NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKPF launches Traffic Fixed Penalty Notices Digitalisation (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKPF launches Traffic Fixed Penalty Notices Digitalisation (with photo)-   All SMS tickets are issued under the SMS sender name “#HKPF-eTT”. Therefore, if the purported SMS ticket was not sent under this sender name, it must be fake;
    –   All SMS or email tickets do not contain any hyperlinks. Members of the public should stay vigilant and avoid clicking on any suspicious hyperlinks or providing any personal information; and
    –   The Platform’s thematic portal has a domain ending with “.gov.hk”. Websites that do not end with “.gov.hk” are not government official websites.Issued at HKT 10:53

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: InvestHK promotes Hong Kong’s biotech edge at BIO International Convention 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    InvestHK promotes Hong Kong’s biotech edge at BIO International Convention 2025
         A delegation of 16 Hong Kong life science and health technology companies will be joining InvestHK and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) to the BIO International Convention 2025, the world’s premier biotechnology event, running June 16 to 19 (Boston time) at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. This joint effort underscores the strong partnership between InvestHK and the HKSTP to promote Hong Kong’s vibrant biotech ecosystem on a global stage.

         At the Hong Kong pavilion, the delegation will showcase the city’s unrivalled advantages and opportunities for American biotech companies seeking to expand into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Asia Pacific. InvestHK will connect with global industry pioneers, sharing insights and forging partnerships to spotlight Hong Kong’s strategic strengths as a biotech powerhouse. Through dynamic presentations, one-on-one discussions, and interactive showcases, InvestHK will highlight the city’s cutting-edge ecosystem, which is tailored to empower American biotech firms to thrive in Asia’s fast-growing markets.

         Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Charles Ng said, “Amid a climate of global economic uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, businesses are increasingly focused on resilience, diversification, and innovation. Hong Kong, as a global biotech hub and one of the world’s leading fundraising hubs for life science and biotech, offers unique advantages for American biotechnology companies. These include a top-tier academic research and talent pool, world-class research and development infrastructure, financial strength, robust intellectual property protection, high-quality clinical trial data and strong government commitment. All these make Hong Kong an ideal location for establishing a regional headquarters to expand into the GBA and Asia-Pacific region.”
     
         The Chief Executive Officer of the HKSTP, Mr Albert Wong, said, “The United States is the world’s largest healthcare market. For technology companies to succeed in the US market, it is essential to understand how the local healthcare system operates and effectively communicates the unique value of their R&D capabilities to investors. The goal of this visit goes beyond seeking immediate investment – it is also about building long-term bridges between innovation ecosystems; offering a globally connected environment to exchange ideas, collaborate and scale. I expect the delegation will begin to see tangible results within the next 12 to 18 months.”

         Hong Kong’s biotech sector is driven by innovations such as smart hospitals and telehealth, addressing rising healthcare demands with sustainable solutions. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is enhancing the city’s capabilities through the establishment of the InnoLife Healthtech Hub in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park. The 2024 Policy Address also introduced a HK$10 billion I&T Industry-Oriented Fund to channel investment into strategic industries, including life and health technology.

         The GBA presents significant opportunities for American biotech firms. Designated GBA healthcare institutions can utilise Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices approved for public hospitals, with 51 drugs and 63 medical devices having been allowed by the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration as of April 30, 2025. Additionally, the Listing Rules reform by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has positioned it as a leading exchange for biotech initial public offerings, enabling pre-revenue biotech companies to list on the main board and access robust capital markets.

         InvestHK has seen strong momentum in attracting innovation and technology (I&T) companies to establish or expand their presence in the city. In 2024, the number of I&T companies assisted by InvestHK rose to 120, up from 82 in 2023, making it the top-performing sector among all sectors supported by the department. This growth reflects both the increasing global confidence in Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem and the city’s strategic role as a springboard for I&T businesses looking to access Mainland China and Asia-Pacific markets.

         The BIO International Convention 2025 unites over 20 000 global industry leaders, representing virtually the entire biotechnology ecosystem. In an era of transformative discovery, biotechnology is revolutionising healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability, offering hope and solutions to global challenges.
    Issued at HKT 10:00

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Here’s how Trump’s illegal military deployment weakens firefighting resources – already strained by his dangerous U.S. Forest Service cuts

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jun 13, 2025

    What you need to know: President Trump’s illegal military deployment impacts firefighting resources already seeing cuts by the U.S. Forest Service.

    SACRAMENTO – With the risk of catastrophic wildfire on the rise as peak fire season sets in across California, the state’s firefighting and prevention resources are facing new strain resulting from President Trump’s actions. 

    President Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles is cutting into valuable firefighting resources. As a federal judge noted yesterday in ruling that President Trump’s actions are illegal and should be halted, five of California’s 14 National Guard fire crews – who staff Joint Task Force Rattlesnake – are now understaffed due to the federalization and diversion of 300 California National Guard (CalGuard) soldiers from those crews to armories in the Los Angeles region. That represents three-quarters of CalGuard’s fire response and prevention resources. 

    Trump is endangering communities across California. He’s pulling National Guard members off of critical wildfire prevention and response missions for his political stunt in Los Angeles. And this is on top of his dangerous cuts to the Forest Service.

    It’s critical that Trump heeds his own advice: restore funding to the Forest Service, support federal firefighters and Make America Rake Again.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The National Guard impact is on top of the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the state. The U.S. Forest Service has lost 10% of all positions and 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire response – both of which are likely to impact wildfire response this year. The cuts come as the President issued an executive order yesterday on wildfire response – another order that rings hollow given the President’s actions.

    “In just the first five months of 2025 California has experienced more than 2,300 wildfires,” said CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. “Having the necessary firefighting apparatus and personnel is critical to our mission at CAL FIRE.”

    Trump cuts to the U.S. Forest Service

    The California Natural Resources Agency recently outlined impacts of President Trump’s cuts to the U.S. Forest Service: “State agencies in California are concerned that these cuts could jeopardize our nation-leading wildfire response capability, and result in a shift in emphasis from protecting communities to generating revenue from National Forests within the state.”

    • More staffing losses ahead: The USFS has already lost 10% of all positions and 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire suppression, and a reorganization proposal to be announced soon is likely to include significant additional reductions.
    • Suppression operations will likely suffer: The USFS claims that federal suppression resources are in good shape, but the reality is that deep cuts in related logistical staff are likely to have a major impact on fire operations.
    • Weather forecasts will be hampered: National Weather Service cuts will reduce the availability of meteorologists for incident support, briefings, and overall coverage. CAL FIRE relies on NWS meteorologists for weather predictions, intelligence, and briefings on all major incidents.
    • Timber targets may shift emphasis away from wildfire resilience: To generate more revenue from National Forests, the USFS is proposing to increase timber sales by 25% over five years. But because there is a mismatch between areas with high potential for timber sales (found at roughly 6,000-8,000 feet elevation) and areas most at risk from wildfire (1,000-4,000 feet elevation, including the Sierra Nevada and Southern California foothills), this could shift the focus of federal agencies away from protecting the state’s most vulnerable communities.
    • State, private, and tribal grants programs proposed to be eliminated: The President’s proposed budget eliminates annual block grants to the states to support state, private landowner, tribal, and urban forestry programs. This will have a small impact in California, but will have dramatic impact on other Western states that are highly dependent on federal funding to support their wildfire resilience programs.  
    • Regional offices could be combined or eliminated: The Pacific Southwest Regional Office in Vallejo is currently largely vacant, with senior leadership positions no longer there. The office is considered likely to be eliminated as part of the reorganization.
    • Key scientific data will be lost and researchers laid off: The President’s proposed budget eliminates all USFS Research Stations and key scientific data to better design, implement, and assess the benefits of projects is being removed and will be unlikely to remain available. 

    California’s unprecedented wildfire readiness 

    As part of the state’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, CAL FIRE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually – nearly double that from the previous administration. Over the next four years and beyond, CAL FIRE will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state’s growing demands.

    Late last month, the Governor announced $72 million for projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk. Additionally,16 new vegetation management and community protection projects spanning more than 7,000 acres have already been approved for fast-tracking under the Governor’s new streamlining initiative.

    This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state. Additionally, to bolster the state’s ability to respond to fires, Governor Newsom announced last week that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate. A full list of California’s progress on wildfire resilience is available here.

    Highlights of achievements to date include:

    • Historic investments — Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion to be allocated from the 2024 Climate Bond.
    • On-the-ground progress — More than 2,200 landscape health and fire prevention projects are complete or underway, and from 2021-2023, the State and its partners treated nearly 1.9 million acres, including nearly 730,000 acres in 2023.
    • Increasing transparency — The Governor’s Task Force launched an Interagency Treatment Dashboard to display wildfire resilience work across federal, state, local, and privately managed lands across the State. The Dashboard, launched in 2023, provides transparency, tracks progress, facilitates planning, and informs firefighting efforts.
    • Hardening communities — Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety  standards, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. Since 2019, CAL FIRE has awarded more than $450 million for 450 wildfire prevention projects across the state and conducts Defensible Space Inspections on more than 250,000 homes each year.
    • Leveraging cutting-edge technology — On top of expanding the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet, CAL FIRE has doubled its use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and the state is utilizing AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 13, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom ordered the pre-deployment of safety and security resources across California to protect the public’s safety during anticipated demonstrations over the weekend. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he ordered…

    Jun 13, 2025

    News What you need to know: Following new reports that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has shared Medicaid beneficiary information with the Department of Homeland Security, Governor Newsom slammed the Trump administration for their dangerous abuse of…

    Jun 12, 2025

    News “A win for all Americans” What you need to know: Standing up for American citizens and the nation’s foundational ban on martial law in peacetime, Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta today secured an emergency restraining order blocking President Trump’s…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom pre-deploys safety resources ahead of anticipated demonstrations

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jun 13, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom ordered the pre-deployment of safety and security resources across California to protect the public’s safety during anticipated demonstrations over the weekend.

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he ordered the state to pre-deploy safety and security resources to communities throughout California to aid and support local law enforcement, ahead of anticipated nationwide demonstrations. 

    The resources from the California Highway Patrol and those coordinated through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) will help local governments protect the safety of peaceful demonstrators and the public – as well as enforce strict laws against the destruction of property, vandalism, and looting.  

    In the United States, the office of citizen is the most important office we can hold. We respect and protect those who exercise their First Amendment rights when they do so peacefully and respectfully.

    California has zero tolerance for those who plan to take advantage of peaceful demonstrations with violence. We’re pre-deploying resources to maintain safety – and we will prosecute those who break the law.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    All eight of CHP’s Special Response Teams (SRT) are activated and pre-staged throughout California, a surge of nearly 700 officers. The CHP’s Southern Division remains on tactical alert, which ensures every available uniformed employee is prepared should they be needed. The CHP is coordinating with local law enforcement partners and Cal OES.

    “The California Highway Patrol actively protects and upholds every individual’s First Amendment right to peacefully assemble and express their views,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Our officers stand ready to ensure these rights are exercised safely and lawfully. If anyone attempts to violate the rights of others, destroy property, or obstruct public movement, we will respond swiftly and decisively to enforce the law.”

    Cal OES has coordinated with state and local partners to ensure communities have resources to help keep people safe. At this time, CalOES has not received significant requests from local governments for mutual aid in advance of this coming weekend. CalOES remains in close communication with local government partners and stands ready to coordinate any future requests for mutual aid or support. 

    “Cal OES remains prepared to assist and respond,” said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. “We’re in close contact with local government partners and stand ready to assist with any requests for support or mutual aid.” 

    Stay peaceful, never resort to violence

    This is a reminder to Californians that they have a right to speak out, but they must remain peaceful. Those who engage in protests and demonstrations must always emphasize partnership, unity and non-violence.

    Recent news

    Jun 13, 2025

    News What you need to know: Following new reports that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has shared Medicaid beneficiary information with the Department of Homeland Security, Governor Newsom slammed the Trump administration for their dangerous abuse of…

    Jun 12, 2025

    News “A win for all Americans” What you need to know: Standing up for American citizens and the nation’s foundational ban on martial law in peacetime, Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta today secured an emergency restraining order blocking President Trump’s…

    Jun 12, 2025

    News What you need to know: Former secretaries of the Army and Navy and retired four-star admirals and generals filed an amicus brief in support of the Governor’s motion to block the Trump administration’s illegal militarization of downtown Los Angeles. SACRAMENTO –…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Governor Lombardo Following Completion of Bill Signings

    Source: US State of Nevada

    Carson City – June 13, 2025

    Today marks the conclusion of the 10-day period Governor Lombardo has to veto or sign bills into law following the adjournment of the 83rd (2025) Session of the Nevada Legislature. In total, Governor Lombardo received 605 bills, ultimately signing 518 bills into law and vetoing 87 bills.

