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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – PSNA condemns the New Zealand government’s silence over US sanctions against United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

     The Palestine Solidarity Network has just demanded that the government speak out against the US sanctions imposed on United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

    Albanese released a damning report identifying companies complicit in Israel’s mass killing and mass starvation of civilians in Gaza, provoking the US to sanction her.

     

    PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal says it is unacceptable for the US to bully the UN and for New Zealand to stay silent.

     

    “Anyone who stands up for Palestinians is attacked and menaced by the US.  New Zealand claims to support the United Nations and the so-called ‘rules-based international order’ but we stay cowardly mute when the Trump administration does Israel’s bidding and attacks United Nations representatives and UN agencies such as the United Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).”

    “New Zealand’s silence is eerily reminiscent of western silence as the Nazi regime in 1930s Germany targeted Jews, socialists, communists, gays, and gypsies, and took over country by country through Europe.” 

    “New Zealanders are calling on the government to sanction Israel, but our government remains cowardly complicit” says Nazzal. “Our silence represents the weakest and worst of human nature.”


    “Silence is what empowers racism, genocide and imperial thuggery as personified in US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio’s attack on Albanese.

     

    PSNA, last week, referred four New Zealand government ministers and two business leaders to the International Criminal Court for investigation over their criminal support for Israeli war crimes in Gaza.


    Maher Nazzal

    Co-Chair 

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Britain, France agree to coordinate nuclear deterrence, unveil new migration scheme

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

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, on July 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday that Britain and France have signed a new deal to allow the two countries to coordinate their nuclear deterrents for the first time.

    During a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at a military base in Northwood, near London, Starmer said the two countries had signed the Northwood Declaration, a deal designed to show adversaries that any attack on either nation would result in a response from both nations.

    For his part, Macron, who will conclude a three-day state visit to Britain later Thursday, highlighted the importance of defense and security cooperation between the two countries, noting that times have changed in Europe and the Britain-France partnership “must change accordingly.”

    Referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Macron said Europe must be able to rely on the strategic collaboration between Britain and France, Europe’s only two nuclear powers.

    A statement by Downing Street underscored the “extreme threat to Europe” that would prompt a joint nuclear response. “Any adversary threatening the vital interests of Britain or France could be confronted by the strength of the nuclear forces of both nations,” it said.

    Meanwhile, Britain and France plan to order additional highly lethal Storm Shadow cruise missiles and step up replenishment of arms depots as part of a renewed defense agreement, according to the statement.

    Following a Britain-France Summit at Downing Street and a “coalition of the willing” virtual meeting, which included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Starmer announced that a new coalition headquarters supporting Ukraine will be established in Paris.

    On the issue of migration, the two leaders unveiled a new “one in, one out” scheme to reduce English Channel crossings.

    Under the scheme, migrants arriving in Britain via small boats will be “detained and returned to France in short order,” Starmer said. In parallel, individuals who have not previously attempted to cross the Channel illegally will be allowed to enter Britain through a newly created route.

    The route will be subject to strict security checks and limited to those meeting the eligibility criteria. Starmer described the plan as “groundbreaking” but didn’t specify how many migrants would be returned.

    Macron said he’s “totally committed” to the pilot scheme, which will come into effect within weeks.

    However, it remains unclear whether the scheme will serve as an effective deterrent. Despite joint funding and efforts, more than 20,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, marking a 50 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

    Both Macron and Starmer face rising pressure at home from far-right and anti-immigration sentiment. Addressing the British parliament on Tuesday, Macron described the migration challenge as “a burden” shared by both countries.

    Starmer also said the two countries “have gone further” to improve trade and investment, adding that both sides will strengthen collaboration on supercomputers, satellite connectivity, and artificial intelligence.

    Macron hailed the development as a “reset” in bilateral ties, noting that trade volumes have topped pre-Brexit levels and the two countries are strengthening their partnerships in civilian nuclear power and cooperating in space exploration.

    During his visit, Macron reiterated support for the two-state solution to solving the conflicts in Gaza, and called recognition of the State of Palestine the “only path to peace.”

    The visit marks the first state trip to Britain by a French president since 2008, and Macron is the first European Union head of state to visit since Brexit.

    Observers said trust between the two sides still needs to be rebuilt after years of tension, particularly during the Brexit negotiations. Macron previously described Brexit as a product of “lies and false promises.” Dialogue between the two nations had diminished following disputes on fishing rights and the Britain-Australia submarine deals.

    Sebastien Maillard, an expert at London-based think tank Chatham House, said that “the memory of these difficult times has not vanished” on either side. “Trust needs time to build,” he added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China urges EU to view bilateral economic, trade ties in non-emotional, unprejudiced manner

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

    China on Thursday called on the European Union (EU) to view bilateral economic and trade relations in a non-emotional and unprejudiced manner, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and there will be important high-level exchanges.

    China hopes that the EU side will engage in less criticism and more communication, less protectionism and more openness, less anxiety and more action, less labeling and more consultations, commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian remarked at a regular press briefing when responding to the recent comments made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

    The spokesperson noted that the EU leader’s comments did not accurately reflect the current state of China-EU economic relations nor the positive progress achieved through dialogue between economic and trade authorities from both sides.

    Regarding market access, the spokesperson said China had consistently expanded high-level opening-up, completely removing restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector and proactively increasing imports from Europe through platforms like the China International Import Expo.

    In contrast, the EU has in recent years practiced protectionism in the name of fair trade, abused trade remedy instruments, and exploited gaps in international trade rules to create unilateral tools that contradict fundamental principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the spirit of free trade, said the spokesperson.

    The EU has frequently launched investigations against Chinese companies regarding foreign subsidies and other matters, leading to a continuous regression in market openness and deterioration of the business environment, the spokesperson added.

    On subsidies, the spokesperson highlighted the EU’s double standards, noting that the bloc itself is a major provider of subsidies, with those for aircraft, agriculture and other sectors all having been ruled as violations by the WTO.

    According to incomplete statistics, the EU plans to provide over 1.44 trillion euros in various subsidies between 2021 and 2030, with member states offering additional subsidies worth hundreds of billions of euros, said the spokesperson.

    On government procurement, the spokesperson said that the European public procurement market contains numerous implicit barriers despite claims of fairness and openness, with policies encouraging the purchase of European goods.

    The EU side has used international procurement instruments to adopt measures restricting Chinese companies and products from participating in its medical device public procurement, said the spokesperson, noting that it is against this background that China has had to adopt reciprocal countermeasures to protect the legitimate interests of Chinese companies.

    On export controls, the spokesperson emphasized that China’s measures are prudent and moderate, covering far fewer items than the EU’s control list. The spokesperson added that China has established a special green channel to expedite approval for European enterprises, while the EU’s high-tech export control approval process remains slow and cumbersome.

    Regarding so-called “overcapacity,” the spokesperson said output and export volumes alone cannot determine overcapacity, arguing that China’s new energy industry actually faces capacity shortages from a global and long-term perspective.

    What is excessive is not China’s production capacity, but rather the EU’s anxiety stemming from insufficient long-term R&D investment and declining industrial competitiveness, said the spokesperson.

    The spokesperson said that China is willing to work with the EU to expand mutual market access, strengthen dialogue on government procurement and export controls, deepen supply chain cooperation, and promote WTO reform, injecting more stability, certainty and positive energy into building an open global economy. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Booker, Vargas, Peters Announce Bicameral Bill to Clean Up Tijuana River

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Schiff, Booker, Vargas, Peters Announce Bicameral Bill to Clean Up Tijuana River

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Representatives Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), introduced bicameral legislation to help combat the ongoing Tijuana River sewage pollution crisis across the U.S.-Mexico border.

    The Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2025 would designate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the lead agency to coordinate all federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies to build and maintain critical infrastructure projects to address long-standing, systemic water infrastructure and pollution issues in the Tijuana River and New River watersheds. The bill would create a new Geographic Program within EPA to manage each watershed through a comprehensive water quality management plan. These provisions and other key components of the bill follow the findings and recommendations of the Government Accountability Office’s February 2020 Report, “International Boundary and Water Commission: Opportunities Exist to Address Water Quality Problems.” The bill also directs EPA to consider projects based on new research examining how wastewater pollutants get into the air, harming air quality and public health.

    “Raw sewage and toxic waste from the Tijuana River are still shutting down public beaches, threatening the health of our families, and jeopardizing the readiness of our military and border personnel,” said Senator Padilla. “By assigning the Environmental Protection Agency with the clear role of coordinating with federal, state, local, and tribal leaders to maintain the health of the watershed, we’re bringing the full weight and commitment of the federal government to address the Tijuana River pollution crisis.”

    “The Tijuana River pollution crisis is one of the worst ongoing ecological crises in this country, posing serious environmental and public health risks to Californians living and working near the U.S.-Mexico border and nearby beaches. We must work quickly on a resolution, and this bill would provide clear direction and authority to EPA to work with state and local partners on a plan to give this crisis the focused attention it demands,” said Senator Schiff.

    “For too long, communities along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border have suffered the consequences of untreated sewage and toxic waste flowing into the Tijuana River,” said Senator Booker. “What I observed during my visit to Imperial Beach in May was unacceptable. This public health crisis, with growing economic and environmental impacts, would never be tolerated in Malibu or Mar-a-Lago and it shouldn’t be tolerated here. This bicameral legislation will ensure the EPA leads a comprehensive effort in coordination with local, state, and federal officials to clean up the Tijuana River and New River watersheds, and finally deliver clean air and water to the San Diego community.”

    “This horrible pollution has harmed the health of our communities, our local businesses, and our environment,” said Representative Vargas. “It’s absolutely critical that we have a streamlined response from the federal government. But right now, there is no one agency in charge of addressing the pollution. There are too many cooks in the kitchen. Our legislation would finally change that and charge the EPA with coordinating the whole-of-government effort needed to combat this pollution.”

    “This is an environmental crisis, a public health crisis, and an economic crisis for San Diegans. The federal government should treat it as such,” said Representative Peters. “Our legislation institutes a whole-of-government approach for resolving this disaster. This is the same type of program you see in the San Francisco Bay, Chesapeake Bay, and Great Lakes; San Diego is no less deserving.”

    Since 2018, more than 200 billion gallons of toxic sewage, trash, and unmanaged stormwater have flowed across the United States-Mexico border into the Tijuana River Valley and neighboring communities, forcing long-lasting beach closures and causing harmful impacts on public health, the environment, and water quality. U.S. military personnel, border patrol agents, and the local economy have also suffered harmful impacts from airborne and waterborne transboundary sewage flows. In 2023, sewage flowed across the border at the highest volume in a quarter century, exceeding 44 billion gallons.

