sponsor a high-level event in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2025 “to further bolster efforts at achieving the justice and closure which has eluded us for centuries.”

“As we do more to correct historical wrongs, we are reasserting our full humanity. We are reaffirming our sovereignty. We are reigniting the flame of dignity that has always burned within the African soul,” assuring the Union of Ghana’s continued support for this agenda towards “The Africa We Want.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI: StepStone Group Expands Investor Access to Evergreen Funds with Goji’s Technology
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — StepStone Group (Nasdaq: STEP), a global private markets solutions provider, announced today that it is utilizing Goji’s technology to improve access to several of its European private market evergreen funds. Goji is a global provider of technology-enabled solutions to the private markets. Its end-to-end investment platform will simplify the complexities of the investor journey for several of StepStone’s funds:
- StepStone Private Markets (Luxembourg) (“SPRIM Lux”) spans private equity, real assets and private debt, giving access to top investment managers worldwide, while seeking to provide long-term capital appreciation, ordinary income and substantial diversification through a single investment. As of May 31, 2025, SPRIM Lux had $351 million in assets under management, or AUM and had delivered a 43.81%¹ total net return since inception in September of 2022.
- StepStone Private Venture and Growth (Luxembourg) (“SPRING Lux”) is a broadly diversified venture and growth strategy fund leveraging an open architecture approach, selecting managers across the innovation economy. As of May 31, 2025, SPRING Lux had $427 million in AUM and had delivered a 70.65%² total net return since inception in November of 2022.
- StepStone Private Infrastructure (Luxembourg) (“STRUCTURE Lux”) seeks to provide current income and long-term capital appreciation by offering access to a global investment portfolio of private infrastructure assets. As of May 31, 2025, STRUCTURE Lux had $89.9 million in AUM and had delivered a 32.24%³ total net return since inception in September of 2023.
- StepStone Private Credit Europe ELTIF (“SCRED Europe”) is structured to offer access to a broadly diversified, European-focused private credit strategy, with a primary focus on senior secured direct lending. The fund successfully launched in February 2025 with over €250 million in seed capital, backed by a robust pipeline of opportunities.
“Goji shares our vision of delivering an industry-leading, tailor-made onboarding experience for our investors across the globe,” said Neil Menard, Partner and President of Distribution at StepStone Private Wealth. “Powered by Euroclear, their best-in-class digital infrastructure and deep understanding of regulatory requirements across different markets will enable us to provide our investors with a more streamlined, efficient investment experience.”

About StepStone Group

StepStone Group Inc. (Nasdaq: STEP) is a global private markets investment firm focused on providing customized investment solutions and advisory and data services to its clients. As of March 31, 2025, StepStone was responsible for approximately $709 billion of total capital, including $189 billion of assets under management. StepStone’s clients include some of the world’s largest public and private defined benefit and defined contribution pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies, as well as prominent endowments, foundations, family offices and private wealth clients, which include high-net-worth and mass affluent individuals. StepStone partners with its clients to develop and build private markets portfolios designed to meet their specific objectives across the private equity, infrastructure, private debt and real estate asset classes.

About Goji

Goji is a leading provider of investor platform technology and services. With the private asset market opening to new classes of investors, Goji makes it easy for asset managers, fund administrators and asset owners to give all investors digital access to private funds and stay ahead of their industry competitors. Goji’s best-in-class platform, which is secure, scalable, and customizable, unlocks new topline revenue and reduces costs. The company serves over 30,000 investors from more than 86 jurisdictions. As part of the Euroclear group, Goji has helped build a global network for private funds, combining Goji’s platform technology and Euroclear’s financial markets infrastructure to create scalability and growth for all participants. Goji is headquartered in the UK and is regulated by the FCA.  

Contacts

Media:
Brian Ruby / Chris Gillick / Matt Lettiero, ICR
StepStonePR@icrinc.com
1-203-682-8268

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¹ This figure reflects the returns of the Class A (EUR) shares of SPRIM Lux. The performance does not fully represent the performance across all of the share classes of SPRIM Lux.
² This figure reflects the returns of the Class A (USD) shares of SPRING Lux. The performance does not fully represent the performance across all of the share classes of SPRING Lux.
³ This figure reflects the returns of the Class E (USD) shares of STRUCTURE Lux. The performance does not fully represent the performance across all of the share classes of STRUCTURE Lux. Class E (USD) shares are available for subscription only by employees or affiliates of the StepStone Group and are not subject to the investment management fee or the incentive fee. [Performance shown for the Class E (USD) shares assumes the Investment Management Fee or the Incentive Fee were charged since Class E (USD) shares inception on 27 September 2023.

THIS DOCUMENT IS A MARKETING COMMUNICATION. PLEASE REFER TO THE OFFERING MEMORANDUM OF SPRIM LUX, SPRING LUX, STRUCTURE LUX AND SCRED EUROPE (COLLECTIVELY, THE “FUNDS”) BEFORE MAKING ANY FINAL INVESTMENT DECISIONS.

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE MAY VARY.

This document is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation for any security, or as an offer to provide advisory or other services by StepStone Group Private Wealth LLC (“SPW”), StepStone Group LP (“StepStone”), StepStone Group Europe Alternative Investments Limited (“SGEAIL”) or their subsidiaries or affiliates (collectively, the “Managers”) in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The information contained in this document should not be construed as legal, financial or investment advice on any subject matter. The Managers expressly disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken based on any or all of the information in this document.

Before investing you should carefully consider the Funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information are explained in the relevant Offering Memorandum for each Fund, a copy of which may be obtained from SGEAIL upon request.

Information contained herein is subject to change and amendment. An indication of interest in response to this advertisement will involve no obligation or commitment of any kind.

Interests in the Funds are not registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended or any similar U.S. state securities statutes and the Funds are generally not offered to US Persons (as defined in the relevant Offering Memorandum).

Prospective investors should inform themselves and obtain appropriate advice as to any applicable legal or regulatory requirements and any applicable taxation and exchange control regulations in the countries of their citizenship, residence or domicile which might be relevant to the suitability, subscription, purchase, holding, exchange, redemption or disposal of any investments.

An investment involves a number of risks and there are conflicts of interest. Please refer to the risks outlined in detail in the relevant Offering Memorandum for each Fund.

Marketing in the European Union

The Funds are alternative investment funds (“AIFs”) for the purpose of Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (“AIFMD”). SGEAIL is the alternative investment fund manager (“AIFM”) of the Funds.

The Funds that do not qualify as ELTIFs can be marketed to Professional Investors in the EEA in accordance with the requirements set out in Article 32 of AIFMD.

Marketing of the Funds outside the EEA or in the EEA to investors other than Professional Investors (where relevant) must comply with applicable national private placement regimes. Those investors are required to inform themselves of any applicable local requirements or restrictions before investing in the Funds and to assess the impact of any risks they may be exposed to when investing in the Funds.

Notice to all European Economic Area (EEA) residents

In the EEA, this document is disseminated by SGEAIL.

The Funds may only be offered or placed in an EEA Member State: (1) to Professional Investors to the extent that they have been registered for marketing in the relevant EEA Member State in accordance with Article 32 AIFMD (as amended and as implemented into the local law/regulation of the relevant EEA Member State); (2) to non-professional investors who meet the requirements of any national law/regulation which permits them to invest in AIFs, as specifically identified below; or (3) as they may otherwise be lawfully offered or placed in that EEA Member State, including at the exclusive initiative of an investor where permitted in accordance with the AIFMD.

A list of the EEA Member States in which the Funds are registered for marketing under Article 32 AIFMD is available from the Managers upon request.

Notice to investors in Austria

Certain of the Funds have been notified to the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) for marketing to professional investors (Professionelle Anleger) within the meaning of § 2 para 1 no 33 of the Austrian Alternative Investment Funds Act (Alternative Investmentfonds Manager-Gesetz; AIFMG) in accordance with Article 32 AIFMD and § 31 AIFMG. In the Republic of Austria, the relevant Funds may only be offered or placed and any offering or marketing materials related thereto may only be distributed to investors who are either (a) professional investors (Professionelle Anleger) as defined in § 2 para 1 no 33 AIFMG or where relevant (b) qualified retail investors (Qualifizierte Privatkunden) as defined in § 2 para 1 no 42 AIFMG. Distribution of the relevant Funds and any offering or marketing materials related thereto to retail investors (Privatkunden) as defined in § 2 para 1 no 36 AIFMG in the Republic of Austria is not permitted. Subscriptions by retail investors (Privatkunden) will therefore not be accepted. None of the Managers or the relevant Funds are subject to supervision by the FMA or any other Austrian authority. Neither the relevant Offering Memorandum, nor the relevant key information document (KID) have been reviewed by the FMA or any other Austrian authority.

