NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    KANSAS CITY, KAN.– A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Kansas man on drug trafficking and illegal firearms offenses.

    According to court documents, Marquis V. Bridgeman, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, is charged with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession of a machinegun, one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    OTHER INDICTMENTS

    Jaylen Stallworth, 24, of Wylie, Texas, was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
     

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
    ###
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Commission decides to refer THE NETHERLANDS to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with EU rules on the competitive award of rail public transport contracts

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 17 July, 2025.  Today, the European Commission decided to refer the Netherlands to the Court of Justice for failing to correctly apply Regulation (EC) No. 1370/2007 on public passenger transport by road and rail.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bilirakis, Pappas, Titus & Malliotakis Introduce Bipartisan End the Cyprus Embargo Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

    Washington, DC – Representatives Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chris Pappas (NH-01),  Dina Titus (NV-01), and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), co-chairs and vice co-chairs of the Hellenic Caucus, reintroduced the End the Cyprus Embargo Act, bipartisan legislation that would extend the waiver renewal period for the arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus from one year to five years. This change will bolster the historic growth in U.S.-Cypriot relations, enhance bilateral cooperation, and advance U.S. security interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.   Over the past two decades, U.S.-Cyprus relations have strengthened substantially, with Cyprus emerging as a pivotal ally for U.S. interests and regional stability. The Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 authorized the President to waive the arms embargo on an annual basis. However, the annual renewal requirement restricts Cyprus’s ability to plan and procure U.S. defense articles effectively, compromises U.S.-Cypriot military interoperability, impedes joint research on cybersecurity and maritime security, and diminishes the effectiveness of the National Guard State Partnership Program in Cyprus.

    “Cyprus has proven itself to be a valued and reliable partner for the United States,” said Congressman Bilirakis.  “Giving Cyprus planning certainty will allow the partnership to continue to flourish and will prove mutually beneficial for both nations and our allies.” 

    “The Republic of Cyprus is a steadfast democratic ally in the Eastern Mediterranean and an essential partner in ensuring regional security,” said Congressman Pappas. “This policy change will better empower U.S.-Cyprus bilateral relations, support our mutual commitment to collaboration on security and defense, and improve long-term planning and procurement coordination.”

    “Cyprus is a key partner in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the U.S. must continue making efforts to improve diplomatic relations between our two countries,” said Congresswoman Titus. “Reducing the number of necessary embargo reviews for aid to Cyprus will allow this important ally to strategically plan for the future while supporting U.S. security interests abroad.”

    “For too long, the United States has maintained an outdated and counterproductive embargo on the sale of defense materials and services to the Republic of Cyprus,” Congresswoman Malliotakis said. “Our legislation seeks to correct this by recognizing Cyprus as a key strategic partner in the Eastern Mediterranean and allow for the responsible export of U.S. defense items to support our shared security interests. By strengthening Cyprus’s ability to defend itself, we can promote greater stability in the region.”

    The End the Cyprus Embargo Act will solidify U.S.-Cypriot relations, foster long-term planning and cooperation, and ensure interoperability with regional allies. Specifically, this legislation will: 

    • Extend the waiver renewal period for the arms embargo from one year to five years.
    • Permit the President to reconsider the arms embargo waiver only every five years following its enactment.
    • Prohibit the President from terminating the waiver unless Congress receives certification that the Republic of Cyprus is no longer:
      • Cooperating with U.S. efforts to implement anti-money laundering regulations and financial oversight reforms; and
      • Denying Russian military vessels access to ports for refueling and servicing.

    This legislation is supported by the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), and PSKEA (International Coordinating Committee – Justice for Cyprus).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: East African countries and open borders: great strides, but still a long way to go

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alan Hirsch, Senior Research Fellow New South Institute, Emeritus Professor at The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town

    It’s not uncommon to find a Ugandan taxi driver in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, just as one regularly meets Zimbabwean Uber drivers in South Africa. But there is a big difference. A Ugandan working in Rwanda most likely has a secure legal right to be there, whereas Zimbabweans working in South Africa are often uncertain of their current or future legality.

    East Africa has made greater strides towards the free flow of people crossing borders and seeking work than most of Africa. Only the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is in the same league.

    While the African Union’s Free Movement of Persons protocol has faltered at a continental level, some of the regional economic communities have made progress. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) allows visa-free travel across almost all its borders.

    Ecowas and the East African Community (EAC) have driven ambitiously towards regional common markets including the freeing up of job-seeking, residential settlement and business development across the borders of member states.

    The New South Institute, a think-tank focused on governance reforms in the global south, is nearing the end of a research programme on migration governance reform in Africa. Our new report is on East Africa.

    We have found that unlike much of the global north, the African continent is moving towards more open borders for people. In some of the global south the promise of economic growth outweighs political fears. Yet progress is slow, and not coordinated. Mostly migration reform happens in regions and between neighbours.

    The progress in the East African Community is particularly notable compared with other African regional communities. We identify a number of reasons for this, including strong leadership and co-operation between state and non-state actors.

    The commitment to free movement

    The East African Community adopted its Common Market Protocol in 2010. The bloc is made up of Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the DRC and Somalia.

    The regional body’s common market pact includes the movement of goods, services, capital and people. It gives people the right – on paper at least – to find employment across borders, the right to reside and the right to establish a business. There is also a commitment to the harmonisation and mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications and labour policies to ease mobility.

    Even before the common market protocol, the regional bloc began to establish one-stop border posts on many of its internal borders to facilitate the flow of goods and people. Though they don’t all operate the same way or equally well, they have been successful at easing movement.

    Uneven outcomes

    The common market’s impact on the movement of people has been uneven within the region. Most integrated are Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, which allow the cross-border movement of citizens with standardised identity documents – they do not need passports.

    It is also relatively easy to get jobs across these borders.

    Tanzania and Burundi are close to the inner circle but still require passports, though no visas. The three states which joined more recently, South Sudan, the DRC and Somalia, are all fragile states with governance systems that do not always meet the standards needed for acceptance into all the privileges of the regional bloc.

    In practice there is differential treatment. Generally, it is more difficult for citizens of the three latecomers to get regular access and jobs in their regional partners.

    Another limitation when it comes to the mobility of people is that little progress has been made in the formal harmonisation of education, health and social welfare systems between member states. This inhibits job seeking across borders.

    In addition, national labour laws, which tend to require permits for foreigners, still apply to varying degrees in the region. Some countries are more permissive. For example, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have a reciprocal no-fee work permit agreement.

    Another shortcoming has been that the outcomes of court processes in enforcing the freedom of movement have been disappointing. This is so even though the regional bloc has an active East African Court of Justice. Its legal mandate includes the enforcement of the bloc’s treaty and its protocols.

    In some cases the court has found that national actions inhibiting the movement of persons were trumped by the regional protocol. It has instructed the errant governments to comply. But its ability to enforce the decisions is minimal.

    Reasons for success

    Leadership has been important. The fact that the strongest economy in the region, Kenya, has been part of the leading echelon is significant.

    Rwanda and Uganda have led by example too. Rwanda was one of the first countries on the continent to offer visa-free entry to all other African countries. For its part, Uganda is widely admired for its refugee inclusion programmes.

    Another factor outlined in our report has been the opportunity for collaboration fostered by relationships between formal institutions, such as governments, and non-state actors such as the International Organisation for Migration. Interactions between these various players have created opportunities for officials and policymakers from states of the region to meet, discuss issues of concern, and develop relationships of trust and understanding.

    Another non-state donor-funded actor, TradeMark Africa, which was established in 2010 to support in the implementation of the common market in east Africa, provided considerable support. For example it supported the implementation of the regional One-Stop Border Post programme..

    Way forward

    Based on our report we identified changes that could make a positive difference.

    Firstly, the development of reliable, harmonised systems in the region to collect and manage data on population mobility and employment. This would build confidence that policy was being made on the basis of reliable information.

    Secondly, reducing friction in cross-border monetary transactions, including migrants’ remittances. This would make it easier for migrants to send some of their income to their countries of origin.

    Thirdly, improvements to population registers, identity documents, passports and cross-border migration management systems. Improvements would build mutual trust in the integrity of systems and pave the way for further commitments to lowering migration barriers.

    Fourth, cooperation on cross-border access to social services such as health and education. This is one of the most important intermediate steps towards freeing up mobility for the citizens of the region.

    Fifth, reconsidering some of the amendments made to weaken the East African Court of Justice in 2007. This would strengthen the de jure powers of the court, adding considerably to the entrenchment of cross-border rights in the region.

    Ultimately, the key constraint in the region is political and security instability, which holds back social and economic development. Nevertheless, incremental progress on mobility is possible despite issues in the fragile states, even though it may result in asymmetric progress within the East African Community.

    – East African countries and open borders: great strides, but still a long way to go
    – https://theconversation.com/east-african-countries-and-open-borders-great-strides-but-still-a-long-way-to-go-261021

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appeal for information on missing woman in Wong Tai Sin (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Police today (July 17) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

    Kwok Oi-kwan, aged 18, went missing after she was last seen in a shopping mall on Junction Road, Wong Tai Sin on July 14 afternoon. Her family then made a report to Police.

