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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Welch Lead Colleagues in Calling Out Trump Administration’s Hypocrisy Over Accepting Qatari Plane Amid National Security Probe Into Foreign Aircraft Imports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led Senate colleagues, including Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), in demanding that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick provide clarification of the Department of Commerce’s ongoing Section 232 investigation into the national security implications of imports of commercial aircraft given that the Trump administration has accepted and plans to import an aircraft from Qatar.
    Specifically, the Senators press Secretary Lutnick whether the aircraft being acquired by President Trump from Qatar will be evaluated as part of the Department of Commerce’s ongoing national security investigation into the import of commercial aircraft.
    “We write to request clarification regarding the scope of the Department of Commerce’s ongoing Section 232 investigation into the national security implications of imports of commercial aircraft and jet engines, and parts for commercial aircraft and jet engines, initiated on May 1, 2025,” wrote the Senators.
    “In light of this, we ask whether the aircraft reportedly being acquired by President Trump from Qatar will be evaluated as part of the Department’s ongoing investigation,” continued the Senators. 
    “Given President Trump’s repeated emphasis on curbing foreign influence in U.S. supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign-owned assets, it would be inconsistent for a high-profile foreign acquisition of this nature to go unexamined, especially as the Department of Commerce is actively analyzing the national security implications of such imports,” the Senators concluded. 
    The full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Lutnick,
    We write to request clarification regarding the scope of the Department of Commerce’s ongoing Section 232 investigation into the national security implications of imports of commercial aircraft and jet engines, and parts for commercial aircraft and jet engines, initiated on May 1, 2025.
    This investigation, initiated under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, purportedly aims to assess whether these imports threaten the national security of the United States. In recent days, you have indicated that the Department expects to complete its investigation soon. Given the significance of this investigation—and its potential implications for trade policy and national security—it is essential that the process be conducted transparently.
    In light of this, we ask whether the aircraft reportedly being acquired by President Trump from Qatar will be evaluated as part of the Department’s ongoing investigation. While the aircraft is understood to be a Boeing 747-8 jetliner originally manufactured in the United States, its recent use by a foreign government and its reentry into the U.S. as a privately acquired aircraft raise serious national security concerns. It also raises questions about how such a case is categorized under the Section 232 framework.
    The aircraft, reportedly valued at $400 million, would represent one of the largest foreign gifts ever accepted by a former U.S. president—or by the U.S. government more broadly—if acquired at little or no cost. This transaction potentially conflicts with the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, as well as the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act. Members of Congress have written to the Department’s Inspector General and introduced a resolution and legislation addressing these concerns. While these constitutional and statutory questions are significant and pressing, we raise a different query. Specifically, we seek clarity on whether and how this transaction is being considered and factored into the Department’s ongoing national security investigation into the import of commercial aircraft.
    Given President Trump’s repeated emphasis on curbing foreign influence in U.S. supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign-owned assets, it would be inconsistent for a high-profile foreign acquisition of this nature to go unexamined, especially as the Department of Commerce is actively analyzing the national security implications of such imports. The public deserves clarity on whether and how this transaction will be factored into your department’s review.
    Accordingly, we request answers to the following:
    Will the Boeing 747-8 previously owned by the Qatari royal family and gifted to President Trump be considered within the scope of the Department’s ongoing Section232 into the national security implications of imports of commercial aircraft?
    If not, what criteria or exemptions govern that determination?
    Does the aircraft’s prior foreign government ownership affect its classification or relevance under the investigation?
    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We appreciate your commitment to completing this important review in a transparent manner.
    Sincerely, 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Security – Banking Ombudsman Scheme welcomes establishment of the New Zealand Anti-Scam Alliance

    Source: Banking Ombudsman Scheme

    The Banking Ombudsman Scheme welcomes the announcement of the New Zealand Anti-Scam Alliance, recognising it as a significant and timely step toward a more coordinated and proactive response to scams in Aotearoa.
    “We have been calling for stronger, sector-wide action to prevent scams for some time,” says Nicola Sladden, Banking Ombudsman. “The establishment of the Anti-Scam Alliance reflects growing recognition of the need for collaboration, and we’re pleased to support its work.”
    In addition, the Scheme welcomes an upcoming expansion of its jurisdiction to include complaints about receiving banks-those whose accounts are used to receive stolen funds. This change enables a more complete assessment of scam-related complaints and supports accountability across the banking system.
    “Preventing scams requires a united approach across industry, government, and consumer groups,” says Sladden. “We remain committed to supporting the Alliance and continuing our work to protect New Zealanders from financial harm.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Economy – Global Barometers rise in July – KOF

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    For the second consecutive month, the Coincident and Leading Barometers rise in July. However, they have not yet recovered the losses incurred between March and May. Despite these increases, the indicators continue to suggest that the global economic growth rate will remain modest in 2025.

    In July, the Global Economic Coincident Barometer rises by 1.5 points to 95.4 points, and the Leading Barometer increases by 1.0 point to 97.4 points. The results are mainly driven by the Asia, Pacific & Africa region.

    “Although geopolitical risks and the resulting economic uncertainty have not disappeared, the Global Barometers suggest a slight improvement towards long-term averages. However, new information reflecting divergent monetary policies among major central banks, ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the vulnerability of global growth to trade shocks indicates that, while major economies are avoiding recession, growth remains fragile. Elevated policy uncertainty, persistent inflationary pressures in certain regions and geopolitical tensions combine to create a challenging environment for stable economic growth”, comments KOF Director Jan-Egbert Sturm the latest results.

    Coincident Barometer – regions and sectors

    The 1.5-point increase in the Coincident Barometer in July results from positive contributions of 0.9 and 0.5 points from the Asia, Pacific & Africa and Western Hemisphere regions, respectively. The Europe indicator contributes modestly with 0.1 points to the aggregated result. Despite the second consecutive increase, the Western Hemisphere indicator continues to show the lowest level among the regional coincident indicators.

    All five coincident sectoral indicators rise in July, with Services ending a sequence of five consecutive declines and Trade, along with Construction, recording levels above the 100-point mark.

    Leading Barometer – regions and sectors

    In July, the 1.0-point increase in the Global Leading Barometer results from a positive contribution of 1.0 point from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region, while the Western Hemisphere decreases moderately by 0.1 point and Europe remains unchanged. All three regions show moderate growth for the coming months. The Leading Global Barometer leads the world economic growth rate cycle by three to six months on average.

    Among the leading sectoral indicators, only Construction does not rise in the month, recording its third consecutive decrease. Despite this, it continues to show the highest level among the sectors. All leading sectoral indicators remain below the neutral 100-point level.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Crypto – Bitcoin hits all-time high as political will and institutional action accelerate – deVere Group

    Source: deVere Group

    July 10 2025 – Bitcoin surged above $112,000 this week for the first time, driven by mounting political momentum, regulatory repositioning, and strategic allocations from both corporations and sovereign entities, says deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations.

    “The shift is clear and aggressive,” said Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group. “Bitcoin is being pulled into the core of national economic thinking in the US – the world’s largest economy – and also corporate treasury policy, and institutional portfolios. This isn’t hype. This is capital following political will.”

    The Trump administration is sending unmistakable signals. Senior Treasury officials have confirmed internal reviews are underway on the potential inclusion of Bitcoin in US reserve strategy.

    Also committees continue to receive Bitcoin contributions, discussions between policymakers and digital asset custodians are ongoing, and new legislation supporting digital asset classification, custody, and tax treatment is gaining bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.

    “When a sitting administration is weighing Bitcoin as part of sovereign reserves, that reshapes the global risk framework,” said Nigel. “It doesn’t just legitimize Bitcoin, it forces others—institutions and governments alike—to act.”

    Elon Musk’s newly formed America Party has pushed Bitcoin further into the national conversation.

    In his Independence Day speech, Musk positioned Bitcoin as the foundation of economic resilience.

    This has reignited interest across retail platforms and triggered increased flows from politically aligned investor groups.

    “Musk is giving Bitcoin further ideological weight and policy relevance,” says the deVere CEO.

    “That moves markets. His reach is unmatched, and he’s aligning it with a monetary vision that resonates with a generation raised on decentralized tech.”

    At the regulatory level, the SEC has softened its stance. Several enforcement actions have been withdrawn, and spot Bitcoin ETFs are moving through review with renewed agency engagement. Regulators are now focused on operational safeguards and disclosure standards. “The era of blanket resistance appears to be over,” notes Nigel Green.

    “Regulatory friction held back institutional involvement for years. Now that it’s easing, we’re seeing fresh inflows from asset managers who were waiting for exactly this moment.”

    Corporates are moving aggressively. MicroStrategy added $2 billion in Bitcoin in June, pushing its total above 300,000 BTC. Seventeen publicly listed companies disclosed Bitcoin holdings in recent filings, with more deploying capital through custodial structures and ETFs. Firms are integrating it into liquidity and risk frameworks.

    “Boards are acting to preserve value through a cycle of rising debt and monetary uncertainty,” explains Nigel Green. “Bitcoin gives them optionality, mobility, and a non-correlated reserve that holds its form under stress.”

    Sovereign institutions are advancing too. Pakistan has begun holding state-mined Bitcoin through its central bank.

    The Czech National Bank is reviewing Bitcoin for potential inclusion in foreign reserves.

    Sovereign wealth funds across Southeast Asia and Latin America are now engaged in operational discussions with digital custodians. While not all activity is being publicized, it is being closely tracked by global capital.

    “These are central banks, state treasuries, and sovereign wealth funds treating Bitcoin as a strategic asset. They’re not chasing headlines. They’re preparing for what comes next.”

    Market data supports the shift. More than $340 million in short liquidations were triggered around the $112,000 breakout, according to data. Spot ETF inflows remain steady. Institutional buyers are dominating recent volume, with fewer retail-driven spikes and more structured accumulation.

     “Governments and political figures are reshaping the environment Bitcoin operates in, and institutions—including corporate treasuries—are responding with deliberate allocation,” concludes Nigel Green.

     “The new all-time highs are being powered by political and regulatory will that are unlocking new channels for capital, and by the growing acceptance that Bitcoin now plays a strategic role in global finance.”

    deVere Group is one of the world’s largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China urges EU to view bilateral trade and economic relations without emotions and prejudices — Ministry of Commerce of the PRC

    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

    BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — China on Thursday called on the European Union to view bilateral economic and trade relations without emotion and prejudice, recalling that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the EU and will see important high-level exchanges.

    Commenting on recent statements by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian said at a regular briefing for journalists that China hopes the European side will step up communication, openness, action and consultation, rather than resort to blaming, protectionism, worrying and labeling.

    The official representative drew attention to the fact that the EU leader’s statements do not reflect the objective state of the current Chinese-European trade and economic relations and the progress achieved as a result of dialogue between the relevant departments of the parties.

    On market access, He Yongqian pointed out that China has been steadily expanding high-level opening-up, completely lifting restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector and actively increasing imports from Europe through platforms such as the China International Import Expo.

    The European Union, on the contrary, has in recent years resorted to protectionism under the pretext of fair trade, abused trade protection instruments and exploited loopholes in international trade rules to create unilateral instruments that are contrary to the fundamental principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the spirit of free trade, the official representative stated.

    According to He Yongqian, the EU often initiates investigations against Chinese enterprises over subsidies and other issues, which leads to continuous regression of market opening and deterioration of the business environment.

    On the topic of subsidies, the official representative pointed to the EU’s double standards, noting that the largest source of subsidies has traditionally been the EU itself. Its subsidies, which are provided to the aviation, agricultural and other sectors, have been recognized as violations by the WTO.

    According to incomplete statistics, the EU plans to provide various subsidies totaling more than 1.44 trillion euros from 2021 to 2030, with EU member states offering additional subsidies worth hundreds of billions of euros, He Yongqian noted.

