Category: Transport

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Future of the Post Office to be shaped by postmasters and customers
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Future of the Post Office to be shaped by postmasters and customers

Government launches the Post Office Green Paper, the first comprehensive review of the Post Office in 15 years.
First comprehensive review of the Post Office in 15 years, with customers and postmasters shaping its future.

Post Office Green Paper will seek to transform the organisation’s culture in the wake of the Horizon scandal and changing customer demands.

Better services at the heart of new £118 million subsidy to fund the Post Office’s Transformation Plan and further network investment, moving the organisation closer to delivering growth in line with the Plan for Change.

Postmasters and the public will have the opportunity to shape the future of the Post Office for the first time in 15 years, as the Government sets out its vision for the next decade for the organisation.

The Post Office Green Paper, published today, will move further and faster to deliver a decade of renewal for customers and postmasters, building on the cultural reset being led by Post Office Chair Nigel Railton that will be so crucial to its success.

Working hand in hand with postmasters and the public the Government will ensure the network is put on a path to a strong and sustainable future with Post Office branches remaining at the heart of communities across the UK.

This includes on the Post Office’s ownership model, with concepts including mutualisation on the table for consideration following the publication of the final Horizon Inquiry report later this year.

The report is expected to provide recommendations on improving the structure of the Post Office so that this miscarriage of justice is never allowed to occur again, protecting postmasters whilst also providing reassurance for customers.

This follows an unprecedented period in which the Post Office has faced a series of major challenges, from the Horizon IT scandal to significant changes in consumer behaviour, such as a rise in online shopping and falling demand for traditional post.

Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas said:

Post Offices continue to be a central part of our high streets and communities across the country. However, after fifteen years without a proper review, and in the aftermath of the Horizon scandal, it’s clear we need a fresh vision for its future.

This Green Paper marks the start of an honest conversation about what people want and need from their Post Office in the years ahead.

I look forward to hearing the views of customers, business owners and postmasters so we can build a Post Office capable of serving the public for generations to come.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks, closing on 6th October 2025. It will examine key areas including:

How Post Office services should evolve to meet changing consumer needs

Ways to strengthen the relationship between the Post Office and its postmasters

Options for modernising the network while ensuring services remain within local reach

Ensure the Post Office is well-equipped to adapt to consumer trends

How the Post Office can improve and develop the banking services it provides

Research published alongside the Green Paper today also highlights the important role the Post Office still plays in the daily lives of people and businesses, adding social value of around £5.2 billion per year to households and £1.3 billion annually to small and medium sized businesses.

As part of the Government’s commitment to securing the future of this vital national institution, Ministers have also announced plans to award a new subsidy package of up to £118 million to fund the Post Office’s Transformation Plan and further investment to improve the network.

This funding will protect key services, including access to cash deposits and withdrawals as well as key government services, such as passport applications and the DVLA, alongside helping the Post Office deliver cost-saving measures in its Transformation Plan, part of the New Deal for Postmasters.

Notes to editors:

The Green Paper and details on how to respond to the consultation can be found here.

The £118 million in funding is subject to the completion of subsidy control processes and compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

The Post Office operates over 11,500 branches across the UK.

Last month, the Government achieved the milestone of £1 billion in compensation payments to over 7,300 postmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal.

Research published alongside the Green Paper can be found under Annex A: The Value of the Post Office Network

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 14 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: One man convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

A 59-year-old man was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on July 10 for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

On July 5, 2024, Hong Kong Customs and the Hong Kong Police Force mounted joint anti-smuggling operations at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port. Through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, officers of Customs and Police intercepted an inbound private car at the HZMB Hong Kong Port on that day. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized a total of 123 000 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes at the driver’s seat, front and rear passenger seats and the boot of the vehicle. The 59-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested, and the private car was also seized. The estimated market value of the cigarettes seized in the case was about $550,000, and the duty potential was about $410,000.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: One man convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

A 59-year-old man was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on July 10 for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

On July 5, 2024, Hong Kong Customs and the Hong Kong Police Force mounted joint anti-smuggling operations at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port. Through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, officers of Customs and Police intercepted an inbound private car at the HZMB Hong Kong Port on that day. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized a total of 123 000 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes at the driver’s seat, front and rear passenger seats and the boot of the vehicle. The 59-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested, and the private car was also seized. The estimated market value of the cigarettes seized in the case was about $550,000, and the duty potential was about $410,000.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Holy Mass in the Pontifical Parish of San Tommaso da Villanova in Castel Gandolfo

Source: The Holy See

Holy Mass in the Pontifical Parish of San Tommaso da Villanova in Castel Gandolfo, 13.07.2025
At 10.00 this morning, fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Holy Father Leo XIV presided over Holy Mass in the Pontifical Parish of San Tommaso da Villanova in Castel Gandolfo.
The following is the homily delivered by the Pope during the Eucharistic Celebration, after the proclamation of the Gospel:

Brothers and sisters,
I have the joy of celebrating this Eucharist with you. I greet all those present, the parish community, the priests, and His Eminence, the Bishop of the Diocese, and the civil and military authorities.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we have heard one of Jesus’ most beautiful and moving parables. We all know the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37).
That parable constantly challenges us to think about our own lives. It troubles our dormant or distracted consciences, and warns us about the risk of a complacent faith that is satisfied with the outward observance of the law but incapable of feeling and acting with the same merciful compassion as God.
The parable is really about compassion. True, the Gospel story speaks of the compassion that moved the Samaritan to act, but it first speaks of how others regarded the wounded man lying on the roadside after being attacked by robbers. We are told that a priest and a Levite “saw him and passed by” (v. 32). Of the Samaritan, however, the Gospel says, “he saw him and had compassion on him” (v. 33).
Dear brothers and sisters, how we look at others is what counts, because it shows what is in our hearts. We can look and walk by, or we can look and be moved with compassion. There is a kind of seeing that is superficial, distracted and hasty, a way of seeing while pretending not to see. We can see without being touched or challenged by the sight. Then too, there is seeing with the eyes of the heart, looking more closely, empathizing with the other, sharing his or her experience, letting ourselves be touched and challenged. This way of seeing calls into question the way we live our life and the responsibility we feel towards others.
The parable speaks to us first about God’s way of seeing us, so that we in turn can learn how to see situations and people with his eyes, so full of love and compassion. The Good Samaritan is really a figure of Jesus, the eternal Son whom the Father sent into our history precisely because he regarded humanity with compassion and did not walk by. Like the man in the Gospel who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, humanity was descending to the depths of death; in our own day too, we have to confront the darkness of evil, suffering, poverty and the riddle of death. Yet God has looked upon us with compassion; he wanted to walk our same path and come down among us. In Jesus, the Good Samaritan, he came to heal our wounds and to pour out upon us the balm of his love and mercy.
Pope Francis, who often reminded us that God is mercy and compassion, once referred to Jesus as “the compassion of the Father toward us” (Angelus, 14 July 2029). Saint Augustine tells us that, as the Good Samaritan who came to our aid, Jesus “wanted to be known as our neighbor. Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ makes us realize that he is the one who cared for the half-dead man beaten by robbers and left on the side of the road (De Doctrina Christiana, I, 30.33).
We can understand, then, why this parable is so challenging for each of us. If Christ shows us the face of a compassionate God, then to believe in him and to be his disciples means allowing ourselves to be changed and to take on his same feelings. It means learning to have a heart that is moved, eyes that see and do not look away, hands that help others and soothe their wounds, shoulders that bear the burden of those in need.
In today’s first reading, we hear the words of Moses, who tells us that obeying the Lord’s commandments and turning our minds and hearts to him does not involve multiplying outward acts, but rather looking to our own hearts and discovering that there God has written his law of love. If we realize deep down that Christ, the Good Samaritan, loves us and cares for us, we too will be moved to love in the same way and to become compassionate as he is. Once we are healed and loved by Christ, we too can become witnesses of his love and compassion in our world.
Brothers and sisters, today we need this “revolution of love.” Today, the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho is the road travelled by all those who descend into sin, suffering and poverty. It is the road travelled by all those weighed down by troubles or hurt by life. The road travelled by all who fall down, lose their bearings and hit rock bottom. The road travelled by all those peoples that are stripped, robbed and pillaged, victims of tyrannical political systems, of an economy that forces them into poverty, and of wars that kill their dreams and their very lives.
What do we do? Do we look and walk by, or do we open our hearts to others, like the Samaritan? Are we content at times merely to do our duty, or to regard as our neighbor only those who are part of our group, who think like us, who share our same nationality or religion? Jesus overturns this way of thinking by presenting us with a Samaritan, a foreigner or heretic, who acts as a neighbor to that wounded man. And he asks us to do the same.
The Samaritan, wrote Benedict XVI, “does not ask how far his obligations of solidarity extend. Nor does he ask about the merits required for eternal life. Something else happens: his heart is wrenched open… If the question had been ‘Is the Samaritan my neighbor, too?’ the answer would have been a pretty clear-cut no, given the situation at the time. But Jesus now turns the whole matter on its head: the Samaritan, the foreigner, makes himself the neighbor and shows me that I have to learn to be a neighbor deep within and that I already have the answer in myself. I have to become like someone in love, someone whose heart is open to being shaken up by another’s need” (Jesus of Nazareth, 197).
Looking without walking by, halting the frantic pace of our lives, allowing the lives of others, whoever they may be, with their needs and troubles, to touch our heart. That is what makes us neighbors to one another, what generates true fraternity and breaks down walls and barriers. In the end, love prevails, and proves more powerful than evil and death.
Dear friends, let us look to Christ, the Good Samaritan. Let us listen again today to his voice. For he says to each of us, “Go and do likewise” (v. 37).
_____________________
Words of the Holy Father at the end of Holy Mass
At this moment, I would like to present a small gift to the Parish Priest of this pontifical parish, in memory of our celebration today. The paten and chalice with which we celebrate the Eucharist are instruments of communion, and they can be an invitation to all of us to live in communion, and truly to promote this fraternity, this communion that we live in Jesus Christ.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 to Outline African Block Opportunities Amid Surge in 2024/2025 Licensing Rounds

Source: APO

.

Africa is gearing up to attract a wave of investment in exploration blocks, with a surge in oil and gas licensing rounds being launched during the 2024/2025 period. According to the African Energy Chamber’s State of African Energy 2025 Outlook Report (https://EnergyChamber.org/), these efforts are part of a broader strategy to unlock the continent’s untapped energy potential, attract international investment and stimulate long-term economic growth. This year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference will spotlight Africa’s licensing rounds, connecting operators to emerging blocks opportunities across the continent.