    She is about 1.7 metres tall, 55 kilograms in weight and of medium build. She has a long face with yellow complexion, long black hair with a ponytail and a mole on left chin. She was last seen wearing a light blue shirt, black pants, white shoes, a pair of black glasses and carrying a red backpack.

    Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Landmark partnership puts Met officers closer to communities

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A landmark agreement with a housing developer and a London local authority will bring frontline offices closer to communities as part of the Met’s focus on neighbourhood policing.

    The opening of the Kidbrooke Village Community Police Hub provides local officers with a dedicated base to enhance their response to issues that matter most in the area.

    The space was jointly funded by Berkeley Homes, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Met, demonstrating how businesses and other agencies can work together to improve community safety at a time when budgets are stretched.

    Up to 24 officers covering six wards will be stationed at the hub which puts them closer to the areas they serve and will help the Met build on reductions in theft, burglary, robbery, anti-social behaviour and retail crime across London.

    Six neighbourhood teams will now be within a 20-minute walk of their wards. A further two will be based nearer to the areas they serve. They were previously spread between bases in Mottingham, Sidcup and Woolwich – which are both at least 20 minutes away by car.

    The hub was formally opened by Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes on Tuesday, 15 July.

    Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes said:

    “Across the Met we are focused on tackling the crimes that matter most to Londoners and we have made significant progress in reducing neighbourhood crime – with a 19 per cent reduction in offences since April.

    “House building is important for London – but as the city grows it inevitably puts extra pressure on local policing teams at a time when we’re having to make tough choices.

    “Working closely with councils and developers will be key to ensuring more officers can be based near to the areas they serve – and I’d like to thank Berkeley Homes and the Royal Borough of Greenwich for their support in ensuring our teams remain at the heart of their communities.”

    Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said:

    “We’ve invested, alongside Berkeley Homes and the police, to bring a new police base to Kidbrooke. This means more police on our streets, supporting the community and understanding the patch. They’ll be able to respond quicker and be more of a presence, which we know residents really care about. This investment is part of our wider work to make sure Greenwich is kept safe.”

    Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement, said:

    “We know how much residents care about having local police in their communities, available to respond to calls and get on the scene quickly. That’s why, along with our partners, we’ve put funding into making this a reality in Kidbrooke, a growing area that more and more people are calling home. This is part of our wider work to target area specific crime like anti-social behaviour and theft, and we’re so pleased to see it open.”

    Paul Pritchard, Berkeley’s Development Director, said:

    “Berkeley would like to thank those involved in the opening of the new Community Policing Hub at Kidbrooke Village, from the Met Police, our local MP, the Mayor of Greenwich, councillors, officers, representatives from our local schools, and other key residents and stakeholders from the community.

    “After the closure of many facilities, it is a tribute to all who have helped ensure we have been able to open this new facility. We look forward to the Met’s presence once again, helping to reinforce a safer neighbourhood for Kidbrooke and the wider area and further strengthening this already resilient and sustainable community.”

    Police buildings are an important part of the fabric of London underpinning all Met activity and offering reassurance, functionality and a constant presence for communities in an ever-changing city.

    Our estate also needs to adapt to the changing nature of policing. To meet the needs of Londoners, it is imperative to have good quality buildings, where there are not leaking roofs and crumbling walls, in the right locations close to communities, and ones which are as reasonably accessible for victims as possible.

    The Met’s relentless focus on driving down crimes that matter most to the public in first six weeks of this financial year has seen promising reductions in a number of crime types compared to the same period last year across London:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: East African countries and open borders: great strides, but still a long way to go

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alan Hirsch, Senior Research Fellow New South Institute, Emeritus Professor at The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town

    It’s not uncommon to find a Ugandan taxi driver in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, just as one regularly meets Zimbabwean Uber drivers in South Africa. But there is a big difference. A Ugandan working in Rwanda most likely has a secure legal right to be there, whereas Zimbabweans working in South Africa are often uncertain of their current or future legality.

    East Africa has made greater strides towards the free flow of people crossing borders and seeking work than most of Africa. Only the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is in the same league.

    While the African Union’s Free Movement of Persons protocol has faltered at a continental level, some of the regional economic communities have made progress. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) allows visa-free travel across almost all its borders.

    Ecowas and the East African Community (EAC) have driven ambitiously towards regional common markets including the freeing up of job-seeking, residential settlement and business development across the borders of member states.

    The New South Institute, a think-tank focused on governance reforms in the global south, is nearing the end of a research programme on migration governance reform in Africa. Our new report is on East Africa.

    We have found that unlike much of the global north, the African continent is moving towards more open borders for people. In some of the global south the promise of economic growth outweighs political fears. Yet progress is slow, and not coordinated. Mostly migration reform happens in regions and between neighbours.

    The progress in the East African Community is particularly notable compared with other African regional communities. We identify a number of reasons for this, including strong leadership and co-operation between state and non-state actors.

    The commitment to free movement

    The East African Community adopted its Common Market Protocol in 2010. The bloc is made up of Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the DRC and Somalia.

    The regional body’s common market pact includes the movement of goods, services, capital and people. It gives people the right – on paper at least – to find employment across borders, the right to reside and the right to establish a business. There is also a commitment to the harmonisation and mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications and labour policies to ease mobility.

    Even before the common market protocol, the regional bloc began to establish one-stop border posts on many of its internal borders to facilitate the flow of goods and people. Though they don’t all operate the same way or equally well, they have been successful at easing movement.

    Uneven outcomes

    The common market’s impact on the movement of people has been uneven within the region. Most integrated are Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, which allow the cross-border movement of citizens with standardised identity documents – they do not need passports.

    It is also relatively easy to get jobs across these borders.

    Tanzania and Burundi are close to the inner circle but still require passports, though no visas. The three states which joined more recently, South Sudan, the DRC and Somalia, are all fragile states with governance systems that do not always meet the standards needed for acceptance into all the privileges of the regional bloc.

    In practice there is differential treatment. Generally, it is more difficult for citizens of the three latecomers to get regular access and jobs in their regional partners.

    Another limitation when it comes to the mobility of people is that little progress has been made in the formal harmonisation of education, health and social welfare systems between member states. This inhibits job seeking across borders.

    In addition, national labour laws, which tend to require permits for foreigners, still apply to varying degrees in the region. Some countries are more permissive. For example, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have a reciprocal no-fee work permit agreement.

    Another shortcoming has been that the outcomes of court processes in enforcing the freedom of movement have been disappointing. This is so even though the regional bloc has an active East African Court of Justice. Its legal mandate includes the enforcement of the bloc’s treaty and its protocols.

    In some cases the court has found that national actions inhibiting the movement of persons were trumped by the regional protocol. It has instructed the errant governments to comply. But its ability to enforce the decisions is minimal.

    Reasons for success

    Leadership has been important. The fact that the strongest economy in the region, Kenya, has been part of the leading echelon is significant.

    Rwanda and Uganda have led by example too. Rwanda was one of the first countries on the continent to offer visa-free entry to all other African countries. For its part, Uganda is widely admired for its refugee inclusion programmes.

    Another factor outlined in our report has been the opportunity for collaboration fostered by relationships between formal institutions, such as governments, and non-state actors such as the International Organisation for Migration. Interactions between these various players have created opportunities for officials and policymakers from states of the region to meet, discuss issues of concern, and develop relationships of trust and understanding.

    Another non-state donor-funded actor, TradeMark Africa, which was established in 2010 to support in the implementation of the common market in east Africa, provided considerable support. For example it supported the implementation of the regional One-Stop Border Post programme..

    Way forward

    Based on our report we identified changes that could make a positive difference.

    Firstly, the development of reliable, harmonised systems in the region to collect and manage data on population mobility and employment. This would build confidence that policy was being made on the basis of reliable information.

    Secondly, reducing friction in cross-border monetary transactions, including migrants’ remittances. This would make it easier for migrants to send some of their income to their countries of origin.

    Thirdly, improvements to population registers, identity documents, passports and cross-border migration management systems. Improvements would build mutual trust in the integrity of systems and pave the way for further commitments to lowering migration barriers.

    Fourth, cooperation on cross-border access to social services such as health and education. This is one of the most important intermediate steps towards freeing up mobility for the citizens of the region.

    Fifth, reconsidering some of the amendments made to weaken the East African Court of Justice in 2007. This would strengthen the de jure powers of the court, adding considerably to the entrenchment of cross-border rights in the region.

    Ultimately, the key constraint in the region is political and security instability, which holds back social and economic development. Nevertheless, incremental progress on mobility is possible despite issues in the fragile states, even though it may result in asymmetric progress within the East African Community.

    Alan Hirsch’s work on migration governance is part of his responsibilities while employed as a Senior Research Fellow at the New South Institute.