    Speaking about public procurement, she noted that in reality there are many hidden barriers in the European public procurement market and it is not at all as fair and open as the European side claims, while the EU has measures in place that stimulate the purchase of European goods.

    The European side is using international procurement instruments to take measures to restrict the participation of Chinese companies and products in public procurement of medical equipment, He Yongqian noted, adding that it was against this backdrop that China had to take mirror measures to protect the legitimate interests of its enterprises.

    Touching on the topic of export controls, the official representative stressed that China’s measures are cautious and proportionate, covering far fewer items than the EU’s export control list. He Yongqian recalled that China has created a special “green corridor” for accelerated review and approval for European enterprises, while the EU’s export controls in the high-tech sector are characterized by lengthy approvals and cumbersome procedures.

    Speaking about so-called excess capacity, the spokeswoman said excess capacity should not be measured solely by production or export volume. She said China’s new energy sector is actually facing a shortage of capacity in the global and long-term.

    As He Yongqian noted, the problem is not China’s “overcapacity” but rather the EU’s excessive anxiety caused by chronic underinvestment in R&D and the declining competitiveness of European industry.

    The official added that China hopes to work with the EU to expand mutual market access, strengthen dialogue on government procurement and export controls, deepen cooperation in supply chains, and advance WTO reform to bring more stability, certainty and positive energy to the construction of an open global economy. –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: “10 plus 3” countries should continue the process of regional integration – Chinese Foreign Minister

    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

    KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Xinhua) — The more complex the international situation becomes, the more urgent it is for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) (the “10 plus 3” format) to remove obstacles and continue to advance the process of regional integration, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

    Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, made the statement during a meeting of foreign ministers in the “10 plus 3” format.

    The Chinese diplomat noted that since the establishment of the “10 plus 3” cooperation mechanism, its participating countries have consistently strengthened their crisis response capacity, advanced the process of economic integration, and jointly created new impetus for development.

    Focusing on development and promoting cooperation is the trend and leitmotif of current East Asian cooperation, Wang Yi emphasized, noting that at the same time, countries are facing challenges such as attacks by unilateralism and protectionism and abuse of customs duties by some major powers.

    The Chinese Foreign Minister pointed to the need to continuously increase the momentum of cooperation and enhance the sustainability of development, putting forward four proposals for cooperation in the next stage.

    First, build an integrated East Asia. We must firmly oppose the “building of walls and barriers.” China is willing to work with all parties to implement the leaders’ statement and continue to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in industrial and supply chains, Wang said.

    Second, build a strong and sustainable East Asia. It is necessary to plan the future direction of regional financial cooperation. China hopes to work with all parties to find ways to update the mechanisms and raise the level of regional cooperation in the field of food security based on the active formation of an emergency rice reserve of the “10 plus 3” countries, the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted.

    Third, build an innovative and dynamic East Asia. We should seize the opportunities created by the new round of scientific and technological and industrial revolutions, and promote transformation and development through innovation, Wang Yi emphasized.

    Fourth, build an East Asia with cultural and humanitarian connectivity. It is important to properly implement the CAMPUS Asia program and promote student exchanges and personnel training in the “10 plus 3” countries, the Chinese diplomat added.

    Wang Yi said that regardless of changes in the external environment, China is willing to use its own stable development to inject new impetus into the overall development of the region, provide new opportunities, and jointly create a brighter future for East Asia.

    ASEAN Foreign Ministers commended China, Japan and ROK for their support for ASEAN’s central role.

    They recalled that the “10 plus 3” mechanism was created in response to the Asian financial crisis, adding that cooperation in this format has been noticeably effective.

    In the context of growing unilateralism, increasing tariff and trade barriers, and worsening geopolitical tensions, cooperation in the “10 plus 3” format is acquiring particular value, the heads of the ASEAN foreign policy agencies emphasized. According to them, this mechanism should continue to play a strategic leading role, promoting inclusive development and sustainable peace in the region. –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 United Nations: 10 July 2025 News release WHO Member States hold first meeting, agree on next steps to take forward key elements of the WHO Pandemic Agreement

    Source: World Health Organisation

    WHO Member States have held their first meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, formalizing next steps on implementing key provisions of the historic legal instrument to make the world safer from future pandemics.

    Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil, co-chair of the IGWG Bureau guiding the negotiations, said the first meeting, that ran from 9-10 July, was a critical moment in the global effort to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. It followed the World Health Assembly’s landmark adoption on 20 May 2025 of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

    “Through the WHO Pandemic Agreement, countries recognized that global collaboration and action, based on equity, are essential for protecting people from future pandemics,” Ambassador Tovar said. “Now, through the IGWG, countries are breathing life into the Agreement by establishing the way forward to implement the Agreement’s life-saving provisions.”  

    The Assembly established the IGWG to, as a priority, draft and negotiate an annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS). This PABS system is intended to enable safe, transparent and accountable access and benefit-sharing for PABS materials and sequence information. The outcome of the IGWG’s work on the PABS annex will be submitted to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in 2026 for its consideration.

    In addition to negotiating the PABS annex, the IGWG has been established to discuss procedural and other matters to prepare for the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Pandemic Agreement and develop a proposal for the terms of reference for the Coordinating Financial Mechanism.

    Fellow IGWG Bureau co-chair Mr Matthew Harpur, of the United Kingdom, said he was encouraged by the strong collaboration shown by WHO Member States to take the WHO Pandemic Agreement forward.

    “Global collaboration is the foundation of an effective response to global threats,” said Mr Harpur. “I am encouraged by the commitment shown by WHO Member States during the first IGWG to work together to protect their citizens, and those of all other countries.”

    The first meeting of the IGWG adopted the body’s method of work, timeline of activities leading up to next year’s World Health Assembly, and mode of engagement with relevant stakeholders, and elected co-chairs and vice chairs to lead the IGWG process. The IGWG also decided to identify experts to provide inputs on the PABS annex and possibly hold an informal briefing before the second meeting of the IGWG, which will be held on 15-19 September 2025.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: She fought for the girl the world left behind: Natalia Kanem’s UN legacy

    Source: United Nations 2

    She returns, over and over, to a single image: that of a ten-year-old girl – standing on the edge of adolescence, her future uncertain, and her rights still in grave doubt.

    “Will she be able to stay in school, graduate, and make her way through the world?” Dr. Kanem wonders. “Or is she going to be derailed by things like child marriage, female genital mutilation, or abject poverty?”

    That seismic question and that girl – not one child in particular, but an emblem of the millions worldwide whose future is at risk – have become the touchstone of Dr. Kanem’s nearly eight-year tenure as Executive Director of the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, formally known as the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

    © UNFPA Vanuatu

    UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem (centre) visits the Mamas Market in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

    From her early days working on the frontlines in East Africa to overseeing a $1.7 billion agency with operations in more than 150 countries, Dr. Kanem has shepherded UNFPA through global shifts, political headwinds, and ideological pushback.

    Most of all, she has led a fierce revolution in the lives of millions of women and girls.

    This month, she is stepping down from her post ahead of schedule. “It’s time to pass on the baton,” the 70-year-old told her staff – a 5,000-strong workforce – in a videotaped address earlier this year. “I have pledged to do everything in my capacity to keep positioning UNFPA to continue to do great things.”

    Roots and ascent

    Born in Panama and trained as a medical doctor, Dr. Kanem joined UNFPA in 2014 after a career in philanthropy. Her decision to serve “the noble purpose of the United Nations” first led her to East Africa and Tanzania, where she was struck by the quiet heroism of field staff. “It’s really at the country level where we prove our worth,” she told UN News.

    But the job was not easy. In 2017, when she took the reins of the agency, Dr. Kanem inherited an organization grappling with waning visibility, unstable funding, and persistent pushback from conservative viewpoints. Still, UNFPA grew – not just in budget, but in stature.

    “When I came, the narrative was, ‘We’re a small organization, beleaguered, nobody understands what we do,’” she said. “Now, I think it’s clearer.”

    That clarity came, in part, from what Dr. Kanem calls “thought leadership.”

    Whether challenging misconceptions about fertility or confronting gender-based violence enabled by technology, she pushed UNFPA to the frontlines of global discourse. “We exist in a marketplace of ideas,” she explained. “And we have to tell the truth in a way that’s compelling enough so we can garner the allies this movement requires.”

    UNFPA Executive Director, Natalia Kanem (right), visits Sudan in March 2021.

    Under her leadership, the agency trained hundreds of thousands of midwives, distributed billions of contraceptives, and expanded humanitarian operations to reach women and girls in the most fragile settings – from the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar to war-scarred Ukraine and cholera-stricken Haiti.

    UNFPA’s presence in crisis zones was not only logistical, but symbolic. In Sudan, Syria, and Gaza, a simple tent stocked with menstrual pads, a blanket, and a bar of soap could serve as sanctuary. “It represents the respite that a woman needs in a time of crisis,” she said. “You know, we call our kits ‘dignity kits’ for that reason.”

    Shifting the conversation

    Beyond delivering services, Dr. Kanem elevated UNFPA’s role as a thought leader in a polarised world. She steered the agency into difficult public conversations – about teen pregnancy, climate anxiety, fertility rates, and online harassment – with an unflinching insistence on rights.

    “The 10-year-old girl exists,” she said. “What her parents and her religious leaders and her community think is vital for her to be well prepared, for her to know what to do when she’s challenged by coercive practices.”

    That leadership extended to data. Under Dr. Kanem, UNFPA invested heavily in supporting national censuses and building dashboards to help lawmakers shape reproductive health policy with real-time insight.

    This year’s State of World Population report, the agency’s annual deep dive into demographic trends, reframed conventional narratives around so-called “population collapse” – noting that many women and men delay having children not out of ideology, but because they cannot afford to raise them.

    Dr. Kanem praised the altruism of young people who say they’re choosing not to have children for fear of worsening the climate crisis. But that’s not what the data shows.

    “The world replacement fertility rate is not endangering the planet,” she explained. “The facts really say: you can have as many children as you can afford.”

    A rights-based compass in turbulent times

    Dr. Kanem’s tenure coincided with mounting attacks on reproductive rights, rising nationalism, and growing scepticism of multilateral institutions. She faced years of US funding cuts – including under the current administration – even as demand for UNFPA’s services surged.

    “UNFPA has more money than we’ve ever had,” she noted. “But it’s never going to be enough to stop the flow of need.”

    Dr. Natalia Kanem, head of the United Nations Population Fund (left) talks to UN News and Media Deputy Director Mita Hosali.

    Resources alone won’t secure the agency’s future – credibility and persistence are just as vital. “The multilateral system itself has come under question at a time when it is needed now more than ever,” she warned. “We do have to prove ourselves each and every day. And when we make mistakes, we’ve got to get up and rectify them and find partners who are going to be allies.”

    One such partner has been the private sector. In 2023, UNFPA teamed up with tech firms to launch a development impact bond in Kenya, delivering mobile-based sexual health services to prevent teenage pregnancy and new HIV infections among adolescent girls.

    Changing mindsets

    UNFPA has long worked to end harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. Under Dr. Kanem, that work became as much about shifting mindsets as changing laws.

    “Yes, absolutely,” she said when asked if progress was real. “It’s been very important to see religious leaders and traditional leaders standing against certain practices… and to work with school systems so that the girls themselves will understand the risks and be able to take better decisions about their options.”

    The coronavirus“>COVID-19 pandemic, she admitted, was a setback. With schools closed, some communities increased the number of weddings and FGM ceremonies. But in many countries – including populous Indonesia – UNFPA has seen the practice decline, in part thanks to youth advocates speaking out from within their own communities.

    New generation, next chapter

    Looking ahead, Dr. Kanem didn’t dwell on uncertainty. She spoke instead of possibility. “We’ve transformed ourselves, modernized ourselves,” she said. “There’s just unlimited possibility for UNFPA.”

    Her own future includes what she calls a “mini-sabbatical” – more time for music, her family, and, finally, herself. But she won’t stay silent for long. “I know that my passion for issues of women and girls is not going to recede,” she said. “It’s been a labour of love.”

    Her parting thought? One final return to the girl at the centre of it all.

    “When that 10-year-old girl succeeds, everyone succeeds,” she said. “It is a better world.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Signs Bold Tax Cuts and Pro-Business Legislation into Law

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JULY 10, 2025

    Jefferson City — During a bill signing ceremony at the Missouri State Capitol, today Governor Mike Kehoe signed two major pieces of legislation—House Bills (HB) 567 and 594—delivering on his commitment to lower taxes and defend small businesses.

    “Conservative leadership is about keeping more money in the hands of Missouri families, and less in government coffers,” said Governor Kehoe. “Today, we are protecting the people who make Missouri work—families, job creators, and small business owners—by cutting taxes, rolling back overreach, and eliminating costly mandates.”

    HB 567, sponsored by Representative Sherri Gallick and Senator Mike Bernskoetter, modifies provisions relating to employee compensation.

    • Maintains the state’s minimum wage law at $15 per hour, repealing the annual Consumer Price Index adjustment, and extends the wage requirement to public employers as well as private.
    • Repeals onerous paid sick leave mandates on Missouri small businesses, including:
      • Requirements dictating when and how paid leave must be provided.
      • Burdensome record keeping and compliance obligations.

    HB 594, sponsored by Representative Chad Perkins and Senator Curtis Trent, introduces or modifies provisions relating to taxation.

    • Authorizes an income tax deduction for all capital gains reported for federal tax purposes by individuals in tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2025.
      • This tax cut will be extended to corporations once Missouri’s income tax rate falls to 4.5 percent or lower.
    • Makes several modifications to the Senior Citizens Property Tax (PTC) “Circuit Breaker” Program.
      • Increases the PTC for eligible taxpayers from $1,000 to $1,550 for homeowners and from $750 to $1,055 for renters, effective Jan. 1, 2026, with annual CPI adjustments moving forward.
    • Exempts diapers, incontinence products, and feminine hygiene products from state and local sales and use taxes.

    Governor Kehoe also signed six additional pro-growth bills aimed at securing a brighter future for Missouri, including:

    • HB 516, sponsored by Representative Mark Matthiesen and Senator Nick Schroer, modifies criteria of radioactive waste investigations and allows for increased appropriations to the the radioactive waste investigations fund.
    • HB 754, sponsored by Representative Philip Oehlerking and Senator Sandy Crawford, modifies standards for certain financial organizations.
    • SB 2, sponsored by Senator Sandy Crawford and Representative Peggy McGaugh, modifies provisions relating to financial statements of certain local governments.
    • SB 3, sponsored by Senator Sandy Crawford and Representative Dave Hinman, modifies or enacts provisions relating to Department of Revenue fee offices.
    • SB 98, sponsored by Senator Sandy Crawford and Representative Bill Owen, modifies various provisions relating to financial institutions.
    • SB 221, sponsored by Senator Nick Schroer and Representative Ben Keathley, modifies the standard of review for agency interpretation of statutes, rules, regulations, and subregulatory document.

    For more information on the legislation and additional provisions signed into law, visit house.mo.gov and senate.mo.gov. Photos from the bill signing will be uploaded to Governor Kehoe’s Flickr page. Additional bill signings will continue to take place over the next several days. For more information on the bill signings, view Governor Kehoe’s schedule.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hamden Man Who Defrauded Pandemic Relief Programs Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OMAR RAJEH, 57, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for defrauding COVID-19 pandemic relief programs of more than $750,000.  Judge Underhill also ordered Rajeh to pay a $2,000 fine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).  The PPP was overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and individual PPP loans were issued by private lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA.  A second source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the distribution of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”), through the SBA, which provided working capital to eligible small businesses to meet operating expenses.

    Rajeh maintained an ownership or management interest in a New Haven restaurant, Mediterranea LLC, and a hookah lounge, M. Café Inc.  Rajeh previously operated his restaurant under the name Al Amir LLC, but that entity was dissolved in 2018.  Al Amir LLC was reregistered with the State of Connecticut in July 2020 in order to apply for pandemic loan funding.

    Between June 2020 and May 2021, Al Amir LLC, Mediterranea LLC, and M. Café Inc., sought and received approximately $1,057,244 in PPP and EIDL funding.  Rajeh’s accountant, Yasir Hamed, prepared financial filings for his various entities and was involved in the preparation of fraudulent paperwork to obtain the funding.  The loan applications fraudulently misrepresented that Al Amir LLC was in operation in February 2020; included false employee, monthly payroll, and business revenue information; included copies of false IRS forms; and contained other false information.

    Rajeh used a majority of the funds for personal and family expenses, some of which he sent overseas; to purchase a property in North Haven; and for general business expenses.  He also kicked back approximately 10 percent of the loan funding he received to Hamed. 

    Rajeh has agreed to pay $758,279 in restitution, which reflects the amount he acknowledged knowing was obtained by fraud.  The government has agreed not to pursue the return of $298,965 in PPP funds that Rajeh received for his true restaurant business.

    On December 20, 2023, Rajeh pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions.  He is required to report to prison on October 1.

    On May 9, 2025, Hamed pleaded guilty to related charges.  He awaits sentencing.

    This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

    Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Demands Trump Administration Release $7 Billion In Federal Funding For Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Withheld Funding Will Force Schools To Cancel Free And Affordable After-School Care For Low-Income Kids And Other Critical Programs 

    Last Year, New York State Received $464 Million From These Federal Programs 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference demanding that the Trump administration release $7 billion in federal funding for schools nationwide. The administration is currently withholding the resources, which fund before- and after-school programs, professional development for teachers, STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, and school-based mental health services. Last year, this federal funding amounted to 13.5% of total K-12 funding for New York. Gillibrand sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and OMB Director Russell Vought demanding answers on how long the administration plans to withhold this funding and when, if ever, they will release it. 

    “President Trump is once again playing games with our kids’ futures,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The funds he is withholding go toward commonsense programs that help our kids thrive in school and prepare to get good-paying jobs in the future. They pay for before– and after-school programs that let parents stay in the workforce and professional development programs that make sure teachers are using cutting-edge strategies to reach students. Losing this funding will be catastrophic for our schools, our kids, and our families. The Trump administration must release these funds immediately.” 

    Among others, the following grant programs are having their disbursements withheld by the Trump administration:  

    • Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size. New York State received almost $126 million from this grant program last year.
    • 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which support high-quality before- and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students. New York State received over $102 million from this grant program last year.
    • Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities, including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others. New York State received over $107 million from this grant program last year.

    The letter was also signed by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Representatives Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), George Latimer (D-NY-16), Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05), John Mannion (D-NY-22), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03).

    The full text of the letter is available here or below: 

    Dear Secretary McMahon and Director Vought:

    As members of the New York congressional delegation, we write to respectfully raise urgent concerns regarding the Department of Education’s decision to withhold nearly $7 billion dollars in already enacted federal funding for Fiscal Year 2025 that states, local governments, and schools across the country rely on to provide critical resources and services to millions of students.

    On June 30th, state educational agencies were informed that the following five grant programs authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act1 and one program sixth under the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act would not receive their anticipated disbursements on July 1st:

    1. Migrant Education Program (Title I, Part C) – State Grants: Funds support migratory children in reaching challenging academic standards and graduating from high school.

    2. Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II, Part A): Funds support increasing student achievement by improving the quality and effectiveness of educators and underserved students’ access to effective educators.

    3. English Language Acquisition State Grants; Title III, Part A: Funds help students learn English and meet challenging state academic standards.

    4. Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (Title IV, Part A): Funds support improving student academic achievement, including by providing students with access to a well-rounded education, improving school conditions for student learning, and improving the use of technology.

    5. Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV, Part B): Funds provide academic enrichment opportunities such as literacy and other educational services during non-school hours (e.g., through after-school or summer programs) for students and families—particularly those in underserved and low-performing schools.

    6. Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants): Funds support adult education and literacy services programs locally, including workplace literacy services; family literacy services; English literacy programs and integrated English literacy-civics education programs.

    The funds currently being held up by review were not only approved by Congress in the FY24 appropriations law, but they were also extended under the FY25 full-year continuing resolution that President Trump signed into law. While summer programming can continue because New York public schools are funded through August, this reckless delay of over $400 million dollars 2 , which accounts for 10% of federal K-12 funding in New York is alarming local educators and program directors throughout the state. It is also disrupting school and district planning, jeopardizing programming for millions of students, and could result in layoffs and program cancellations.

    Based upon a recent survey from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 926 Boys & Girls Clubs could be forced to shut their doors, and more than 220,000 kids – including over 2,700 youth and teens in New York – will lose access to healthy meals, meaningful mentorship, and safe spaces during the most vulnerable hours of the day. It would also mean the loss of over 5,900 jobs at Boys & Girls Clubs around the country, specifically more than 182 youth development professionals in New York, that are currently operating current summer learning camps and fall learning programs.

    In response to informal outreach from congressional offices, states, and stakeholders, the Department of Education has directed all questions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the source of the delay. However, this attempt to redirect inquiries does not abdicate the Department of its statutory obligation to distribute authorized and appropriated funds in a timely manner. As highlighted in a recent article from the non-partisan Learning Policy Institute3 , the Administration’s withholding of these funds appears to violate both the Impoundment Control Act and the plain language of the FY25 appropriations law.

    Accordingly, we respectfully request the Department of Education and Office of Management and Budget to respond to the following questions:

    1. As of July 1st, current withholding of funds appears to violate the Impoundment Control Act. What legal justification is the Department and OMB relying on to delay disbursement of these formula grant funds, despite clear statutory direction?

    2. Are the Department and OMB aware of the service interruptions for students and educators in New York as funds are being reviewed?

    3. What communication has been shared with state educational agencies to help them and their partners navigate this period of uncertainty, especially regarding staffing and programming for September?

    4. When does the Administration anticipate it will have completed its review and will release the enacted funding to states to use for the school year starting next month? Or does the Administration plan to submit a request to Congress to rescind this enacted funding?

    The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and ensure equal access to education. Delaying congressionally approved funding deeply undermines that goal and threatens to widen existing opportunity gaps particularly for English learners, low-income families, and communities of color.

    We urge you to disburse all $6.9 billion dollars currently being reviewed and provide immediate clarity to states, districts, and community partners who are now facing chaos in their planning and programming. Our students deserve better.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Churchill Resources Announces Completion of $700,000 Private Placement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Further to its news release of June 26, 2025, Churchill Resources Inc. (“Churchill” or the “Company“) (TSXV: CRI) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced non-brokered private placement, consisting of the sale of 14,000,000 common shares of the Company (the “Shares”) at a price of $0.05 per Share for gross proceeds of $700,000 (the “Private Placement”).

    The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement on the advancement of exploration activities at the Company’s key projects and for general corporate purposes.

    No agency fees, finder’s fees or similar fees were paid in connection with the Private Placement.

    The Share issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. The Private Placement remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”).

    Certain insiders of the Company acquired an aggregate of 3,000,000 Shares in the Private Placement. Participation by such insiders in the Private Placement was considered a “related party transaction” pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61- 101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101“). The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the insiders’ participation in the Offering in reliance of sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report less than 21 days in advance of the closing of the Private Placement as the participation of the insiders had not been confirmed at that time.

    About Churchill Resources Inc.

    Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on strategic, critical minerals in Canada, principally at its prospective Black Raven, Taylor Brook and Florence Lake properties in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Company’s flagship Black Raven property features a polymetallic metal assemblage with evidence of historical production, representing a unique exploration opportunity as the site of past producers that has never been systematically drilled using modern techniques. The Churchill management team, board, and advisors have decades of combined experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchill’s Newfoundland and Labrador projects have the potential to benefit from the province’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise.