    Please see the full statement from Governor Lombardo below:

    “I am proud of the meaningful progress we made this session – particularly in the areas of education and housing. Working together, we’ve taken important steps to expand educational opportunity, begin restoring accountability in our public schools, and make housing more attainable for working families across our state.

    “That said, I did not take lightly the decision to veto 87 bills. I do not enjoy using the veto pen, but as Governor, it is my responsibility to protect Nevadans from legislation that goes too far, expands government unnecessarily, or creates unintended consequences that hurt families, businesses, or our economy.

    “Each veto was carefully considered. My priority will always be to ensure that every law enacted serves the best interest of the people of Nevada – not special interests, and not bigger government.

    “To the legislators who worked in good faith throughout this session: thank you. I remain committed to working with you to build a stronger, safer, and more affordable Nevada for all.”

    In the coming weeks, Governor Lombardo will host ceremonial bill signings for Senate Bill 460, the landmark bipartisan education reform package, and Assembly Bill 540, the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act. Media advisories to follow.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Unprecedented boost for clinical trials under 10 Year Health Plan

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Unprecedented boost for clinical trials under 10 Year Health Plan

    Millions will take part in clinical trials under the 10 Year Health Plan which will speed up clinical research.

    • Millions to take part in clinical trials under 10 Year Health Plan, transforming patient care with groundbreaking treatments, while driving growth.
    • Unparalleled access to trials via NHS App, and public reporting of Trusts to show who is and isn’t delivering on trials, with funding prioritised for best performers
    • Plan for Change will turbocharge clinical research to regain UK’s clout on world stage and deliver most ambitious reduction in trial set-up times in British history  

    Patients will receive the most cutting-edge treatments years earlier than planned under the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which will speed-up clinical trials so the UK becomes a hotbed of innovation.

    Millions of people will now be able to search for and sign up to lifechanging clinical trials, via the NIHR Be Part of Research service on the NHS App, allowing patients to browse and find the trials best suited to their interests and needs.

    Eventually the plan will see the NHS App automatically match patients with studies based on their own health data and interests, sending push notifications to your phone about relevant new trials to sign up to.

    It comes as the NIHR launches a UK-wide recruitment drive for clinical trials – the biggest ever health research campaign – to get as many people involved in research as possible. Adults across the UK are being urged to register, with underrepresented groups including young people, Black people and people of South Asian heritage particularly encouraged to sign up, at bepartofresearch.uk

    The 10 Year Health Plan will bring transparency to which Trusts are performing well in clinical trials – and which are not. All NHS Trusts and organisations will need to submit data on the number of trials being conducted and the amount of progress being made – as we rebuild the country’s global status as the epicentre of research.

    Public reporting will show the number of trials sponsored by both commercial and non-commercial sponsors at specific Trusts and other organisations, including universities or Primary Care sites. It will reveal to the government, patients, investors, and Trust boards which NHS organisations are performing well and which are falling behind. Government investment will only be prioritised for the Trusts that can prove they can support the NHS to deliver the treatments of tomorrow.  

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    The UK was has been at the forefront of scientific and medical discovery throughout our history. Some country will lead the charge in the emerging revolution in life sciences, and why shouldn’t it be Britain?

    The 10 year plan for health will marry the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, with the care and compassion of our health service, to put NHS patients at the front of the queue for new cutting-edge treatments.

    The NHS App will become the digital front door to the NHS, and enable all of us as citizens to play our part in developing the medicines of the future. The British people showed they were willing to be part of finding the vaccine for Covid, so why not do it again to cure cancer and dementia?

    By slashing through red tape and making it easier for patients to take part, reforms in our ten year plan will grow our life sciences sector, generate news funds for the NHS to reinvest in frontline care, and benefit patients through better medicines.

    In recent years, the UK has fallen behind as a global destination for these trials, with patients and the wider economy missing out. It takes around 100 days to set up a trial in Spain, but around 250 days in the NHS. The plan will see commercial clinical trial set-up times fall to 150 days or less by March 2026 – this will be the most ambitious reduction in trial set-up times in British history.

    Currently set up processes for clinical trials take too long as a result of unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication of activities across different agencies and sites.

    Government will cut set up times for clinical trials. Currently, trials have to agree separate contracts with each part of the NHS they want to be involved. The plan will introduce a national standardised contract which can save months of wasted time, as well as simplifying paperwork to remove duplication on technical assurances.

    This means if any authority asks for evidence from a study, they can provide it once without having to spend time reframing that evidence differently to meet a separate criteria for another authority.

    In the coming weeks, the government will publish its 10 Year Health Plan. Through the plan, we will restore our position as a world leader in clinical trials, so we attract the world’s greatest minds and drive vital investment into the UK. This will spur economic growth, improve the standard of care to support a healthier population, and make the NHS more financially sustainable.

    Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR said:

    We know the benefits of embedding clinical research across the NHS and beyond. It leads to better care for patients, more opportunities for our workforce and provides a huge economic benefit for our health and care system. Integrated into the NHS App, the NIHR Be Part of Research service enables members of the public to be matched to vital trials, ensuring the best and latest treatments and care get to the NHS quicker.

    Ensuring all sites are consistently meeting the 150-day or less set-up time will bring us to the starting line, but together we aim to go further, faster to ensure the UK is a global destination for clinical research to improve the health and wealth of the nation.

    Dr Vin Diwakar, Clinical Transformation Director at NHS England, said:

    The NHS App is transforming how people manage their healthcare, with new features letting them see their test results or check when prescriptions are ready to collect – all at the tap of a screen.

    We’re making it easier to sign up for clinical trials through the NHS App so patients can access new treatments and technologies earlier, improving their quality of care.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) – which makes sure that medicines and healthcare products available in the UK are safe and effective – has already improved its performance.

    All clinical trial approval backlogs are cleared, and performance targets are now being met. Building on this, the 10 Year Health Plan will see the MHRA focus its attention on the most complex and potentially transformational new treatments – like individually personalised cancer vaccines, and the regulation of artificial intelligence. 

    Nicola Perrin, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities, said:

    Clinical trials are good for patients, the NHS and the economy. But both commercial and non-commercial trials in the UK have closed because of failures to recruit.

    Today’s announcements will help to maximise opportunities for everyone to take part in research and speed up access to innovative treatments. We warmly welcome the focus on driving up the participation of diverse and under-served groups – something that is incredibly important to our member charities.

    It’s encouraging to see the government recognise that boosting access to clinical trials must be a key part of the 10 Year Health Plan. Transforming clinical trials is an important step in truly embedding research in the NHS, securing the UK’s position as a leader in life sciences and offering a lifeline to patients.

    Professor Andrew Morris CBE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: 

    This announcement marks a significant commitment to strengthening the UK’s leadership in clinical research. The global clinical trials market is estimated to be worth at least $80 billion by 2030 and countries that can demonstrate speed, quality and cost will have a competitive edge.

    This commitment is very welcome as streamlined trial set-up times and enhanced public access through the NHS App will accelerate the translation of cutting-edge treatments from laboratory to bedside, directly benefiting patients whilst driving economic growth and ensuring policymakers have the evidence needed for informed healthcare decisions. 

    The focus on improving participation from under-represented communities is important, though success will depend on earning trust and addressing the broader barriers to diverse participation. By embedding research throughout the NHS and making it accessible to all communities, we can ensure that medical innovation benefits reach every corner of society whilst strengthening the UK’s position as a hub for life sciences investment and discovery.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Peace Action Wellington – Israel’s pre-emptive war illegal, unjustified

    Source: Peace Action Wellington

    14 June 2025 – Israel’s unprovoked and extensive bombing of Iran yesterday is illegal under international law. There is no allowable claim of self-defence for a pre-emptive attack; such a claim would validate Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, and the US’s attack on Iraq in 2003. 

    “The New Zealand Government needs to be unequivocal in its condemnation of Israel now,” said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington.

    “The bombing of Iran has no justification. The Israeli state appears to consider itself beyond reproach in its conduct: in the past six months, it has bombed Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran all while it conducts the most vile genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and daily attacks against civilians in the occupied West Bank.” 

    “No one believes Israel’s lies anymore. Time after time, Israel’s claims have been shown to be completely fabricated. We didn’t buy US President George W. Bush’s claims about Iraq having ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in 2003 that precipitated the US invasion and murder of 1 million Iraqi people; and we are not about to buy Netanyahu’s claims about an ‘existential threat’ now. ”

    “No one is buying Israel’s false victimhood either: it possesses nuclear weapons and continues to be the largest recipient of US aid and weapons. Netanyahu has spent all of Israel’s political capital with his craven determination to remain in power. The international consensus that has funded and facilitated the ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands is crumbling. Now he is trying to drag the entire world into war. He will be the last Israeli prime minister because he will destroy the Israeli state with his self-serving violence and war-making.”

    “Aggressive war cannot be tolerated. Genocide cannot be tolerated. New Zealanders want our government to take concrete actions: expel the Israeli Ambassador, sanction the Israeli state and recognise Palestine.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: Amnesty International calls for the release of British father, Ahmed Al-Doush, ahead of appeal hearing on Father’s Day

    Source: Amnesty International –

    As families across the UK celebrate Father’s Day on June 15, British national Ahmed Al-Doush will have a scheduled appeal hearing to review his ten-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia.

    Manchester-based Ahmed was sentenced to ten years in prison last month on May 10, 2025. His family and UK legal team understand that he was tried and convicted under terrorism legislation for social media posts and for associating with an individual critical of the Saudi government.

    However, the trial has been marred by a lack of transparency regarding the exact charges and evidence, even to the UK government. Information indicates that he is being tried for exercising his right to free expression and has faced multiple violations of his fair trial rights.

    Ahmed, a senior business analyst with Bank of America, was arrested while on a family holiday in August 2024. His domestic lawyer in Saudi Arabia has refused to share details of the charges and evidence nor provided a copy of the judgment and sentence to Ahmed’s family or UK legal team. At the time of arrest, his wife, Amaher, was in the late stages of pregnancy, meaning Ahmed missed the birth of his fourth child.

    Ahmed has faced numerous violations of his fair trial rights following his arrest. He has been subjected to extensive interrogation without legal representation, where he was forced to sign a statement before being informed of the charges against him. For over two and a half months after he was first detained, his family had no contact with him and received no information about his condition or the reasons for his detention. He was also denied consular access. Since then, contact with his family and UK-based legal team has been severely restricted, and he has been threatened with losing access to communication with them if he tries to disclose anything regarding his trial, proceedings, treatment, or health.

    Haydee Dijkstal, Barrister at 33 Bedford Row Chambers and counsel for Ahmed Al-Doush, stated: “The UK government must demand answers and clarity on a process that has been marked by a lack of transparency, even to the UK government regarding its own citizen. It should take a strong stand against a British national’s imprisonment for ten years for allegedly exercising his right to free expression. This is essential to fully protect a British national’s rights, as well as the rights of his wife and four British children living in the UK who have been thrown into an unexpected and incomprehensible nightmare.”

    Amaher Al-Doush, wife of Ahmed, expressed her feelings: “Frankly, I have no faith in the Saudi government to deliver justice in the appeal. I’m completely disillusioned with both the Saudi and UK governments on every level. The children have been making Father’s Day cards at school, at a time when other families are celebrating it’s incredibly painful for them, especially as we prepare to mark Eid without their father once again. They’re really struggling.

    “I’m exhausted too. The pressure is relentless, not just emotionally, but physically and mentally. Honestly, I’m so overwhelmed that I struggle to even speak about it anymore. At the heart of it all, what matters most is that my husband, the father of my children, is still not home. None of the efforts so far have brought him back.”

    Eilidh Macpherson, Campaigns Manager for Individuals at Risk at Amnesty International UK, said: “We reiterate our urgent call on the Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ahmed Al-Doush if he is being held solely for peacefully exercising his human rights. He must be allowed to return to his family in the UK without delay. In the meantime, Saudi authorities must uphold his fair trial rights, promptly share his court documents, and guarantee regular access to both his family and legal counsel.

    “We also urge the UK government to take all necessary steps to secure his immediate and unconditional release. The arbitrary detention of another British national abroad cannot be tolerated. Immediate and decisive action is essential.”

    ENDS

    Amnesty media contacts: 

    Out of hours: media@amnesty.org.uk / 07721 398984 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Northern Ireland: Anti-racism rally hears criticism of politicians for ‘fanning the flames of hate’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Addressing an anti-racism rally in Belfast today, Amnesty International Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan, will say:

    “Once again, racism has shown its ugly face on our streets. We have come very close this week to the loss of life. We are just one petrol bomb away from racially motivated murder.

    “Too many political representatives have chosen to fan the flames of hate rather than put them out. By linking immigration to crime, by blaming migrants for pressure on housing or public services, they seek to turn neighbour against neighbour.

    “This rhetoric is not only dangerous — it is dishonest. It gives cover to racism.

    “People working in our hospitals, in social care or in factories are not the problem. People fleeing war, persecution or poverty are not the problem. Racism is the problem.