    – ref. East African countries and open borders: great strides, but still a long way to go – https://theconversation.com/east-african-countries-and-open-borders-great-strides-but-still-a-long-way-to-go-261021

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The Bank of Russia has clarified the criteria for obtaining the status of a qualified investor

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The income level has been specified as an independent criterion for obtaining the status of a qualified investor: it must be at least 12 million rubles per year over the past 2 years. In combination with other criteria – complicated testing, education or an academic degree – the requirement is reduced to 6 million rubles. Income from the sale of real estate will not be taken into account. Such parameters are defined inindication Bank of Russia, which was registered by the Ministry of Justice.

    According to the educational criterion, instead of the current requirement for higher economic education, a list of specialties and areas of training is established, including in combination with the income or property criterion. Thus, a person can become a qualified investor if he received an education in the specialty “Accounting, Analysis and Audit” or “Taxes and Taxation” and his average annual income is 6 million rubles. International certificates, which are already used as requirements for investment advisers, have been added to the list of certificates taken into account when recognizing an investor as qualified.

    The parameters of the property criterion have not changed: now the minimum amount of assets that a person must own is 12 million rubles, and from January 1, 2026, it will increase to 24 million rubles. But in combination with other criteria, the requirements will be 2 times less – 6 million and 12 million rubles, respectively.

    The regulation will come into force on July 28, 2025.

    Preview photo: Vitalii Vodolazskyi / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Xtract One Selected by Meridian Public Schools to Strengthen Safety Across the District

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xtract One Technologies (TSX: XTRA)(OTCQX: XTRAF)(FRA: 0PL) (“Xtract One” or the “Company”) today announced its SmartGateway has been selected by Meridian Public School District (MPSD) in Meridian, Mississippi to amplify school safety throughout its campuses. The comprehensive, customizable entry screening solution is designed to unobtrusively scan students and visitors with the ability to detect concealed threats before they are brought onto campus, maintaining a secure, yet welcoming, school environment.

    Understanding the importance of fostering a safe learning environment, Meridian Public Schools is set to deploy Xtract One’s SmartGateway initially for the High School, and with plans to eventually deploy across all ten campuses, prioritizing the safety of over 4,500 students and 1,000 employees. After evaluating several safety solutions, Meridian Public Schools selected SmartGateway due to its proven ability to deliver advanced detection capabilities with minimal disruptions.

    “Proactive threat detection is crucial for preventing disturbance in educational institutions. The right system combined with a strategic, holistic, and people-first plan makes for an even more effective safety protocol,” said Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One. “We’re excited to expand our school footprint working with Meridian Public Schools, as our presence helps ensure that students and faculty can prioritize a focus on education without personal safety concerns.”

    “At Meridian Public Schools, maintaining the safety of our students, staff, and visitors is our highest priority and our partnership with Xtract One is an example of that,” said Chief Cornelius Parks, Chief of Police at Meridian Public School District. “We’re passionate about cultivating safer spaces for the community that allow individuals to enter our buildings, and experience a positive learning environment. The implementation of SmartGateway demonstrates the shared commitment between MPSD and Xtract One in proactively detecting and addressing security challenges and creating safer environments for the community that allow individuals to enjoy campus life, experience an optimal learning environment, and have peace of mind.

    SmartGateway replaces intimidating metal detectors with fast, reliable, and accurate weapons screening at security checkpoints. Powered by AI sensors, SmartGateway detects threats discreetly, without invading the sense of privacy of those passing through the system. SmartGateway unobtrusively scans individuals for guns, knives, and other prohibited items as they enter the building. The system allows for seamless passage through checkpoints, enabling uninterrupted flow of movement that lets individuals enter the building significantly reducing the need to divest of low volume personal items.

    To learn more, visit www.xtractone.com.

    About Xtract One
    Xtract One Technologies is a leading technology-driven provider of threat detection and security solutions leveraging AI to deliver seamless and secure experiences. The Company makes unobtrusive weapons and threat detection systems that are designed to assist facility operators in prioritizing- and delivering improved “Walk-right-In” experiences while enhancing safety. Xtract One’s innovative portfolio of AI-powered Gateway solutions excels at allowing facilities to discreetly screen and identify weapons and other threats at points of entry and exit without disrupting the flow of traffic. With solutions built to serve the unique market needs for schools, hospitals, arenas, stadiums, manufacturing, distribution, and other customers, Xtract One is recognized as a market leader delivering the highest security in combination with the best individual experience. For more information, visit www.xtractone.com or connect on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

    About Meridian Public School District
    The Meridian Public School District strives to inspire and develop excellence in everyone. MPSD serves 4,500 students on ten school campuses. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.mpsdk12.net.

    About Threat Detection and Security Solutions
    Xtract One solutions, when properly configured, deployed, and utilized, are designed to help enhance safety and reduce threats. Given the wide range of potential threats in today’s world, no threat detection system is 100% effective. Xtract One solutions should be utilized as one element in a multilayered approach to physical security.

    Forward Looking Statements
    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks detailed from time to time in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

    For further information, please contact:
    Xtract One Inquiries: info@xtractone.com, http://www.xtractone.com   
    Investor Relations: Chris Witty, Darrow Associates, cwitty@darrowir.com, 646-438-9385
    Media Contact: Kristen Aikey, JMG Public Relations, kristen@jmgpr.com, 212-206-1645

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Commission decides to refer MALTA to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not correctly applying EU law in relation to port workers 

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 17 Jul 2025 The European Commission decided to refer Malta to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fulfil its obligations under the EU treaties in relation to its port workers regime.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Commission refers HUNGARY to the Court of Justice of the European Union for contradicting the Union’s position on intra-EU arbitrations under the Energy Charter Treaty

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 17 Jul 2025 Today, the Commission decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union for contradicting the Union’s position on intra-EU arbitrations under the Energy Charter Treaty and not abiding to the case law of the Court of Justice.  

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Unacceptable Libyan grievances against Greece and the attempt to create faits accomplis in the Eastern Mediterranean – P-002851/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-002851/2025
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)

    On 20 June 2025, the Permanent Mission of Libya to the UN issued a Note Verbale accusing Greece of a ‘serious breach of international law’, arguing that Greek permits for hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete allegedly infringe Libya’s ‘sovereign rights’.

    Invoking the blatantly illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum of understanding, both non-officially recognised Libyan governments are attempting to challenge Greek sovereignty and denying the influence of the Greek islands – even Crete itself – in maritime zones, in breach of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This is a dangerous escalation, which is part of the broader strategy of the Turkish and Libyan governments to destabilise the Eastern Mediterranean and challenge the lawful rights of an EU Member State.

    In view of the above, can the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy say:

    • 1.Will she strongly condemn the non-existent Libyan grievances and the invocation of an illegal memorandum that grossly violates international law?
    • 2.How does she intend to actively defend Greece’s sovereignty and sovereign rights, while protecting the EU’s strategic interests in the Eastern Mediterranean against such destabilising practices?

    Submitted: 13.7.2025

    Last updated: 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Parts relating to firearm marking requirements in Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 and Firearms and Ammunition (Marking of Firearms) Regulation to come into effect on July 25

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    A spokesman for the Security Bureau said today (July 17) that the Government will publish the Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 (Commencement) Notice (Commencement Notice) and the Firearms and Ammunition (Marking of Firearms) Regulation (Regulation) in the Gazette tomorrow (July 18) to fully implement the United Nation’s Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition (Firearms Protocol). The Commencement Notice and the Regulation will come into operation on July 25, 2025.
     
    The spokesman said, “The Firearms Protocol entered into force in 2005 to strengthen control over licit firearms, prevent their diversion into the illegal circuit, and promote relevant law enforcement co-operation of the States Parties. The Firearms Protocol has entered into force for the People’s Republic of China (including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)) since January 18, 2024. The Firearms Protocol stipulates the requirement to criminalise illicit manufacturing of or cross-border trafficking in firearms, component parts and ammunition, as well as falsifying or illicitly obliterating, removing or altering of the requisite markings on firearms.”

    The Government tabled the Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill 2025 at the Legislative Council (LegCo) on April 2, 2025, which was passed by the LegCo on May 28, 2025. The Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 (Amended Ordinance) empowers the Commissioner of Police (Commissioner) to enact subsidiary legislation to set out the detailed technical requirements for marking of firearms. Except for the parts relating to firearm marking (namely sections 8, 9, 10(1), 11, 13, 14, 15(1), (2) and (3), 16, 17, and 18 of the Amended Ordinance), the other parts of the Amended Ordinance came into effect upon gazettal on June 6, 2025.

    ​The spokesman added, “According to the Amended Ordinance, the parts relating to firearm marking shall come into operation on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Security (S for S) by notice published in the Gazette. The S for S now decides that the provisions relating to firearm marking in the Amended Ordinance shall come into effect on July 25, 2025. The Commissioner also enacts the Regulation, specifying the marking requirements for firearms manufactured in or imported into the HKSAR, including the location of markings, the method of engraving, the size of markings, as well as the exemptions for imported firearms from marking and the related requirements. The Regulation will come into force on July 25, 2025.”