Notice to professional and semi-professional investors in Germany

Certain of the Funds have been notified to the German Financial Services Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, or BAFIN) in accordance with Section 323 of the German investment code (Kapitalanlagegesetzbuch – KAGB).

The relevant Funds may only be marketed and offered to professional and, where relevant to semi-professional investors in the Federal Republic of Germany, as defined in Section 1 (19) nos. 32 and 33 of the KAGB. The relevant Funds have not been admitted for marketing to retail investors within the meaning of Section 1 (19) no. 31 of the KAGB in Germany. Accordingly, the relevant Funds may not be offered and marketed to retail investors in Germany. This disclosure, the relevant Offering Memorandum and any other document relating to the relevant Funds, as well as information or statements contained therein, may not be supplied to retail investors in Germany or any other means of public marketing. Any resale of the relevant Funds in Germany may only be made to professional and semi-professional investors in Germany and in accordance with the provisions of the KAGB and any other applicable laws in Germany governing the sale and offering of the relevant Funds.

Notice to investors in Italy

Certain of the Funds have been passported with the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB) for the marketing in Italy vis-à-vis professional investors in accordance with Article 32 AIFMD, article 43 of the Italian Legislative Decree of 24th February 1998, no. 58 (testo unico della finanza, the “TUF”) and relevant local implementing regulations in Italy. The relevant Funds may be distributed exclusively to the following categories of investors: (i) “professional investors” as defined in the AIFMD; or where relevant (ii) “non-professional investors” who: (1) invest at least EUR 500,000 in the relevant Fund; or (2) invest at least EUR 100,000 in the relevant Fund, and in the case of the latter, either: (a) the investment is made by a licensed portfolio manager on behalf of the non-professional investor; or (b) the investment is made by the non-professional investor in the context of the provision of investment advice, and is subject to the requirement that the entirety of any investments by that same non-professional investor in EU AIFs does not exceed ten percent (10%) of his or her financial portfolio as a result of a subscription or investment in the relevant Fund.

Notice to investors in Switzerland

The offer and the marketing of the Funds in Switzerland will be exclusively made to, and directed at, qualified investors (the “Qualified Investors”), as defined in Article 10(3) and (3ter) of the Swiss Collective Investment Schemes Act (“CISA”) and its implementing ordinance, at the exclusion of qualified investors with an opting-out pursuant to Article 5(1) of the Swiss Federal Law on Financial Services (“FinSA”) and without any portfolio management or advisory relationship with a financial intermediary pursuant to Article 10(3ter) CISA (“Excluded Qualified Investors”). Accordingly, the Funds have not been and will not be registered with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (“FINMA”) and no representative or paying agent have been or will be appointed in Switzerland. This document and/or any other offering or marketing materials relating to The Funds may be made available in Switzerland solely to Qualified Investors, at the exclusion of Excluded Qualified Investors. The legal documents of the Funds may be obtained free of charge from the Managers.

Notice to investors in the United Kingdom

The Funds are alternative investment funds for the purpose of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations, 2013, as amended by the Alternative Investment Managers (Amendment, etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (“UK AIFM Regulations”). SGEAIL is the alternative investment fund manager (“AIFM”) of the Funds.

The Funds have been registered for marketing under Regulation 59(1) of the UK AIFM Regulations. On that basis, the Funds may be marketed in the United Kingdom to UK persons who qualify as Professional Investors.

The MIL Network –
July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: GUU took part in the discussion of the future of business education

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Official website of the State –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The State University of Management took part in a joint open meeting of the Presidium of the National Accreditation Council for Business and Management Education (NASDOBR) and the Council for Professional Qualifications in Management and Law.

The SUM was represented at the event by Rector Vladimir Stroyev, Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov and Academic Director of the SUM Higher School of Business and Technology, Vice-President of the Russian Association of Business Education Vladimir Godin.

The meeting was also attended by First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov; Chairman of the Presidium of NASDOBR, Vice-Rector of RANEPA Sergey Myasoedov; Vice-President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Murychev; Deputy Chairman, Head of the Executive Committee of Delovaya Rossiya Nonna Kagramanyan, Chairman of the Council of the Moscow City Branch of OPORA RUSSIA Dmitry Nesvetov, and General Director of the National Agency for Qualifications Development Alexey Vovchenko.

The participants considered issues of NASDOBR activities in accreditation of MBA business education programs and preparation for pilot accreditation of the DBA program “Doctor of Business Administration”, development of professional and public accreditation of higher education programs, and intensification of work on development of business education in the regions.

The results of the work of the specialized sections of NASDOBR and RABO at the Caucasus Investment Forum and the International IT Forum with the participation of BRICS and SCO countries were summed up. The high demand for business education programs in the regions was noted, especially in terms of developing management competencies and increasing labor productivity.

In addition, those gathered discussed the expansion of the powers of the Council for Professional Qualifications in Management and Law: the creation of educational programs, their professional and public accreditation, and the formation of a system for independent assessment of qualifications in this area.

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin delivers remarks at opening of 2025 ILA-ASIL Asia-Pacific Research Forum, urges democracies to jointly address challenges posed by authoritarian expansion

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

July 8, 2025
No. 232

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung on July 7 attended the opening of the 2025 International Law Association-American Society of International Law Asia-Pacific Research Forum, where he addressed more than 50 noted international scholars from over 20 nations.

In his remarks, Minister Lin said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been promoting the policy of integrated diplomacy, which aimed to deepen partnerships with like-minded countries based on the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. He explained that Taiwan had proactively leveraged its diplomatic strengths—consolidating diplomatic ties, expanding its alliance of friendly nations, and integrating the resources of the public and private sectors with the goal of having Taiwan continue to be a Taiwan of the world.

Noting the extreme turbulence of international relations and the severe geopolitical challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region, Minister Lin said that in recent years, China had repeatedly challenged the rules-based international order, gravely undermining democracy, the rule of law, human rights, freedom, and even fair trade. He observed that the world’s leading states had gone on alert and that an increasing number of countries had acted by sending warships through the Taiwan Strait, underscoring that the Taiwan Strait constituted international waters and demonstrating the great importance that they attached to the security of the Indo-Pacific region.

Minister Lin also pointed out that China had long sought to pressure Taiwan in the international arena, enacting the Anti-Secession Law in 2005 and 22 guidelines on punishing independence in 2024, among other legal warfare tools. He said that China had inappropriately distorted UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758, seeking to weaponize the text and transform it into a tool to suppress Taiwan’s international participation and provide cover for an armed invasion. He stated that China had used the resolution as justification for its false claims that Taiwan was a part of China and that the Taiwan Strait was China’s internal waters, adding that such claims were clearly contrary to the facts and to democratic values.

Minister Lin noted that in response to China’s efforts to distort UNGA Resolution 2758, last year the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, the European Parliament, and the parliaments of Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic passed resolutions clearly opposing China’s misrepresentations. He said that senior US officials had also publicly expressed a similar position and that the international community had gradually gained an accurate understanding of Resolution 2758—that it neither mentioned Taiwan nor precluded Taiwan’s international participation.

Looking back on history, Minister Lin remarked that following the Second World War, the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, which was binding under international law, had supplanted the political statements contained in the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation. He also pointed out that the People’s Republic of China had never governed Taiwan. He said that since the mid-1980s, Taiwan had experienced political liberalization and democratization, leading to the completion of its first direct presidential election in 1996. At that point, he said, the central executive and legislative representatives of government of the Republic of China were all elected by the people of Taiwan—and since then, the Republic of China government had been the sole legitimate government exercising effective rule over Taiwan and representing Taiwan internationally. He added that this underscored the cross-strait status quo that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China existed as equals, with neither being subordinate to the other. He said that the Republic of China (Taiwan) had experienced three changes of governing party—in 2000, 2008, and 2016—that had consolidated the democratic system and helped create a clearer sense of national identity, reflecting the Taiwanese people’s pursuit of and desire for freedom and democracy.

