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  • Palestine – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    Palestine News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    Ukraine – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025
    Ukraine News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    India – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025
    India: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Computers tracking us, an ‘electronic collar’: Gilles Deleuze’s 1990 Postscript on the Societies of Control was eerily prescient
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology Our cultural touchstones series looks at influential works. Gilles Deleuze was one of the most original and imaginative thinkers of postwar France. A lifelong teacher, he spent most of his career at the University of […]

    MIL-OSI Russia: Over 10 years, the EAEU has established itself as one of the key centers of global development — Russian President
    Translation. Region: Russian Federal Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian – Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News MINSK, June 26 (Xinhua) — In the 10 years since the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), it has established itself as one of the key […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Announces Plan to Introduce Bill Authorizing Trade Agreement Negotiations With the Middle East
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell 06.26.25 Cantwell Announces Plan to Introduce Bill Authorizing Trade Agreement Negotiations With the Middle East ‘I believe we need more diplomatic solutions for the region, and I think trade could be a part of that,’ says Cantwell during Washington (DC) International Trade Association roundtable; […]

    MIL-Evening Report: What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war? […]

    MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with President El-Sisi of Egypt: 26 June 2025
    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments Press release PM call with President El-Sisi of Egypt: 26 June 2025 The Prime Minister spoke to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi today. The Prime Minister spoke to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi today. The leaders began by discussing the concerning developments in the Middle […]

    MIL-OSI Global: Natural hazards don’t disappear when the storm ends or the earthquake stops – they evolve
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene. AP Photo/Allen G. […]

    MIL-OSI Video: UN Charter, Palestine, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (26 June 2025)
    Source: United Nations (video statements) Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: Briefings Tomorrow UN Charter Occupied Palestinian Territory UNIFIL Ukraine Security Council International Day against Drug Abuse International Day in Support of Victims of Torture BRIEFINGS TOMORROW Tomorrow will be a busy day. There be no Noon briefing, but at 11:30 […]

    MIL-OSI USA: IAM Journal Feature: Flying High
    Source: US GOIAM Union This article was featured in the Summer 2025 IAM Journal and was written by IAM Communications Representative John Lett. For decades, the IAM Air Transport Territory has been the backbone of the IAM. It weathered the airline bankruptcies of the 2000s resulting from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. IAM Air Transport fought for […]

    MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Global Logistics Advances Landmark Port Expansion Projects
    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report: Freight forwarding service Africa Global Logistics (AGL) recently secured €230 million in financing to expand the container terminal at the Port of Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo, marking a major milestone in regional infrastructure development. The new 750-meter quay – scheduled for completion by […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Why bending over backwards to agree with Donald Trump is a perilous strategy
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer in History and International Studies, Leiden University Donald Trump is a difficult figure to deal with, both for foreign leaders and figures closer to home who find themselves in his crosshairs. The US president is unpredictable, sensitive and willing to break the rules to get […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: The architecture of the new Queen Elizabeth II memorial aims to commemorate her as ‘a unifying force’
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Pippa Catterall, Professor of History and Policy, University of Westminster In the heart of London’s St James’s Park, where John Nash’s 200-year-old landscape has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, a new chapter is about to unfold. The site that has long served as the nation’s ceremonial […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Sudan: foreign interests are deepening a devastating war – only regional diplomacy can stop them
    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By John Mukum Mbaku, Professor, Weber State University The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has raged since April 2023. It’s turned Sudan into the site of one of the world’s most catastrophic humanitarian and displacement crises. At least 150,000 people have been killed. […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Detty December started as a Nigerian cultural moment. Now it’s spreading across the continent – and minting money
    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nnamdi O. Madichie, Professor of Marketing & Entrepreneurship, University of Kigali Festivals like Carnival Calabar in Nigeria abound throughout the year-end parties across west Africa and beyond. Akintomiwaao/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Every December in Nigeria and Ghana a giant party takes place, unfolding in a whirlwind of concerts, […]

    MIL-OSI Africa: Detty December started as a Nigerian cultural moment. Now it’s spreading across the continent – and minting money
    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nnamdi O. Madichie, Professor of Marketing & Entrepreneurship, University of Kigali Every December in Nigeria and Ghana a giant party takes place, unfolding in a whirlwind of concerts, festivals, weddings, art shows, dress-ups, meet-ups and travel. Locals and diaspora west Africans returning from overseas come together to create […]

    MIL-OSI Africa: Sudan: foreign interests are deepening a devastating war – only regional diplomacy can stop them
    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By John Mukum Mbaku, Professor, Weber State University The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has raged since April 2023. It’s turned Sudan into the site of one of the world’s most catastrophic humanitarian and displacement crises. At least 150,000 people have been killed. […]

    MIL-OSI: Canadian Life Companies Split Corp. Completes Overnight Offering
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) TORONTO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian Life Companies Split Corp. (“the Company”) is pleased to announce it has completed the overnight offering of Preferred Shares and Class A Shares of the Company. Total gross proceeds of the offering were $40.0 million, bringing the Company’s net assets to approximately $217.9 million. […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Self-censorship and the ‘spiral of silence’: Why Americans are less likely to publicly voice their opinions on political issues
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By James L. Gibson, Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government, Washington University in St. Louis Polarization has led many people to feel they’re being silenced. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik For decades, Americans’ trust in one another has been on the decline, according to the most recent General Social Survey. A […]

    MIL-OSI Russia: Saudi Arabia: Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission
    Source: IMF – News in Russian June 26, 2025 A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, […]

  • Israel – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    Israel News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    Ukraine – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025
    Ukraine News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    Politics News – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025
    Politics News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    Defence News – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025
    Defence News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    China – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025
    China: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Senate GOP Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Operation Midnight Hammer
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) led Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jim Justice (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Senate GOP Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Operation Midnight Hammer
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Missouri), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North […]

    MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Holds Talks with Armenian Foreign Minister
    Translation. Region: Russian Federal Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian – Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Beijing on Thursday. Wang Yi, also a member […]

    MIL-Evening Report: What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war? […]

    MIL-OSI USA News: Experts Agree: Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated
    Source: US Whitehouse From nuclear regulators to foreign policy experts to members of the intelligence community, every knowledgeable person is in agreement that President Donald J. Trump obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi: “Given the power of these devices and the technical characteristics of a centrifuge, we already know […]

    MIL-OSI Video: UN Charter, Palestine, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (26 June 2025)
    Source: United Nations (video statements) Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights: Briefings Tomorrow UN Charter Occupied Palestinian Territory UNIFIL Ukraine Security Council International Day against Drug Abuse International Day in Support of Victims of Torture BRIEFINGS TOMORROW Tomorrow will be a busy day. There be no Noon briefing, but at 11:30 […]

    MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Opening Statement at SAC-D Hearing on FY 26 Budget Request for the Air Force and Space Force
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, convened today’s hearing “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Air Force and Space Force”. Prepared text of his opening statement follows:  “I’ll […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: How Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iran were facilitated by the Russia-Ukraine war
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By James Horncastle, Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University The American intervention in Iran is being touted as an outstanding success by President Donald Trump. At the very least, Trump’s decision to attack Iran facilitated a ceasefire as it created angst […]

    MIL-OSI: LambdaTest Launches SmartUI Figma-App CLI to Bridge the Gap Between Design and Mobile Implementation
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) San Francisco, California, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LambdaTest, a unified agentic AI and cloud engineering platform, has unveiled its latest innovation: the SmartUI Figma-App CLI. This powerful new command-line interface empowers mobile developers and QA teams to validate their app’s implementation directly against Figma design files using real device screenshots, […]

    MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM remarks to the British Chambers of Commerce: 26 June 2025
    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements Speech PM remarks to the British Chambers of Commerce: 26 June 2025 The Prime Minister gave remarks to the British Chambers of Commerce. Thank you, Shevaun, and not just for that introduction, but for all of your leadership over four years now. It’s really good to have been working […]

    MIL-OSI: Byzanlink Secures $1M in Private Investment to Build Next-Gen Infrastructure for Tokenized Finance
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) DUBAI, UAE, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Byzanlink, a real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform bridging traditional finance and decentralized finance (DeFi), has raised $1 million in a private funding round. The raise attracted a group of early supporters, including Outlier Ventures, NTDP Saudi, Smart IT Frame, Sensei Capital and angel investors […]

    MIL-OSI: Maris-Tech Secures New Purchase Order for Innovative AI-Powered Surveillance Solution for the Defense Industry
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Marks Entry into a New Market Segment with Advanced Threat Detection Capabilities Rehovot, Israel, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Maris-Tech Ltd. (Nasdaq: MTEK, MTEKW) (“Maris-Tech” or the “Company”), a global leader in video and artificial intelligence (“AI”) – based edge computing technology, today announced that it has received a $100,000 purchase […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Japanese prime minister’s abrupt no-show at NATO summit reveals a strained alliance with the US
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Craig Mark, Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sent a clear signal to the Trump administration: the Japan–US relationship is in a dire state. After saying just days ago he would be attending this week’s NATO summit at The Hague, […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Israel bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981 − it pushed program underground and spurred Saddam Hussein’s desire for nukes
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jeffrey Fields, Professor of the Practice of International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences The Osirak nuclear power research station in 1981. Jacques Pavlovsky/Sygma via Getty Images Israel, with the assistance of U.S. military hardware, bombs an adversary’s nuclear facility to set back the […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Israel-Iran war recalls the 2003 US invasion of Iraq – a war my undergraduate students see as a relic of the past
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrea Stanton, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies & Faculty Affiliate, Center for Middle East Studies, University of Denver American troops topple a statue of Saddam Hussein on April 9, 2003, in Baghdad. Gilles Bassignac/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images After 12 days of trading deadly airstrikes, Israel and Iran confirmed […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Self-censorship and the ‘spiral of silence’: Why Americans are less likely to publicly voice their opinions on political issues
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By James L. Gibson, Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government, Washington University in St. Louis Polarization has led many people to feel they’re being silenced. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik For decades, Americans’ trust in one another has been on the decline, according to the most recent General Social Survey. A […]

  • Human Rights – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    Human Rights News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    MIL-Evening Report: ‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG
    Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan independence movement leader has warned the Melanesian Spearhead Group after its 23rd leaders summit in Suva, Fiji, to not give in to a “neocolonial trade in betrayal and abandonment” over West Papua. While endorsing and acknowledging the “unconditional support” of Melanesian people to the West Papuan cause for decolonisation, […]

  • University News – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    University News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court rules that states may deny people covered by Medicaid the freedom to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of Virginia Abortion-rights demonstrators holds a sign in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington as the Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic case is heard on April 2, 2025. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Having the freedom to choose […]

    MIL-Evening Report: The NDIA is changing how it pays for disability supports. What does that mean for rural communities?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Johnson, Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship and Co-Founder of Umbo, University of Sydney Shutterstock Each year, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) reviews its pricing rules to ensure services funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) remain sustainable. This year’s annual pricing review outlines changes that […]

    MIL-Evening Report: 1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Crozier, Senior Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Psychology, University of South Australia Scott Barbour/Getty Images Umpires’ decisions often upset sports fans, especially during a close contest. At most games, spectators boo loudly, coaches throw their hands up in frustration and players can yell or even physically intimidate […]

    MIL-OSI Australia: Footy umpires blow the whistle on abuse
    Source: 27 June 2025 Getty Images Almost half of all Australian Rules Football (AFL) umpires have experienced verbal abuse such as ridiculing, humiliation or aggressive remarks, threats or gestures, at least every couple of games, according to new research by the University of South Australia. The survey of more than 350 umpires from 2021 to […]

    MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – CommBank harnesses near real-time, AI-powered intelligence to outsmart the scammers – CBA
    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) In an Australian banking first, CommBank is collaborating with cyber-intelligence firm Apate.ai to harness near real-time scam intelligence and help protect Australians from harm. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank) today unveiled a new weapon in the fight against scams: a fleet of thousands of AI-powered bot profiles, deployed by […]

    MIL-OSI New Zealand: SOPA Announces the Winners of its 2025 Awards for Editorial Excellence
    Source: Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain delivered the keynote address about image, voice and trust in the age of AI HONG KONG, June 26, 2025 – The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the highest standards in journalism, announced the winners of its […]

    MIL-Evening Report: NATO’s 5% of GDP defence target ramps up pressure on Australia to spend vastly more
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Fellow, Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra, and Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University After lobbying by US President Donald Trump, NATO leaders have promised to boost annual defence spending to 5% of their countries’ gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. A NATO […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Computers tracking us, an ‘electronic collar’: Gilles Deleuze’s 1990 Postscript on the Societies of Control was eerily prescient
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology Our cultural touchstones series looks at influential works. Gilles Deleuze was one of the most original and imaginative thinkers of postwar France. A lifelong teacher, he spent most of his career at the University of […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life. In our new study, […]

    MIL-OSI Australia: Beyond the big leagues: Concussion care in community sports
    Source: 27 June 2025 As sport-related concussions continue to spark global concern, researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) are turning their attention to a largely overlooked group – non-professional athletes – calling for more rigorous return-to-play assessments to protect everyday players. In a new study, researchers suggest that current return-to-play protocols for semi-elite […]

    MIL-OSI United Nations: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction Mission In 1989, some visionary leaders of Hong Kong recognized the need to establish a new research-focused university to support the city’s aspirations for growth and innovation. In response to this vision, The Hong Kong University of Science of Technology (HKUST) was founded in 1991. MIL OSI United Nations News […]

    MIL-OSI Global: Natural hazards don’t disappear when the storm ends or the earthquake stops – they evolve
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene. AP Photo/Allen G. […]

    MIL-OSI USA: $40 Million to Launch Empire AI Beta Supercomputer
    Source: US State of New York overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Empire State Development (ESD) Board approved $40 million to launch Empire AI Beta, the second phase of the supercomputer powering New York’s nation-leading Empire AI initiative. Empire AI Beta will be 11 times more powerful than current capacity, allowing hundreds of researchers […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Canada needs a national AI literacy strategy to help students navigate AI
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mohammed Estaiteyeh, Assistant Professor of Digital Pedagogies and Technology Literacies, Faculty of Education, Brock University AI literacy equips learners to understand and navigate the pervasive influence of AI in their daily lives. (Shutterstock) With students’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the rise in Canada and globally, […]

    MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council working with universities, students and landlords to manage summer changeover period in Leeds
    Source: City of Leeds Students leaving or changing accommodation from this weekend Students and their landlords in Leeds are being asked to be respectful of their neighbours and the local environment as the summer changeover period begins. With many student tenancies coming to an end this month, Leeds City Council is working closely with the […]

    MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Opens Investigation into the University of California System for Race- and Sex-Based Employment Practices
    Source: United States Attorneys General The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the University of California (UC) system, including its individual campuses, concerning potential race- and sex-based discrimination in university employment practices. The University of California’s “UC 2030 Capacity Plan” directs its campuses to hire “diverse” faculty members to meet race- […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Opens Investigation into the University of California System for Race- and Sex-Based Employment Practices
    Source: US State of North Dakota The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the University of California (UC) system, including its individual campuses, concerning potential race- and sex-based discrimination in university employment practices. The University of California’s “UC 2030 Capacity Plan” directs its campuses to hire “diverse” faculty members to meet […]

    MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN – Pope Leo embraces Eastern Christians, struck by violence “with a diabolical intensity previously unknown”
    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI Thursday, 26 June 2025 abouna.org Vatican City – (Agenzia Fides) – Today, violent conflict seems to be raging in the Christian East “with a diabolical intensity previously unknown”. And precisely in those lands, now covered “by a cloud of hatred that renders the air unbreathable and toxic,” the faith, […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Can academics use AI to write journal papers? What the guidelines say
    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sumaya Laher, Professor, University of the Witwatersrand Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to “intelligent machines and algorithms that can reason and adapt based on sets of rules and environments which mimic human intelligence”. This field is evolving rapidly and the education sector, for one, is abuzz with discussion on […]

    MIL-OSI Africa: Can academics use AI to write journal papers? What the guidelines say
    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Sumaya Laher, Professor, University of the Witwatersrand Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to “intelligent machines and algorithms that can reason and adapt based on sets of rules and environments which mimic human intelligence”. This field is evolving rapidly and the education sector, for one, is abuzz with discussion on […]

  • Analysis – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    Analysis: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on June 27, 2025.

    MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court rules that states may deny people covered by Medicaid the freedom to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of Virginia Abortion-rights demonstrators holds a sign in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington as the Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic case is heard on April 2, 2025. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Having the freedom to choose […]

    MIL-Evening Report: 1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Crozier, Senior Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Psychology, University of South Australia Scott Barbour/Getty Images Umpires’ decisions often upset sports fans, especially during a close contest. At most games, spectators boo loudly, coaches throw their hands up in frustration and players can yell or even physically intimidate […]

    MIL-Evening Report: The NDIA is changing how it pays for disability supports. What does that mean for rural communities?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Johnson, Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship and Co-Founder of Umbo, University of Sydney Shutterstock Each year, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) reviews its pricing rules to ensure services funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) remain sustainable. This year’s annual pricing review outlines changes that […]

    MIL-Evening Report: NATO’s 5% of GDP defence target ramps up pressure on Australia to spend vastly more
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Fellow, Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra, and Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University After lobbying by US President Donald Trump, NATO leaders have promised to boost annual defence spending to 5% of their countries’ gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. A NATO […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Computers tracking us, an ‘electronic collar’: Gilles Deleuze’s 1990 Postscript on the Societies of Control was eerily prescient
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology Our cultural touchstones series looks at influential works. Gilles Deleuze was one of the most original and imaginative thinkers of postwar France. A lifelong teacher, he spent most of his career at the University of […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life. In our new study, […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Lung cancer screening is about to start. What you need to know if you smoke or have quit
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Olver, Adjunct Professsor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide Magic mine/Shutterstock From July, eligible Australians will be screened for lung cancer as part of the nation’s first new cancer screening program for almost 20 years. The program aims to detect […]

    MIL-Evening Report: The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew B. Watkins, Associate research scientist, School of Earth, Atmopshere & Environment, Monash University Andrew Watkins How often do you mow your lawn in winter? That may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought. But the answer helps explain why our current drought […]

    MIL-Evening Report: One bad rainstorm away from disaster: why proposed changes to forestry rules won’t solve the ‘slash’ problem
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Bloomberg, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Te Kura Ngahere-New Zealand School of Forestry, University of Canterbury Murry Cave/Gisborne District Council, CC BY-SA The biggest environmental problems for commercial plantation forestry in New Zealand’s steep hill country are discharges of slash (woody debris left behind after logging) and sediment […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Whatever happened to the Albanese government’s wellbeing agenda?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Sollis, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania DavideAngelini/Shutterstock The Albanese government devoted time and energy in its first term to developing a wellbeing agenda for the economy and society. It was a passion project of Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who wanted better ways to measure national welfare beyond […]

    MIL-Evening Report: What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war? […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Streaming giants have helped bring Korean dramas to the world – but much is lost in translation
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sung-Ae Lee, Lecturer, Macquarie University In less than a decade, Korean TV dramas (K-dramas) have transmuted from a regional industry to a global phenomenon – partly a consequence of the rise of streaming giants. But foreign audiences may not realise the K-dramas they’ve seen on Netflix don’t […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Brands want us to trust them. But as the SPF debacle shows, they need to earn it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Harrison, Director, Master of Business Administration Program (MBA); Co-Director, Better Consumption Lab, Deakin University It’s quite unsettling to discover something so central to our cultural rituals – the “slop” in the Aussie mantra of “Slip! Slop! Slap!” – can no longer be trusted. We’ve never really […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gregory J. Dick, Professor of Biology, University of Michigan A satellite image from Aug. 13, 2024, shows an algal bloom covering approximately 320 square miles (830 square km) of Lake Erie. By Aug. 22, it had nearly doubled in size. NASA Earth Observatory Federal scientists released their annual […]

    MIL-OSI Global: Natural hazards don’t disappear when the storm ends or the earthquake stops – they evolve
    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene. AP Photo/Allen G. […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Why flattering Donald Trump could be dangerous
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox. Once again Donald Trump and his senior team are […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: How Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iran were facilitated by the Russia-Ukraine war
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By James Horncastle, Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University The American intervention in Iran is being touted as an outstanding success by President Donald Trump. At the very least, Trump’s decision to attack Iran facilitated a ceasefire as it created angst […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Why brands are embracing fantasy: The psychology behind escapist marketing in anxious times
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Eugene Y. Chan, Associate Professor of Marketing, Toronto Metropolitan University Why did Aritzia open a café inside its flagship store in Toronto? Why did Burberry pivot from fashion photography to cinematic ads that transport viewers into dreamlike sequences? And why is Simons, Canada’s remaining department store, incorporating art […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Netflix TV drama ‘Secrets We Keep’ exposes the dangers of domestic migrant work
    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Reena Kukreja, Associate Professor, Global Development Studies, Queen’s University, Ontario In Secrets We Keep, the hidden world of domestic work and abuse is exposed. Here Excel Busano who plays Angel, Cecilia’s au pair and Ruby’s best friend in Denmark speaks with her community on the phone. Tine Harden/Netflix […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: How Macau’s second world war experience shaped the territory
    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helena F. S. Lopes, Lecturer in Modern Asian History, Cardiff University Macau’s giant casinos and malls have earned the territory its nickname: the ‘Las Vegas of the east’. Sanga Park / Shutterstock This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, a conflict […]

  • Technology – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    Technology News – A Roundup of Significant Articles on ForeignAffairs.co.nz for June 27, 2025

    MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Intelligence Committee Colleagues Introduce Bill to Streamline Intelligence Community Acquisition Processes
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Intelligence Community Technology Bridge Act, which would enable the Intelligence Community (IC) to streamline acquisition […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Condemn Trump Administration for Rescinding Approval of High-Speed Internet Funding for Nevada
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto Senators Will Delay Department of Commerce Nominees Until States Receive Funding. Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and 12 Democratic Senators in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to rescind approval for […]

    MIL-OSI USA: “Adaptation of New Technology is What Wins Wars” King Stresses in Armed Services Hearings
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke with Michael Dodd, the nominee to serve as the Assistance Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, about the importance of developing and deploying new […]

    MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – CommBank harnesses near real-time, AI-powered intelligence to outsmart the scammers – CBA
    Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) In an Australian banking first, CommBank is collaborating with cyber-intelligence firm Apate.ai to harness near real-time scam intelligence and help protect Australians from harm. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank) today unveiled a new weapon in the fight against scams: a fleet of thousands of AI-powered bot profiles, deployed by […]

    MIL-OSI Submissions: Defense and Technology – Pacific Defense Secures Launch for MOSA Space RF Payload
    Source: Pacific Defense EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Pacific Defense, the leading provider of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) products, announced it has secured the inaugural launch for its Moonraker MOSA space Radio Frequency (RF) payload on board the K2 Space Gravitas Mission in February 2026. The mission includes a series of multi-orbit Space Situational Awareness (SSA) […]

    MIL-OSI New Zealand: SOPA Announces the Winners of its 2025 Awards for Editorial Excellence
    Source: Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain delivered the keynote address about image, voice and trust in the age of AI HONG KONG, June 26, 2025 – The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the highest standards in journalism, announced the winners of its […]