    “When leaders suggest that migrants are to blame for our social ills, they distract from their own failures to address those challenges.

    “What Northern Ireland needs is not more division. It needs real leadership — leadership that stands up for human rights, that protects all communities, and that recognises the value of diversity.

    “We call on every political party to end the language of scapegoating. To condemn racist attacks without qualification. To commit to serious action against hate crime, and to put in place an Executive anti-racism strategy which is worthy of the name.”

    The rally, called ‘stop the violence, stop the hate’ is due to take place at Belfast City Hall today (Saturday) at 12 noon.

    ENDS 

    Amnesty media contacts: 

    Patrick Corrigan, email: Patrick.Corrigan@amnesty.org.uk / 07740 623155 

    Out of hours: media@amnesty.org.uk / 07721 398984 

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: Abaxx Confirms Active Trading in Gold Singapore Futures Following Launch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abaxx Technologies Inc. (CBOE:ABXX)(OTCQX:ABXXF) (“Abaxx” or the “Company”), a financial software and market infrastructure company, majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte Ltd., the owner of Abaxx Commodity Exchange and Clearinghouse (individually, “Abaxx Exchange” and “Abaxx Clearing”), and producer of the SmarterMarkets™ Podcast, today announced active trading in its physically-deliverable Gold Singapore Futures following the product’s official launch on June 12, 2025.

    As the only physically-deliverable, U.S. dollar-denominated gold futures contract based in Asia’s primary trading center of Singapore, this product provides a regionally relevant tool for price discovery, hedging, and delivery, and offers global access to a contract designed for today’s trade flows.

    The Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures contract is a USD-denominated, kilobar-sized product aligned with the format preferred by the regional physical bullion trade. Deliverable into approved vaults in Singapore, the contract is purpose-built to serve refiners, industrial consumers, banks, and physical traders seeking to hedge kilobar transactions in Asia’s key delivery hub.

    The launch comes at a time when gold prices are reaching record highs and demand for regional price transparency is growing.

    Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures saw active trading during their first two trading sessions. Eight market makers participated, including firms from Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Thailand, with more market makers and commercial firms expected to connect in the coming weeks.

    “KGI Securities Singapore is delighted to be cleared for trading on the Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures contract,” said Ken Ong, CEO of KGI Securities Singapore. “This new offering directly addresses the growing demand for regional price transparency and a physically-deliverable gold product tailored for the Asian market. We are excited to facilitate access for our clients to this critical new instrument and to further strengthen our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions in the commodities market.”

    “We congratulate Abaxx on the launch of their Gold Futures contract,” said Golf Hirunyasiri, CEO, MTS Gold Group. “MTS Gold is pleased to be the first physical market participant committed to supporting delivery under Abaxx’s Gold Futures contract. We are excited about the synergy and participation and wish Abaxx continued success.”

    The Abaxx Gold Singapore Futures contract is available for trading 14 hours per day, Monday through Friday. For full contract specifications and onboarding information, visit abaxx.exchange/resources-clearing-members-brokers.

    About Abaxx Technologies
    Abaxx Technologies is building Smarter Markets: markets empowered by better tools, better benchmarks, and better technology to drive market-based solutions to the biggest challenges we face as a society, including the energy transition.

    In addition to developing and deploying financial technologies that make communication, trade, and transactions easier and more secure, Abaxx is the majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte. Ltd., the owner of Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing, and the parent company of wholly owned subsidiary Abaxx Spot Pte. Ltd., the operator of Abaxx Spot.

    Abaxx Exchange delivers the market infrastructure critical to the shift toward an electrified, low-carbon economy through centrally-cleared, physically-deliverable futures contracts in LNG, carbon, battery materials, and precious metals, meeting the commercial needs of today’s commodity markets and establishing the next generation of global benchmarks.

    Abaxx Spot modernizes physical gold trading through a physically-backed gold pool in Singapore. As the first instance of a co-located spot and futures market for gold, Abaxx Spot enables secure electronic transactions, efficient OTC transfers, and is designed to support physical delivery for Abaxx Exchange’s physically-deliverable gold futures contract, providing integrated infrastructure to deliver smarter gold markets.

    For more information, visit abaxx.tech | abaxx.exchange | abaxxspot.com | basecarbon.com | smartermarkets.media

    For more information about this press release, please contact:

    Steve Fray, CFO
    Tel: +1 647-490-1590

    Media and investor inquiries:

    Abaxx Technologies Inc.
    Investor Relations Team
    Tel: +1 246 271 0082
    E-mail: ir@abaxx.tech

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “project”, “intend”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “plan”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “target”, “purpose”, “goal”, “objective”, “ongoing”, “potential”, “likely” or the negative thereof or similar expressions.

    In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits and impact of the Gold Kilobar Futures contract and Abaxx Spot platform, the Company’s business strategies, plans, and objectives, the development of new markets and products, expectations regarding Abaxx’s partnerships, demand for Abaxx’s products and market adoption and regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors impacting forward-looking information include, among others: risks relating to the global economic climate; dilution; Abaxx’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for Abaxx to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on Abaxx and the industry; acquiring and maintaining regulatory approvals for Abaxx’s products and operations; the ability to list Abaxx’s securities on stock exchanges in a timely fashion or at all; network security risks; the ability of Abaxx to maintain properly working systems; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. In addition, particular factors which could impact future results of the business of Abaxx include but are not limited to: operations in foreign jurisdictions; protection of intellectual property rights; contractual risk; third-party risk; clearinghouse risk; malicious actor risks; third- party software license risk; system failure risk; risk of technological change; dependence of technical infrastructure; and changes in the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labor and international travel and supply chains, and the risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR+. Abaxx has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of Abaxx’s normal course of business.

    Abaxx cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. In addition, although Abaxx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. When relying on forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Abaxx has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraphs will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release represents the expectations of Abaxx as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Abaxx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and information. Cboe Canada does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Retirement – New Sorted retirement navigator a one-of-a-kind tool for spending in golden years

    Source: Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission
    A groundbreaking new Sorted tool has been released to help New Zealanders nearing or already in retirement feel more confident about their financial future and how to plan for it. 
    Launched by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, the retirement navigator is free to use on sorted.org.nz. 
    Working out how to turn a saved lump sum into a steady income to live on in retirement is a financially and mathematically challenging task. Partnering with the Retirement Income Interest Group (RIIG) of the New Zealand Society of Actuaries (NZSA), the Retirement Commission has created a customisable tool that takes care of the calculations.  
    Based on extensive modelling and drawdown ‘rules of thumb’ created by the RIIG, the retirement navigator addresses a common dilemma – how not to spend too much and run out of money or spend too little and unnecessarily compromise quality of life. 
    Taking into account people’s invested savings (for example, KiwiSaver) and NZ Super, the tool helps users determine the optimal income they can draw down over their retirement. By adjusting variables such as when they expect their retirement to start and their desired lifestyle, people can see how long their savings might last in different scenarios. 
    Sorted’s new retirement navigator is the first digital tool of its kind to be built by the Retirement Commission, and the first entirely new Sorted tool in several years. There are currently no other publicly available tools like it. 
    “There’s a lot at stake for retirees when they start living off their invested savings,” says the Retirement Commission’s Personal Finance Lead Tom Hartmann. “They don’t get any practise at it, or the option to go back in time and grow that money all over again. There are uncertainties about how long they’ll live, how high prices will rise with inflation, how investment markets will do, and how much all of this will shape their lifestyle. 
    “It’s been such a privilege to work alongside the RIIG actuaries and bring their modelling to life to enable people to forward plan. The retirement navigator puts it to real use for pre-retirees and retirees, so they can plan their spending wisely.” 
    Recognising that retirement takes different shapes and forms, the new tool offers four rules of thumb to match personal preferences and lifestyles: 
    • * The Inflated 4% Rule: For those who are concerned about longevity and want to leave an inheritance. 
    • * The 6% Rule: For those wanting to spend more in their early retirement years. 
    • * The Life Expectancy Rule: For maximising income throughout retirement. 
    • * The Fixed Date Rule: For those planning to rely on NZ Super after a certain period. 
    Each option comes with clear guidance and practical solutions to real-life financial challenges.  
    The NZSA’s Ian Perera, Convenor of the RIIG says, “We’re thrilled to see our work on rules of thumb for drawdown come to life thanks to Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. 
    “We always hoped people thinking about their retirement would find our work helpful, and the Sorted retirement navigator tool takes it to the next level of access and understanding. Moving from accumulating savings to drawing them down is not straightforward. We admire how Sorted’s experts have embraced our actuarial work while making the retirement journey as easy to navigate as possible.” 
    Sorted’s retirement navigator tool aims to help New Zealanders: 
    • * Effectively integrate their NZ Super with other retirement savings 
    • * Make more informed decisions about their savings 
    • * Better understand their options for creating sustainable retirement income  
    • * Adapt their spending strategies as circumstances change 
    • * Approach and enjoy retirement feeling less stressed and more secure.  
    Potential applications include use by KiwiSaver providers and financial advisers throughout Aotearoa when offering tailored guidance to clients and customers.  
    Although intended for those who are nearing or already in retirement, the retirement navigator can be useful to people of any age who wish to examine how they might best manage their projected savings. Those who are more than a decade away from stopping paid work can forecast how much they’re on track to have by using Sorted’s existing retirement calculator and KiwiSaver calculator. 
    To try the new retirement navigator, visit sorted.org.nz/tools/retirement-navigator.
    About Sorted and the retirement navigator 
    Driven by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission to improve New Zealanders’ financial wellbeing through accessible, actionable, relatable financial education, Sorted offers a range of free digital tools and calculators. Click here to view them. 
    To read the new guide to using the retirement navigator, click here. 
    About the New Zealand Society of Actuaries 
    The New Zealand Society of Actuaries (NZSA) is the professional body for actuaries practising in New Zealand. It supports a highly specialised pool of around 400 members, of which around 250 are fully qualified actuaries. It sets, maintains and upholds actuarial professional standards and conduct, and supports members as they advance their skills and knowledge. 
    NZSA also contributes to the development of actuarial thinking and its application through thought leadership activities, and provides a source of reference on actuarial matters for government and other interested bodies. 
    NZSA’s Retirement Income Interest Group (RIIG) provides a forum for Society members’ concerns and ideas relating to retirement income, longevity and related issues. The RIIG has published significant work on retirement income including its drawdown ‘rules of thumb’. See the RIIG’s work here. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Immigration changes a win for productivity and workforce development – EMA

    Source: EMA

    The expansion of the Work to Residence immigration pathway to include more skilled tradespeople reflects the real needs of businesses, says the EMA.
    From 18 August, 10 trades occupations, including welders, fitters, metal fabricators, panel beaters and paving plant operators, will be added to the Green List’s Work to Residence pathway.
    EMA Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Lead Joanna Hall says the announcement acknowledges what businesses have long been expressing.
    “These are roles that our members have been struggling to fill for some time,” she says.
    “The EMA has been pushing hard for greater recognition of these skilled trades roles in our immigration settings.
    “These aren’t just labour shortages, these are productivity chokepoints.”
    The policy change supports the government’s effort to better balance the immigration system, which has traditionally favoured tertiary-qualified applicants.
    “Immigration Minister Erica Stanford’s comments around ensuring the system better reflects a broader set of valuable skills – not just those tied to a university degree – is a positive step in the right direction,” says Hall.
    “Skilled trades are essential to New Zealand’s manufacturing, construction and infrastructure sectors. These businesses make up the bulk of our membership, so we’re well aware of the struggles they have faced in filling key roles.
    “Migrants help lift productivity and pass on knowledge that strengthens the local workforce.”
    The new Work to Residence eligibility criteria require applicants to have two years of relevant experience in New Zealand and meet health, character, and wage thresholds.
    Hourly wage thresholds range from $38.59 to $43.63 depending on the role, with annual salaries between $80,267 and $90,750 based on a 40-hour week.
    However, Hall says some of these thresholds may be out of sync with real market conditions.
    “While we support mechanisms that uphold quality, the wage thresholds do seem high for certain roles and could limit access if they aren’t aligned with industry rates.
    “We urge Immigration NZ to ensure these thresholds are grounded in reality.
    “In addition, it’s important that the value of these trades is recognised not only in the Green List but also in the Skilled Migrant Category.”
    The EMA continues to support balanced and evidence-based immigration policy that reflects workforce realities and helps New Zealand businesses grow.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Tougher child safety rules to help keep children safer in early education

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    Stronger, mandatory child safety measures have been signed off by every Australian Education Minister to strengthen child safety in early childhood education and care services.

    This forms part of the significant progress that has already been made since the release of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the National Quality Framework.

    In July 2024, a new National Code and Guidelines were released that recommended only service-issued devices can be used when photographing and filming children.

    From 1 September 2025, further key changes include:

    • Mandatory 24 hour reporting of any allegations, complaints or incidents of physical or sexual abuse – down from the current 7 day window
    • A ban on vapes in all early education and care services
    • Stronger protections around digital technology use, with services required to have clear policies on taking photos and videos of children, parent consent, CCTV practice and using service-issued devices.