    The Tijuana River pollution crisis has disproportionately harmed underserved communities along San Diego’s southern border for decades. U.S. military personnel, border patrol agents, and the local environment and economy have also suffered harmful impacts from waterborne and airborne transboundary sewage flows.

    To address these long-standing issues, the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2025 would:

    • Direct EPA, in coordination with relevant federal, state, Tribal, and local governments, to implement a comprehensive water quality management program for the Tijuana River and New River watersheds within 180 days;
    • Require EPA and its partners to identify a consensus list of priority projects, including incorporating a comprehensive suite of water quality projects identified by EPA and IBWC in the 2022 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement implementation plan, as well as the construction and operations and maintenance costs associated with them;
    • Provide transfer authority to EPA to accept and distribute funds to federal, state, Tribal, and local partners to construct, operate, and maintain the identified priority projects;
    • Provide technical assistance for restoration and protection activities to federal, state, Tribal, and local stakeholders;
    • Codify the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program (BWIP) to fund water infrastructure projects that benefit U.S. communities;
    • Require the IBWC Commissioner to participate in the construction of projects identified in the Tijuana and New River comprehensive plans; and
    • Authorize the IBWC to address stormwater quality and accept funding made available by the bill.

    EPA currently administers 12 Geographic Programs that help protect local ecosystems through water quality improvement, ecosystem and habitat restoration, environmental education, and local capacity building. Establishing such a program for the Tijuana River and New River is important for the long-term improvement and monitoring of the watersheds during and after the expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP).

    Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), and Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) are cosponsoring the bill in the House of Representatives.

    The legislation is endorsed by the City of San Diego, City of Coronado, County of Imperial, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, SANDAG, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Surfrider.

    Senator Padilla has prioritized addressing the Tijuana River pollution crisis since he first came to the Senate, working with the San Diego Congressional delegation to secure $250 million in the federal disaster relief package last year to clean up the Tijuana River. This marked the final tranche of funding required to complete the SBIWTP upgrade project. The SBIWTP project broke ground in October 2024, and over the coming years, the SBIWTP will double in capacity, reducing transboundary flows by 90 percent. Crucially, Mexico’s rehabilitated San Antonio de los Buenos wastewater treatment plant is now operational, which will help further reduce flows to California communities.

    In response to a request from Padilla and the San Diego Congressional delegation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently opened an investigation into the public health impacts of air pollution caused by the ongoing Tijuana River transboundary pollution crisis. Senator Padilla and the delegation also secured a $200 million authorization for the Tijuana River Valley Watershed and San Diego County through the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 to help address the ongoing transboundary sewage crisis through stormwater conveyance, environmental and ecosystem restoration, and water quality protection projects. They also delivered over $103 million in additional funding for the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) in the bipartisan FY 2024 appropriations package. Padilla previously successfully secured language in the FY 2023 appropriations package to allow the EPA to unlock $300 million previously secured in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to the IBWC for water infrastructure projects.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Grills Forest Service Chief on Trump’s Plan to Eliminate State Fire Assistance Funding

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Grills Forest Service Chief on Trump’s Plan to Eliminate State Fire Assistance Funding

    WATCH: USFS Chief: we are “pushing [funding cuts] to the states”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, pressed U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz on President Trump’s elimination of all funding for critical state fire assistance programs in his Fiscal Year 2026 budget request. Padilla also warned that the Administration still has not finalized funding assistance for this year ahead of its self-imposed August 15 deadline, risking essential wildfire support that vulnerable communities around the country depend on.

    The Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry programs that President Trump is proposing to zero out include state fire assistance, volunteer fire assistance, and the broader state, private, and Tribal forestry initiatives. These programs provide crucial financial and technical support to state and local fire departments for wildland fire prevention, detection, and suppression. Padilla slammed Chief Schultz for the Trump Administration’s delay in disbursing FY25 funding and plan to zero out FY26 funding from these vital fire assistance programs.

    • PADILLA: These programs are essential for building and maximizing the capacity in fire-adapted communities and ensuring the safety of first responders during wildfires. What is the status of FY25 funding for these programs? … What’s your confidence level getting the funding out by the August 15 deadline?
    • SCHULTZ: Sure. Thank you, sir. So Senator the Fiscal Year 25, we’re still working with OMB on that request, so we’re looking to finalize that here, probably, within the next couple of weeks.
    • PADILLA: Look, that worries me. I don’t mean to cut you off. … The deadline to get this out is August 15. We’re a month out, and you’re still finalizing the numbers?
    • SCHULTZ: So Q4 numbers for 25 are still being finalized for some of those programs, yes sir.
    • PADILLA: That should be a big red flag for all of us. … From past fires in California, including Santa Rosa years ago, Los Angeles, more recently — these are the types of programs that we should be supporting. I asked you about the FY25 numbers. Do you know the FY26 numbers? My understanding is the President’s proposed budget zeroes out this program. How does that make any sense?
    • SCHULTZ: So Senator, I think what the intent of that program in ’26 is to transfer that responsibility to the states. That’s the intent of that and then giving that state some heads up that that’s coming.
    • PADILLA: Look as every state that I’m aware of is having a tougher budget picture to face, the threat of fires is real. The threat of fires is growing. How does it make sense for the federal government to zero out these programs that you said are so critical?
    • SCHULTZ: Sir, we would still be partnering with the states in dialog and discussions, but the transfer–
    • PADILLA: But you’re zeroing out their resources. How does that make any sense?
    • SCHULTZ: That’s correct. Well, it’s sharing that responsibility and pushing that to the states.
    • PADILLA: You’re pushing it to the states that have less resources to work with. How does that make any sense?
    • SCHULTZ: In a sense it makes sense because it’s putting that responsibility on the states to make those decisions locally.
    • PADILLA: Look, it may be residents of California or Utah, or other states in between: these are all Americans, communities in the United States of America that are at increased risk because of the actions of this Administration which contradict the supposed goals and objectives.

    Padilla also warned that the Trump Administration’s mass staffing reductions at the Forest Service will hurt their capacity and capabilities to fight increasing wildfire threats. He condemned Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, which diverted them away from critical wildfire response efforts.

    • PADILLA: I’m concerned that this represents a significant reduction in capability and capacity and poses a serious danger to communities, not just in California, elsewhere in the West and across the country. The staffing reductions coupled with the President diverting National Guard units in California mean that those resources are no longer available to support our wildfire response capacity. It’s not just irresponsible, it’s dangerous.

    Video of Senator Padilla’s full questioning is available here.

    More information on the hearing is available here.

    In the aftermath of the catastrophic Southern California fires, Senator Padilla has introduced more than 10 bills to help prevent and respond to future wildfires, including the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act, bipartisan legislation to combat catastrophic wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more efficient and responsive. Padilla highlighted the Senate Fix Our Forests Act after joining federal and state emergency officials for a tour of the Pacific Palisades fire recovery area led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Padilla and Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore FEMA as an independent, cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: American Politicians Try to Shift Their Employment Problems to China — Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Moscow, July 10 /Xinhua/ — The rhetoric of American politicians about “China depriving Americans of manufacturing jobs” is essentially an attempt to attribute the internal structural economic problems of the United States to other countries, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said in an opinion piece published in the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty on Thursday.

    As Zhang Hanhui noted in an article titled “Who ‘stole’ American manufacturing jobs?”, in recent years, American politicians have often promoted the thesis of “China taking away American manufacturing jobs.” From US President Donald Trump’s statement that “China has taken more jobs from the United States than any other country” to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s unfounded claim of a “China shock,” the US leadership has continued to try to shift responsibility for its own problems to other countries.

    According to the Chinese ambassador, the decline in employment in manufacturing is a global trend in developed economies. “Research by the Groningen Growth and Development Center (GGDC) in the Netherlands shows that employment in manufacturing typically follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory: during the industrialization stage, labor moves from agriculture to industry, but as socio-economic development progresses, consumer spending shifts from finished goods to services, and the labor force accordingly moves from industry to services,” the article notes.

    The United States has long since transitioned to a service-based economy, with manufacturing providing only 10 percent of all jobs in the country. Some experts point out that the process of gradual reduction in manufacturing in developed countries began even before China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). From 1977 to 2001, manufacturing employment in the United States fell by 41 percent, while in 10 other developed countries, including Japan, Great Britain, France, and Canada, it fell by 20 to 50 percent.

    As Zhang Hanhui pointed out, the main reason for the decline in industrial employment is the technological revolution. For example, some experts point out that from 2001 to 2023, US manufacturing employment fell by 22 percent, while output grew by 50 percent, which convincingly proves how automation and technological progress are replacing a significant part of the workforce. The Chinese diplomat also cites research from the US Brookings Institution, according to which it took 25 jobs to create $1 million in manufacturing in 1980, while today it only takes 6.5.

    The ambassador is confident that the US’s own problems have accelerated the erosion of its industrial potential. First, the negative gap in labor costs in the United States is virtually insurmountable. For example, the hourly wage of a garment worker in the US is about $22, which is many times higher than $2.8 in Bangladesh, while the productivity of an American worker is only about 60 percent of that of a Bangladeshi worker.

    The diplomat also points out the aging US infrastructure, which seriously limits the competitiveness of American industry. Much of the US electrical grid was built in the 1960s and 1970s and has reached or is approaching the end of its useful life; a third of the country’s bridges require major repairs or reconstruction.

    In addition, the unilateral imposition of tariffs on many imported goods has hit American industry hard. The long-term shift of the American economy toward the financial sector has led to a shortage of skilled labor in the labor market, Zhang Hanhui noted.

    “China calls on the United States to immediately stop the erroneous practice of ‘slinging mud at China’, to return to the mainstream of multilateral cooperation and, together with the Chinese side, on an equal basis, to find ways of mutually beneficial cooperation,” the head of the Chinese diplomatic mission in Russia emphasized.

    In a changing world, China and Russia, with their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, will jointly advance bilateral cooperation along the designated path, uphold the multilateral trading system led by the WTO, and promote the safe, stable and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains through in-depth cooperation, he said.

    “We will consistently promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization to inject strong impetus and new hope into global development,” Zhang Hanhui concluded. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Georgian capital to upgrade metro with Chinese carriages

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Tbilisi, July 10 (Xinhua) — Authorities in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi have announced the start of a large-scale modernization of the city’s subway system using cars manufactured by China’s CRRC Corporation, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said at a city government meeting on Thursday.

    As the mayor noted, the winner of the completed tender was GT Group LLC, which, in cooperation with a Chinese manufacturer, will supply 111 modern metro cars to Georgia.