    Further Information

    For further information regarding Churchill, please contact:

    Churchill Resources Inc.
    Conan McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer
    Tel. +1 416.272.4738
    Email: cmcintyre@churchillresources.com

    Paul Sobie, President
    Tel. +1 416.365.0930 (o); +1 647.988.0930
    Email: psobie@churchillresources.com

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “proposed”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

    In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the proposed use of proceeds of the Private Placement; the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals; the Company’s objectives, goals and exploration activities conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Company’s properties; future growth potential of the Company, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of the Company’s properties will be successful; exploration results; potential value to be unlocked at the Company’s properties, the potential for resource discovery and expansion; and future exploration plans and costs and financing availability.

    These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: risks related to the completion of the private placement and management changes; the expected benefits to the Company relating to the exploration conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Company’s properties; failure to identify any mineral resources or significant mineralization; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Company’s properties; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; title to properties; and those factors described in the most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis of the Company.

    Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

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

    The MIL Network –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Fashion helped the pride come out’: First Nations fashion as resistance, culture and connection

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design and Society, University of Technology Sydney

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains images of deceased people.

    First Nations garments have always held deep meaning. What we wear tells stories about culture, Country and community.

    From the moment of invasion, clothing and adornment were removed and used to erase our cultural presence. But resistance never stopped.

    Today, First Nations designers, artists and community members continue to reclaim garments as acts of survival, empowerment and self-determination.

    Cultural practices like cloak-making and adornment are linked to wellbeing. They restore pride, connect to ancestors and Country, and build community.

    First Nations fashion designers and artists create exquisite items that represent culture, speak back to colonisation, and contribute to healing.

    A shared experience

    Like so many others, what I wear is deeply personal. I have my dad’s old Aboriginal rugby guernsey. He wore it for years. Now I wear it. It’s a piece of him I get to carry.

    It’s a part of what links me to my research in understanding First Nations fashion and style as living expressions of who we are.

    I had the chance to yarn with 20 Aboriginal Knowledge Holders from Tarntanya (Adelaide), Naarm (Melbourne) and Warrane (Sydney) about their fashion and style choices.

    Like many of the people I spoke to in this study, we use First Nations fashion and style as a way to stay connected to culture and community and express identity and resistance.

    Fashion as connection and solidarity

    For many of the Knowledge Holders I spoke with, wearing First Nations clothing and adornment connects them to culture and community.

    It becomes a way to share who they are and stand together in a world that has tried to silence and erase them.

    The Knowledge Holders wear everything from subtle pins and badges to bold hoodies, t-shirts and merch with Aboriginal flag motifs and slogans. Some choose delicate shawls or clothing with cultural artworks.

    As one Knowledge Holder put it, it’s “a contribution, a brick in the wall” that helps the building of identity and belonging.

    For mob living off-Country in cities or overseas, wearing culture becomes an important way to stay connected.

    This sense of connection can also show up in the most ordinary places.

    Several Knowledge Holders shared how wearing an Aboriginal shirt in places like the supermarket often sparks a moment of connection. Sometimes they approach others, sometimes they’re the ones approached.

    Fashion as pride and cultural practice

    For most of the Knowledge Holders, wearing First Nations clothing affirms their Aboriginality and gives them a sense of pride.

    For some, it’s about proudly showing who they are, especially in a society where racism still exists. That pride runs through generations.

    Some talked about how they weren’t always allowed to show their First Nations identity openly, but now they can wear cultural clothing freely, all of the time.

    The Knowledge Holders wear First Nations fashions at work, in shops, when travelling overseas, at graduations and especially at cultural events or protests.

    Another Knowledge Holder shared how fashion filled a gap, giving First Nations people the words and symbols to express their culture and identity.

    This Knowledge Holder declared, “fashion helped the pride come out”.

    Others shared that even though wearing these clothes can mean dealing with racism or ignorance, they still choose to show that pride.

    Fashion as identity and protest

    For many of the Knowledge Holders, First Nations fashion and style is a way to strengthen their identity, share culture and protest.

    They talked about wearing protest clothing as a clear political statement, especially at marches, NAIDOC events or on Invasion Day.

    For many, clothing is how they show who they are, both to themselves and to others.

    One Knowledge Holder said

    if I don’t wear something Indigenous, they wouldn’t know that I was.

    Some pointed out that First Nations fashion and style can be an important sign for them, especially if they feel they “pass” as non-Indigenous or look ethnically ambiguous.

    But not all Knowledge Holders use fashion to show their identity. One told me they only wear First Nations clothing in solidarity with others, not as personal expression.

    There’s more to learn and do

    First Nations fashion and style is so much more than just clothing. It’s memory, resistance and a story we carry on our bodies.

    As one of the Knowledge Holders put it:

    we wasn’t allowed to be proud of it. Now we can wear [an Aboriginal] t-shirt whenever, all day every day.

    That says it all. But there’s still work to do. We need to keep learning and understanding about all the different layers and identities that shape these experiences.

    There is more research to be done to include more voices, like those of diverse genders and sexualities, Torres Strait Islanders and regional fashion scenes.

    And it’s not just about research. We need more policies, more exhibitions, more programs and more platforms that celebrate First Nations fashion and style.

    Treena Clark has received funding through the University of Technology Sydney Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship scheme.

    – ref. ‘Fashion helped the pride come out’: First Nations fashion as resistance, culture and connection – https://theconversation.com/fashion-helped-the-pride-come-out-first-nations-fashion-as-resistance-culture-and-connection-258816

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump has flagged 200% tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals. What do we produce here, and what’s at risk?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joe Carrello, Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne

    Tanya Dol/Shutterstock

    US President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Australia’s pharmaceutical exports to the United States has raised alarm among industry and government leaders.

    There are fears that, if implemented, the tariffs could cost the Australian economy up to A$2.8 billion. That’s both in direct exports and as inputs to third countries that produce drugs also hit by tariffs.

    The proposed tariffs come amid growing pressure from pharmaceutical lobby groups in the US for Trump to use trade negotiations as a tool to make changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and raise Australian drug prices.

    In response, Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated the government would not compromise the integrity of the PBS to do a deal with the Trump administration. Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie also confirmed bipartisan support for the PBS.

    Our largest export market for pharmaceuticals

    The US is Australia’s biggest pharmaceutical export market, accounting for 38% of total Australian pharmaceutical exports and valued at $2.2 billion last year.

    About 87% of exports to the US consist of blood plasma products, mainly from manufacturing giant CSL. These are used for transfusions in a range of medical and surgical situations.

    In a submission to the US Commerce Department, which is reviewing the sector, CSL called for tariffs to be phased in over five years, and for an exemption for certain biotech equipment.

    Trump floated proposed tariffs potentially as high as 200%. But he also said these would not be imposed for “about a year, a year and a half” to allow negotiations to take place.

    If tariffs are eventually implemented, there are fears domestic manufacturing may suffer, with negative flow-on effects for Australian research and innovation in the sector.

    How does the PBS work?

    The PBS is an Australian government program aimed at providing affordable prescription medicines to Australians.

    It helps reduce the cost of essential medications, ensuring access to treatments for a wide range of medical conditions. Medicines included on the PBS are subsidised by the government, with the patient making a capped co-payment. More than 900 medicines were listed on the scheme in 2023–24, costing the government $17.7 billion.

    Decisions to list medications on the PBS are made by the health minister based on recommendations from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. The committee evaluates the clinical effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness (“value for money”) and estimated financial impact of new medications.

    If approved, the PBS uses this information to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies, helping to keep prices affordable.

    How does the US system compare?

    This contrasts with the US system, which operates more under free-market principles. In the US, pharmaceuticals are subsidised through private health insurance or government programs such as Medicaid. Neither directly negotiates with pharmaceutical companies.

    The fragmented nature of the US system enables pharmaceutical companies to maintain higher prices, as there is no central authority to enforce cost controls. Studies have shown that prices for pharmaceuticals in the US are, on average, 2.78 times those in 33 other countries.

    In addition, in the US pharmaceutical companies are granted extensive patent protections. These provide exclusive rights to sell their drugs for a certain period.

    This exclusivity often leads to monopolistic pricing practices, as generic competitors are barred from entering the market until the patent expires.

    In Australia, patents also exist. But the PBS mitigates their impact by negotiating prices and promoting the use of cost-effective alternatives, such as generics, once they become available.

    Industry lobbying

    US pharmaceutical industry bodies have long criticised the PBS. They claim the scheme “undervalues new innovative medicines by setting prices based on older inferior medicines and generics, and through use of low and outdated monetary thresholds per year of life gained from clinically proven treatments”.

    The slow process to list drugs on the PBS has also attracted criticism. The advisory committee meets only three times a year, with resources currently being stretched beyond capacity.

    In response to these criticisms, the Australian government commissioned a review, which was completed in 2024. It provided 50 recommendations to ensure Australians can continue to access effective, safe and affordable medicines in an equitable and timely way.

    The government has established an advisory group to work on implementing these recommendations. However, it is unclear whether proposed changes will appease the powerful US pharmaceutical industry.

    I am responsible for evaluating new health technologies for consideration of government subsidy through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)

    – ref. Trump has flagged 200% tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals. What do we produce here, and what’s at risk? – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-flagged-200-tariffs-on-australian-pharmaceuticals-what-do-we-produce-here-and-whats-at-risk-260909

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump has flagged 200% tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals. What do we produce here, and what’s at risk?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joe Carrello, Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne

    Tanya Dol/Shutterstock

    US President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Australia’s pharmaceutical exports to the United States has raised alarm among industry and government leaders.

    There are fears that, if implemented, the tariffs could cost the Australian economy up to A$2.8 billion. That’s both in direct exports and as inputs to third countries that produce drugs also hit by tariffs.

    The proposed tariffs come amid growing pressure from pharmaceutical lobby groups in the US for Trump to use trade negotiations as a tool to make changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and raise Australian drug prices.

    In response, Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated the government would not compromise the integrity of the PBS to do a deal with the Trump administration. Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie also confirmed bipartisan support for the PBS.

    Our largest export market for pharmaceuticals

    The US is Australia’s biggest pharmaceutical export market, accounting for 38% of total Australian pharmaceutical exports and valued at $2.2 billion last year.

    About 87% of exports to the US consist of blood plasma products, mainly from manufacturing giant CSL. These are used for transfusions in a range of medical and surgical situations.

    In a submission to the US Commerce Department, which is reviewing the sector, CSL called for tariffs to be phased in over five years, and for an exemption for certain biotech equipment.

    Trump floated proposed tariffs potentially as high as 200%. But he also said these would not be imposed for “about a year, a year and a half” to allow negotiations to take place.

    If tariffs are eventually implemented, there are fears domestic manufacturing may suffer, with negative flow-on effects for Australian research and innovation in the sector.

    How does the PBS work?

    The PBS is an Australian government program aimed at providing affordable prescription medicines to Australians.

    It helps reduce the cost of essential medications, ensuring access to treatments for a wide range of medical conditions. Medicines included on the PBS are subsidised by the government, with the patient making a capped co-payment. More than 900 medicines were listed on the scheme in 2023–24, costing the government $17.7 billion.

    Decisions to list medications on the PBS are made by the health minister based on recommendations from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. The committee evaluates the clinical effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness (“value for money”) and estimated financial impact of new medications.

    If approved, the PBS uses this information to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies, helping to keep prices affordable.

    How does the US system compare?

    This contrasts with the US system, which operates more under free-market principles. In the US, pharmaceuticals are subsidised through private health insurance or government programs such as Medicaid. Neither directly negotiates with pharmaceutical companies.

    The fragmented nature of the US system enables pharmaceutical companies to maintain higher prices, as there is no central authority to enforce cost controls. Studies have shown that prices for pharmaceuticals in the US are, on average, 2.78 times those in 33 other countries.

    In addition, in the US pharmaceutical companies are granted extensive patent protections. These provide exclusive rights to sell their drugs for a certain period.

    This exclusivity often leads to monopolistic pricing practices, as generic competitors are barred from entering the market until the patent expires.

    In Australia, patents also exist. But the PBS mitigates their impact by negotiating prices and promoting the use of cost-effective alternatives, such as generics, once they become available.

    Industry lobbying

    US pharmaceutical industry bodies have long criticised the PBS. They claim the scheme “undervalues new innovative medicines by setting prices based on older inferior medicines and generics, and through use of low and outdated monetary thresholds per year of life gained from clinically proven treatments”.

    The slow process to list drugs on the PBS has also attracted criticism. The advisory committee meets only three times a year, with resources currently being stretched beyond capacity.

    In response to these criticisms, the Australian government commissioned a review, which was completed in 2024. It provided 50 recommendations to ensure Australians can continue to access effective, safe and affordable medicines in an equitable and timely way.

    The government has established an advisory group to work on implementing these recommendations. However, it is unclear whether proposed changes will appease the powerful US pharmaceutical industry.

    I am responsible for evaluating new health technologies for consideration of government subsidy through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)

    – ref. Trump has flagged 200% tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals. What do we produce here, and what’s at risk? – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-flagged-200-tariffs-on-australian-pharmaceuticals-what-do-we-produce-here-and-whats-at-risk-260909

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Hickenlooper Honors John Stulp on Senate Floor

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Hickenlooper: “John was a good man, a great man by any measure. Certainly, he was defined by his unwavering commitment to his family, his neighbors, his friends, and his home state of Colorado. He was the essence of a public servant.”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor in memory of John Stulp, a former advisor to Hickenlooper when he was Governor of Colorado and a leader in the Colorado agricultural and water community.
    “John’s reputation for patient consensus-building is well known throughout our state and trusted throughout our state,” said Hickenlooper on the Senate floor. “We finalized the state’s first-ever Water Plan in November 2015. It certainly would have never happened without his prodigious efforts. He created a framework that will evolve as our state’s climate and demographics continue to evolve. More importantly, in the process, he created an ecosystem, a network of relationships that crossed geographic and political boundaries. And that is one of his many great legacies – his many legacies – that he leaves to Colorado.”
    As Governor of Colorado, Hickenlooper appointed Stulp to serve as his top water policy advisor. Stulp led the creation of the Colorado Water Plan, which was finalized in November 2015. Stulp also served as Colorado’s Commissioner of Agriculture under Governor Bill Ritter and was a former Prowers County Commissioner, a State Board of Land Commissioner, a State Wildlife Commissioner, and a member of the State Board of Agriculture.
    Hickenlooper continued: “If I did believe in gradations of ‘goodness,’ John and Jane Stulp would be at the top. Even with all the great contributions he made to our state, John’s goodness – I think – is what I will miss the most.”
    To download a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks is available below:
    “I rise today to honor my great friend John Stulp.
    “John passed away this past Monday, July 7th. He was with his family in Lamar, out on the Eastern Plains – a place that he loved more than anything.
    “John was a good man, a great man by any measure. Certainly, he was defined by his unwavering commitment to his family, neighbors, his friends, and his home state of Colorado.
    “He was the essence of a public servant. 
    “His list of contributions to our state is impressively long.
    “He served as Colorado’s Commissioner of Agriculture during my predecessor Bill Ritter’s governorship. I appreciate Governor Ritter introducing me to him, discovering him for me.
    “John Stulp was a former Prowers County Commissioner – a Democrat commissioner in a county that’s not well known for Democratic commissioners. He was also a former State Board of Land Commissioner, a State Wildlife Commissioner, and a member of the State Board of Agriculture.
    “And, in John’s mind, above all of that, he was a dryland wheat farmer and a cow-calf rancher from Southeast Colorado.
    “John’s reputation for patient consensus-building is well known throughout our state and trusted throughout our state.
    “In 2011, I was the newly-elected governor and Colorado had already experienced a couple years of drought.
    “2011 and 2012 were bad years for drought, and I was convinced that we needed a blueprint – a plan of some sort – to address the gap between the state’s projected growth and its future water supply. To make sure that we had the supply that could match our needs.
    “I recruited John to serve as my top water policy advisor. We made it a cabinet-level position, he came to all our cabinet meetings. He was our ‘Water Czar.’
    “And it was clear to me that we’d be hard pressed to find anyone that could do the work he did.
    “John understood the agricultural community in Colorado better than almost anyone.
    “Maybe that’s why when I first approached him with the idea of a state-wide water plan, he wasn’t immediately convinced – actually he was far from it. He was, I would say, more than skeptical.
    “He knew how hard it would be to map Colorado’s water supply, to chart a plan to conserve water that we might need in the next 50 years, and to get everybody at the table. And in Colorado we talk about how ‘whiskey is for drinking but water is for fighting.’
    “He didn’t think it was a smart idea for me politically as a new governor, to take on an issue that had the potential to be so divisive. 
    “But, he understood that we couldn’t let our rivers and farms at risk of running dry – and that we needed him, Colorado needed him.
    “And he set aside his reservations. Then he rolled up his sleeves and he went to work. He and James Eklund and a lot of other people. It was remarkable to watch them.
    “He criss-crossed the state, hosting roundtables, talking with farmers, listening to stakeholders, really hearing them. Trying to resolve the issues and trying to align their self-interest. 
    “John poured his heart and soul into that plan.
    “And, in the end, John accomplished what, well I think even he previously believed would not be possible.
    “We finalized the state’s first-ever Water Plan in November 2015. It certainly would have never happened without his prodigious efforts.
    “He created a framework that will evolve as our state’s climate and demographics continue to evolve.
    “More importantly, in the process, he created an ecosystem, a network of relationships that crossed geographic and political boundaries. And that is one of his many great legacies – his many legacies – that he leaves to Colorado. 
    “Certainly his family is his greatest legacy, but he did a lot for the ability of Colorado’s future and water.
    “You know, when you travel a lot with someone, you spend a lot of miles with them, and you stay at their home, you share their food, you meet their neighbors, you get a real sense of their ‘goodness.’ 
    “I’m not sure there are gradations of ‘goodness,’ but I have traveled long distances with John Stulp, and I’ve stayed at his home in Prowers County where he and his remarkable wife Jane would cook up a barbecue and get me together with some of their neighbors. 
    “He even loaned my son Teddy a .410 shotgun so he could learn how to shoot.
    “If I did believe in gradations of ‘goodness,’ John and Jane Stulp would be at the very top.
    “Even with all the great contributions he made to our state, I think John’s goodness – the pureness and the deepness of his heart – is what I’ll miss the most.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese’s China mission – managing a complex relationship in a world of shifting alliances

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Laurenceson, Director and Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute (UTS:ACRI), University of Technology Sydney

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves for China on Saturday, confident most Australians back the government’s handling of relations with our most important economic partner and the leading strategic power in Asia.

    Albanese’s domestic critics have lambasted him for meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping before United States President Donald Trump. They are also aggrieved at his refusal to label China a security threat.

    But neither criticism really stacks up.

    An Albanese-Trump meeting would have happened last month on the sidelines of a G7 gathering in Canada. It was Trump who left early, standing up more leaders than just Albanese.

    Nor is Albanese the first Australian prime minister to meet a Chinese president before an American one. His predecessor Tony Abbott caught up with Xi a few weeks after coming to office in 2013, before he had a chance to meet President Barack Obama.

    ‘Friends, not foes’

    Meanwhile, polling indicates just one in five Australians see the relationship with China first and foremost as “a threat to be confronted”. Rather, a clear two-thirds majority see it as “a complex relationship to be managed”.

    Albanese is also regarded as more competent than his opposition counterpart in handling Australia’s foreign policy generally – and better at managing the China relationship specifically.

    The prime minister’s Chinese hosts also have an incentive to ensure his visit is a successful one.

    In the past fortnight, China’s ambassador in Canberra, Xiao Qian, has penned opinion pieces in two of Australia’s biggest media outlets, insisting Australia and China are “friends, not foes” and touting the “comprehensive turnaround” in bilateral ties since Labor won government in May 2022.

    Beijing and Washington view each other as their geopolitical priority. Beijing can make it harder for Washington to enlist security allies such as Canberra in this rivalry by maintaining its own strong and constructive bilateral ties with Australia.

    And quite apart from the competition with the US, China relied on Australia last year as its fifth largest import source.

    Plenty of complaints

    None of this is to say Albanese’s visit will be easy, because Australia-China relations are rarely smooth.

    Canberra continues to have many complaints about China’s international behaviour.

    For example, Foreign Minister Penny Wong recently signed a joint statement with her counterparts in Washington, Tokyo and New Delhi expressing “serious concerns regarding dangerous and provocative actions” by China in the East and South China Seas, and the “abrupt constriction […] of key supply chains”.

    Wong has also said the government remains “appalled” by the treatment of Australians imprisoned in China, including Dr Yang Jun, who is facing espionage charges he strongly denies.

    Defence Minister Richard Marles has voiced Canberra’s alarm at Beijing’s “no limits agreement” with Moscow, and claimed China has

    engaged in the biggest conventional military build-up since the end of the second world war.

    However, this assessment is contested by independent Australian analysts.

    Beijing also has plenty of complaints. They include Canberra’s ongoing pursuit of closer military cooperation with the US and UK through the AUKUS pact.

    There is also the commitment to forcing the sale of the lease to operate the Port of Darwin that is currently held by a Chinese company.

    Reliable trading partner

    Albanese has already made clear his visit to China will have a strong economic focus.

    While grappling with security challenges, any Australian government, Labor or Coalition, must face the reality that last year, local companies sold more to China – worth A$196 billion – than our next four largest markets combined.

    China is also, by far, Australia’s biggest supplier, putting downward pressure on the cost of living.

    Research produced by Curtin University, commissioned by the Australia-China Business Council, finds trade with China increases disposable income of the average Australian household by $2,600, or 4.6% per person.

    In an ideal world, Australia would have a more diversified trading mix.

    But again, any Australian government or business must grapple with the reality that obvious major alternative markets, like the US, are not only less interested in local goods and services, but are walking away from their past trade commitments.

    Under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement signed two decades ago, Australian exporters selling to the US faced an average tariff of just 0.1%. But nowadays Washington applies a baseline tariff of 10% on most Australian imports.

    Meanwhile, owing to the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement struck in 2015, Beijing applies an average tariff of just 1.1%.

    No wonder more Australians now say China is a more reliable trading partner than the US.

    This also explains Alabese’s response when he was asked in April if he would support Trump’s trade war against China:

    It would be extraordinary if the Australian response was “thank you” and we will help to further hurt our economy

    Likewise, Trade Minister Don Farrell is adamant Australia’s interests will determine the Albanese government’s choices, not “what the Americans may or may not want”.

    We don’t want to do less business with China, we want to do more business with China.

    Deeper trade ties with Asia, including China, are not just about making a buck. Wong has stressed the national security implications of a strong economic relationship:

    [It is] an investment in our security. Stability and prosperity are mutually reinforcing.

    All of this means Albanese’s six-day visit to China is shaping up to be time well spent.

    James Laurenceson 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. Albanese’s China mission – managing a complex relationship in a world of shifting alliances – https://theconversation.com/albaneses-china-mission-managing-a-complex-relationship-in-a-world-of-shifting-alliances-260404

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Does AI actually boost productivity? The evidence is murky

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Whittle, Director, Data61, CSIRO

    Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

    There’s been much talk recently – especially among politicians – about productivity. And for good reason: Australia’s labour productivity growth sits at a 60-year low.