    The Government will table the Commencement Notice and the Regulation at the LegCo on the coming Wednesday (July 23) for negative vetting.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New appointments to Board of the Office for Environmental Protection

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    New appointments to Board of the Office for Environmental Protection

    Two appointments and two re-appointments to the OEP Board

    Professor Elizabeth Fisher and Caroline May have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), and Professor Dan Laffoley and Dr Paul Leinster CBE have been reappointed for second terms.

    Elizabeth Fisher’s and Caroline May’s new roles will run from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2029. Dan Laffoley’s and Paul Leinster’s second terms will run from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2026.

    The appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

    The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) was created in November 2021 under the Environment Act. It is an independent statutory body with a remit to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account in England and Northern Ireland.

    Biographies

    Professor Elizabeth Fisher

    • Professor Elizabeth Fisher is Professor of Environmental Law at the Faculty of Law and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford.

    • She has over three decades of experience as an environmental law academic and writes widely on environmental law and administrative law in national common law jurisdictions.

    • She was General Editor of the Journal of Environmental Law from 2012 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2025 she held a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship for a project exploring legal imagination and environmental law.

    • She is a Delegate of Oxford University Press and has served as Vice Dean of the Oxford Law Faculty. She is also an Overseas Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and has been a Member of the OEP’s Advisory Group on Environmental Principles since 2023.

    Caroline May

    • Caroline May has been a specialist environmental  lawyer for over 35 years. She is currently head of the environment, ESG and safety practice for Europe, Middle East and Asia at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, where she has been a partner since 2006.

    • She is Chair of the Law Society Climate Change Committee which produced the world’s first professional services guidance on climate change.

    • She is Honorary President of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and a former Director of leading sustainability NGO, the Aldersgate Group. She sat on the National Council of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) for 6 years.

    • She is a Freeman of the City of London and is listed in the Ends Power List 2024, as a Green Ambassador for the UK by Legal 500, and in the Guide to the World’s Leading Environmental Lawyers.

    Professor Dan Laffoley

    • Professor Dan Laffoley is a scientist, communicator, explorer and marine biologist, with over four decades of experience in the UK, Europe and around the world.  He is a UK and international expert on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and conservation.

    • He is Emeritus Marine Vice Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas responsible for global targets and guidance on ocean protection.

    • Prior to that he led the development and scale-up of the marine conservation work of Natural England and English Nature. He has been responsible for the creation of many global, European and UK public and private sector partnerships, alliances and frameworks that underpin modern-day marine conservation.

    • This work includes creating the concept behind Blue Carbon, scaling up knowledge and action on ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation, scaling-up work on marine World Heritage and conservation of the High Seas, and various global guidance on implementing MPAs and marine spatial planning.

    Dr Paul Leinster CBE

    • Dr Paul Leinster CBE has over 40 years of practical experience in environmental management, science, policy and regulatory development and implementation in the private and public sectors.

    • He is Chair of Water Resources East, the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group, the Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership, the Great Ouse Rivers Trust, and the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership and is a Board Member of Delphic HSE.

    • He is a visiting professor at Cranfield University where from October 2015 to December 2020 he was Professor of Environmental Assessment and was a Member of the Government’s Natural Capital Committee.

    • Immediately prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the Environment Agency for more than seven years. Prior to joining the EA in 1998 he worked for more than 20 years in the private sector.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor of London joins leaders in Accra to announce ‘historic’ new memorial site for victims of Transatlantic Slavery

    Source: Mayor of London

    • New memorial in Accra will stand testament to the one million people who were trafficked from the Gold Coast (present day Ghana) as part of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
    • Planned artwork in Accra and Freetown will be first of a global network linked to the landmark memorial planned in London & funded by the Mayor
    • Sadiq made the announcement during his trade mission to Africa

    The first of a global network of memorials to victims of Transatlantic Slavery will be created in Ghana, linked to the landmark memorial planned in London, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Mayor of Accra Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey announced today.

    The Mayor of London joined his counterpart in Accra to unveil plans for the memorial, as part of his historic five-day trade mission to Africa, as he continues to strengthen ties with countries across the continent.

    Sadiq announced last year that ‘The Wake’ by Khaleb Brooks had been selected as the Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery in London, with £500,000 funding from the Mayor. The first of its scale and profile in the UK, the new memorial will be located in West India Quay in London Docklands. A number of smaller memorials will be installed at other locations that have connections to the trade of enslaved people, recognising that the legacy of Transatlantic Slavery is still present the capital.

    Accra in Ghana will host the first of these partner memorials at a site outside its City Hall, with plans led by local leaders and communities. It will kickstart a global network of memorials that will connect back to ‘The Wake’ design in London, a seven-metre tall sculpture in the shape of a bronze cowrie shell that includes the names of enslaved people inside and a wind-chime soundscape, which is expected to be installed in 2026. Freetown in Sierra Leone will also join this global network of memorial sites. Each international partner memorial will be marked by a smaller cowrie shell artwork also designed by Khaleb Brooks.

    London played a key role in the organisation and funding of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. While there are some monuments commemorating abolition in Ghana, and many statues and buildings reflecting the wealth and power the slave trade created internationally, more needs to be done to remember the millions of people who were enslaved and abused as a result – along with its impact on generations of Africans around the world.

    All of the partner memorials will involve programmes educating future generations about the connections between London’s wealth and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The new partner memorial in Accra will recognise the lasting and devastating impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and stand testament to the one million people who were trafficked from the Gold Coast (present day Ghana) across the world.

    Sadiq is this week visiting Lagos in Nigeria, Accra in Ghana, and Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa to build on extensive connections between the countries and the capital’s growing African diaspora, and boost trade links with London.

    The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m honoured to join the Mayor of Accra to announce the first partner memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery. This painful history continues to shape global society, and remembering the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade is essential for us to understand ongoing inequalities today.

    “This historic artwork will directly connect to the landmark memorial we are creating in London, providing a place to educate people about of the capital’s role in this terrible episode in human history.

    “It’s now more important than ever that we commit to confronting these difficult parts of our history so that we can remember the millions of lives that were changed forever, but also learn from it.”

    Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, Mayor of Accra, said: “The new memorial to be mounted in Accra marks an important and solemn moment for our city and for Ghana as a whole and will stand as a powerful reminder of the resilience of those who were enslaved and of our shared responsibility to remember and honour their lives.

    “Hosting the first of these partner memorials in Accra, we hope to create a space for reflection, education, and healing to educate future generations of the painful chapter of our history and its enduring impact. This initiative, in partnership with the Mayor of London, will no doubt help in fostering dialogue and building stronger connections between the two communities.

    “On behalf of the city of Accra, we are grateful to Mayor Sadiq Khan and the people of London for their commitment to telling this story in a way that transcends borders.”

    Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, said: “I welcome the official plans for the first partner memorial site in Accra, Ghana which will link back to the memorial being created for London as part of a global network of locations educating future generations on the history and legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

    “When complete, this memorial will bring to light a history that should never be forgotten, marks a past that we must learn from, and reminds us of our collective duty to creating a better society. Only by educating our current and future generations and actively working to tackle the inequalities of today, can we build a fairer London and world for all.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU and the All-Russian Society “Knowledge” held an educational lecture for foreign students “Achievements of Crimea”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Official website of the State –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On July 16, 2025, a lecture “Achievements of Crimea” for foreign students at the State University of Management was held at the site of the State University of Management as part of the All-Russian Society “Knowledge” project.

    The speaker was Andrey Boltaevsky, a lecturer of the All-Russian Society “Knowledge”, head of the Department of Humanities and Foreign Languages at the Russian University of Cooperation, and candidate of historical sciences.

    Let us recall that the cooperation agreement between the State University of Management and the All-Russian Society “Knowledge” was signed at the end of last year.

    During the lecture, foreign students were introduced to the regional characteristics of the Republic of Crimea, the history of its return to the Russian Federation in 2014, the main attractions, the latest infrastructure, which includes the Crimean Bridge, the Tavrida highway, medical and energy facilities.

    Foreign students of the State University of Management are interested in the possibilities of visiting the Republic of Crimea, social relations between ethnic groups of the peninsula and the conditions of participation in the art cluster “Tavrida”, which is a platform of opportunities for creative youth.

    In conclusion, the students thanked the speaker for the informative information and wished success to the project “Learn Russia with Knowledge”.

    The Russian Society “Knowledge” is a public organization, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, which carries out educational work in the regions, forms intellectual content, organizes and conducts free lectures, as well as various events in the field of education, social support and social protection of students and pupils of educational institutions and the elderly. Today, this is an organization that unites tens of thousands of representatives of the Russian intelligentsia.

    The event was organized by the State University of Management and the All-Russian Society “Knowledge” with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit

    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall

    Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia.

    A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and would operate within the states’ domestic legal and legislative frameworks.

    Nearly two dozen other nations in attendance at the summit are now pondering whether to sign up to the measures before a September deadline set by the Hague Group.

    New Zealand and Australia stayed away from the summit.

    The measures include preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel and dual-use items to Israel and preventing the transit, docking or servicing of vessels if there is a risk of vessels carrying such items. No vessel under the flag of the countries would be allowed to carry this equipment.