    The purchase is being carried out with financial support from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Over the next five years, Tbilisi will receive 14 four-car and 5 five-car trains. The new trains will be equipped with walk-through carriages, which will significantly increase the convenience and safety of passengers. The total cost of the project is 150 million euros.

    According to K. Kaladze, the transition to five-car trains on the Akhmeteli-Varketili line, one of the busiest in the city, will increase the volume of transportation and improve the quality of service.

    Today, the Tbilisi metro has 48 trains /192 carriages/. The process of purchasing carriages will continue in the future with the aim of completely replacing the current trains. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Kelly Introduce Bill to Enhance U.S.-Mexico Counternarcotics Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Counternarcotics Enhancement Act, which would direct the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit to Congress an action plan to enhance counternarcotics collaboration, coordination, and cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico:
    “One innocent life lost because of illicit narcotics smuggled into the U.S. by way of Mexico is one too many,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure our Intelligence Community leverages the U.S.-Mexico relationship to most effectively root out these silent killers and keep citizens in both countries safe.”
    “To win the fight against drug trafficking, the U.S. and Mexico have to work together against the cartels. This effort with Republicans and Democrats will make our country safer by keeping drugs off our streets through Intelligence Community engagement with the government of Mexico,” said Sen. Kelly.
    Background:
     The Counternarcotics Enhancement Act would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit to the Congressional intelligence committees an action plan to enhance counternarcotics collaboration, coordination, and cooperation with the government of Mexico that includes the following information from leaders of the Intelligence Community (IC):
    A description and assessment of their relationship, if any, with any element of the government of Mexico, including an assessment of the counterintelligence risks of such relationship;
    A strategy to enhance counternarcotics cooperation and appropriate coordination with each element of the government of Mexico they have a direct relationship with;
    And recommendations and a description of the resources required to efficiently and effectively implement this strategy to further the national interest of the U.S.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Kelly Introduce Bill to Enhance U.S.-Mexico Counternarcotics Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Counternarcotics Enhancement Act, which would direct the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit to Congress an action plan to enhance counternarcotics collaboration, coordination, and cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico:

    “One innocent life lost because of illicit narcotics smuggled into the U.S. by way of Mexico is one too many,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure our Intelligence Community leverages the U.S.-Mexico relationship to most effectively root out these silent killers and keep citizens in both countries safe.”

    “To win the fight against drug trafficking, the U.S. and Mexico have to work together against the cartels. This effort with Republicans and Democrats will make our country safer by keeping drugs off our streets through Intelligence Community engagement with the government of Mexico,” said Sen. Kelly.

    Background:

     The Counternarcotics Enhancement Act would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to submit to the Congressional intelligence committees an action plan to enhance counternarcotics collaboration, coordination, and cooperation with the government of Mexico that includes the following information from leaders of the Intelligence Community (IC):

    • A description and assessment of their relationship, if any, with any element of the government of Mexico, including an assessment of the counterintelligence risks of such relationship;
    • A strategy to enhance counternarcotics cooperation and appropriate coordination with each element of the government of Mexico they have a direct relationship with;
    • And recommendations and a description of the resources required to efficiently and effectively implement this strategy to further the national interest of the U.S.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dawn service held 40 years on from Rainbow Warrior bombing

    TVNZ 1News

    The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior has sailed into Auckland to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the original Rainbow Warrior in 1985.

    Greenpeace’s vessel, which had been protesting nuclear testing in the Pacific, sank after French government agents planted explosives on its hull, killing Portuguese-Dutch photographer Fernando Pereira.

    Today, 40 years on from the events on July 10 1985, a dawn ceremony was held in Auckland.

    Author Margaret Mills was a cook on board the ship at the time, and has written about her experience in a book entitled Anecdotage.

    Author Margaret Mills tells TVNZ Breakfast about the night of the Rainbow Warrior bombing 40 years ago. Image: TVNZ

    The 95-year-old told TVNZ Breakfast the experience on board “changed her life”.

    “I was sound asleep, and I heard this sort of bang and turned the light on, but it wouldn’t go on.

    She said when she left her cabin, a crew member told her “we’ve been bombed”.

    ‘I laughed at him’
    “I laughed at him, I said ‘we don’t get bombs in New Zealand, that’s ridiculous’.”

    She said they were taken to the police station after a “big boom when the second bomb came through”.

    “I realised immediately, I was part of a historical event,” she said.

    TVNZ reporter Corazon Miller talks to Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman (centre) and journalist David Robie after the Rainbow Warrior memorial dawn service today. Image: TVNZ

    Journalist David Robie. who travelled on the Rainbow Warrior and wrote the book Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior published today, told Breakfast it was a “really shocking, shocking night”.

    “We were so overwhelmed by the grief and absolute shock of what had happened. But for me, there was no doubt it was France behind this.”

    “But we were absolutely flabbergasted that a country could do this.”

    He said it was a “very emotional moment” and was hard to believe it had been 40 years since that time.

    ‘Momentous occasion’
    “It stands out in my life as being the most momentous occasion as a journalist covering that whole event.”

    Executive director of Greenpeace Aotearoa Russel Norman said the legacy of the ship was about “people who really stood up for something important”.

    “I mean, ending nuclear testing in the Pacific, imagine if they were still exploding bombs in the Pacific. We would have to live with that.

    “And those people back then they stood up and beat the French government to end nuclear testing.

    “It’s pretty inspirational.”

    He said the group were still campaigning on some key environmental issues today.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: School smartphone bans reflect growing concern over youth mental health and academic performance

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Margaret Murray, Associate Professor of Public Communication and Culture Studies, University of Michigan

    New laws that ban smartphones or social media for youth are being introduced across several Western nations. SeventyFour/iStock via Getty Images

    The number of states banning smartphones in schools is growing.

    New York is now the largest state in the U.S. to ban smartphones in public schools. Starting in fall 2025, students will not be allowed to use their phones during the school day, including during lunch, recess or in between classes. This bell-to-bell policy will impact almost 2.5 million students in grades K-12.

    By banning smartphones in schools, New York is joining states across the country. The bans are happening in both traditionally liberal and conservative states.

    Alabama, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and West Virginia all passed legislation in 2025 that requires schools to have policies that limit access to smartphones. The policies will go into effect in the 2025-2026 school year. This brings the total to 17 states, plus Washington, D.C., that have phone-free school legislation or executive orders.

    I’m a professor who studies communication and culture, and while writing a book about parenting culture, I’ve noticed the narrative around smartphones and social media shifting over the past decade.

    A turning tide

    Statewide cellphone policies are gaining momentum, with many states aiming to restrict use of the devices in classrooms.
    Thomas Barwick/Digital Vision via Getty Images

    According to the Pew Research Center, 67% of American adults support banning smartphones during class time, although only 36% support banning them for the entire school day. Notably, a majority of Republican, Democratic and independent voters all support bans during class time.

    More broadly, parent-led movements to limit children’s use of smartphones, social media and the internet have sprung up around the country. For example, the Phone-Free Schools Movement in Pennsylvania was launched in 2023, and Mothers Against Media Addiction started in New York in March 2024. These organizations, which empower parents to advocate in their local communities, follow in the footsteps of organizations such as Wait Until 8th in Texas and Screen Time Action Network at Fairplay in Massachusetts, which were formed in 2017.

    The concerns of these parent-led organizations were reflected in the best-selling book “The Anxious Generation,” which paints a bleak picture of modern childhood as dominated by depression and anxiety brought on by smartphone addiction.

    Phone-free schools are one of the four actions the book’s author, Jonathan Haidt, recommended to change course. The other three are no smartphones for children before high school, waiting until 16 for social media access, and allowing more childhood independence in the real world.

    Haidt’s research team collaborated with The Harris Poll to survey Gen Z. They found that almost half of those age 18-27 wish social media had never been invented, and 21% wish smartphones had never been invented. About 40% of Gen Z respondents supported phone-free schools.

    The Pew Research Center found that almost 40% of kids age 8-12 use social media, and almost 95% of kids age 13-17 use it, with nearly half of teens reporting that they use social media almost constantly.

    Phone-free schools are also part of the larger trend of states and nations resisting Big Tech, the large technology companies that play a significant role in global commerce.

    In May 2025, two U.S. senators introduced the Stop the Scroll Act, which would require mental health warnings on social media.

    New laws that ban smartphones or social media for youth are being introduced across several Western nations. Australia has banned all social media for those under 16.

    After a fatal stabbing at a middle school in eastern France on June 10, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the same day that he wants the European Union to set the minimum age for social media at 15. He argued that social media is a factor in teen violence. If the EU doesn’t act within a few months, Macron has pledged to enact a ban in France as soon as possible.

    The impact on learning

    Research suggests that students are less focused in class when they have access to cellphones.
    isuzek/E+ via Getty Images

    Although this trend of restricting use of phones in school is new, more states may adopt smartphone bans in the future. Bell-to-bell bans are viewed as especially powerful in improving academic performance.

    Some research has suggested that when children have access to a smartphone, even if they do not use it, they find it harder to focus in class. Initial research has found that academic performance improves after the bans go into effect.

    Test scores fell across the U.S. during the pandemic lockdown and have not returned to prepandemic levels. Some states, such as Maine and Oregon, are almost a full year behind grade level in reading. Not a single state has recovered in both math and reading.

    Statewide bans free local school districts from having to create their own technology bans, which can lead to heated debates. Although a majority of adults approve of banning smartphones in class, 24% oppose it for reasons such as wanting to be able to contact their kids throughout the day and wanting parents to set the boundaries.

    However, 72% of high school teachers say that phones are a major distraction. Anecdotally, schools report that students like the bans after getting used to the change.

    I signed the Wait Until 8th pledge mentioned in the article, promising not to give my kids a smartphone or social media until at least the end of 8th grade.

    – ref. School smartphone bans reflect growing concern over youth mental health and academic performance – https://theconversation.com/school-smartphone-bans-reflect-growing-concern-over-youth-mental-health-and-academic-performance-259962

    MIL OSI –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: South Bow Announces Timing of Second-quarter 2025 Results and Conference Call and Webcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — South Bow Corp. (TSX & NYSE: SOBO) (South Bow or the Company) will release its second-quarter 2025 financial and operational results after the close of markets on Aug. 6, 2025.

    Conference call and webcast details

    South Bow’s senior leadership will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Company’s second-quarter 2025 results on Aug. 7, 2025 at 8 a.m. MT (10 a.m. ET).