Minister Lin went on to explain that, in response to dramatic changes in the international geopolitical landscape and the threat of authoritarian expansion, President Lai Ching-te had issued 17 national security measures. He said that China’s vaulting ambition had alerted the international community to the fact that Taiwan was not subordinate to the PRC. He observed that this had upended China’s cross-strait framework, making the issue of democratic Taiwan and authoritarian China not merely a regional matter, but a question the countries of the world must address together.

Minister Lin emphasized that the more secure Taiwan was, the more secure the world would be, and that the stronger Taiwan grew, the more secure the world’s democracies would be. He reiterated that Taiwan was a Taiwan of the world and said that the Republic of China (Taiwan), as a democratic nation and a force for good in the world, had demonstrated that it was part of the global village through the continued application of democratic processes and through its international participation.

Concluding his remarks, Minister Lin said that Taiwan would continue to be at the forefront of the global battle against authoritarian expansionism, adding that Taiwan would work with like-minded countries to defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure regional peace, security, and prosperity. (E)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Eighth Former Correctional Officer Sentenced on Federal Civil Rights Charges in Connection with Death of Inmate at West Virginia Jail

Source: United States Attorneys General

A former correctional officer from the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, was sentenced today for his role in an assault that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B., on March 1, 2022. Andrew Fleshman, 22, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison.

According to his plea agreement, Fleshman responded to a call for officer assistance after Q.B. tried to push past another correctional officer and leave his assigned pod. When Correctional Officer Fleshman arrived at the pod, Q.B. was on the floor as force was being used against him. The officers restrained and handcuffed Q.B. Officer Fleshman and other members of the conspiracy then escorted Q.B. to an interview room, where, aided and abetted by each other, they struck and injured Q.B. while he was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Fleshman admitted that he and the members of the conspiracy struck and injured Q.B. to punish him for attempting to leave his assigned pod.

Fleshman pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk on Nov. 2, 2023. That same day, former correctional officer Steven Nicholas Wimmer also pleaded guilty to conspiring to use unreasonable force against Q.B. On May 8, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk sentenced Wimmer to nine years in prison.

On Nov. 29, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted six other defendants in connection with the death of Q.B. In November 2024, Mark Holdren, Corey Snyder, and Johnathan Walters each pleaded guilty in connection with the use of unreasonable force against Q.B., resulting in his death. On July 9, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sentenced Holdren to 20 years in prison and Walters was sentenced to 21 years in prison. On July 10, Judge Goodwin sentenced Snyder to 19 years and seven months in prison.

In August 2024, Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe each pleaded guilty to failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from the officers’ assault. On June 9, Judge Goodwin sentenced Toney to six and a half years in prison. On July 10, Judge Goodwin sentenced Boothe to three years in prison.

On Jan. 27, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict at trial for the sixth indicted defendant, Chad Lester, a former Lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail, finding him guilty on three obstruction of justice charges for his role in conspiring to cover up the death of Q.B. On May 15, Judge Goodwin sentenced Lester to 17 and a half years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.

The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

MIL Security OSI –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Deportation

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two men convicted of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations have been sentenced.

Hugo Henry Hernandez-Bonilla, 49, a Salvadoran national, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez to time served, approximately four months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country.

Hernandez-Bonilla had been previously removed from the United States in September 2011.

Following his removal, the defendant illegally reentered the United States and was arrested in July 2024 by the Lancaster City (Pa.) Bureau of Police on a charge of driving under the influence.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned of Hernandez-Bonilla’s arrest and took him into custody in February of this year. In March, he was charged by federal indictment with illegal reentry, and he pleaded guilty in May.

Noel Velasquez-Basurto, 33, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond last week to time served, approximately four months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country.

Velasquez-Basurto had previously been removed from the U.S. in October 2013, after being encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol near Nogales, Arizona. Later that month, after authorities again found him in Arizona, he was charged by criminal complaint with illegal entry, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 60 days’ imprisonment. Velasquez-Basurto was deported in January 2014, after completing his term.

In February of this year, ICE encountered the defendant in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, determined that he was in the country illegally, and took him into custody.

In April, Velasquez-Basurto was charged by indictment with illegal reentry, and he pleaded guilty this month.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda McCool, Brittany Jones, and Lindsey Mills.

MIL Security OSI –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: West Linn Man Faces Federal Charges for Unlawfully Possessing Machine Guns, Unregistered Firearms, and Silencers

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PORTLAND, Ore.—A West Linn, Oregon man has been charged with illegally possessing machine guns, unregistered short-barreled rifles, and firearm silencers.

Lucas Christopher Perillo, 41, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful possession of a machinegun and unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle or silencer.

According to court documents, on June 17, 2025, FBI agents executed federal search warrants on Perillo, his residence, and his vehicle. Agents located and seized 36 firearms, including three firearms converted with machine gun switches and 13 unregistered short-barreled rifles, firearm silencers, and other firearm parts.

Machine gun conversion devices, sometimes referred to as switches, are small attachments used to convert firearms from semi-automatic to fully-automatic.

On July 11, 2025, Perillo was arrested in West Linn. He made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Oregon State Police. It is being prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MIL Security OSI –

July 15, 2025
Amarnath Yatra: Over 2.20 lakh devotees have darshan in 12 days

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Another batch of 6,388 pilgrims departed from Jammu on Tuesday for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, as the total number of devotees who have had ‘darshan’ at the holy cave shrine crossed 2.20 lakh in just 12 days since the pilgrimage began.

“More than 2.20 lakh yatris have so far performed the Amarnath Yatra since it commenced on July 3,” an official said.

On Tuesday morning, a fresh group of pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys bound for the Kashmir Valley. The first convoy, comprising 103 vehicles and carrying 2,501 pilgrims, departed at 3:26 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, with 145 vehicles and 3,887 pilgrims, left at 4:15 a.m. for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted widespread light to moderate rainfall across Jammu & Kashmir over the next 24 hours. Authorities confirmed that the movement of pilgrims from the Baltal and Nunwan base camps toward the holy cave would depend on prevailing weather conditions.

On July 10, the Bhumi Pujan of the sacred Chhari Mubarak (Lord Shiva’s holy mace) was performed at Pahalgam. The Chhari Mubarak was brought to Pahalgam from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar by a group of seers led by its sole custodian, Mahant Swami Deependra Giri. The ceremonial mace was then taken to the Gauri Shankar Temple, where the rituals were conducted. The Chhari Mubarak will reach the holy cave shrine on August 9, marking the official conclusion of the Yatra.

In light of heightened security concerns, particularly after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have implemented a robust multi-tier security system for this year’s pilgrimage.

An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to bolster the existing security framework, which includes the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. The Army has launched ‘Operation SHIVA 2025’, deploying over 8,500 troops equipped with advanced surveillance and combat technology.

All transit camps along the route to the base camps and the entire stretch from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas to the cave shrine have been placed under heavy security cover.

This year, the Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 and will conclude on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan, spanning a total of 38 days.

(With inputs from IANS)

July 15, 2025
Amit Shah hails Bharat Vikas Parishad’s role in nation-building at 63rd Foundation Day

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, on Monday addressed the 63rd Foundation Day celebration of the Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) in New Delhi, praising the organisation for its six-decade-long contribution to national development and social service. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including retired Supreme Court Judge and National President of the Parishad, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel.

Describing BVP as a living embodiment of India’s civilisational ethos, Shah said the organisation has effectively connected “service with organisation, organisation with values, and values with nation-building.” Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, BVP has, according to Shah, helped mobilise society’s creative energy through its core principles of dedication (Samarpan), organisation (Sangathan), and values (Sanskar).

“An institution that works tirelessly for 63 years doesn’t just survive—it thrives on the dedication of countless volunteers. While 63 years may be old in a person’s life, for a service-driven institution like BVP, it marks youthful vibrance,” Shah remarked.

Shah also honoured the legacy of freedom fighter Hemam Nilamani Singh from Manipur, who was posthumously recognised at the event. Singh, inspired by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, joined the Indian National Army in 1944 and devoted his life to education, service, and linguistic unity.