    The countries would also “commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

    The countries will prosecute “the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes”.

    They agreed to support universal jurisdiction mandates, “as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory”.

    This will mean IDF soldiers and others accused of war crimes in Palestine would face arrest and could go through domestic judicial processes in these countries, or referrals to the ICC.

    The statement said the measures constituted a collective commitment to defend the foundational principles of international law.

    It also called on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to commission an immediate investigation of the health and nutritional needs of the population of Gaza, devise a plan to meet those needs on a continuing and sustained basis, and report on these matters before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    Following repeated total blockades of Gaza since October 7, 2023, Gazans have been dying of starvation as they continue to be bombed and repeatedly displaced and their means of life destroyed.

    The official death toll stands at nearly 59,000, mostly women and children, although some estimates put that number at over 200,000.

    The joint statement recognised Israel as a threat to regional peace and the system of international law and called on all United Nations member states to enforce their obligations under the UN charter.

    It condemned “unilateral attacks and threats against United Nations mandate holders, as well as key institutions of the human rights architecture and international justice” and committed to build “on the legacy of global solidarity movements that have dismantled apartheid and other oppressive systems, setting a model for future co-ordinated responses to international law violations”.

    Countries face wrath of US
     Ministers, high-ranking officials and envoys from 30 nations attended the two-day event, from July 15-16, called to come up with the measures. It is now hoped some of those attendees will sign up to the statement by September.

    For countries like Ireland, which sent a delegation, signing up would have profound implications. The Irish government has been heavily criticised by its own citizens for continuing to allow Shannon Airport as a transit point for military equipment from the United States to be sent to Israel.

    It would also face the prospect of severe reprisals by the US, as would others thinking of adding their names to the collective statement. The US is now expected to consult with nations that attended and warn them of the consequences of signing up.

    The summit had been billed by the UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, as “the most significant political development of the last 20 months”.

    Albanese had told attendees that “for too long, international law has been treated as optional — applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful”.

    “This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” she said.

    Co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa, the Hague group was established by nine nations in late January at The Hague in the Netherlands to hold Israel to account for its crimes and push for Palestinian self-determination.

    Colombia last year ended diplomatic relations with Israel, while South Africa in late December 2023 filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, which was joined by nearly two dozen countries.

    The ICJ has determined a plausible genocide is taking place and issued orders for Israel to protect Palestinians and take measures to stop genocide taking place, a call ignored by the Zionist state.

    Representatives from the countries arrived in Bogota this week in defiance of the United States, which last week sanctioned Albanese for attempts to have US and Israeli political officials and business leaders prosecuted by the ICC over Gaza.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an illegitimate “campaign of political and economic warfare”.

    It followed the sanctioning of four ICC judges after arrest warrants were issued in November last year for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Ahead of the Bogota meeting, the US State Department accused The Hague Group of multilateral attempts to “weaponise international law as a tool to advance radical anti-Western agendas” and warned the US would “aggressively defend” its interests.

    Signs of division in the West
     Most of those attending came from nations in the Global South, but not all.

    Founding Hague Group members Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa attended the Summit. Joining them were Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

    However, in a sign of increasing division in the West, NATO members Spain, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia and Turkey also attended.

    Inside the summit, former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, who resigned in March over Gaza, defended the right of those attending “to uphold their obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

    “This is not the weaponisation of international law. This is the application of international law,” she told delegates.

    The US and Israel deny accusations that genocide is taking place in Gaza, while Western media have collectively refused to adjudicate the claims or frame stories around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the strip, despite ample evidence by the UN and genocide experts.

    Since 7 October 2023, US allies have offered diplomatic cover for Israel by repeating it had “a right to defend itself” and was engaged in a legitimate defensive “war against Hamas”.

    Israel now plans to corral starving Gazans into a concentration camp in the south of the strip, with many analysts expecting the IDF to exterminate anyone found outside its boundaries, while preparing to push those inside across the border into Egypt.

    Asia Pacific and EU allies shun Bogota summit
     Addressing attendees at the summit yesterday, Albanese criticised the EU for its neo-colonialism and support for Israel, criticisms that can be extended to US allies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Independent journalist Abby Martin reported Albanese as saying: “Europe and its institutions are guided more by colonial mindset than principle, acting as vessels to US Empire even as it drags us from war to war, misery to misery.

    “The Hague Group is a new moral centre in world politics. Millions are hoping for leadership that can birth a new global order, rooted in justice, humanity and collective liberation. It’s not just about Palestine. This is about all of us.”

    The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked why Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not take up an invite to attend the Hague Group meeting. In a statement to Mick Hall in Context, a spokesperson said she had been unable to attend, but did not explain why.

    She said Australia was a “resolute defender of international law” and added: “Australia has consistently been part of international calls that all parties must abide by international humanitarian law. Not enough has been done to protect civilians and aid workers.

    “We have called on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “We have also called on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the ICJ, including to enable the unhindered provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.”

    When asked why New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters had failed to take up the invitation or send any of his officials, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson simply refused to comment.

    She said MFAT media advisors would only engage with “recognised news media outlets”.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as well as a number of his ministers, have been referred to the ICC by domestic legal teams, accused of complicity in the genocide.

    Evidence against Albanese was accepted into the ICC’s wider investigation of crimes in Gaza in October last year, while Luxon’s referral earlier this month is being assessed by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

    Delegates told humanity at stake
     Delegates heard several impassioned addresses from speakers on what was at stake during the two-day event in Bogota.

    Palestinian-American trauma surgeon, Dr Thaer Ahmad, told the gathering that Palestinians seeking food were being met with bullets, describing aid distribution facilities set up by the US contractor-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “slaughterhouses”. More than 800 starving Gazans have been killed at the GHF aid points so far.

    “People know they could die but cannot sit idly by and watch their families starve,” he said.

    “The bullets fired by GHF mercenaries are just one part of the weaponisation of aid, where Palestinians are ghettoised into areas where somebody in military fatigues decides if you are worthy of food or not.”

    Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour had urged the summit attendees to take decisive action to not only save the Palestinian people, but redeem humanity.

    “Instead of outrage at the crimes we know are taking place, we find those who defend, normalise, and even celebrate them,” he said.

    “The core values we believed humanity agreed were universal are shattered, blown to pieces like the tens of thousands of starved, murdered and injured civilians in Palestine.

    “The mind and heart cannot fathom or process the immense pain and horror that has taken hold of the lives of an entire people. We must not fail — not just for Palestine’s sake — but for humanity’s sake.”

    At the beginning of the summit, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir told summit delegates the Palestinian genocide threatened the entire international system.

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in The Guardian last week: “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”

    Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers, as well as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met in Brussels at the same time as the Bogota summit, to discuss Middle East co-operation, but also possible options for action against Israel.

    At the EU–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put forward potential actions after Israel was found to have breached the EU economic cooperation deal with the bloc on human rights grounds. As expected, no sanctions, restricted trade or suspension of the co-operation deal were agreed.

    The EU has been one of Israel’s most strident backers in its campaign against Gaza, with EU members Germany and France in particular supplying weapons, as well as political support.

    The UK government has continued to supply arms and operate spy planes over Gaza over the past 21 months, launched from bases in Cyprus, while its military has issued D-Notices to censor media reports that its special forces have been operating inside the occupied territories.

    Mick Hall is an independent Irish-New Zealand journalist, formerly of RNZ and AAP, based in New Zealand since 2009. He writes primarily on politics, corporate power and international affairs. This article is republished from his substack Mick Hall in Context with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit

    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall

    Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia.

    A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and would operate within the states’ domestic legal and legislative frameworks.

    Nearly two dozen other nations in attendance at the summit are now pondering whether to sign up to the measures before a September deadline set by the Hague Group.

    New Zealand and Australia stayed away from the summit.

    The measures include preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel and dual-use items to Israel and preventing the transit, docking or servicing of vessels if there is a risk of vessels carrying such items. No vessel under the flag of the countries would be allowed to carry this equipment.

    The countries would also “commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

    The countries will prosecute “the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes”.

    They agreed to support universal jurisdiction mandates, “as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory”.

    This will mean IDF soldiers and others accused of war crimes in Palestine would face arrest and could go through domestic judicial processes in these countries, or referrals to the ICC.

    The statement said the measures constituted a collective commitment to defend the foundational principles of international law.

    It also called on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to commission an immediate investigation of the health and nutritional needs of the population of Gaza, devise a plan to meet those needs on a continuing and sustained basis, and report on these matters before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    Following repeated total blockades of Gaza since October 7, 2023, Gazans have been dying of starvation as they continue to be bombed and repeatedly displaced and their means of life destroyed.

    The official death toll stands at nearly 59,000, mostly women and children, although some estimates put that number at over 200,000.

    The joint statement recognised Israel as a threat to regional peace and the system of international law and called on all United Nations member states to enforce their obligations under the UN charter.