North Africa

Libya launched its latest licensing round in March 2025, offering 22 onshore and offshore exploration blocks across the Sirte, Murzuq and Ghadames basins. The licensing round has already drawn interest from 37 prospective companies, with contracts with successful bidders expected to be signed by the end of the year. Representing the country’s first licensing round since 2011, the initiative comes as Libya seeks to increase production to two million barrels per day. Algeria awarded five licenses in June 2025 as part of its latest oil and gas bid round. Launched in November 2024, the bid round featured sic onshore blocks for competitive bidding and falls part of a broader multi-year licensing strategy aimed at attracting global investment in exploration opportunities. The blocks span five basins and represents a core component of the country’s strategy to invest up to $50 billion into hydrocarbon projects over the next four years. Egypt launched a new bid round in March 2025, comprising 12 investment opportunities. The bid round includes 10 offshore blocks in the Mediterranean Sea and two onshore blocks in the Nile Delta region and comes as the country intensifies exploration across undeveloped acreage.

West Africa

Sierra Leone is preparing to launch a new licensing round in 2025 as part of its drive to fast-track exploration and become an oil-producing nation. The country currently has around 50 offshore blocks available for direct negotiation, spanning 63,000 km² and backed by a proven petroleum system. The upcoming licensing round will further entice spending. Nigeria is set to launch a new oil and gas licensing round in 2025, focusing on undeveloped fields. The upcoming round follows the successful conclusion of a 2024 tender, whereby 25 companies were awarded Petroleum Prospecting Licenses. Liberia also initiated a Direct Negotiation Licensing Round in 2024, with 29 offshore blocks available for investment in the Liberia and Harper basins. The licensing round seeks to drive new investment in the country’s frontier basins and is supported by an extensive library of multi-client subsurface data, including over 24,000 kilometers of 2D seismic data and more than 26,000 km² of 3D seismic data.

East Africa

Tanzania is preparing to offer new oil and gas exploration opportunities with a licensing round launching in 2025. A total of 26 blocks will be made available, including three blocks in Lake Tanganyika and 23 in the Indian Ocean. The country’s upstream regulator the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority has already identified the blocks and compiled the necessary data for the process. Following government approval for the Model Production Sharing Agreement, the licensing round will be launched. The round represents the first in more than ten years. Additionally, Kenya is expected to launch its inaugural oil and gas licensing round in September 2025, offering ten blocks for exploration. The blocks were selected using geoscientific data to ensure a transparent allocation process. The licensing round is supported by comprehensive seismic surveys and geological reports, thereby supporting future exploration activities. Primary targets include the Lamu and Anza basins, both of which are known for their hydrocarbon potential. Uganda is also set to launch a licensing round during the 2025/2026 fiscal year, offering new areas for oil and gas exploration.

Southern Africa

Part of its six-year licensing strategy, Angola is expected to launch its next licensing round in 2025, offering ten blocks for exploration in the offshore Kwanza and Benguela basins. The bid round follows the successful conclusion of a 2023 tender, whereby nine companies qualified as operators and five qualified as non-operators. Namibia rolled out an open-door licensing system in 2024 to address its backlog of applications and streamline procedures. The system comes as the country experiences a surge in exploration interest following major discoveries made since 2022.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

About African Energy Week:
AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Animated sequel ‘Legend of Hei 2’ delights crowds at outdoor premiere

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

The sequel to acclaimed Chinese animated film “The Legend of Hei” transformed its Beijing premiere into an outdoor carnival experience on July 11, reigniting fan enthusiasm six years after the original movie’s release.

A giant installation of the animated cat character Luo Xiaohei is displayed during the premiere of “The Legend of Hei 2” at Chaoyang Park, Beijing, July 11, 2025. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China.org.cn]

The event at Beijing’s Chaoyang Park delivered an immersive experience featuring an advanced open-air screening, a themed pop-up store selling exclusive merchandise, and interactive games that drew massive fan engagement. The creative team participated in a post-screening Q&A session with the film’s first audience.

Set in a world where humans, goblins and deities coexist, “The Legend of Hei 2” follows cat spirit Luo Xiaohei as he lives peacefully in human form alongside Master Wuxian. When the Monster Hall assigns him a mission after a branch hall comes under attack, Luo partners with senior disciple Luye to investigate a series of mysterious events.

“Watching this made me recall all our efforts over these six years,” said co-director Gu Jie, adding that the sequel’s greater complexity required more extensive production work than the 2019 original.

“The Legend of Hei 2” features significantly enhanced visual effects, intense action sequences and deeper character development. As a result, the producers expressed confidence that the film would deliver a fresh cinematic experience and described themselves as “exhilarated” with the final result.

The cast and crew participate in a Q&A during the premiere of “The Legend of Hei 2” at Chaoyang Park, Beijing, July 11, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Wishart Media]

“The Legend of Hei” originated as a web cartoon series launched in March 2011, building a substantial fanbase among animation fans.

The theatrical release of the first film in 2019 proved commercially successful, grossing 315 million yuan ($44 million) in China, with its popularity extending internationally, particularly in Japan, a country renowned for anime.

“The Legend of Hei 2” opens in Chinese theaters nationwide on July 18.

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 6.9-magnitude earthquake strikes off Indonesia’s Maluku Province

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

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the sea southwest of Indonesia’s Southeast Maluku in Maluku Province at 12:49 p.m. local time on Monday, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The epicenter was located approximately 170 km southwest of Southeast Maluku, at a depth of 108 km, the BMKG said on its official website.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to frequent earthquakes.

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s new energy vehicle registrations hit record 5.62M in H1 2025

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

China registered a record 5.62 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) in the first half of 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 27.86 percent, according to data released by the Ministry of Public Security on Monday.

The figure represents the highest half-year NEV registration total in the country’s history. It accounts for 44.97 percent of all new automobile registrations during the same period, underscoring the acceleration of China’s clean energy transition in the transportation sector.

By the end of June 2025, the total number of NEVs on China’s roads had reached 36.89 million, representing 10.27 percent of the nation’s overall automobile fleet.

Battery electric vehicles remained the dominant force in the NEV market, totaling nearly 25.54 million and accounting for 69.23 percent of all new energy vehicles.

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Wang thumps Harimoto, veteran Zhu returns to top

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

China’s Wang Chuqin swept Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto in the men’s singles final, while university teacher and former World Cup winner Zhu Yuling returned to the top by defeating Chen Yi in a clash of female giant-killers at the WTT US Smash in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Wang, who became China’s first left-handed men’s singles world champion earlier this year, gave little chance to the third-seeded Harimoto, who has a reputation for struggling against left-handed opponents.

Displaying confidence and control, the second-seeded Wang dominated with wide-angled shots and steady rallies, securing an 11-3, 11-6, 12-10, 11-8 victory.

“I kept level-headed either in lead or trailing,” said Wang. “I felt so relieved when the tournament was over. I need a short break and come back again.”

Zhu, once a key player on the Chinese national team and now representing Macao, China, used her experience, strong backhands and unpredictable rhythm changes to overcome a two-set deficit and defeat Chen 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 in 56 minutes.

Zhu had previously stepped away from the sport to recover from cancer, pursue academic studies, become a professor at Tianjin University, and manage her family business. She returned to competitive play last year and upset world No. 2 Wang Manyu on her way to the final. Chen, 20, had earlier eliminated several top seeds, including reigning world champion Sun Yingsha.

“This isn’t a typical clash of speed and power,” said Zhu. “We battled against each other in terms of patience, tenacity, spin, offense and defense.”

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China edge USA to conclude women’s VNL

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

China claimed another come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the United States on Sunday, closing the women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminaries with four consecutive wins.

Wu Mengjie led China with 27 points on 26 kills and an ace, while Zhuang Yushan and Gong Xiangyu contributed 18 and 14 points, respectively. The Chinese team rallied past the hosts 18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 18-16 for their third five-set win in Arlington.

Earlier in the week, China had also defeated the Dominican Republic and Germany in five sets, and Canada 3-1.

“I am pleased with the resilience demonstrated by our players,” said China head coach Zhao Yong.

Trailing 5-4 in the tiebreak, China went on a 5-1 run to level the score at 9-9. After Wang Yuanyuan delivered a key block to give China a 14-13 lead, the Americans fended off three match points before Wu’s smash and a final point from Zhuang sealed the win.

China finished fifth among the 18 teams in the preliminary round, with nine wins, three losses, and 24 points. They will face Poland, the fourth-place finisher and host of the Finals, in the quarterfinals.

The United States, led by Sarah Franklin’s 32 points, ended eighth with a 7-5 record. They will take on top-seeded Italy for a spot in the semifinals.

Brazil, Japan, Turkey, and Germany also advanced to the Finals, which will be held in Lodz, Poland, from July 23 to 27.

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025

MIL-OSI: Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 28

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Company announcement no. 33 2025

Danske Bank

Bernstorffsgade 40

DK-1577 København V

Tel. + 45 33 44 00 00

14 July 2025

Page 1 of 1

Danske Bank share buy-back programme: transactions in week 28

On 7 February 2025, Danske Bank A/S announced a share buy-back programme for a total of DKK 5 billion, with a maximum of 45,000,000 shares, in the period from 10 February 2025 to 30 January 2026, at the latest, as described in company announcement no. 6 2025.

The Programme is carried out in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (the “Market Abuse Regulation”) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (together with the Market Abuse Regulation, the “Safe Harbour Rules”).

The following transactions on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S were made under the share buy-back programme in week 28:

	Number of shares	VWAP DKK	Gross value DKK
Accumulated, last announcement	8,039,780	233.1745	1,874,672,016
07 July 2025	90,000	260.5713	23,451,417
08 July 2025	90,000	260.3560	23,432,040
09 July 2025	100,000	263.1413	26,314,130
10 July 2025	94,306	264.8682	24,978,660
11 July 2025	68,744	261.4498	17,973,105
Total accumulated over week 28	443,050	262.1586	116,149,353
Total accumulated during the share buyback programme	8,482,830	234.6883	1,990,821,369

With the transactions stated above, the total accumulated number of own shares under the share buy-back programme corresponds to 1.016% of Danske Bank A/S’ share capital.

Danske Bank

Contact: Claus Ingar Jensen, Head of Group Investor Relations, tel. +45 25 42 43 70

Attachment

Danske Bank Template Company announcement UK Weekly SBB announcement

The MIL Network –

July 14, 2025

MIL-OSI: Himax and Rabboni Join Forces to Launch World’s First Scalable Multi-Scenario Endpoint AI Sensing System – bboni Ai Enabling Real-Time AI Inference on Wearable Devices
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TAINAN, Taiwan and HSINCHU, Taiwan, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Himax Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: HIMX) (“Himax” or “Company”), a leading supplier and fabless manufacturer of display drivers and other semiconductor products, and Rabboni Co., Ltd. (“Rabboni”), a Taiwan-based company integrating next-generation semiconductor sensing and edge computing to enable smart living, smart sensing and wearable devices, today jointly announced the unveiling of bboni Ai, the world’s first multi-scenario endpoint AI sensing system. bboni Ai integrates Rabboni’s high-precision IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) motion sensors with Himax’s ultralow power WiseEye2 AI processor, opening a new chapter for real-time endpoint AI inference for wearable devices and accelerating the transition of AI from concept to real-world implementation.