    Child safety will also be explicitly embedded into the National Quality Standard from 1 January 2026.

    ACECQA will issue new guidance and resource materials to support the early education sector implement these changes.

    These changes are in addition to the further reforms flagged by the Albanese Labor Government in March this year to crack down on unscrupulous early childhood education and care providers and strengthen integrity across the care economy.

    These include measures to:

    • Prevent providers who persistently fail to meet minimum standards and repetitively breach the National Law from opening new Child Care Subsidy approved services.
    • Take compliance action against existing providers with egregious and continued breaches, including the option to cut off access to Child Care Subsidy funding where appropriate.
    • Strengthen powers to deal with providers that pose an integrity risk.

    Education Ministers will meet next week to consider additional actions to strengthen child safety in education and care services.

    Quotes attributed to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

    “The safety and protection of children in early childhood education is our highest priority.

    “Australia has a very good system of early childhood education and care, but more can be done to make sure safety guidance and measures are fit-for-purpose.

    “That’s why Education Ministers are acting on this key recommendation to make sure the right rules are in place to keep our children safe while they are in early education and care.”

    Quotes attributed to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Jess Walsh:

    “Children’s health and safety is paramount at early childhood centres, and these changes will help to ensure that we continue to provide that assurance.

    “The Australian Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that children have a positive, rewarding and safe early education experience to get the best possible start in life.”

    Quotes attributed to ACT Minister for Education and Early Childhood Yvette Berry:

    “The safety and wellbeing of children in early childhood education is our highest priority.  Access to quality early childhood education sets children up for lifelong learning and success.

    “Valuing children and investing in their learning and development requires us also to value and invest in the early childhood workforce.

    “I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Commonwealth, to strengthen the National Quality Framework.”

    Quotes attributed to Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn:

    “The safety and wellbeing of children is our highest priority – and here in Victoria we work every day to make sure they are safe, supported and ready to thrive.

    “We welcome these new changes, and we’ll continue to work with the Commonwealth, states and territories to review and improve safety for all children.”

    Quotes attributed to acting NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos:

    “These measures are an important first step. While we work with our colleagues on a national approach, the national law allows states to cater to their own needs.

    “NSW welcomes these measures and looks forward to providing additional measures in response to our most recent review.”

    Quotes attributed to Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek:

    “We must all be persistent in our efforts to strengthen safety measures at childhood education and care services.

    “These changes are a step in the right direction, and I welcome this national approach which will ensure Queensland kids are better protected while providing consistency across all states and territories.”

    Quotes attributed to Northern Territory Minister for Education and Training and Minister for Early Education Jo Hersey:

    “The Northern Territory Government welcomes the Child Safety Review, particularly its focus on strengthening supervision and improving the physical environment to keep children safe.

    “As part of our commitment to addressing the root causes of crime, we recognise that safeguarding children is fundamental to long-term community safety.”

    Quotes attributed to Western Australia Minister for Education; Early Childhood Sabine Winton:

    “The Cook Labor Government is committed to ensuring the safety of children who attend early childhood education and care services in Western Australia.

    “I know there are incredible early learning centres and early childhood educators that help children learn and thrive each and every day.

    “I look forward to working alongside the Albanese Labor Government to further strengthen child safety in early childhood education services, to ensure children have the best possible start to life.”

    Quotes attributed to South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer:

    “I’m pleased to see all states and territories working together to strengthen the regulations around education and care services to ensure children are safe no matter where the live. 

    “The Malinauskas Labor Government recently provided an extra $7 million to the Education Standards Board to increase and improve regulatory services. This has seen a 63 per cent increase on the previous year in the number of service visits.

    “I look forward to meeting with my colleagues next week to discuss in more detail how we can ensure we as state and federal governments are doing everything we can to provide safe and secure environments for our youngest Australians.”

    For more information

    NQF changes information sheet

    Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the National Quality Framework

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First ever female MI6 chief appointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    First ever female MI6 chief appointed

    The first ever female Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has been announced by the Prime Minister today.

    The first ever female Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has been announced by the Prime Minister today.

    Blaise Metreweli CMG will be the 18th Chief in the organisation’s history and the first woman to hold the role, at a time when the United Kingdom faces increased threats from our adversaries.

    Commonly referred to as ‘C’, the Chief has operational responsibility for MI6, and is the only publicly named member of the organisation. They are accountable to the Foreign Secretary.

    She is currently Director General ‘Q’, responsible for technology and innovation in MI6, and has previously held a Director-level role in MI5. She will succeed Sir Richard Moore, who leaves the Service in the autumn.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer:

    The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital.

    The United Kingdom is facing threats on an unprecedented scale – be it aggressors who send their spy ships to our waters or hackers whose sophisticated cyber plots seek to disrupt our public services.

    I’d like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his dedicated service, and I know Blaise will continue to provide the excellent leadership needed to defend our county and keep our people safe – the foundation of my Plan for Change.

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

    I am delighted to appoint Blaise Metreweli as the next Chief of MI6. With a wealth of experience from across our national security community, Blaise is the ideal candidate to lead MI6 into the future.

    At a time of global instability and emerging security threats, where technology is power and our adversaries are working ever closer together, Blaise will ensure the UK can tackle these challenges head on to keep Britain safe and secure at home and abroad.

    Every day, our intelligence services work behind the scenes to protect our national security and compete with our adversaries. That’s why I am proud that we are investing an extra £600 million in our intelligence community so they can continue to defend our way of life.

    I would also like to pay tribute to Sir Richard Moore for his service and leadership. I have worked closely with him over the past year and thank him for his valuable contribution enhancing our national security and protecting the British public.

    Cabinet Secretary Christopher Wormald said:

    Blaise Metreweli’s experience and leadership in the intelligence community will help MI6 protect the foundation of our national security and project our interests overseas. Blaise will be an excellent Chief, who will embody the values of the Service and act as a fine role model to its staff.

    I would also like to thank Sir Richard Moore for his excellent leadership of the Service over the past five years and his contribution to UK national security during that time and over his long career.

    Blaise Metreweli CMG said: 

    I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my Service. MI6 plays a vital role – with MI5 and GCHQ – in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.

    Outgoing Chief, Sir Richard Moore, said:

    I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli to succeed me as ‘C’. Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6.

    Biography:

    • Blaise Metreweli is Director General Technology and Innovation in MI6. She has previously held a Director-level roles in MI5.
    • She is a career intelligence officer, having joined the Service as a case officer in 1999.
    • She has undertaken a range of roles across the Service. She has spent most of her career in operational roles in the Middle East and Europe.
    • She studied Anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Small businesses are an innovation powerhouse. For many, it’s still too hard to raise the funds they need

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Colette Southam, Associate Professor of Finance, Bond University

    The federal government wants to boost Australia’s productivity levels – as a matter of national priority. It’s impossible to have that conversation without also talking about innovation.

    We can be proud of (and perhaps a little surprised by) some of the Australian innovations that have changed the world – such as the refrigerator, the electric drill, and more recently, the CPAP machine and the technology underpinning Google Maps.

    Australia is continuing to drive advancements in machine learning, cybersecurity and green technologies. Innovation isn’t confined to the headquarters of big tech companies and university laboratories.

    Small and medium enterprises – those with fewer than 200 employees – are a powerhouse of economic growth in Australia. Collectively, they contribute 56% of Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employ 67% of the workforce.

    Our own Reserve Bank has recognised they also have a huge role to play in driving innovation. However, they still face many barriers to accessing funding and investment, which can hamper their ability to do so.

    Finding the funds to grow

    We all know the saying “it takes money to make money”. Those starting or scaling a business have to invest in the present to generate cash in the future. This could involve buying equipment, renting space, or even investing in needed skills and knowledge.

    A small, brand new startup might initially rely on debt (such as personal loans or credit cards) and investments from family and friends (sometimes called “love money”).

    Having exhausted these sources, it may still need more funds to grow. Bank loans for businesses are common, quick and easy. But these require regular interest payments, which could slow growth.

    Selling stakes

    Alternatively, a business may want to look for investors to take out ownership stakes.

    This investment can take the form of “private equity”, where ownership stakes are sold through private arrangement to investors. These can range from individual “angel investors” through to huge venture capital and private equity firms managing billions in investments.

    It can also take the form of “public equity”, where shares are offered and are then able to be bought and sold by anyone on a public stock exchange such as the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

    Unfortunately, small and medium-sized companies face hurdles to accessing both kinds.

    Companies need access to finance to turn ideas into reality.
    Kvalifik/Unsplash

    Private investors’ high bar to clear

    Research examining the gap in small-scale private equity has found 46% of small and medium-sized firms in Australia would welcome an equity investment – despite saying they were able to acquire debt elsewhere.

    They preferred private equity because they also wanted to learn from experienced investors who could help them grow their companies. However, very few small and medium-sized enterprises were able to meet private equity’s investment criteria.

    When interviewed, many chief executives and chairs of small private equity firms said their lack of interest in small and medium-sized enterprises came down to cost and difficulty of verifying information about the health and prospects of a business.

    To make it easier for investors to compare investments, all public companies are required to disclose their financial information using International Financial Reporting Standards.

    In contrast, small private companies can use a simplified set of rules and do not have to share their statements of profit and loss with the general public.

    Share markets are costly and complex

    Is it possible to list on a stock exchange instead? An initial public offering (IPO) would enable the company to raise funds by selling shares to the public.

    Unfortunately, the process of issuing shares on a stock exchange is time-consuming and costly. It requires a team of advisors (accountants, lawyers, and bankers) and filing fees are high.

    There are also ongoing costs and obligations associated with being a publicly traded company, including detailed financial reporting.

    Last week, the regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), announced new measures to encourage more listings by streamlining the IPO process.

    Despite this, many small companies do not meet the listing requirements for the ASX.

    These include meeting a profits and assets test and having at least 300 investors (not including family) each with A$2,000.

    There is one less well-known alternative – the smaller National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSX), which focuses on early-stage companies. Ideally, this should have been a great alternative for small companies, but it has had limited success. The NSX is now set to be acquired by a Canadian market operator.

    Making companies more attractive

    Our previous research has highlighted that small and medium-sized businesses should try to make themselves more attractive to private equity companies. This could include improving their financial reporting and using a reputable major auditor.

    At their end, private equity companies should cast a wider net and invest a little more time in screening and selecting high-quality smaller companies. That could pay off – if it means they avoid missing out on “the next Google Maps”.

    What we now know as Google Maps began as an Australian startup.
    Susan Quin & The Bigger Picture, CC BY

    What about the $4 trillion of superannuation?

    There are other opportunities we could explore. Australia’s pool of superannuation funds, for example, have begun growing so large they are running out of places to invest.

    That’s led to some radical proposals. Ben Thompson, chief executive of Employment Hero, last year proposed big superannuation funds be forced to invest 1% of their cash into start-ups.

    Less extreme, regulators could reassess disclosure guidelines for financial providers which may lead funds to prefer more established investments with proven track records.

    There is an ongoing debate about whether the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which regulates banks and superannuation, is too cautious. Some believe APRA’s focus on risk management hurts innovation and may result in super funds avoiding startups (which generally have a higher likelihood of failure).

    In response, APRA has pointed out the global financial crisis reminded us to be cautious, to ensure financial stability and protect consumers.

    This article is part of The Conversation’s series, The Productivity Puzzle.

    The author would like to acknowledge her former doctoral student, the late Dr Bruce Dwyer, who made significant contributions to research discussed in this article. Bruce passed away in a tragic accident earlier this year.

    Colette Southam 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. Small businesses are an innovation powerhouse. For many, it’s still too hard to raise the funds they need – https://theconversation.com/small-businesses-are-an-innovation-powerhouse-for-many-its-still-too-hard-to-raise-the-funds-they-need-256333

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Small businesses are an innovation powerhouse. For many, it’s still too hard to raise the funds they need

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Colette Southam, Associate Professor of Finance, Bond University

    The federal government wants to boost Australia’s productivity levels – as a matter of national priority. It’s impossible to have that conversation without also talking about innovation.

    We can be proud of (and perhaps a little surprised by) some of the Australian innovations that have changed the world – such as the refrigerator, the electric drill, and more recently, the CPAP machine and the technology underpinning Google Maps.

    Australia is continuing to drive advancements in machine learning, cybersecurity and green technologies. Innovation isn’t confined to the headquarters of big tech companies and university laboratories.

    Small and medium enterprises – those with fewer than 200 employees – are a powerhouse of economic growth in Australia. Collectively, they contribute 56% of Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employ 67% of the workforce.

    Our own Reserve Bank has recognised they also have a huge role to play in driving innovation. However, they still face many barriers to accessing funding and investment, which can hamper their ability to do so.