Highlighting the reach of BVP, Shah noted that the organisation operates more than 1,600 branches across 412 districts and engages over 84,000 families. BVP has actively contributed to disaster relief, blood donation drives, rural education camps, and moral value-building initiatives in schools across the country.

Turning to national development, Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047 and laid out five foundational goals: economic progress, freedom from mental and cultural slavery, pride in India’s heritage, unity and solidarity, and a sense of civic duty. “The Bharat Vikas Parishad has worked silently but powerfully toward these goals for years,” Shah said.

He highlighted achievements from the last 11 years of Modi’s tenure: the opening of over 55 crore bank accounts, the provision of safe drinking water to 15 crore households, construction of toilets in 12 crore homes, distribution of gas cylinders to 10 crore families, and the building of over 4 crore homes for the poor. He also emphasized the empowerment of women through initiatives like Lakhpati Didi and Mudra Yojana, where two-thirds of the loan beneficiaries are women.

Shah pointed to the government’s efforts to decolonize national symbols and reclaim India’s heritage. From renaming Rajpath to Kartavya Path to replacing colonial insignia in the Indian Navy with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s sword, he said these moves inspire national pride. Other symbolic actions include renaming islands in Andaman-Nicobar as Subhash Dweep and Shaheed Dweep, and Race Course Road as Lok Kalyan Marg.

“Prime Minister Modi has shown how heritage and development can progress hand-in-hand,” said Shah. “While he built the Ram Temple, he also rolled out 5G and expanded digital payments to every corner of the country—even to vegetable vendors.”

He also highlighted simultaneous progress in education and technology, citing the New Education Policy’s focus on mother-tongue instruction, and the expansion of premier institutes like IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS. India, he said, is emerging as a leader in AI, cybersecurity, drones, and green hydrogen. He connected this progress with national pride initiatives like the establishment of the Sengol in Parliament and the international promotion of Yoga.

July 15, 2025
In reversal, Trump arms Ukraine and threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

U.S. President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday, and threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Russia agrees a peace deal, a major policy shift brought on by frustration with Moscow’s ongoing attacks on its neighbour.

But Trump’s threat of sanctions came with a 50-day grace period, a move that was welcomed by investors in Russia where the rouble recovered from earlier losses and stock markets rose.

Sitting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin and that billions of dollars of U.S. weapons would go to Ukraine.

“We’re going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they’ll be sent to NATO,” Trump said, adding that Washington’s NATO allies would pay for them.

The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles Ukraine has urgently sought, he said.

“It’s a full complement with the batteries,” Trump said. “We’re going to have some come very soon, within days.”

“We have one country that has 17 Patriots getting ready to be shipped … we’re going to work a deal where the 17 will go or a big portion of the 17 will go to the war site.”

Rutte said Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada all wanted to be a part of rearming Ukraine.

Trump’s threat to impose so-called secondary sanctions on Russia, if carried out, would be a major shift in Western sanctions policy. Lawmakers from both U.S. political parties are pushing for a bill that would authorise such measures, targeting other countries that buy Russian oil.

Throughout the more than three-year-old war, Western countries have cut most of their own financial ties to Moscow, but have held back from taking steps that would restrict Russia from selling its oil elsewhere. That has allowed Moscow to continue earning hundreds of billions of dollars from shipping oil to buyers such as China and India.

“We’re going to be doing secondary tariffs,” Trump said. “If we don’t have a deal in 50 days, it’s very simple, and they’ll be at 100%.”

A White House official said Trump was referring to 100% tariffs on Russian goods as well as secondary sanctions on other countries that buy its exports. Eighty-five of the 100 U.S. senators are co-sponsoring a bill that would give Trump the authority to impose 500% tariffs on any country that helps Russia, but the chamber’s Republican leaders have been waiting for Trump to give them the go-ahead for a vote.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram he had spoken to Trump and “thanked him for his readiness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace.”

Zelenskiy held talks with Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg on Monday.

In Kyiv, people welcomed Trump’s announcement but some were cautious about his intentions.

“I am pleased that finally European politicians, with their patience and convictions, have slightly swayed him (Trump) to our side, because from the very beginning it was clear that he did not really want to help us,” said Denys Podilchuk, a 39-year-old dentist in Kyiv.

GRACE PERIOD

Artyom Nikolayev, an analyst from financial information firm Invest Era, said Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared.

“Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines,” he said.

Asked about Trump’s remarks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said an immediate ceasefire was needed to pave the way for a political solution and “whatever can contribute to these objectives will, of course, be important if it is done in line with international law.”

Since returning to the White House promising a quick end to the war, Trump has sought rapprochement with Moscow, speaking several times with Putin. His administration has pulled back from pro-Ukrainian policies such as backing Kyiv’s membership in NATO and demanding Russia withdraw from all Ukrainian territory.

But Putin has yet to accept a proposal from Trump for an unconditional ceasefire, which was quickly endorsed by Kyiv. Recent days have seen Russia use hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities.

Trump said his shift was motivated by frustration with Putin.

“We actually had probably four times a deal. And then the deal wouldn’t happen because bombs would be thrown out that night and you’d say we’re not making any deals,” he said.

Last week he said, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin.”

Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and holds about one-fifth of Ukraine. Its forces are slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine and Moscow shows no sign of abandoning its main war goals.

Evelyn Farkas, a former senior Pentagon official who is now executive director of the McCain Institute, said Trump’s moves could eventually turn the tide of the war if Trump ratchets up enforcement of current sanctions, adds new ones and provides new equipment quickly.

“If Putin’s ministers and generals can be convinced that the war is not winnable they may be willing to push Putin to negotiate, if nothing else but to buy time,” said Farkas.

(Reuters)

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LegCo to consider Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting tomorrow (July 16) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 2025 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.

The Second Reading debates on the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 and the Supplementary Medical Professions (Amendment) Bill 2025 will also resume. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Reading, they will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bills and their reports are adopted by the Council, the Bills will be set down for the Third Reading.

Meanwhile, the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

On Member’s Bill, the Hong Kong Baptist University (Amendment) Bill 2025 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

     On Members’ motions, Mr Chan Hak-kan will move a motion on reviewing the priorities for public works to ensure enhanced speed and efficiency of key projects. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Gary Zhang, Mr Adrian Ho, Mr Tony Tse and Mr Dennis Leung will move separate amendments to Mr Chan Hak-kan’s motion.

     Mr Frankie Yick will also move a motion on building an elderly-friendly living environment. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Mr Tang Ka-piu, Mr Stanley Li and Mr Tommy Cheung will move separate amendments to Mr Frankie Yick’s motion.

     During the meeting, Mr Chan Kin-por and Mr Steven Ho will present the “Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China Annual Report 2024 and Reports of ICAC Advisory Committees” and the “ICAC Complaints Committee Annual Report 2024” respectively, and address the Council.

     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Two people died as a result of the collapse of part of a residential building in Tbilisi

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

Tbilisi, July 15 (Xinhua) — Two people were killed when the facade of a five-story apartment building collapsed on Vokzalnaya Square in central Tbilisi on Monday, Tbilisi Police Department Director Vazha Siradze said after arriving at the scene.

Search and rescue operations are continuing at the site of the tragedy, the area is being cleared of debris. Ambulance crews and employees of the Emergency Management Service are working.

According to Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, the building was declared unsafe and was assigned the fifth category of damage, and could not be restored.

K. Kaladze stated that the city authorities had met with residents on numerous occasions and offered them participation in a housing replacement program, which would allow the building to be demolished and a new one built. However, according to him, it was not possible to reach an agreement with all residents.

Immediately after receiving the report of the incident, emergency services were dispatched to the scene. Firefighters immediately evacuated citizens from the adjacent area. –0–

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

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 15, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 15, 2025.