    To address this, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has convened a productivity round table next month. This will coincide with the release of an interim report from the Productivity Commission, which is looking at five pillars of reform. One of these is the role of data and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

    This will be music to the ears of the tech and business sectors, which have been enthusiastically promoting the productivity benefits of AI. In fact, the Business Council of Australia also said last month that AI is the single greatest opportunity in a generation to lift productivity.

    But what do we really know about how AI impacts productivity?

    What is productivity?

    Put simply, productivity is how much output (goods and services) we can produce from a given amount of inputs (such as labour and raw materials). It matters because higher productivity typically translates to a higher standard of living. Productivity growth has accounted for 80% of Australia’s income growth over the past three decades.

    Productivity can be thought of as individual, organisational or national.

    Your individual productivity is how efficiently you manage your time and resources to complete tasks. How many emails can you respond to in an hour? How many products can you check for defects in a day?

    Organisational productivity is how well an organisation achieves its goals. For example, in a research organisation, how many top-quality research papers are produced?

    National productivity is the economic efficiency of a nation, often measured as gross domestic product per hour worked. It is effectively an aggregate of the other forms. But it’s notoriously difficult to track how changes in individual or organisational productivity translate into national GDP per hour worked.

    AI and individual productivity

    The nascent research examining the relationship between AI and individual productivity shows mixed results.

    A 2025 real-world study of AI and productivity involved 776 experienced product professionals at US multinational company Procter & Gamble. The study showed that individuals randomly assigned to use AI performed as well as a team of two without. A similar study in 2023 with 750 consultants from Boston Consulting Group found tasks were 18% faster with generative AI.

    A 2023 paper reported on an early generative AI system in a Fortune 500 software company used by 5,200 customer support agents. The system showed a 14% increase in the number of issues resolved per hour. For less experienced agents, productivity increased by 35%.

    But AI doesn’t always increase individual productivity.

    A survey of 2,500 professionals found generative AI actually increased workload for 77% of workers. Some 47% said they didn’t know how to unlock productivity benefits. The study points to barriers such as the need to verify and/or correct AI outputs, the need for AI upskilling, and unreasonable expectations about what AI can do.

    A recent CSIRO study examined the daily use of Microsoft 365 Copilot by 300 employees of a government organisation. While the majority self-reported productivity benefits, a sizeable minority (30%) did not. Even those workers who reported productivity improvements expected greater productivity benefits than were delivered.

    AI and organisational productivity

    It’s difficult, if not impossible, to attribute changes in an organisation’s productivity to the introduction of AI. Businesses are sensitive to many social and organisational factors, any one of which could be the reason for a change in productivity.

    Nevertheless, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has estimated the productivity benefits of traditional AI – that is, machine learning applied for an industry-specific task – to be zero to 11% at the organisational level.

    A 2024 summary paper cites independent studies showing increases in organisational productivity from AI in Germany, Italy and Taiwan.

    In contrast, a 2022 analysis of 300,000 US firms didn’t find a significant correlation between AI adoption and productivity, but did for other technologies such as robotics and cloud computing. Likely explanations are that AI hasn’t yet had an effect on many firms, or simply that it’s too hard to disentangle the impact of AI given it’s never applied in isolation.

    AI productivity increases can also sometimes be masked by additional human labour needed to train or operate AI systems. Take Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology for shops.

    Publicly launched in 2018, it was intended to reduce labour as customer purchases would be fully automated. But it reportedly relied on hiring around 1,000 workers in India for quality control. Amazon has labelled these reports “erroneous”.

    More generally, think about the unknown number (but likely millions) of people paid to label data for AI models.

    AI and national productivity

    The picture at a national level is even murkier.

    Clearly, AI hasn’t yet impacted national productivity. It can be argued that technology developments take time to affect national productivity, as companies need to figure out how to use the technology and put the necessary infrastructure and skills in place.

    However, this is not guaranteed. For example, while there is consensus that the internet led to productivity improvements, the effects of mobile phones and social media are more contested, and their impacts are more apparent in some industries (such as entertainment) than others.

    Productivity isn’t just doing things faster

    The common narrative around AI and productivity is that AI automates mundane tasks, making us faster at doing things and giving us more time for creative pursuits. This, however, is a naive view of how work happens.

    Just because you can deal with your inbox more quickly doesn’t mean you’ll spend your afternoon on the beach. The more emails you fire off, the more you’ll receive back, and the never-ending cycle continues.

    Faster isn’t always better. Sometimes, we need to slow down to be more productive. That’s when great ideas happen.

    Imagine a world in which AI isn’t simply about speeding up tasks but proactively slows us down, to give us space to be more innovative, and more productive. That’s the real untapped opportunity with AI.

    Jon Whittle works at CSIRO which receives R&D funding from a wide range of government and industry clients.

    – ref. Does AI actually boost productivity? The evidence is murky – https://theconversation.com/does-ai-actually-boost-productivity-the-evidence-is-murky-260690

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK welcomes the Office of the Prosecutor’s continued focus on Darfur: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK welcomes the Office of the Prosecutor’s continued focus on Darfur: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Legal Adviser Colin McIntyre at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

    Let me begin by stressing the United Kingdom’s condemnation of the recent cyberattack against the ICC. 

    The UK has committed funds to strengthen the Court’s cybersecurity framework and we are pleased that this incident was swiftly contained.

    Mr President, I will make three points today. 

    First, we welcome the Office of the Prosecutor’s continued focus on Darfur.

    In this regard, we are gravely concerned by the findings of the Office of the Prosecutor that there are reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity may have been committed, and indeed are continuing to be committed, in Darfur.

    We also echo the report’s concerns about the situation in El Fasher. Large-scale attacks carried out on Zamzam IDP camp in April 2025 reportedly displaced over 400,000 people and continue to affect the population.

    It is appalling that their suffering is compounded by denials of aid. 

    We call on the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance.

    Second, we note the continued cooperation of the Sudanese authorities, including the facilitation of the recent visit to Port Sudan. 

    Given the significant challenges faced by the Office in implementing its mandate, we encourage the Sudanese authorities to redouble their efforts to cooperate with the Office, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants, including Mr Ahmad Harun.

    Third, we welcome the enhanced cooperation between the Prosecutor’s Office and other actors, including civil society organisations and the UN Fact Finding Mission for Sudan.

    We commend the Office of the Prosecutor and the Fact Finding Mission’s ongoing documentation efforts and their commitment to delivering concrete progress.

    Mr President, the Sudanese people deserve justice.

    We therefore call for the SAF and the RSF to immediately cease hostilities and prioritise the protection of civilians in line with resolution 2736.

    Accountability must go hand in hand with finding a political solution to this horrific war and ending the cycle of impunity that has scarred Sudan for decades.

    Mr President, let me conclude by reiterating that the UK supports the independence of the International Criminal Court and does not support the sanctioning of individual court officials.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak: Russia is ready to consider options for cooperation with Moldova in all areas, including economics and energy

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexander Novak met with the leaders of the parties: Igor Dodon – Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, Irina Vlah – “Heart of Moldova” and Vasile Tarlev – “Future of Moldova”. The parties discussed economic and energy cooperation between the two countries.

    Alexander Novak noted Russia’s desire to build good-neighborly relations, friendship and cooperation with Moldova, where more than 220 thousand Russian citizens live. At the same time, the Moldovan diaspora in the Russian Federation, according to various estimates, is from 300 thousand to 500 thousand people.

    “Russia is committed to maintaining and developing centuries-old ties with the Republic of Moldova, continuing the dialogue with all constructively minded political forces of the republic that advocate strengthening Moldovan statehood, sovereignty, maintaining its neutral status and strengthening friendly relations with our country,” said Alexander Novak at a meeting with representatives of the Socialist, Heart of Moldova and Future of Moldova parties.

    In recent years, due to the policies of the current Moldovan authorities, economic relations between Russia and Moldova have significantly deteriorated. After Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union in 2014, trade turnover between the two countries fell sharply. In 2015, trade turnover between Russia and Moldova had already fallen by 32%, and Russia’s share in Moldova’s exports had fallen from 70% to just over 3% in 15 years.

    The Deputy Prime Minister added that Russia is always glad to see representatives of Moldova at various venues, be it congresses or exhibition events.

    “We value and encourage the development of interregional ties between our countries, contacts between political parties, public associations and interdepartmental cooperation,” he concluded.

    Alexander Novak also noted that the energy sector has always been an important component of cooperation between Moscow and Chisinau.

    “Russia has always supplied gas to Moldova at a much more favorable price compared to the supplies that went to Europe. It is unclear why the Moldovan authorities are not satisfied with them,” the Deputy Prime Minister added.

    “The Moldovan authorities have refused direct contracts with Russian partners. Moreover, they have created practically unacceptable conditions for Moldovagaz to operate. We are sure that we need to return to direct dialogue, to direct supplies,” said Igor Dodon, leader of the Socialist Party.

    He noted that in 2020, Moldova bought gas from Russia for $148 per thousand cubic meters. According to the politician, this was the lowest price in the last 10-15 years.

    “Of course, these were very favorable tariffs for the end consumer, for our economy and the competitiveness of our goods. With the arrival of the current government, we purchased Russian gas at $842. Tariffs also increased sevenfold,” added Igor Dodon.

    Alexander Novak emphasized that Russia is ready to return to friendly cooperation in the energy sector if the Moldovan side has such a desire.

    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: Tatyana Golikova spoke at a joint meeting of the State Duma committees.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova spoke at a joint meeting of the State Duma committees in preparation for holding a government hour on the topic “On priorities in implementing the demographic policy of the Russian Federation.” The meeting was also attended by Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov, Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Utilities.

    “Our absolute priority is to preserve the population. This is the main national goal, designated by the President of the country. And this is a national goal for many years. Because within this goal, the birth rate is, of course, the most difficult issue. And the birth rate is not a momentary decision. It is a person’s motivation to start a family. And this is our hard and painstaking work. And I will start with the basics of state policy to support traditional spiritual and moral values. This is, in fact, the key issue. Fostering in society an attitude towards family, towards a child, towards parents, towards grandparents. Towards a multi-generational, dynastic family. And pride in the fact that this family exists,” said Tatyana Golikova.

    The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that today, on average, a woman gives birth to her first child at the age of 26, and the average age of a woman at the birth of a child is 29.

    “As our President says, the entire infrastructure should be built around the family. And this means that all our priorities, our national projects should work towards this idea,” noted Tatyana Golikova. “What we are seeing today is a great commitment to urbanization. And this commitment to urbanization leads to the fact that individual settlements are left without people. We must create the appropriate infrastructure around. This settlement must live, so that it is interesting to live in it.”

    According to the Deputy Prime Minister, 80.4% of births today occur in cities. At the same time, by the end of 2024, the total fertility rate in Russia as a whole was 1.4, and in the village – 1.6.

    In addition, on the eve of the government hour, Tatyana Golikova met with all factions of the State Duma – United Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, A Just Russia and New People. The meetings were also attended by the Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, the Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, the Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov, representatives of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities and the Ministry of Culture.

    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: Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Signs Agreement with Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs has signed a formal agreement with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians that will provide a framework for collaboration and increased resources dedicated to supporting the Tribe’s veterans in accessing their earned federal and state veterans’ benefits.

    The Memorandum of Understanding was signed Friday, June 27, by ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels and Tribal Council Chairman Delores Pigsley, with Tribal government leaders and representatives, Tribal veterans and ODVA staff gathered to commemorate the historic partnership. The formal signing was hosted at ODVA’s headquarters in Salem.

    The agreement will pave the way for the establishment of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians’ first Tribal Veterans Service Officer (TVSO), which will be jointly funded by ODVA and the Tribe to serve Siletz veterans and their families.

    “Oregon’s Tribal veterans have long served with honor and distinction, and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the care and recognition they have earned,” said Dr. Daniels. “By partnering with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, we are committing to a future where Siletz veterans are served in a way that honors their stories, their service, and their sovereign identity. We’re proud to walk alongside the Tribe in building something that will truly make a difference in the lives of their veterans and families.”

    “I am excited for the future of our honored Tribal veterans and the opportunity this brings to them,” said Chairman Pigsley. “Not only to support them but to help advocate for them. This memorandum with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is more than a collaboration or a partnership. It’s a commitment to honoring and empowering those who have served our nation. Their deep-rooted connection to the veteran community and unwavering dedication to their well-being make them a trusted and invaluable partner.”

    This Memorandum of Understanding is ODVA’s sixth with Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and, most recently, the Coquille Indian Tribe in May.

    Oregon’s statewide network of County and Tribal Veteran Service Offices are collaborative partnerships between the state and counties, or Tribal governments and deliver free local access to veteran benefits for veterans and their families.

    Tribal Veteran Service Officers (TVSOs) are trained by ODVA and then accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs through a series of regular trainings facilitated by both agencies. TVSOs provide a wide variety of benefits and services to veterans and their family members, including the development and submission of claims to the federal VA for earned veteran benefits. To learn more about veteran benefits, resources and services near you, or to schedule a session with your local Veteran Service Officer, visit the website of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs at www.oregon.gov/odva/Services/Pages/Tribal-Veteran-Services.aspx.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Signs Agreement with Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs has signed a formal agreement with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians that will provide a framework for collaboration and increased resources dedicated to supporting the Tribe’s veterans in accessing their earned federal and state veterans’ benefits.

    The Memorandum of Understanding was signed Friday, June 27, by ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels and Tribal Council Chairman Delores Pigsley, with Tribal government leaders and representatives, Tribal veterans and ODVA staff gathered to commemorate the historic partnership. The formal signing was hosted at ODVA’s headquarters in Salem.

    The agreement will pave the way for the establishment of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians’ first Tribal Veterans Service Officer (TVSO), which will be jointly funded by ODVA and the Tribe to serve Siletz veterans and their families.

    “Oregon’s Tribal veterans have long served with honor and distinction, and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the care and recognition they have earned,” said Dr. Daniels. “By partnering with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, we are committing to a future where Siletz veterans are served in a way that honors their stories, their service, and their sovereign identity. We’re proud to walk alongside the Tribe in building something that will truly make a difference in the lives of their veterans and families.”

    “I am excited for the future of our honored Tribal veterans and the opportunity this brings to them,” said Chairman Pigsley. “Not only to support them but to help advocate for them. This memorandum with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is more than a collaboration or a partnership. It’s a commitment to honoring and empowering those who have served our nation. Their deep-rooted connection to the veteran community and unwavering dedication to their well-being make them a trusted and invaluable partner.”

    This Memorandum of Understanding is ODVA’s sixth with Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and, most recently, the Coquille Indian Tribe in May.

    Oregon’s statewide network of County and Tribal Veteran Service Offices are collaborative partnerships between the state and counties, or Tribal governments and deliver free local access to veteran benefits for veterans and their families.

    Tribal Veteran Service Officers (TVSOs) are trained by ODVA and then accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs through a series of regular trainings facilitated by both agencies. TVSOs provide a wide variety of benefits and services to veterans and their family members, including the development and submission of claims to the federal VA for earned veteran benefits. To learn more about veteran benefits, resources and services near you, or to schedule a session with your local Veteran Service Officer, visit the website of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs at www.oregon.gov/odva/Services/Pages/Tribal-Veteran-Services.aspx.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Opens Investigation into the State of Minnesota for Race- and Sex-Based Hiring Practices

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the State of Minnesota, including the Minnesota Department of Human Services, to determine whether it has engaged in race- and sex-based discrimination in its state employment hiring practices.

    In a policy issued earlier this month, the Minnesota Department of Human Services requires its hiring supervisors to provide a “hiring justification when seeking to hire a non-underrepresented candidate.” Hiring supervisors who do not comply with the policy “may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.” The policy seems to be part of a broader effort by the state to engage in race- and sex-based employment practices in its “affirmative action” objectives.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section will investigate whether Minnesota is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

    “Minnesotans deserve to have their state government employees hired based on merit, not based on illegal DEI,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

    “Federal law has long prohibited employment policies that discriminate based on race or sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department refuses to tolerate such conduct, and states invite investigation when they engage in biased hiring practices tied to protected characteristics.”

    You can read the notice letter here.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Our Shoreline Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan legislation, the Digital Coast Act, to help coastal communities better prepare for storms, cope with varying water levels, and plan for future development. The bill reauthorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Digital Coast Program, which Baldwin and Murkowski previously spearheaded to reestablish the program in 2020.
    “The Great Lakes are essential to the Wisconsin way of life and our economy, but make no mistake – they face some serious and unique challenges, and our local communities need tools and information to address them, keep families safe, and support our local businesses,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to once again work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to support our local coastal communities and ensure they have the resources and data they need to prepare for disasters, keep our water clean and safe, and make smart planning decisions for the future.”
    “As we confront the escalating impacts of climate change, it is crucial our coastal communities remain equipped with the tools and data they need to adapt and thrive,” said Senator Murkowski. “The Digital Coast Program has proven to be a vital resource in this effort, providing essential information and support for our local leaders to make informed decisions.”
    NOAA currently assembles and hosts the Digital Coast Project, a collaborative online database of the most up-to-date coastal information and makes it available to both the public and private sectors. Digital Coast also provides tools for coastal communities to decipher and use the high-tech mapping data to make accurate decisions and smart investments in coastal communities.
    The Digital Coast Act reauthorizes the program and ensures that communities will continue to have the data to make smart choices for economic development, shoreline management, and coastal restoration. The bill supports further development of the current project, including increasing access to uniform, up-to-date data, to help communities get the coastal data they need to respond to emergencies, plan for long-term coastal resilience, and manage their water resources.
    Companion legislation was introduced yesterday in the U.S. House by Representatives Dave Min (D-CA-47) and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01).
    “From extreme weather to competing demands for coastal property, our coastal communities need the best available resources to respond to the mounting threat of climate change,” said Congressman Min. “NOAA’s Digital Coast Program provides essential research and data to address the adverse effects of the climate crisis, all while creating thousands of high tech jobs around America. I’m proud to be leading the charge to protect Orange County’s beautiful coastline.”
    “Virginia’s First District is home to vibrant coastal communities that rely on cutting-edge data and resources to thrive, especially in the face of challenges such as extreme weather and aging infrastructure,” said Congressman Wittman. “I’m proud to help introduce the Digital Coastal Reauthorization Act alongside Rep. Dave Min, legislation that will reauthorize NOAA’s Digital Coast program. This vital program collects and distributes data that will help mitigate future weather-related issues and provide communities with the tools they need to expand and plan for the future.” 
    “Digital Coast represents the best of government at work,” said Sue Schwartz, FAICP, President of the American Planning Association. “It’s innovative, collaborative, efficient, bipartisan, and cost-effective; all while helping local communities make better decisions about how to tackle tough coastal challenges. Planners benefit from access to critical data that shapes the insights they bring to residents and local leaders. The American Planning Association strongly supports the reauthorization of this vital resource for protecting and planning our communities.” 
    “NOAA’s Digital Coast provides a one-stop shop for the data, tools and training that coastal managers and researchers use to learn and do their jobs. As a collaboration between the federal government and partner organizations and used extensively by the public and private sectors, Digital Coast is government at its most effective,” said Derek Brockbank, Executive Director of Coastal States Organization.?“The Digital Coast Act will ensure this important resource for all communities is authorized and funded for the next 5 years.”?  
    “The Digital Coast Program empowers coastal states with the tools and data they need to address real-world challenges—from flooding and hurricanes to smart growth and resource management,” said Ken Nelson, National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) President. “Continued federal support is vital to strengthening the geospatial foundation that drives both our economy and our national preparedness. Reauthorizing the Digital Coast Act ensures coastal communities have the high-quality data they need to plan, protect, and prosper.” 
    “To make sure that people can enjoy everything our coasts have to offer, coastal managers need to have the right tools, data and training. The Digital Coast partnership provides those products and services,” said Stephanie Bailenson, US Federal Water Policy Team Lead at The Nature Conservancy. “We’ve seen in our work across the country how Digital Coast helps coastal communities address storms and flooding while strengthening local economies. We’re happy to see the sponsors of the partnership’s reauthorization bill demonstrate the continued bi-partisan support for the partnership.”
    “The provisions of the Digital Coast Reauthorization will modernize the Digital Coast program and provide for the continuation of a sustainable program to utilize geospatial technologies to map and monitor the coastal waterways of the United States, providing an invaluable benefit to the public, and to the professionals whose charge is to protect their health, safety, and welfare,” said Timothy W. Burch, PLS, Executive Director of National Society of Professional Surveyors. 
    “The Digital Coast Program is a balanced approach to environmental protection and economic development in our valuable coastal areas.? This bill reauthorizes and modernizes a successful program that utilizes the talent of the private sector and intergovernmental agencies by providing data and services that are essential to the economic engine that is coastal America, while conserving it’s precious natural resources through geospatial data and related activities,” said John Palatiello, Founder of US Geospatial Executives Organization (U.S. GEO).
    “The Digital Coast Partnership Advocacy Coalition commends Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for introducing the Digital Coast Reauthorization Act. The Coalition also wishes to thank Representatives Dave Min (D-CA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) for their leadership in introducing the companion bill in the House. The strong bipartisan support for this measure is a demonstration of its broad appeal and value to the nation’s communities. By consolidating coastal data from a variety of sources in one place and making it publicly accessible, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Digital Coast program is helping the coastal management community better plan for storms, flooding, natural disasters, and other challenges that impact vulnerable coastal and Great Lakes communities. Data included in the Digital Coast ranges from surveying, mapping, geospatial, economic, demographic and ecosystem data to satellite imagery. In addition to making this data publicly available online, the Digital Coast provides a wide array of visualization and prediction tools that dramatically improve the effectiveness and efficiency of coastal management projects around the country. Over the next 15 years, NOAA predicts a 411 percent return on investment from the Digital Coast program. In addition to the return on investment, the Digital Coast has played a significant role in protecting communities and natural resources from damaging natural disasters. Furthermore, 75 percent of Digital Coast users surveyed by NOAA indicated that their projects would not have been possible without the Digital Coast. By having bipartisan and bicameral introduction of the Digital Coast Reauthorization Act, we deeply appreciate your recognition of the numerous benefits the Digital Coast can provide to coastal communities and those working to make them more resilient,” said John “JB” Byrd, Coordinator, Digital Coast Partnership Advocacy Coalition. 
    “As our coastlines and beaches bear the brunt of extreme weather events, flooding, chronic erosion, sea level rise, and other hazards, coastal communities need every tool at their disposal to make informed decisions and plan for a safer, more resilient future,” said Emma Haydocy, Senior Manager of Coasts and Climate Initiative at the Surfrider Foundation. “NOAA’s Digital Coast program makes invaluable data accessible to the American public in light of these challenges, and reauthorizing and expanding this program will help safeguard vital coastal resources throughout the U.S. for years to come.”
    The legislation is endorsed by Coastal States Organization, American Planning Association, Association of State Floodplain Managers, National Association of Counties, National Society of Professional Surveyors, U.S Geospatial Executives Organization (U.S. GEO), Surfrider Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, National States Geographic Information Council, National Estuarine Research Reserve Association, Quantum Spatial Inc., Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors, and Digital Coast Partnership Advocacy Coalition.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Will my private health insurance cover my surgery? What if my claim is rejected?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yuting Zhang, Professor of Health Economics, The University of Melbourne

    shurkin_son/Shutterstock

    The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has fined Bupa A$35 million for unlawfully rejecting thousands of health insurance claims over more than five years.