    Finding the funds to grow

    We all know the saying “it takes money to make money”. Those starting or scaling a business have to invest in the present to generate cash in the future. This could involve buying equipment, renting space, or even investing in needed skills and knowledge.

    A small, brand new startup might initially rely on debt (such as personal loans or credit cards) and investments from family and friends (sometimes called “love money”).

    Having exhausted these sources, it may still need more funds to grow. Bank loans for businesses are common, quick and easy. But these require regular interest payments, which could slow growth.

    Selling stakes

    Alternatively, a business may want to look for investors to take out ownership stakes.

    This investment can take the form of “private equity”, where ownership stakes are sold through private arrangement to investors. These can range from individual “angel investors” through to huge venture capital and private equity firms managing billions in investments.

    It can also take the form of “public equity”, where shares are offered and are then able to be bought and sold by anyone on a public stock exchange such as the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

    Unfortunately, small and medium-sized companies face hurdles to accessing both kinds.

    Companies need access to finance to turn ideas into reality.
    Kvalifik/Unsplash

    Private investors’ high bar to clear

    Research examining the gap in small-scale private equity has found 46% of small and medium-sized firms in Australia would welcome an equity investment – despite saying they were able to acquire debt elsewhere.

    They preferred private equity because they also wanted to learn from experienced investors who could help them grow their companies. However, very few small and medium-sized enterprises were able to meet private equity’s investment criteria.

    When interviewed, many chief executives and chairs of small private equity firms said their lack of interest in small and medium-sized enterprises came down to cost and difficulty of verifying information about the health and prospects of a business.

    To make it easier for investors to compare investments, all public companies are required to disclose their financial information using International Financial Reporting Standards.

    In contrast, small private companies can use a simplified set of rules and do not have to share their statements of profit and loss with the general public.

    Share markets are costly and complex

    Is it possible to list on a stock exchange instead? An initial public offering (IPO) would enable the company to raise funds by selling shares to the public.

    Unfortunately, the process of issuing shares on a stock exchange is time-consuming and costly. It requires a team of advisors (accountants, lawyers, and bankers) and filing fees are high.

    There are also ongoing costs and obligations associated with being a publicly traded company, including detailed financial reporting.

    Last week, the regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), announced new measures to encourage more listings by streamlining the IPO process.

    Despite this, many small companies do not meet the listing requirements for the ASX.

    These include meeting a profits and assets test and having at least 300 investors (not including family) each with A$2,000.

    There is one less well-known alternative – the smaller National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSX), which focuses on early-stage companies. Ideally, this should have been a great alternative for small companies, but it has had limited success. The NSX is now set to be acquired by a Canadian market operator.

    Making companies more attractive

    Our previous research has highlighted that small and medium-sized businesses should try to make themselves more attractive to private equity companies. This could include improving their financial reporting and using a reputable major auditor.

    At their end, private equity companies should cast a wider net and invest a little more time in screening and selecting high-quality smaller companies. That could pay off – if it means they avoid missing out on “the next Google Maps”.

    What we now know as Google Maps began as an Australian startup.
    Susan Quin & The Bigger Picture, CC BY

    What about the $4 trillion of superannuation?

    There are other opportunities we could explore. Australia’s pool of superannuation funds, for example, have begun growing so large they are running out of places to invest.

    That’s led to some radical proposals. Ben Thompson, chief executive of Employment Hero, last year proposed big superannuation funds be forced to invest 1% of their cash into start-ups.

    Less extreme, regulators could reassess disclosure guidelines for financial providers which may lead funds to prefer more established investments with proven track records.

    There is an ongoing debate about whether the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which regulates banks and superannuation, is too cautious. Some believe APRA’s focus on risk management hurts innovation and may result in super funds avoiding startups (which generally have a higher likelihood of failure).

    In response, APRA has pointed out the global financial crisis reminded us to be cautious, to ensure financial stability and protect consumers.

    This article is part of The Conversation’s series, The Productivity Puzzle.

    The author would like to acknowledge her former doctoral student, the late Dr Bruce Dwyer, who made significant contributions to research discussed in this article. Bruce passed away in a tragic accident earlier this year.

    Colette Southam 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. Small businesses are an innovation powerhouse. For many, it’s still too hard to raise the funds they need – https://theconversation.com/small-businesses-are-an-innovation-powerhouse-for-many-its-still-too-hard-to-raise-the-funds-they-need-256333

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Need to see a specialist? You might have to choose between high costs and a long wait. Here’s what needs to change

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute

    If you have cancer, a disease such as diabetes or dementia, or need to manage other complex health conditions, you often need expert care from a specialist doctor.

    But as our new Grattan Institute report shows, too many people are forced to choose between long waits in the public system or high costs if they go private.

    Governments need to provide more training for specialist doctors in short supply, make smart investments in public clinics, and regulate the extremely high fees a small number of private specialists charge.

    High fees, long waits, missed care

    Fees for private specialist appointments are high and rising.

    On average, patients’ bills for specialist appointments add up to A$300 a year. This excludes people who were bulk billed for every appointment, but that’s relatively rare: patients pay out-of-pocket costs for two-thirds of appointments with a specialist doctor.

    Increasing GP costs make national headlines, but specialist fees have risen even more – they’ve grown by 73% since 2010.

    Out-of-pocket costs for specialist care have increased faster than for other Medicare services.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    People who can’t afford to pay with money often pay with time – and sometimes with their health, as their condition deteriorates.

    Wait times for a free appointment at a public clinic can be months or even years. In Victoria and Queensland, people with an urgent referral – who should be seen within 30 days – are waiting many months to see some specialists.

    High fees and long waits add up to missed care. Every year, 1.9 million Australians delay or skip needed specialist care – about half of them because of cost.

    Distance is another barrier. People in regional and remote areas receive far fewer specialist services per person than city dwellers (even counting services delivered virtually). Half of remote communities receive less than one specialist appointment, per person, per year. There are no city communities where that’s the case.

    People in regional and remote areas receive fewer specialist services.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    Train the specialists we’ll need in the future

    Specialist training takes at least 12 years, so planning ahead is crucial. Governments can’t conjure more cardiologists overnight, or have a paediatrician treat elderly people.

    But at the moment there are no regular projections of the specialists we’ll need in the future, nor planning to make sure we get them. Government-funded training places are determined by the priorities of specialist colleges, which approve training places, and the immediate needs of public hospitals.

    As a result, we’ve got a lot of some types of specialist and a shortage of others. We’ve trained many emergency medicine specialists because public hospitals rely on trainees to staff emergency departments 24/7. But we have too few dermatologists and ophthalmologists – and numbers of those specialists are growing slower than average.

    The numbers of some types of specialists are growing faster than others.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    The lack of planning extends to where specialist training takes place. Doctors tend to put down roots and stay where they train. A shortage of rural training places leads to a shortage of rural specialists.

    To fix these problems, governments need to plan and pay for training places that match Australia’s future health needs. Governments should forecast the need for particular specialties in particular areas. Then training funding should be tied to delivering the necessary specialist training places.

    To fill gaps in the meantime, the federal government should streamline applications for overseas specialists to move here. It should also recognise qualifications from more similar countries.

    More public clinics where they’re needed most

    Public clinics don’t charge fees and are crucial in ensuring all Australians can get specialist care. But governments should be more strategic in where and how they invest.

    There are big differences in specialist access across the country. After adjusting for differences in age, sex, health and wealth, people living in the worst-served areas receive about one-third fewer services than people in the best-served communities.

    Governments should fund more public services in areas that need it most. They should set a five-year target to lift access for the quarter of communities receiving the least care in each specialty.

    More services are needed to help the least-served communities catch up.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    We estimate 81 communities need additional investment in at least one specialty – about a million extra appointments in total. Some communities receive less care across the board and need investment in many specialties.

    With long waiting times and unmet need, governments should also make sure they’re getting the most out of their investment in public clinics.

    Different clinics are run in very different ways. Some have taken up virtual care with a vengeance, others barely at all. One clinic might stick to traditional staffing models, while the clinic down the road might have moved towards “top of scope” models where nurses and allied health workers do more.

    Not all specialists offer virtual appointments.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    Governments should lay out an agenda to modernise clinics, encouraging them to adopt best practices. And they should introduce systems that allow GPs to get quick written advice from specialists to reduce unnecessary referrals and ensure services can focus on patients who really need their care.

    Curb extreme fees

    Even with more public services, and more specialists, excessive fees will still be a problem.

    A small fraction – less than 4% – of specialists charge triple the Medicare schedule fee, or more, on average. These can only be described as extreme fees.

    In 2023, an initial consultation with an endocrinologist or cardiologist who met this “extreme fee” definition cost an average of $350. For a psychiatrist, it was $670.

    One psychiatrist charged $670, but they weren’t the only specialist charging ‘extreme fees’.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    There is no valid justification for these outlier fees. They’re beyond the level needed to fairly reward doctors’ skill and experience, they aren’t linked to better quality and they don’t cross-subsidise care for poorer patients. Incomes for average specialists – who charge much less – are already among the highest in the country. Nine of the top ten highest-earning occupations are medical specialties.

    The federal government has committed to publishing fee information, which is a positive step. But in some areas, it can be hard to find a better option, and patients may be hesitant to shop around.

    The federal government should directly tackle extreme fees. It should require specialists who charge extreme fees to repay the value of the Medicare rebates received for their services that year.

    Specialist care has been neglected long enough. The federal and state governments need to act now.

    Grattan Institute has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at www.grattan.edu.au.

    – ref. Need to see a specialist? You might have to choose between high costs and a long wait. Here’s what needs to change – https://theconversation.com/need-to-see-a-specialist-you-might-have-to-choose-between-high-costs-and-a-long-wait-heres-what-needs-to-change-258194

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Need to see a specialist? You might have to choose between high costs and a long wait. Here’s what needs to change

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute

    If you have cancer, a disease such as diabetes or dementia, or need to manage other complex health conditions, you often need expert care from a specialist doctor.

    But as our new Grattan Institute report shows, too many people are forced to choose between long waits in the public system or high costs if they go private.

    Governments need to provide more training for specialist doctors in short supply, make smart investments in public clinics, and regulate the extremely high fees a small number of private specialists charge.

    High fees, long waits, missed care

    Fees for private specialist appointments are high and rising.

    On average, patients’ bills for specialist appointments add up to A$300 a year. This excludes people who were bulk billed for every appointment, but that’s relatively rare: patients pay out-of-pocket costs for two-thirds of appointments with a specialist doctor.

    Increasing GP costs make national headlines, but specialist fees have risen even more – they’ve grown by 73% since 2010.

    Out-of-pocket costs for specialist care have increased faster than for other Medicare services.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    People who can’t afford to pay with money often pay with time – and sometimes with their health, as their condition deteriorates.

    Wait times for a free appointment at a public clinic can be months or even years. In Victoria and Queensland, people with an urgent referral – who should be seen within 30 days – are waiting many months to see some specialists.

    High fees and long waits add up to missed care. Every year, 1.9 million Australians delay or skip needed specialist care – about half of them because of cost.

    Distance is another barrier. People in regional and remote areas receive far fewer specialist services per person than city dwellers (even counting services delivered virtually). Half of remote communities receive less than one specialist appointment, per person, per year. There are no city communities where that’s the case.

    People in regional and remote areas receive fewer specialist services.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    Train the specialists we’ll need in the future

    Specialist training takes at least 12 years, so planning ahead is crucial. Governments can’t conjure more cardiologists overnight, or have a paediatrician treat elderly people.

    But at the moment there are no regular projections of the specialists we’ll need in the future, nor planning to make sure we get them. Government-funded training places are determined by the priorities of specialist colleges, which approve training places, and the immediate needs of public hospitals.

    As a result, we’ve got a lot of some types of specialist and a shortage of others. We’ve trained many emergency medicine specialists because public hospitals rely on trainees to staff emergency departments 24/7. But we have too few dermatologists and ophthalmologists – and numbers of those specialists are growing slower than average.

    The numbers of some types of specialists are growing faster than others.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    The lack of planning extends to where specialist training takes place. Doctors tend to put down roots and stay where they train. A shortage of rural training places leads to a shortage of rural specialists.

    To fix these problems, governments need to plan and pay for training places that match Australia’s future health needs. Governments should forecast the need for particular specialties in particular areas. Then training funding should be tied to delivering the necessary specialist training places.

    To fill gaps in the meantime, the federal government should streamline applications for overseas specialists to move here. It should also recognise qualifications from more similar countries.

    More public clinics where they’re needed most

    Public clinics don’t charge fees and are crucial in ensuring all Australians can get specialist care. But governments should be more strategic in where and how they invest.

    There are big differences in specialist access across the country. After adjusting for differences in age, sex, health and wealth, people living in the worst-served areas receive about one-third fewer services than people in the best-served communities.

    Governments should fund more public services in areas that need it most. They should set a five-year target to lift access for the quarter of communities receiving the least care in each specialty.