    Register ahead of time to receive a unique PIN to access the conference call via telephone. Once registered, participants can dial into the conference call from their telephone via the unique PIN or click on the “Call Me” option to receive an automated call directly on their telephone.

    Visit www.southbow.com/investors for the replay following the event.

    Forward-looking information and statements

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements). In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements, including timing of the release of financial and operational results and the related conference call and webcast and replay. The forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions that South Bow has made regarding, among other things: market conditions; economic conditions; and prevailing governmental policies or regulatory, tax, and environmental laws and regulations. Although South Bow believes the assumptions and other factors reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that these assumptions and factors will prove to be correct and, as such, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: the regulatory environment and related decisions and requirements; the impact of competitive entities and pricing; actions taken by governmental or regulatory authorities; adverse general economic and market conditions, and other factors set out in South Bow’s public disclosure documents. The foregoing list of assumptions and risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date hereof. South Bow does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information contained herein, except as required by applicable laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    About South Bow

    South Bow safely operates 4,900 kilometres (3,045 miles) of crude oil pipeline infrastructure, connecting Alberta crude oil supplies to U.S. refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Gulf Coast through our unrivalled market position. We take pride in what we do – providing safe and reliable transportation of crude oil to North America’s highest demand markets. Based in Calgary, Alberta, South Bow is the investment-grade spinoff company of TC Energy, with Oct. 1, 2024 marking South Bow’s first day as a standalone entity. To learn more, visit www.southbow.com. 

    Contact information

    The MIL Network –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is the Strait of Hormuz and why is it so important for global shipping?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Clarence, Law Lecturer, RMIT University

    During the recent conflict between Iran and Israel, Iran threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s major shipping routes.

    Would that be possible, and what effects would it have?

    The Strait of Hormuz is a choke point at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. It is used to transport about 20% of global daily oil consumption.

    Iran effectively controls this crucial shipping route because it is a coastal state bordering this narrow stretch of water. The strait is too narrow to avoid navigating waters claimed by Iran. This raises thorny legal questions about whether it is really possible for Iran to block the strait, and what recourse other states have if it does.

    This geographical reality is far from new, and the legal frameworks governing international maritime activity have developed over centuries. At its heart is the lex mercatoria — the “law of merchants” — a body of transnational commercial law that emerged organically from the practices of traders operating across borders.

    Within this broader framework sits the lex maritima, or customary maritime law, which has long adapted to the hazards of shipping across vast oceans.

    The lex maritima originated from the shared practices of seafarers and merchants. Its purpose? To manage the unpredictable nature of maritime trade that demands coherent and stable rules.

    One of the most enduring principles of this legal tradition is the idea of mare liberum, or “the free sea”, set out by Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius in 1609. He argued the high seas should remain open to all for peaceful navigation and trade. This conveniently legitimised the ambitions of European colonial powers, granting them unfettered access to global maritime routes at a time when control over sea-based trade promised immense economic and strategic advantage.

    The shifting boundaries of maritime law

    One of the most fundamental questions in maritime law is: where do a nation’s territorial waters end, and the high seas begin?

    After the second world war, a series of conferences culminated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), where the customary 3 nautical miles (5.56km) of territorial waters states could claim as their own was extended. This narrow limit was rooted more in historical naval range – the so-called “cannon shot rule” – than in modern geopolitical or environmental realities.

    In 1959, Iran took the unusual step of unilaterally extending its territorial sea to 12 nautical miles, despite not being a party to UNCLOS. Two decades later, following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the US Embassy hostage crisis, Washington grew increasingly anxious about the security of oil flows from the Persian Gulf. These concerns intensified during the Iran-Iraq War, especially as Iran began using small islands in the Strait of Hormuz to deploy military forces and threaten commercial shipping.

    UNCLOS and the new rules of the sea

    One of the key compromises of UNCLOS was an extension of territorial waters for states that ratified the treaty. In exchange, UNCLOS replaced the older concept of “innocent passage” – which allowed only surface navigation through territorial seas – with the broader notion of “transit passage”. Under this regime, vessels and aircraft from other states are granted the right to travel not only on the surface, but also under the sea and through the air above straits used for international navigation.

    While 169 states have ratified UNCLOS, both Iran and the United States remain notable holdouts. This means Iran does not enjoy the broader 12-nautical-mile limit recognised under UNCLOS, and the US cannot claim the agreement’s protections for transit passage through strategic choke points.

    While the geopolitical and legal tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz may seem far removed from the world of private commerce, the global economy continues to function thanks to a powerful legal tool: the contract. Contracts offer a predictable framework that allows trade across borders without parties needing to trust one another personally.

    The Strait of Hormuz is bordered by active, assertive states such as Iran, which means the potential for interstate conflict is relatively high. This doesn’t mean commercial contracts are irrelevant to the recent dispute in the Strait of Hormuz — far from it. But their influence is more indirect.

    What can be learned?

    Without significant political change in Tehran, it’s unlikely either Iran or the US will shift its position on adopting UNCLOS. Yet despite Iran’s repeated threats to close the strait, it has never followed through — and the US Navy continues to maintain a steady presence in the region. For now, a fragile but persistent equilibrium holds.

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

    – ref. What is the Strait of Hormuz and why is it so important for global shipping? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-strait-of-hormuz-and-why-is-it-so-important-for-global-shipping-260920

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: On Senate Floor, Rosen Calls Out Senate Republicans for Blocking Bipartisan Fix to Repeal New Tax Burden on Gaming Losses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    Senator Rosen Joined Senator Cortez Masto In Trying to Pass Their Bipartisan FULL HOUSE Act to Reverse the Provision of the Extreme “Big Beautiful Bill” That Harms Casino Visitors and Nevada’s Economy—Republicans Blocked It

    Watch Senator Rosen’s Full Remarks HERE.
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) took to the Senate floor to condemn Senate Republicans for imposing a new tax burden on casino players who lose money gaming, and for blocking the passage of her bipartisan bill to fix it. Senator Rosen criticized the recently enacted extreme Republican tax law for including a damaging provision that limits Americans’ ability to deduct gaming losses, threatening jobs and economic growth in Nevada. Senator Rosen joined Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in an effort to seek unanimous consent to pass the FULL HOUSE Act, bipartisan legislation they introduced to fully repeal the harmful provision. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans blocked the effort.
    Below are excerpts of Senator Rosen’s floor remarks:
    I want to start out by thanking my friend and colleague, Senator Cortez Masto, for leading the effort to fix this terrible provision.
    I have to say I’m extremely disappointed in what just happened. Senate Republicans are once again showing that they couldn’t care less about the impacts of their new extreme law.
    Last week, President Trump signed into law Republicans’ disastrous “Big Beautiful Betrayal,” which among all the terrible cuts to health care and food assistance, and all of the rest, the “Big Beautiful Betrayal” included a damaging provision that will impose a higher tax burden for people who play games at casinos, casinos not just in Nevada but all around this country, and lose money.
    So you heard that right. Under Republicans’ new law, individuals who play blackjack or poker, they’re on vacation, or any other games at casinos, will now owe taxes to the government on money they lost.
    That’s because the Republicans’ extreme law placed a new limit on the amount of gaming losses that Americans can deduct.
    So what does this actually mean? This means if someone wins a big jackpot in Las Vegas and then loses that one jackpot later on, they would still be liable for ten percent in taxes on gaming “income”, even though they had not brought home anything! Their loss equals their win. They had no winnings at all! 
    How can that be right? How does it make sense? I don’t know, it’s Senate Republican math. That’s what they seem to use in their “Big Beautiful Betrayal” bill. 
    That’s not just bad math, it’s bad policy.
    So, what makes this even worse is that Senate Republicans snuck this provision in a terrible bill so they can collect more money from people so they can pay for more tax giveaways to billionaires, because that’s exactly what’s happening. It’s shameful. 
    This is going to hurt people who visit casinos and hurt Nevada’s gaming industry more broadly, which supports nearly a third of jobs in our state and generates billions of dollars for the local economy. 
    That’s why Senator Cortez Masto and I agree that we must pass our FULL HOUSE Act and eliminate this new tax burden. 
    I’m extremely disappointed that Washington politicians are refusing to fix a terrible policy they enacted that is going to hurt my state, our state, and our economy. 
    We need to restore the full wagering loss deduction and bring fairness back to our tax system, and I won’t stop working, won’t stop pushing, until this gets done.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road Transport Workforce Report released

    Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

    National road freight association Transporting New Zealand has released the landmark 2025 Road Transport Workforce Report, in collaboration with Teletrac Navman.
    The report explores how the demographic makeup of New Zealand’s road freight industry evolved between 2013 and 2023, drawing from previously unreleased census data.
    The detailed snapshot of New Zealand’s trucking workforce revealed key insights around age, gender, nationality and ethnicity.
    Drivers aged over 65 made up more than 10 per cent of the workforce in 2023. This finding echoed that of the recent 2025 National Road Freight Survey, in which almost half of industry respondents (47 per cent) indicated that “up to 25 per cent” or more of their staff would retire or leave the industry in the next five years.
    The workforce report also found that the number of female truck drivers increased by 240 per cent between 2013 and 2023. Female drivers made up six per cent of the truck driving workforce in 2023.
    Migrant workers are also playing an increasingly important role with almost 25 per cent of drivers being born overseas as of 2023.
    Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says the report provides a valuable insight into the truck driving workforce.
    “Truck drivers make up 1.2% of New Zealand’s total workforce, making it the 11th most common occupation in the country.”
    “With nearly 93% of New Zealand’s total freight tonnage moved by road, the demand for road freight services will only increase as our population continues to grow. Ensuring that the sector is staffed with skilled, capable drivers is more important than ever.”
    “As the workforce gets older, more truck drivers will reduce their hours or retire, leaving severe skill shortages. The road freight industry and the government must work together to ensure new entrants are supported through the driver development pipeline”.
    “The report sets out how Transporting New Zealand has been responding to these challenges, and how the road freight industry can develop, recruit and retain a diverse and resilient workforce.”
    “We’re very grateful to Teletrac Navman for supporting the Road Transport Workforce Report, as part of the multi-year Te ara ki tua Road to Success workforce development programme.”
    The full 2025 Road Transport Workforce Report can be viewed here: https://www.transporting.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025-Road-Transport-Workforce-Report.pdf
    About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
    Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
    Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and Employment – Mental health worker numbers don’t tell full story of service under stress and strain – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Government’s trumpeting of a rise in numbers of mental health and addiction service workers contrasts the everyday experiences of PSA members at the frontline.
    The Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey today said Health NZ payroll data showed total full-time staff employed in mental health growing by more than 9 per cent year on year between Quarter 3 in 2023 and Quarter 1 2025.
    But PSA members tell a different story.
    “Any increase in numbers is long overdue but this only scratches the surface and vacancies and roster shortages remain. With demand for services growing, partly due to a rise in drug use, we need far more mental health workers,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “The Minster’s own officials are also telling him something else.”
    In May 3 News obtained a draft report showing the scale of the workforce crisis, but the official report to the Minister removed the numbers. The draft report said 1,485 more frontline mental health and addiction workers were needed right now, including 470 specialist nurses, 145 psychiatrists and 145 clinical psychologists.
    “Conditions and pay must improve or more workers will face assaults, burn-out and depart for Australia where pay and resources are far better.
    “Our members tell alarming stories of the pressure they are under including:
    – Long delays filling vacancies, sometimes more than a year
    – Constant threats to safety from patients at EDs and in patient clinics
    – Concerns falling on deaf ears of managers
    The Government is also relying on data that is more than a year out of date to trumpet a minor fall in the vacancy rate from 11% to 10%.
    “These problems have been exacerbated by the phased police withdrawal of support, which is happening without an increase in resources at the frontline. This needs to be paused immediately.
    “The Minister needs to take his rose-tinted glasses off and properly invest in this critically important health service. New Zealanders deserve better.”
    The PSA represents mental health workers including mental health nurses, community mental health workers, psychologists, social workers, and child and adolescent specialists.
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arts – New work by talented writers win NZSA manuscript assessments

    Source: New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc

    The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc announce the writers who will receive manuscript guidance through this year’s CompleteMS programme.

    Powerful manuscripts crafted by these accomplished writers, have been chosen to be part of this year’s programme. Writers spend months polishing their stories for entry into this competitive and successful programme (open to NZSA members). 

    The thirteen successful writers receive a detailed assessment of their manuscript from one of Aotearoa / New Zealand’s leading writers and approved assessors, followed by a Q+A session with follow-up support.
    Our congratulations to the NZSA CompleteMS 2025 recipients: Anna Zam (Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland), Annabel Wilson (Swannanoa), Lisa Slavich (Whangārei), Barbara Scrivens (Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland), Tōrea Scott-Fyfe (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington), Sarah Pratt (Ōtautahi Christchurch), Gráinne Patterson (Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt), Bede Ngaruko (Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland), Shelly McNee (Hokitika), Kaye McLaren (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington), Jacqui Gregory (Turangi), Denise Harrison Flett (Quebec, Canada), and Virginia Green(Whakatū Nelson).

    Always fiercely contested, this year’s CompleteMS programme received a record number of applications with 98 advanced and completed manuscripts submitted for the programme. 

    The highly skilled judging panel of convenor Harriet Allan (independent editor and ex-senior Penguin Random House editor), Lee Murray (multi award-winning speculative fiction writer and poet) and Melinda Szymanik(multi award-winning writer of picture books, short stories and novels for children and young adults) had a complex judging task to complete and commented: ‘The huge number of applications was daunting, the selection challenging but cheering, for so many people are keen to hone their manuscripts and develop their skills. 
    And so many of the manuscripts showed such promise that there was a lot of jostling for the thirteen places available. 
    The judging panel would have loved to have had the capacity to award more assessments. Those who missed out should feel confident that their works are still close to completion, as the quality of manuscripts submitted was high.’ – Harriet Allan.

    NZSA would also like to congratulate shortlisted writers: Penelope Scott, Keryn Powell, Nikki Crutchley, Janine Williams and Carolyn Cossey.

    Many past recipients have produced final manuscripts that have achieved publication and acclaim.

    CompleteMS Manuscript Assessments are offered by The NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (Pen NZ) Inc every year with the intent of fostering and developing emerging talent with the support of established practitioners.

    The NZSA has run highly successful manuscript assessment and mentoring programmes for writers since 1999 and our programmes are supported by funding from Creative New Zealand.

    The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa PEN NZ Inc is the principal organisation representing writers in Aotearoa.

    Founded in 1934, it advocates for the right to fair reward and creative rights, administers prizes and awards, works closely with the literary sector, and runs professional development programmes for writers.    
    authors.org.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey and Rep. Barragán Introduce Resolution to Confront Rising Public Health Threats from Climate Change

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Resolution Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 10, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44) today introduced a resolution recognizing climate change as a growing threat to public health and calling for a coordinated federal strategy to protect communities from worsening climate-fueled harms. The resolution urges the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies to lead a whole-of-government effort to protect public health and improve resiliency against climate-related threats throughout the health sector. Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Brad Schneider (IL-10) co-led the resolution in the House.

    The climate crisis is here. In 2024, the United States experienced 27 climate disasters that caused more than a billion dollars each in damage. Increasingly frequent and extreme events—like wildfires, floods, and heat waves—are driving spikes in illness, displacement, and death. More than 150 million Americans live in areas with unhealthy air, and people with disabilities are 2 to 4 times more likely to die or be injured in climate-related disasters. Frontline workers in agriculture, construction, delivery, and manufacturing face growing health risks from extreme heat and poor air quality on the job.

    “With deadly extreme weather disasters, devastating heat waves, and pollution that triggers asthma and other health crises all on the rise, climate change is a full-blown public health emergency—and we need to treat it that way,” said Senator Markey. “This resolution calls on our government to protect the people most at risk from climate-related threats—those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, including Black and Indigenous communities, low-income families, and workers, especially those in construction, delivery, manufacturing, and warehouses. While Republicans pass bills that kick people off their health care, we are fighting for a resilient health system that helps everyone survive a warming and increasingly chaotic world.”

    “The climate crisis affects us all, but especially economically disadvantaged communities, communities of color, and other marginalized communities,” said Representative Barragán. “Now more than ever, we see families across the country facing significant health risks as a result of climate disasters such as extreme heat, excessive flooding, and unpredictable storms. Yet the Trump Administration has dangerously chosen to ignore the threat of climate change to our public health – firing staff and canceling programs that were focused on improving our resilience to harmful environmental exposures, such as the HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity. That is why I am proud to lead this bicameral resolution with Senator Markey and Representatives Carbajal, Matsui, and Schneider to acknowledge the federal government’s responsibility to mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect the health and well-being of all Americans.”

    Specifically, the resolution:

    • Demands the release of funding appropriated by Congress that would help to address climate-related health threats that has been held up by Federal agencies;
    • Details the public health dimensions of the climate crisis, including increased risks of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, mental health stressors, pregnancy complications, infectious disease outbreaks, and disaster-related displacement;
    • Highlights the disproportionate health burdens on children, people with disabilities, low-income households, communities of color, Tribal nations, and workers in high-risk occupations;
    • Calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to lead cross-agency coordination to strengthen health system climate resilience, support frontline providers, close gaps in climate-health data, and help the health sector lower its own environmental impact;
    • Affirms the importance of engaging environmental justice and community-based organizations in local climate-health preparedness and response efforts;
    • Urges the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to adopt a national worker heat protection standard; and,
    • Calls for annual public reporting on federal climate-health resilience investments and progress.

    The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representatives Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15).

    The resolution is endorsed by Health Care Without Harm, Center for American Progress, Climate Justice Alliance, International Transformational Resilience Coalition, Climate and Community Institute, Earthjustice Action, Public Citizen, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Center for Oil and Gas Organizing, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the American College of Physicians.

    “Health Care Without Harm applauds Senator Markey for introducing this important resolution and is pleased to endorse it,” said Jenny Keroack, Director of Program Strategy & Management in the U.S. Climate Program. “Climate change is causing more severe and frequent storms, wildfires, and extreme heat events, creating safety and public health crises across our country. Our government must have a science-based, coordinated approach to prepare for and respond to these growing threats, and the Department of Health and Human Services has an indispensable role to play as the guardian of our nation’s health and well-being. Vital programs have been attacked, including a grant program that assists families with energy costs so they can afford to cool and heat their homes, funding that helps hospitals stay open and operational when the grid goes down, and research on how best to protect farmworkers from increasing heat waves. Such programs and the expert civil servants who help protect our communities from environmental health threats like climate change must be immediately reinstated and supported. Now is not the time to retreat.”

    “With climate change and extreme weather events driving illness, injury, and death across the United States, the Department of Health and Human Services must harness its resources, leverage its authorities, and coordinate its expertise and action to prepare for and respond to the health and financial impact,” said Jill Rosenthal, Director of Public Health at the Center for American Progress.

    “This resolution is crucial because climate change isn’t just an environmental problem; it’s a public health crisis hurting families right now,” said KD Chavez, Executive Director of the Climate Justice Alliance. “Low-income communities bear the brunt – suffering more asthma attacks, heatstroke, and toxic exposure. But these communities also have the answers! They’ve developed practical, replicable solutions. We need bold action: stronger environmental safeguards, smart investments in resilient infrastructure, and policies that prioritize everyone’s health and safety, no matter where they live. Let’s protect our families and build a healthier future for all.”

    “The International Transformational Resilience Coalition (ITRC) strongly endorses this resolution,” said ITRC Founder and Coordinator Bob Doppelt. “We do so because the climate crisis is a public health crisis that requires significant leadership, support, and investments by the federal government to prevent and heal the accelerating climate-generated mental health, psychosocial, and physical health issues experienced by newborns, young children, adolescents, working age, and older adults nationwide.”

    “Our hospitals and clinics are already seeing the devastating health effects of climate change every day – from children struggling to breathe polluted air to seniors collapsing in extreme heat,” said Ranjani Prabhakar, Legislative Director of Healthy Communities, Earthjustice Action. “Over 200 medical journals have called climate change the greatest threat to human health this century, and Senator Markey’s resolution affirms this data by putting health at the center of environmental solutions. Recognizing this crisis for the public health emergency that it is, is essential to protect our families and communities.”

    “As the planet enters a period of increasing climate chaos, our collective response will either deepen disparities or address the drivers of climate breakdown and health inequity together,” said Batul Hassan, Labor Director at the Climate and Community Institute. “This resolution from Senator Markey establishes the urgent need for coordinated action across health and public health systems to ensure all people and generations to come can thrive in a warming world.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Vice Premier Calls for Continued Efforts to Prevent Floods, Reduce Damage from Natural Disasters

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    SHIJIAZHUANG, July 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has stressed the need to continue all-round efforts to combat floods and reduce losses from natural disasters to ensure the safety of people and their property to the fullest extent.

    Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, is on an inspection tour of Henan Province in central China and Hebei Province in northern China from July 9 to 10, checking the progress of preparatory work at a number of flood-control projects.

    Noting that some parts of China have recently experienced heavy rains, mountain floods and landslides, Zhang Guoqing called on all relevant departments to make every effort to help the affected areas in disaster relief and recovery.

    He called for proactive measures to identify hazards early and respond promptly.

    As the country enters a key period of flood control and an active typhoon season, all local government bodies and relevant departments must be fully prepared for extreme situations, especially at the grassroots level, Zhang Guoqing stressed. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China hopes to optimize trade and expand cooperation with Egypt – Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China /more details/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) — China is willing to work with Egypt to advance the optimization and development of bilateral trade and create more bright spots for cooperation and new economic growth points, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Cairo on Thursday.

    As Li Qiang noted during talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the two countries can expand cooperation in emerging areas such as new energy, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

    The Premier stressed that China always prioritizes developing relations with Egypt in its diplomacy in the Middle East.

    He recalled that in 2024, China and Egypt jointly celebrated the 10th anniversary of the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership relations, and the two meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi set guidelines for the future development of bilateral ties.

    In 2026, China and Egypt will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. As Li Qiang pointed out, at this important juncture, China hopes to maintain close high-level exchanges with Egypt, strengthen strategic dialogue, deepen political mutual trust and practical cooperation.

    The Chinese leader called on both sides to support each other on the path to modernization, bringing more benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

    The Premier of the State Council said that China is willing to work with Egypt to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, expand and increase investment and cooperation within the framework of high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and effectively implement projects to improve people’s well-being.

    As Li Qiang noted, the two sides should intensify cultural and humanitarian exchanges and mutual learning, deepen cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, media, youth and at the local level, strengthening public support for friendly cooperation between the two countries.

    The Chinese side supports Egypt in strengthening its role in international and regional affairs, and is willing to closely coordinate and cooperate with Egypt within the framework of multilateral mechanisms such as the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to implement genuine multilateralism, uphold economic globalization and the international economic and trade order, safeguard the common interests of a wide range of developing countries, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East and the world, the Chinese premier added.

    M. Madbouly, for his part, noted that Egypt and China have long-standing and deep relations, and traditional friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the peoples of both countries.

    Pointing out that in recent years, under the leadership of the two heads of state, the Egyptian-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership has shown strong momentum and is experiencing the best period in history, M. Madbouly stressed that Egypt firmly adheres to the one-China principle, respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the PRC, resolutely supports China’s position on issues related to Taiwan, Xi Jinping and Hong Kong, and is categorically opposed to any interference in China’s internal affairs.

    He expressed gratitude to China for its assistance in Egypt’s socio-economic development and said that his country is willing to work with China to deepen political mutual trust, strengthen cooperation in traditional areas such as trade, investment, finance, industry and infrastructure, expand cooperation in emerging sectors including new energy, green economy and space, intensify cultural and people-to-people exchanges and promote ever-new achievements in African-Chinese and Arab-Chinese cooperation.

    According to Madbouly, Egypt highly appreciates China’s fair and just position on Middle East issues and is willing to strengthen coordination with China within the UN, BRICS and other multilateral platforms to protect common interests and maintain peace and stability in the region.

    Following the talks, the heads of government of the two countries attended the signing of a number of documents on cooperation in areas such as e-commerce, green and low-carbon development, development assistance, finance and healthcare. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China hopes to optimize trade, expand cooperation with Egypt – Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) — China is willing to work with Egypt to advance the optimization and development of bilateral trade and create more bright spots for cooperation and new economic growth points, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Cairo on Thursday.

    As Li Qiang noted during talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the two countries can expand cooperation in emerging areas such as new energy, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

    The Premier stressed that China always prioritizes developing relations with Egypt in its diplomacy in the Middle East.

    He recalled that in 2024, China and Egypt jointly celebrated the 10th anniversary of the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership relations, and the two meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi set guidelines for the future development of bilateral ties.

    In 2026, China and Egypt will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. As Li Qiang pointed out, at this important juncture, China hopes to maintain close high-level exchanges with Egypt, strengthen strategic dialogue, deepen political mutual trust and practical cooperation.

    The Chinese leader called on both sides to support each other on the path to modernization, bringing more benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

    The Premier of the State Council said that China is willing to work with Egypt to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, expand and increase investment and cooperation within the framework of high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and effectively implement projects to improve people’s well-being.

    As Li Qiang noted, the two sides should intensify cultural and humanitarian exchanges and mutual learning, deepen cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, media, youth and at the local level, strengthening public support for friendly cooperation between the two countries.

    The Chinese side supports Egypt in strengthening its role in international and regional affairs, and is willing to closely coordinate and cooperate with Egypt within the framework of multilateral mechanisms such as the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to implement genuine multilateralism, uphold economic globalization and the international economic and trade order, safeguard the common interests of a wide range of developing countries, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East and the world, the Chinese premier added. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China ready to optimize trade, expand cooperation with Egypt — premier

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

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly in Cairo, Egypt, July 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    CAIRO, July 10 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday that China is willing to work with Egypt to optimize the development of bilateral trade and create more highlights of cooperation as well as new drivers of economic growth.

    The two countries can expand cooperation in emerging fields such as new energy, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and digital economy, Li said during his meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly.

    China has always prioritized developing relations with Egypt in its Mideast diplomacy, Li said.

    In 2024, China and Egypt jointly celebrated the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership and the two meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi provided guidance for the future development of bilateral ties, Li said.

    In 2026, China and Egypt will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. At this pivotal juncture, China is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with Egypt, strengthen strategic dialogue, consolidate political mutual trust, and deepen practical cooperation, Li said.

    He called on both sides to support each other on the path to modernization and bring greater benefits to their peoples.

    Li pointed out that China is willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Egypt, expand and enhance investment and cooperation within the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and effectively implement livelihood improvement projects.

    The two sides should enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges and mutual learning, deepen cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism, media, youth and local affairs, and further strengthen the public support for friendly cooperation between the two countries, he said.

    China supports Egypt in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs and is willing to closely coordinate and cooperate with Egypt within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to practice genuine multilateralism, safeguard economic globalization and international economic and trade order, defend the common interests of developing countries, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East and the world, Li added.

    For his part, Madbouly noted that Egypt and China have been enjoying long-standing and profound relations, with traditional friendship deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.

    In recent years, under the leadership of the two heads of state, the Egypt-China comprehensive strategic partnership has shown a strong momentum, and is at its best in history, he said, adding that Egypt firmly upholds the one-China principle, respects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, firmly supports China’s stance on the Taiwan question and issues related to Xizang and Hong Kong, and resolutely opposes any interference in China’s internal affairs.

    Expressing gratitude for China’s assistance in Egypt’s economic and social development, Madbouly said the country is willing to expand political mutual trust with China, strengthen cooperation in traditional areas such as trade, investment, finance, industry and infrastructure, expand collaboration in emerging fields including new energy, green economy and space, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and promote more achievements in Africa-China and Arab-China cooperation.

    Egypt highly appreciates China’s just and fair stance on Mideast issues and stands ready to strengthen coordination with China within the United Nations, the BRICS and other multilateral frameworks to safeguard common interests and uphold regional peace and stability, he said.

    After the meeting, Li and Madbouly jointly witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents in such areas as e-commerce, green and low-carbon development, development assistance, finance and health.

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly in Cairo, Egypt, July 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Vice premier urges continued efforts in China’s flood control, disaster reduction

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

    Vice premier urges continued efforts in China’s flood control, disaster reduction

    SHIJIAZHUANG, July 10 — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has stressed the need to continue working on flood control and disaster reduction to fully ensure the safety of people and their property.

    Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, went to provinces of Henan and Hebei from Wednesday to Thursday to examine preparatory work at a series of flood-control projects.

    Noting that parts of China have recently experienced heavy rainfall, mountain floods and mudslides, Zhang said relevant departments must do their utmost to help disaster-stricken areas with relief and post-disaster rebuilding.

    He urged prevention measures to be taken to ensure early detection and responses to potential emergencies.

    Because the country is entering a critical period for flood prevention and an active season for typhoons, local governments and relevant departments must be fully prepared for extreme scenarios, particularly at the grassroots level, Zhang said.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulator highly critical of charity that shared video supporting Hamas

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments

    Press release

    Regulator highly critical of charity that shared video supporting Hamas

    The Charity Commission has found misconduct and / or mismanagement by trustees in the administration of the Al-Manar Centre Trust and issued the charity with an Order requiring it to take action on its social media use. 

    The charity, which operates a mosque in Cardiff, has objects that include advancing Islamic education, and fostering community relationships and religious harmony.  

    In January 2024, the Charity Commission became aware of a video shared on the charity’s social media account in November 2023. The video contained content that, in the Commission’s view, could be understood as demonstrating support for the proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas.  

    In February 2024, the regulator launched a statutory inquiry into the charity. The inquiry examined the charity’s social media and website controls, as well as the circumstances surrounding the posting of the video.  

    Findings 

    The inquiry was told that the charity’s chair, who was the only trustee responsible for managing the charity’s social media content, posted the video after only listening to its audio. The chair believed that the audio aligned with the charity’s objectives, without reviewing the visual content. 

    In the inquiry’s view, the video – which was not produced by or for the charity – contains content that presents a positive image of Hamas and its October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel. It also attempts to downplay or justify the attack.  

    Consequently, the inquiry concluded that the video was likely to lead an ordinary member of the public to infer that the charity was supportive of and/ or glorified terrorism.  

    The inquiry found that the chair’s decision to rely solely on the audio was wholly inadequate. Furthermore, and in the inquiry’s view, even reviewing just the audio, the chair should have recognised from the narration that its content could be interpreted as supporting Hamas’ actions.  

    There were also failings by trustees, at the time the video was posted, to undertake adequate diligence and monitoring of online content posted by the charity. The inquiry found that the video did not further the charity’s objects for the public benefit. 

    Despite receiving regulatory advice in 2014 on protecting the charity from extremist abuse, the Commission found that the trustees had failed to implement adequate social media controls. At the time of the incident, the charity’s social media policy consisted solely of a basic flowchart and lacked meaningful guidance or oversight mechanisms. 

    As a result of the trustees’ misconduct and / or mismanagement regarding the posting of the video and lack of adequate social media controls, the Commission issued an Official Warning to the charity.   

    Additionally, in October 2024, the Commission made an Order directing the trustees to take actions on the charity’s use of its website and social media, which included a review of all material on its website and social media platforms. 

    The trustees complied fully with the Order. 

    Joshua Farbridge, Head of Compliance Visits and Inspections at the Charity Commission, said:  

    A charity’s reputation can be severely damaged in an instant through reckless use of social media. 