    It condemned “unilateral attacks and threats against United Nations mandate holders, as well as key institutions of the human rights architecture and international justice” and committed to build “on the legacy of global solidarity movements that have dismantled apartheid and other oppressive systems, setting a model for future co-ordinated responses to international law violations”.

    Countries face wrath of US
     Ministers, high-ranking officials and envoys from 30 nations attended the two-day event, from July 15-16, called to come up with the measures. It is now hoped some of those attendees will sign up to the statement by September.

    For countries like Ireland, which sent a delegation, signing up would have profound implications. The Irish government has been heavily criticised by its own citizens for continuing to allow Shannon Airport as a transit point for military equipment from the United States to be sent to Israel.

    It would also face the prospect of severe reprisals by the US, as would others thinking of adding their names to the collective statement. The US is now expected to consult with nations that attended and warn them of the consequences of signing up.

    The summit had been billed by the UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, as “the most significant political development of the last 20 months”.

    Albanese had told attendees that “for too long, international law has been treated as optional — applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful”.

    “This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” she said.

    Co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa, the Hague group was established by nine nations in late January at The Hague in the Netherlands to hold Israel to account for its crimes and push for Palestinian self-determination.

    Colombia last year ended diplomatic relations with Israel, while South Africa in late December 2023 filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, which was joined by nearly two dozen countries.

    The ICJ has determined a plausible genocide is taking place and issued orders for Israel to protect Palestinians and take measures to stop genocide taking place, a call ignored by the Zionist state.

    Representatives from the countries arrived in Bogota this week in defiance of the United States, which last week sanctioned Albanese for attempts to have US and Israeli political officials and business leaders prosecuted by the ICC over Gaza.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an illegitimate “campaign of political and economic warfare”.

    It followed the sanctioning of four ICC judges after arrest warrants were issued in November last year for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Ahead of the Bogota meeting, the US State Department accused The Hague Group of multilateral attempts to “weaponise international law as a tool to advance radical anti-Western agendas” and warned the US would “aggressively defend” its interests.

    Signs of division in the West
     Most of those attending came from nations in the Global South, but not all.

    Founding Hague Group members Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa attended the Summit. Joining them were Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

    However, in a sign of increasing division in the West, NATO members Spain, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia and Turkey also attended.

    Inside the summit, former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, who resigned in March over Gaza, defended the right of those attending “to uphold their obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

    “This is not the weaponisation of international law. This is the application of international law,” she told delegates.

    The US and Israel deny accusations that genocide is taking place in Gaza, while Western media have collectively refused to adjudicate the claims or frame stories around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the strip, despite ample evidence by the UN and genocide experts.

    Since 7 October 2023, US allies have offered diplomatic cover for Israel by repeating it had “a right to defend itself” and was engaged in a legitimate defensive “war against Hamas”.

    Israel now plans to corral starving Gazans into a concentration camp in the south of the strip, with many analysts expecting the IDF to exterminate anyone found outside its boundaries, while preparing to push those inside across the border into Egypt.

    Asia Pacific and EU allies shun Bogota summit
     Addressing attendees at the summit yesterday, Albanese criticised the EU for its neo-colonialism and support for Israel, criticisms that can be extended to US allies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Independent journalist Abby Martin reported Albanese as saying: “Europe and its institutions are guided more by colonial mindset than principle, acting as vessels to US Empire even as it drags us from war to war, misery to misery.

    “The Hague Group is a new moral centre in world politics. Millions are hoping for leadership that can birth a new global order, rooted in justice, humanity and collective liberation. It’s not just about Palestine. This is about all of us.”

    The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked why Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not take up an invite to attend the Hague Group meeting. In a statement to Mick Hall in Context, a spokesperson said she had been unable to attend, but did not explain why.

    She said Australia was a “resolute defender of international law” and added: “Australia has consistently been part of international calls that all parties must abide by international humanitarian law. Not enough has been done to protect civilians and aid workers.

    “We have called on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “We have also called on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the ICJ, including to enable the unhindered provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.”

    When asked why New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters had failed to take up the invitation or send any of his officials, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson simply refused to comment.

    She said MFAT media advisors would only engage with “recognised news media outlets”.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as well as a number of his ministers, have been referred to the ICC by domestic legal teams, accused of complicity in the genocide.

    Evidence against Albanese was accepted into the ICC’s wider investigation of crimes in Gaza in October last year, while Luxon’s referral earlier this month is being assessed by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

    Delegates told humanity at stake
     Delegates heard several impassioned addresses from speakers on what was at stake during the two-day event in Bogota.

    Palestinian-American trauma surgeon, Dr Thaer Ahmad, told the gathering that Palestinians seeking food were being met with bullets, describing aid distribution facilities set up by the US contractor-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “slaughterhouses”. More than 800 starving Gazans have been killed at the GHF aid points so far.

    “People know they could die but cannot sit idly by and watch their families starve,” he said.

    “The bullets fired by GHF mercenaries are just one part of the weaponisation of aid, where Palestinians are ghettoised into areas where somebody in military fatigues decides if you are worthy of food or not.”

    Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour had urged the summit attendees to take decisive action to not only save the Palestinian people, but redeem humanity.

    “Instead of outrage at the crimes we know are taking place, we find those who defend, normalise, and even celebrate them,” he said.

    “The core values we believed humanity agreed were universal are shattered, blown to pieces like the tens of thousands of starved, murdered and injured civilians in Palestine.

    “The mind and heart cannot fathom or process the immense pain and horror that has taken hold of the lives of an entire people. We must not fail — not just for Palestine’s sake — but for humanity’s sake.”

    At the beginning of the summit, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir told summit delegates the Palestinian genocide threatened the entire international system.

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in The Guardian last week: “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”

    Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers, as well as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met in Brussels at the same time as the Bogota summit, to discuss Middle East co-operation, but also possible options for action against Israel.

    At the EU–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put forward potential actions after Israel was found to have breached the EU economic cooperation deal with the bloc on human rights grounds. As expected, no sanctions, restricted trade or suspension of the co-operation deal were agreed.

    The EU has been one of Israel’s most strident backers in its campaign against Gaza, with EU members Germany and France in particular supplying weapons, as well as political support.

    The UK government has continued to supply arms and operate spy planes over Gaza over the past 21 months, launched from bases in Cyprus, while its military has issued D-Notices to censor media reports that its special forces have been operating inside the occupied territories.

    Mick Hall is an independent Irish-New Zealand journalist, formerly of RNZ and AAP, based in New Zealand since 2009. He writes primarily on politics, corporate power and international affairs. This article is republished from his substack Mick Hall in Context with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appeal launched for information on graffiti tag

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   Appeal launched for information on graffiti tag

    Canterbury City Council is appealing for information about the identity of this man who could hold vital information about the spraying of a graffiti tag in Canterbury that has also been seen in other locations across the district.

    The individual pictured below was seen on CCTV (above) in St Dunstan’s Street on 17 June this year.

    The tag has also been spotted in New Dover Road and St George’s Place in the city and at Whitstable Harbour (below), among many places.

    Such has been the prolific nature of this tagging on public facing walls, underpasses and street ‘furniture’ such as utility boxes, the council estimates it has spent around £2,000 of council taxpayers’ money cleaning off and covering up this one tag alone, through the work of its dedicated graffiti team.

    Investigations so far have not resulted in the council being able to identify the tagger, so a public appeal is now the only option to try and stop these activities from continuing.

    Cabinet member for enforcement, Cllr Connie Nolan, said: “There is no evidence the tagger has slowed their activities at all, which means our cleaning and removal costs will continue to rise and public areas will continue to be defaced unless we take proportionate action.

    “We know the vast majority of residents abhor graffiti tagging as it increases public anxiety, makes the place look unkempt and costs money to clean up, which could be spent on other vital frontline services.

    “Hopefully this appeal will result in information that allows us to stop this tag from appearing in the future.”

    Information can be provided, anonymously if necessary, by emailing streetsceneenforcement@canterbury.gov.uk or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

    The council also offers a £500 reward for information that leads to the formal sanction of an individual for committing these offences.

    Published: 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil Society Covenant: Barnsley Stronger Communities

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Civil Society Covenant: Barnsley Stronger Communities

    Improving local areas through co-production with communities.

    In 2013, Barnsley Council’s Stronger Communities programme shifted from traditional service delivery to a community partnership model. It actively involves communities and civil society organisations in designing, delivering, and reviewing services through devolved decision making. 

    To target resources in the most cost-effective way to meet local needs, the council increased community involvement, moving from “doing things for” to “working with” residents and community groups.

    Ward Alliances

    Barnsley Council established ‘Ward Alliances’, each with elected members and community representatives, a devolved budget and decision making powers. The ward alliances involved local residents and groups to inform local shared priorities and budget allocation. Their co-designed strategies across Barnsley have increased local buy-in and involvement. A Litter and Environmental Crime Plan for 2024 to 2030 was co-produced with community members and volunteers whose experiences informed the strategy, fostering shared ownership.

    Outcomes

    This shift to working with the local community has resulted in more communities engaging in local decision making, an increase in volunteer hours and in the number of local groups active in the area. The budget allocation powers within Ward Alliances have supported a range of local projects, and have empowered communities to come together, and feel united in a sense of pride in their area.  

    This community impact has contributed towards Barnsley Council’s national recognition, winning both the Local Government Chronicle’s Council of the Year title and the Municipal Journal Local Authority of the Year award in 2023, the only council to win both awards in the same year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civil Society Covenant: Home Office Knife Crime Coalition

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Case study

    Civil Society Covenant: Home Office Knife Crime Coalition

    A partnership based approach to reducing knife crime.

    Launched by the Prime Minister in September 2024, the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime is a partnership of individuals with lived experience, civil society, and campaign groups, adopting a partnership approach with government to halve knife crime within a decade.

    The collaboration brings deep understanding of interventions that can help to prevent knife crime, bringing these perspectives into policy and programme creation to tackle the issue.

    The Home Office is also working with Coalition partners to provide a platform for youth voice and their perspectives on the core issues around knife crime, increasing public safety and supporting those who need it most, ensuring young people’s lived experiences contribute to shaping government policy.

    A key example of the Coalition working in partnership with government is the valuable contribution it made to inform the policy development and design of the extended surrender arrangements for knives, ninja swords and other weapons.   

    With Coalition member FazAmnesty and Words 4 Weapons, the government are delivering extended weapon surrender arrangements throughout July 2025. FazAmnesty is operating a mobile surrender van in Greater London, the West Midlands, and Greater Manchester, while Words 4 Weapons are providing anonymous surrender bins in these areas for knives and other weapons, including ninja swords. 

    These initiatives provide safe options for young people to surrender dangerous weapons, making our streets safer and removing more weapons from communities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Blue Springs Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Ammunition

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Blue Springs, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, for illegally possessing ammunition.

    William Anthony Chaney, 38, was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition after previously being convicted in federal court in the Western District of Missouri for conspiracy to distribute PCP and conspiracy to commit money laundering in 2016.  The indictment specifically alleges that, on or about May 24, 2025, Chaney illegally possessed ammunition that had previously travelled in interstate commerce, knowing that he was a prior felon.  Chaney was on federal supervised release for his prior conviction at the time he was discovered in possession of the ammunition.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Blue Springs Missouri Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).

    Operation Take Back America

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Suspect sought over e-scooter robbery at Salisbury Downs

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Investigations are continuing into an assault and theft of an e-scooter at Salisbury Downs earlier this month.

    About 4.20am on Sunday 6 July, the victim rode his e-scooter to a service station on Salisbury Highway, Salisbury Downs.  He was confronted on the forecourt by an unknown man armed with a hammer who demanded his e-scooter.

    The victim was assaulted and had his scooter stolen.  The victim was taken to hospital for treatment of injuries.

    The suspect is described as a man with a medium build, dark hair shaved on the sides and appears to have tattoos on the front of his neck and right hand.

    Anyone who recognises the suspect caught on CCTV footage or has information that may lead to his identity is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government scales up youth-focused initiatives 

    Source: Government of South Africa

    As government pursues faster and more inclusive economic growth, the fight against youth unemployment remains a priority, with large-scale programmes underway to create opportunities for young people to earn an income, develop skills and gain work experience.

    Delivering the Presidency Budget Vote for the 2025/2026 financial year, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the greatest challenge that faces South Africa today is youth unemployment. 

    “Approximately 3.8 million out of 10.3 million young people aged 15 to 24 years are not in employment, education or training. These are young people with energy, initiative and untapped potential,” President Ramaphosa said.

    In his address on Wednesday, the President said government has launched large-scale programmes to provide young people with income opportunities, skills development and work experience.

    “Through innovative and targeted interventions, the Presidential Employment Stimulus has continued to demonstrate that when a society invests in its people, the dividends are measured in hope restored and futures rewritten,” he said. 

    He cited the Basic Education Employment Initiative, which entered a new phase in June this year, placing over 200 000 young people as school assistants in more than 2 0000 schools. 

    To date, this initiative has created over one million posts for young people to serve as assistants in schools, supporting teachers in classrooms, school administration and school maintenance.

    “The programme has been designed to strengthen the learning environment and learning outcomes in schools. In the process, participants gain work experience and skills vital to finding employment and starting their own businesses,” the President said.

    He added that the SAYouth.mobi platform was launched in 2020 to tackle the barriers faced by young people such as experience and the lack of transport or lack of data money.

    “There are now over 4.7 million young people registered on the SAYouth network. Young people have been supported to access over 1.67 million earning opportunities.

    “A significant achievement of SA Youth is that the vast majority of earning opportunities have been accessed by the most excluded young people. Seventy percent of opportunities have been accessed by young black African women,” President Ramaphosa said.

    The President noted that around 65% of the platform’s users live in grant-receiving households, demonstrating that “we are reaching some of the people who have the greatest need.”

    Another impactful initiative mentioned was the Youth Employment Service (YES), which he said has become the largest corporate-funded youth jobs programme globally. 

    The programme has to date provided over 190 000 young people with year-long work experience opportunities.

    “Through all of these programmes coordinated by the Presidency, we are changing the way that government works and scaling innovative solutions to our unemployment challenge,” the President said. 

    Education 

    Turning to education, President Ramaphosa underscored its role in fighting poverty, with a focus on early childhood development, foundational learning, and access to well-run schools.

    “We continue our efforts to ensure that learners have a safe and conducive environment in which to learn. To date, we have completed 97 percent of the sanitation projects under the SAFE initiative aimed at getting rid of pit latrines in our schools.”

    He also confirmed the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, expansion of vocational training, and broader access to higher education through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

    Having come into effect in December last year, the Act amends sections of the South African Schools Act of 1996 (SASA) and the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (EEA) to account for developments in the education landscape since the enactment of the original legislation.

    Through the NSFAS, government is expanding access for students from poor and working class families, and with the support of the National Skills Fund, assistance is being expanded to the ‘missing middle’.

    “This year, NSFAS is supporting over 800 000 university and TVET [technical and vocational education and training] college students. This provides opportunities to young people today that will, in time, transform our economy and society,” he said. 

    NHI

    On healthcare and the National Health Insurance (NHI), the President said government is addressing the poor state of health facilities and is hiring more professionals, while also permanently employing community health workers.

    “To address the severe challenges in the health system and in preparation for the implementation of the NHI, we are directing resources towards the hiring of more doctors, nurses and health professionals, the permanent employment of community health workers, and the purchase of new equipment and supplies.

    “We are determined to meet our HIV testing and treatment targets, despite the withdrawal of US funding,” he added, noting that Deputy President Paul Mashatile continues to lead the HIV/AIDS response through the South African National AIDS Council.

    Last week, Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, said the National Treasury has allocated R753 million to the Department of Health — under Section 16 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) — to help bridge the shortfall caused by the United States’ decision to cut HIV and tuberculosis (TB) grants.

    READ | Treasury allocates emergency funding of R750m towards HIV and TB after US funding cuts

    The United States government’s withdrawal of funding to key health initiatives, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief P(EPFAR), which was established by former President George W Bush in 2003, led to a loss of R7.9 billion spent on HIV/Aids programmes annually.
     

    Governance 

    On governance, the President said building a capable and corruption-resistant state remains a priority. 

    “For us to effectively tackle any of these challenges, we need to build a capable state with institutions that are resistant to corruption or interference. 

    “The recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Bill by the National Assembly marks a crucial milestone, enhancing the independence and effectiveness of the Public Service Commission in promoting ethical governance,” the President said. 

    President Ramaphosa said the bill will allow the Commission to function as an impartial constitutional body and ensure that the executive is compelled to act on the Commission’s recommendations, thereby reinforcing accountability across the public sector. 

    Digital Transformation Roadmap

    He added that the Digital Transformation Roadmap launched in April 2025, is set to make government work more efficiently while also bringing it closer to the people.

    READ | Digital Transformation Roadmap to make it easier to access government services

    “The roadmap focuses on building digital public infrastructure including a digital identity for every South African citizen. 

    “It includes a digital payments system to enable instant, low-cost payments, and interoperable data systems to ensure that citizens only have to provide their information to government once,” said President Ramaphosa. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Aggravated burglary and robbery – Katherine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested two males, aged 18 and 14-years-old, in relation to two incidents of an aggravated robbery and burglary that occurred at a Katherine café on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

    Around 8:40pm on 15 July 2025, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of several people unlawfully entering a café on Katherine Terrace, before leaving location with various stolen food and drink items.

    Early yesterday morning, two males entered the same cafe and assaulted staff inside, before fleeing from the location with stolen food and drink items. Two witnesses stopped to render assistance and confronted the two males before they were allegedly assaulted in the process.

    Katherine general duties responded and with the assistance of the two witnesses, arrested an 18-year-old male a short time later. Later in the day, members from the Katherine Criminal Investigation Branch and Strike Force Cerberus located and arrested a 14-year-old male youth.