    More services are needed to help the least-served communities catch up.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    We estimate 81 communities need additional investment in at least one specialty – about a million extra appointments in total. Some communities receive less care across the board and need investment in many specialties.

    With long waiting times and unmet need, governments should also make sure they’re getting the most out of their investment in public clinics.

    Different clinics are run in very different ways. Some have taken up virtual care with a vengeance, others barely at all. One clinic might stick to traditional staffing models, while the clinic down the road might have moved towards “top of scope” models where nurses and allied health workers do more.

    Not all specialists offer virtual appointments.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    Governments should lay out an agenda to modernise clinics, encouraging them to adopt best practices. And they should introduce systems that allow GPs to get quick written advice from specialists to reduce unnecessary referrals and ensure services can focus on patients who really need their care.

    Curb extreme fees

    Even with more public services, and more specialists, excessive fees will still be a problem.

    A small fraction – less than 4% – of specialists charge triple the Medicare schedule fee, or more, on average. These can only be described as extreme fees.

    In 2023, an initial consultation with an endocrinologist or cardiologist who met this “extreme fee” definition cost an average of $350. For a psychiatrist, it was $670.

    One psychiatrist charged $670, but they weren’t the only specialist charging ‘extreme fees’.
    Grattan Institute, CC BY-NC-SA

    There is no valid justification for these outlier fees. They’re beyond the level needed to fairly reward doctors’ skill and experience, they aren’t linked to better quality and they don’t cross-subsidise care for poorer patients. Incomes for average specialists – who charge much less – are already among the highest in the country. Nine of the top ten highest-earning occupations are medical specialties.

    The federal government has committed to publishing fee information, which is a positive step. But in some areas, it can be hard to find a better option, and patients may be hesitant to shop around.

    The federal government should directly tackle extreme fees. It should require specialists who charge extreme fees to repay the value of the Medicare rebates received for their services that year.

    Specialist care has been neglected long enough. The federal and state governments need to act now.

    Grattan Institute has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at www.grattan.edu.au.

    – ref. Need to see a specialist? You might have to choose between high costs and a long wait. Here’s what needs to change – https://theconversation.com/need-to-see-a-specialist-you-might-have-to-choose-between-high-costs-and-a-long-wait-heres-what-needs-to-change-258194

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Decades on from the Royal Commission, why are Indigenous people still dying in custody?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney

    Rose Marinelli/Shutterstock

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died.

    The recent deaths in custody of two Indigenous men in the Northern Territory have provoked a deeply confronting question – will it ever end?

    About 597 First Nations people have died in custody sine the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

    This year alone, 12 Indigenous people have died – 31% of total custodial deaths.

    The raw numbers are a tragic indictment of government failure to implement in full the Commission’s 339 recommendations.

    We are potentially further away from resolving this crisis than we were 34 years ago.

    Recent deaths

    Kumanjayi White was a vulnerable young Warlpiri man with a disability under a guardianship order. He stopped breathing while being restrained by police in an Alice Springs supermarket on May 27. His family is calling for all CCTV and body camera footage to be released.

    Days later a 68-year-old Aboriginal Elder from Wadeye was taken to the Palmerston Watchhouse after being detained for apparent intoxication at Darwin airport. He was later transferred to a hospital where he died.

    Alice Springs protest over the death of Kumanjayi White.

    Both were under the care and protection of the state when they died. The royal commission revealed “so many” deaths had occurred in similar circumstances and urged change. It found there was:

    little appreciation of, and less dedication to, the duty of care owed by custodial authorities and their officers to persons in care.

    Seemingly, care and protection were the last things Kumanjayi White and the Wadeye Elder were afforded by NT police.

    Preventable deaths

    The royal commission investigated 99 Aboriginal deaths in custody between 1980 and 1989. If all of its recommendations had been fully implemented, lives may have been saved.

    For instance, recommendation 127 called for “protocols for the care and management” of Aboriginal people in custody, especially those suffering from physical or mental illness. This may have informed a more appropriate and therapeutic response to White and prevented his death.

    Recommendation 80 provided for “non-custodial facilities for the care and treatment of intoxicated persons”. Such facilities may have staved off the trauma the Elder faced when he was detained, and the adverse impact it had on his health.

    More broadly, a lack of independent oversight has compromised accountability. Recommendations 29-31 would have given the coroner, and an assisting lawyer, “the power to direct police” in their investigations:

    It must never again be the case that a death in custody, of Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal persons, will not lead to rigorous and accountable investigations.

    Yet, the Northern Territory police has rejected pleas by White’s family for an independent investigation.

    Another audit?

    Northern Territory Labor MP Marion Scrymgour is calling on the Albanese government to order a full audit of the royal commission recommendations.

    She says Indigenous people are being completely ostracised and victimised:

    People are dying. The federal government, I think, needs to show leadership.

    It is unlikely another audit will cure the failures by the government to act on the recommendations.

    Instead, a new standing body should be established to ensure they are all fully implemented. It should be led by First Nations people and involve families whose loved ones have died in custody in recognition of their lived expertise.

    In 2023, independent Senator Lidia Thorpe moved a motion for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice commissioner to assume responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations. While the government expressed support for this motion, there has been no progress.

    Another mechanism for change would be for governments to report back on recommendations made by coroners in relation to deaths in custody. Almost 600 inquests have issued a large repository of recommendations, many of which have been shelved.

    Leadership lacking?

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently conceded no government has “done well enough” to reduce Aboriginal deaths in custody. But he has rejected calls for an intervention in the Northern Territory justice system:

    I need to be convinced that people in Canberra know better than people in the Northern Territory about how to deal with these issues.

    Albanese is ignoring the essence of what is driving deaths in custody.

    Reflecting on the 25-year anniversary of the royal commission in 2016, criminology professor Chris Cunneen wrote that Australia had become much less compassionate and more ready to blame individuals for their alleged failings:

    Nowhere is this more clear than in our desire for punishment. A harsh criminal justice system – in particular, more prisons and people behind bars – has apparently become a hallmark of good government.

    There are too many First Nations deaths in custody because there are too many First Nations people in custody in the first place.

    At the time of the royal commission, 14% of the prison population was First Nations. Today, it’s 36%, even though Indigenous people make up just 3.8% of Australia’s overall population.

    Governments across the country have expanded law and order practices, police forces and prisons in the name of community safety.

    This includes a recent $1.5 billion public order plan to expand policing in the Northern Territory. Such agendas impose a distinct lack of safety on First Nations people, who bear the brunt of such policies. It also instils a message that social issues can only be addressed by punitive and coercive responses.

    The royal commission showed us there is another way: self-determination and stamping out opportunities for racist and violent policing. First Nations families have campaigned for these issues for decades.

    How many more Indigenous deaths in custody does there have to be before we listen?

    Thalia Anthony receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Eddie is an Independent Representative on the Justice Policy Partnership under the Closing the Gap Agreement.

    – ref. Decades on from the Royal Commission, why are Indigenous people still dying in custody? – https://theconversation.com/decades-on-from-the-royal-commission-why-are-indigenous-people-still-dying-in-custody-258568

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Millions rally against authoritarianism, while the White House portrays protests as threats – a political scientist explains

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut

    Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images

    At the end of a week when President Donald Trump sent Marines and the California National Guard to Los Angeles to quell protests, Americans across the country turned out in huge numbers to protest Trump’s attempts to expand his power. In rallies on June 14, 2025, organized under the banner “No Kings,” millions of protesters decried Trump’s immigration roundups, cuts to government programs and what many described as his growing authoritarianism.

    The protests were largely peaceful, with relatively few incidents of violence.

    Protests and the interactions between protesters and government authorities have a long history in the United States. From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights movement, LBGTQ Stonewall uprising, the Tea Party movement and Black Lives Matter, public protest has been a crucial aspect of efforts to advance or protect the rights of citizens.

    But protests can also have other effects.

    In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.

    The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”

    Trump’s current reaction is reminiscent of his harsh condemnation of the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. In 2022, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that Trump had asked about shooting protesters participating in demonstrations after the 2020 shooting of George Floyd.

    As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.

    Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy

    Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.

    For a president intent on the further centralization of executive power, or even establishing a dictatorship, protest suppression provides multiple opportunities and pitfalls.

    Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.

    Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.

    Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.

    In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.

    Risks and opportunities

    Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.

    Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.

    In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.

    When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.

    But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.

    Misrepresenting and quashing dissent

    Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.

    Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

    Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.

    And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.

    This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.

    Yet the White House disregarded that Los Angeles’ mayor and California’s governor both objected to the deployment.

    The state sued the Trump administration over the deployment. The initial court decision sided with California officials, declaring the federal government action “illegal.” The Trump administration has appealed.

    Autocrats seek to spread disinformation. In the case of the Los Angeles protests, the Trump administration’s narrative depicted a chaotic, gang-infested city with violence everywhere. Reports on the ground refuted those characterizations. The protests, mostly peaceful, were confined to a small part of the city, about a 10-block area.

    More generally, a strong executive leader and their supporters often want to quash dissent. In the Los Angeles example, doing that has ranged from the military deployment itself to targeting journalists covering the story to arresting and charging prominent opponents like SEIU President David Huerta or shoving and handcuffing U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat.

    The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.

    At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.

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

    – ref. Millions rally against authoritarianism, while the White House portrays protests as threats – a political scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/millions-rally-against-authoritarianism-while-the-white-house-portrays-protests-as-threats-a-political-scientist-explains-258963

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Veasey Releases Statement on Minnesota Targeted Killings

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

    Headline: Congressman Veasey Releases Statement on Minnesota Targeted Killings

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Veasey released the following statement following the assassination of MN Rep. Hortman and her husband, and the attempted murder of MN Senator Hoffman and his wife: 

    “I’m horrified by the assassination of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the attempted murder of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. My prayers are with the families of Rep. Hortman and Sen. Hoffman, and I stand with all Minnesotans during this difficult time.

    Everyone, regardless of political ideology, must unequivocally condemn this violence. This tragedy is a clear sign that words matter, and we must tone down the rhetoric.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A solar panel recycling scheme would help reduce waste, but please repair and reuse first

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deepika Mathur, Senior Research Fellow, Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University

    tolobalaguer.com, Shutterstock

    Australia’s rooftop solar industry has renewed calls for a mandatory recycling scheme to deal with the growing problem of solar panel waste. Only about 10% of panels are currently recycled. The rest are stockpiled, sent overseas or dumped in landfill.

    One in three Australian homes now have rooftop solar panels, and new systems are being installed at the rate of 300,000 a year. Meanwhile, older systems are being scrapped – often well before the end of their useful life.

    This has made solar panels Australia’s fastest-growing electronic waste stream. Yet federal government plans for a national scheme to manage this waste appear to have stalled.

    Clearly, solar panel waste is a major problem for Australia. Recycling is one part of the solution. But Australia also needs new rules so solar panels can be repaired and reused.

    Millions of solar panels dumped as upgrades surge (ABC News, June 12, 2025)

    What are product stewardship schemes?

    The Smart Energy Council, which represents the solar industry, is calling for a national product stewardship scheme.

    Product stewardship schemes share responsibility for reducing waste at the end of a product’s useful life. They can involve people all along the supply chain, from manufacturers to importers to retailers.

    Such schemes may be voluntary, and industry-led, or mandatory and legislated. Alternatively, they can be shared – approved by government but run by an organisation on behalf of industry.

    Existing schemes manage waste such as oil, tyres, paper and packaging, mobile phones, televisions and computers.

    Depending on the product, a levy is paid by the manufacturer, product importer, network service provider (in case of mobile muster), retailer or consumer – or a combination of these. The money raised is then invested in recycling, research or raising awareness and administering the scheme.

    Establishing a solar panel product stewardship scheme

    Solar panel systems were added to a national priority list for a product stewardship scheme in 2017.

    In December 2020, the federal government called for partners to help develop the scheme, but later stated that no partnership would be struck.

    The government released a discussion paper for comment in 2023. The scheme has not yet been established.

    This is particularly problematic given Australia’s commitment to renewable energy, which will entail a rapid expansion of solar technology.

    Recycling should be the last resort

    Product stewardship schemes assume recycling is the main solution to the waste problem.

    Australia’s National Waste Policy also focuses on on recycling, rather than reuse or repair. This is despite recycling being the last resort on the “waste hierarchy”, just slightly above disposal.

    Solar photovoltaic panels are built to last 30 years or more, and are “not made to be unmade”. They are not easy to dismantle for recycling because they are built to withstand harsh conditions.

    It’s difficult for Australia to influence the design of solar panels, given 99% are imported. Just one manufacturer, Tindo Solar in Adelaide, assembles solar panels on Australian soil, using imported silicon cells.

    Many solar panels are being removed well before their end of life, generating waste ahead of time. This is rarely because they have stopped producing power.

    In our previous research, we found many reasons why people chose to take solar panels down. Consumers are often advised to replace the whole system when just a few panels are faulty. Or they may simply be upgrading to a larger, more efficient system. Sometimes it’s because they want to access a new renewable energy subsidy.