    Our inquiry concluded that the conduct of the trustees fell below the standards expected of them. Inadequate controls over social media led to the sharing of harmful content, and there is no excuse for failing to properly review content before it is shared by a charity.  

    Our swift intervention, which included an Official Warning and a legal Order requiring specific action to be taken, underscores the Commission’s firm commitment to ensuring charities are not misused in supporting or glorifying terrorism.

    The full inquiry report can be found on gov.uk. 

    ENDS 

    Notes to editors 

    1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more: About us – The Charity Commission – GOV.UK

    2. On 28 February 2024, the Commission took the decision to open a statutory inquiry into the charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011. The charity’s trustees were notified of the inquiry on 29 February 2024 and it was publicly announced on 7 March 2024.  

    3. On 1 October 2024, the inquiry gave formal notice, as is required under the Act, of the Commission’s intention to issue the charity with an Official Warning under section 75A(1)(b) of the Act. The Official Warning was proposed in respect of the charity the failings surrounding the Video. On 9 April 2025, the Official Warning was issued to the charity.  

    4. On 1 October 2024, the inquiry exercised the Commission’s power under section 84 of the Act and made an Order directing the trustees to take specified actions in relation to the charity’s use of social media.  The Order was made on the basis that the Commission was satisfied that, at the time, there had been misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity. On 17 December 2024, the trustees informed the inquiry of the actions taken in response to the Order. Following a review of the information provided, the inquiry was satisfied that the trustees had fully complied with the requirements of the Order.  

    5. During the inquiry, the Commission exchanged information with the police in relation to the Video under sections 54 and 56 of the Act. 

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

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    Published 11 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C., First Nations advance long-term water planning for Nicola watershed

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Province and the Coldwater, Lower Nicola, Nooaitch, Shackan and Upper Nicola Indian Bands (the Nicola 5 First Nations) are taking the next step to protect healthy and abundant water for people, fish and ecosystems in the Nicola watershed.

    The Nicola watershed, which includes the Nicola River and its tributaries, has been affected by drought, water shortages and shrinking salmon runs in recent years. In response, the Province and the Nicola 5 First Nations are strengthening their shared efforts and have committed to leading the development of a water sustainability plan under B.C.’s Water Sustainability Act.

    “This work reflects a deep commitment to reconciliation, healthy rivers and salmon, and to practical, long-term solutions for the people who live and rely on this watershed,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “By shifting from short-term, crisis-driven decisions to long-term, community-informed water management, we are taking the next step in a long journey of working together toward lasting water security.”

    The plan will be developed in phases and shaped by input from all major water users in the region, including farmers, ranchers, local governments and community members. Establishing shared priorities and clear expectations early reduces the need for emergency measures, such as temporary protection orders.

    The value of this kind of collaborative approach and open communication was clear in 2023, when ranchers and other water users in the region voluntarily reduced their water usage during a dry summer, avoiding stricter regulations.

    This work aims to address long-standing challenges in the watershed, including water shortages, declining salmon populations and threats to aquatic ecosystems, through Indigenous-led governance and integrated decision-making across sectors.

    The Nicola Watershed Water Sustainability Plan will also support several key provincial priorities, including:

    • advancing reconciliation with First Nations;
    • strengthening watershed security in partnership with First Nations and local governments;
    • modernizing land-use and water planning with community input;
    • improving drought preparedness; and
    • creating more opportunities for local agricultural producers to be involved in water sustainability planning.

    This is the first step in a multi-year planning process. The Province will work with the Nicola 5 First Nations to engage local communities throughout the development of the plan.

    Quotes:

    Stuart Jackson, Chief, Lower Nicola Indian Band –

    “Today marks an important milestone for the Nicola Watershed Governance Partnership. By entering into this water sustainability planning process with the Province, we are fulfilling a vision our Nations set out years ago: to work together in true partnership to protect the water, land and all living things that depend on the Nicola watershed. This agreement is a clear step forward in shared decision-making and reconciliation. It builds on the trust, collaboration and innovation we’ve built through the Nicola Watershed Governance Partnership, where we braid together western and Indigenous laws, science, knowledge and values to care for these lands and waters for the benefit of present and future generations. Water is life. It connects our communities, our languages, our cultures and all living things. We look forward to continuing this work with the Province, guided by our Elders, our communities and our shared responsibility to support a healthy and resilient Nicola watershed for all.”

    Mike Goetz, mayor, Merritt –

    “Merritt is a progressive and growing community that is very focused on conservation of water, from setting new standards for water usage year-round to installing water meters. As such we look forward to working collaboratively with the Nicola Watershed Governance Partnership on planning for water in the Nicola watershed.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Israel’s relocation plan for Palestinians and fading hopes for a ceasefire

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.

    It was revealing this week to read reports of Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Donald Trump (his third White House visit since Trump’s inauguration in January). There was no sense that the US president upped the pressure on the Israeli prime minister to soften Israel’s conditions in order to secure a ceasefire. Instead the pair appears to have discussed the prospect of moving large numbers of Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip to countries what would, as Netanyahu put it, “give Palestinians a better future”.

    If Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, has his way, the future for those Palestinians who want to stay put does indeed look pretty bleak. And the 57,000 people who, according to figures collated by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, have lost their lives since the Israeli assault on Gaza began back in October 2023, have no future at all.

    But the plan for the future of Gazan Palestinians that Katz unveiled this week will horrify many too. It involves the construction of a “humanitarian city” at Rafah, close to the Egyptian border at the very southern end of the Strip. Under the plan, people entering the city will be searched for weapons and checked for affiliation to Hamas. Once in, they will not be allowed to leave, except to depart from Gaza altogether.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    This immediately prompted critics to accuse the Israeli government of ethnic cleansing. James Sweeney, an expert in human rights and international law at the University of Lancaster, believes that, if Israel were to carry out Katz’s plan, there would be strong case against political and military leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He argues that the plan amounts at the very least to the forcible transfer of civilians prohibited under the Geneva conventions and the Rome statute, which underpins the International Criminal Court (ICC).

    The snag, as Sweeney sees it, is going to be enforcing international law. While there is an ICC warrant out for the arrests of Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, the Israeli prime minister was able to visit Washington without fear of being apprehended. The US doesn’t recognise the ICC and, indeed, the prosecutor that issued the warrant against Netanyahu and Gallant is now subject to US sanctions.



    Read more:
    Plans to relocate Gazans to a ‘humanitarian city’ look like a crime against humanity – international law expert

    Of course, what happens in Gaza tends to reverberate throughout the region. If hundreds of thousands of Palestinian citizens are moved out of Gaza, it’s likely to be to one of the neighbouring countries. When the idea of a Trump Riviera was first mooted earlier this year, the US president said the Palestinian population could be rehomed in Egypt or Jordan – something both those countries pushed back against with alacrity.

    And the powerful Gulf States, which Trump was keen to woo as business partners when he made a tour of the region in May, are also deeply concerned about Israel’s conduct of its military campaign in Gaza. Geopolitics aside, their populations are broadly sympathetic to the Palestinian people, so a plan to force them out of their homes is unacceptable for Gulf leaders.

    Scott Lucas, an expert in Middle East politics at University College Dublin, gives us a broader view of the region. He describes what he calls two “kaleidoscope moments” when one event has changed the entire region. The first was the Hamas attack of October 7. This brought to an abrupt end the process of normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The second was the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which has further isolated Israel. Lucas believes for there to be any hope of regional stability and the furthering of Israeli relations with the rest of the region, the war in Gaza must end.



    Read more:
    As Netanyahu meets Trump in Washington, what hope for peace in Gaza? Expert Q&A

    Ali Mamouri, a Middle East scholar at Australia’s Deakin University doesn’t believe there’s much chance of this happening any time soon. Part of this is political: Netanyahu still depends on the far-right elements of his coalition represented by national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. They remain steadfastly opposed to even a ceasefire and want to see Israel expel Palestinians by hook or by crook.

    Also, by prolonging the war, Netanyahu can keep delaying his corruption trial (incidentally, Donald Trump has called for the charges to be dropped altogether).

    And the idea of full statehood for Palestine remains anathema for Israel, as Netanyahu made clear this week talking with journalists after his meeting with Trump when he made clear his insistence that far from pulling Israeli troops out of Gaza, Israel would keep full control of all security matters there: “Now, people will say: ‘It’s not a complete state, it’s not a state.’ We don’t care,” he said.

    Mansour concludes: “The coming weeks will reveal whether Israel chooses the path of compromise and coexistence, or continues down a road that forecloses the possibility of lasting peace.”



    Read more:
    The US has high hopes for a new Gaza ceasefire, but Israel’s long-term aims seem far less peaceful

    Europe must step up over Ukraine

    Just as the picture remains bleak in Gaza, the prospects for peace remain very slim in Ukraine. Although given Donald Trump’s mercurial approach to foreign affairs, it’s also fair to say that anything is possible.

    This week the US president decided to recommence US arms supplies to Ukraine, having previously frozen military aid (although he insists this was done by his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and that he was “blindsided” by the move). His relationship with Putin appears to have soured – for the present at least. He said: “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all of the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”

    And at the most recent Nato summit in The Hague on June 25, Trump put his signature to a declaration that Russia poses “long-term threat … to Euro-Atlantic security” and that Nato member states retain “their enduring sovereign commitments to provide support to Ukraine”.

    But Stefan Wolff, an expert in international security at the University of Birmingham, believes that Nato’s European members cannot bank on the US as a reliable long-term partner. There are few signs that the US is pressuring Russia to compromise on its maximalist aims, which remain unchanged since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. So Russia remains the most urgent threat to European security. And it’s a threat that Europe will need to prepare to confront, if necessary without US assistance.

    But there are signs that many European countries are preparing to do just that, Wolff writes. Increased commitments to defence spending are a strong start. As he concludes: “They will not turn Europe into a military heavyweight overnight. But they will buy time to do so.”



    Read more:
    US backs Nato’s latest pledge of support for Ukraine, but in reality seems to have abandoned its European partners

    Understandably, much of the reporting of the war in Ukraine has focused on the human tragedy unfolding in the war-torn country: the enormous casualty list on both sides, civilians killed or forced from their homes in the fighting, and the Ukrainian citizens forced to live under Russian occupation.

    But a new film, which premiered recently at the Tribeca film festival, looks at War Through the Eyes of Animals. Janine Natalya Clark, an expert in transitional justice at the University of Birmingham, has done similar. Clark interviewed a number of Ukrainian natural scientists including botanists, ornithologists, herpetologists (who study reptiles and amphibians) and a marine biologist. She asked them to make sound recordings in their area to reflect on how the war is affecting Ukraine’s flora and fauna.