    MIL-OSI New Zealand: Kākāpō Breeding Season 2026
    Source: NZ Department of Conservation 3…2…1, Boom! Counting down to the kākāpō breeding season Image credit: DOC. After a four-year wait, the Kākāpō Recovery team is thrilled that breeding will return in 2026. Together with our Treaty Partner Ngāi Tahu and National Partner Meridian Energy, we’re preparing for what could be the biggest boom in […]

    MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Boost to mental health services from thousands of extra staff
    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2 Press release Boost to mental health services from thousands of extra staff Latest data shows 6,700 more mental health workers have been recruited towards government’s 8,500 target. More than 6,700 extra mental health workers have been recruited since July, latest data shows, as the government prepares […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing to Consider Five Senior Pentagon Nominations
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker Watch Video Here   WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a hearing to consider the qualifications of five senior nominees to serve within the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, and the […]

    MIL-OSI Analysis: Computers tracking us, an ‘electronic collar’: Gilles Deleuze’s 1990 Postscript on the Societies of Control was eerily prescient
    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology Our cultural touchstones series looks at influential works. Gilles Deleuze was one of the most original and imaginative thinkers of postwar France. A lifelong teacher, he spent most of his career at the University of […]

    MIL-Evening Report: Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life. In our new study, […]

    MIL-OSI: Intermap Technologies Announces Voting Results of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) CALGARY, Alberta, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) – Intermap Technologies Corporation (“Intermap” or the “Company”) held its annual general meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting”) on June 26, 2025, at the offices of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, located at 3700, 400 Third Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta. A […]

    MIL-OSI Video: The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025: Closing Ceremony | United Nations
    Source: United Nations (video statements) The 20th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum is hosted by the Government of the Norway in Lillestrøm from 23 to 27 June 2025. The Forum’s overarching theme is: Building Digital Governance Together. — The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves to bring people together from various stakeholder groups as […]

    MIL-OSI: GraniteShares Announces Forward Split of PTIR
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) NEW YORK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GraniteShares has announced it will execute a forward share split for the GraniteShares 2x Long PLTR (the “Fund”). The total market value of the shares outstanding will not be affected as a result of these splits. After the close of the markets on July […]

    MIL-OSI: Top New Jersey Producer Rejoins Rate from CrossCountry Mortgage
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) CHICAGO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate, a leading fintech company, proudly announces that Chad Barris, one of the country’s top-producing mortgage originators, has returned to the company. A 20-year industry veteran and Scotsman Guide Top 1% Mortgage Originator, Barris rejoins Rate after a seven-year tenure at CrossCountry Mortgage, reaffirming the […]

    MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Blunt Rochester Lead Coalition of Senators in Condemning Trump Administration For Rescinding Approval of High-Speed Internet Funding for Nevada
    US Senate News: Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) Senators Will Delay Department Of Commerce Nominees Until States Receive Funding. WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) led over a dozen of their Senate colleagues in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to rescind approval […]

    MIL-OSI: X Payments Beta version triggers Dogecoin craze, PBK Miner Dogecoin mining ushered in a golden opportunity
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) Carshalton, UK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As X Payments entered Beta testing and drove Dogecoin prices to soar in one day, PBK Miner’s zero-threshold Dogecoin cloud mining became a strategic tool for retail investors to seize the momentum of crypto payments. In 2025, cryptocurrencies play an increasingly important role in […]

    MIL-OSI: Global Healthcare Technology Leader Selects Kneat
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) LIMERICK, Ireland, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — kneat.com, inc. (TSX: KSI) (OTCQC: KSIOF), a leader in digitizing and automating validation and quality processes, is pleased to announce that a leading healthcare technology and diagnostics company (“the Company”) has signed a multi-year Master Services Agreement with Kneat. The Company, which is headquartered […]

    MIL-OSI: LET Mining launches smart cloud mining to easily earn passive income
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) London, UK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the rapid development of digital assets, more and more people are looking for ways to participate in the cryptocurrency market without frequent operations, lower risks and more stable returns. To meet this demand, LET Mining officially launched a new generation of smart cloud mining […]

    MIL-OSI: Independent Bank Corporation Announces Date for Its Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release
    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI) GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP), the holding company of Independent Bank, a Michigan-based community bank, announced that it expects to issue its 2025 second quarter results on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at approximately 8:00 am ET. The release will be available on the […]

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bonamici, Fitzpatrick, Dingell, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Mental Health Care for Educators, School Staff

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

    WASHINGTON, DC [06/26/25] – Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Don Bacon (R-NE 02) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve access to mental health care for teachers and school staff.

    Educators are more likely to report symptoms of depression than other adults, but schools are often not equipped with specific resources to address staff mental health challenges. The Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act will address ongoing mental health needs in public education, which have increased in recent years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread teacher shortages, difficult working conditions, and student behavior issues. 

    “Our education system cannot function without the hard work of teachers and school support staff,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Unfortunately, too many dedicated professionals are experiencing burnout and leaving the education workforce. The bipartisan Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act will expand access to mental health care for educators and school staff so they can receive the support they need and continue to serve students.”

    “A school is only as strong as the people who serve in it. Our educators are mentors, protectors, and community builders—and too often, silently shouldering the weight of burnout, trauma, and stress,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. “This bipartisan legislation delivers the mental health support they have long needed and deserved. When we care for those who care for our kids, we are not just protecting their well-being—we are investing in the future of every student they serve and inspire.”

    “Teachers have some of the most important roles encouraging children to reach their full potential and supporting, shaping, and inspiring the next generation of leaders,” said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. “Too often the needs and wellbeing of teachers are overlooked, leading to burnout. We must make sure educators have the support they need and deserve to do their jobs.”

    “The mental health crisis in our country requires immediate action, particularly within our education system where both students and staff are struggling,” said Representative Don Bacon. “The bipartisan Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act will strengthen mental health resources for our educators while creating evidence-based approaches that destigmatize seeking help and support.”

    The legislation has been endorsed by: the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the American Psychological Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the National Council on Teacher Quality, Teach for America, and The Education Trust.

    “Educators are frontline responders to our students’ most urgent social and emotional needs, which have only increased in recent years,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Less than half of schools reported having the resources they need to help kids. That leaves teachers with the immense responsibility of supporting kids in crisis, and it takes an emotional toll – that stress, on top of the ongoing struggle for resources, increased paperwork, overcrowded classrooms, and stagnant wages make teachers’ mental health a growing concern. Representative Bonamici’s Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act commits resources to reduce educator stress, promote teacher wellbeing, and create the foundation for teacher longevity, which is good for students, too. This is how we keep teachers in the classroom—by giving them what they need to attain the same kind of joy, fulfillment, and calm that they ensure for our kids on a daily basis. The AFT supports this legislation and calls for its swift passage.”

    “Our teachers and school support staff do so much to help in the development of our children,” said National Alliance on Mental Illness’s Chief Advocacy Officer Hannah Wesolowski. “They serve in one of the most difficult, although often one of the most rewarding, professions and play a significant role in our kids’ lives. We must provide them with the information and resources they need to care for their own mental health. This bill is an important step in providing our educators and school staff with the tools they need to support their mental wellbeing.”

    “NAESP proudly endorses the Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act,” said L. Earl Franks, Ed.D., CAE, Executive Director of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. “While school leaders dedicate themselves to supporting their students’ mental well-being, we must also prioritize the mental health of their staff too. When educators demonstrate self-care practices, they are not only taking care of their own well-being but also creating positive examples for their students to follow. We applaud Congresswoman Bonamici’s leadership on this important issue and look forward to working with her and other congressional supporters to pass this legislation.”

    “School leaders urgently need comprehensive tools to support their staff’s mental health, and this act would provide exactly that foundation,” said National Association of Secondary School Principals CEO Ronn Nozoe. “When we invest in educator wellbeing, we strengthen the entire school community and ultimately improve outcomes for students. NASSP is grateful to Representative Bonamici for this critical and compassionate legislation.”

    The Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act will increase access to critical resources by designing and scaling up evidence-based approaches to addressing the mental health needs of the education workforce across the United States. It will:

    • Require coordination between federal agencies to develop best practices for (1) preventing suicide and improving mental health and resiliency among education professionals; and (2) training education professionals in appropriate strategies to promote their mental health;
    • Destigmatize mental health care among the education workforce by designing and disseminating an education and awareness initiative encouraging education professionals to use mental health and substance use disorder services;
    • Provide direct support to educators and school staff members by establishing programs to promote mental health among the education professional workforce; and
    • Promote accountability for federal resources for new programs.

    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Spectators and motorists asked to avoid Motueka River near Ngatimoti

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are asking spectators to avoid the Motueka River area near Ngatimoti where emergency services have the road blocked off.

    Police continue to urge motorists in the wider area to avoid non-essential travel, however if you cannot delay travel, please take care when travelling through water-damaged roads.

    There are still significant slips, detours and water hazards across the wider area so if possible, please stay home.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Law and Enforcement – Third offender sentenced for offences relating to the 2022 Awarua Wetlands wildfire during a total fire ban

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Fire and Emergency New Zealand acknowledges the sentence handed down in the Invercargill District Court yesterday for an offence under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017.
    Acting Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery Operations Ken Cooper says the offender had pleaded guilty to allowing a fire lit by another person to get out of control and spread on 2 April 2022 during a prohibited fire season.
    “This fire became the Awarua Wetlands fire in Southland which burned through 1,330 hectares of an internationally recognised conservation area, and which took a week for our firefighters to extinguish,” Ken Cooper says.
    “On 23 January this year two other offenders were sentenced for offences relating to the 2022 Awarua Wetlands fire including lighting a fire during a prohibited fire season and allowing fire to get out of control and spread,” Ken Cooper says.
    “Today’s sentence was handed down to the third and last of the three, all of whom had pleaded guilty to offences relating to the Awarua Wetlands fire.
    “Fire and Emergency declares, or revokes prohibited or restricted fire seasons based on weather and ground conditions. We do this to prevent fires and keep people, property, and the environment safe from unwanted fire.”
    Ken Cooper says it is essential to not light fires in prohibited fire seasons, or in restricted seasons without a fire permit, and to check the weather conditions.
    “Most people comply with the requirements, but clear breaches of fire safety legislation carry penalties,” he says.
    “Given the significance of the impact of the Awarua Wetlands fire, and the fact the area was under a total fire ban, we considered it appropriate to prosecute three individuals for the fire.”
    Ken Cooper says while fire risk is higher in summer, Fire and Emergency asks people who are considering lighting a fire in the outdoors at any time of the year to check the local fire danger and fire season at www.checkitsalright.nz.
    “Always make sure your fire is fully extinguished and check again the next day. If your fire gets out of control, you must call Fire and Emergency on 111 as soon as possible.
    “Everyone should make an effort to know the fire danger and fire season and get fire safety advice at www.checkitsalright.nz whatever they’re doing and wherever they are.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough Flooding Update #1 – Fire and Emergency

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Fire and Emergency is supporting Civil Defence in both Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough in the response to widespread flooding across the top of the South Island.
    Response Coordinator Steve Trigg says crews are rescuing people trapped in vehicles, assisting with evacuations and pumping water from flooded homes. As at 11.15am they have responded to 31 calls since 4am today.
    Two Fire and Emergency Specialist Water Rescue Teams have been deployed to Nelson and Blenheim. They are providing additional support to local brigades.
    Fire and Emergency has activated its Local Coordination Centre in Nelson to coordinate its response activities across the whole top of the South area.
    Steve Trigg is warning people not to drive through floodwater and to respect all “road closed” signs. “It’s impossible to judge the depth of the water so when people become stranded they are in danger of drowning.”
    The Specialist Water Rescue Team has already undertaken a rescue from a vehicle in Upper Moutere this morning while other rescues around the top of the South have been carried out by local brigades.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Unsafe products in online marketplaces among ACCC product safety priorities

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Unsafe products in online marketplaces will be a major focus of the ACCC’s product safety priorities during 2025-26, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb announced today.

    Addressing the National Consumer Congress in Melbourne, Ms Cass-Gottlieb outlined the importance of the ACCC’s role in protecting consumers from unsafe products and announced five priority areas.

    Among the priorities is addressing unsafe products in the digital economy.

    “Reducing the prevalence of high-risk unsafe consumer products online will be key. We will focus on systemic and high-risk product safety issues for consumers. And we will use a combination of regulation, education for consumers and for businesses, compliance and enforcement tools, where appropriate,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    “The risks in the digital economy are layered, they include not only physical harm from unsafe or non-compliant goods, but also the associated economic harm and decline in consumer trust in markets.”

    “Addressing these harms is essential to maintaining trust in digital markets and ensuring those markets are competitive and safe,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The other four priorities are consumer and product safety issues impacting young children, lithium-ion battery safety, updating mandatory standards and improving product safety data to identify safety risks. Aligned with these priorities, the ACCC will maintain strong relationships across the regulator network, including information sharing and responding to harm. 

    “The ACCC will continue to prioritise product safety affecting young children, who can be at greater risk of injury or death from consumer products,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “We will focus on compliance with button battery standards and continue to raise awareness about new infant sleep and toppling furniture standards.”

    “The dangers of button batteries, unstable furniture, and unsafe infant sleep products impact families every day and we want to ensure the standards don’t just exist, but are understood, implemented and enforced so children are kept safe,” Ms Lowe said.

    The ACCC will continue to support the safe use of lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from smartphones to e-bikes, and are used in home solar systems. As the use of lithium ion batteries grows, the ACCC continues to focus on the safety of these products.

    “Raising consumer awareness about the safe purchase, storage, use and disposal of lithium-ion batteries, and monitoring recalls of unsafe lithium-ion battery products, will be another major focus this year,” Ms Lowe said.

    The ACCC will begin a series of expedited reviews of existing mandatory standards from July 2025, following recent amendments to the Australian Consumer Law. These reviews will consider which voluntary overseas and international standards should be added as compliance options for mandatory standards. This will help ensure that mandatory standards are up to date, and can lower compliance costs for businesses.

    The ACCC will also work to continue to improve product safety data to help us identify risks and protect consumers. This will include strategies to increase reporting of product safety incidents to the ACCC, working with other regulators and stakeholders to increase data sharing and undertaking new consultation and research to understand the key risks affecting Australian consumers.

    “The priorities I have outlined today reflect the environment we’re operating in – one defined by digital acceleration and rising complexity,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    “These priorities are designed to respond to known harms, and to anticipate the emerging risks that could shape the future of consumer safety. They reflect our commitment to protect Australian consumers and build and maintain their trust in markets in an era of change and uncertainty.”

    More information including the full list of the ACCC’s product safety priorities is available at Product safety priorities 2025-26. 

    A transcript of Ms Cass-Gottlieb’s National Consumer Congress address is available on our website.

    Background

    Each year the ACCC announces its compliance and enforcement priorities and product safety priorities for the financial year ahead.

    These priorities help guide the product safety work of the agency and ensure it focuses its work on the most important and impactful issues.

    The Australian Product Safety Pledge helps the ACCC remove unsafe products from  those online marketplaces that are signatories.

    We are looking to expand the pledge and strengthen its commitments and reporting requirements to address the unsafe products available for sale on online marketplaces.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2022-23 Taxation statistics released

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has released its annual Taxation Statistics report for the 2022–23 year. The report contains data extracted from tax returns and related schedules, as well as other information provided to the ATO.

    Taxation Statistics provides detailed and valuable insights into the income tax position of individuals, companies, trusts, super funds and partnerships in Australia for the 2022-23 income year. The data generally follows trends from previous years, with the average taxable income and average superannuation account balance rising, reflecting a return to conditions from before COVID-19.

    This report also includes information relating to the 2023–24 financial or fringe benefits tax year, including for goods and services tax (GST), excise and fuel schemes and fringe benefits tax (FBT).

    What’s new in the 2022-23 data

    This year there are three new data sets:

    • A new table splitting company data by entity size and taxable income or loss range.
    • Additional data for GST, including monthly GST, wine equalisation tax (WET), and luxury car tax (LCT) data.
    • Additional data for excise, showing detailed historical excise collection figures from the Department of Home Affairs.

    Points of interest from the 2022-23 data

    • The total tax revenue collected by the ATO for 2022–23 was $577.4 billion:
      • 51.6% came from individual income tax ($298 billion)
      • 24.2% came from companies ($140 billion)
      • 14.2% came from GST ($81.7 billion)
      • 4.4% came from excise ($25.4 billion)
      • 4.2% came from super funds ($24 billion)
      • 0.7% came from PRRT, LCT and WET ($4.2 billion)
      • 0.7% came from FBT ($4.1 billion).
    • Work related expenses accounted for 50% of total deductions claimed by individuals, with 10.3 million individuals claiming a total of $28.3 billion in work-related expenses – an average of $2,739 per person.
    • The average superannuation account balance increased from $164,000 in 2021–22 to $173,000 in 2022–23.
    • The postcode with the highest average taxable income ($279,712) was 2027 in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, NSW.
    • Since reporting started in 2010–11, surgeons have remained the highest paid occupation with the 4,247 individuals reporting an average taxable income of $472,475 in 2022–23.
    • Net tax from companies for the 2022–23 income year increased by 9.2% to $140 billion (compared to $128 billion in 2021–22).
    • The biggest company tax liability came from the mining industry (39% of company net tax) with the industry’s net tax growing from $42.3 billion to $54.4 billion.
    • Luxury car tax increased by 17.9% to $1,153 million while wine equalisation tax continued to remain stable.

    For the full breakdown of the 2022–23 statistics, visit ato.gov.au/taxstats.

    ATO file footage is available for use in news bulletins from our media centre.

    MIL OSI News –

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

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to Oregon small businesses, private nonprofits and residents to offset physical and economic losses from severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring March 13-20. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Tina Kotek on June 23.

    The declaration covers the Oregon counties of Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lane.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Beginning Friday, June 27 SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    The DLOC hours of operation are as follows:

    DOUGLAS COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS)
    Third Floor Conference Room
    738 W. Harvard Ave.
    Roseburg, OR  97471

    Opens at 12:00 p.m., Friday, June 27

    Mondays – Fridays, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    Closed Friday, July 4 for Independence Day

    Permanently closes at 4:30 p.m., Monday, July 21

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

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Aug. 25, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 24, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Acceleware Announces Agreement for Asset Transfer and New Farmout Opportunity with O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement (the “Marwayne Agreement”) with O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc. (“O’Neill Canada”) that will result in the transfer of certain wells and other assets located in Marwayne, Alberta, related liabilities, licenses and leases from Acceleware to O’Neill Canada, and the termination of the existing farmout and option agreement dated May 19, 2020 between the Company and O’Neill Canada. O’Neill Canada is the Canadian entity of O’Neill Industries, a US based company active in upstream production and oil field services globally. In exchange for the above noted transfers, Acceleware will receive cash payments and a gross overriding royalty (“GORR”) on future production from the wells as described below. The Marwayne Agreement sets the stage for renewed collaboration between the Company and O’Neill Canada that includes a commitment to establish a new farmout agreement at Marwayne where Acceleware can drill new RF XL 2.0 compliant test wells in the next five years.

    “The Marwayne Agreement is another strategic step intended to rapidly move us from a research and development focus to becoming a cash flow generating enterprise and is one of several strategic steps we are taking to accelerate RF XL 2.0’s path to market,” said Geoff Clark, CEO of Acceleware. “We are pleased to realize near-term cash flow and added value from O’Neill Canada’s operations at Marwayne, but also having the optionality to explore future multi-well deployments of RF XL 2.0 at Marwayne provides great opportunity to the Company.”

    Specific features of the Marwayne Agreement include:

    1. Acceleware will transfer its interests in the existing wells, production equipment, leases, and licenses to O’Neill Canada for a combination of cash, assumption by O’Neill Canada of any abandonment and reclamation liabilities associated with the wells and surface lease, and a 5% GORR on future production from the wells for a period of 12 months following commencement of production from the transferred wells. Excluding future royalties, the net balance sheet benefit to Acceleware is estimated to be $460,000.
    2. Acceleware retains ownership of all RF XL heating and related equipment at Marwayne, including the Clean Tech Inverter (CTI).
    3. The existing farmout agreement between O’Neill Canada and Acceleware is terminated.
    4. Acceleware and O’Neill Canada agree to enter into a new farmout agreement within 90 days of entering into the Marwayne Agreement, which will allow Acceleware to redeploy new wells that are suited for RF XL 2.0 at any time over the course of the next 5 years at O’Neill Canada’s Marwayne asset.

    “We’re pleased to have come to this agreement with Acceleware on Marwayne – the asset holds very good value potential and both companies stand to benefit from the arrangement. For over a year, O’Neill Canada has been producing heavy oil at Marwayne, and we plan to grow production volumes through both cold flow and thermal recovery techniques,” said Alexander O’Neill, President of O’Neill Canada.

    About Acceleware:

    Acceleware is an advanced electromagnetic (EM) heating company with cutting-edge radio frequency (RF) power-to-heat solutions for large industrial applications. The Company’s technologies provide an opportunity to electrify and decarbonize industrial process heat applications while reducing costs.

    The Company is working to use its patented and field proven Clean Tech Inverter (CTI) to materially improve the efficiency of amine regeneration, and has partnered with a consortium of world-class potash partners seeking to decarbonize drying of potash ore and other critical minerals. Acceleware is actively developing other process heat applications and partnerships for RF heating.

    Acceleware’s RF XL is a patented low-cost, low-carbon RF thermal enhanced oil production technology for heavy oil that is materially different from any enhanced recovery technique used today.

    Acceleware is a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) under the trading symbol “AXE”. 

    About O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc.:

    O’Neill Industries is comprised of an integrated family of companies focused on the energy and environmental sectors, offering a series of products, equipment, and services which bring new and enhanced solutions for projects and partners. Responding to environmental challenges, developing natural resources, and looking for opportunities to turn waste and obsolescence into energy and value.

    Since 2023, O’Neill Industries Canadian arm, O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc., has been operating in Alberta with a large focus on heavy oil production, thermal recovery techniques, and Green Cement.

    Cautionary Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this release, such words as “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions, as they relate to Acceleware, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Acceleware with respect to future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Acceleware’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance or achievement that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, which reflects Acceleware’s current expectations regarding future events, including, but not limited to: the future benefits arising from the Marwayne Agreement; the Company’s ability to successfully complete commercialization of RF XL 2.0; the entering into of a new farmout and option agreement between the Company and O’Neill Canada; deployment of RF XL 2.0; the initiatives to be implemented by the Company’s management to shift the Company’s focus from research and development to cash flow generation; the timing to complete certain milestones in the Marwayne Agreement; and the impact of the Marwayne Agreement on Acceleware’s business and shareholder value.

    Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the availability of potential heavy oil production rights in western Canada, the availability of investment capital and other funding, the high degree of uncertainties inherent to feasibility and economic studies which are based to a significant extent on various assumptions; variations in commodity prices and exchange rate fluctuations; variations in cost of supplies and labour; lack of availability of qualified personnel; receipt of necessary approvals; availability of financing for technology and project development; uncertainties and risks with respect to developing and adopting new technologies; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; change in demand for technologies to be offered by the Company; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities and/or shareholders, as applicable; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. For a more fulsome list of risk factors please see the Company’s December 31, 2024, year-end Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Management of the Company has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this release to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on the Company’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.

    For more information:

    Geoff Clark
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    geoff.clark@acceleware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Acceleware Announces Agreement for Asset Transfer and New Farmout Opportunity with O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement (the “Marwayne Agreement”) with O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc. (“O’Neill Canada”) that will result in the transfer of certain wells and other assets located in Marwayne, Alberta, related liabilities, licenses and leases from Acceleware to O’Neill Canada, and the termination of the existing farmout and option agreement dated May 19, 2020 between the Company and O’Neill Canada. O’Neill Canada is the Canadian entity of O’Neill Industries, a US based company active in upstream production and oil field services globally. In exchange for the above noted transfers, Acceleware will receive cash payments and a gross overriding royalty (“GORR”) on future production from the wells as described below. The Marwayne Agreement sets the stage for renewed collaboration between the Company and O’Neill Canada that includes a commitment to establish a new farmout agreement at Marwayne where Acceleware can drill new RF XL 2.0 compliant test wells in the next five years.

    “The Marwayne Agreement is another strategic step intended to rapidly move us from a research and development focus to becoming a cash flow generating enterprise and is one of several strategic steps we are taking to accelerate RF XL 2.0’s path to market,” said Geoff Clark, CEO of Acceleware. “We are pleased to realize near-term cash flow and added value from O’Neill Canada’s operations at Marwayne, but also having the optionality to explore future multi-well deployments of RF XL 2.0 at Marwayne provides great opportunity to the Company.”

    Specific features of the Marwayne Agreement include:

    1. Acceleware will transfer its interests in the existing wells, production equipment, leases, and licenses to O’Neill Canada for a combination of cash, assumption by O’Neill Canada of any abandonment and reclamation liabilities associated with the wells and surface lease, and a 5% GORR on future production from the wells for a period of 12 months following commencement of production from the transferred wells. Excluding future royalties, the net balance sheet benefit to Acceleware is estimated to be $460,000.
    2. Acceleware retains ownership of all RF XL heating and related equipment at Marwayne, including the Clean Tech Inverter (CTI).
    3. The existing farmout agreement between O’Neill Canada and Acceleware is terminated.
    4. Acceleware and O’Neill Canada agree to enter into a new farmout agreement within 90 days of entering into the Marwayne Agreement, which will allow Acceleware to redeploy new wells that are suited for RF XL 2.0 at any time over the course of the next 5 years at O’Neill Canada’s Marwayne asset.

    “We’re pleased to have come to this agreement with Acceleware on Marwayne – the asset holds very good value potential and both companies stand to benefit from the arrangement. For over a year, O’Neill Canada has been producing heavy oil at Marwayne, and we plan to grow production volumes through both cold flow and thermal recovery techniques,” said Alexander O’Neill, President of O’Neill Canada.

    About Acceleware:

    Acceleware is an advanced electromagnetic (EM) heating company with cutting-edge radio frequency (RF) power-to-heat solutions for large industrial applications. The Company’s technologies provide an opportunity to electrify and decarbonize industrial process heat applications while reducing costs.

    The Company is working to use its patented and field proven Clean Tech Inverter (CTI) to materially improve the efficiency of amine regeneration, and has partnered with a consortium of world-class potash partners seeking to decarbonize drying of potash ore and other critical minerals. Acceleware is actively developing other process heat applications and partnerships for RF heating.

    Acceleware’s RF XL is a patented low-cost, low-carbon RF thermal enhanced oil production technology for heavy oil that is materially different from any enhanced recovery technique used today.

    Acceleware is a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) under the trading symbol “AXE”. 

    About O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc.:

    O’Neill Industries is comprised of an integrated family of companies focused on the energy and environmental sectors, offering a series of products, equipment, and services which bring new and enhanced solutions for projects and partners. Responding to environmental challenges, developing natural resources, and looking for opportunities to turn waste and obsolescence into energy and value.

    Since 2023, O’Neill Industries Canadian arm, O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc., has been operating in Alberta with a large focus on heavy oil production, thermal recovery techniques, and Green Cement.

    Cautionary Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this release, such words as “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions, as they relate to Acceleware, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Acceleware with respect to future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Acceleware’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance or achievement that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, which reflects Acceleware’s current expectations regarding future events, including, but not limited to: the future benefits arising from the Marwayne Agreement; the Company’s ability to successfully complete commercialization of RF XL 2.0; the entering into of a new farmout and option agreement between the Company and O’Neill Canada; deployment of RF XL 2.0; the initiatives to be implemented by the Company’s management to shift the Company’s focus from research and development to cash flow generation; the timing to complete certain milestones in the Marwayne Agreement; and the impact of the Marwayne Agreement on Acceleware’s business and shareholder value.

    Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the availability of potential heavy oil production rights in western Canada, the availability of investment capital and other funding, the high degree of uncertainties inherent to feasibility and economic studies which are based to a significant extent on various assumptions; variations in commodity prices and exchange rate fluctuations; variations in cost of supplies and labour; lack of availability of qualified personnel; receipt of necessary approvals; availability of financing for technology and project development; uncertainties and risks with respect to developing and adopting new technologies; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; change in demand for technologies to be offered by the Company; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities and/or shareholders, as applicable; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. For a more fulsome list of risk factors please see the Company’s December 31, 2024, year-end Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Management of the Company has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this release to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on the Company’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.

    For more information:

    Geoff Clark
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    geoff.clark@acceleware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 Eurasia commodity expo highlights global trade ties

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

    URUMQI, June 26 — The 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo opened Thursday in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, drawing over 2,800 enterprises and delegates from 50 countries and regions to deepen cooperation across Eurasia, organizers said.

    This year’s expo is the largest edition to date. Among the attendees are government officials, diplomats, and business associations from Central Asia, the African Union (AU), ASEAN, and beyond. Notably, AU members Ethiopia, Zambia, the Comoros, and Senegal joined for the first time, highlighting expanded global engagement.

    Spanning 140,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor space, the expo features key sectors like new energy, advanced manufacturing, textiles, and food processing. Heavy machinery dominates outdoor displays, while indoor halls spotlight innovations in AI and the low-altitude economy.

    Fu Yunyan, director of Xinjiang international expo affairs bureau, noted “multiple highlights,” including dedicated zones for cutting-edge technologies and over 20 product launches. The five-day event will host over 60 trade and investment sessions focused on industrial matchmaking and project promotion.

    As a pillar of the China-Eurasia Expo framework, the event, now in its fifth iteration, aims to accelerate Xinjiang’s opening-up and development.

    People visit the Trade in Services and Cross-border E-commerce sector during the 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 26, 2025. The expo opened here on Thursday, drawing over 2,800 enterprises and delegates from 50 countries and regions to deepen cooperation across Eurasia, organizers said. The five-day event will host over 60 trade and investment sessions focused on industrial matchmaking and project promotion. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on June 26, 2025 shows the venue of the 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US GDP shrinks first time in three years

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

    U.S. economy shrank for the first time in three years in the first quarter of this year, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Commerce Department.

    U.S. gross domestic product dropped 0.5 percent in the January-March period from a year ago, the Commerce Department reported Thursday in its final report.

    Growth in the first quarter was stifled by rising imports as U.S. firms scrambled to purchase foreign goods before sweeping tariffs took effect.

    This occured as U.S. President Donald Trump implemented sweeping tariffs against most trading partners that could roil the global economy. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Xiaomi unveils first electric SUV, AI glasses

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

    Chinese tech firm Xiaomi unveiled its first electric SUV, the YU7, and its first AI-powered smart glasses at a product launch in Beijing on Thursday evening.

    Priced starting at 253,500 yuan (about 35,400 U.S. dollars), the YU7 SUV is available in three configurations with nine color options, with the base model offering a range of 835 kilometers under the China Light-duty Vehicle Test Cycle.

    Xiaomi’s AI glasses integrate an intelligent assistant that supports photography, videography, real-time Q&A, and translation across 10 languages. The glasses also support multimodal encyclopedia access and contactless payment via visual scanning.

    The base model of these AI glasses is priced at 1,999 yuan, which is described by Lei Jun, founder and chairman of Xiaomi as “a personal AI gateway for the next era of portable technology.”

    At the event, the company unveiled over 10 new items, including foldable smartphones and smart home appliances, while Lei also announced a 200 billion yuan commitment to core technology research and development over the next five years.

    Xiaomi entered the electric vehicle market in 2021. Since March 2024, Xiaomi has delivered over 250,000 vehicles, quickly emerging as a key player in China’s rapidly growing new energy vehicle market by leveraging advanced smart manufacturing and a favorable policy environment to fuel its rapid ascent.

    China’s auto market maintains strong growth. In the first five months this year, China’s new energy vehicles production surged 45.2 percent year on year to nearly 5.7 million units, with sales up by 44 percent year on year to 5.61 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Liverpool complete signing of Kerkez from Bournemouth

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

    Liverpool on Thursday completed the signing of Hungarian international left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.

    Kerkez has cost around 40 million pounds (about 54.9 million U.S. dollars) and has signed a five-year deal until June 2030 after impressing in his first two seasons in the Premier League.

    Milos Kerkez of Hungary controls the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group G qualification match between Hungary and Bulgaria in Budapest, Hungary on March 27, 2023. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

    The 21-year-old’s arrival takes Liverpool’s summer spending to over 200 million pounds after raiding Bayer Leverkusen to sign Florian Wirtz for around 116 million pounds and Jeremie Frimpong for 29 million pounds.

    Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will also join Liverpool at the start of the year, although Liverpool bought him from Valencia a year ago and lent him back to the Spanish side for last season.

    “It’s a real honor for me, a privilege to come to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, the biggest club in England. I’m just really, really happy and excited,” said Kerkez on the Liverpool website.

    “I can’t really wait to come back and put the training kit on and start to train and prepare for the season.”

    “I just want to thank everyone for really showing me big love, even before it will be announced now,” he continued, promising to “give absolutely everything to win trophies and hopefully score some goals,” he added.

    Elsewhere in the Premier League, Arsenal’s young left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly signed a new five-year contract to assure the 18-year-old England international’s future at the Emirates Stadium.

    “I’m so proud and happy. I know those words are simple, but I think they sum up how I feel signing for this club. I’m a fan and it’s like a dream come true,” said the player who has progressed from the club’s youth teams to the England national side.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Rodri says it will be ‘months’ to return to his level

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

    Manchester City’s Rodri has continued his long return from injury at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup with substitute appearances in his side’s opening two group matches, but the midfielder says it will take some time to get back to his best.

    Spain international Rodri missed nearly all of last season after tearing his cruciate knee ligament against Arsenal in September 2024. After a brief appearance at the end of the campaign, he is stepping up his recovery in the U.S.-based tournament.

    “I feel very good and very happy to be here. It’s an amazing tournament to start to play football again. I’m really excited to join the team again,” Rodri said ahead of City’s final group game against Juventus.

    “I feel very, very strong, to be honest. The process was long, but I was taking my time. The most important thing was to keep focused and be strong, not be sad or whatever,” the midfielder said of his recovery.

    “One day I would come back and this day has finally come,” Rodri added, but admitted that it would take time to see him back to his best.

    “I know it’s still going to be months until I reach my [best] level, but I’m so happy,” he said.

    Manchester City goes into the final Group G game level on points with Juventus, but the Italian side sits top thanks to a superior goal difference. That means Pep Guardiola’s side needs a win to finish top of the group and avoid a potential tie with Real Madrid, which currently sits top of Group H ahead of its match against Red Bull Salzburg.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Inter, Dortmund advance as River crash out at Club World Cup

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

    Inter Milan clinched top spot in Group E at the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday with a win that knocked River Plate out of the tournament while Borussia Dortmund sealed first place in Group F after beating eliminated Ulsan.

    Elsewhere, Monterrey reached the last 16 by thrashing Urawa Red Diamonds, which was out of contention, and Fluminense advanced following a goalless draw that ended Mamelodi Sundowns’ campaign.

    In Cincinnati, Daniel Svensson’s first-half goal gave German club Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win over South Korea’s Ulsan. Sweden international Svensson broke the deadlock in the 36th minute as he took a touch to control Jobe Bellingham’s pass before firing low past Jo Hyeon-woo.

    Both teams appeared to lower their intensity in the second half as temperatures reached 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) at TQL Stadium.

    “The only thing we could have done a little better was maybe score a few more goals because we created a lot of chances today,” Svensson said.

    “Football is emotional. It was very nice to score the goal that turned out to be an important one. It’s a nice feeling,” he added.

    Ulsan goalkeeper Jo said his team had suffered in the conditions and expressed his disappointment for the club’s supporters.

    “I’m sorry that we weren’t able to meet our fans’ expectations,” he said. “The weather was really harsh. It wasn’t really appropriate for playing football but it is what it is.”

    While Ulsan departs, Dortmund will vie for a quarterfinal berth against Monterrey in Atlanta on Tuesday.

    In Miami, Brazil’s Fluminense progressed after a goalless draw with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F.

    The Pretoria-based club dominated possession in the first half but Fluminense looked sharper in the second despite failing to register a shot on target.

    Veteran Argentine striker German Cano went closest to scoring when his right-footed effort after Jhon Arias’ pass hit the post.

    Fluminense, who finished second in the group, will face Inter Milan in the round of 16 while Mamelodi exits the competition.

    “It was a very hard match. They had most of the possession but we were able to repel them. Now we’re through to the next round and that was our goal,” Fluminense defender Ignacio Oliveira told reporters.

    Mamelodi manager Miguel Cardoso said he was proud of his team’s achievements throughout the group stage.

    “It has been a long journey for all of us, for the club itself and for the people that support it,” Cardoso said. “Today is not a happy result, but it is a very important day for us.”

    In Seattle, Francesco Pio Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni netted second-half goals as Inter Milan topped Group E with a 2-0 win over nine-man River Plate.

    Lucas Martinez Quarta was shown a straight red card in the 66th minute for scything down Henrikh Mkhitaryan when the Armenian midfielder was through on goal.

    Inter immediately took advantage as Esposito finished calmly from 12 yards after Petar Sucic’s clever layoff.

    Alessandro Bastoni added to River Plate’s misery by charging past two defenders and thumping a low 18-yard shot beyond goalkeeper Franco Armani.

    The Argentine outfit finished with nine men after Gonzalo Montiel received a second yellow card in the 95th minute for his part in a scuffle between players from both sides.

    The result left River Plate third in the group as it bid farewell to the competition.

    In Wednesday’s other match, Monterrey scored three first-half goals en route to a 4-0 rout of Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.

    Nelson Deossa put the Mexican side ahead on the hour with a stunning 35-yard drive and German Berterame made it 2-0 by slotting into the far corner after Alfonso Alvarado’s assist.

    Mexico international winger Jesus Corona extended the lead with another long-range effort following a swift counterattack.

    Monterrey was in a relentless mood and Berterame completed the rout in the 97th minute as he pounced on a loose ball and slid home from inside the six-yard box.

    The victory meant the Liga MX side finished second in Group E while Urawa was last, having failed to pick up a point. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: CSL: Beijing Guoan lead the way at halfway mark

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

    Beijing Guoan secured the halfway champion of the Chinese Super League, after it crushed Meizhou Hakka 4-0 away with Fabio Abreu’s hat-trick in the 15th round.

    Wang Ziming (L) of Beijing Guoan vies with Li Hao (C), goalkeeper of Qingdao West Coast during the 6th round match between Beijing Guoan and Qingdao West Coast at the 2025 season Chinese Football Super League (CSL) in Beijing, capital of China, June 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Lili)

    Guoan had kept an unbeaten run before the Wednesday game. Fabio’s brace put the capital-based team firmly in charge at half-time, Fang Hao made it 3-0 in the 55th minute, before Fabio’s third goal sealed the win.

    After the win, Guoan leads the table with 35 points, while Shanghai Shenhua, who beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 3-0 on Wednesday, ranks second due to inferior goal difference. Chengdu Rongcheng remains in third after a comfortable 5-0 win over Shenzhen Peng City.

    Shanghai Port bounced back from its Chinese FA Cup defeat to Shenhua by dominating Dalian Yingbo 3-0. The league defending champion enjoyed a 7-point margin over fifth-placed Shandong Taishan, who beat Wuhan Three Towns 3-1.

    Elsewhere, Zhejiang FC sailed away to a 3-0 victory over Qingdao Hainiu, Changchun Yatai edged past Qingdao West Coast 1-0, and Yunnan Yukun turned around Henan FC 2-1. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Legislation to build One Canadian Economy receives Royal Assent

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Ottawa, Ontario, (June 26, 2025) – Today, Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, received Royal Assent. This legislation is key to building a stronger, more united Canada by supercharging productivity, economic growth, and competitiveness. 

    Once implemented, the One Canadian Economy Act will:

    1. Expedite nation-building projects (the Building Canada Act): Streamlining federal review and approval processes to increase regulatory certainty, helping attract capital, strengthening our industries, and moving towards greater sovereignty and resilience while protecting the environmental and respecting Indigenous rights.
    2. Remove federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility (the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act): Accepting comparable provincial or territorial regulations, where they exist, as meeting federal requirements for the movement of goods, services, and labour within Canada. This will allow more goods, services, workers and business to move freely across provinces and territories.

    With the Building Canada Act coming into force today, the federal government will immediately move forward on consultations with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples and private sector proponents to identify nation building projects and implement measures to streamline processes for other projects. This includes working with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners to adopt a ‘one project, one review’ approach to reduce duplication.

    This work will be led by the Federal Major Projects Office, a new entity that will be launched in the coming weeks. The Office will include support from an Indigenous Advisory Council with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis representatives.

    Indigenous partnership is a vital part of this legislation, and meaningful consultation will be key to the success of future projects. The federal government is committed to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Over the coming weeks, the Prime Minister will meet with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis rights holders, with the first meeting happening on July 17 with First Nations.

    The Government of Canada is fulfilling its promise to build one Canadian economy out of 13 while upholding Indigenous rights and protecting the environment as well as the health and safety of Canadians.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Implementation of Bill C-5: One Canadian Economy

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, received Royal Assent on June 26, 2025.

    Outlined below are next steps towards implementation of both Acts. Further details will be announced as they become available.

    Building Canada Act

    With the Building Canada Act in place, the Government of Canada will immediately move forward on consultations – as required under the Act – with provinces, territories and Indigenous rights-holders to determine the initial list of national interest projects.

    The criteria that will be weighed in those discussions and decisions include the extent to which the project will:

    • Strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security;
    • Provide economic or other benefits to Canada;
    • Have a high likelihood of successful execution;
    • Advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples; and
    • Contribute to clean growth and to meeting Canada’s objectives with respect to climate change.

    After consultations with provinces, territories and impacted Indigenous rights-holders, if the Governor in Council is of the opinion that a project may be in the national interest, an Order in Council will add it to the Building Canada Act Schedule of projects. Before adding the name of a project to the Schedule of projects, a notice that includes the name and description of the project must be published in the Canada Gazette for 30 days, so that everyone including the public has an opportunity to provide feedback on this choice. Projects can continue to be added to the Schedule of projects over the course of 5 years following the Act coming into force.

    Canada is committed to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and the rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples will be consulted throughout the process of choosing projects of national interest as we work together towards the success of future projects. No projects will be added to the schedule until consultation has taken place.

    For projects that are added to the Schedule of projects, the regulatory review process will continue to include further consultations with potentially impacted Indigenous Peoples.

    Currently, the review process for projects can take many years to complete. Determining ahead of time that a project is in the national interest provides certainty, helping to attract investment. The intent of this Act is to ensure these nation-building projects complete the federal review within 2 years. We will do this by focusing these reviews on “how” to get the project built, instead of “whether” it should be built.

    Once the environmental and other review processes and consultations with potentially impacted Indigenous rights-holders are completed, the Minister responsible for the Act will issue a single set of binding conditions for the project. These conditions will include mitigation measures to protect the environment and accommodation measures to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    To reduce project approval duplication between the federal and provincial/territorial governments, the Government of Canada is committed to a ‘one project, one review’ approach. This will include working with provinces and territories to eliminate project assessment duplication and build a more efficient and timely system.

    A major projects office will be established to help implement this new process for national interest projects and serve as a main point of contact for the project proponents. The office will be supported by an Indigenous Advisory Council, with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis representatives, to advise the Minister on issues related to the implementation of the Building Canada Act, including best practices for Indigenous consultations. The Council will not replace consultation with Indigenous rights-holders. The Government will provide funding to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ capacity and participation in consultation processes.

    The Prime Minister and other members of Cabinet will meet over the summer with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to ensure that consultation, partnership, engagement and participation are at the heart of every project of national interest. Indigenous equity participation in major projects is a central focus of this initiative. Backed by the federal government’s expansion of the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion, this commitment will help create long-term economic opportunities and build lasting prosperity for Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

    Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act

    With the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act in place, the Government of Canada will develop regulations to provide further clarity around the definition of “comparable”, to assist in the determination of comparable federal and provincial/territorial requirements. The regulations will also exclude certain federal requirements from the application of the legislation if there are unacceptable risks to the health, safety and security of Canadians, their social and economic well-being, the environment, or international trade objectives.

    The Government of Canada will not be revoking existing regulations; rather, it will recognize a comparable provincial or territorial requirement, removing the duplicative burden for businesses.

    The same applies for workers, where a worker authorized to work in a province or territory would be authorized to work the same occupation in federal jurisdiction without the need for further approvals or requirements.

    Once the regulations are approved by the Governor in Council, a plain language user guide will be available for Canadian workers and businesses, which will clarify where the Act applies, how they can take advantage, and who to contact to answer any questions.

    Where the legislation applies

    The Act only applies to federal requirements on the interprovincial trade of goods and services when there are comparable provincial or territorial requirements. In this case, “comparable” means that a provincial or territorial regulation/standard addresses the same aspect of a good or service and is intended to achieve a similar objective.

    When a good or service produced, used, or distributed in line with provincial or territorial requirements is recognized as meeting comparable federal requirements on interprovincial trade, it will be treated as if it meets federal requirements.

    However, the Act will not apply to areas where the Government of Canada decides there is an unacceptable risk to the health, safety and security of Canadians, their social and economic well-being, the environment, or international trade objectives.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Critical incident investigation continues in Manurewa

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Please attribute to Counties Manukau District Commander, Superintendent Shanan Gray:

    Police are continuing with a critical incident investigation surrounding the events leading up to a fatal crash in Manurewa overnight.

    We are now in a position to release further information as our enquiries continue.

    The driver of the Mitsubishi vehicle remains in a critical condition at Middlemore Hospital, and was due to undergo surgery today.

    Police have spoken with the man taken into custody at the scene this morning.

    At this stage, the 56-year-old man has been charged with driving dangerously causing death, dangerous driving causing injury and driving while forbidden.

    He will appear in Manukau District Court today.

    Police enquiries will continue, and further charges cannot be ruled out as we investigate further.

    While matters are before the Court, we can advise that parties in both vehicles were known to each other.

    Until the next of kin notifications have been carried out, further details regarding the deceased are unable to be released.

    We would like to acknowledge the impact this event will have had on the community and our thoughts are with everyone involved.

    There are now several investigations underway, including a critical incident investigation.

    Police are still seeking information from any witnesses who may have been in the area at the time, or prior to this incident occurring.

    If you have information, please update Police online now or call 105.

    Please use reference number 250627/8090 or cite ‘Operation Highbury’.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Crozier, Senior Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Psychology, University of South Australia

    Scott Barbour/Getty Images

    Umpires’ decisions often upset sports fans, especially during a close contest.

    At most games, spectators boo loudly, coaches throw their hands up in frustration and players can yell or even physically intimidate officials.

    It seems abusing umpires is acceptable. But why? It’s certainly not something generally tolerated in other workplaces.

    Without umpires, games simply couldn’t go ahead.

    That’s why we sought to shed light on the situation by researching what it’s really like to be an Australian rules umpire.

    Not for the faint-hearted

    Umpires (also called referees or match officials) apply the rules of their respective sports to ensure fair and safe competitions for all players.

    They participate in training and accreditation programs to learn rules and apply them based on the demands of the game.

    They need to be physically fit and position themselves appropriately around the playing field.

    But many sport organisations are struggling to provide enough qualified officials at grassroots levels. Between 1993 and 2010, there was a 28% decline in active sport officials in Australia.

    Football Australia, soccer’s governing body here, boasts 11,000 officials but estimates around 4,200 leave their roles every year.

    In many sports, teenagers are increasingly stepping in to umpire junior and senior games to back-fill shortages.

    However, Australian rules football appears to be defying this trend – the number of community umpires surpassed 20,000 for the first time in 2024. This is an 18% increase in umpire registrations compared to 2023, largely driven by a 31% rise in registrations by women and girls.

    Despite these record numbers, the Australian Football League (AFL), and many sports organisations including Rugby Australia and the A-League, are worried about retaining officials.

    Abuse towards officials is one of the primary areas of concern.

    Our research focused particularly on what was happening in Australian rules football.

    Abuse and even death threats

    We surveyed 356 umpires across all levels of Australian rules football competition to examine their experiences of abuse.

    Almost half reported receiving regular verbal abuse (name-calling, insults, swearing and threats). Worryingly, 21% said they had experienced physical abuse (pushing, hitting, or assault).

    As one state-level umpire remarked:

    Over time, you end up developing a thick skin.

    Encouragingly, most umpires knew the process to officially report any abuse received, with more than half indicating they had formally reported at least one incident of abuse.

    While many felt supported through the reporting process, only 62% were satisfied with the outcome.

    As one state-league umpire recalled:

    I was assaulted two years ago by a spectator. Lucky I was bigger than him. I was disappointed he only got a one-year suspension from attending games.

    Further, a senior community football umpire commented:

    I was threatened with my life this year and the league did nothing about it.

    What can be done?

    Many respondents commented on the need to support young umpires to have positive experiences.

    One potential strategy is to make it clearer when officials are underage.

    As one example, Netball Victoria provides a green band or scrunchie to any umpire under the age of 18 to promote respect from players, coaches and spectators.

    Other codes could look to implement similar strategies.

    Most of our responding umpires called for the introduction of tougher penalties in games and through tribunal systems.

    Some called for clubs to be fined or spectators banned for repeated incidents of abuse.

    Others commended the AFL’s stricter interpretation of umpire abuse in 2022, which mandated a 50-metre penalty for any player showing dissent.

    Additionally, umpires felt clubs needed to take greater responsibility for the actions of players, coaches and spectators.

    One umpire told us:

    Cultural change needs to come from within clubs because top-down campaigns encouraging respect don’t change hearts and minds.

    This could be in the form of creating a positive club culture and zero-tolerance abuse policies.

    In our research, umpires said it was crucial that governing bodies communicated both the level of evidence required to report abuse, and how tribunals worked.

    As younger officials may not know the process, having this information embedded in umpire training may help umpires feel more supported in reporting abuse.

    Equally, appropriate penalties must be handed down to ensure umpires have faith in the reporting system.

    While the number of Australian rules football umpires has increased in recent years, these numbers can also decrease quickly.

    If we want to retain umpires for the medium and long-term, we need governing bodies such as the AFL to address the frequency and severity with which umpire abuse occurs.

    As one umpire commented:

    Cases of abuse need to have consequences, not just a slap on the wrist. Why would anyone want to go out and be abused for two hours?

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. 1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research – https://theconversation.com/1-in-5-community-footy-umpires-have-been-assaulted-while-others-cop-death-threats-new-research-257804

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The NDIA is changing how it pays for disability supports. What does that mean for rural communities?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Johnson, Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship and Co-Founder of Umbo, University of Sydney

    Shutterstock

    Each year, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) reviews its pricing rules to ensure services funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) remain sustainable.

    This year’s annual pricing review outlines changes that will take effect from July 1 2025.

    Among the updates are changes to therapy pricing, travel reimbursement, and rural loadings. The NDIA says this will bring NDIS pricing in line with other government schemes and private health insurance.

    But what do these changes mean for people outside the big cities?

    What’s changing

    Key changes include:

    • adjusted therapy support rates, including a $10 per hour reduction for physiotherapists to $183.99 per hour.

    • travel reimbursement for therapists will be halved (from 100% to 50% of the hourly rate during any time spent travelling)

    • price loadings for some rural and remote areas will be removed.

    The NDIA justifies these decisions with a dataset that includes the average of hourly rates from Medicare, private health claims, and 13 other government programs.

    The agency says some NDIS therapy prices exceed mainstream equivalents by up to 68%.

    Why pricing comparisons don’t always translate to rural services

    While these comparisons might make sense for metropolitan clinics, they do not capture the realities of service delivery in rural and remote areas.

    For example, allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists in cities can see multiple clients in a row at one location (although this isn’t always realistic or best practice in cities either).

    In contrast, rural and remote providers may drive hundreds of kilometres between appointments. Much of their time, including travel, planning, and follow-up, is essential but often unbilled.

    So while $193.99 (soon $183.99) per hour for physiotherapy might look generous, it does not reflect what is left after factoring in travel and unpaid care coordination.

    Disabilities are complex and often lifelong, so clinical support is time-consuming. However, that is something clinicians are passionate about – therapists so often squirm at the thought of billing our clients for anything other than direct clinical services.

    The NDIA’s own data confirm most therapy providers are small operators. In fact, 90% are unregistered, and many serve fewer than five participants.

    The result is a fragile “market”, particularly in towns with limited infrastructure. If pricing makes it unviable for local clinicians to offer services, the only remaining options may involve families travelling long distances or forgoing support entirely. This has knock-on effects for local economies and contributes to professional burnout and workforce shortages.

    What this means for rural families

    For families living in towns with limited services, travel is not optional. It is a lifeline. If providers cannot afford to travel, many people with disability simply go without.

    Telepractice can be used in some clinical situations, but not all. The most effective kind of telepractice also includes support from local clinicians and coworkers, and ideally a mix of in-person and online consultations.

    One family I worked with during my PhD research lived four hours from the nearest regional centre. After an 18-month wait, their child’s therapy appointment was cancelled twice due to workforce shortages. They eventually paid privately for a service in another state.

    This story is not unusual. Many families said they did not necessarily want more funding; they just wanted support delivered in ways that worked for them. Being able to access help locally allowed their children to remain part of the school community and reduced pressure on carers already juggling other responsibilities. Clinicians, communities, and families are continuing to tell very similar stories.

    It is essential clinicians are able to travel to meet with NDIS clients in regional areas.
    Shutterstock

    Is there a better way?

    My research found rural families preferred flexible models that blended telepractice with local capacity-building. These hybrid approaches worked well when supported by policy that allowed for coordination, community involvement, and some in-person time. They were not luxury add-ons. They were what made services possible.

    There is also a long-term benefit in supporting local service ecosystems. When therapists can build relationships within a community, they are more likely to stay, collaborate with other professionals, and mentor early-career clinicians.

    This helps reduce churn and provides continuity of care. However, with travel reimbursement and rural loadings cut, sustaining these models becomes more difficult.

    What happens next?

    The NDIA’s strategy includes a shift toward “differentiated pricing”, which could eventually support more tailored approaches. The Department of Social Services has also promised to offer “foundational supports” outside the NDIS, but it is currently unclear what the nature of these supports will be. Right now, though, rural communities are being asked to absorb the reduced funding and limited flexibility. Without further adjustment, these changes risk widening the gap between metropolitan and non-metropolitan service access.

    A single national price does not guarantee equal access. Equity comes from recognising and responding to different contexts. For rural and remote Australians living with disability, that recognition is long overdue.

    Until then, it will be up to 7 million rural Australians to make it work for themselves in places where resources are already stretched thin.

    I am a co-founder of Umbo Pty Ltd (an NDIS therapy provider which provides telepractice services)

    – ref. The NDIA is changing how it pays for disability supports. What does that mean for rural communities? – https://theconversation.com/the-ndia-is-changing-how-it-pays-for-disability-supports-what-does-that-mean-for-rural-communities-259148

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court rules that states may deny people covered by Medicaid the freedom to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of Virginia

    Abortion-rights demonstrators holds a sign in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington as the Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic case is heard on April 2, 2025. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

    Having the freedom to choose your own health care provider is something many Americans take for granted. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority ruled on June 25, 2025, in a 6-3 decision that people who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance don’t have that right.

    The case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, is focused on a technical legal issue: whether people covered by Medicaid have the right to sue state officials for preventing them from choosing their health care provider. In his majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that they don’t because the Medicaid statute did not “clearly and unambiguously” give individuals that right.

    As law professors who teach courses about health and poverty law as well as reproductive justice, we think this ruling could restrict access to health care for the more than 78 million Americans who get their health insurance coverage through the Medicaid program.

    Excluding Planned Parenthood

    The case started with a predicament for South Carolina resident Julie Edwards, who is enrolled in Medicaid. After Edwards struggled to get contraceptive services, she was able to receive care from a Planned Parenthood South Atlantic clinic in Columbia, South Carolina.

    Planned Parenthood, an array of nonprofits with roots that date back more than a century, is among the nation’s top providers of reproductive services. It operates two clinics in South Carolina, where patients can get physical exams, cancer screenings, contraception and other services. It also provides same-day appointments and keeps long hours.

    In July 2018, however, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order that barred Medicaid reimbursement for health care providers in the state that offer abortion care.

    That meant Planned Parenthood, a longtime target of conservatives’ ire, would no longer be reimbursed for any type of care for Medicaid patients, preventing Edwards from transferring all her gynecological care to that office as she had hoped to do.

    Planned Parenthood and Edwards sued South Carolina. They argued that the state was violating the federal Medicare and Medicaid Act, which Congress passed in 1965, by not letting Edwards obtain care from the provider of her choice.

    A ‘free-choice-of-provider’ requirement

    Medicaid, which mainly covers low-income people, their children and people with disabilities, operates as a partnership between the federal government and the states. Congress passed the law that led to its creation based on its power under the Constitution’s spending clause, which allows Congress to subject federal funds to certain requirements.

    Two years later, due to concerns that states were restricting which providers Medicaid recipients could choose, Congress added a “free-choice-of-provider” requirement to the program. It states that people enrolled in Medicaid “may obtain such assistance from any institution, agency, community pharmacy, or person, qualified to perform the service or services required.”