WiseEye2 AI processor features a high-performance architecture built on Cortex-M55 cores and is equipped with the Ethos-U55 AI inference engine. It supports always-on sensing, dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS), and a multi-level power management structure. The design empowers dynamic adjustments in core voltage and frequency based on the scenarios of wearable devices, enabling data collection, event triggering, and endpoint AI inference at ultralow power consumption of just a few milliwatts. This architecture significantly reduces reliance on cloud transmission, effectively lowering latency and power consumption. It also enhances real-time responsiveness and data privacy, delivering a commercially viable endpoint AI solution for devices requiring long-hour operation. Notably, WiseEye™ AI can also collaborate with cloud-based large language models (LLMs), further enhancing the device’s ability to perceive, understand, and interact with complex real -world scenarios.

bboni Ai Brings AI to the Endpoint: On-Device AI Processing. No Cloud Needed

Featuring integrated motion sensing capability and ultralow power AI powered by Himax’s WiseEye2 AI processor, the bboni Ai system enables real-time motion analysis, posture recognition, and behavior interpretation directly on the endpoint device, eliminating the need for cloud computing. With low-latency, high-efficiency, and privacy-preserving on-device AI, bboni Ai delivers a truly scalable and deployable endpoint AI solution. bboni Ai not only enhances system stability but also meets the stringent requirements for data immediacy and security in applications such as healthcare and education.

bboni Ai Transforms Everyday Life Across Diverse Wearable Applications: Demonstrates broad real-world readiness across multiple use cases
- Smart Healthcare: Supports WHO’s ICOPE (Integrated Care for Older People) framework, facilitating seniors to monitor physical function and rehabilitation progress at home, reducing the cost of care
- Sports Technology: Real-time detection of user movements and behavior, providing instant motion feedback, optimizing training postures through AI analysis, improving training efficiency and reducing the risk of injury
- Education and Interaction: Enables hands-on STEM and AI education by leveraging motion sensing and behavior analysis to foster interdisciplinary learning and innovation, cultivating the next generation of talent
Powered by Taiwan–Based Team with bboni Ai Developer Program to Launch in July 2025

To accelerate the development of innovative AI applications, Himax will officially launch the bboni Ai Developer Program in late-July 2025. This initiative will provide a complete set of APIs and SDKs, inviting developers, academic institutions, and corporate partners jointly to create a robust and commercial-ready endpoint AI ecosystem, advancing Taiwan’s AI technology around the globe.

“The bboni Ai system was entirely developed by a Taiwanese team, integrating key technologies such as semiconductor design, sensor technology, AI algorithms, and software-hardware integration, showcasing Taiwan’s technical strength in smart sensing and endpoint AI,” said Richard Chiang, Chairman of Rabboni.

“WiseEye’s ultralow power and always-on sensing capabilities make it a perfect fit for power-constrained endpoint devices, especially wearable applications in smart care, interactive education, and health monitoring that require long-hour operation,” said Mark Chen, Vice President of Smart Sensing Business at Himax. “Himax is excited to collaborate with Rabboni to integrate our respective technological strengths and bring AI out of the conceptual stage and into everyday life, enabling truly meaningful smart applications.”

About Rabboni Co., Ltd.

Rabboni Co., Ltd., originating from Silicon Instruments Co., Ltd. founded in 2009, is dedicated to integrating next-generation semiconductor sensing and edge computing to build the foundation of smart living. The company empowers professionals across various service domains to achieve digital and AI transformation, thereby enhancing their value-added services. For years, Rabboni has supported National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in university social responsibility (USR) programs and MIT-collaborated science outreach projects, as well as medical research initiatives. Through these efforts, Rabboni has developed interdisciplinary platform technologies and established a comprehensive industry chain for smart sensing and wearable technologies.

Rabboni also introduced the TEA Innovation Service Platform, inspired by the concept: “Technology x Experts x Aids = Brew better futures.” In collaboration with Himax’s engineering team, Rabboni successfully completed the development of the bboni Ai platform. An Endpoint AI Startup Competition will soon be co-hosted by Himax, Rabboni, and NYCU, featuring the world’s tiniest and ultralow power bboni Ai system.

About Himax Technologies, Inc.

Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HIMX) is a leading global fabless semiconductor solution provider dedicated to display imaging processing technologies. The Company’s display driver ICs and timing controllers have been adopted at scale across multiple industries worldwide including TVs, PC monitors, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, automotive, ePaper devices, industrial displays, among others. As the global market share leader in automotive display technology, the Company offers innovative and comprehensive automotive IC solutions, including traditional driver ICs, advanced in-cell Touch and Display Driver Integration (TDDI), local dimming timing controllers (Local Dimming Tcon), Large Touch and Display Driver Integration (LTDI) and OLED display technologies. Himax is also a pioneer in tinyML visual-AI and optical technology related fields. The Company’s industry-leading WiseEye^TM Ultralow Power AI Sensing technology which incorporates Himax proprietary ultralow power AI processor, always-on CMOS image sensor, and CNN-based AI algorithm has been widely deployed in consumer electronics and AIoT related applications. Himax optics technologies, such as diffractive wafer level optics, LCoS microdisplays and 3D sensing solutions, are critical for facilitating emerging AR/VR/metaverse technologies. Additionally, Himax designs and provides touch controllers, OLED ICs, LED ICs, EPD ICs, power management ICs, and CMOS image sensors for diverse display application coverage. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Tainan, Taiwan, Himax currently employs around 2,200 people from three Taiwan-based offices in Tainan, Hsinchu and Taipei and country offices in China, Korea, Japan, Germany, and the US. Himax has 2,609 patents granted and 370 patents pending approval worldwide as of June 30, 2025.

http://www.himax.com.tw

Forward Looking Statements

Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in this conference call include, but are not limited to, the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Company’s business; general business and economic conditions and the state of the semiconductor industry; market acceptance and competitiveness of the driver and non-driver products developed by the Company; demand for end-use applications products; reliance on a small group of principal customers; the uncertainty of continued success in technological innovations; our ability to develop and protect our intellectual property; pricing pressures including declines in average selling prices; changes in customer order patterns; changes in estimated full-year effective tax rate; shortage in supply of key components; changes in environmental laws and regulations; changes in export license regulated by Export Administration Regulations (EAR); exchange rate fluctuations; regulatory approvals for further investments in our subsidiaries; our ability to collect accounts receivable and manage inventory and other risks described from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings, including those risks identified in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in its Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC, as may be amended.

Company Contacts:

Karen Tiao, Head of IR/PR
Himax Technologies, Inc.
Tel: +886-2-2370-3999
Fax: +886-2-2314-0877
Email: hx_ir@himax.com.tw
www.himax.com.tw

Mark Schwalenberg, Director
Investor Relations – US Representative
MZ North America
Tel: +1-312-261-6430
Email: HIMX@mzgroup.us
www.mzgroup.us

The MIL Network –
July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The Chinese city of Fuyuan, bordering Russia, where the songs “Jasmine” and “Valenki” met

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

HARBIN, July 14 (Xinhua) — The familiar sounds of folk songs echoed in Fuyuan, a city in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province that borders Russia, as a party between China and Russia was held earlier this month. Five Russian singers in red national costumes touched the hearts of those in attendance with their heartfelt rendition of the Chinese song “Jasmine” in its original language, amidst applause from spectators from both countries.

Natalia Efimycheva, the Russian artist who performed the song “Jasmine,” said that they love Chinese culture, this time they not only sang traditional Chinese folk songs, but also brought a Russian song “Valenki.” Many of their Chinese friends also expressed their love for Russian culture to her.

This event became another link promoting Chinese-Russian cultural exchanges and cross-civilizational learning among representatives of the two countries. Shortly before this, in early July, Fuyuan City hosted the Second Meeting of the Ussuli River and Lakes Tourism Association, during which exciting cross-border tourism routes were presented.

Fuyuan City, known as the “East Pole of China”, is separated from Russia by the Ussuri and Heilongjiang (Amur) Rivers on the east and north sides respectively.

Every year, from May to October, the rivers come alive with the Fuyuan-Khabarovsk river service. Cargo ships cut through the waters, and Chinese and Russian tourists wave to each other on cruise ships.

Fuyuan is currently seeking new horizons in cross-border cooperation with the Russian Far East, strengthening ties and deepening cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, infrastructure, ecology and cultural tourism.

Walking along the main shopping streets of Fuyuan, you will see bilingual signs everywhere, in Chinese and Russian. Even taxi drivers here can communicate in simple Russian.

In recent years, Fuyuan has been actively promoting the “China-Russia cross-border tourism route”, inviting travelers to discover the unique traditions and exotic customs of the region.

Gubat Gumalatovich Gubatov, Deputy Chairman of the Khabarovsk Regional Branch of the Association “Opora Rossii” noted that Fuyuan is a beautiful city, it is located not far from Khabarovsk, but its landscapes are so unique that they will undoubtedly attract many Russians.

The exoticism of Russia also attracts Chinese tourists. “In the morning I met the first ray of sunshine at Dongji Square /East Pole/, and after lunch I will try real Russian cuisine in Khabarovsk!” shared his impressions a Chinese tourist with the surname Li from Hainan Province /South China/. “This is a very special experience!”

With customs clearance procedures continuing to be simplified, this cross-border tourist route is becoming popular, with more than 300 tourists passing through Fuyuan every day during peak season.

Fuyuan City authorities proudly present unique tourist routes, demonstrating achievements in preserving the fishing culture of the Hezhe ethnic group and in the ecological protection of Heixiazi Island (Big Ussuri Island).

In addition, other cities and counties of the association, such as Mishan, Hulin and Raohe, presented their rich tourism and cultural resources along the Usuli River. Guests from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Korsakov, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and other Russian cities also introduced the meeting participants to local cultural and tourism resources that can help strengthen exchanges and develop cooperation in the field of Sino-Russian cross-border tourism.

Acting Minister of Tourism of Khabarovsk Krai Elena Vladimirovna Tsymbal said that Khabarovsk and Fuyuan have broad prospects for cooperation in the fields of cultural tourism, economy and trade, etc. In the future, she hopes to strengthen cooperation with Fuyuan in many aspects, such as study tours, medical tours, scientific and technical tours, industrial tours and agricultural tours.

Trade relations between the two border cities are growing stronger day by day. In 2024, the total volume of imported and exported goods through the Fuyuan cargo port was more than 80,000 tons. In the pavilions of the Fuyuan border mutual trade zone, more than 20,000 types of Russian goods are neatly displayed on the shelves. Chocolate, candy, honey cake, etc. are popular with consumers. According to Xie Jinglong, a staff member, since the center opened in 2015, a total of 37,000 tons of imported goods have been transported, and the trade turnover has amounted to nearly 688 million yuan.