    The 14-year-old male was charged with:

    • Aggravated Robbery

    • Aggravated Burglary

    • Assault Worker

    He was remanded to appear before court tomorrow, 18 July 2025.

    The 18-year-old male was charged with:

    • Aggravated Robbery

    • Aggravated Burglary

    • Recruitment of a Child

    • Assault Worker

    He was remanded to appear before Katherine Local Court on 21 July 2025.

    It is unknown at this stage of the investigation if these incidents are linked to a group of people who were involved in an alleged aggravated burglary that took place later in the night involving a stolen motor vehicle.

    The Katherine Criminal Investigation Branch and Strike Force Cerberus have carriage of the two incidents.

    Anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage, are urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2500071849. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man assaulted at South Plympton

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are investigating an assault at South Plympton this afternoon.

    Police and paramedics were called to Laurence Street, South Plympton at 4.45pm on Thursday 17 July by reports of an assault.

    The victim sustained serious injuries and is being taken to hospital by ambulance.  His condition is not believed to be life-threatening at this time.

    Anyone who witnessed this incident or has any information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ukrainian parliament accepts PM’s resignation

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

    The Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday voted to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

    Lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said that 261 out of 320 parliament members present in the assembly supported the motion.

    Shmyhal submitted his resignation to parliament on Tuesday, following President Volodymyr Zelensky’s announcement a day earlier that he had nominated First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko for the post.

    Shmyhal had served as Ukrainian prime minister since March 2020.

    Under Ukrainian law, the prime minister’s resignation entails the resignation of the entire government. The cabinet will continue to exercise its duties until a new government is formed.

    Local media reported that Shmyhal might be appointed as the new defense minister in the upcoming government. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ethiopia Takes Bold Strides on Health Taxes to Drive Universal Health Coverage

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    In a landmark show of political will and multisectoral collaboration, the Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR), the Ministry of Health, and partners are spearheading one of Africa’s most promising health financing reforms. By embracing health taxes as a strategic tool, Ethiopia has started strengthening its national health system, curbing the rise of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and advancing its journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

    This momentous collaboration was showcased during a high-level training workshop held from 13 to 14 June 2025 in Adama, Ethiopia. The forum was jointly organized by WHO Ethiopia and the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and with generous financial support from the Government of Norway.

    The two-day event brought together 63 MPs and parliamentary staff as well as 13 senior officials of the Ministry of Health, reaffirming the critical role of legislative bodies in shaping public health through economic policy.

    The workshop focused on consolidating the capacity of lawmakers to further understand and champion health taxes—specifically excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages. These taxes are globally recognized for their dual impact: they discourage the use of harmful products while generating sustainable revenue to fund essential health services.

    In her opening remarks, H.E. Lomi Bedo, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, emphasized the transformative power of Ethiopia’s 2020 excise tax law. “By raising taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful products, Ethiopia has taken a critical step toward safeguarding public health and promoting healthier communities,” she stated. “Increasing prices on unhealthy commodities remains one of the most effective strategies to reduce their consumption and associated health risks, including addiction and premature death.”

    Her remarks echoed the growing recognition of Parliament’s proactive legislative stance—one that aligns with the nation’s development vision and its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Ethiopian State Minister of Health H.E. Dr. Dereje Duguma on his part warned that misleading narratives from the tobacco industry persist—particularly claims that more than 50% of the tobacco market has turned illicit post-legislation. He stressed the importance of evidence-based policymaking and pledged the Ministry’s continued collaboration with Parliament, WHO, and all development partners to strengthen tax administration and uphold Ethiopia’s progress toward UHC and NCD control.

    Delivering a keynote address, Dr. Owen Laws Kaluwa, WHO Representative to Ethiopia, praised Ethiopia’s leadership in adopting bold and effective non-traditional mechanisms to raise additional funds for the country. “Stronger health systems enable countries to allocate scarce resources to their most pressing priorities,” Dr. Kaluwa said. “The 2020 excise tax legislation remains one of the most impactful policy tools for reducing the consumption of harmful products while boosting domestic revenue.”

    Dr. Kaluwa highlighted that WHO’s support to Ethiopia is part of a multi-year project on health taxes implemented in collaboration with IPU and funded by the Norwegian Government. As a priority country in this initiative, Ethiopia is receiving targeted technical assistance for policy analysis, tax implementation, and improved access to NCD treatment and care.

    Throughout the workshop, MPs and parliamentary technical staff deliberated on the latest global and national evidence on the effectiveness of health taxes. Participants engaged in hands-on sessions using updated policy briefs, data, and technical tools designed to inform legislative decisions and sustain tax implementation in the long term.

    Key discussions focused on the importance of Parliament’s role in maintaining robust tax systems, supporting annual adjustments, and shielding policy development from industry interference. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing fiscal policies that prioritize public health and social equity.

    Health taxes have gained wider recognition globally as part of a broader push to combat NCDs—conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses that account for more than 70% of global deaths and disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries. Ethiopia’s approach—grounded in science, backed by policy, and supported by partners—demonstrates how strategic legislation can serve both public health and economic resilience.

    Looking ahead, WHO Ethiopia reaffirmed its dedication to working alongside Parliament, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and other stakeholders to reinforce Ethiopia’s health financing landscape. This includes ensuring that health taxes are not only implemented but effective, efficient, and accountable public financial management systems are necessary for the additional revenues to reach and be accountable for expenditure objectives.

    “Health taxes are not just a revenue tool—they are a health-saving, life-preserving measure,” Dr. Kaluwa concluded. “Ethiopia’s continued leadership in this space is not only commendable but also offers a blueprint for the region and beyond.”

    As the country continues its path toward UHC, Ethiopia’s experience highlights the power of political commitment, intersectoral collaboration, and strategic investment in health. The success of its health tax policy and administration illustrates how even modest fiscal interventions can yield transformative outcomes—saving lives, strengthening systems, and building a healthier future for all.

    – on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Ethiopia.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Israel’s disregard for ICJ rulings undermines global governance, says Dangor

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Israel’s disregard for ICJ rulings undermines global governance, says Dangor

    Israel’s ongoing disregard for the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) undermines the integrity of the court and weakens the ability of global governance institutions to address impunity, says Zane Dangor, the Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

    Dangor was addressing the Emergency Conference of States, which is aimed at resolving what has been described as the genocide in Gaza. The Emergency Conference, jointly convened by Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs of The Hague Group, seeks to turn international condemnation into coordinated legal and diplomatic action.

    The meeting in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, took place one year after the General Assembly passed a resolution affirming the ICJ advisory opinion that deemed Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories “unlawful.“

    “As the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, we are witnessing continued and urgent calls from United Nations (UN) Member States and the international community for a ceasefire in Gaza. For too long, Israel has blatantly ignored orders from the ICJ in violation of international law.

    “Despite this, the impunity continues unabated,” Dangor said on Tuesday. 

    Dangor stressed that Israel continues with its violence against Palestinians, with forced evacuations and targeted attacks on schools and medical facilities being the order of the day. 

    To stop the bloodshed, the DG called for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations towards a just peace. 

    “A just peace requires justice, and this requires that international law must be respected.” 

    Dangor said the international community cannot claim that the importance of international law, including the UN Charter, applies in some circumstances but not in others.

    “We should not pick and choose which binding orders of the ICJ to abide by and which to set aside or simply ignore.”

    Dangor argued that allowing Israel to disregard court decisions and UN resolutions without repercussions undermines the integrity of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the organisations responsible for its enforcement.

    “This is unacceptable, and we should not be complicit in Israel’s endeavours to irreparably harm the institutions that were established to hold all of us accountable to the goals of a more peaceful and just world.” 

    Israel’s unlawful actions, Dangor said, are enabled when some seek to rationalise their actions. 

    “The crime of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of apartheid are not complex; they are unlawful.

    “It is time to end the institutional impunity that Israel has enjoyed for over five decades.” 

    Dangor said the carnage seen in Palestine today is a testament to the “folly” of Israel’s grand exceptionalism from accountability to international law and norms.

    “As responsible Member States of the United Nations, it is our duty to ensure that the bloodshed and genocide in Gaza are stopped… now as we do not have the luxury of time.

    “The government of Israel must immediately halt the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza, which is causing untold suffering and trauma.” 

    Dangor is of the view that the Israeli government, as the occupying power, must uphold its obligations under international law and guarantee unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance, including healthcare and other essential services in the West Bank and Gaza.

    According to the DG, humanitarian support provided by Member States is regularly obstructed and destroyed by Israeli authorities or is being allowed to be destroyed by right-wing and extreme elements. 

    “We hope that today, we begin a journey wherein states from all regions, including those that were part of the Madrid meeting, join hands to end the ongoing genocide in Palestine and fora more just world.” – SAnews.gov.za

    Gabisile

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash at Kurralta Park

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are at the scene of a serious crash at Kurralta Park.

    Just before 1pm today (Thursday 17 July), police and emergency services were called to Anzac Highway near Grassmere Street after reports of a two-car crash.

    Citybound traffic is down to one lane.

    Please avoid the area if possible.

    MIL OSI News –