    While the Medicaid statute does not, by itself, allow people enrolled in that program to enforce this free-choice clause, the question at the core of this case was whether another federal statute, known as Section 1983, did give them a right to sue.

    The Supreme Court has long recognized that Section 1983 protects an individual’s ability to sue when their rights under a federal statute have been violated. In fact, in 2023, it found such a right under the Medicaid Nursing Home Reform Act. The court held that Section 1983 confers the right to sue when a statute’s provisions “unambiguously confer individual federal rights.”

    In Medina, however, the court found that there was no right to sue. Instead, the court emphasized that “the typical remedy” is for the federal government to cut off Medicaid funds to a state if a state is not complying with the Medicaid statute.

    The ruling overturned lower-court decisions in favor of Edwards. It also expressly rejected the Supreme Court’s earlier rulings, which the majority criticized as taking a more “expansive view of its power to imply private causes of action to enforce federal laws.”

    Planned Parenthood clinics, like this one in Los Angeles, are located across the United States.
    Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

    Restricting Medicaid funds

    This dispute is just one chapter in the long fight over access to abortion in the U.S. In addition to the question of whether it should be legal, proponents and opponents of abortion rights have battled over whether the government should pay for it – even if that funding happens indirectly.

    Through a federal law known as the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid cannot reimburse health care providers for the cost of abortions, with a few exceptions: when a patient’s life is at risk, or her pregnancy is due to rape or incest. Some states do cover abortion when their laws allow it, without using any federal funds.

    As a result, Planned Parenthood rarely gets any federal Medicaid funds for abortions.

    McMaster explained that he removed “abortion clinics,” including Planned Parenthood, from the South Carolina Medicaid program because he didn’t want state funds to indirectly subsidize abortions.

    After the Supreme Court ruled on this case, McMaster said he had taken “a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend South Carolina’s authority and values – and today, we are finally victorious.”

    But only about 4% of Planned Parenthood’s services nationwide were related to abortion, as of 2022. Its most common service is testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Across the nation, Planned Parenthood provides health care to more than 2 million patients per year, most of whom have low incomes.

    South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster stands outside the Supreme Court building in Washington in April 2025 and speaks about this case.
    Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

    Consequences beyond South Carolina

    This ruling’s consequences are not limited to Medicaid access in South Carolina.

    It may make it harder for individuals to use Section 1983 to bring claims under any federal statute. As Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, wrote in her dissent, the court “continues the project of stymying one of the country’s great civil rights laws.”

    Enacted in 1871, the civil rights law has been invoked to challenge violations of rights by state officials against individuals. Jackson wrote that the court now limits the ability to use Section 1983 to vindicate personal rights only if the statutes use the correct “magic words.”

    The dissent also criticized the majority decision as likely “to result in tangible harm to real people.” Not only will it potentially deprive “Medicaid recipients in South Carolina of their only meaningful way of enforcing a right that Congress has expressly granted to them,” Jackson wrote, but it could also “strip those South Carolinians – and countless other Medicaid recipients around the country – of a deeply personal freedom: the ‘ability to decide who treats us at our most vulnerable.’”

    The decision could also have far-reaching consequences. Arkansas, Missouri and Texas have already barred Planned Parenthood from getting reimbursed by Medicaid for any kind of health care. More states could follow suit.

    In addition, given Planned Parenthood’s role in providing contraceptive care, disqualifying it from Medicaid could restrict access to health care and increase the already-high unintended pregnancy rate in America.

    States could also try to exclude providers based on other characteristics, such as whether their employees belong to unions or if they provide their patients with gender-affirming care, further restricting patients’ choices.

    With this ruling, the court is allowing a patchwork of state exclusions of Planned Parenthood and other medical providers from the Medicaid program that could soon resemble the patchwork already seen with abortion access.

    Portions of this article first appeared in another article published on April 2, 2025.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Supreme Court rules that states may deny people covered by Medicaid the freedom to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-rules-that-states-may-deny-people-covered-by-medicaid-the-freedom-to-choose-planned-parenthood-as-their-health-care-provider-259953

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Senate GOP Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Operation Midnight Hammer

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Missouri), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) in introducing a Senate resolution in support of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, including Operation Midnight Hammer, and praising President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence and achieve lasting peace in the region as deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.  Text is below, and you can view the full resolution here.
    “Whereas, in August 2002, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s secret nuclear program was revealed, including the existence of a fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, Iran, and the heavy-water plant in Arak, Iran;
    Whereas, on April 11, 2006, the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that it had enriched uranium for the first time to a level close to 3.5 percent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz, Iran;
    Whereas, in 2018, during a raid on a warehouse in Tehran’s Turquzabad district, Israel’s Mossad seized a vast nuclear archive of approximately 100,000 documents (commonly known as ‘‘Iran’s Atomic Archive’’), which revealed Iran’s AMAD Plan, a structured nuclear weapons program aimed at producing 5 nuclear warheads, including detailed designs, high explosive tests, detonator development and integration of a warhead into the Shahab 3 ballistic missile;
    Whereas, on May 31, 2021, it was reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to provide any explanation for the uranium remnants found at undeclared sites in Iran, and such an explanation had not been provided as of the date of the enactment of this resolution;
    Whereas, on May 30, 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘IAEA’’) reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had achieved a stockpile of 43.3 kilograms (95.5 pounds) of 60 percent highly enriched uranium, which is roughly enough material to construct a nuclear weapon;
    Whereas, on February 27, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had enriched uranium to 83.7 percent, which is just short of the 90 percent threshold for weapons-grade fissile material;
    Whereas, on September 16, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran banned the activities of nearly one-third of the IAEA’s most experienced nuclear inspectors in Iran, a decision that, according to IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, harmed the IAEA’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear program;
    Whereas, on December 28, 2023, the Governments of the United States, of France, of Germany and of the United Kingdom jointly declared, ‘‘The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification;”
    Whereas, on July 23, 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published an assessment, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8701 note; section 5593 of Public Law 117–263), stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran has ‘‘undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so;”
    Whereas, on November 15, 2024, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has continued to expand its enrichment facilities and install additional advanced centrifuges, including at the Natanz Nuclear Facility, where there are 15 cascades of advanced centrifuges, and the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, where there are advanced preparations for the expansion of the facility;
    Whereas, on February 26, 2025, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has between 5 and 7 metric tons of enriched uranium and had increased its total stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 274.8 kilograms (605.83 pounds), which, if further enriched, could be sufficient to produce 6 nuclear weapons;
    Whereas, on May 31, 2025, the IAEA released a comprehensive report detailing Iran’s noncompliance with its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons safeguards obligations, noting that Iran—
    (1) increased its stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 408.6 kilograms as of May 17, 2025, which constitutes a 50 percent increase compared to its February 2025 report, a stockpile sufficient for approximately 9 nuclear weapons (if further enriched);
    (2) conducted undeclared nuclear activities at four sites—Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad—involving nuclear material and equipment; and
    (3) provided inaccurate or contradictory explanations, which severely obstructed IAEA verification efforts and raises serious concerns about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program;
    Whereas, on April 7, 2025, President Donald Trump stated, “You know, it’s not a complicated formula.  Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.  That’s all there is;”
    Whereas, on April 8, 2025, a senior official of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected the dismantlement of its nuclear program by stating, “Trump wants a new deal: end Iran’s regional influence, dismantle its nuclear program and halt its missile work.  These are unacceptable to Tehran.  Our nuclear program cannot be dismantled;”
    Whereas, on April 15, 2025, in an ultimatum issued to the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Trump—
    (1) demanded that a new nuclear deal be signed within 60 days to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program; and
    (2) warned that failure to comply with this demand would result in military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
    Whereas, on April 16, 2025, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected United States demands and asserted its right to maintain its nuclear program and missile capabilities, escalating tensions and setting the stage for subsequent military operations by Israel and the United States;
    Whereas, on June 13, 2025, Israel began Operation Rising Lion with strikes against the Iranian nuclear program, key Iranian military leaders and other strategic targets; and
    Whereas, on June 21, 2025, the United States launched Operation Midnight Hammer, conducting targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, which significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear program;
    Whereas Iran has developed advanced ballistic missile systems, including the Shahab-3, Ghadr and Khorramshahr missiles, with ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers and payloads capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which poses a significant threat as delivery systems for nuclear weapons to targets in the Middle East and parts of Europe;
    Whereas Iran, currently the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of United States citizens, including more than 600 United States servicemembers in Iraq through Iranian-backed militias, and other terrorist activities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate—
    supports the United States’ decisive military strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer to degrade Iran’s nuclear program;
    affirms that the Islamic Republic of Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, which would threaten the security of the United States and its allies and partners;
    commends the Trump administration for taking resolute military action and praises the bravery of United States servicemembers who participated in Operation Midnight Hammer;
    concurs that President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence are aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Middle East and worthy of consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize;
    reaffirms the right of the United States Government to take any necessary measures to prevent the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
    commends Israel for its targeted strikes under Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile infrastructure and regime targets, including the Natanz enrichment facility and missile launchers, and recognizes these actions are critical to neutralizing existential threats to Israel and its allies; and
    condemns the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for launching missiles at United States forces in Qatar and Iraq, and for launching 21 missile attacks that indiscriminately target Israeli civilians.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on SCOTUS Decision That Paves Way to Eliminate Health Care Access for Medicaid Patients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    06.26.25

    Cantwell Statement on SCOTUS Decision That Paves Way to Eliminate Health Care Access for Medicaid Patients

    49% of Planned Parenthood patients access care via Medicaid and/or the Title X family planning program; FACT SHEET: In WA State – Planned Parenthood serves 100,000 patients annually, about half are Medicaid recipients

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow South Carolina to end Planned Parenthood’s participation in the state’s Medicaid program –  denying South Carolinians easy access to preventive health care like birth control. The ruling opens the door for any anti-abortion state in the country to take the same action. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement in response to the decision:

    “Today’s Supreme Court ruling means that any state can blacklist Planned Parenthood or other health care providers, taking away access for Medicaid recipients,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This decision is another troubling step toward the anti-abortion movement’s ultimate goal — deciding for themselves what reproductive care American women are allowed to get.”

    The 1977 Hyde Amendment already bans the use of federal funding for abortion, with an exception for pregnancies that endanger the life of the pregnant person or that result from rape or incest. This decision paves the way for states to eliminate access for Medicaid patients to receive affordable cancer screenings, gynecological care, STD and STI screenings, and birth control services from Planned Parenthood clinics.

    According to a Planned Parenthood report, from 2023-2024 the provider accounted for 364,600 Pap tests and breast exams, 2.2 million birth control services, and 5.1 million STI tests and treatments. Half of all Planned Parenthood patients (49%) access care through Medicaid and/or the Title X family planning program. Allowing states to withhold Medicaid funding also puts rural communities at risk — 76% of Planned Parenthood health centers are located in rural or medically underserved areas, meaning patients would have to travel farther to receive care.

    Sen. Cantwell has been a champion for preserving Medicaid and access to reproductive health care. Earlier this week, on the three-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Sen. Cantwell released a fact sheet detailing the dire consequences for Washington state’s reproductive health care delivery system if the Republican reconciliation bill is passed that would cut billions from Medicaid.

    Yesterday, Sen. Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to vote against cuts to Medicaid that would effectively reverse the expansion of the program under the Affordable Care Act. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is available HERE, and a transcript HERE.

    On Tuesday’s Dobbs anniversary, Sen. Cantwell joined the entire Democratic Senate Caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, which would guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. Also this week, Sen. Cantwell joined nine of her Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s recent rescission of guidance that reaffirmed hospitals and providers’ obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide medically necessary emergency abortion care, regardless of where the patient lives.

    A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to defend Medicaid from cuts is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –