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Category: Technology

  • MIL-OSI Africa: World Football Summit Monterrey Confirms Mexico’s Rise as Global Football Business Hub

    World Football Summit (WFS) (www.WorldFootballSummit.com) concluded its second Mexican edition yesterday in Monterrey, bringing together over 1,700 football industry leaders, executives, and pioneers from 40 countries to explore the extraordinary opportunities shaping the future of football in Latin America and North America. The summit’s timing was particularly significant, taking place exactly one year before the inauguration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    The two-day summit, held June 9-10 at Pabellón M, positioned Monterrey as a central hub for football business conversations in the Americas, particularly as the region prepares for the transformative impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

    Strategic Timing for Regional Transformation

    WFS Monterrey addressed the pivotal moment the football industry faces in the America’s, with the 2026 World Cup promising a $5 billion economic impact and unprecedented infrastructure development across the region. The summit explored how Mexico’s football industry, projected to reach $1.044 billion by 2029, can leverage this momentum alongside the booming Latin American sponsorship market valued at $745 million across Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, to name a few of its major markets.

    “Exactly one year before the 2026 World Cup kicks off, Monterrey has proven itself as the epicenter of the most important conversations about the future of football in the Americas,” said Jan Alessie, Co-Founder and Managing Director of World Football Summit. “The incredible response we received, with over 1,700 industry leaders from 40 countries participating, demonstrates that this event has become fundamental to understanding where the global football industry is heading. The decisions and partnerships forged here will directly influence how the sport develops across the region as we approach this historic World Cup.”

    World-Class Speaker Lineup Drives Strategic Discussions

    The summit featured an exceptional lineup of industry leaders, including:

    • Davor Šuker, Croatian football legend
    • Jurgen Mainka, Chief Tournament Officer Mexico, FWC26
    • Mauricio Culebro, President of TIGRES UANL
    • Pedro Esquivel, President at Club de Futbol Monterrey (Rayados)
    • Hector Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer at Club América
    • Alejandro Hutt, Host City Manager at FWC26 Monterrey
    • Arturo Pérez, President at Toluca
    • Olek Loewenstein, Global President of Sports at Televisa Univision
    • Isabella Echeverri, Board Member at Common Goal USA
    • Iñigo Riestra, General Secretary at the Mexican Football Federation
    • Héctor Herrera, Mexican Football Player
    • Mariana Gutiérrez, President of Liga MX Femenil
    • Grace Ahrens, Executive Director, Women in Soccer
    • Fernando Palomo, Host at ESPN

    Furthermore, the support of the Mexican political ecosystem was made evident through the participation of top tier representatives, including:

    • Samuel García – Constitutional Governor of the State of Nuevo León
    • Rommel Pacheco – Minister of Sports of the Mexican Government
    • Melody Falcó – General Manager at Instituto Estatal de Cultura Física y Deporte
    • Martha Herrera – Secretary of Equality and Inclusion for Nuevo León
    • Maricarmen Martinez – Secretary of Tourism State of Nuevo León
    • Melissa Segura – Secretary of Culture State of Nuevo León

    Recognizing Regional Excellence Through WFS Honors

    A highlight of the summit was the WFS Honors ceremony, recognizing outstanding contributions to football development across six categories:

    • WFS Honor for Leading Women in Sport – Mariana Gutiérrez
    • Honor for Transformative Partnerships Shaping the Future of Sport – Club Tigres UANL & DC Comics
    • Honor for Local Grassroots Strategy to Develop Sport – Club de Fútbol Monterrey
    • Honor for Outstanding Leadership in Sport – Don Valentín Diez Morodo, Deportivo Toluca FC
    • Honor for Social & Community Impact Through Sport – Blue Women, Pink Men
    • WFS Honor for Legacy & Greatness  – Davor Šuker

    Strategic Partnerships and Regional Collaboration

    The event, co-organized with Soccer Media Solutions, showcased strong institutional and commercial support, with key participation from the Government of Nuevo León, FWC 26 Monterrey, Mexican Football Federation, UN Tourism, and LALIGA. Strategic commercial partners included OCV Monterrey (Monterrey Convention and Visitors Bureau), PM SHOP, Caliente MX, Codetur, and Senn Ferrero, with 25 companies exhibiting their products and services at the event.

    Building on Mexico’s Growing Football Business Ecosystem

    WFS Monterrey builds on the success of the inaugural Mexican edition held in Mexico City in June 2024, demonstrating the country’s rapidly expanding role in global football business. The summit addressed critical topics including private equity investment growth, women’s football development, local talent academy programs, fan engagement through technology and data analytics, and cross-border collaboration opportunities.

    Key Focus Areas Explored:

    • Maximizing the 2026 World Cup’s economic impact and infrastructure legacy
    • Private equity’s growing interest in Latin American football
    • Women’s football development and commercial potential
    • Multi-club ownership models and governance challenges
    • Broadcasting rights strategy in the digital age
    • Sustainable practices and long-term sport legacy
    • Technology integration and fan engagement innovation

    Looking Forward

    The success of WFS Monterrey reinforces Mexico’s position as a bridge between North and South American football markets, with Monterrey emerging as a key strategic location for industry development. The summit’s outcomes will contribute to shaping investment, development, and collaboration strategies across the Americas as the region prepares for its starring role in the 2026 World Cup.

    WFS continues its global expansion with upcoming events in Hong Kong (September 3-4), Madrid (October 15-16), and Riyadh (December 10-11), further cementing its position as the world’s premier football business platform.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Football Summit.

    Media Contact:
    Jaime Domínguez
    press@worldfootballsummit.com
    For more information: www.WorldFootballSummit.com

    About World Football Summit:
    World Football Summit is a leading international organization for the football industry. Through its platform, we organize events across four continents that bring together key stakeholders from the ecosystem, fostering business opportunities, collaboration, and innovation in the sector. Thousands of professionals representing companies and institutions from around the world actively engage with WFS.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Civil Service College holds first seminar of series on “Presenting China to the World” (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Civil Service College (CSC) has launched a new seminar series on “Presenting China to the World”. The first seminar of the series, on the topic of “Achieving the Rejuvenation of Chinese Culture: Insights from the Ne Zha Craze”, was delivered today (June 12) by the Executive Director of the Academy of Chinese Studies, Dr Yau Yat.

         Addressing the seminar, the Head of the CSC, Mr Oscar Kwok, said that as Mr Zhao Qizheng, former Director of the State Council Information Office, proposed in his book, it is the joint responsibility of every Chinese national to present China to the world. Given the complex and volatile international situation nowadays, the development of a country hinges not only on its own national conditions but also on the international environment, including the international public opinion environment. In the Internet era, deliberate distortions of facts and truths are more likely to be widely disseminated, and misunderstandings and prejudices about China’s situation and developments are common among foreigners. As such, every civil servant needs to learn how to present China to the world through cultural soft power. 

         Through analysing China’s developments and challenges from the cultural, technological, economic and other perspectives, the series enables civil servants to learn about the real stories of the country, so they can better leverage the role of Hong Kong as a bridge between the country and the world to enhance mutual understanding and to promote exchange and co-operation. The first seminar held today on “Achieving the Rejuvenation of Chinese Culture: Insights from the Ne Zha Craze” explored how the  country showcased the rich heritage of Chinese culture to the world through popular culture, increasing China’s attractiveness and further enhancing its voice on the international stage.

         Mr Kwok said he hopes that participants can seize this learning opportunity to gain a thorough understanding of China’s mode of development and embrace the mission of people’s diplomacy to present an authentic China to the world in their respective roles.

         Around 340 middle and senior-level civil servants from 52 bureaux and departments attended the seminar in person or online today.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Aerospace and defense leaders are prioritizing digital continuity to tackle industry disruption

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press contact: 
    Florence Lièvre
    Tel.: +33 1 47 54 50 71
    Email: florence.lievre@capgemini.com

    Aerospace and defense leaders are prioritizing digital continuity to
    tackle industry disruption

    • 77% of aerospace and defense leaders believe improving digital continuity will accelerate production ramp-up as it drives shorter time to market, with a 13% reduction on average
    • More than 8 out of 10 (86%) defense organizations recognize the need to integrate AI and gen AI in engineering and product development

     Paris, June 12 2025 – The Capgemini Research Institute’s latest report, ‘The strategic edge: How digital continuity drives business outcomes in aerospace and defense,’ published today, finds that digital continuity1– the seamless integration of data and information across all stages of the product lifecycle and linked to the external partner ecosystem – is emerging as a critical enabler of business transformation in the aerospace and defense (A&D) sector. Over 80% of A&D leaders surveyed view digital continuity as a driver of business transformation and a route to gaining a competitive advantage. In 2024, A&D organizations on average allocated a significant 2.1% of their annual revenue to these initiatives, to ramp up production, accelerate development cycles, reduce operational costs, and stay agile amid global pressures. In the context of rising costs, supply chain instability, and geopolitical movement, investments in digital continuity are expected to increase to 3.4% by 2028.

    “Digital continuity is a critical imperative for aerospace and defense organizations to thrive in today’s challenging and uncertain geopolitical environment. If it is embraced as a way of working, it will help organizations increase productivity and free up key resources from the waste created by disconnected systems and data. Ultimately, it enables operational excellence, reduces product development cycle times and fosters a collaborative culture, setting A&D players up for long-term success. Business leaders clearly recognize this and as a result have been ramping up their investments in these initiatives,” said Lee Annecchino, Global Industry Lead, Aerospace and Defense at Capgemini. “In order to leverage the full potential, A&D organizations must focus on building interoperability across systems, enabling robust data management and adopting a comprehensive change management strategy.”

    Digital continuity helps A&D organizations to ramp up quickly, driving many business benefits
    Nearly nine in 10 (86%) A&D executives agree that digital continuity is important to their organizations’ ramping-up strategies, and 77% believe that improving digital continuity will accelerate the process.

    Around a third (34%) of A&D organizations have already reduced costs with 13% cost reduction on average because of digital continuity. Thirty percent of A&D organizations have already realized shortened time to market and 18% have accelerated product development cycle times because of digital continuity, making it a top priority for investment.

    Defense organizations are better prepared to ramp up production
    According to the survey, 44% of defense organizations are prepared to ramp up production compared to just over a third of civil aerospace organizations. The readiness of defense organizations to ramp up production can be driven by geopolitical uncertainty and technological and infrastructure investment, including a more flexible manufacturing execution system (MES), and a more resilient supply chain. For example, 65% of defense organizations agree that their supply chain is adaptable to quickly changing customer demands, while only 45% of civil aerospace organizations believe the same.

    The report also finds that more than 8 out of 10 (86%) defense organizations recognize the need to integrate AI and generative AI in engineering and product development and over half (56%) to develop autonomous systems. However, less than half of the defense organizations are prepared to integrate AI (44%) and only 35% are prepared to develop autonomous systems.

    In order to thrive, A&D organizations must continually evolve in terms of skills, processes, technologies, security methods, and compliance policies concludes the report.

    Report Methodology
    In March 2025, the Capgemini Research Institute conducted a global survey to assess the maturity of digital continuity in aerospace and defense (A&D) organizations and the benefits achieved. The survey included 179 A&D organizations across 16 countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Over half (51%) of the participating organizations are headquartered in the United States. The survey sample also included 28 public sector or government organizations. All surveyed organizations have annual revenues exceeding $500 million, with the majority (56%) reporting revenues greater than $1 billion.

    About Capgemini
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.

    Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

    About the Capgemini Research Institute
    The Capgemini Research Institute is Capgemini’s in-house think-tank on all things digital. The Institute publishes research on the impact of digital technologies on large traditional businesses. The team draws on the worldwide network of Capgemini experts and works closely with academic and technology partners. The Institute has dedicated research centers in India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. It was ranked #1 in the world for the quality of its research by independent analysts for six consecutive times – an industry first.

    Visit us at https://www.capgemini.com/researchinstitute/

    1Digital continuity in A&D refers to the seamless integration of data and information across the product lifecycle including the external partner ecosystem; thus, ensuring a “single source of truth” that enhances collaboration and streamlines design, production, operations, and service through a strengthened feedback loop.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Korean telco KT selects the Digital Vending Machine® from Bango to power next-gen subscription bundles

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bango PLC (AIM:BGO, OTCQX:BGOPF), the leader in subscription bundling, today announces a strategic partnership with KT, a leading telecommunications provider in the Republic of Korea, to deliver subscription services to its 13.5 million customers. Leveraging the Digital Vending Machine® (DVM™) from Bango, KT customers will benefit from new and exciting subscription services. This is the first major DVM agreement for Bango in Korea, building momentum for further expansion into the East Asia telco market.

    KT will use the Bango DVM to seamlessly integrate a wide array of third-party services into its subscriptions hub and its customer bundled offers. This will include AI, language and translation subscriptions – responding to the rising consumer appetite for next-generation digital experiences.

    KT is leading the development of AI solutions across telecommunications and other industry sectors in the Republic of Korea. With AI subscriptions emerging as a standout category in the fast-evolving subscription economy, KT is now extending that vision to give customers access to groundbreaking AI services that enhance productivity, creativity, and learning, all through the Bango DVM.

    The Bango DVM simplifies the complexity behind subscription bundling, transforming a traditionally technical and operational challenge into a seamless, scalable business model. With a single integration, KT gains access to a growing global catalog of subscription services. New offers can be deployed quickly and flexibly, giving customers access to the latest services while providing KT with deep insights to personalize and optimize bundles over time.

    “This collaboration will be a turning point for KT’s subscription platform to expand as a global subscription service hub,” said Younggeol Kim, Head of KT’s Service Product Division. “We want to meet the evolving needs of our users, whether that’s the latest entertainment or cutting-edge AI subscriptions, and the Digital Vending Machine from Bango gives us the agility to do exactly that.”

    “KT is a leader in its field and now, also in the subscription space, taking bold steps to offer customers a wide and modern mix of digital services,” said Paul Larbey, CEO of Bango. “With the Bango DVM, they can move faster, launch smarter, and deliver the high-demand subscriptions people are asking for, from SVOD to AI.”

    About Bango

    Bango enables content providers to reach more paying customers through global partnerships. Bango revolutionized the monetization of digital content and services, by opening-up online payments to mobile phone users worldwide. Today, the Digital Vending Machine® is driving the rapid growth of the subscription economy, powering choice and control for subscribers.

    The world’s largest content providers, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft trust Bango technology to reach subscribers everywhere.

    Bango, where people subscribe. For more information, visit www.bango.com

    Media contact:

    Anil Malhotra, CMO, Bango
    anil@bango.com
    Tel: +44 7710 480 377

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Progress reported out of Bougainville independence talks at Burnham

    By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    Reports in Papua New Guinea say the governments of Bougainville and PNG have agreed to table the 2019 independence referendum results in Parliament.

    While discussions are ongoing, some degree of consensus has been reached during the talks, being held at Burnham Military Camp, just outside of Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island.

    The talks are not open to the media.

    The PNG government agreed to a Bougainville request for a moderator to be brought in to solve an impasse over the tabling of the region’s independence referendum. Image: 123rf/RNZ Pacific

    A massive 97.7 percent of Bougainvillians voted for independence in 2019.

    Former Bougainville president John Momis told delegates in Burnham to “take the bull by the horn” and confront the independence issue without further delay.

    Both governments have agreed to present three highly pivotal documents to the PNG National Parliament.

    Apart from the referendum results, there will be the moderator’s report, and the parliamentary bipartisan committee’s findings.

    The commitment was formally conveyed by PNG’s Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Manaseh Makiba.

    Only sovereignty acceptable
    Meanwhile, the ABG President, Ishmael Toroama, said Bougainville would not accept a governance model that did not grant sovereignty.

    This comes amid talk of other options, such as self-government in free association.

    To achieve membership of the United Nations sovereignty is needed.

    Writing in the Post-Courier, journalist Gorethy Kenneth said the Bougainville national leaders, for the “first time have come out in aligning with the Bougainville team in New Zealand”.

    She reported that Police Minister and Bougainville regional MP Peter Tsiamalili Jr said he was in a peculiar position but he represented the 97.7 percent who voted for independence and he would go with the wishes of his people.

    The ICT Minister, and South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu also said his one vote in Parliament would be for independence as far as his people were concerned.

    The PNG government has spoken previously of fears that independence for Bougainville would encourage other provinces to seek autonomy.

    Provinces, such as New Ireland, have made no secret of their dissatisfaction with Port Moresby and desire to control more of their own affairs.

    But the Bougainville Minister of Independence Implementation, Ezekiel Massat, said Bougainville’s status was constitutionally “ring-fenced” and could not set a precedent for other provinces.

    He said “under the Bougainville Peace Agreement, independence is a compulsory option”.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China bets on ‘scenes’ to turn innovation into growth

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

    In the dynamic economic hub of Shenzhen, commuters can now reserve seats on self-driving buses with just a few taps on an app. Far from a publicity stunt, this service is the first instance in China where intelligent connected buses have been incorporated into the wider public transport system.

    What is unfolding in Shenzhen is more than a transportation experiment. It is a glimpse into a consumer experience model that Chinese policymakers and entrepreneurs are calling the “scene economy.”

    The significance of this term, referring to the application of technology in real-life consumption scenarios, is perhaps best illustrated by its swift adoption: By June last year, more than 60 cities among the top 100 GDP cities had included this term in their economic plans, according to Greatwall Strategy Consultants.

    Some industry observers view such a move as part of a broader strategy to incubate new growth drivers in the face of global uncertainty. But what exactly does it mean?

    Is it about creating innovative parks, organizing promotional events or implementing a package of policy measures? Popular jargon in China’s tech sector may offer some clues. Terms like “paotong” (getting it running) and “bihuan” (closed-loop integration) are frequently used to assess whether a technology can be smoothly implemented and deliver tangible benefits.

    “New technologies must be applied to improve and evolve, and this requires suitable scenarios,” said Jason Tang, chairman of the Shanghai Consumer Foundation.

    “Thus, creating conditions for emerging technologies is crucial to transform laboratory results into economic returns,” Tang added.

    Digitally-enabled 

    Building accessible digital infrastructure is, of course, a prerequisite.

    In the case of Shenzhen’s driverless bus fleet, the initiative benefited greatly from the digital upgrades of the local public transport system. This system integrates intelligent scheduling platform, 5G vehicle-road coordination, multi-sensor fusion perception and high-precision map positioning, which enable millisecond-level response to road conditions and precise decision-making.

    At a recent forum in Shenzhen, the city unveiled China’s first technical guidelines for city-wide, all-vehicle and all-scenario road access. These guidelines are poised to provide an open framework for testing highly and fully autonomous vehicles in complex urban environments.

    Shenzhen had opened over 2,100 kilometers of test and demonstration roads by May, accounting for about 24 percent of the city’s total road mileage, said Xu Wei, deputy director of Shenzhen’s transportation bureau.

    Additionally, China is proactively driving the integration of AI and 5G technologies into traditional industries to unlock their potential applications.

    These technologies have started to make an impact elsewhere, too. Take China’s mining sector, this traditional industry is evolving to become more low-carbon and intelligent.

    A video clip of about 100 autonomous mining trucks in northern Chinese city of Hulunbuir has gone viral on social media as a “sci-fi blockbuster.” Guided by 5G signals, the trucks navigate through vast mines, automatically avoiding obstacles in low-visibility conditions like snow, dust and night with only 40 meters of visibility.

    Government initiatives 

    A 2024 RAND Corporation report noted that 80 percent of AI projects have stalled, and underscored the pressing challenge of how to translate AI’s enormous potential into concrete results.

    Many AI projects fail due to insufficient data, overemphasis on cutting-edge technology rather than real user problems, and inadequate infrastructure for data management and model deployment, according to the report.

    The Central Economic Work Conference last December, which called for large-scale demonstrations of new technologies, products and scenes, was the catalyst behind local government efforts to step up the real-world deployment of lab-developed technologies.

    Instead of relying solely on financial incentives to attract investors, they are now promoting the profit potential of application scenes as a new approach to draw in businesses.

    These cities are releasing “scene lists” to identify city-level needs and using measures, such as the establishment of promotional entities or pilot offices, and creating special funds to drive technology implementation.

    In Shenzhen, the entire city is a testing ground for new technologies and products.

    “We plan to open 100 more application scenes by 2025, with comprehensive, all-day, full-access in fields like municipal sanitation, emergency rescue, AI-assisted healthcare and medical wellness,” said Lin Yi, director of Shenzhen AI industry office.

    With the rapid growth of China’s silver economy, the elderly population is increasingly seen as an exciting frontier with rich potential for tech application. This week, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs initiated a pilot program for intelligent elderly care robots.

    The project will focus on care for the disabled and those living with neurodegenerative conditions, emotional companionship, health promotion, smart environments and daily living assistance.

    On June 6, Chongqing released its first list of 42 low-altitude economy application scenes, spanning urban governance, firefighting, emergency rescue, inspections and freight logistics.

    The same day, Shanghai announced a call for quantum computing scenario plans, targeting the development of quantum hardware, software, algorithms and cloud platforms.

    The Greatwall Strategy Consultants report has identified 419 key scenes, highlighting three critical innovation areas: energy storage, new energy vehicles and intelligent driving, and intelligent manufacturing.

    “China’s strong manufacturing base and its vast, deep consumer market offer immense innovation potential in applications, which in turn facilitate better supply-demand matching,” said Tang. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cheating by car makers, tampering by owners: crucial car pollution control is being sabotaged

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor of Transport, University of Technology Sydney

    Peter Cade/Getty

    Emission control systems in modern cars have slashed air pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.

    But these systems face two major challenges: carmakers cheating on pollution tests and owner tampering. Cheating means high-polluting cars can be sold when they shouldn’t be, while tampering can increase some pollutants up to 100 times.

    In our new research review, we found the impacts of cheating and tampering on emissions of pollutants are substantial across the globe. For instance, researchers in Spain found almost half the diesel trucks had been tampered with, while the Volkswagen Dieselgate cheating scandal uncovered in 2015 led to an estimated A$60 billion in health costs in the European Union. In California, researchers found one in 12 trucks had a damaged or malfunctioning diesel particulate filter – and these high-emitting trucks contributed 70% of the entire fleet’s emissions of tiny particulate matter.

    The solutions? Better detection of tampering, cheating and malfunctioning emission systems – and vigilance to get high polluting cars off the road.

    Catalytic converters and other emissions control systems have slashed air pollutant emissions from modern cars.
    Virrage Images/Shutterstock

    How did we get here?

    From the 1950s onwards, smog, air pollution and health issues from car exhausts led many regulators to require carmakers to reduce dangerous air pollutants.

    These days, modern combustion-engine cars are complex computer-controlled systems optimised to balance engine performance, durability and emission control. When working properly, new vehicles can reduce air pollutant emissions by 90% or more. However, they can increase carbon dioxide emissions by using slightly more fuel.

    But these pollutants can soar if emissions control systems malfunction – or suffer from intentional cheating or tampering.

    Cheating and tampering are not new. Cheating was first reported in the 1970s and it’s still happening. Tampering, too, dates back to the 1970s.

    Both issues worsen air quality. These excess air pollutants have substantial costs to human health, as they can trigger respiratory conditions and can cause disability and premature death.

    While the numbers of electric vehicles are rising, they’re only about 5% of the global fleet – about 60 million compared to about 1.5 billion cars powered by petrol, diesel and gas.

    Because cars have relatively long lifespans, many fossil-fuel powered cars will still be in use in 2050, now just 25 years away. Many will be exported from rich countries to developing economies. That means effective pollutant control still matters.

    Cheating by manufacturers

    It’s well established combustion engine cars produce substantially more emissions and pollutants during real-world driving than they do in regulatory tests.

    There are many reasons for this, including natural wear and tear. But one big reason may be cheating.

    Authorities in many nations rely on testing to see if a new model is emitting at rates low enough to meet emission standards.

    Manufacturers can take advantage of the known quirks of official tests and intentionally alter how their vehicles operate during testing. To do this, they may install a “defeat device”, usually deep in the car’s engine or its computer code.

    These devices shift the car to a special low-emissions mode if testing is detected. They’re typically easy for the automaker to install and difficult to detect.

    Car makers can cheat on emission tests by installing defeat devices or other countermeasures.
    Belish/Shutterstock

    Defeat devices are mainly found in diesel cars and trucks, since diesel emissions control systems are more complicated and expensive than petrol or LPG. Adding an emission control system to meet Euro 6 standards costs about $600 for a petrol car. For diesel, the cost can be three to five times higher.

    In 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the state of California announced Volkswagen had been using a software-based defeat device to make its diesel cars appear substantially cleaner. The scandal drew worldwide attention and cost the company about $50 billion.

    For those caught, large fines and mandatory recalls have followed. But this hasn’t been enough to stop the practice.

    The way these tests are conducted usually has to be disclosed by law to ensure transparency and make results comparable and repeatable. Unfortunately, having detailed knowledge of the tests makes it easier to cheat.

    Tampering by car owners

    Tampering is largely done by owners of diesel cars and trucks. Owners can tamper with emission control systems to improve performance, rebel against laws they don’t agree with or avoid extra costs such as Adblue, a liquid needed to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions from diesel trucks.

    Tampering is usually illegal. But that hasn’t stopped the production of aftermarket tampering devices, such as software which deactivates emission control systems. It’s not necessarily illegal to sell these devices, but it is illegal to install and use them.

    In the road freight sector, the use of aftermarket tampering by vehicle owners also acts as an unfair economic advantage by undercutting responsible and law-abiding operators.

    What should be done?

    Combustion engine cars and trucks will be on the world’s roads for decades to come.

    Ensuring they run as cleanly as possible over their lifetime will require independent and in-service emissions testing. Authorities will also need to focus on enforcement.

    Creating an internationally agreed test protocol for the detection of defeat devices will also be necessary.

    Combating tampering by owners as well as malfunctioning emissions systems will require better detection efforts, either through on-road emissions testing or during a car service.

    One approach would be to add telemetry to the onboard diagnostics systems now common in modern cars. Telemetry radio transponders can report emissions problems to the owner and relevant authorities, who can then act.

    Shifting to EVs offers the most robust and cost-effective way to combat fraud and cut exhaust pollutants and carbon emissions from road transport. But this will take decades. Authorities need to ensure diesel and petrol vehicles run as cleanly as possible until they can be retired.

    Robin Smit is the founding Research Director at the Transport Energy/Emission Research (TER) consultancy.

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

    – ref. Cheating by car makers, tampering by owners: crucial car pollution control is being sabotaged – https://theconversation.com/cheating-by-car-makers-tampering-by-owners-crucial-car-pollution-control-is-being-sabotaged-255882

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Codeproof Technologies Revolutionizes Device Management with Zero-Touch Enrollment for Android and iOS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Codeproof Technologies Inc., a leading provider of modern Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) and cybersecurity solutions for small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) across the U.S. and Canada, today announced Zero-Touch Device Enrollment for its Codeproof Cyber Device Manager MDM. The new feature enables seamless, automated onboarding of Android (via Zero-Touch Enrollment) and iOS (via Apple Business Manager) devices—eliminating manual setup, QR code scanning, or technical expertise. By simply uploading IMEI or serial numbers, SMB IT admins can now deploy company devices effortlessly, reducing downtime and complexity for teams with limited technical resources.

    With Zero-Touch Enrollment, IT administrators can now:

    • Automate Device Onboarding: Enroll devices in bulk by uploading IMEIs (via Google’s Android Zero-Touch Portal) or serial numbers (via Apple Business Manager).
    • Eliminate QR Code Hassles: MDM configurations are pushed directly to devices, removing dependency on physical scans.
    • Prevent Data Loss with Factory Reset Protection (FRP): Even after a factory reset, devices automatically re-enroll in MDM, ensuring corporate data security and continuous GPS tracking.
    • Centralize Management: The Codeproof Admin Console syncs with zero-touch portals, allowing real-time policy enforcement and configuration updates.

    “With MDM software deployment via IMEI or serial numbers, IT teams can remotely secure and manage work phones—zero physical handling required,” said Satish Shetty, CEO of Codeproof Technologies. “As an official T-Mobile reseller, we enable businesses to provision devices straight out of the box, eliminating setup delays while ensuring instant security compliance.”

    Why Zero-Touch Enrollment Matters

    For enterprises, schools, and government agencies managing large fleets of devices, manual enrollment is time-consuming and error-prone. Codeproof’s Zero-Touch solution ensures:
    ✔ Faster Deployment – Set up hundreds of devices in minutes.
    ✔ Stronger Security – Prevents unauthorized access with enforced MDM policies.
    ✔ Lower IT Overhead – Reduces on-site IT intervention.

    About Codeproof Technologies Inc.

    Codeproof Technologies Inc. is a leader in cybersecurity and mobile device management (MDM), delivering innovative SaaS solutions that help organizations secure and manage endpoints with ease. Through strategic partnerships with T-Mobile for Business, Verizon, and leading telecom providers, Codeproof ensures seamless integration and enterprise-grade security for businesses worldwide.

    Learn more or request a demo:
     https://codeproof.com
     sales@codeproof.com
    1.866.986.BYOD (2963)

    Media Contact:
    press@codeproof.com
    1.866.986.BYOD

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/26088061-2773-4bff-ab19-ed5aba31a493. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bonamici Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Support Services for College Students with Disabilities

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

    WASHINGTON, DC [6/11/25] – Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Joe Courtney (D-CT), and Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA) introduced bipartisan legislation to streamline the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities and improve access to support services.  

    The Respond, Innovate, Support, and Empower (RISE) Act allows college students to use previous documentation as proof of disability when seeking accommodations in their courses, making it simpler and more affordable to access necessary accommodations. Currently, students often must obtain expensive and redundant evaluations before institutions of higher education provide special education services.

    “Reducing barriers to support services will help students with disabilities access the accommodations they need to succeed on campus,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Senior Member of the Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. “The RISE Act will remove burdensome and costly requirements that force students to undergo further testing when they already have a documented disability. I’m pleased to join my colleagues in leading this commonsense legislation to make our higher education system more inclusive of students with disabilities.”

    “The transition from high school to higher education is already stressful enough for students with learning disabilities, without requiring them to waste time and money getting documentation proving their already documented, lifelong learning disability,” said Congressman Joe Courtney. “The RISE Act is an important step to removing barriers for these students by allowing them to continue to use previous documentation of a disability when they go to college. With the changes made by this legislation, students will be able to immediately receive the special education or accommodations that they need to overcome their learning disability so that they are able to hit the ground running when classes begin.”

    “Every student deserves a fair shot at success,” said Congresswoman Erin Houchin. “The RISE Act removes unnecessary red tape so students can access the accommodations they need to succeed. As a mom of a child with a learning disability, I understand how critical these resources are. This bill empowers parents and students, levels the playing field, and strengthens opportunity in higher education.”

    “I’m proud to help introduce the bipartisan RISE Act with my colleagues to ease paperwork burdens on college students,” said Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. “Going to college can be a stressful time, especially for students with disabilities. This legislation will allow high school diagnoses and treatment plans to transfer to the college level, decreasing unnecessary paperwork and ensuring a seamless transition to college. There should be no gap in support for students, so they have every opportunity to succeed.”

    “Our recent survey found that the process for disclosing a disability in college was not easy for students with learning disabilities. Many students shared that they felt like they were a burden in their classes when they asked for the support they needed to succeed. It’s well-past time to address the ableist mindset and arbitrary rules that keep students with disabilities from participating fully in higher education settings,” said Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. “The RISE Act is such an important legislative solution to removing barriers to accessing accommodations, and we commend Congresswoman Bonamici and other Congressional leaders for their leadership.”

    Qualifying documentation in the RISE Act includes 504 plans, individualized education programs (IEP), and accommodation plans from another higher education institution—potentially saving students and their families thousands of dollars. 

    The legislation also provides an additional $10 million in funding for the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities, a technical assistance center that helps students and families understand how to access accommodations, and their rights and responsibilities in higher education. The Center also assists colleges to adopt best practices for supporting students with disabilities.  

    The RISE Act requires colleges to inform students, families, and faculty about available accommodations under the legislation, and improve reporting on academic outcomes for students with disabilities.

    Representatives Erin Houchin (R-IN) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) are original co-sponsors of the legislation.

    The RISE Act is supported by: the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Advocacy Institute, AHEAD, All4Ed, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association, Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, CAST, Center for Learner Equity, Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Education Taskforce, Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Administrators for Special Education (CASE), Disability Rights Oregon, the Education Trust, Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), Learning Disabilities Association of America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of School Psychologists, National Down Syndrome Congress, National Down Syndrome Society, National PLACE, Public Advocacy for Kids, Disability Belongs, SchoolHouse Connection, Show and Tell, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, The Arc of the United States, and the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • China, Hong Kong stocks retreat as trade optimism fades

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    China and Hong Kong stocks fell on Thursday, led by declines in the rare-earth and tech sectors, as markets struggled to sustain positive momentum from Sino-U.S. trade talks that provided few concrete details.

    A deal getting the fragile truce in the U.S.-China trade war back on track was reached after negotiators from Washington and Beijing agreed on a framework covering tariff rates, U.S President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

    The deal removes Chinese export restrictions on rare-earths minerals and allows Chinese students access to U.S. universities, but many specifics and detailed terms were absent, leaving investors cautious.

    China‘s blue-chip CSI300 Index .CSI300 fell 0.6% from a three-week high touched in the previous session. Hong Kong‘s benchmark Hang Seng index .HSI lost 0.7% to pull back from its highest level in nearly three months.

    The CSI Rare Earth Index CSI930598 slipped 0.8% from a seven-month high, and the semiconductor sector subindex .CSI931865 slid more than 1%.

    In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Tech Index .HSTECH lost 1.5% in early trades.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese, African foreign ministers pledge stronger ties

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

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    CHANGSHA, June 11 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday met respectively with some African counterparts who came to China for the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province.

    These African foreign ministers include the Republic of the Congo’s Jean-Claude Gakosso, South Africa’s Ronald Lamola, Djibouti’s Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Ghana’s Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, Niger’s Bakary Yaou Sangare, Guinea-Bissau’s Carlos Pinto Pereira, Nigeria’s Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, and Ethiopia’s Gedion Timothewos.

    When meeting with Gakosso, Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China is willing to work with the Republic of the Congo to safeguard each other’s core interests and consolidate political mutual trust, promote the upgrading of economic and trade cooperation, and strengthen exchanges on state governance.

    Gakosso said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) brings hope for Africa to break free from the vicious cycle of poverty and backwardness and achieve independent development, and the Republic of the Congo will continue to actively participate in the BRI and firmly abide by the one-China principle.

    When meeting with Lamola, Wang said China is willing to work with South Africa to consolidate political mutual trust, welcomes South Africa’s greater role on international and regional stages, supports South Africa’s fulfillment of duties under its Group of 20 presidency, and is ready to join hands with South Africa to safeguard common interests of the developing countries.

    Lamola said the FOCAC has yielded fruitful achievements and contributed to the development of African countries over the 25 years since its establishment. South Africa looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in various fields, including economy and trade, energy, human resources training, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

    When meeting with Omar, Wang said China stands ready to work with Djibouti to fully implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the important common understandings reached by the two heads of state, noting that China will continue to support Africa in strengthening solidarity and pursuing self-reliance, and in resolving African issues in the African way.

    Omar said Djibouti highly values its strategic partnership with China, firmly supports multilateralism and opposes unilateralism, and will enhance coordination with China to jointly address challenges.

    When meeting with Ablakwa, Wang said China and Ghana established a strategic partnership last year, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations. China stands ready to work with Ghana to deepen practical cooperation across various fields, advance the cause of China-Africa friendship, and uphold multilateralism in opposition to unilateralism.

    Ablakwa said as China has become Ghana’s largest trading partner, Ghana looks forward to deepening cooperation with China in various fields, and will continue to adhere to the one-China principle and consolidate the strong partnership between the two countries.

    When meeting with Wagner, Wang called on both sides to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, saying that China is willing to help the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in transforming its resource advantages into development advantages, and China’s super-large market will always be open to the DRC.

    Wagner said that the DRC firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to deepen mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with China, adding that the DRC actively supports the BRI and other global initiatives proposed by China.

    When meeting with Sangare, Wang said that China-Niger relations are part of South-South cooperation, and China is willing to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries and enhance mutual trust. Wang expressed the hope that Niger will safeguard the security and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and citizens in Niger.

    Sangare said Niger firmly adheres to the one-China policy, regards cooperation with China as a priority, attaches great importance to security issues, and is willing to enhance mutual trust and maintain dialogue in the spirit of mutual respect.

    When meeting with Pereira, Wang said that Guinea-Bissau took reciprocal measures in the face of the U.S. tariff hikes, and the Global South should stand together, resist unilateralism and protectionism to safeguard international fairness and justice.

    Pereira thanked China for its long-term assistance to Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea-Bissau will continue to work with China to expand practical cooperation and achieve win-win results in the spirit of mutual support.

    When meeting with Tuggar, Wang said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the relationship between China and Nigeria is increasingly of global importance, adding that China is willing to share development opportunities with Nigeria.

    Tuggar hailed the productive Nigeria-China relationship, expressing willingness to further deepen cooperation with China across various fields to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership.

    When meeting with Traore, Wang said facts have proven that the resumption of diplomatic ties between China and Burkina Faso fully serves the fundamental and long-term interests of Burkina Faso and its people. China is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with Burkina Faso and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and establish businesses there, Wang said, expressing the belief that Burkina Faso will ensure the safety of Chinese companies and personnel.

    Traore said Burkina Faso and China have elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership last year. Burkina Faso highly commends China for demonstrating leadership in supporting Africa’s development, thanks China for its support since the resumption of diplomatic ties, and is willing to deepen sincere and friendly cooperation with China, Traore said.

    When meeting with Timothewos, Wang said China and Ethiopia have worked together to achieve early results in implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, bringing more tangible benefits to the Ethiopian people. China is willing to strengthen strategic communication with Ethiopia, promote common development through mutually beneficial cooperation, and safeguard shared interests through solidarity and collaboration, he added.

    Timothewos said Ethiopia and China have achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation, setting a model for the Global South. He expressed gratitude for China’s firm support of Ethiopia’s core interests and valuable assistance to Africa’s development, and reiterated Ethiopia’s adherence to the one-China principle.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Djibouti Abdoulkader Houssein Omar in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Foreign Minister of Ghana Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Bissau-Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities Carlos Pinto Pereira in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Niger’s Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Burkinabe Minister of Foreign Affairs Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Therese Kayikwamba Wagner in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • U.S. to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops, 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has said it is going to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles to help protect federal property and personnel during the ongoing protests in the city.

    Here is everything we know about the U.S. troops that are being deployed to Los Angeles:

    WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TROOPS SENT TO LA?

    National guard troops usually belong to individual states and personnel in many cases are trained to help with emergencies that those states have to deal with, such as natural disasters.

    Since they are the reserve force of the U.S. military, National Guard troops are usually part time, meaning that they have other jobs as well.

    U.S. Marines on the other hand are active duty troops – it is a full time job.

    Marines are trained for conflicts around the world – from the Middle East to Africa – and are used for rapid global deployments in case of emergencies, such as threats to U.S. embassies.

    All those troops will come under a task force, known as Task Force 51.

    HOW CAN TROOPS LEGALLY BE DEPLOYED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES?

    Trump cited Title 10 of the U.S. Code, a federal law that outlines the role of the U.S. Armed Forces, in his June 7 order to call members of the California National Guard into federal service.

    A provision of Title 10 – Section 12406- allows the president to deploy National Guard units into federal service if the U.S. is invaded, there is a “rebellion or danger of rebellion” or the president is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”

    The president also has the authority to deploy active duty troops, like the Marines, within the United States in limited cases.

    WHERE ARE THE TROOPS COMING FROM?

    Many of the 4,000 National Guard troops are coming from the California National Guard. So far, 2,100 soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a unit of the California National Guard, are on the ground.

    The Marines being deployed are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. They are based out of Twentynine Palms, close to Los Angeles.

    WHAT CAN TROOPS DO AND WHAT CAN THEY NOT DO?

    Both National Guard troops and Marines will be carrying out the same tasks, according to U.S. Army Major General Scott Sherman, who is commanding the troops.

    They are tasked with protecting federal property and federal personnel. This means that they will accompany ICE agents on raids, officials have said.

    The troops are authorized to detain people who pose a threat to federal personnel or property, but only until police can arrest them. Military officials are not allowed to carry out arrests themselves.

    The Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement.

    Trump could take a more far-reaching step by invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to directly participate in civilian law enforcement.

    WHAT TRAINING WILL THE TROOPS RECEIVE?

    Troops receive varying levels of training in dealing with riots and crowd control.

    Since National Guard troops are used domestically in many cases, they receive extensive training when it comes to crowd control and civil unrest.

    While Marines may receive a basic level of crowd control training, it is not their expertise in domestic situations. The 700 Marines will receive two days of training focused on civil disturbance, crowd control and protection of facilities, before they are deployed to the streets of Los Angeles.

    The Marines will also have added “legal and law enforcement expertise,” the military said.

    WHAT WILL TROOPS BE ARMED WITH?

    National Guard troops have been seen carrying shields, batons and rifles, along with regular protective equipment.

    The Marines will also be armed with riot shields and batons, and Sherman said they will not have ammunition in their rifles, but they will carry it.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic develops a cooling water circulation pump for data centers – Promoting the strategic enhancement of the pump business

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic develops a cooling water circulation pump for data centers – Promoting the strategic enhancement of the pump business

    Osaka, Japan, June 12, 2025 – Panasonic Corporation (https://www.panasonic.com/global/home.html) today announced that its Living Appliances and Solutions Company (Panasonic) has marked the 70th anniversary of its pump business. The company’s pump business, which began with home pumps (well pumps) that supply water to homes, has consistently contributed to the realization of comfortable and affluent lifestyles through built-in pumps for water heaters, heating appliances, and bathroom equipment. This time, Panasonic will enter the cooling pump market for data centers, aiming to expand its business areas and contribute to customers.
    In recent years, with the evolution of AI technology, the number of data centers has been increasing globally. In generative AI data centers, the heat generated per CPU or GPU chip is rapidly increasing due to advanced computational processes. Previously, air cooling using air conditioners and fans was the mainstream method. However, growing demand for more effective and efficient cooling has brought increased attention to liquid cooling, which has high cooling efficiency.
    Panasonic has developed a next-generation cooling water circulation pump specifically for data center cooling, integrating its proprietary technology and system design capabilities refined over 70 years of its pump business. This product is designed for integration into CDUs (Coolant Distribution Units), the core components of cooling systems, and offers high efficiency, a compact form, and long service life. It meets the cooling needs of next-generation infrastructure by simultaneously reducing environmental impact and ensuring stable operation.
    Starting with its entry into the data center market, Panasonic will contribute to cooling solutions for infrastructure-related heat countermeasures to expand its pump business, aiming for cumulative shipments of 100 million units by 2035. The company will continue to contribute to safe and comfortable lifestyles and industrial development through reliable technology, while earnestly responding to environmental changes and customer feedback.

    New product features

    1. High performance

    By fully utilizing advanced simulation technologies, such as magnetic field analysis, fluid dynamics analysis, and flow analysis, Panasonic has achieved a 75% improvement in pump performance (from 40 to 70 L/min) while maintaining the same size as conventional pumps. This product contributes to improved energy efficiency across entire data center systems and simplifies cooling system design.

    2. Compactness 

    A compact housing has been achieved by leveraging the company’s design expertise, honed through the development of built-in pumps for equipment. This feature enabled the circulation pump to be housed within CDUs that have limited space. The compact housing offers layout flexibility, significantly increasing the design freedom of CDUs.

    3. Long life

    The adoption of submersible sliding bearings and optimized structural design ensures long-term stable operation and reduces maintenance workload. This feature supports high reliability and cost optimization in data center operations.

    Panasonic pump business – 70 years of progress

    Panasonic’s pump business began with the launch of home pumps (well pumps) in 1955.
    In 1980, the company began developing and selling built-in AC pumps for water heaters, contributing to enhanced product value (reheating function) provided by them. Since then, the company has been developing products that simultaneously deliver energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, including built-in DC pumps for equipment. In 2025, the pump business has marked its 70th anniversary, with cumulative shipments exceeding 53 million units.
    The range of appliances incorporating these pumps extends beyond the company’s own products. Manufacturers in Japan and abroad have also adopted Panasonic pumps in their combustion-type water heaters and heating appliances as well as air-to-water heat pumps. Additionally, the new pump has been adopted in cooling equipment for data centers in the current fiscal year. Panasonic pumps are distributed globally from its Hikone Factory in Shiga Prefecture through customers’ equipment, contributing to comfortable lifestyles around the world.

    Media Contact:

    Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Panasonic CorporationPublic Relations, Corporate Policy Department, Corporate Planning CenterEmail: las-pr@gg.jp.panasonic.com

    About Panasonic Corporation
    Panasonic Corporation offers products and services for a variety of living environments, ranging from homes to stores to offices and cities. There are five businesses at the core of Panasonic Corporation: Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Heating & Ventilation A/C Company, Cold Chain Solutions Company, Electric Works Company and China and Northeast Asia Company. The operating company reported consolidated net sales of 3,584.2 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2025. Panasonic Corporation is committed to fulfilling the mission of Life Tech & Ideas: For the wellbeing of people, society and the planet, and embraces the vision of becoming the best partner of your life with human-centric technology and innovation. Learn more about Panasonic: https://www.panasonic.com/global/about.html

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • Sensex, Nifty trade flat in early session amid sectoral weakness

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian benchmark indices opened on a flat note on Thursday as investors remained cautious ahead of key retail inflation data. Early trade witnessed selling pressure in the auto, IT, and PSU Bank sectors.

    As of 9:28 a.m., the Sensex was trading 69.22 points, or 0.08 per cent higher, at 82,584.36, while the Nifty rose 23.65 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 25,165.05.

    The Nifty Bank index was up 98.65 points, or 0.17 per cent, at 56,558.40. Meanwhile, the Nifty Midcap 100 was trading at 59,267.75, down 120.40 points or 0.20 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 stood at 18,772.35, having declined by 26.40 points or 0.14 per cent.

    According to analysts, although the Nifty closed higher in the previous session, it retreated from its intra-day high. Technically, the candle formed was a doji with a slightly extended upper shadow, following the ‘upside-gap two crows’ pattern. Analysts suggest that the bulls now have the responsibility to defend the 25,029 level in the near term.

    “If bears manage to push the index below the 24,987–25,029 zone, a test of the 24,800–24,863 range becomes highly probable,” said Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research at Axis Securities.

    Among Sensex constituents, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, Bajaj Finserv, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finance, NTPC, and HDFC Bank emerged as the top gainers. In contrast, Infosys, Eternal, Tata Motors, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Tata Steel, and IndusInd Bank were among the top losers.

    In Asian markets, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Japan were trading in the red, while Seoul and China saw gains.

    In the previous trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed marginally lower at 42,865.77, down 1.10 points, or 0.00 per cent. The S&P 500 fell 16.57 points, or 0.27 per cent, to 6,022.24, while the Nasdaq dropped 99.11 points, or 0.50 per cent, to close at 19,615.88.

    Experts suggest the market’s recent flat trend is likely to persist in the near term due to a lack of clear positive triggers.

    “There are reports of a potential agreement between the US and China, but no official confirmation has come from the Chinese side,” noted analysts.

    “Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to send letters to trade partners within the next two weeks, outlining universal tariffs. Market participants are waiting for more clarity, as the tariff crisis is far from resolved,” said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers, offloading equities worth ₹446.31 crore on June 11. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹1,584.87 crore.

    — IANS

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by FS at International Conference on Roads and Railways 2025 (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the International Conference on Roads and Railways 2025 today (June 12):

    Alfred (President of the Hong Kong Institution of Highways and Transportation, Mr Alfred Leung), Vice President Wang (Vice President of the Research Institute of Highway of the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China Mr Wang Shuiyin), Tony (Director of Highways, Mr Tony Yau), distinguished guests and speakers, ladies and gentlemen,

         Good morning. It is a great pleasure to join you today at the inaugural International Conference on Roads and Railways – a timely and important gathering that brings together a distinguished community of policymakers, engineers, academics and industry leaders to explore the future of connectivity and sustainable mobility.

         To our guests from the Mainland and overseas, a very warm welcome to Hong Kong.

    The future of roads and railways 

         Roads and railways have long been the backbone of economic growth and social advancement. They are more than just physical infrastructure; they are public goods that connect people, expand opportunities, foster mutual understanding, and enable more inclusive development.

         In an era of rapid technological advancement and growing climate urgency, we are called not only to build infrastructure, but to build it smarter and greener. Transportation systems must be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in ways that align with the sustainable development goals and meet the needs of future generations.

         Around the world, the momentum towards smart and sustainable mobility is accelerating. Emerging technologies, from artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, to automation and digital twin systems, are transforming how we plan and manage transport infrastructure. These innovations are helping us optimise construction engineering, enable real-time traffic management, and apply AI-powered predictive maintenance that cuts costs, reduces downtime and enhances safety. 

         In short, we are seeing a profound shift from traditional infrastructure to intelligent assets that adapt, learn and improve over time.

         At the same time, the global push for decarbonisation is reshaping the transport landscape, calling for action on multiple fronts such as using low-carbon materials in construction; designing infrastructure to support green logistics; and investing in EV charging networks as critical enablers of clean transport. It also means leveraging smart technologies, such as optimising energy consumption through AI, sensor-based monitoring, modular construction, and more, to reduce emissions across the life cycle of transport assets. 

         Green infrastructure, once a goal, is now a necessity.

         A key strategy in this transition is transit-oriented development, or TOD, which is a planning approach that integrates high-density urban development with efficient public transport systems. It clusters housing, commercial services and amenities around transit hubs, reducing reliance on private vehicles and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. 

         Studies show that well-executed TOD can reduce urban carbon emissions by up to 25 per cent, while also enhancing liveability, walkability and economic vitality. In essence, TOD is about building communities that are compact, connected and carbon-conscious.

    Hong Kong’s experience 

         So where does Hong Kong stand in all these – and how can we contribute? I believe there are several areas that Hong Kong can share experience with our peers.

         First, technological expertise and professional excellence. Hong Kong’s pathway in transport infrastructure is built on advanced engineering know-how, precision planning, and a commitment to innovation. Mable, our Secretary for Transport and Logistics, will soon provide a detailed account of how we are taking the projects forwards and how we are applying advanced technologies. But allow me to highlight a few unique features of our experience. 

         Hong Kong is a compact and high-density city, where land is scarce and infrastructure must coexist with tight urban spaces. This has made us a pioneer in TOD, with railways serving as the backbone of urban development. Our railway-led planning integrates transport, housing and commercial uses to create seamlessly connected and lower-emission communities.

         A good example is the Northern Metropolis, envisioned as a major innovation and technology hub. With a projected population of 2.5 million and over 650 000 new jobs, its development will be “infrastructure-led” and “capacity-creating” – with key projects such as the Northern Metropolis Highway and the Northern Link driving connectivity and growth in the region.

         Given our dense built environment, careful planning and community engagement are essential to avoid undue disruption. While this can be time-consuming, it reminds us of the need to build infrastructure that is responsive to public aspirations and socially inclusive.

         Cross-boundary land transport infrastructure is a defining characteristic of Hong Kong. We have nine land boundary control points. From the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to the High Speed Rail, we have experience in integrating different engineering standards, operational models and even legal frameworks. A good example is the co-location of Mainland’s and Hong Kong’s customs, immigration and quarantine facilities at the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. These projects require a high degree of agility, co-ordination with our counterparts and innovation.

         Second, smart and green innovation. Hong Kong is committed to making our transport systems smarter and greener, both as an innovator of new technologies and a user of cutting-edge solutions. 

         On the innovation side, we are investing heavily in four key technology areas: AI and robotics, biotech, fintech, and new energy and materials. Our goal is to become an international innovation and technology hub, with AI at its core.

         We already have a vibrant ecosystem of some 4 700 start-ups. In addition, we have been making good progress in attracting strategic enterprises to establish their presence, including R&D centres, here in Hong Kong. These include companies engaged in EVs, autonomous driving, smart traffic management and green materials, many of which are eager to seek global partners to expand their applications.

         On the application side, our high-density urban environment demands the use of advanced technologies to maintain efficiency and reliability of the transportation system. The opportunities in this space are vast, and we warmly welcome tech innovators from around the world to share solutions, co-create new applications, and shape the future of mobility together.

         Finally, financing the future. Hong Kong’s role as an international financial centre gives us a unique and powerful lever to support infrastructure development globally. 

         With a full suite of funding options, Hong Kong is where infrastructure projects from around the world can raise funds. This is particularly relevant for green, low-carbon infrastructure projects. We are Asia’s leading green bond market, accounting for nearly half of the region’s total issuance. 

         And we are also pioneering innovative financing models to unlock capital for infrastructure development. One such example is securitisation of infrastructure loans, a mechanism that transforms mature, revenue-generating brownfield assets into investment products, thereby freeing up capital for new greenfield projects. To date, Hong Kong has issued two such tranches, totalling US$800 million, supporting over 50 projects across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. 

         In regions where infrastructure funding gap remains urgent and significant – particularly in the Global South – Hong Kong offers practical and scalable ways to accelerate the delivery of essential and sustainable transport networks.

    Concluding remarks

         Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude, I believe the path to smarter and greener mobility is full of potential – and it is through collaboration, innovation and shared commitment that we will realise it.  

         On this note, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Highways Department, and the Hong Kong Institution of Highways and Transportation for organising this meaningful conference.

         I wish the conference every success, and I look forward to the ideas and partnerships that will emerge from these three exciting days. Thank you very much. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Hainan Island Braces for Typhoon Vitip

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    HAIKOU, June 12 (Xinhua) — South China’s Hainan Province raised its flood and typhoon alert level to III from IV at 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday.

    Typhoon Witip’s epicenter was located about 270 kilometers southeast of Sanya at 6 p.m. Wednesday, with winds of up to 18 meters per second and atmospheric pressure at the epicenter of 993 hectopascals, according to the provincial meteorological office.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Hainan was placed on typhoon alert level four after a tropical depression over the South China Sea strengthened into its first typhoon this year in the morning.

    Strong winds and rainfall have already affected Sansha City, China’s southernmost city, as a maximum of 108.6 mm of rainfall was recorded there between 8:00 a.m. Tuesday and 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, with wind gusts of up to 18.7 meters per second.

    Meteorologists predict that Vitip will move west at about 10 km per hour, gradually gaining strength as it approaches the southern coast of Hainan Island. It is expected to make landfall in the area on Friday.

    At present, all marine cargo terminals in Sanya have stopped operations and all marine engineering projects have been suspended. According to the city’s Maritime Affairs Bureau, a total of 1,205 people on 11 offshore platforms have been evacuated to safe areas.

    Let us recall that China has adopted a four-level emergency response system for flood-related emergencies, where level 1 is the highest.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China taps policy tools, emerging industries to unlock job market potential

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

    As part of its broader strategy to ensure high-quality and sufficient employment, China is combining fiscal support, targeted incentives and the rise of emerging industries to drive employment growth.

    Recent official data indicate that China’s job market remains broadly stable. The surveyed urban unemployment rate edged down to 5.1 percent in April from 5.2 percent in March, maintaining an average of 5.2 percent in the first four months of 2025.

    Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, credited this steady trend to the country’s improving industrial performance and expanding new growth drivers, along with strengthened assistance for key labor groups.

    Recognizing employment as a strategic priority, China’s leadership reaffirmed job stability as a top policy goal at a tone-setting meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held in April 2025.

    As part of these coordinated efforts, multiple government authorities on the same day jointly unveiled measures in a circular aimed at bolstering employment among 2025 college graduates and young jobseekers.

    “College graduates and other youths are valuable human resources,” the circular stated, urging maximum efforts to support their employment.

    Organizations that employ 2025 graduates, graduates unemployed within the first two years after leaving school or registered unemployed youth aged 16-24, are eligible for a one-off job expansion subsidy, according to the circular. This policy will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2025.

    Complementing these youth-focused measures, authorities have extended broader financial support to companies aiming to preserve existing jobs. Key unemployment insurance relief policies, which help companies retain employees and support workers in upgrading their skills, have been extended through the end of 2025.

    These supportive policies coincide with robust demand growth in China’s high-tech industries. Notably, industry data highlight significant increases in recruitment activity in fields like industrial automation and digital technologies in the first quarter of 2025.

    Data from Zhaopin.com show that vacancies for mechanical and automation engineers in the industrial automation sector had jumped by 40 percent and 10 percent in this period, respectively, while those requiring algorithm engineers and machine learning specialists rose by 44 percent and 18 percent, respectively, reflecting the increasing role of technology-driven growth.

    This momentum is echoed by major Chinese enterprises, including tech giants and manufacturing firms, which have recently unveiled ambitious recruitment plans.

    Tencent, for instance, announced its largest-ever employment initiative, creating 28,000 internships over three years, many with the prospect of full-time conversion. As of early March this year, the company had employed over 55,000 people — with technology roles accounting for 73 percent of total staff.

    Similarly, Alibaba opened over 3,000 roles in its 2026 spring campus recruitment round, nearly half of which are in AI-related fields. Midea Group, a leading home appliance manufacturer, plans to provide more than 2,000 positions through campus recruitment in 2025.

    China’s employment strategy goes beyond merely recruitment, but also emphasizes retaining and upgrading talent. Many enterprises have significantly invested in employee training programs, implementing structured pathways to facilitate skills enhancement and career growth.

    Fuyao Group, a leading global automotive glass supplier, for example, has developed a comprehensive training system, digitally connecting nearly 30,000 employees through its internal platform, complemented by technical skills programs.

    Vocational training across the country is likewise scaling up to match emerging employment demands. Local governments have initiated subsidized training programs targeting crucial sectors — such as advanced manufacturing, eldercare, childcare and modern services.

    In Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, a robotics innovation center has trained over 12,000 professionals in advanced robotics alone. Its future plans involve expanded collaboration with universities and industry leaders in fields including artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing.

    Such integrated industry-education ecosystems are becoming increasingly common nationwide, and are designed to continuously replenish talent pools in rapidly evolving sectors.

    Looking ahead, Chen Yun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security, suggested maintaining employment-oriented vocational training.

    Chen also called for further targeted fiscal, tax, financial, technological and industrial policies tailored specifically to different business conditions — with intensified support for enterprises facing greater difficulties. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 12, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 12, 2025.

    Trump may try to strike a deal with AUKUS review, but here’s why he won’t sink it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University The Pentagon has announced it will review the massive AUKUS agreement between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia to ensure it’s aligned with US President Donald Trump’s “America first” agenda. The US undersecretary of defence

    Why are sunsets so pretty in winter? There’s a simple explanation
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chloe Wilkins, Associate Lecturer and PhD Candidate, Solar Physics, University of Newcastle nelo2309/Shutterstock If you live in the southern hemisphere and have been stopped in your tracks by a recent sunset, you may have noticed they seem more vibrant lately. The colours are brighter and bolder, and

    After weeks of confusion and chaos, Tasmania heads back to the polls on July 19
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania The Tasmanian government has called a state election for July 19, the fourth in a little over seven years. Following days of high drama, Governor Barbara Baker finally granted Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s election request, saying there

    Goodbye to all that? Rethinking Australia’s alliance with Trump’s America
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Beeson, Adjunct professor, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney Even the most ardent supporters of the alliance with the United States – the notional foundation of Australian security for more than 70 years – must be having some misgivings about the second coming of Donald

    A reversal in US climate policy will send renewables investors packing – and Australia can reap the benefits
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Downie, Professor, Australian National University President Donald Trump is trying to unravel the signature climate policy of his predecessor Joe Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act, as part of a sweeping bid to dismantle the United States’ climate ambition. The Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, is a

    ‘Hard to measure and difficult to shift’: the government’s big productivity challenge
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra Higher productivity has quickly emerged as an economic reform priority for Labor’s second term. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laid down some markers for a productivity round table in August, saying he wants it to build the “broadest possible

    Extreme weather could send milk prices soaring, deepening challenges for the dairy industry
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milena Bojovic, Lecturer, Sustainability and Environment, University of Technology Sydney Australia’s dairy industry is in the middle of a crisis, fuelled by an almost perfect storm of challenges. Climate change and extreme weather have been battering farmlands and impacting animal productivity, creating mounting financial strains and mental

    201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express

    Were the first kings of Poland actually from Scotland? New DNA evidence unsettles a nation’s founding myth
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University An illustration from a 15th-century manuscript showing the coronation of the first king of Poland, Boleslaw I. Chronica Polonorum by Mathiae de Mechovia For two centuries, scholars have sparred over the roots of the Piasts, Poland’s first documented royal

    Medical scans are big business and investors are circling. Here are 3 reasons to be concerned
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Research Fellow, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University wedmoments.stock/Shutterstock Timely access to high-quality medical imaging can be lifesaving and life-altering. Radiology can confirm a fractured bone, give us an early glimpse of our baby or detect cancer. But behind the x-ray, ultrasound,

    ‘Microaggressions’ can fly under the radar in schools. Here’s how to spot them and respond
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Leslie, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy with a focus on Educational Psychology, University of Southern Queensland Klaus Vedfelt/ Getty Images Bullying is sadly a common experience for Australian children and teenagers. It is estimated at least 25% experience bullying at some point in their schooling. The

    New Zealand’s ‘symbolic’ sanctions on Israel too little, too late, say opposition parties
    By Russell Palmer, RNZ News political reporter Opposition parties say Aotearoa New Zealand’s government should be going much further, much faster in sanctioning Israel. Foreign Minister Winston Peters overnight revealed New Zealand had joined Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway in imposing travel bans on Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar

    More deaths reported out of Sugapa in West Papua clashes with military
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Further reports of civilian casualties are coming out of West Papua, while clashes between Indonesia’s military and the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement continue. One of the most recent military operations took place in the early morning of May 14 in Sugapa District, Intan Jaya in Central

    Q+A follows The Project onto the scrap heap – so where to now for non-traditional current affairs?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Two long-running television current affairs programs are coming to an end at the same time, driving home the fact that no matter what the format, they have a shelf life. The Project on Channel

    Sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers is a start, but Australia and its allies must do more
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Whyte, Scientia Associate Professor of Philosophy and ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Sydney The Australian government is imposing financial and travel sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers: Itamar Ben-Gvir (the national security minister) and Bezalel Smotrich (finance minister). This is a significant development. While Australia has previously

    Malaria has returned to the Torres Strait. What does this mean for mainland Australia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Webb, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Aspect Drones/Shutterstock Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases spread by mosquitoes. Each year, hundreds of millions of people worldwide are infected and half a million people die from the disease. While mainland Australia was

    Is regulation really to blame for the housing affordability crisis?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Sydney ymgerman/Shutterstock The Albanese government has a new mantra to describe the housing crisis, which is showing no signs of abating: homes have simply become “too hard to build” in Australia. The prime minister and senior ministers

    NZ’s goal is to get smoking rates under 5% for all population groups this year – here’s why that’s highly unlikely
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Getty Images Next week is “scrutiny week” in parliament – one of two weeks each year when opposition MPs can hold ministers accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. For us, it’s a good time to take stock

    Labor’s win at the 2025 federal election was the biggest since 1943, with its largest swings in the cities
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne We now have the (almost!) final results from the 2025 federal election – with only Bradfield still to be completely resolved. Labor won 94 of the 150

    What are the ‘less lethal’ weapons being used in Los Angeles?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samara McPhedran, Principal Research Fellow, Griffith University After United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested multiple people on alleged immigration violations, protests broke out in Los Angeles. In response, police and military personnel have been deployed around the greater LA area. Authorities have been using

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Disability and aged care support platform amends unfair contract terms

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Online services platform Mable Technologies Pty Ltd (Mable) has admitted to breaching the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) by using unfair contract terms when connecting people seeking care support to independent support workers.

    Support services facilitated through Mable include social support, domestic support, nursing services and allied health services. Clients using the platform include participants on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the elderly and other people requiring support.

    Mable admitted the breaches of the ACL in a court-enforceable undertaking accepted by the ACCC.

    The unfair contract terms were in place between 9 November 2023 and 22 August 2024. These terms included the potential for Mable to receive a minimum penalty fee of $5,000 from clients and support workers in particular circumstances. For example, a support worker who leaves the Mable platform would be liable to pay the penalty fee if, within 12 months of leaving, they continued their care arrangement with a client they were introduced to through the platform.

    The terms also provided for a client’s ‘service log’ (similar to an attendance record or timesheet) to be automatically deemed approved unless the client disputed it within 24 hours. Other terms allowed Mable to change some of its fees and terms without reasonable notice. Mable also included terms which sought to limit its liability for claims and losses.

    “We were concerned Mable’s unfair contract terms potentially disadvantaged its clients, about half of whom are NDIS participants, as well as the support workers operating as sole traders or small businesses,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “Contractual relationships with consumers and small businesses should be fair and more powerful parties should not stipulate terms which are unfair or limit existing rights. This is especially concerning where the clients are people experiencing vulnerabilities and disadvantage.”

    Mable has cooperated with the ACCC’s investigation, amended its website and terms of use and offered a court-enforceable undertaking to address the ACCC’s concerns.

    The undertaking prohibits Mable from entering into particular terms with its clients and support workers, and to clearly and prominently communicate significant terms to clients and support workers. It also requires Mable to establish and maintain an ACL compliance program.

    “We were concerned that the terms, which Mable has admitted were unfair, were so weighted in Mable’s favour that they created a significant imbalance in the contractual rights and obligations between Mable and its clients and support workers,” Ms Lowe said.

    “We remind businesses who have not yet reviewed their contracts and removed or amended unfair terms that we are continuing to monitor the disability and aged care sector and will take appropriate action when warranted,” Ms Lowe said.

    Businesses can view information about changes to the unfair contract terms laws on the ACCC’s website.

    Further information for NDIS participants is available on the ACCC website.

    A copy of the undertaking is available at Mable Technologies Pty Ltd.

    Background

    Mable is an online platform provider for assisted care services. It operates a two-sided online platform that connects people looking for care support with independent support workers. Support services provided through Mable include social support, domestic support, nursing services and allied health services.

    From November 2023, changes to the ACL prohibit businesses from proposing, using, or relying on unfair contract terms in standard form contracts with consumers and small businesses.

    Note to editors

    Each year, the ACCC announces a list of Compliance and Enforcement priorities. These priorities outline the areas of focus for the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement activities for the following year.

    As part of the 2025/26 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities, the ACCC is prioritising improving compliance by NDIS providers with their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law.

    Enforcement activities in relation to unfair contract terms in consumer and small business contracts are another 2025/26 Compliance and Enforcement Priority.

    The ACCC recognises that consumers experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage can be disproportionately affected by breaches of the law. Addressing conduct that impacts this cohort of consumers is always an ACCC priority. 

    In December 2023, the government established the NDIS (Fair Price and Australian Consumer Law) Taskforce comprising the ACCC, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the NDIA. The Taskforce was established to address concerns that NDIS participants were being charged more for goods and services than other people, and to address potential breaches of Australian Consumer Law.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Wall Street Veteran Launches Titan Capital to Bring Institutional Wealth Strategies to Entrepreneurs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Bethesda, MD, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Titan Capital Strategies, a boutique financial advisory firm founded by former Wall Street portfolio strategist Nareena Khan, officially announces its mission to bring elite financial planning tools to high-performing business owners.

    After managing over $10 billion in institutional portfolios, Khan is shifting her focus to an under-served demographic: high-net-worth entrepreneurs scaling ambitious ventures in real estate, healthcare, and technology.

    In an environment where traditional financial systems often overlook the complexity and pace of founder-led businesses, Titan Capital Strategies aims to fill the gap. The firm delivers customized strategic capital planning services with a clear goal: to help entrepreneurs protect, scale, and sustain the businesses they’ve risked everything to build without compromising their personal financial safety.

    Nareena positions herself as a strategic partner, not a product pusher, for founders building something bigger than themselves.

    From Wall Street to Founder-Focused Solutions

    Nareena Khan’s pivot to entrepreneurship was sparked by a powerful realization: the same tools she used to manage multi-billion-dollar portfolios on Wall Street could—and should—be accessible to the entrepreneurs driving the real economy from the ground up.

    As a seasoned wealth strategist, Nareena brings an institutional-level lens to business owner financial planning, cutting through the noise to offer clarity in a landscape often clouded by complexity.

    “Too many founders operate without a true capital strategy,” says Khan. “They’re navigating risk blind—under-leveraged, overexposed, and often unsupported. We help them design smarter financial structures that evolve with their business and protect what they’ve built.”

    That mindset led Nareena to launch Titan Capital Strategies, a firm built not around institutions, but around individuals such as entrepreneurs, founders, and value creators. It was a bold step away from the high-stakes world of capital markets and elite portfolios—and into something far more personal.

    “I wanted more than spreadsheets and returns,” she reflects. “I wanted to know the people behind the numbers—the builders, the visionaries, the ones taking all the risk but getting none of the tailored support.”

    Then the pandemic hit—and deepened her clarity.

    “Watching people say goodbye to loved ones over video, seeing lives cut short with no closure… it made me ask: What am I doing with my time? What legacy do I want to leave behind?”

    That moment redefined her path—not away from finance, but toward a more human-centered approach. Today, Nareena helps business owners unlock liquidity, minimize tax drag, and preserve generational wealth—using elite strategies once reserved for institutions, now tailored for the founders shaping our future.

    A Framework Built for Visionaries

    Titan Capital Strategies applies a proprietary four-step model that guides founders from idea to execution. The process begins with clarifying the entrepreneur’s long-term vision, then mapping out exposure and risk. From there, the firm crafts tailored financial and succession planning solutions, integrating efforts with clients’ existing legal, tax, and accounting teams.

    Khan’s strategic plans often include alternative funding pathways such as premium financing, asset-backed lending, advanced insurance structures, and IUL for entrepreneurs. These strategies deliver tax-efficient growth while limiting reliance on personal guarantees or traditional loans.

    Addressing a Market Gap

    The need is urgent. According to PwC, 70% of business owners lack a formal risk mitigation or succession planning strategy. CNBC reports that over 60% of high-income entrepreneurs do not have access to advanced tax-free strategies. Titan Capital Strategies is responding with solutions that match the complexity of modern entrepreneurial ventures.

    By focusing on execution, not product sales, Khan positions herself not as a financial salesperson but as a strategic partner aligned with her clients’ broader ambitions.

    Reaching Underserved Founders with Smarter Capital

    Titan Capital Strategies serves founders who are rapidly scaling and need a capital strategy to match their momentum. Whether transitioning from seven to eight figures in revenue or preparing for an exit, clients work with Khan and her team to access capital in ways that preserve control and accelerate growth.

    Nareena’s experience managing institutional assets has uniquely prepared her to help clients unlock funding without exposing personal wealth. In recent cases, she has helped entrepreneurs restructure their financial positions to access multimillion-dollar capital while reducing tax liabilities and personal risk.

    New Chapter, Same Strategic Excellence

    The founding of Titan Capital Strategies marks a significant transition for Khan from portfolio manager to entrepreneurial ally. It’s also a shift that signals an evolving financial services landscape, one that demands agility, innovation, and transparency. The firm’s approach is especially timely in a post-2020 economy where founders are seeking financial strategies as dynamic as their ventures.

    Titan Capital Strategies does not offer one-size-fits-all products. Instead, each engagement is rooted in deep collaboration and long-term alignment. This methodology has already attracted interest from growth-stage companies and seasoned entrepreneurs looking for a financial advisor who understands the urgency, complexity, and stakes of founder-led growth.

    About Titan Capital Strategies

    Titan Capital Strategies is a strategic financial advisory firm based in Bethesda, Maryland, serving high-net-worth entrepreneurs across the U.S. The firm specializes in strategic capital planning, premium financing, alternative funding, and risk mitigation for business owners in high-growth sectors. Founded by former Wall Street strategist Nareena Khan, Titan Capital Strategies is committed to helping visionary entrepreneurs achieve tax-efficient growth and long-term wealth protection through fully customized planning frameworks.

    For more information or to explore a private strategy session, visit www.titancapitalstrategies.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Spotlight Forum, Cortez Masto Highlights Struggles Small Businesses Face Due to Trump Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

     ***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

    FTPs for TV stations is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) hosted a Spotlight Forum titled “Costs, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump’s Tariffs” to examine how President Trump’s tariff policies fuel economic instability, raise costs on working families, and harm the travel and tourism sector. During the forum, Cortez Masto asked small business owners to describe the impacts of the tariffs on their individual businesses.

    Senator Cortez Masto highlighted the concerns she has heard while traveling across Nevada – the effects on tourism, the rising costs for families, and the squeeze that small businesses across the state are feeling. 

    “Let me ask you, because I think…some of this is also getting lost, not only the additional costs that you are incurring because of these tariffs [but] the additional opportunities,” she said to Preston Martin, CEO of Bicycle Technologies International who was planning to open a 29,000 square foot warehouse in Reno and had to cancel the contract because of additional costs brought on by tariffs. “What we also are missing out on here are the jobs that are created, the opportunity to put people to work. Mr. Martin, if you were able to open that warehouse in Reno, how many people would you have employed in Nevada?” she asked.

    Martin confirmed in his response that he would have been able to increase his workforce in Nevada by 50 percent.

    “Our policies should be congressionally-driven in the sense that we want to grow this economy and create jobs,” the Senator continued. “And the policies are just the opposite…People want a good life. They want less stress. They want to be able to work. They want a good economy. They want everybody to thrive. And that’s where our policies should be, but this [trade] policy is not there.”

    Senator Cortez Masto has continued to push the Trump Administration to address the impacts of Trump’s tariffs on working families and Nevada small businesses. Last week, Cortez Masto led the Nevada delegation in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to reverse his blanket tariffs that have had harmful impacts on Nevada. During a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Cortez Masto pressed U.S. Trade Representative Greer about the impacts of President Trump’s blanket tariffs on Nevadans, particularly those employed in the tourism and hospitality industry. The Senator introduced the Tariff Transparency Act to require the U.S. International Trade Commission to publicly investigate how Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will impact the American people.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 11th, 2025 Heinrich: ‘Republicans are going to own increased energy prices’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Democrats are going to make increasing energy prices an issue for Republicans in the next election cycles, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Martin Heinrich said Tuesday.

    President Donald Trump promised to bring down energy prices during his campaign, but congressional Republicans are threatening to cut incentives for renewable energy and battery projects. The lack of new electricity generation projects plus rising demand from AI data centers and greater volumes of natural gas for export threaten to increase electricity bills for U.S. consumers, the New Mexico Democrat said during the POLITICO Energy Summit.

    “We’re in a constrained supply environment and an increased demand environment,” Heinrich said. “People’s electricity bills all over the country are going to go up. What I can guarantee you is in the next election and the election after that Republicans are going to own increased energy prices.”

    Natural gas prices could rise 25 percent next year as LNG exports rise faster than drillers can produce the resource, Bank of America analysts wrote. And tech companies are building data centers that consume huge amounts of electricity.

    Republicans are trying to rescind government support for new solar and wind power projects in their reconciliation bill. Meanwhile, power plants fed by nuclear energy and natural gas can take years to build.

    “If you’re not building renewables and storage over the next five years, you’re only artificially increasing the cost of electricity everywhere,” Heinrich said. “I don’t think consumers are going to stand for that. There’s going to be an enormous political price to pay for that. People will see it and feel it in their electricity bills.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Air quality advisory for the Portland metro area due to smog [Aviso sobre la calidad del aire]

    Source: US State of Oregon

    ortland, Ore. – Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Monday, June 9 for the Portland metro area due to elevated levels of ozone pollution, or smog. DEQ expects the air quality advisory due to smog for the Portland metro area to last until 10 p.m. Monday, June 9.

    ** Información en español aquí **

    DEQ expects ozone pollution to reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, pregnant people, older adults and people with heart disease or respiratory conditions. Health officials recommend sensitive groups limit outdoor activity when pollution levels are high.

    DEQ urges residents to protect their health and limit activities that cause pollution during this time. Recommendations include:
    • Limit driving by using public transit, carpooling or other alternative transportation.
    • Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
    • Refuel vehicles during cooler evening hours.
    • Postpone yard work that uses gas-powered equipment.
    • Postpone painting and aerosol spray projects.

    Smog irritates the eyes, nose and lungs, and contributes to breathing problems. Consult your health care provider if these symptoms worsen.
    Ozone forms when hot temperatures and low winds combine with pollution from cars, gas-powered engines and chemicals in paints and aerosols. These air pollutants react with sunlight and heat to produce ozone and haze.
    Ozone pollution increases throughout the day with exposure to sunlight, so pollution levels tend to be highest during afternoons and early evenings. Air quality monitors may show good air quality in the morning, then quickly jump to unhealthy levels later in the day.
    Check current air quality conditions and advisories on DEQ’s Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on a smartphone.

    Media contacts:
    • Oregon DEQ: Chris Varley, Public Affairs Specialist, chris.varley.@deq.oregon.gov, 503-933-0514
    • Local and Tribal contacts

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Raises Concerns on Genetic Data Privacy at Senate Judiciary Hearing On 23andMe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WATCH KLOBUCHAR’S FULL QUESTIONS HERE
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, raised concerns about what will happen to the genetic data collected by 23andMe following the company’s bankruptcy during a hearing titled “23 and You: The Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23andMe Bankruptcy.” 
     “It is my belief that the privacy policies [of 23andMe] aren’t meeting the privacy needs of consumers during bankruptcy. That’s why I’ve worked with Senator Cornyn. I appreciate his leadership, and Grassley to give consumers control over their genetic data with our bill, Don’t Sell My DNA Act,” said Klobuchar.
    Testifying at the hearing was Joe Selsavage, Interim CEO at 23andMe; I. Glenn Cohen, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Brook Gotberg, Professor of Law, BYU Law; Adam Klein, Director, Strauss Center for International Security and Law.  
    A rough transcript of Klobuchar’s questions is available below. Video is available HERE.
    Klobuchar: Thank you. I think I’ll start by following up with Senator Blackburn’s good questions. And by the way, thank you, Mr. Klein, for mentioning the need for a general privacy bill, which we badly need.
    So, on this deletion issue, it’s my understanding that 1.3 million consumers asked 23andMe to delete their genetic data. Many faced technical issues. So, how long is the backlog right now, and what are you doing to make sure all the requests are fulfilled?
    Joseph Selsavage: Senator, the good news is that today, there is no backlog, that we are current on all of the deletion requests. What did occur, you know, is when we filed for bankruptcy. And you know, many state attorneys general requested, or suggested, to consumers that they delete their data at 23andMe. We did receive a significant amount of deletion requests. We quickly added additional staff, and you know, basically were able to reduce that backlog. 
    Klobuchar: Will you commit to ensuring that consumers will retain their right to have their genetic data deleted after the bankruptcy sale is completed, by making deletion rights a condition of the sale?
    Selsavage: Both of the bidders, and you know, the bankruptcy sale of 23andMe, both Regeneron and TTAM Research Institute, have agreed to adopt the policies of 23andMe, the privacy policy.
    Klobuchar: So the answer is yes?
    Selsavage: So, you know the answer is yes. 
    Klobuchar: Okay, during the bankruptcy process, how has 23andMe insured consumers could decide how information is used and for what purposes? That’s what your, that’s what your website has promised consumers.
    Selsavage: Our consumers consent, not only to a terms of service, a privacy policy, there are also separate consents for our customers to, if they so choose, to engage in research at 23andMe. And yet, and then a separate consent to allow us to engage with research with third parties. And you know, we make sure that customers have the right to actually opt in. We don’t default those. Customers are actually clicking ‘yes’ to indicate that they want to conduct or enable their data to be used for research purposes. Many customers understand these are important for understanding disease and genetic conditions, and life-saving medical treatments. 
    Klobuchar: Thank you. Professor Cohen, it’s my belief that the privacy policies aren’t meeting the privacy needs of consumers during bankruptcy. That’s why I’ve worked with Senator Cornyn. I appreciate his leadership, and Grassley to give consumers control over their genetic data with our bill, Don’t Sell My DNA Act. Why is it so important that we require consent from the consumer before their genetic data is sold to another company with which they have no prior relationship? 
    Professor I. Glenn Cohen: People are engaged in a trust relationship. You know, if my father gave me access to his medical records and said, “Son, I want you to look at this and be careful with this.” And I went ahead and said, “Let me give it to somebody else” without asking my dad, you’d look askance at what I was doing. The same thing is happening here. They’re essentially transferring data and transferring a trust relationship to a new entity, and people have the right to know who they’re dealing with and a right to consent to it.
    Klobuchar: Do you believe that the right to control one’s personal genetic information should take precedence over maximizing returns for creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding? 
    Cohen: Well, I think that it would be nice for the creditors to get paid. Senator, in this instance, I think this information is so sensitive and so important, it’s really important to protect people’s information. 
    Klobuchar: Okay, thank you. And Professor Gotberg, do you believe that the current Consumer Privacy Ombudsman system in bankruptcy proceedings is sufficient to protect consumers’ most sensitive information?
    Professor Brook Gotberg: So, the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman is appointed to help the court in weighing the costs and the benefits of any particular sale of assets. If you permit personal consumer data to be sold outside of bankruptcy, it’s permissible inside of bankruptcy as well. And so the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman is just trying to weigh what would be the negative effects of that sale. Without an understanding of the price of privacy, so to speak, that’s a very hard balancing act to perform. To my knowledge, there’s been no final litigation to determine what the damages would be for an individual to have their privacy violated in that way. So it makes it really hard for the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman to have an effective role there. 
    Klobuchar: Okay, and sort of to end where I began with Mr. Klein’s point. Why is it so important that Congress enact a comprehensive privacy law? 
    By the way, the same companies that were lobbying against one, because I’m also on the Commerce Committee, say, 10 years ago, now want one because of the patchwork of laws that we now have in our states. Which is very predictable, which I hope people will realize that we should need some AI rules of the road in place and tech rules of the law in place. And it’s just the worst that people just think they can lobby against things, and then all of a sudden they’re like, “oh no.” So, tell me why we need a privacy law and how that would have helped here.
    Gotberg: So, a greater predictability for companies when they’re entering into agreements with consumers would be, is always beneficial. So if companies know what the legal limitations are, then they can take that into account, and creditors can take that into account whether an asset will be available before lending to the, to the debtor. So it’s important to have that law in place inside and outside bankruptcy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Liquid Glass shines, but AI shortfalls divide influencers opinion at WWDC 2025, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Liquid Glass shines, but AI shortfalls divide influencers opinion at WWDC 2025, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Apple Inc has introduced iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26 with “Liquid Glass” user interface (UI) at the ongoing Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2025. While some influencers are appreciating the Cupertino-based tech giant for introducing on-device LLMs and AI features like intelligent shortcuts in iOS 26, others feel underwhelmed by the limited AI progress, especially with Siri updates postponed to 2027 and modest ChatGPT integration, reveals the Social Media Analytics Platform of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Smitarani Tripathy, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Influencers praised the Liquid Glass UI for its sleek, translucent look, elevating the visual appeal across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. However, the event disappointed with slow AI progress, no major Siri updates (delayed until 2027), and minimal advanced language model integration. The sleek, forward-looking UI captivated many, though some believe the company lags leading AI competitors, while others stay hopeful about its ecosystem’s future possibilities.”

    Below are a few popular influencers opinions captured by GlobalData’s Social Media Analytics Platform:

    1. Bilawal Sidhu, Technologist:

    “Apple WWDC 2025 > What users wanted: Siri that actually works > What users got: “You’ll immediately notice how the playback controls refract the environment. Sidebars and toolbars reflect the depth of your workspace and offer a subtle hint of the content.” I wanted more. But after getting burned for announcing AI vaporware, this WWDC marks a far more conservative Apple…”

    1. Robert Scoble, Founder /CEO of Unaligned:

    “Cynical take on Apple’s WWDC: just doing things Microsoft did back in 2003. Liquid glass. Menus on tablets. Dark take on it: it’s way behind in AI, and didn’t demonstrate any attempt to catch up. Light take: Lots of new AI features, like your phone will wait on hold for you now. Hopeful take: the new design joins Apple Vision Pro into its ecosystem, showing that the Apple Vision Pro is the future of Apple.”

    1. Jacob Jaber, Founder of Humble Lion Holdings:

    “WWDC screams ripeness for form factor innovation. The thing is, no one thinks of next-gen form factor innovation more than Apple, which may signal that the phone is here to stay for some time.”

    1. Kim, AI Technologist:

    “Wow, WWDC was a big disappointment. Hardly worth mentioning. In a nutshell: The UI will be improved, the OS will be fine-tuned a little, and the iPad will become more like a MacBook.AI? A little live translation, a little visual AI – and that’s it. No new Siri (already leaked by Mark Gurman as postponed until 2027), no deeper integration of LLMs such as ChatGPT.”

    1. Dan Ives, Senior Editor at The Verge:

    “Apple played it safe on WWDC as AI strategy was not a focus”

    1. Edward Ludlow, Co-Anchor, Bloomberg Technology:

    “Apple WWDC so far: Design update: Liquid Glass Confirmation: developers soon able to tap in to on-device LLMs. Enhancing software with existing Apple AI tools. Siri features (delayed) to be discussed in “the coming year. $AAPL”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada officials to provide technical briefing on the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 11, 2025 – Media are invited to a virtual briefing by senior government officials on the priorities for the upcoming G7 Leader’s Summit being held in Kananaskis from June 15-17, 2025.

    Information provided at the technical briefing is for attribution to senior officials. Video and audio recording of the briefing for the purpose of broadcast is prohibited.

    Event: Technical Briefing

    Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025

    Time: 9:30 a.m. EDT

    Location: Virtual

    Details: This event is for accredited members of the Press Gallery only. Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca for temporary access.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Allianz’ proposed acquisition of RAA Insurance not opposed

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC will not oppose Allianz Australia Insurance Limited’s proposed acquisition of the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia’s personal insurance business (RAAI).

    Allianz and RAAI both supply home and contents insurance and motor insurance products in South Australia.

    “Our investigation focused on the closeness of competition between RAAI and Allianz and the extent to which other insurers are competing effectively to supply insurance to South Australians,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.

    “We also considered how competitive RAAI is now and is likely to be in the future without being acquired by Allianz. The likely impact of the acquisition on insurance prices, coverage and service offerings were all carefully considered.”

    The ACCC found that other suppliers will continue to compete with, and constrain, a merged Allianz and RAAI after the acquisition, making the transaction unlikely to substantially lessen competition.

    “As well as being the two largest insurers in Australia, Suncorp and IAG also have a significant presence in South Australia. As such, both are likely to compete effectively against Allianz in South Australia even after it has purchased RAAI,” Dr Williams said.

    “Mid-tier insurers Auto & General (Budget Direct) and Youi are also growing their market share nationally and will continue to compete on price in South Australia.”

    “While RAAI has a strong brand reputation associated with its motoring club and membership offering, we found that competition in relation to price and coverage in South Australia is being driven predominantly by other insurers, including Suncorp through its AAMI brand, IAG, Auto & General and Youi,” Dr Williams said.

    The ACCC also considered how the growing challenges facing the insurance industry are affecting RAAI, with a particular focus on the increasing numbers of extreme weather events and rising reinsurance and regulatory costs.

    The ACCC’s investigation found evidence that RAAI is facing specific challenges meaning that it is likely to be less competitive than it has been in recent years.

    The ACCC also considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on markets for the acquisition of smash repair services, windscreen repair and replacement services, and building repair services in South Australia.

    The ACCC found that the proposed acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in these markets as Allianz is unlikely to have the ability to diminish prices or supply terms 2 after the acquisition due to its position in the market relative to other insurers and acquirers of these services.

    The ACCC will also shortly be considering IAG’s proposed acquisition of RAC Insurance from RAC WA. This decision in relation to Allianz and RAAI should not be treated as being indicative of the ACCC’s decision for that transaction. The competitive dynamics and issues in each transaction are unique and the ACCC is considering each transaction individually.

    Further information can be found on the ACCC’s public register: Allianz Australia Limited – RAA Insurance Holdings Limited.

    Background

    Allianz Group is a global insurance service provider that offers a range of insurance products to customers in Australia. Allianz distributes personal insurance products (including home and contents insurance and motor insurance) directly to customers under the Allianz and TIO brands.

    Allianz also underwrites insurance products and distributes it through agreements with third party brands, including Westpac, BankSA, St George Bank, HSBC, NAB, Aussie, Newcastle Permanent, RAMS, and Catholic Church Insurance.

    The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA) is a South Australian based, member-owned organisation that offers roadside assistance products, personal insurance products, and other ancillary services to its members.

    RAAI is a subsidiary of RAA and underwrites home and contents insurance and motor insurance products and distributes them directly through the RAA network via call centres, physical branches (all of which are in South Australia), and the RAA website.

    RAAI’s insurance products are only available in South Australia. The proposed acquisition does not include RAA’s membership-based business, which includes its roadside assistance business.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER SAYS: HANDS OFF UPSTATE NY’S JOB CORPS CENTERS; FOLLOWING TRUMP ORDER TO SHUT DOWN JOB CORPS, ELIMINATING 550+ UPSTATE NY JOBS & CUTTING JOB TRAINING FOR THOUSANDS OF NEW YORKERS, SENATOR…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Job Corps Provides Residential Workforce Training To Thousands of Students Across America & NY – Located In Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego & Chautauqua Counties – Helping Underserved Workers Get The Skills They Need To Start Careers In Healthcare, Construction, Tech, And Other Fields With Worker Shortages
    Schumer Says Rash, Potentially Illegal Move By Trump Admin Is Gut Punch To Upstate NY’s Worker-Starved Businesses From Albany To Western NY That Rely On Job Corps To Find Skilled Workers; Demands NY Republicans Stand Up To Trump And Join Him In Pushing To Reverse These Counterproductive Cuts That Hurt Small Businesses & Workers In Their Backyards
    Schumer: Eliminating Job Corps Hurts Workers, Businesses, And Upstate NY Economy
    With the Trump administration attempting to eliminate Job Corps, one of the nation’s largest workforce training programs with 5 centers across Upstate NY, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded the Trump administration stop their cruel, potentially illegal, attempts to decimate Job Corps, eliminating over 550 jobs across Upstate NY and canceling training to help students across America, including thousands in New York, get the skills they need to enter in-demand careers. Schumer said Upstate NY’s Job Corps centers – in Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego, and Chautauqua Counties – are essential for local small businesses and other employers that rely on Job Corps for a pipeline of new skilled workers to fill jobs.
    Schumer said the Trump administration is not only attempting to shut down Job Corps centers by June 30th, but in the recently released Presidential “skinny” budget request, Trump said he wants to totally zero out funding for the program. Schumer is leading efforts in the Senate to oppose these destructive and potentially illegal actions like pausing existing funds for the Job Corps centers by the Trump Administration to end this valuable program to train Upstate NY workers, and is demanding the GOP, especially NY House Republicans, many of whom have districts that rely on Job Corps, to stand with their constituents in fighting to save Job Corps by pushing the Trump administration to reverse course on these damaging policies.  
    “Across Upstate NY the Trump administration’s cruel order to shut down Job Corps centers has caused students and teachers to scramble, and if this goes through, it will be our small businesses and local economies paying the price. Job Corps is one of the best bang for your buck programs we have, one of America’s largest workforce training programs with thousands upon thousands of success stories putting young people into good-paying careers and helping employers grow with new, skilled workers. Job Corps is where New Yorkers go to get the skills they need to start their career in healthcare, construction, and other in demand fields, but right now, Trump wants to close the doors and kick all these young workers out on the street,” said Senator Schumer. “It’s cruel, it’s outrageous, and potentially illegal to stop the flow of funding under existing contracts from a program that is authorized and funded by Congress. We must save Job Corps across Upstate NY. We want to help young people get jobs, to get the training they need for successful careers, and eliminating these centers will hurt those students as well as local employers like small businesses and hospitals in getting the skilled workers they need. The courts have already put a pause on Trump’s initial attempts to kill Job Corps, and I will vehemently oppose his attempts to defund this program in the Senate because the people are on our side in saving Job Corps.”
    Last month, Trump paused operations at Job Corps centers nationwide sparking widespread outcry. Schumer explained this would kick more than a thousand young New Yorkers out of training programs and potentially to the curb, create mass layoffs of hundreds of workers at Job Corps centers in every corner of the state and hurt local businesses and other employers in need of skilled workers. Since then, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the pause, but Job Corps employees and students are being left in the lurch and are being forced to scramble as they do not know what the future holds as a final ruling in the court case is pending and the Trump administration continues its attacks on the program. In addition, Trump’s FY2026 budget proposal would completely eliminate funding for Job Corps centers, effectively killing the program.
    The Trump administration’s destructive actions would close Job Corps centers in every corner of New York, which train thousands of young New Yorkers every year. Schumer specifically highlighted how:
    In the Capital Region, the Glenmont Job Corps Center provides training to hundreds of students every year in fields encompassing construction, solar, culinary, automotive, security, and healthcare. The center employs 125 workers in the local area and has an estimated local community impact of $24.6 million annually.
    In the Hudson Valley, the Delaware Job Corps Center provides training for hundreds of students in fields encompassing construction, security, healthcare, and culinary. The center employs 101 workers in the local area and has an estimated local community economic impact of $18.1 million annually. The center also provides construction for community-based projects throughout the region via work-based learning agreements.
    In the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region, the Iroquois Job Center provides training to over 200 students in fields such as brick masonry, carpentry, electrical work, commercial painting, and healthcare. The center employs approximately 104 staff and injects over $8.9 million in federal funding into the local economy every year.
    In the Southern Tier, the Oneonta Job Corps is currently providing training hundreds of students and employs approximately 130 staff dedicated to helping students succeed.  Attracting students from all across the country, the center prepares students for careers in auto trades, healthcare, and pre-apprenticeship union trades in electrical, tile, and cement masonry. Oneonta’s Smart Grid Advanced Training for Electrical program helps students develop the skills they need to work on overhead lines, underground residential distributions, and smart meter logic controllers. In partnership with Mohawk Valley Community College, the center is training the next generation of drone operators through their Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator program.
    In Western New York, the Cassadaga Job Corps provides training in fields such as healthcare, carpentry, and plumbing. The center employs approximately 100 workers in the local area.
    Schumer added, “Many of NY GOP districts rely on workers trained at Upstate NY’s Job Corps centers. That is why I’m calling on NY House Republicans to immediately reverse the proposed cuts in Trump’s budget request and push the Trump administration to stop its destructive pause of current funding to Job Corps that would devastate communities in their backyard.”
    For more than 60 years, Job Corps centers have helped millions of young people ages 16 to 24 finish high school, learn technical skills, and get jobs in in-demand fields such as healthcare and construction. Low-income and at-risk young people have received stable housing and health care while developing the skills they need to get good-paying jobs after graduation. Schumer is fighting to keep these centers open to preserve this pipeline for thousands of New Yorkers.
    Schumer recently sent a letter with 39 of his colleagues in the Senate calling on U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to protect Job Corps and demanding answers on these destructive efforts. A copy of the letter sent by Senator Schumer and his colleagues can be found HERE.
    “At Glenmont Job Corps, we see firsthand how powerful this program is. It gives young people the tools, support, and confidence they need to rewrite their stories and build a better future. These aren’t just students—they’re future workers, leaders, and contributors to our communities. If Job Corps is taken away, the loss won’t just be felt by the students—it’ll be felt in our neighborhoods, our workforce, and our local economy. We could see more young people left without direction, and that creates real challenges for everyone. This program works—and it’s worth fighting for. I’m incredibly grateful to Senator Schumer for standing with us and with every young person who deserves a chance to succeed,” said Tracy Battle, Center Director, Glenmont Job Corps.
    “For 60 years, the Iroquois Job Corps Center has trained hundreds of young adults annually to become the electricians, carpenters, medical assistants and more that our community needs,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “The Center is also a vital employer, with 104 local workers, and has infused over 8.9 million-dollars in federal funding into our region’s economy. Stopping student enrollments and threatening to close the Iroquois Job Corps Center not only risks the futures of over 12,000 students but also the workforce that drives our region’s economic growth.  I’m proud to stand with Senator Schumer in calling for Job Corps student enrollments to resume immediately and keeping the Iroquois Job Corps Center open, so we can continue building a stronger, more prosperous community.”
    “I’ve worked at the Cassadaga Job Corps Center for 15 years. I’ve seen thousands of young people transform their lives here—earning diplomas, learning trades, and gaining real-world experience that benefits both them and our local community,” said Cassadaga Guardians of the Hill President Jake Brock. “Closing our center would take away critical opportunities from students and eliminate over 100 jobs in a rural area with few alternatives. We’re deeply grateful to Senator Schumer for his support in keeping Job Corps strong for future generations.”
    “The Delaware Valley Job Corps Center in Callicoon has been a valuable part of our community for nearly half a century, and any closure – even temporarily – will have devastating results in and around Sullivan County. Local young adults benefit from the skills training that the Center provides, and many of the over 100 employees live and shop in Sullivan County. We certainly will be harmed, economically and educationally, should that facility be shuttered,” said Sullivan County Manager Joshua A. Potosek.
    “The Delaware Valley Job Corps program has been a cornerstone of our community for nearly 50 years. By providing stable employment opportunities to local residents, it has made a meaningful contribution to the economic well-being of our region. Just as importantly, it has given our community the opportunity to positively impact the lives of thousands of young people, offering them the support, skills, and direction needed to build brighter futures. I am deeply concerned about the potential loss of these jobs and the far-reaching effects this would have on our local families and economy. The decision to shut down or scale back this program is short-sighted and overlooks the long-term value it provides—not only to the individuals it serves but to our entire community. I strongly urge that this decision be reversed and that full support be restored to the Delaware Valley Job Corps program,” said Sullivan County Legislator Catherine Scott.
    “The loss of the Oneonta Job Corps Academy would have a severe impact on our economy, our infrastructure, the capacity of our community services, and the quality of life in the City,” said Mark Drnek, Mayor of the City of Oneonta. “But beyond that, the closure of the Job Corps program, would be the retraction of a helping hand, and of the opportunity for hundreds of young men and women to pull themselves from poverty and place themselves on the very ladder of success that is the American Dream, in many cases providing precedent and role modeling to family, friends, and neighborhoods.”
    “Job corps gave me the opportunity to get my basic needs met (food, water, shelter and a stable environment), while giving me the opportunity to work on myself and the trajectory of my career. I would not be where I am today, without job corps,” said Cassadaga Job Corps Graduate Arlene Tariq.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Questions NIH Director at Budget Request Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Capito’s questions.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), questioned National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., during a hearing to review the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    ON PRIORITIZING ALZHIEMER’S RESEARCH:

    SENATOR CAPITO: “We very much want to see the innovation in detection, diagnosis, and treatment move forward. And I hope that as you’re setting the priorities and we set them with you, you know that this is a top priority for many of us who are here, and me in particular.”

    ON NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE DESIGNATION:

    SENATOR CAPITO: “If you have a designated cancer center or a National Cancer Institute in and around where you live, your ability to access treatments, your success rate and early interventions are so much better. Some states are called Emerging Cancer Institutes, one of those happens to be mine. There are 14 states that don’t have an NCI-designated cancer center. This is something that is amazingly important to rural parts of our country. How would you close that gap for underrepresentation in the cancer institutes?”

    ON FUNDING FOR OPIOID ADDICTION RESEARCH:

    SENATOR CAPITO: “The last question I have is on…the opioid addiction research. This is a growing issue. The statistics have come down, but I don’t think we should be taking that as a sign that this is not still a tremendous problem across the country. Dr. Rezai in our state is using low intensity focus ultrasound to restructure the way that the brain reacts to certain stimuli. How does your budget prioritize continuing to invest in addiction treatment?”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Questions Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Budget Request Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Capito’s questions. 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Caine at a hearing to review the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Defense. 

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    ON STRONG MILITARY RECRUITMENT NUMBERS:  

    SENATOR CAPITO: “I’m very proud of this fact, that the recruiting goals that have been falling short – with the exception of the Marine Corps, I want to give them a shout out – you said that they are higher.” 

    SECRETARY HEGSETH: “There was plenty of pre-criticism that certain groups would not be interested in joining the military in this environment, and we’ve seen the exact opposite. Because for us, it’s not about women or men or black or white, it’s about we want the most qualified Americans possible in our ranks.” 

    SENATOR CAPITO: “When you’re talking to recruiters, what’s the difference?” 

    SECRETARY HEGSETH: “The difference is a Commander in Chief they believe in.” 

    ON MAINTAINING SPACE SUPERIORITY: 

    SENATOR CAPITO: “I think a powerful, destabilizing force would be if China were to get the superior hand in space. General Saltzman has said that he feels that we do not have what we need to fight on our terms…I would imagine in your National Defense Strategy, but also reflected in your budget…how does this match with the need for us to become space dominant?” 

    MIL OSI USA News –