A warning from the future: the risk if NZ gets climate adaptation policy wrong today
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Logan, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar, Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury Getty Images New Zealand 2050: On the morning of February 27, the sea surged through the dunes south of the small town of Te Taone, riding on the back of Cyclone Harita’s

ABC’s and CBS’s settlements with Trump are a dangerous step toward the commander in chief becoming the editor-in-chief
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine Will settlements by news companies with President Donald Trump turn journalists into puppets? MARHARYTA MARKO/iStock Getty Images Plus It was a surrender widely foreseen. For months, rumors abounded that Paramount would eventually settle the seemingly frivolous

Is there any hope for the internet?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College Hate and mental illness fester online because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits. Ihor Lukianenko/iStock via Getty Images In 2001, social theorist bell hooks warned about the dangers of a loveless zeitgeist. In “All About Love:

Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A new Tasmanian DemosAU poll gives the Liberals a 34.9–24.7 statewide vote lead over Labor, implying the Liberals will win the most seats but be short of

Luxon and Peters to miss Cook Islands’ 60th Constitution Day celebrations
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist New Zealand will not send top government representation to the Cook Islands for its 60th Constitution Day celebrations in three weeks’ time. Instead, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will represent Aotearoa in Rarotonga. On August 4, Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand.

Keith Rankin Analysis – Reporting International Migration: Less than the Truth
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Yesterday I listened to RNZ’s political commentators. The principal topic was an aspect of the recently released May 2025 international migration. Kathryn Ryan starts by reminding us of the “old saying, would the last person to leave New Zealand please turn out the lights” (a saying which has been used in

Antisemitism plan fails on a number of fronts – a contentious definition of hate is just the start
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, UNSW Sydney The antisemitism strategy presented to the Albanese government has attracted considerable – and wholly justifed – criticism. Produced by Jillian Segal, the special envoy to combat antisemitism, the blueprint falls short in a range of areas essential to good public policy.

Do I have prostate cancer? Why a simple PSA blood test alone won’t give you the answer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin M. Koo, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, The University of Queensland Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australia, with about 26,000 men diagnosed per year. The majority (more than 85%) are aged over 60. Prostate cancer kills around 3,900 Australians a year. Yet most prostate

Many fish are social, but pesticides are pushing them apart
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kyle Morrison, PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UNSW Sydney Kazakov Maksim, Shutterstock Scientists have detected pesticides in rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide. So what are these pesticides doing to the fish? Long before pesticides reach lethal doses, they can disrupt hormones, impair brain function and

Almost half of young workers expected to work unpaid overtime, while a quarter aren’t paid compulsory super
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Howe, Associate Dean (Research), Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Anna Kraynova/Shutterstock A young person gets a job, excited to earn their first paycheck. Over time, they realise the hours are long and the payslips small. They are told to stay back to clean up

Israeli settlers shoot, beat to death 2 Palestinians in latest lynchings
BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied West Bank Two young Palestinians were shot and beaten to death on their land, and 30 injured, by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. A large group of settlers attacked the rural Palestinian village of Sinjil, in the Ramallah governorate, beating Sayfollah “Saif” Mussalet, 20,

View from The Hill: Segal’s antisemitism plan gives government controversy, not clarity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may be rueing what seemed a good idea at the time – the appointment of a special envoy to combat antisemitism (as well as an envoy to combat Islamophobia). Or perhaps Jillian Segal, a former president

David Robie condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the

Was the Air India crash caused by pilot error or technical fault? None of the theories holds up – yet
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guido Carim Junior, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, Griffith University Over the weekend, the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report on last month’s crash of Air India flight 171, which killed 260 people, 19 of them on the ground. The aim of a preliminary report

Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Mary Hallinan, Senior Research Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images In 2024 alone, Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), authorised at least 979,000 prescription applications for medicinal cannabis

Treasury warns the government it may not balance the budget or meet its housing targets
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Kokkai Ng/Getty In the runup to each election, federal treasury produces a “blue book” and a “red book”, with advice tailored to the priorities of the two alternative governments. One of these is given to the incoming

UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee. This is not only important

How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling

Author condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
Asia Pacific Report A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch

Washington’s war demands – Australia right to refuse committing to a hypothetical conflict with China over Taiwan
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Andy. LIU/Shutterstock The United States can count on Australia as one of its closest allies. Dating back to the shared experiences in the second world war and the ANZUS Treaty signed in 1951, Australia has steadfastly

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 15, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 15, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 15, 2025.

A warning from the future: the risk if NZ gets climate adaptation policy wrong today
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Logan, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar, Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury Getty Images New Zealand 2050: On the morning of February 27, the sea surged through the dunes south of the small town of Te Taone, riding on the back of Cyclone Harita’s

ABC’s and CBS’s settlements with Trump are a dangerous step toward the commander in chief becoming the editor-in-chief
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine Will settlements by news companies with President Donald Trump turn journalists into puppets? MARHARYTA MARKO/iStock Getty Images Plus It was a surrender widely foreseen. For months, rumors abounded that Paramount would eventually settle the seemingly frivolous

Is there any hope for the internet?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College Hate and mental illness fester online because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits. Ihor Lukianenko/iStock via Getty Images In 2001, social theorist bell hooks warned about the dangers of a loveless zeitgeist. In “All About Love:

Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A new Tasmanian DemosAU poll gives the Liberals a 34.9–24.7 statewide vote lead over Labor, implying the Liberals will win the most seats but be short of

Luxon and Peters to miss Cook Islands’ 60th Constitution Day celebrations
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist New Zealand will not send top government representation to the Cook Islands for its 60th Constitution Day celebrations in three weeks’ time. Instead, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will represent Aotearoa in Rarotonga. On August 4, Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand.

Keith Rankin Analysis – Reporting International Migration: Less than the Truth
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Yesterday I listened to RNZ’s political commentators. The principal topic was an aspect of the recently released May 2025 international migration. Kathryn Ryan starts by reminding us of the “old saying, would the last person to leave New Zealand please turn out the lights” (a saying which has been used in

Antisemitism plan fails on a number of fronts – a contentious definition of hate is just the start
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, UNSW Sydney The antisemitism strategy presented to the Albanese government has attracted considerable – and wholly justifed – criticism. Produced by Jillian Segal, the special envoy to combat antisemitism, the blueprint falls short in a range of areas essential to good public policy.

Do I have prostate cancer? Why a simple PSA blood test alone won’t give you the answer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin M. Koo, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, The University of Queensland Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australia, with about 26,000 men diagnosed per year. The majority (more than 85%) are aged over 60. Prostate cancer kills around 3,900 Australians a year. Yet most prostate

Many fish are social, but pesticides are pushing them apart
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kyle Morrison, PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UNSW Sydney Kazakov Maksim, Shutterstock Scientists have detected pesticides in rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide. So what are these pesticides doing to the fish? Long before pesticides reach lethal doses, they can disrupt hormones, impair brain function and

Almost half of young workers expected to work unpaid overtime, while a quarter aren’t paid compulsory super
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Howe, Associate Dean (Research), Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Anna Kraynova/Shutterstock A young person gets a job, excited to earn their first paycheck. Over time, they realise the hours are long and the payslips small. They are told to stay back to clean up

Israeli settlers shoot, beat to death 2 Palestinians in latest lynchings
BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied West Bank Two young Palestinians were shot and beaten to death on their land, and 30 injured, by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. A large group of settlers attacked the rural Palestinian village of Sinjil, in the Ramallah governorate, beating Sayfollah “Saif” Mussalet, 20,

View from The Hill: Segal’s antisemitism plan gives government controversy, not clarity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may be rueing what seemed a good idea at the time – the appointment of a special envoy to combat antisemitism (as well as an envoy to combat Islamophobia). Or perhaps Jillian Segal, a former president

David Robie condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the

Was the Air India crash caused by pilot error or technical fault? None of the theories holds up – yet
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guido Carim Junior, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, Griffith University Over the weekend, the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report on last month’s crash of Air India flight 171, which killed 260 people, 19 of them on the ground. The aim of a preliminary report

Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Mary Hallinan, Senior Research Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images In 2024 alone, Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), authorised at least 979,000 prescription applications for medicinal cannabis

Treasury warns the government it may not balance the budget or meet its housing targets
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Kokkai Ng/Getty In the runup to each election, federal treasury produces a “blue book” and a “red book”, with advice tailored to the priorities of the two alternative governments. One of these is given to the incoming

UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee. This is not only important

How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling

Author condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
Asia Pacific Report A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch

Washington’s war demands – Australia right to refuse committing to a hypothetical conflict with China over Taiwan
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Andy. LIU/Shutterstock The United States can count on Australia as one of its closest allies. Dating back to the shared experiences in the second world war and the ANZUS Treaty signed in 1951, Australia has steadfastly

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Durbin, Kelly, Senate Democrats Press Trump Administration on Weaponization of Immigration Court Hearings to Trap, Arrest, Deport Immigrants

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

Padilla, Durbin, Kelly, Senate Democrats Press Trump Administration on Weaponization of Immigration Court Hearings to Trap, Arrest, Deport Immigrants

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) led 21 Senate Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration on its recent initiatives to weaponize immigration court hearings as an inhumane trap to arrest immigrants just trying to follow the law by terminating their immigration court cases and deporting them without adequate due process.

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons, the Senators condemned these predatory actions as an affront to due process. The Senators expressed serious concern over recent reporting of the Trump Administration’s inhumane initiatives of detaining noncitizens at their immigration court hearings, often suddenly dismissing their immigration cases and arresting them without prior notice.

“These actions prevent noncitizens from having their fair day in court and raise serious legal and due process concerns,” wrote the Senators. “They also make clear that this Administration is not targeting the worst criminals and threats to public safety, instead redirecting staff and resources away from drug trafficking and human trafficking and towards these operations targeting noncriminal immigrants who are following the law and showing up for their day in court.”

“These actions also place noncitizens in an impossible position. If noncitizens who fear arrest do not attend their immigration court hearing, they may receive an in absentia removal order that will newly subject them to swift detention and removal. If they do attend, they risk arrest, detention, and a swift deportation, possibly to South Sudan, Libya, or El Salvador—countries they may have no connection to. This manipulation of existing laws to enact this Administration’s mass deportation agenda is creating chaos in our immigration system while doing nothing to make our communities safer,” concluded the Senators.

The Senators admonished the misuse of expedited removal (ER) as part of the Trump Administration’s efforts, noting that it typically has only been applied to noncitizens upon their arrival or within 14 days of their arrival if they are detained near the border. The widespread use of ER for law-abiding noncitizens entrenched in the United States — including those working or attending school — is unprecedented and violates due process protections.

The Senators also underscored the insincerity and misleading nature of ICE’s intentions outside these hearings, arguing that ICE often did not give prior notice or explanation of their intentions for fast-track removals surrounding these hearings. This prevents noncitizens from seeking counsel or taking steps to oppose their removals. They also made a series of information requests.

In addition to Padilla, Durbin, and Kelly, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Senators Padilla and Schiff, as well as Representatives Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), and Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), previously sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem expressing their concern over the deliberate targeting of immigrants trying to follow the legal process at courthouses, including at the San Diego Immigration Court located in the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Noem, Attorney General Bondi, and Acting Director Lyons:

We are extremely concerned by reports of a recent initiative to arrest and detain noncitizens at their immigration court hearings, and in many cases, dismiss their immigration cases without advance notice and while hiding the government’s intent to arrest them. Some reports indicated that plain-clothed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel stationed outside of immigration courtrooms had lists of cases marked for dismissal and even photos of the individuals they intended to arrest. Upon the granting of this request by an immigration judge, ICE officers have reportedly arrested individuals or families outside the courtrooms and placed them in a fast-track removal process known as expedited removal (ER). These actions prevent noncitizens from having their fair day in court and raise serious legal and due process concerns. They also make clear that this Administration is not targeting the worst criminals and threats to public safety, instead redirecting staff and resources away from drug trafficking and human trafficking and towards these operations targeting noncriminal immigrants who are following the law and showing up for their day in court.

ER historically has applied only to a noncitizen who “is arriving in the United States” and certain other noncitizens apprehended close to the border less than 14 days after arrival in the United States. Individuals subject to ER are mandatorily detained and can be summarily deported without a hearing before a judge, administrative appeal or federal court review, unlike regular removal proceedings. The ER process offers very limited administrative review and no meaningful opportunity for a noncitizen to challenge whether they can legally be placed in ER. There is no real opportunity to provide documentation, for example, that would demonstrate they have continuously resided in the United States for more than two years, or that they were, in fact, admitted or paroled into the United States and therefore not subject to ER. ICE is now expanding the application of ER to noncitizens in the interior of the United States who have developed significant ties to the United States, including by lawfully working and attending school. Arresting law-abiding individuals and placing them in ER deprives them of the opportunity to have their fair day in court with the due process protections in immigration court proceedings.

Nevertheless, we understand that ICE attorneys have been instructed to look for immigration court cases that can be dismissed and then orally request, without prior notice, that removal proceedings be dismissed or the Notice to Appear be withdrawn. ICE often did not inform immigration judges or the noncitizens that the purpose of their request was not relief from removal, but instead that ICE intended to arrest and place the individual in fast-track removal without a hearing. It has been a longstanding practice to dismiss cases that are not a priority for enforcement or that ICE chooses not to prosecute, allowing noncitizens to instead pursue immigration applications affirmatively through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Here, however, many noncitizens were not notified that their cases were being dismissed for a different purpose—to place them in ER—and effectively deny them access to a decision from an immigration judge as well as affirmative applications through USCIS. Because noncitizens did not understand the purpose of their dismissal, they did not, through counsel or otherwise, have an opportunity to take steps to oppose the ICE attorneys’ motions to terminate or withdraw.

Immigration judges—who are not part of an independent judiciary but housed under the Executive Office of Immigration Review within the Department of Justice—have also received guidance encouraging immigration judges to grant the ICE attorneys’ motion to dismiss “with no additional documentation or briefing” or opportunity for a noncitizen to respond. In some cases, immigration judges were not made aware of the purpose of the dismissal. As a result, immigration judges could not take into account in their dismissal determination that the noncitizen will immediately be placed in ER. In some cases, the immigration judge did not give noncitizens adequate time to respond to ICE motions to dismiss, or ensure those appearing pro se were informed of the consequences of their cases being dismissed. And in some cases, the immigration judge dismissed the case over the strong objections from the noncitizen who wished for their immigration case to continue with the court.

Noncitizens whose removal proceedings are abruptly dismissed in this manner lose the ability to request relief in immigration court for which they are otherwise eligible, such as asylum or adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident, or to request that an immigration judge hold their case while they pursue an immigration status with USCIS, such as classification as a Special Immigrant Juvenile. Many of these noncitizens who had their cases dismissed had reportedly already submitted an asylum application or other forms of relief to the immigration court, raising serious concerns that their applications were wrongfully denied any consideration. For example, a Mexican transgender woman with no criminal history who came to the United States in 2023 after being subject to abduction and rape by members of the Knights Templar drug cartel in Mexico, had applied for asylum; upon her appearance for her court hearing in Portland, Oregon, ICE moved to dismiss her case, the court granted the request, and she was subsequently arrested by ICE agents in the lobby. In another case, ICE requested the dismissal of a case of a Cuban man who entered the United States in 2021 and had an asylum application pending; an immigration judge in the Miami Immigration Court told the asylum seeker he could seek asylum affirmatively from USCIS after the dismissal; instead, ICE arrested and detained him.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently stated, “[w]e have long held that no person shall be removed from the United States without opportunity, at some time, to be heard. Due process requires notice that is reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise interested parties and that affords[s] a reasonable time …to make an appearance.” Here, it appears that the ICE attorneys are being told to dismiss immigration cases and place noncitizens in expedited removal. At the same time, immigration judges are being told that they may dismiss such cases without any briefing or opportunity to respond. In addition, often noncitizens have not been notified of the purpose of their dismissal, in order to respond or contest the dismissal of their immigration cases, or the placement of their case into expedited removal. Taken together, these actions raise serious due process concerns.

These actions also place noncitizens in an impossible position. If noncitizens who fear arrest do not attend their immigration court hearing, they may receive an in absentia removal order that will newly subject them to swift detention and removal. If they do attend, they risk arrest, detention, and a swift deportation, possibly to South Sudan, Libya, or El Salvador—countries they may have no connection to. This manipulation of existing laws to enact this Administration’s mass deportation agenda is creating chaos in our immigration system while doing nothing to make our communities safer.

We request responses to the following questions by July 25, 2025:

1. What specific guidance has DHS or DOJ/EOIR issued regarding the dismissal of standard 240 removal proceedings and the facilitation of enforcement actions in and around immigration courtrooms? Please provide a copy of the relevant guidance, email, memorandum, or other directives associated with this policy.

2. How many individuals have been detained and placed in ER following dismissal of their cases from January 20th to May 19th, 2025? How many have been detained and placed in ER following dismissal since May 20, 2025? Provide the total number of individuals arrested and detained by week, and disaggregate by country of origin, gender, and age.

a. What number of the total individuals detained and placed in ER following the dismissal of their removal proceedings have been referred for a credible fear interview (CFI)? How many have passed that interview with the asylum officer and how many did not? Of the total negative CFIs by an asylum officer, how many were reviewed by an Immigration Judge and reversed?

b. Of the total individuals detained and placed in ER following dismissal of their cases, how many had applications pending with the immigration court in INA 240 proceedings at the time that the ICE attorney moved for dismissal? How many had applications pending with USCIS (e.g. adjustment of status, SIJ classification, T or U visa)? Of those with applications pending in immigration court, how many were asylum applications and how many were for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident?

c. Of those individuals who had asylum applications pending in immigration court when the ICE attorney requested the dismissal of proceedings, how many were subsequently given a CFI after dismissal and their placement in ER? Of those, how many passed that interview with the Asylum Officer and were placed back into proceedings to again pursue their asylum claim? Of those with an asylum application pending who were subsequently given a CFI after dismissal and their placement in ER, how many had a negative CFI with an asylum officer which was subsequently reversed by an IJ and were placed back into proceedings?

d. What number of the total individuals detained and placed in ER following the dismissal of their removal proceedings have been placed back into INA 240 proceedings for any reason?

3. Are immigration judges being monitored or tracked on how they respond to ICE motions to dismiss the cases or to withdraw the NTA? If so, how is that information being utilized?

4. There are reports of cases where the immigration judge did not immediately grant ICE’s motion to dismiss and did give the noncitizen additional time to respond, but ICE detained the noncitizen anyway.

a) Since May 20th, in how many cases has an ICE attorney orally requested a dismissal, and the IJ has either denied such a motion or granted additional time for the noncitizen to respond?

b) In how many of those cases did ICE arrest and detain the noncitizen despite the removal proceedings not being dismissed?

c) In how many of those cases did ICE request a Change of Venue to a detained docket?

d) For the subset of cases moved to the detained docket, in how many cases has ICE moved to dismiss again before a different immigration judge in order to place the noncitizen in ER?

5. Of the total detained and placed in ER after the dismissal of their court cases, how many had a criminal conviction?

6. Of the total detained and placed in ER after dismissal of their court cases, how many were continuously present in the United States for more than two years? Provide an explanation of the legal basis for their placement in ER.

7. Of the total detained and placed in ER after dismissal of their court cases, how many were in removal proceedings after having been initially paroled into the United States at a port of entry? Provide the total number and disaggregate by country of origin, gender and age. Also, provide the total number of individuals who were initially paroled more than two years prior to the issuance of the I-860 ER order.

8. Provide a complete list of all the immigration courts where ICE courthouse arrests and placements into ER have occurred since May 20, 2025. At each of these immigration courts, disaggregated by each individual court, have in abstentia removal orders increased and if so, by what percentage of the total scheduled court hearings? Provide a daily accounting of the number of in absentia removal orders issued in each immigration court since January 1, 2025, disaggregated by court.

Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese medics treat patients, empower locals in Benin

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

A doctor of the 27th batch of the Chinese medical team to Benin (C) examines a patient at the Mono and Couffo Departmental Hospital Center in Lokossa, Benin, on July 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

When Yang Ping stepped back into the intensive care unit, a wave of relief washed over her: Beatrice Lawe, a 45-year-old patient once teetering on the brink of death, was breathing on her own, vital signs stable, after an emergency operation performed by Yang and fellow members of the Chinese Medical Team in Benin.

“She really made it through,” recalled Yang, a surgeon who leads the 27th Chinese medical team.

Lawe had earlier undergone surgery for peritonitis and appendicitis at another hospital, but developed severe complications shortly after. When her condition suddenly deteriorated, she was rushed to the Mono and Couffo Departmental Hospital Center in Lokossa, southwest Benin.

Yang still remembers the moment of her initial assessment. “Based on clinical experience, the odds of her survival were almost nil,” she said.

Despite the grim outlook, Yang and her colleagues pressed on with emergency procedures, fully supported by the patient’s family. Two weeks later, a miracle unfolded: Lawe regained consciousness with her condition stabilized.

She was eventually discharged in good health and, six months later, underwent a successful second operation for colostomy reversal and digestive tract reconstruction, after which she fully returned to normal life.

Her recovery became more than just a clinical success. It symbolized the deep trust and friendship between Chinese doctors and Beninese patients.

The hospital where Lawe was cured has a longstanding bond with China. Built with Chinese aid and inaugurated in April 1997, the Mono and Couffo Departmental Hospital Center serves as a key regional medical center in Benin.

Since 1978, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest China has continuously dispatched medical teams to the West African country, a commitment that has remained unbroken for 47 years.

The 27th batch of the Chinese medical team arrived in Benin in January 2024, consisting of 22 members, including 18 medical professionals. They are stationed in Lokossa and Natitingou.

Since their arrival, they have provided medical care to 15,382 patients, performed 2,758 surgeries, and organized 26 visits across Benin to provide locals with free consultation, treatment and, when needed, medication.

In a country with limited infrastructure, scarce advanced equipment, and a high prevalence of tropical diseases, the Chinese medical team often works under intense pressure.

“Motorcycle-related trauma cases are especially frequent,” Yang noted. “At peak times, we handle up to seven or eight severe orthopedic injuries a day.”

To help address these challenges, China and Benin signed a cooperation agreement in 2021, establishing a partnership between the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and the Mono and Couffo Departmental Hospital Center.

Through telemedicine consultations, academic exchanges, talent training, and expert visits, the program aims not just to heal, but to empower.

“We are not only here to treat patients,” Yang said. “We are here to leave behind skills that will stay on and benefit our Beninese friends for generations.”

Through case discussions, live demonstrations, and bedside teaching, the Chinese team helps local hospital staff improve their ability to independently manage situations such as emergency trauma, fracture reduction, and postoperative care.

The resulting effects are evident to the Beninese crew. Head nurse Jacqueline Oussou, who has worked in Lokossa for 15 years, said she has seen an increase in patients coming specifically for Chinese doctors.

“They are so dedicated, and they did an excellent job in surgery, obstetrics, otolaryngology and ophthalmology,” she said.

In the anesthesia department, nurse Elsie Tchenagni highlighted the importance of the new equipment and skills brought by the Chinese team.

“They not only brought in new equipment, but also trained us patiently on how to use them,” she said. “Now our procedures are much more precise. Even with language barriers, we have developed strong working chemistry.”

From emergency surgeries to daily rounds, from hands-on training to technology transfer, the Chinese medical team in Benin has become more than just a group of doctors. They are trusted partners in health and an embodiment of friendship.

Over the past 47 years, successive generations of Chinese doctors have traveled from afar to serve in Benin, upholding the principle that “people come first, life comes first.” Their unwavering dedication is reflected in the lives they save and the lasting impact they have on local healthcare.

In every hospital ward and surgical theater, their presence tells a quiet yet powerful story — one of humanity, perseverance, and a shared hope for a healthier future.

MIL OSI China News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Is there any hope for the internet?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College

Hate and mental illness fester online because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits. Ihor Lukianenko/iStock via Getty Images

In 2001, social theorist bell hooks warned about the dangers of a loveless zeitgeist. In “All About Love: New Visions,” she lamented “the lack of an ongoing public discussion … about the practice of love in our culture and in our lives.”

Back then, the internet was at a crossroads. The dot-com crash had bankrupted many early internet companies, and people wondered if the technology was long for this world.

The doubts were unfounded. In only a few decades, the internet has merged with our bodies as smartphones and mined our personalities via algorithms that know us more intimately than some of our closest friends. It has even constructed a secondary social world.

Yet as the internet has become more integrated in our daily lives, few would describe it as a place of love, compassion and cooperation. Study after study describe how social media platforms promote alienation and disconnection – in part because many algorithms reward behaviors like trolling, cyberbullying and outrage.

Is the internet’s place in human history cemented as a harbinger of despair? Or is there still hope for an internet that supports collective flourishing?

Algorithms and alienation

I explore these questions in my new book, “Attention and Alienation.”

In it, I explain how social media companies’ profits depend on users investing their time, creativity and emotions. Whether it’s spending hours filming content for TikTok or a few minutes crafting a thoughtful Reddit comment, participating on these platforms takes work. And it can be exhausting.

Even passive engagement – like scrolling through feeds and “lurking” in forums – consumes time. It might feel like free entertainment – until people recognize they are the product, with their data being harvested and their emotions being manipulated.

Blogger, journalist and science fiction writer Cory Doctorow coined the term “enshittification” to describe how experiences on online platforms gradually deteriorate as companies increasingly exploit users’ data and tweak their algorithms to maximize profits.

For these reasons, much of people’s time spent online involves dealing with toxic interactions or mindlessly doomscrolling, immersed in dopamine-driven feedback loops.

This cycle is neither an accident nor a novel insight. Hate and mental illness fester in this culture because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits.

Care hiding in plain sight

In his 2009 book “Envisioning Real Utopias,” the late sociologist Erik Olin Wright discusses places in the world that prioritize cooperation, care and egalitarianism.

Wright mainly focused on offline systems like worker-owned cooperatives. But one of his examples lived on the internet: Wikipedia. He argued that Wikipedia demonstrates the ethos “from each according to ability, to each according to need” – a utopian ideal popularized by Karl Marx.

Wikipedia still thrives as a nonprofit, volunteer-ran bureaucracy. The website is a form of media that is deeply social, in the literal sense: People voluntarily curate and share knowledge, collectively and democratically, for free. Unlike social media, the rewards are only collective.

There are no visible likes, comments or rage emojis for participants to hoard and chase. Nobody loses and everyone wins, including the vast majority of people who use Wikipedia without contributing work or money to keep it operational.

Building a new digital world

Wikipedia is evidence of care, cooperation and love hiding in plain sight.

In recent years, there have been more efforts to create nonprofit apps and websites that are committed to protecting user data. Popular examples include Signal, a free and open source instant messaging service, and Proton Mail, an encrypted email service.

These are all laudable developments. But how can the internet actively promote collective flourishing?

What if Wikipedia were less the exception, and more the norm?
Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images

In “Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want,” sociologist Ruha Benjamin points to a way forward. She tells the story of Black TikTok creators who led a successful cultural labor strike in 2021. Many viral TikTok dances had originally been created by Black artists, whose accounts, they claimed, were suppressed by a biased algorithm that favored white influencers.

TikTok responded to the viral #BlackTikTokStrike movement by formally apologizing and making commitments to better represent and compensate the work of Black creators. These creators demonstrated how social media engagement is work – and that workers have the power to demand equitable conditions and fair pay.

This landmark strike showed how anyone who uses social media companies that profit off the work, emotions and personal data of their users – whether it’s TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram or Reddit – can become organized.

Meanwhile, there are organizations devoted to designing an internet that promotes collective flourishing. Sociologist Firuzeh Shokooh Valle provides examples of worker-owned technology cooperatives in her 2023 book, “In Defense of Solidarity and Pleasure: Feminist Technopolitics in the Global South.” She highlights the Sulá Batsú co-op in Costa Rica, which promotes policies that seek to break the stranglehold that negativity and exploitation have over internet culture.

“Digital spaces are increasingly powered by hate and discrimination,” the group writes, adding that it hopes to create an online world where “women and people of diverse sexualities and genders are able to access and enjoy a free and open internet to exercise agency and autonomy, build collective power, strengthen movements, and transform power relations.”

In Los Angeles, there’s Chani, Inc., a technology company that describes itself as “proudly” not funded by venture capitalists. The Chani app blends mindfulness practices and astrology with the goal of simply helping people. The app is not designed for compulsive user engagement, the company never sells user data, and there are no comments sections.

No comments

What would social media look like if Wikipedia were the norm instead of an exception?

To me, a big problem in internet culture is the way people’s humanity is obscured. People are free to speak their minds in text-based public discussion forums, but the words aren’t always attached to someone’s identity. Real people hide behind the anonymity of user names. It isn’t true human interaction.

In “Attention and Alienation,” I argue that the ability to meet and interact with others online as fully realized, three-dimensional human beings would go a long way toward creating a more empathetic, cooperative internet.

When I was 8 years old, my parents lived abroad for work. Sometimes we talked on the phone. Often I would cry late into the night, praying for the ability to “see them through the phone.” It felt like a miraculous possibility – like magic.

I told this story to my students in a moment of shared vulnerability. This was in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the class was taking place over videoconferencing. In these online classes, one person talked at a time. Others listened.

It wasn’t perfect, but I think a better internet would promote this form of discussion – people getting together from across the world to share the fullness of their humanity.

Efforts like Clubhouse have tapped into this vision by creating voice-based discussion forums. The company, however, has been criticized for predatory data privacy policies.

What if the next iteration of public social media platforms could build on Clubhouse? What if they brought people together and showcased not just their voices, but also live video feeds of their faces without harvesting their data or promoting conflict and outrage?

Raised eyebrows. Grins. Frowns. They’re what make humans distinct from increasingly sophisticated large language models and artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT.

After all, is anything you can’t say while looking at another human being in the eye worth saying in the first place?

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

– ref. Is there any hope for the internet? – https://theconversation.com/is-there-any-hope-for-the-internet-259251

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Republican Energy and Water Development Funding Bill Increases Energy Costs
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

Despite Heightened Risks, Bill Makes Americans More Vulnerable to Nuclear Threats
**STATE-BY-STATE FACT SHEET** Republicans Slash Vital Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Funding for States

Washington, DC — House Appropriations Committee Republicans today released the draft fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The bill raises costs for American households, undermines infrastructure investments, and weakens our national security.

For 2026, the Energy and Water bill provides $57.3 Billion in discretionary funding. Within that amount, the bill provides $24.1 Billion for nondefense programs, a cut of over $675 Million, or 2.7 percent, below the fiscal year 2025 enacted level, and $33.2 Billion for defense programs, a cut of $91 Million, or 0.3 percent, below the fiscal year 2025 enacted level.

The legislation:
- Increases energy costs, jeopardizes energy independence, and hurts United States’ competitiveness by slashing the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs nearly in half, revoking more than $5 Billion from the Department of Energy’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources, and eliminating funding for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
- Weakens national security and leaves Americans more vulnerable to nuclear threats by cutting the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account by 17 percent.
- Abandons commitments to communities to clean up radioactive waste by eliminating funding for the Corps of Engineers’ Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program and cutting the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management by 9 percent.
“House Republicans have once again produced a reckless and short-sighted proposal that betrays working families and undermines America’s future. Their FY26 Energy and Water bill would gut the Department of Energy’s clean energy and efficiency programs — slashing investments that lower costs, create good-paying jobs, and protect our national security,” Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) said. “This bill cedes American leadership in the global energy race to our adversaries like Communist China. It also weakens vital nuclear nonproliferation programs that help keep our country and allies safe. By turning their backs on communities still suffering from the legacy of our early atomic weapons programs, Republicans show how little regard they have for America’s promises. We must invest in our energy independence in perpetuity — not abandon it. I strongly oppose this bill and will continue fighting for policies that uplift our communities and secure our energy future for all the generations to come.”

“Once again, instead of working to find ways to address the cost-of-living crisis, House Republicans introduced a bill that would make the problem worse,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Middle class, working class, and vulnerable Americans continue to struggle to pay their bills, but House Republicans’ 2026 Energy and Water funding proposal slashes resources for programs that lower energy costs for families and businesses and eliminates resources that provide clean, affordable, secure energy to households. While President Trump continues to inflame tensions with our adversaries, House Republicans’ bill would leave our country more vulnerable to nuclear threats and yield American leadership of the world’s energy future to China. With this bill, Republicans are failing to confront the climate crisis and putting tens of thousands of good-paying manufacturing jobs at risk. This legislation is an attack on the country’s energy future. Democrats are at the table and ready to pass legislation that actually lowers energy costs for the American people and ensures America leads the global transition to a clean energy economy.”

A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill is here. A fact sheet is here. The text of the bill is here. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked on the House Committee on Appropriations website.

A state-by-state breakdown of the amount of funding House Republicans are trying to slash from the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs is here.

# # #
MIL OSI USA News –
July 15, 2025