“In the future, travel between Fuyuan and Khabarovsk will be more convenient, trade will be more dynamic, and cultural exchanges will be more profound,” said He Dahai, secretary of the Fuyuan Party Committee. He said that with the continuous improvement of infrastructure, Fuyuan and Khabarovsk are rapidly becoming leading cities in Sino-Russian cooperation. -0-

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

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne

A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee.

This is not only important for Cambodia, but also raises important questions for atrocity sites in Australia.

Before this, the World Heritage list only recognised seven “sites of memory” associated with recent conflicts, which UNESCO defines as “events having occurred from the turn of the 20th century” under its criterion vi. These sat within a broader list of more than 950 cultural sites.

In recent years, experts have intensely debated the question of whether a site associated with recent conflict could, or should, be nominated and evaluated for World Heritage status. Some argue such listings would contradict the objectives of UNESCO and its spirit of peace, which was part of the specialised agency’s mandate after the destruction of two world wars.

Sites associated with recent conflicts can be divisive. For instance, when Japan nominated the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, both China and the United States objected and eventually disassociated from the decision. The US argued the nomination lacked “historical perspective” on the events that led to the bomb’s use. Meanwhile, China argued listing the property would not be conducive for peace as other Asian countries and peoples had suffered at the hands of the Japanese during WWII.

Heritage inscriptions risk reinforcing societal divisions if they conserve a particular memory in a one-sided way.

Nonetheless, the World Heritage Committee decided in 2023 to no longer preclude such sites for inscription. This was done partly in recognition of how these sites may “serve the peace-building mission of UNESCO”.

Shortly after, three listing were added: the ESMA Museum and Site of Memory, a former clandestine centre for detention, torture and extermination in Argentina; memorial sites of the Rwandan genocide at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero; and funerary and memory sites of the first world war in Belgium and France.

A number of legacy sites associated with Nelson Mandela’s human rights struggle in South Africa were also added last year.

Atrocities of the Khmer Rouge

The recently inscribed Cambodian Memorial Sites include prisons S-21 (now known as Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) and M-13, as well as the execution site Choeung Ek.

These sites were nominated for their value in showing the development of extreme mass violence in relation to the security system of the Khmer Rouge in 1975–79. They also have value as places of memorialisation, peace and learning.

The Khmer Rouge developed its methods of disappearance, incarceration and torture of suspected “enemies” during the civil conflict of 1970–75. It established a system of local-level security centres in so-called “liberated” areas.

One of these centres was known as M-13, a small, well-hidden prison in the country’s rural southwest. A man named Kaing Guek Eav – also called Duch – was responsible for prisoners at M-13.

Shortly after the entire country fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Duch was assigned to lead the headquarters of the regime’s security system: a large detention and torture centre known as S-21.

Under his instruction, tens of thousands of people were detained in inhumane conditions, tortured and interrogated. Many detainees were later taken to the outskirts of the city to be brutally killed and buried in pits at a place called Choeung Ek.

The sites operated until early 1979, when the Khmer Rouge was forced from power.

The S-21 facility and the mass graves at Choeung Ek have long been memorialised as the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre.

However, the former M-13 site shows few visual clues to its prior use, and has only recently been investigated by an international team led by Cambodian archaeologist and museum director Hang Nisay. The site is on an island in a small river that forms the boundary between the Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces.

Further research, site protection and memorialisation activities will now be supported, with help from locals.

From repression to reflection

The Cambodian memorial sites have been recognised as holding “outstanding universal value” for the way they evidence one of the 20th century’s worst atrocities, and are now places of memory.

In its nomination dossier for these sites, Cambodia drew on findings from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal to verify and link the conflict and the sites.

In 2010, the tribunal found Duch guilty of crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Duch was sentenced to 30 years in prison (which eventually turned into life imprisonment). He died in 2020.

While courts such as the International Criminal Court have previously examined the destruction of heritage as an international crime, drawing on legal findings to assert heritage status is an unusual inverse. It raises important questions about the legacies of former UN-supported tribunals and the ongoing implications of their findings.

The recent listings also raise questions for Australia, which has many sites of documented mass killing associated with colonisation and the frontier wars that lasted into the 20th century.

Might Australia nominate any of these atrocity sites in the future? And could other processes such as truth-telling, reparation and redress support (or be supported by) such nominations?

Rachel Hughes has consulted to UNESCO Cambodia.

Maria Elander 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. UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict – https://theconversation.com/unesco-grants-world-heritage-status-to-khmer-rouge-atrocity-sites-paving-the-way-for-other-sites-of-conflict-260923

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Treasury warns the government it may not balance the budget or meet its housing targets

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra

Kokkai Ng/Getty

In the runup to each election, federal treasury produces a “blue book” and a “red book”, with advice tailored to the priorities of the two alternative governments.

One of these is given to the incoming government and the other is never released. Freedom of Information requests have generally resulted in only heavily redacted versions of the incoming government brief being made public.

But this week, the table of contents was accidentally released, revealing treasury’s view of how the government should be handling the economy.

Taxes “need to be raised”

Treasury suggests more tax should be raised. This is unsurprising – there is bipartisan support for more defence spending, and an ageing population means more spending on health and aged care, only partially offset by less spending on education.

Read more:
The 2025 budget has few savings and surprises but it also ignores climate change

The government is hoping to slow spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme but it is still projected to grow much faster than government revenue.

No one wants to default on government debt. So higher bond yields and the deficits incurred during the COVID pandemic, and projected for the next decade, mean governments will be paying more interest.

There are few areas of government spending expected to contract. So the cruel arithmetic is unless we are happy to keep government debt – already close to a trillion dollars – growing indefinitely, taxes need to rise.

The challenge is to find the most efficient way to do so. We don’t know whether Treasury made specific suggestions.

As we will probably hear at next month’s Economic Reform Roundtable, most economists think we should be putting more tax on things we want to discourage (greenhouse gas emissions, consumption of unhealthy products) and less on things we want to encourage (working, saving).

We want more taxes that do not alter economic activity (such as on land and excess profits from minerals) and less that discourage useful economic activities (such as stamp duties, which discourage mobility). We also want less tax where activity is being driven into black markets (arguably the case with cigarettes).

There may be some areas where tax concessions are excessive. Superannuation tax concessions are subsidising some rich people to build much larger savings than are needed for a comfortable retirement. (A proposal from the government to trim these will be before the Senate when parliament resumes next week.)

Capital gains tax concessions, which mainly help the rich, are also hard to justify.

We also want to consider equity. Most people accept that a tax system should be progressive. This means the rich pay a higher proportion of income in taxes than do the poor. In our current tax system, income and land taxes are progressive but GST and some other excises are regressive. The overall system is roughly proportional.

Housing target “will not be met”

Treasury also warned the government that its pledge to build 1.2 million homes over five years will be very difficult to achieve. In the year to June 2024, just 176,000 homes were built.

Even the relevant ministers have described the target as “ambitious”. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Monday “we will need more effort”.

Treasury has cast doubt on the government’s plans to build 1.2 million new homes over five years. So far only 176,000 have been built.
Inga Blessas/Shutterstock

Many commentators have described how difficult it will be to achieve this target.

A shortage of construction workers, the impact of planning restrictions, and weak productivity are also concerns. A recent study by the Productivity Commission concluded:

over the past 30 years, the number of dwellings completed per hour worked by housing construction workers has declined by 53%.

Concerns about the US

Another unsurprising revelation in the briefing is Treasury is concerned about the economic consequences of Donald Trump as US president.

One threat comes from the ever-changing array of tariffs Trump is introducing. If other countries retaliate by raising their own tariffs, the adverse impact on the global economy will be even greater.

Read more:
What would a second Trump presidency mean for the global economy?

We can get some idea of the possible impact on Australia from modelling published by the Reserve Bank. In its Statement on Monetary Policy, the bank presented two alternative scenarios.

Under what it called the “trade war” scenario, global gross domestic product declines by more than it did during the 2007 global financial crisis. Australian unemployment increases to nearly 6%. Under the “trade peace” scenario, unemployment remains around its current 4% level.

Another concern held by Treasury was the possible loss of independence of the US Federal Reserve Board (or “Fed”), the counterpart to Australia’s Reserve Bank. Trump has vowed to replace Fed chair Jerome Powell with someone more compliant when Powell’s term ends next year.

Trump wants the Fed to slash short-term interest rates regardless of the economic circumstances. This would raise the risk of a surge in inflation. It could also lead to higher bond yields, which would flow into higher interest rates charged by banks on loans. This could plunge the US economy into recession, with impacts felt around the world.

John Hawkins was formerly a senior economist in the Australian Treasury.

– ref. Treasury warns the government it may not balance the budget or meet its housing targets – https://theconversation.com/treasury-warns-the-government-it-may-not-balance-the-budget-or-meet-its-housing-targets-261084

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Mary Hallinan, Senior Research Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne

Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images

In 2024 alone, Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), authorised at least 979,000 prescription applications for medicinal cannabis through its specialised access pathways.

These “specialised access” mechanisms were originally designed for occasional, case-by-case use of unapproved drugs. But they have become mainstream.

As more and more people receive medicinal cannabis prescriptions, we’re left with a system that is misaligned with its original purpose.

The current prescribing landscape for medicinal cannabis is confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients, and difficult to regulate.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) recently announced it’s going to crack down on unsafe prescribing. But this doesn’t go far enough. The system needs urgent reform.

What is medicinal cannabis used for?

Medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia in 2016. Products come in different forms including oils, liquids, capsules, gels (which can be applied to the skin), dried flower (which can be inhaled using a vapouriser) and gummies.

Key ingredients include THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, and is responsible if a “high” is experienced.

When it was first legalised, medicinal cannabis was intended for patients with complex needs and severe, treatment-resistant conditions.

The TGA clearly indicated medicinal cannabis should not be considered a first-line treatment for any condition, and should be administered with a “start low, go slow” dosage approach.

Patients for whom it might be deemed appropriate included those receiving palliative care, or suffering with intractable epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, or chronic pain unresponsive to standard care.

But over time, prescribing has expanded well beyond these cases. Today, most medicinal cannabis prescriptions are given for relatively common conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety and sleep disorders.

What does the evidence say?

The evidence remains inconsistent. Chronic pain – the most common reason medicinal cannabis is prescribed in Australia – offers a key example.

According to a recent TGA review, some randomised trials suggest medicinal cannabis may help a subset of patients achieve moderate reductions in pain. However, many studies are small, of variable quality, and don’t account for long-term effects.

And like all medicines, medicinal cannabis carries risks. Products containing THC have been linked to side-effects such as sedation, dizziness and cognitive impairment.

While generally better tolerated, CBD is not risk-free. For example, both CBD and THC can interact with certain medications, heightening the likelihood of adverse effects.

Access over evidence

In Australia, approved medicines undergo rigorous clinical testing before they’re registered. Drug manufacturers’ applications to the TGA normally include detailed data on efficacy as well as long-term safety monitoring and quality controls.

But driven by patient advocacy, political responsiveness, and commercial momentum, medicinal cannabis has come to reflect a different model.

Most medicinal cannabis products – bar two which have TGA approval – lack the evidence demonstrating safety, quality and efficacy required of registered pharmaceuticals.

In other words, the majority are not subject to the rigorous trials or data standards required for formal registration with the TGA’s Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

For many doctors, whose prescribing has traditionally been guided by strong trial data and rigorous regulatory review, this doesn’t sit well.

Doctors are often flying blind

While companies can legally sell cannabis products via access schemes without investing in clinical research, doctors are expected to prescribe without consistent information on what works, for whom, and at what dose.

The TGA oversees access pathways but is neither resourced nor mandated to provide clinical oversight or direct support to prescribers, leaving many clinicians to navigate the system alone.

Prescriptions are frequently granted via telehealth and posted to patients.

Growing concerns have emerged that some care models – particularly high-volume telehealth services – are prioritising patient throughput over clinical judgment, and not spending enough time with patients.

For example, Ahpra reported eight practitioners issued more than 10,000 medicinal cannabis scripts in a six-month period, while one appeared to have issued in excess of 17,000.

The surge in prescribing has been further shaped by active marketing from some cannabis companies, outpacing the development of coordinated clinical guidance and safety monitoring infrastructure.

Many people who get a script for medicinal cannabis do so via telehealth.
Geber86/Shutterstock

Access and affordability: a system failing patients

Some people, including those living in rural and remote areas, can find it difficult to navigate medicinal cannabis prescribing processes. This can be due to limited digital access and fewer opportunities for follow-up with a local GP. These challenges make it harder for people to make informed decisions about their care.

Cost is also a major issue, particularly where bulk billing is unavailable or multiple consultations are needed. This is on top of the cost of the products.

One of the two TGA-approved medicinal cannabis products, Sativex, used to treat muscle stiffness in multiple sclerosis, is not currently subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This means patients pay the full cost, which ranges between A$700 and $800 for a 6–8 week supply.

Read more:
We looked at 54 medicinal cannabis websites to see if they followed the rules. Here’s what we found

What needs to change?

Australia’s medicinal cannabis system is based on a fragmented evidence base and a fast-growing market operating with limited visibility into how products are used or evaluated. Addressing these challenges will require coordinated reform across multiple fronts.

1. Capture real-world data

Most urgently, we need robust, real-world data. To deliver safe and equitable care, we must know how medicinal cannabis is being prescribed, for what conditions, under what circumstances, and with what outcomes.

Without this, we cannot answer the most basic questions about clinical benefits or track adverse events.

Real-world data, such as de-identified health information from clinics, could help inform better clinical and policy decisions.

2. Build a national accreditation model

Australia needs a national prescriber accreditation model for medicinal cannabis, developed in collaboration with clinicians, regulators and professional bodies.

Such a model would help ensure prescribing is clinically appropriate, evidence-informed, and consistent with evolving standards of care. In practice, this would mean health professionals would need to complete specific training before prescribing medicinal cannabis.

This approach is not without precedent. For example, some health professionals must undergo immuniser accreditation before they can administer vaccines independently.

3. Tackle inequity

Finally, we must confront persistent access inequities. That includes exploring government subsidies for TGA-approved medicinal cannabis products. No one should have to choose between financial hardship and safe access.

Dr Christine Hallinan, Senior Reseach Fellow, conducted research on the pharmacovigilance of medicinal cannabis at the University of Melbourne as part of the Pharmacovigilance theme within the Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), which was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) through the Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) scheme. She served as an Associate Investigator on ACRE from 2017 to 2023. Christine Hallinan is also a member of an Expert Roundtable on medicinal cannabis, chaired by Ian Freckelton AO KC and facilitated by Montu. The Roundtable brings together experts from medicine, law, research, and policy to contribute recommendations for a more evidence-based and fit-for-purpose regulatory framework. These roles are disclosed in the interest of transparency and do not influence the content or conclusions of this work.

– ref. Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform – https://theconversation.com/confusing-for-doctors-inequitable-for-patients-why-australias-medicinal-cannabis-system-needs-urgent-reform-257249

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Our Rights are Non-Negotiable: How Reservations to the Maputo Protocol are Holding Back Women’s Rights in Africa (By Deborah Nyokabi and Gicuku Kiragu)

Source: APO

By Deborah Nyokabi (http://apo-opa.co/3GFEO0H) and Gicuku Kiragu (http://apo-opa.co/4eJwzNC), Legal Equality Experts, Equality Now (www.EqualityNow.org).

July 2025 marks 22 years since the adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (http://apo-opa.co/4lsiHdm) – known as the Maputo Protocol – by the African Union Heads of State Assembly. Over the past two decades, the Protocol has played a pivotal role in advancing the rights of women and girls across the continent. Yet, despite this progress, its full promise remains unfulfilled for millions due to shortfalls in ratification, domestication, and effective implementation by many African governments.

Reservations to the Maputo Protocol – instances when states choose not to be bound by specific provisions of the treaty – continue to limit key rights such as access to safe abortion, protection from child marriage, fair legal treatment in divorce, and the right to inherit property.

These reservations, often supported by cultural or religious justifications, have real-life and potentially devastating consequences, particularly for survivors of gender-based violence and marginalised women and girls who are especially in need of legal protection.

Women’s rights are increasingly under threat from rollback

Reservations against the Protocol constrict the scope of legal protections at a time when hard-won women’s rights are increasingly being undermined by rollbacks around the world. In Africa (http://apo-opa.co/4lxrPxo) and elsewhere, anti-gender actors are a serious threat to women’s rights (http://apo-opa.co/46EM3QU), gender and sexuality diversity, and democracy itself.

This concerning trend is highlighted in Equality Now’s 2025 report, Words & Deeds: Holding Governments Accountable in the Beijing+30 Review Process (http://apo-opa.co/40jdgVz), which identifies how legal protections for women and girls in some countries have been weakened or overturned through regressive legislative changes, judicial rulings, and funding cuts.

State reservations against the Maputo Protocol hinder women’s human rights

The option to enter reservations on treaty documents is integral to the international human rights system. It serves as a tool for encouraging states to ratify treaty documents with the assurance that they can maintain and protect their sovereignty. However, this flexibility comes with significant drawbacks (http://apo-opa.co/4eRclSf) to human rights as a whole.

The Maputo Protocol is a legally binding treaty that seeks to “ensure that the rights of women are promoted, realised and protected (http://apo-opa.co/4llpy8c) in order to enable them to fully enjoy all their human rights.” When states enter reservations, they effectively lower the minimum human rights standards established by the Protocol within their jurisdictions, undermining its overall impact. As a result, reservations have hindered, both legally and in practice, the treaty’s ability to comprehensively improve the lives of women and girls in the affected countries.

For example, Uganda’s reservations to Article 14(1)(a), which calls for adequate, affordable and accessible health services, and Article 14(2)(c), focusing on protecting women’s reproductive rights, has significantly limited women’s reproductive autonomy and has contribute to high rates of unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, particularly among survivors of rape and incest.

In Kenya, the reservation to Article 14(2)(c) contradicts its own Constitution and contributes to at least 2,600 maternal deaths annually from unsafe abortions. Kenya has also opted out of commitments under Article 10(3), which calls on States Parties to take necessary measures to reduce military expenditure, resulting in lower investment for essential maternal healthcare and social development.

Mauritius’s reservation on Article 14(2)(c) has prevented the provision of comprehensive reproductive healthcare. While allowing abortion under limited circumstances, imposing police reporting requirements and a 14-week limit leaves many women and girls without viable options.

State reservations of the Maputo Protocol are failing families and women

Countries’ reservations to Article 6, which relates to marriage, enable marriage inequality and child marriage. For example, Ethiopia and South Africa’s reservations permit unregistered marriages, exposing women to increased risk of child marriage and denying them legal protections in marital disputes.

Namibia’s failure to recognise customary marriages means women in such unions lack legal safeguards in divorce or inheritance, a situation unaddressed even in its new Marriage Act of 2024.

In Algeria, the state’s reservation allows for exceptions to the legal minimum age of marriage, enabling child marriage to persist under civil and customary law. Reservations on Article 7 – governing separation, divorce and annulment of marriage – restrict women’s ability to seek divorce unless they meet specific conditions. Even in no-fault cases, women must pay a cash settlement to their husbands.

Meanwhile, Algeria’s reservations against Article 14, which outlines reproductive rights, have also fostered conditions that perpetuate child marriage, obstruct women’s access to divorce, and deny rape survivors access to safe abortion.

Reservations to Article 7 in Ethiopia enable non-judicial separations, with couples informally separating without going to court. This undermines legal oversight and often results in unfair property settlements and loss of child custody for women.

Ethiopia’s reservation to Article 21 on inheritance limits widows’ rights as the state requires them to be explicitly named in a will, leaving many economically vulnerable. In the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), reservations block widows’ rights to protection from degrading treatment and undermine their custodial and remarriage rights, reinforcing patriarchal control and exclusion.

The SADR has issued multiple sweeping reservations, including on integrating gender perspectives in national policy, ensuring equality in family law, and protecting widows’ rights. These undermine not only legal reforms but the broader societal shifts required for gender equality. Restrictions on reproductive rights further compound the oppression of women in this territory.

Calling on governments to withdraw reservations against the Maputo Protocol

The adoption in March 2025 of Resolution 632 (LXXXII) 2025 on the Need to Raise Awareness for States to Withdraw Reservations on Some Provisions of the Maputo Protocol (http://apo-opa.co/4eS4zrg) by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is a welcome move as this resolution will help develop a framework to guide African Union Member States on lifting reservations in collaboration with stakeholders, including Equality Now.

In the face of growing resistance to gender equality and mounting efforts to erode women’s rights across Africa and globally, the Maputo Protocol stands as a robust legal framework to safeguard hard-won gains and push for further progress. However, the Protocol’s transformative potential can only be fulfilled if states withdraw the reservations that dilute its protections. These carve-outs deny millions of women and girls access to justice, safety, autonomy, and equality.

It is imperative that all stakeholders stand together to resist the growing anti-gender backlash and hold the line in defence of equality and justice for all. Women’s human rights are not negotiable. They are inalienable, indivisible, interdependent, and universal.

At this pivotal moment, African governments must uphold all their legal and moral obligations under the Protocol and collaborate meaningfully with civil society to ensure that every woman and girl in Africa can live with dignity, free from violence, discrimination, and inequality.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equality Now.