    Renewable subsidies and other solar panel policies should be redesigned to keep panels on roofs for longer.

    Functioning solar panels removed before the end of their life should be reused. This would require new regulations including quality-control measures certifying second-hand solar panels, and second-hand markets. This is a much neglected field of research and development.

    What else should such a scheme include?

    Others have discussed what a solar panel product stewardship scheme could include and the possible regulatory environment.

    We think the scheme should also involve collecting and transporting panels around Australia, including remote areas.

    Unfortunately, existing product stewardship schemes do not differentiate between urban, regional and remote areas. The same is likely to be the case for a solar panel collection and recycling scheme.

    This leaves regional and remote areas with fewer recycling facilities and collection points. With a growing number of large solar projects in Northern Australia, reducing waste is imperative.

    Remote island communities in the Northern Territory bundle up their recyclables and ship it to Darwin. Removed solar panels are then transported to urban Victoria, New South Wales or South Australia for processing. Who should bear the cost of transporting this waste? Consumers, remote regional councils with small ratepayer bases, or manufacturers and retailers?

    A well-designed scheme would help recover valuable resources across Australia for reuse in new products.

    However, large volumes of solar panels would be required for recycling schemes to become commercially viable. That’s why the solar recycling industry is concerned about exporters and scrap dealers collecting panels rather then certified solar panel recyclers.

    Even if the technology for recycling solar panels is nascent in Australia, it’s worth stockpiling panels in Australia for later.

    Considering these issues in the design of a product stewardship scheme would help ensure we can maximise the benefits of renewable energy, while minimising waste.

    Deepika Mathur has received research funding from the Northern Territory and federal governments.

    Robin Gregory is affiliated with Regional Development Australia Northern Territory

    – ref. A solar panel recycling scheme would help reduce waste, but please repair and reuse first – https://theconversation.com/a-solar-panel-recycling-scheme-would-help-reduce-waste-but-please-repair-and-reuse-first-258806

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: CPPCC National Committee Chairman Stresses Jointly Safeguarding Peace Across Taiwan Strait, Promoting Chinese Nation Rejuvenation /more/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    XIAMEN, June 15 (Xinhua) — Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Sunday stressed the importance of resolutely safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait and jointly promoting the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

    Wang Huning made the statement at the 17th Taiwan Strait Forum in Fujian Province, east China.

    He recalled that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s liberation from Japanese occupation. According to Wang Huning, the liberation of the island is imprinted in the common national memory of people on both sides of the strait, and the fruits of that victory must be preserved.

    Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, the CPPCC National Committee chairman stressed, calling for firmly adhering to the one-China principle and the 1992 consensus. He also called for resolutely opposing separatist activities aimed at gaining “Taiwan independence” and external interference, and jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

    Wang Huning assured that the Chinese mainland will always provide firm support to Taiwan compatriots and is committed to deepening the integrated development of the two shores so that Taiwan compatriots can experience greater satisfaction, happiness and belonging.

    Former Kuomintang Party Chairman Ma Ying-jeou, in turn, said that the peaceful development of cross-strait relations is the common aspiration of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

    He expressed the hope that on the common political basis of adhering to the 1992 consensus and opposing “Taiwan independence,” exchanges and cooperation between the two sides will deepen.

    Before the forum, Wang Huning held a meeting with participating Taiwanese guests.

    On Saturday, the CPPCC National Committee chairman visited an agricultural park in Xiamen that serves as a hub for Taiwanese farmers to develop their businesses. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint statement between the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister of Canada

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Joint statement between the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister of Canada

    This Joint Statement follows the meeting of the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and Canada on 15 June 2025.

    Today, Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) and Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada met in Ottawa to reaffirm the profound friendship and shared values that unite both nations. The Canada-UK partnership, rooted in a common history and enduring people-to-people ties, continues to grow stronger, with a focus on delivering prosperity and security for the working people of Canada and the UK alike.

    The two leaders discussed the many geopolitical challenges currently facing the world, including in the Middle East and tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, and reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression.

    The two leaders underscored the importance of a fair, open and predictable global trading system; reiterated their commitment to a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; and committed to advancing peace and trans-Atlantic security. They agreed the following joint initiatives aimed at strengthening economic growth and prosperity and enhancing collective security and defence:

    Growth and Innovation Partnership

    Canada and the UK are committed to delivering economic growth for their people. The two Prime Ministers today announced further collaboration on trade, science, technology and innovation. Through their Partnership, Canada and the UK will work together to:

    • Trade: Strengthen trade ties as trusted, reliable partners. This will include expanding trade under the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement. We will establish a new structured UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group to deepen our existing trading relationship further, including to address existing market access barriers, to expand existing arrangements into new areas, such as digital trade, and to explore cooperation in the development of critical minerals and sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure. The working group will report back to both Prime Ministers within six months. Canada will seek to introduce legislation this autumn to ratify the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.

    • Semiconductors: Deliver industrial R&D projects to enhance both nations’ complementary strengths in semiconductors, photonics, emerging materials and chip design. They will deepen connections between the innovation rich semiconductor ecosystems in Canada and the UK to help build resilient supply chains and accelerate breakthroughs in this key sector that is driving economic growth.

    • Quantum: Announce a joint commitment to develop secure, transatlantic communications based on quantum technologies, allowing us to connect our national systems and lay the groundwork to create a truly global, next-generation network, with applications across our financial and telecoms sectors.

    • Digital: Mutually reinforce nation-building digital public infrastructure by co-developing policy levers and standards, and common technology components.

    • Artificial Intelligence: Deepen and explore new collaborations on frontier AI systems to support our national security. This will include a partnership agreement to strengthen existing collaboration on AI safety and security between the Canadian AI Safety Institute and UK AI Security Institute, and new Canadian and UK MOUs with leading Canadian AI firm Cohere. Under the Canadian MOU, Cohere will collaborate with the Canadian AI Safety Institute and develop their commitment to building cutting-edge data centres in Canada. Under the UK MOU, Cohere will expand their UK presence to support the delivery of the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan. Both MOUs reflect ongoing collaboration on the application of AI tools in security and intelligence and are rooted in Cohere’s strong foundations in Canada and ongoing commitment to the UK.

    • Biomanufacturing: Strengthen collaboration to deliver economic growth and be better prepared for future health emergencies, including a joint investment of $14.8 million to support joint biomanufacturing research and development that will grow the talent and skills pipeline in both countries, and to help businesses scale.

    • Civil Nuclear: Develop a world-leading fusion energy collaboration and deepen cooperation on nuclear energy from fission to reduce the influence of Russia on our international fuel supply chains.

    • Critical Minerals: Intensify bilateral cooperation by conducting a strategic mapping exercise to pinpoint key critical minerals, infrastructure, production and processing capacities. They will identify projects for joint investment to support secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chain development and  leverage all available financial tools to mobilize funding and drive production to strengthen our manufacturing and mining sectors.

    Enhanced Defence and Security Partnership

    The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation – both bilaterally and through the NATO Alliance and Five Eyes partnership – to safeguard democratic values advance global stability and ensure the safety of our people in an increasingly complex world. To achieve this, they committed to:

    • Ukraine: Further support Ukraine in its self-defence against Russia’s war of aggression. This will include continued support for the Coalition of the Willing and respective efforts to support Ukraine’s domestic defence industrial production. The UK and Canada will continue to work together to support the Air Force Capability Coalition and develop cutting edge aircraft weaponry technology in support of Ukraine.

    • Military Cooperation: Position the Canada-UK defence relationship for further growth across military operations, industrial collaboration, and defence innovation, catalyzed by Canada’s newly announced defence investment trajectory and the UK’s Strategic Defence Review. Canada and the UK will work towards a new permanent arrangement for the long-term and sustainable use of British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) through the “BATUS Future Project”. The Project will deepen the Canada-UK relationship on defence and showcase CFB Suffield as a multi-purpose facility for the development and testing of new equipment and cutting-edge technology which are vital to maintaining our shared security and prosperity.

    • Intelligence: Build on the long history of deep and productive collaboration between our security and intelligence organizations by launching coordinated operational campaigns to combat terrorism and violent extremism, and deepening collaboration on enhanced intelligence collection, including by expanding officer exchange programs.

    • National Security: Tackle evolving state threats together, including sabotage, transnational repression, foreign interference, malicious cyber activity, information manipulation and economic coercion, all of which seeks to undermine our national security and that of our Allies and partners. This will include joint work to invest in civil society organizations actively working to counter digital transnational repression through the Joint Canada-UK Common Good Cyber Fund, a first-of-its-kind multilateral fund aimed at supporting civil society actors at high risk. To kickstart this fund, Canada and the UK are providing $5.7 million in seed funding to the Fund, which will be disbursed over 5 years. They also agreed to strengthen bilateral development and delivery of secure communications products and cutting-edge cryptography and explore new research partnerships to address gaps in AI security and evolve AI models to support national security.

    • Border Security: Strengthen bilateral cooperation to tackle transnational organized criminal organizations engaged in the illicit movement of goods and narcotics, and bolster our response to combat irregular migration, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, including through deeper bilateral information and knowledge exchange.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with Prime Minister Carney of Canada: 15 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    PM meeting with Prime Minister Carney of Canada: 15 June 2025

    The Prime Minister met the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister met the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa this afternoon.

    They began by discussing the grave situation in the Middle East, agreeing that the upcoming G7 Summit presented an opportunity to come together with partners in pursuit of de-escalation. 

    Turning to the UK-Canada relationship – they had a warm and productive conversation, agreeing that as two like-minded leaders there is huge potential to drive forward our partnership for the benefit of British and Canadian people. 

    Prime Minister Carney confirmed that Canada would ratify the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), seeking to introduce legislation to their parliament in the autumn. This will bring huge benefits to UK businesses by lowering tariffs when buying from and selling to Canada. 

    They also agreed to set up a joint taskforce to turbocharge progress on other areas of mutual benefit, including technology and artificial intelligence – in support of shared growth and our national security. The taskforce will also look to make progress on the wider UK-Canada Free Trade Agreement. 

    The Prime Minister said that the world has changed when it comes to trade and the economy, so he wants teams to go as far and as fast as possible, because it is in all of our interests to lower trade barriers with our closest partners.

    Moving on to defence and security, the leaders agreed that there is no doubt that everyone needs to step up at such a volatile time for the world. The Prime Minister reiterated that all NATO allies must come together to advance our collective security in the coming years. 

    They ended on their enduring support for Ukraine, and Prime Minister Carney thanked the Prime Minister for his invaluable leadership on the Coalition of the Willing. 

    They looked forward to discussing this further at the G7 Summit in the coming days.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Joint Statement by Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, and Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), met in Ottawa to reaffirm the profound friendship and shared values that unite both nations. The Canada-UK partnership, rooted in a common history and enduring people-to-people ties, continues to grow stronger, with a focus on delivering prosperity and security for the working people of Canada and the UK alike.

    The two leaders discussed the many geopolitical challenges currently facing the world, including in the Middle East and tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, and reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression.

    The two leaders underscored the importance of a fair, open and predictable global trading system; reiterated their commitment to a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; and committed to advancing peace and trans-Atlantic security. They agreed the following joint initiatives aimed at strengthening economic growth and prosperity and enhancing collective security and defence:

    Growth and Innovation Partnership

    Canada and the UK are committed to delivering economic growth for their people. The two Prime Ministers today announced further collaboration on trade, science, technology and innovation. Through their Partnership, Canada and the UK will work together to:

    • Trade: Strengthen trade ties as trusted, reliable partners. This will include expanding trade under the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement. We will establish a new structured UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group to deepen our existing trading relationship further, including to address existing market access barriers, to expand existing arrangements into new areas, such as digital trade, and to explore cooperation in the development of critical minerals and sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure. The working group will report back to both Prime Ministers within six months. Canada will seek to introduce legislation this autumn to ratify the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.
    • Semiconductors: Deliver industrial R&D projects to enhance both nations’ complementary strengths in semiconductors, photonics, emerging materials and chip design. They will deepen connections between the innovation rich semiconductor ecosystems in Canada and the UK to help build resilient supply chains and accelerate breakthroughs in this key sector that is driving economic growth.
    • Quantum: Announce a joint commitment to develop secure, transatlantic communications based on quantum technologies, allowing us to connect our national systems and lay the groundwork to create a truly global, next-generation network, with applications across our financial and telecoms sectors.
    • Digital: Mutually reinforce nation-building digital public infrastructure by co-developing policy levers and standards, and common technology components.
    • Artificial Intelligence: Deepen and explore new collaborations on frontier AI systems to support our national security. This will include a partnership agreement to strengthen existing collaboration on AI safety and security between the Canadian AI Safety Institute and UK AI Security Institute, and new Canadian and UK MOUs with leading Canadian AI firm Cohere. Under the Canadian MOU, Cohere will collaborate with the Canadian AI Safety Institute and develop their commitment to building cutting-edge data centres in Canada. Under the UK MOU, Cohere will expand their UK presence to support the delivery of the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan. Both MOUs reflect ongoing collaboration on the application of AI tools in security and intelligence and are rooted in Cohere’s strong foundations in Canada and ongoing commitment to the UK.
    • Biomanufacturing: Strengthen collaboration to deliver economic growth and be better prepared for future health emergencies, including a joint investment of $14.8 million to support joint biomanufacturing research and development that will grow the talent and skills pipeline in both countries, and to help businesses scale.
    • Civil Nuclear: Develop a world-leading fusion energy collaboration and deepen cooperation on nuclear energy from fission to reduce the influence of Russia on our international fuel supply chains.
    • Critical Minerals: Intensify bilateral cooperation by conducting a strategic mapping exercise to pinpoint key critical minerals, infrastructure, production and processing capacities. They will identify projects for joint investment to support secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chain development and  leverage all available financial tools to mobilize funding and drive production to strengthen our manufacturing and mining sectors.