    Between May 2018 and August 2023 Bupa incorrectly rejected claims from patients who had multiple medical procedures, with at least one of those procedures covered under their health insurance policy.

    Instead of paying the portion of the treatment that was covered, Bupa’s automated systems wrongly rejected the entire claim.

    Bupa admitted these errors were due to system problems and poor staff guidance, and has started to recompensate members.

    So you may be worried whether your private health insurance will cover you for the procedures you need.

    Here’s what you need to know about the different types of hospital cover. And if your claim is rejected, what to do next.

    From basic to gold

    As of March 2025, 45.3% of Australians have private health insurance for hospital cover. There are four tiers: basic, bronze, silver and gold.

    Each tier has a minimum set of “clinical categories”. These are groups of hospital treatments that must be covered.

    For example, basic hospital cover only has three mandatory inclusions: rehabilitation, hospital psychiatric services and palliative care. But this is “restricted” cover, meaning patients will often still have to pay substantial out-of-pocket costs for these services.

    Basic cover is entry-level cover, mainly for people who want to avoid the Lifetime Health Cover loading and the Medicare Levy Surcharge. These are both ways of encouraging people to take up private health insurance while young and keeping it, especially people on higher incomes.

    At the other end of the scale is gold cover, which includes unrestricted cover for all defined clinical categories, including pregnancy and birth.

    You can generally change your level of cover at any time. When you upgrade to include new services or increase benefits for existing services, you will need to serve new waiting periods for those new or increased benefits.

    A common waiting period is 12 months for pre-existing conditions (any ailment, illness or condition that you had signs or symptoms of during the six months before upgrading, even if undiagnosed), and for pregnancy and birth-related services. But there is generally only a two-month waiting period for psychiatric care, rehabilitation or palliative care, even if it’s for a pre-existing condition.

    It’s a good idea to review your policy every two years because your health needs and financial circumstances can change.

    How much do companies pay out?

    The proportion of premiums that are paid out to cover medical claims is known as the “average payout ratio”. And this has been about 84–86% over most of the past 20 years.

    This does not mean your health insurer will pay out 84–86% of your individual claim. This national average accounts for the percentage of all premiums in any one year, across all insurers, that’s paid out in claims.

    The payout ratios vary by insurer and are slightly higher for not-for-profit health insurers than for-profit insurers.

    That’s because for-profit health insurers have pressure to deliver profits to shareholders and have incentives to minimise payouts and control costs.

    If not properly managed, these incentives may result in higher out-of-pocket expenses and denied claims.

    Why has my claim been rejected?

    Common reasons for claims to be rejected include:

    • the policy excluded or restricted the clinical category

    • the waiting period was not served

    • incorrect information (for example, a doctor billed an incorrect item number)

    • what’s known as “mixed coverage” (as in the Bupa scandal), where not everything in a claim is covered, but the entire claim is declined.

    What if I think there’s an error?

    If your health insurance company refuses your claim, you can request a detailed explanation in writing.

    If you believe your claim has been incorrectly denied, you can make a formal complaint directly with the insurer. For this you need to check your policy documents, and gather supporting evidence. This may include detailed invoices, medical reports, referral letters and correct item numbers.

    If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the health fund’s internal review, or the fund doesn’t respond with the specific time-frame (for instance, 30–45 days), you can escalate your complaint.

    You can get in touch with the Commonwealth Ombudsman (phone: 1300 362 072). This provides a free, independent complaint handling service for a range of consumer issues, including health insurance.

    Bupa customers concerned about a “mixed coverage” claim can contact the company directly.

    What can governments do?

    The Bupa scandal, along with ongoing concerns about transparency and rising out-of-pocket costs, highlights the need for policy reforms to better protect consumers.

    The government should require health insurers and health-care providers to give clear estimates of all potential out-of-pocket costs for a procedure before it happens. This would avoid unexpected bills and help consumers make informed decisions about their health care.

    The government could also let the ACCC or the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority conduct regular, independent audits of insurers’ claims systems and practices.

    Yuting Zhang has received funding from the Australian Research Council (future fellowship project ID FT200100630), Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Victorian Department of Health, National Health and Medical Research Council and Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network. In the past, Professor Zhang has received funding from several US institutes including the US National Institutes of Health, Commonwealth fund, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She has not received funding from for-profit industry including the private health insurance industry.

    – ref. Will my private health insurance cover my surgery? What if my claim is rejected? – https://theconversation.com/will-my-private-health-insurance-cover-my-surgery-what-if-my-claim-is-rejected-260702

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tribunal Issues Determination of Reasonable Indication of Injury—Steel Strapping from China, South Korea, Türkiye and Vietnam

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Ottawa, Ontario, July 10, 2025—The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today determined that there is a reasonable indication that the dumping of steel strapping from China, South Korea, Türkiye and Vietnam, and subsidizing of steel strapping from China have caused injury or are threatening to cause injury to the domestic industry.

    The Tribunal’s inquiry was conducted pursuant to the Special Import Measures Act as a result of the initiation of dumping and subsidizing investigations by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The CBSA will continue its investigations and, by August 8, 2025, will issue preliminary determinations.

    The Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Announces Release of Funding for Local Transportation Projects

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    Larsen Announces Release of Funding for Local Transportation Projects

    Washington, D.C., July 10, 2025

    Today, Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement:

    “I’m pleased that funding for several Northwest Washington transportation projects has been released by the Department of Transportation so local governments can move forward with their work as expected.

    • $1,238,680 for the Nooksack Indian Tribe to remove a culvert in Jones Creek under a BNSF Railway line in Acme (awarded Fiscal Year 2022)
    • $1,876,265 for Lummi Indian Business Council to build a new bus maintenance facility (awarded FY22)
    • $8,862,951 for Whatcom Transportation Authority to replace eight 2011 diesel buses with eight low or no emission buses (awarded FY22)
    • $9,644,865 for Whatcom Transportation Authority to purchase 11 low or no emission buses to replace three diesel buses and eight hybrid buses (awarded FY23)
    • $2,000,000 for the City of Burlington to identify which of the city’s 16 at-grade rail crossings is most suitable for grade separation to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion (awarded FY23)
    • $80,000 for the City of Ferndale’s Road Safety Improvement Plan (awarded FY24)
    • $95,000 for Samish Indian Nation’s Transportation Safety Action Plan (awarded FY24)
    • $100,000 for the City of Sedro-Woolley’s SS4A Action Plan (awarded FY24)
    • $18,090,000 for the City of Everett to eliminate two at-grade railroad crossings that pose significant risks to public safety through the construction of an overpass and new integrated roundabout near the Smith Island railroad terminal in Everett (awarded FY24)
    • $400,000 for the City of Everett to develop a supplemental Speed Management Plan (awarded FY24)

    “I will continue to push Secretary Duffy to release and obligate the funding for other Northwest Washington projects that received awards, such as the $19,500,000 grant for Skagit Transit to renovate its Maintenance, Operations, and Administration Facility and the $2,000,000 grant for to the City of Lynden to complete planning for its project to relocate Pepin Creek (both awarded FY25).”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Questions President Trump’s NOAA Administrator Nominee on Putting Facts and Science First

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

    Dr. Neil Jacobs was involved in the 2019 “Sharpiegate,” when President Trump altered a hurricane map to falsely show Hurricane Dorian hitting Alabama, contradicting official forecasts

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, questioned Dr. Neil Jacobs, President Trump’s nominee to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), about his commitment to telling the truth during emergencies.

    Dr. Jacobs, who previously served as acting NOAA Administrator during President Trump’s first term, had defended the president’s dissemination of inaccurate weather information during a severe weather emergency. The Committee hearing came in the wake of deadly flooding in New Mexico and Texas, which claimed three lives in Ruidoso.

    MSNBC – All in With Chris Hayes: Trump’s Pick to Lead NOAA Faces Senate

    WATCH: Chris Hayes Highlights Senator Lujan’s Questioning of Dr. Neil Jacobs

    Washington Post – Trump’s NOAA pick stands by budget cuts, calls staffing ‘a top priority’

    “When Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico) asked whether Jacobs believed Americans should have to pay for access to the best forecasting data, he answered no.”

    ABC News – Senate considers Neil Jacobs, ‘Sharpiegate’ scientist, as NOAA administrator

    “When asked by Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-NM, on Wednesday whether he would “make the same decision again,” Jacobs replied, “There’s probably some things I would do differently.”

    The Hill – Amid bipartisan concern, NOAA nominee pledges to make Weather Service staffing a ‘top priority’

    “Asked by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) whether he would “sign off on an inaccurate statement due to political pressure in the same event,” Jacobs said no.”

    An excerpt of the exchange is available HERE and below: 

    Sen. Luján: September 1, 2019, when you were NOAA’s acting administrator, President Trump erroneously tweeted Alabama had been hit hard by Hurricane Dorian. 

    Shortly after, the National Weather Service Birmingham office issued the accurate statement, “Alabama will not see any impacts from Dorian.”

    Three days later, President Trump went on TV and displayed a weather map altered with a black Sharpie line to show that Dorian would hit Alabama.

    Two days after that, you helped draft a release rebuking the Birmingham NWS, and repeating President Trump’s baseless claims that Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama.

    You told the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General in their investigation that you “definitely felt like our jobs were on the line,” and while you did not like it, you would make the same decision again to edit a less inflammatory statement as the least bad option. Dr. Jacobs, do I have it right? Is that correct?

    Dr. Jacobs: That is what the report found.

    Sen. Luján: You would do nothing differently?

    Dr. Jacobs: There are probably some things I would do differently, and a lot of this that I did after that, I guess, to change any potential future outcome.

    Sen. Luján: I just had constituents die in New Mexico and constituents in Texas. Would you sign off on an inaccurate statement due to political pressure in the same event, yes or no?

    Dr. Jacobs: No.

    Sen. Luján: I appreciate that very much.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Ready to Always Be Bangladesh’s Good Friend, Neighbor, and Partner – Chinese Foreign Minister

    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

    KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Xinhua) — China is willing to always be a reliable and good friend, neighbor and partner of Bangladesh, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday during a meeting with Bangladesh interim foreign minister Touhid Hossain in Kuala Lumpur.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, said China has always been committed to advancing strategic cooperation with Bangladesh based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and pursuing a policy of good-neighborliness and friendship toward all the Bangladeshi people.

    This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, which is of great significance to both countries, Wang said, adding that China supports Bangladesh’s interim government, the stable and successful holding of the general election in the country, and its pursuit of a development path suited to its national conditions.

    As the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry emphasized, Chinese-Bangladesh cooperation is mutually beneficial, and China has introduced a zero customs tariff on all Bangladeshi products, creating opportunities for the development of this country. At the same time, Wang Yi continued, the United States has imposed 35 percent duties on products from Bangladesh, which is classified as one of the least developed countries. The Chinese diplomat described this move as unreasonable and at the same time immoral.

    China is firmly committed to building a regional community with a shared future, Wang Yi assured. He pointed out that as the largest neighbor of South Asian countries, China is willing to work with Bangladesh and other South Asian countries to achieve modernization and make common contributions to Asia’s development and rise.

    Recalling that the trilateral meeting at the level of deputy foreign ministers of China, Bangladesh and Pakistan was successfully held in the Chinese city of Kunming, Wang Yi expressed hope that joint efforts with Bangladesh and Pakistan would be made to actively promote trilateral cooperation and achieve tangible results.

    T. Hossain, for his part, noted that China is a reliable partner and a true friend of Bangladesh, and the development of friendly and cooperative relations with China reflects the consensus of the entire Bangladeshi people.

    T. Hossain expressed gratitude to China for its selfless development assistance to Bangladesh over the years. He said Bangladesh firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to learn from China’s experience in governance, expand friendly cooperation in areas such as economy, trade and health, enhance regional multilateral coordination and cooperation, and use the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries as an opportunity to take Bangladesh-China relations to a new level. –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
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