For media enquiries, contact:
Michelle Tuva,
Regional Communications Officer, Africa,
mtuva@equalitynow.org

Tara Carey,
Global Head of Media,
Equality Now,
Tcarey@equalitynow.org,
T. +44 (0)7971556340 (available on WhatsApp and Signal)

Social Media:
Bluesky: http://apo-opa.co/44DSZwB
Facebook: http://apo-opa.co/3Gq3MkG
Instagram: http://apo-opa.co/4luKTMH
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/44vye69

About Equality Now:
Equality Now (www.EqualityNow.org) is a worldwide human rights organisation dedicated to securing the legal and systemic change needed to end discrimination against all women and girls. Since its inception in 1992, it has played a role in reforming 120 discriminatory laws globally, positively impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of women and girls, their communities and nations, both now and for generations to come.

Working with partners at national, regional and global levels, Equality Now draws on deep legal expertise and a diverse range of social, political and cultural perspectives to continue to lead the way in steering, shaping and driving the change needed to achieve enduring gender equality, to the benefit of all.

For more details, go to www.EqualityNow.org

Media files

.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 14, 2025
Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands region, geophysics agency says

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands region on Monday, the country’s geophysics agency said, adding there was no tsunami potential.

The quake was at a depth of 98 km (60.89 miles), the agency said.

The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported that the quake was of 6.8 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles).

Tremors were felt in several small towns in eastern Indonesia, the agency said.

There was no immediate reports of damage, said Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.

Indonesia straddles the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the Earth’s crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanic activity.

(Reuters)

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s economic development zones to further facilitate new quality productive forces

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

China’s economic development zones to further facilitate new quality productive forces

BEIJING, July 14 — China’s national economic development zones will continue to play a role in fostering new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, according to an official speaking on the latest episode of the China Economic Roundtable, the all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

In doing so, efforts will focus on fostering synergy between sci-tech and industrial innovation, said Ji Xiaofeng, an official with China’s commerce ministry.

China’s national-level economic development zones currently host over 700 national incubators and maker spaces as well as more than 18 percent of the country’s high-tech enterprises, she said at the roundtable.

“We will strive to set up more industrial innovation platforms while building a complete chain for product certification, large-scale production and testing to accelerate technological innovation and application of such advances in national economic development zones,” said Ji.

She said China will support national economic development zones in carrying out major technological upgrades and large-scale equipment renewals to accelerate the transformation and upgrades of traditional industries.

National economic development zones will also develop strategic emerging industries such as biomedicine, new energy, new materials and aerospace, and make forward-looking planning for future industries, according to Ji.

In one of the latest policy pushes, China unveiled a work plan earlier this year encouraging national economic development zones to foster new quality productive forces in light of local conditions by establishing more industrial innovation platforms and computing power infrastructure, among other approaches.

China established its first national-level economic development zone in the northeastern city of Dalian in 1984. In 2024, the number of such zones reached 232, generating a regional GDP of 16.9 trillion yuan (about 2.36 trillion U.S. dollars).

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025

MIL-OSI: Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”) – Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo and 2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”)

Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo

And

2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

14 July 2025 – Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSXV: FO, AIM: FOG) is pleased to announce that Shenandoah S2-2H ST1 (“SS-2H ST1”) achieved an average 60-day initial production (“IP60”) flow rate of 6.8 million cubic feet per day (“MMcf/d”) over 1,671-metres (5,483-foot) across a 35 stage stimulated horizontal within the Amungee Member B-Shale in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory, Australia, making it the highest IP60 result in the Beetaloo to date.

Points to note:

The average flow rate of 12.4 MMcf/d over a normalized 10,000-foot horizontal section remains in-line with an average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period. The results demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin to the Australian domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States.
The exit rate maintains a steady, low-declining curve at 6.4 MMcf/d with a flowing wellhead pressure of ~720 psi and has exhibited less decline than that of the Shenandoah South 1H well (“SS-1H”) over the last 30 days of testing.
For further details on the SS-2H ST1 flow test including a table, and charts please refer to Appendix A.

Drilling Campaign Gets Underway

The 2025 drilling campaign has now commenced targeting up to three 10,000-foot horizontal wells to be drilled back-to-back over the next few months. This will complete the drilling phase of the five well Shenandoah South pilot program.
As previously announced, Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (“Falcon Australia”) has no cost exposure to the drilling of these three wells as it opted to reduce its participating interest in the three wells to 0%.

Philip O’Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented:

“The IP60 flow rate results announced today of 6.8 MMcf/d are truly stellar and mark another major data point in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, again demonstrating that it compares to the best shale wells in the United States. These results, coupled with the average 30-day initial production exceeding Falcon’s pre-drill commercial threshold of a normalised flow rate of 3 MMcf/d per 1,000 metres, all point towards the significant resource potential of the Beetaloo.

The commencement of the 2025 three well drilling campaign, which is the largest drilling campaign in the Beetaloo to date, will hopefully provide further evidence of the real commercial potential of the Beetaloo.

We look forward to updating the market as soon as these drilling results become available.”

Ends.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.	+353 1 676 8702
Philip O’Quigley, CEO	+353 87 814 7042
Anne Flynn, CFO	+353 1 676 9162

Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (NOMAD & Broker)
Neil McDonald / Adam Rae	+44 131 220 9771

This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gábor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd’s Technical Advisor. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eötvös L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG.

About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited is a c. 98% subsidiary of Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.

For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Please visit www.falconoilandgas.com

About Beetaloo Joint Venture (EP 76, 98 and 117)

Company	Interest
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia)	22.5%
Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited (“Tamboran”)	77.5%
Total	100.0%

Shenandoah South Pilot Project -2 Drilling Space Units – 46,080 acres¹

Company	Interest
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia)	5.0%
Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited	95.0%
Total	100.0%

¹Subject to the completion of SS–4H wells on the Shenandoah South pad 2.

About Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited
Tamboran (B1) Pty Limited (“Tamboran B1”) is the 100% holder of Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited, with Tamboran B1 being a 50:50 joint venture between Tamboran Resources Corporation and Daly Waters Energy, LP.

Tamboran Resources Corporation is a natural gas company listed on the NYSE (TBN) and ASX (TBN). Tamboran is focused on playing a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future, by developing the significant low CO₂ gas resource within the Beetaloo Sub-basin through cutting-edge drilling and completion design technology as well as management’s experience in successfully commercialising unconventional shale in North America.

Bryan Sheffield of Daly Waters Energy, LP is a highly successful investor and has made significant returns in the US unconventional energy sector in the past. He was Founder of Parsley Energy Inc. (“PE”), an independent unconventional oil and gas producer in the Permian Basin, Texas and previously served as its Chairman and CEO. PE was acquired for over US$7 billion by Pioneer Natural Resources Company.

Appendix A – SS-2H ST1 Flow Test Details

Note to reader: Please refer to the PDF attachment included at the end of this press release for further details including a table and charts related to the SS-2H ST1 flow test results.

Advisory regarding forward-looking statements

Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “projects”, “dependent”, “consider” “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “anticipated”, “outlook”, “budget”, “hope”, “suggest”, “support” “planned”, “approximately”, “potential” or the negative of those terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, details on the IP60 flow test results of SS-2H ST1 including assumptions that the results are in line with average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period and that they demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin in the Australian Domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States; consistency of the results of SS-2H ST1 with SS-1H; belief the average 30-day initial production of a normalised flow rate of 3 MMcf/d per 1,000 metres is a commercial threshold and coupled with the IP60 flow rate points towards the significant resource potential of the Beetaloo; and details on the 2025 three well drilling campaign which has commenced.

This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. The risks, assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results include risks associated with fluctuations in market prices for shale gas; risks related to the exploration, development and production of shale gas reserves; general economic, market and business conditions; substantial capital requirements; uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of reserves and resources; extent of, and cost of compliance with, government laws and regulations and the effect of changes in such laws and regulations; the need to obtain regulatory approvals before development commences; environmental risks and hazards and the cost of compliance with environmental regulations; aboriginal claims; inherent risks and hazards with operations such as mechanical or pipe failure, cratering and other dangerous conditions; potential cost overruns, drilling wells is speculative, often involving significant costs that may be more than estimated and may not result in any discoveries; variations in foreign exchange rates; competition for capital, equipment, new leases, pipeline capacity and skilled personnel; the failure of the holder of licenses, leases and permits to meet requirements of such; changes in royalty regimes; failure to accurately estimate abandonment and reclamation costs; inaccurate estimates and assumptions by management and/or their joint venture partners; effectiveness of internal controls; the potential lack of available drilling equipment; failure to obtain or keep key personnel; title deficiencies; geo-political risks; and risk of litigation.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive and that these factors and risks are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon’s filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com, including under “Risk Factors” in the Annual Information Form.

Any references in this news release to initial production rates are useful in confirming the presence of hydrocarbons; however, such rates are not determinative of the rates at which such wells will continue production and decline thereafter and are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or ultimate recovery. While encouraging, readers are cautioned not to place reliance on such rates in calculating the aggregate production for Falcon. Such rates are based on field estimates and may be based on limited data available at this time.

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

Attachment

061425 Final Falcon Press Release – SS-2H ST1 IP60 v2

The MIL Network –

July 14, 2025

MIL-OSI: Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”) – Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo and 2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (“Falcon”)

Another Stellar IP60 Flow Test Result in the Beetaloo

And

2025 Drilling Campaign Commences

Points to note:

The average flow rate of 12.4 MMcf/d over a normalized 10,000-foot horizontal section remains in-line with an average of more than 11,000 wells in the Marcellus Shale dry gas area on production over a 12-month period. The results demonstrate the commercial deliverability of gas from the Beetaloo Sub-basin to the Australian domestic East Coast gas market that typically sells at a premium to Henry Hub in the United States.
The exit rate maintains a steady, low-declining curve at 6.4 MMcf/d with a flowing wellhead pressure of ~720 psi and has exhibited less decline than that of the Shenandoah South 1H well (“SS-1H”) over the last 30 days of testing.
For further details on the SS-2H ST1 flow test including a table, and charts please refer to Appendix A.

Drilling Campaign Gets Underway

The 2025 drilling campaign has now commenced targeting up to three 10,000-foot horizontal wells to be drilled back-to-back over the next few months. This will complete the drilling phase of the five well Shenandoah South pilot program.
As previously announced, Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (“Falcon Australia”) has no cost exposure to the drilling of these three wells as it opted to reduce its participating interest in the three wells to 0%.

Philip O’Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented:

We look forward to updating the market as soon as these drilling results become available.”

Ends.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.	+353 1 676 8702
Philip O’Quigley, CEO	+353 87 814 7042
Anne Flynn, CFO	+353 1 676 9162

Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (NOMAD & Broker)
Neil McDonald / Adam Rae	+44 131 220 9771

Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited is a c. 98% subsidiary of Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd.

For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Please visit www.falconoilandgas.com

About Beetaloo Joint Venture (EP 76, 98 and 117)

Company	Interest
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia)	22.5%
Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited (“Tamboran”)	77.5%
Total	100.0%

Shenandoah South Pilot Project -2 Drilling Space Units – 46,080 acres¹

Company	Interest
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Limited (Falcon Australia)	5.0%
Tamboran (B2) Pty Limited	95.0%
Total	100.0%

¹Subject to the completion of SS–4H wells on the Shenandoah South pad 2.

Appendix A – SS-2H ST1 Flow Test Details

Note to reader: Please refer to the PDF attachment included at the end of this press release for further details including a table and charts related to the SS-2H ST1 flow test results.

Advisory regarding forward-looking statements

Attachment

061425 Final Falcon Press Release – SS-2H ST1 IP60 v2

The MIL Network –

July 14, 2025

MIL-Evening Report: Author condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific

Asia Pacific Report

A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.

David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.

French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.

Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.

“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.

About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.

“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.

Plantu cartoon
“And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.

“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.

“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’

Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report

He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.

Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”

Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.

“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.

Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace

French perspective
Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.

“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.

“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”

Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.

“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”

Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.

“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”

‘Elective monarchy’ trend
Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”

He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”

The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.

Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.

He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.

Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press

Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.

“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.

“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”

So threatened
The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.

“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.

“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.

“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.

“And of course David was a key part in that.”

O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.

“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”

Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR

Other speakers
Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.

“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.

“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”

She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.

Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.

He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Author condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific

Asia Pacific Report

A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.

David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.

French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.

Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.

“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.

About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.

“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.

Plantu cartoon
“And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.

“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.

“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’

Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report

He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.

Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”

Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.

“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.

Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace

French perspective
Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.

“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.

“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”

Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.

“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”

Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.

“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”

‘Elective monarchy’ trend
Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”

He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”

The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.

Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.

He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.

Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press

Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.

“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.

“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”

So threatened
The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.

“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.

“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.

“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.

“And of course David was a key part in that.”

O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.

“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”

Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR

Other speakers
Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.

“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.

“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”

She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.

Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.

He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology

Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY

Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks.

The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias have been revived too.

But the latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development. Musk claims to be building a “truth-seeking” AI free from bias, yet the technical implementation reveals systemic ideological programming.

This amounts to an accidental case study in how AI systems embed their creators’ values, with Musk’s unfiltered public presence making visible what other companies typically obscure.

What is Grok?

Grok is an AI chatbot with “a twist of humor and a dash of rebellion” developed by xAI, which also owns the X social media platform.

The first version of Grok launched in 2023. Independent evaluations suggest the latest model, Grok 4, outpaces competitors on “intelligence” tests. The chatbot is available standalone and on X.

xAI states “AI’s knowledge should be all-encompassing and as far-reaching as possible”. Musk has previously positioned Grok as a truth-telling alternative to chatbots accused of being “woke” by right-wing commentators.

But beyond the latest Nazism scandal, Grok has made headlines for generating threats of sexual violence, bringing up “white genocide” in South Africa, and making insulting statements about politicians. The latter led to its ban in Turkey.

So how do developers imbue an AI with such values and shape chatbot behaviour? Today’s chatbots are built using large language models (LLMs), which offer several levers developers can lean on.

What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?

Pre-training

First, developers curate the data used during pre-training – the first step in building a chatbot. This involves not just filtering unwanted content, but also emphasising desired material.

GPT-3 was shown Wikipedia up to six times more than other datasets as OpenAI considered it higher quality. Grok is trained on various sources, including posts from X, which might explain why Grok has been reported to check Elon Musk’s opinion on controversial topics.

Musk has shared that xAI curates Grok’s training data, for example to improve legal knowledge and to remove LLM-generated content for quality control. He also appealed to the X community for difficult “galaxy brain” problems and facts that are “politically incorrect, but nonetheless factually true”.

We don’t know if these data were used, or what quality-control measures were applied.

Fine-tuning

The second step, fine-tuning, adjusts LLM behaviour using feedback. Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot’s responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.

A Business Insider investigation revealed xAI’s instructions to human
“AI tutors” instructed them to look for “woke ideology” and “cancel culture”. While the onboarding documents said Grok shouldn’t “impose an opinion that confirms or denies a user’s bias”, they also stated it should avoid responses that claim both sides of a debate have merit when they do not.

System prompts

The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.

To its credit, xAI publishes Grok’s system prompts. Its instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated” were likely key factors in the latest controversy.

These prompts are being updated daily at the time of writing, and their evolution is a fascinating case study in itself.

Guardrails

Finally, developers can also add guardrails – filters that block certain requests or responses. OpenAI claims it doesn’t permit ChatGPT “to generate hateful, harassing, violent or adult content”. Meanwhile, the Chinese model DeepSeek censors discussion of Tianamen Square.

Ad-hoc testing when writing this article suggests Grok is much less restrained in this regard than competitor products.

The transparency paradox

Grok’s Nazi controversy highlights a deeper ethical issue: would we prefer AI companies to be explicitly ideological and honest about it, or maintain the fiction of neutrality while secretly embedding their values?

Every major AI system reflects its creator’s worldview – from Microsoft Copilot’s risk-averse corporate perspective to Anthropic Claude’s safety-focused ethos. The difference is transparency.

Musk’s public statements make it easy to trace Grok’s behaviours back to Musk’s stated beliefs about “woke ideology” and media bias. Meanwhile, when other platforms misfire spectacularly, we’re left guessing whether this reflects leadership views, corporate risk aversion, regulatory pressure, or accident.

This feels familiar. Grok resembles Microsoft’s 2016 hate-speech-spouting Tay chatbot, also trained on Twitter data and set loose on Twitter before being shut down.

But there’s a crucial difference. Tay’s racism emerged from user manipulation and poor safeguards – an unintended consequence. Grok’s behaviour appears to stem at least partially from its design.

The real lesson from Grok is about honesty in AI development. As these systems become more powerful and widespread (Grok support in Tesla vehicles was just announced), the question isn’t whether AI will reflect human values. It’s whether companies will be transparent about whose values they’re encoding and why.

Musk’s approach is simultaneously more honest (we can see his influence) and more deceptive (claiming objectivity while programming subjectivity) than his competitors.

In an industry built on the myth of neutral algorithms, Grok reveals what’s been true all along: there’s no such thing as unbiased AI – only AI whose biases we can see with varying degrees of clarity.

Aaron J. Snoswell previously received research funding from OpenAI in 2024–2025 to develop new evaluation frameworks for measuring moral competence in AI agents.

– ref. How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training – https://theconversation.com/how-do-you-stop-an-ai-model-turning-nazi-what-the-grok-drama-reveals-about-ai-training-261001

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology

Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY

Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks.

The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias have been revived too.

But the latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development. Musk claims to be building a “truth-seeking” AI free from bias, yet the technical implementation reveals systemic ideological programming.

This amounts to an accidental case study in how AI systems embed their creators’ values, with Musk’s unfiltered public presence making visible what other companies typically obscure.

What is Grok?

Grok is an AI chatbot with “a twist of humor and a dash of rebellion” developed by xAI, which also owns the X social media platform.

The first version of Grok launched in 2023. Independent evaluations suggest the latest model, Grok 4, outpaces competitors on “intelligence” tests. The chatbot is available standalone and on X.

xAI states “AI’s knowledge should be all-encompassing and as far-reaching as possible”. Musk has previously positioned Grok as a truth-telling alternative to chatbots accused of being “woke” by right-wing commentators.

But beyond the latest Nazism scandal, Grok has made headlines for generating threats of sexual violence, bringing up “white genocide” in South Africa, and making insulting statements about politicians. The latter led to its ban in Turkey.

So how do developers imbue an AI with such values and shape chatbot behaviour? Today’s chatbots are built using large language models (LLMs), which offer several levers developers can lean on.

What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?

Pre-training

First, developers curate the data used during pre-training – the first step in building a chatbot. This involves not just filtering unwanted content, but also emphasising desired material.

GPT-3 was shown Wikipedia up to six times more than other datasets as OpenAI considered it higher quality. Grok is trained on various sources, including posts from X, which might explain why Grok has been reported to check Elon Musk’s opinion on controversial topics.

Musk has shared that xAI curates Grok’s training data, for example to improve legal knowledge and to remove LLM-generated content for quality control. He also appealed to the X community for difficult “galaxy brain” problems and facts that are “politically incorrect, but nonetheless factually true”.

We don’t know if these data were used, or what quality-control measures were applied.

Fine-tuning

The second step, fine-tuning, adjusts LLM behaviour using feedback. Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot’s responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.

A Business Insider investigation revealed xAI’s instructions to human
“AI tutors” instructed them to look for “woke ideology” and “cancel culture”. While the onboarding documents said Grok shouldn’t “impose an opinion that confirms or denies a user’s bias”, they also stated it should avoid responses that claim both sides of a debate have merit when they do not.

System prompts

The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.

To its credit, xAI publishes Grok’s system prompts. Its instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated” were likely key factors in the latest controversy.

These prompts are being updated daily at the time of writing, and their evolution is a fascinating case study in itself.

Guardrails

Finally, developers can also add guardrails – filters that block certain requests or responses. OpenAI claims it doesn’t permit ChatGPT “to generate hateful, harassing, violent or adult content”. Meanwhile, the Chinese model DeepSeek censors discussion of Tianamen Square.

Ad-hoc testing when writing this article suggests Grok is much less restrained in this regard than competitor products.

The transparency paradox

Grok’s Nazi controversy highlights a deeper ethical issue: would we prefer AI companies to be explicitly ideological and honest about it, or maintain the fiction of neutrality while secretly embedding their values?

Every major AI system reflects its creator’s worldview – from Microsoft Copilot’s risk-averse corporate perspective to Anthropic Claude’s safety-focused ethos. The difference is transparency.

Musk’s public statements make it easy to trace Grok’s behaviours back to Musk’s stated beliefs about “woke ideology” and media bias. Meanwhile, when other platforms misfire spectacularly, we’re left guessing whether this reflects leadership views, corporate risk aversion, regulatory pressure, or accident.

This feels familiar. Grok resembles Microsoft’s 2016 hate-speech-spouting Tay chatbot, also trained on Twitter data and set loose on Twitter before being shut down.

But there’s a crucial difference. Tay’s racism emerged from user manipulation and poor safeguards – an unintended consequence. Grok’s behaviour appears to stem at least partially from its design.

The real lesson from Grok is about honesty in AI development. As these systems become more powerful and widespread (Grok support in Tesla vehicles was just announced), the question isn’t whether AI will reflect human values. It’s whether companies will be transparent about whose values they’re encoding and why.

Musk’s approach is simultaneously more honest (we can see his influence) and more deceptive (claiming objectivity while programming subjectivity) than his competitors.

In an industry built on the myth of neutral algorithms, Grok reveals what’s been true all along: there’s no such thing as unbiased AI – only AI whose biases we can see with varying degrees of clarity.

Aaron J. Snoswell previously received research funding from OpenAI in 2024–2025 to develop new evaluation frameworks for measuring moral competence in AI agents.

– ref. How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training – https://theconversation.com/how-do-you-stop-an-ai-model-turning-nazi-what-the-grok-drama-reveals-about-ai-training-261001

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology

Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY

Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks.

The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias have been revived too.

But the latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development. Musk claims to be building a “truth-seeking” AI free from bias, yet the technical implementation reveals systemic ideological programming.

This amounts to an accidental case study in how AI systems embed their creators’ values, with Musk’s unfiltered public presence making visible what other companies typically obscure.

What is Grok?

Grok is an AI chatbot with “a twist of humor and a dash of rebellion” developed by xAI, which also owns the X social media platform.

The first version of Grok launched in 2023. Independent evaluations suggest the latest model, Grok 4, outpaces competitors on “intelligence” tests. The chatbot is available standalone and on X.

xAI states “AI’s knowledge should be all-encompassing and as far-reaching as possible”. Musk has previously positioned Grok as a truth-telling alternative to chatbots accused of being “woke” by right-wing commentators.

But beyond the latest Nazism scandal, Grok has made headlines for generating threats of sexual violence, bringing up “white genocide” in South Africa, and making insulting statements about politicians. The latter led to its ban in Turkey.

So how do developers imbue an AI with such values and shape chatbot behaviour? Today’s chatbots are built using large language models (LLMs), which offer several levers developers can lean on.

What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?

Pre-training

First, developers curate the data used during pre-training – the first step in building a chatbot. This involves not just filtering unwanted content, but also emphasising desired material.

GPT-3 was shown Wikipedia up to six times more than other datasets as OpenAI considered it higher quality. Grok is trained on various sources, including posts from X, which might explain why Grok has been reported to check Elon Musk’s opinion on controversial topics.

Musk has shared that xAI curates Grok’s training data, for example to improve legal knowledge and to remove LLM-generated content for quality control. He also appealed to the X community for difficult “galaxy brain” problems and facts that are “politically incorrect, but nonetheless factually true”.

We don’t know if these data were used, or what quality-control measures were applied.

Fine-tuning

The second step, fine-tuning, adjusts LLM behaviour using feedback. Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot’s responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.

A Business Insider investigation revealed xAI’s instructions to human
“AI tutors” instructed them to look for “woke ideology” and “cancel culture”. While the onboarding documents said Grok shouldn’t “impose an opinion that confirms or denies a user’s bias”, they also stated it should avoid responses that claim both sides of a debate have merit when they do not.

System prompts

The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.

To its credit, xAI publishes Grok’s system prompts. Its instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated” were likely key factors in the latest controversy.

These prompts are being updated daily at the time of writing, and their evolution is a fascinating case study in itself.

Guardrails

Finally, developers can also add guardrails – filters that block certain requests or responses. OpenAI claims it doesn’t permit ChatGPT “to generate hateful, harassing, violent or adult content”. Meanwhile, the Chinese model DeepSeek censors discussion of Tianamen Square.

Ad-hoc testing when writing this article suggests Grok is much less restrained in this regard than competitor products.

The transparency paradox

Grok’s Nazi controversy highlights a deeper ethical issue: would we prefer AI companies to be explicitly ideological and honest about it, or maintain the fiction of neutrality while secretly embedding their values?

Every major AI system reflects its creator’s worldview – from Microsoft Copilot’s risk-averse corporate perspective to Anthropic Claude’s safety-focused ethos. The difference is transparency.

Musk’s public statements make it easy to trace Grok’s behaviours back to Musk’s stated beliefs about “woke ideology” and media bias. Meanwhile, when other platforms misfire spectacularly, we’re left guessing whether this reflects leadership views, corporate risk aversion, regulatory pressure, or accident.

This feels familiar. Grok resembles Microsoft’s 2016 hate-speech-spouting Tay chatbot, also trained on Twitter data and set loose on Twitter before being shut down.

But there’s a crucial difference. Tay’s racism emerged from user manipulation and poor safeguards – an unintended consequence. Grok’s behaviour appears to stem at least partially from its design.

The real lesson from Grok is about honesty in AI development. As these systems become more powerful and widespread (Grok support in Tesla vehicles was just announced), the question isn’t whether AI will reflect human values. It’s whether companies will be transparent about whose values they’re encoding and why.

Musk’s approach is simultaneously more honest (we can see his influence) and more deceptive (claiming objectivity while programming subjectivity) than his competitors.

In an industry built on the myth of neutral algorithms, Grok reveals what’s been true all along: there’s no such thing as unbiased AI – only AI whose biases we can see with varying degrees of clarity.

Aaron J. Snoswell previously received research funding from OpenAI in 2024–2025 to develop new evaluation frameworks for measuring moral competence in AI agents.

– ref. How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training – https://theconversation.com/how-do-you-stop-an-ai-model-turning-nazi-what-the-grok-drama-reveals-about-ai-training-261001

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 1st official taxi fleet licence issued

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

An official Taxi Fleet Licence has been issued to SynCab Taxi (mixed fleet), operated by SynCab Service, in accordance with the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations for a period of five years, with the fleet starting services, including online hailing services, today.

The Transport Department said it has approved the taxi livery design and markings of the fleet which has to display fleet taxi plates at the front and rear as well as a fleet taxi certificate on the windscreen.

Fleet taxis may customise fares for pre-arranged journeys, charging a booking fee on top of the metered fare or charging a lump sum fare before the journey starts. Both must be agreed with the hirer in advance.

The fares of fleet taxis may vary for pre-arranged journeys, depending on the time of booking and the types of taxis the passengers request. Higher fares may be charged during peak hours or when the passenger requests a premium taxi.

For street-hailing trips, fleet taxis shall charge according to the same fare schedule as general taxis. The department has set up a website, providing information on the taxi fleet service.

There are about 80 designated fleet taxi stopping places at 13 locations such as the airport, certain boundary control points and Airport Express stations, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Information plates will be installed at these locations. The department will put up signage and display panels at some of the locations, and display online hailing QR codes via leaflets and posters for the public and tourists to make their bookings.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Three killed, three wounded in shootout in Kentucky

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

NEW YORK, July 13 (Xinhua) — Two women, aged 72 and 32, were killed in a shooting in the U.S. state of Kentucky on Sunday, officials said.

The incident occurred around 11:35 a.m. ET near Blue Grass Airport, where a police officer pulled over a vehicle after receiving a signal to read the license plates. The suspect, who was in the vehicle, shot the officer, stole another car and fled the scene before driving to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where he killed two women, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Withers said at a news conference.

The fleeing suspect wounded two people before being shot by three police officers who arrived at the scene and declared dead. The injured officer is in stable condition.

In a post on social media platform X, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear called the incident a “senseless act of violence” and thanked local police for their prompt response. –0–

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

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
Kentucky church shooting leaves three dead, including suspect

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

A gunman killed two women at a church in Kentucky and shot and wounded a state trooper outside an airport on Sunday before police were able to shoot him to death, authorities said.

The women were killed at the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington. Two men were also wounded there, including one who was in critical condition, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told an afternoon press conference.

Authorities did not provide the suspect’s name or age.

“There are days like today that are extremely difficult,” Weathers said. “Sometimes things happen, you just don’t have a reason why.”

The suspect fired at the trooper after being pulled over near Blue Grass Airport at about 11:30 a.m. in Fayette County, Weathers said. The shooting happened on a road that rings the airport but was not connected to its operations, police said.

The trooper was being treated at a nearby hospital and was in stable condition.

The suspect then carjacked a vehicle about 10 miles (16 km) from the airport and fled to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where the individual began firing at people on the church grounds.

Police tracked the location of the carjacked vehicle to the church.

The police chief did not offer any motive for the shootings, but said there was some indication that the suspect may have known some of the people at the church.

Weathers said Lexington police would conduct an internal review of the shooting, as required by department policies.

The Blue Grass Airport posted on X at 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) that there was a law enforcement investigation affecting a portion of an airport road, but that all flights and operations were now proceeding normally.

(Reuters)

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Storm damage cuts off access to part of Kahurangi National Park

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date: 14 July 2025

DOC Northern South Island Operations Director Martin Rodd says storm damage to DOC-managed sites is wide-spread and it will take time to understand the full extent across conservation areas and facilities.

As of Monday, the region is still in a state of emergency and people are asked to delay their trips until the tracks have had a chance to dry out, Martin says.

“DOC staff are out assessing tracks and other sites where it’s safe to do so. This will take some time as many roads are closed.”

“The situation is changing rapidly and people should check DOC’s website for up-to-date information about particular huts and tracks.”  

DOC knows about some significant damage already, with the Motueka area seemingly the hardest hit, Martin says.

“In Kahurangi National Park, there’s no access to Flora car park as Graham Valley Rd is closed as a section has been undercut by the river. This closure is expected to be in place for some time. Flora car park is commonly used to access the region’s most popular alpine walks including Wharepapa/Mt Arthur tracks and huts.

“The access road into the Cobb Valley has several large slips across it and is impassable, and access to the Wangapeka is closed by the wider flood response. This means all access roads to the south-eastern part of the Kahurangi are closed.”

Martin says Abel Tasman Coast Track is being assessed as a priority and one section has been temporarily closed.

“Due to cracking on the track, the southern section between Mārahau and Anchorage has been closed for safety while we have a damage assessment done. This will happen in the coming days.

“At the northern end, the access road to Tōtaranui is also closed due to slips.

“We’ve had reports of some small slips, treefall and other minor impacts on other parts of the track which we will tidy up when we can.

“Heaphy Track remains open but there is some minor damage, and anyone using the track once it has dried out should take extra care.”

This was the second major weather event in as many weeks and some DOC sites were already affected, Martin says.

“In the Blenheim region, the Whites Bay campsite and the local tracks remains closed as it suffered significant damage from flooding in late-June.

“Several access roads in the Marlborough Sounds and into the Mount Richmond Forest Park are also closed.”

Martin says staff are working on a plan to repair the track damage where possible, but this will take some time, and there’s currently no timeline or estimate of how much this could cost.

“Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by this damaging weather event,” Martin says.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

July 14, 2025

Category: Transport

Future of the Post Office to be shaped by postmasters and customers

Share this page

Updates to this page

Atrocities of the Khmer Rouge

From repression to reflection

Taxes “need to be raised”

Housing target “will not be met”

Concerns about the US

What is medicinal cannabis used for?

What does the evidence say?

Access over evidence

Doctors are often flying blind

Access and affordability: a system failing patients

What needs to change?

What is Grok?

What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?

The transparency paradox

What is Grok?

What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?

The transparency paradox

What is Grok?

What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?

The transparency paradox

Contact