    What emerged was extraordinary and reflects how the conflict has affected the natural world in both positive and negative ways. Clark believes that this information will be invaluable when it comes to rebuilding Ukraine and in securing justice and reparations for the damage done – not just to humans, but to Ukraine’s animals and the habitats in which they live.



    Read more:
    Sound recordings can give us an animal-eye view of the war in Ukraine

    In Russia, meanwhile, a controversial measure introduced by the Putin government is dividing public opinion. In some parts of the country, schoolgirls who become pregnant are being paid more than 100,000 roubles (nearly £900) for giving birth and raising their babies.

    Jannifer Mathers, a Russia expert at Aberystwyth University, looks at the rise of pronatalism in the face of declining populations and finds it’s not just an issue in Russia, but for many other countries as well, including the US.



    Read more:
    Russia is paying schoolgirls to have babies. Why is pronatalism on the rise around the world?

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. Israel’s relocation plan for Palestinians and fading hopes for a ceasefire – https://theconversation.com/israels-relocation-plan-for-palestinians-and-fading-hopes-for-a-ceasefire-260933

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Push from Senator Hassan, VA to Preserve Thousands of Jobs Critical to Veteran Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – Following repeated advocacy by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), as well as other Senate Democrats, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced this week that it will no longer pursue its planned reduction in force of roughly 80,000 employees, representing nearly 1 in 5 VA employees. Since the Trump Administration announced its plans to fire 80,000 VA employees, Senator Hassan has consistently pressed VA leadership about the proposed reductions, warning that mass firings would jeopardize veterans’ access to the health care, support, and benefits that they have earned. While the announcement from the VA is an important step forward, the VA still expects to shed 30,000 employees this year through retirements and attrition.

    “I am encouraged to see that the VA has listened to the concerns expressed by me and my colleagues, as well as the concerns expressed by veterans in New Hampshire and is no longer pursuing its large-scale reduction of the force at VA. Though I support efforts to eliminate waste and fraud in government, blindly cutting one-fifth of VA’s workforce does not make our government more efficient and instead threatens the care and services that veterans have earned and deserve,” said Senator Hassan. “While this announcement reflects movement in the right direction, the VA has still pushed out thousands of employees who were critical to serving those who have served our country without any clear analysis of the impact. I will continue to push back against any attempts to weaken the VA and dismantle the critical services that it provides for New Hampshire veterans. I will closely monitor the VA’s staffing decisions and speak out against any decisions that result in longer wait times or reduced quality of care.”

    Senator Hassan has voiced strong opposition to the planned workforce reductions at the VA, speaking out about the ways in which the firings would weaken services for America’s veterans and pressing VA officials on the issue in recent months. Following the Trump Administration’s announcement of its plans to cut roughly 80,000 VA staff – nearly 1 in 5 employees – Senator Hassan pressed the VA’s head of human resources and top VA doctor at the time to answer questions about the planned firings, but the answers they provided made clear that the VA had come up with an arbitrary number of employees to fire without first analyzing  the consequences.

    The proposed cuts were particularly concerning given the increased demand for VA services following the implementation of the PACT Act, landmark legislation that Senator Hassan helped develop and pass into law to fundamentally reform how veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits. To date, more than 2.4 million PACT Act-related claims have been filed and over 220,000 veterans have enrolled for VA health care under the expanded law, including almost 1,900 Granite Staters. The VA hired thousands of additional staff to meet this intended increase in demand – the very same staff that the Trump Administration planned to fire, threatening to undermine PACT Act veterans’ ability to receive the timely care and benefits they have earned and deserve.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: First International Day of Hope | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    2025 Celebration of the 1st International Day of Hope. The meeting will focus on effective implementation and inspiring more likeminded individuals toward hope for existence and harmony with others.

    Our goal is to create awareness about the International Day of Hope, establish a collaborative platform for governments and non-governmental organizations to exchange ideas and share diverse perspectives on humanity and “Hope”.

    Strengthening the power of “Hope” through this meeting will contribute to transforming the world, paving the way for a sustainable future for all. It will further provide insight into fostering peace, prosperity, and sustainable development through “Power of Hope” for a failing system.

    Leaders will share their experiences, insights, and visions to promote the spirit of cooperation in building Hope as well as strategies that will help restore Hope in a failing generation. We believe that by the end of this meeting, the value and significance of promoting the power of hope will be intensified, encouraging people around the world to confront the global crisis we face today with Hope that inspires action and unites love and conscience to overcome challenges and realize our shared goals.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55GSB5m4O_4

    MIL OSI Video –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Targa Resources Corp. Announces Quarterly Common Dividend and Timing of Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Webcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE: TRGP) (“Targa” or the “Company”) announced today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.00 per common share, or $4.00 per common share on an annualized basis, for the second quarter of 2025. This cash dividend will be paid August 15, 2025 on all outstanding common shares to holders of record as of the close of business on July 31, 2025.

    The Company will report its second quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens for trading on Thursday, August 7, 2025, and will host a live webcast at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (10:00 a.m. Central Time) to discuss its 2025 second quarter financial results.

    Event Information
    Event: Targa Resources Corp. Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Webcast and Presentation
    Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
    Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
    Webcast: https://www.targaresources.com/investors/events or directly at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/vkst8uaw

    Replay Information 
    A webcast replay will be available at the link above approximately two hours after the conclusion of the event. A quarterly earnings supplement presentation and updated investor presentation will also be available at https://www.targaresources.com/investors/events.

    About Targa Resources Corp.

    Targa Resources Corp. is a leading provider of midstream services and is one of the largest independent infrastructure companies in North America. The Company owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of complementary domestic infrastructure assets and its operations are critical to the efficient, safe and reliable delivery of energy across the United States and increasingly to the world. The Company’s assets connect natural gas and NGLs to domestic and international markets with growing demand for cleaner fuels and feedstocks. The Company is primarily engaged in the business of: gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, and purchasing and selling natural gas; transporting, storing, fractionating, treating, and purchasing and selling NGLs and NGL products, including services to LPG exporters; and gathering, storing, terminaling, and purchasing and selling crude oil.

    Targa is a FORTUNE 500 company and is included in the S&P 500.

    For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.targaresources.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our projected financial performance, capital spending and payment of future dividends. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of uncertainties, factors and risks, many of which are outside the Company’s control, which could cause results to differ materially from those expected by management of the Company. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, actions taken by other countries with significant hydrocarbon production, weather, political, economic and market conditions, including a decline in the price and market demand for natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil, the timing and success of our completion of capital projects and business development efforts, the expected growth of volumes on our systems, the impact of significant public health crises, commodity price volatility due to ongoing or new global conflicts, the impact of disruptions in the bank and capital markets, including those resulting from lack of access to liquidity for banking and financial services firms, changes in laws and regulations, particularly with regard to taxes, tariffs and international trade, and other uncertainties. These and other applicable uncertainties, factors and risks are described more fully in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Targa Investor Relations
    InvestorRelations@targaresources.com
    (713) 584-1133

    The MIL Network –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: We Have Secured Huge Wins for Kansas Farmers and Ranchers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Talk About the Plan to Ban U.S. Farmland Purchases by China and Key Wins in the Reconciliation Bill
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Tammi Arender on RFD-TV’s Market Day Report to discuss the importance of protecting American farmland from hostile foreign nations like China and the major wins for farmers and ranchers in the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill.
    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks.
    On the necessity of preventing China from buying American farmland:
    “Tammi, it’s great to be with you, and for the last several years, we’ve been trying to scream as loud as we could that China’s buying more and more farmland in America. And it’s not just the quantity, it’s where they’re purchasing it. If you could imagine, Whiteman Air Force Base is where those B2 bombers took off and took out the Iranian nuclear facilities. The Chinese have purchased land next to that base. Same way at Fort Riley – at many of the military bases, the Chinese have purchased property.
    “And beyond that, it’s the Chinese owning a significant part of Smithfield and Brazilian JBS, the meatpacking industry as well. So what we announced yesterday, the Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who by the way is doing an incredible job, is that she’s now going to be on CFIUS. This is the committee on foreign land purchases by foreign entities. So she’ll be at that level, and then trying to decide if someone that China or their proxies are here, trying to buy land in America, that she’ll get to decide that is a national security issue. The bottom line: food security is national security.”
    On whether there will be any retaliatory measures taken by China:
    “Think about this – you and I, your listeners, we cannot go to China and purchase land. We cannot go to China and make a pork processing plant. So I think it’s fair. You know, President Trump talks about fair and reciprocal trade agreements. And by the way, there’s a lot that states can do. State Governors in their legislatures can do this. Already in Arkansas, Governor Huckabee Sanders is actually buying back this land that the Chinese have purchased. And not only has she banned future purchases, but she’s actually forcing them to sell land as well – sometimes the states can move a little bit quicker than the federal government can.”
    On what the One Big Beautiful Bill will do for farmers and ranchers:
    “Tammi, I’m so proud we did almost a whole farm bill within this reconciliation bill. We allocate $50 billion more for crop insurance as well as the Title I funding. We increased the reference prices, so we funded that for the next five years, and we’ll take that off the table as we go forward with the rest of the Farm Bill. The crop insurance is the backbone of every Farm Bill.
    “But beyond that, even more, I think about beyond the reference prices… we also got the 199A pass-through for all those folks, farmers that are part of co-ops, we got that taken care of. Bonus depreciation, writing off interest, all those things are so important to go buy this million-dollar combine in today’s world, to be able to write that off with bonus depreciation is a big game changer.
    “We doubled the death tax exemption to over $30 million, so we doubled the tax exemptions so you don’t have to sell a fourth of your farm to pass it on to future generations as well. And don’t forget, we got 45Z done in this as well. I think the 45Z market for taking commodities turning into jet fuel, I think that could be bigger, maybe four or five times bigger than the entire ethanol industry right now. So huge, huge wins for farmers. So proud of the work we got done.”
    On what can be added to the next Farm Bill:
    “There’s a lot of division up here right now. My friends across the aisle are upset that we went forward with that. And I’m sorry, but we give them every chance a year or two to get it finished. I wish we could, but I hope so. I think even next week, we’re going to be working with Secretary Kennedy and Rollins and talking about soil health. And love to come back and talk about that. And part of improving soil health is going to cost money. If you want to go into regenerative agriculture in your first year or two, your crop, maybe your production, goes down. So we’re trying to work on a farm bill, especially the Conservation component. There’s great opportunity there, and we’ll hopefully sort it out this fall.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025
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