    Enhanced Defence and Security Partnership

    The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation – both bilaterally and through the NATO Alliance and Five Eyes partnership – to safeguard democratic values advance global stability and ensure the safety of our people in an increasingly complex world. To achieve this, they committed to:

    • Ukraine: Further support Ukraine in its self-defence against Russia’s war of aggression. This will include continued support for the Coalition of the Willing and respective efforts to support Ukraine’s domestic defence industrial production. The UK and Canada will continue to work together to support the Air Force Capability Coalition and develop cutting edge aircraft weaponry technology in support of Ukraine.
    • Military Cooperation: Position the Canada-UK defence relationship for further growth across military operations, industrial collaboration, and defence innovation, catalyzed by Canada’s newly announced defence investment trajectory and the UK’s Strategic Defence Review. Canada and the UK will work towards a new permanent arrangement for the long-term and sustainable use of British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) through the “BATUS Future Project”. The Project will deepen the Canada-UK relationship on defence and showcase CFB Suffield as a multi-purpose facility for the development and testing of new equipment and cutting-edge technology which are vital to maintaining our shared security and prosperity.
    • Intelligence: Build on the long history of deep and productive collaboration between our security and intelligence organizations by launching coordinated operational campaigns to combat terrorism and violent extremism, and deepening collaboration on enhanced intelligence collection, including by expanding officer exchange programs.
    • National Security: Tackle evolving state threats together, including sabotage, transnational repression, foreign interference, malicious cyber activity, information manipulation and economic coercion, all of which seeks to undermine our national security and that of our Allies and partners. This will include joint work to invest in civil society organizations actively working to counter digital transnational repression through the Joint Canada-UK Common Good Cyber Fund, a first-of-its-kind multilateral fund aimed at supporting civil society actors at high risk. To kickstart this fund, Canada and the UK are providing $5.7 million in seed funding to the Fund, which will be disbursed over 5 years. They also agreed to strengthen bilateral development and delivery of secure communications products and cutting-edge cryptography and explore new research partnerships to address gaps in AI security and evolve AI models to support national security.
    • Border Security: Strengthen bilateral cooperation to tackle transnational organized criminal organizations engaged in the illicit movement of goods and narcotics, and bolster our response to combat irregular migration, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, including through deeper bilateral information and knowledge exchange.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with President of the United Arab Emirates His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan: 15 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    PM call with President of the United Arab Emirates His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan: 15 June 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, from Ottawa this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, from Ottawa this afternoon.

    They discussed the grave situation in the Middle East. The Prime Minister reiterated that his priority is diplomacy and dialogue, in order to de-escalate as quickly as possible. 

    The Prime Minister said this would be top of the agenda during his conversations with G7 partners in the next two days. They also discussed Gaza, and the need to bring an end to the devastation there. 

    They agreed to stay in close touch.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Honoring Minnesota State Representative and Husband

    Source: US State of New York

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    June 15, 2025

    Albany, NY

    Flags To Be Flown at Half-Staff Across New York State on Monday, June 16

    Governor Hochul today directed that flags on all State government buildings be flown at half-staff in honor of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who passed away during the politically targeted shootings in Minnesota on June 14. Flags will be at half-staff Monday, June 16.

    “I join the State of Minnesota, family and loved ones in mourning the horrific loss of Representative Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman, and I am directing flags to be flown at half-staff in New York to honor Mr. and Ms. Hortman,” Governor Hochul said. “We should be settling our political differences in civil means — like at the ballot box — because violence is never the answer.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Millions rally against authoritarianism, while the White House portrays protests as threats – a political scientist explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut

    Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images

    At the end of a week when President Donald Trump sent Marines and the California National Guard to Los Angeles to quell protests, Americans across the country turned out in huge numbers to protest Trump’s attempts to expand his power. In rallies on June 14, 2025, organized under the banner “No Kings,” millions of protesters decried Trump’s immigration roundups, cuts to government programs and what many described as his growing authoritarianism.

    The protests were largely peaceful, with relatively few incidents of violence.

    Protests and the interactions between protesters and government authorities have a long history in the United States. From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights movement, LBGTQ Stonewall uprising, the Tea Party movement and Black Lives Matter, public protest has been a crucial aspect of efforts to advance or protect the rights of citizens.

    But protests can also have other effects.

    In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.

    The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”

    Trump’s current reaction is reminiscent of his harsh condemnation of the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. In 2022, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that Trump had asked about shooting protesters participating in demonstrations after the 2020 shooting of George Floyd.

    As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.

    Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy

    Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.

    For a president intent on the further centralization of executive power, or even establishing a dictatorship, protest suppression provides multiple opportunities and pitfalls.

    Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.

    Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.

    Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.

    In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.

    Risks and opportunities

    Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.

    Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.

    In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.

    When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.

    But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.

    Misrepresenting and quashing dissent

    Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.

    Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

    Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.

    And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.

    This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.

    Yet the White House disregarded that Los Angeles’ mayor and California’s governor both objected to the deployment.

    The state sued the Trump administration over the deployment. The initial court decision sided with California officials, declaring the federal government action “illegal.” The Trump administration has appealed.

    Autocrats seek to spread disinformation. In the case of the Los Angeles protests, the Trump administration’s narrative depicted a chaotic, gang-infested city with violence everywhere. Reports on the ground refuted those characterizations. The protests, mostly peaceful, were confined to a small part of the city, about a 10-block area.

    More generally, a strong executive leader and their supporters often want to quash dissent. In the Los Angeles example, doing that has ranged from the military deployment itself to targeting journalists covering the story to arresting and charging prominent opponents like SEIU President David Huerta or shoving and handcuffing U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat.

    The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.

    At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.

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

    – ref. Millions rally against authoritarianism, while the White House portrays protests as threats – a political scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/millions-rally-against-authoritarianism-while-the-white-house-portrays-protests-as-threats-a-political-scientist-explains-258963

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Millions rally against authoritarianism, while the White House portrays protests as threats – a political scientist explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeremy Pressman, Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut

    Protesters parade through the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans as part of the nationwide No Kings protest against President Donald Trump, on June 14, 2025. Patt Little/Anadolu via Getty Images

    At the end of a week when President Donald Trump sent Marines and the California National Guard to Los Angeles to quell protests, Americans across the country turned out in huge numbers to protest Trump’s attempts to expand his power. In rallies on June 14, 2025, organized under the banner “No Kings,” millions of protesters decried Trump’s immigration roundups, cuts to government programs and what many described as his growing authoritarianism.

    The protests were largely peaceful, with relatively few incidents of violence.

    Protests and the interactions between protesters and government authorities have a long history in the United States. From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights movement, LBGTQ Stonewall uprising, the Tea Party movement and Black Lives Matter, public protest has been a crucial aspect of efforts to advance or protect the rights of citizens.

    But protests can also have other effects.

    In the last few months, large numbers of anti-Trump protesters have come out in the streets across the U.S., on occasions like the April 5 Hands Off protests against safety net budget cuts and government downsizing. Many of those protesters assert they are protecting American democracy.

    The Trump administration has decried these protesters and the concept of protest more generally, with the president recently calling protesters “troublemakers, agitators, insurrectionists.” A few days before the June 14 military parade in Washington, President Donald Trump said of potential protesters: “this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”

    Trump’s current reaction is reminiscent of his harsh condemnation of the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. In 2022, former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that Trump had asked about shooting protesters participating in demonstrations after the 2020 shooting of George Floyd.

    As co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium, which compiles information on each day’s protests in the U.S., I understand that protests sometimes can advance the goals of the protest movement. They also can shape the goals and behavior of federal or state governments and their leaders.

    Opportunity for expressing or suppressing democracy

    Protests are an expression of democracy, bolstered by the right to free speech and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    At the same time, clamping down on protests is one way to rebut challenges to government policies and power.

    For a president intent on the further centralization of executive power, or even establishing a dictatorship, protest suppression provides multiple opportunities and pitfalls.

    Widespread, well-attended demonstrations can represent a mass movement in favor of democracy or other issues as well as serve as an opportunity to expand participation even further. Large events often lead to significant press coverage and plenty of social media posting. The protests may heighten protesters’ emotional connection to the movement and increase fundraising and membership numbers of sponsoring organizations.

    Though it is not an ironclad law, research shows that when at least 3.5% of the total population is involved in a demonstration, protesters usually prevail over their governments. That included the Chilean movement in the 1980s that toppled longtime dictator Augusto Pinochet. Chileans used not only massive demonstrations but also a wide array of creative tactics like a coordinated slowdown of driving and walking, neighbors banging pots outside homes simultaneously, and singing together.

    Protests are rarely only about protesting. Organizers usually seek to involve participants in many other activities, whether that is contacting their elected officials, writing letters to the editor, registering to vote or running a food drive to help vulnerable populations.

    In this way of thinking, participation in a major street protest like No Kings is a gateway into deeper activism.

    Risks and opportunities

    Of course, protest leaders cannot control everyone in or adjacent to the movement.

    Other protesters with a different agenda, or agitators of any sort, can insert themselves into a movement and use confrontational tactics like violence against property or law enforcement.

    In one prominent example from Los Angeles, someone set several self-driving cars on fire. Other Los Angeles examples included some protesters’ throwing things like water bottles at officers or engaging in vandalism. Police officers also use coercive measures such as firing chemical irritants and pepper balls at protesters.

    When leaders want to concentrate executive power and establish an autocracy, where they rule with absolute power, protests against those moves could lead to a mass rejection of the leader’s plans. That is what national protest groups like 50501 and Indivisible are hoping for and why they aimed to turn out millions of people at the No Kings protests on June 14.

    But while the Trump administration faces risks from protests, it also may see opportunities.

    Misrepresenting and quashing dissent

    Protests can serve as a justification for a nascent autocrat to further undermine democratic practices and institutions.

    Take the recent demonstrations in Los Angeles protesting the Trump administration’s immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

    Autocrats seek to politicize independent institutions like the armed forces. The Los Angeles protests offered the opportunity for that. Trump sent troops from the California National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to contain the protests. That domestic deployment of the military is rare but not unheard of in U.S. history.

    And the deployment was ordered against the backdrop of the president’s partisan June 10 speech at a U.S. military base in North Carolina. The military personnel in attendance cheered and applauded many of Trump’s political statements. Both the speech and audience reactions to it appeared to violate the U.S. military norm of nonpartisanship.

    This deployment of military personnel in a U.S. city also dovetails with the expansion of executive power characteristic of autocratic leaders. It is rare that presidents call up the National Guard; the Guard is traditionally under the control of the state governor.

    Yet the White House disregarded that Los Angeles’ mayor and California’s governor both objected to the deployment.

    The state sued the Trump administration over the deployment. The initial court decision sided with California officials, declaring the federal government action “illegal.” The Trump administration has appealed.

    Autocrats seek to spread disinformation. In the case of the Los Angeles protests, the Trump administration’s narrative depicted a chaotic, gang-infested city with violence everywhere. Reports on the ground refuted those characterizations. The protests, mostly peaceful, were confined to a small part of the city, about a 10-block area.

    More generally, a strong executive leader and their supporters often want to quash dissent. In the Los Angeles example, doing that has ranged from the military deployment itself to targeting journalists covering the story to arresting and charging prominent opponents like SEIU President David Huerta or shoving and handcuffing U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat.

    The contrast on June 14 was striking. In Washington, D.C., Trump reviewed a parade of troops, tanks and planes, leaning into a display of American military power.

    At the same time, from rainy Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to sweltering Yuma, Arizona, millions of protesters embraced their First Amendment rights to oppose the president. It perfectly illustrated the dynamic driving deep political division today: the executive concentrating power while a sizable segment of the people resist.

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

    – ref. Millions rally against authoritarianism, while the White House portrays protests as threats – a political scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/millions-rally-against-authoritarianism-while-the-white-house-portrays-protests-as-threats-a-political-scientist-explains-258963

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –