Category: Transport

MIL-OSI Analysis: People smugglers adapt to attempts to shut them down – financial sanctions won’t stop the boats

Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Suber, Departmental Lecturer in Criminology, University of Oxford

In the latest attempt to crack down on irregular migration, the UK government has announced a raft of international sanctions against people smugglers. The sanctions will use asset freezes, travel bans and other financial restrictions to go after businesses and individuals thought to be facilitating smuggling operations.

The government has committed to treating irregular migration as a national security threat, to be tackled with tools drawn from the counter-terrorism playbook. But, given the supply and demand forces that drive the smuggling industry, sanctions may not be effective.

Smuggling is, essentially, a service industry. Opportunistic entrepreneurs charge migrants a fee to enable them to cross borders they wouldn’t otherwise be able to.

These operations rely on wide networks: suppliers of dinghies and vehicles, informal money transfer brokers, local guides skilled at avoiding detection. While the routes and logistics vary across regions, empirical research consistently shows that smuggling is usually low-skill and fragmented. It’s rarely the domain of organised, mafia-style cartels.

This regime of sanctions and asset freezes adds a new tactic to a familiar policy toolbox. Previous Conservative governments and EU countries have treated smuggling as a form of organised crime that can only be defeated through security responses. They’ve invested in surveillance, border walls and policing at home and internationally. Evidence suggests this approach is not only ineffective – it can backfire.

Why sanctions may miss the target

Smugglers and migrants alike operate in highly hostile environments. Evading detection and minimising risk is essential. This has made migrant smuggling particularly adaptable to criminal justice responses.

Take money transfers between migrants and smugglers. Smuggling fees are often handled through the informal “hawala” money transfer system. A migrant deposits funds with a broker in the departure country, who holds the money and issues a code. Only once the migrant has safely arrived at their destination is the code released to a second broker, who then pays the smuggler. Debts between hawala brokers are settled when future operations move money in the opposite direction.

Hawala money transfers are legal in most countries. But as no funds cross borders directly, this type of informal banking lends itself well to transactions that are anonymous and untraceable. The UK’s new sanctions target hawala brokers involved in handling payments between smugglers and their clients. But, in the same way that the structures of smuggling groups have evolved and adapted in response to police or border enforcement, so will their systems to move money safely.

Follow the money: the new sanctions take aim at the business of smuggling.
Andrzej Rostek/Shutterstock

On heavily policed borders such as those in the Balkans, small-scale smugglers, often migrants themselves, have formed more coordinated groups bonded by ethnicity or language. Many of the groups listed in the UK sanctions, such as the Kazawi and Tatwani groups, have been on Interpol’s radar for years.

Even when key figures are arrested, these groups have demonstrated the ability to disband and regroup on a different border. Sometimes they go quiet while developing new strategies, only to resurface in the same areas, driven by unchanged demand in smuggling services. Hawala brokers hit by the new sanction regime are likely to close and restart operations under different names.

How effective can UK sanctions be if the targets and their assets are not in the UK, and if their operations can quickly shift across borders and names? Unless other countries follow suit and enforce similar measures, these sanctions may amount to little more than politically symbolic.

Supply and demand

So long as migration policy focuses almost exclusively on “smashing the gangs” and targeting the supply side of irregular migration, smugglers and other entrepreneurs involved in facilitating it are likely to reinvent themselves and find new, more precarious ways to circumvent border restrictions.

Unless implemented internationally, UK sanctions will do little to change this. But international counter-smuggling responses are highly dependant on the specific circumstances faced by the states involved.

In Italy, right and left-leaning governments have pursued an anti-mafia approach to smuggling for years, with limited results. Earlier this year, Italian authorities arrested suspected trafficker Osama Elmasry Njeem, following a warrant by the International Criminal Court on charges of murder, rape and torture.

They then released him and repatriated him to Libya, sparking a row with the ICC. Although Italy has made deals with with the Libyan government in Tripoli to stop irregular migrant boats, it appears there were concerns that his arrest could strain relations with Libyan counterparts and trigger a surge in boat arrivals from North Africa. This situation highlights the challenges that can arise with such tactics.

The idea that cracking down on smugglers, through sanctions or criminal justice responses, will deter people from seeking their services is not supported by evidence. If anything, it increases the risks migrants must take, making journeys more dangerous but no less likely. Migration flows to Europe rise and fall in patterns driven far more by global instability and lack of legal alternatives than by changes in law enforcement.

Including smugglers in a sanctions regime may create headlines, but it misses the bigger point: people smuggling exists because people need to move. It is a demand-led phenomenon, and it is the demand side – why people turn to smugglers in the first place – that remains largely unaddressed.

To reduce the power and appeal of smugglers, governments need to open safe, legal pathways for migration. This would reduce reliance on illicit networks, protect vulnerable people and restore order to a system that is politically defined by routine crises.

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David Suber received funding from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for his PhD in 2020-2024.

– ref. People smugglers adapt to attempts to shut them down – financial sanctions won’t stop the boats – https://theconversation.com/people-smugglers-adapt-to-attempts-to-shut-them-down-financial-sanctions-wont-stop-the-boats-261864

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Kemi Badenoch says she wants to be Britain’s Javier Milei – but is the Argentinian president a model to follow?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Halvorsen, Reader in Human Geography, Queen Mary University of London

When UK Conservative party head Kemi Badenoch recently declared that she aspires to be Britain’s Milei, she aligned herself with one of the world’s most radical and controversial leaders.

Javier Milei, Argentina’s self-styled “anarcho-capitalist” president, has gained global notoriety since his election in December 2023 for wielding a chainsaw at rallies, promising to destroy the so-called “political caste” and launching a scorched-earth economic reform programme.

But what has Milei actually achieved since entering office? And should Britain really be looking to his administration for inspiration?

Milei swept to power on a wave of anti-establishment anger. Styling himself as an outsider economist rallying against the ruling caste, he promised to slash state spending and replace Argentina’s peso with the more stable US dollar. He also pledged to eliminate entire government ministries, including health, education and culture.

His now-famous “chainsaw plan” proposed a dramatic restructuring of Argentina’s political and economic institutions, which he blamed for decades of stagnation and corruption. Backed by business elites and libertarian ideologues, Milei offered a vision of Argentina remade through radical individualism and state retrenchment.

His campaign, which contained some clear populist tendencies, was built as much on spectacle as substance. It contained daily media outbursts, personal attacks and an anti-caste rhetoric designed to turn governance into performance.

Inflation was central to Milei’s campaign. When he took office, annual inflation in Argentina stood at over 130%, one of the highest rates in the world. Milei promised to bring it under control by slashing the fiscal deficit and enforcing monetary discipline.

Monthly inflation doubled in the first months of his administration, forcing millions of Argentinians further into poverty. But it has fallen below 50% since the middle of 2025, which has been held by the government as a success.

However, the decrease in the inflation rate is the result of economic recession. While international markets have praised Milei’s fiscal orthodoxy, there is little sign of a growth rebound. Investment has stalled, consumption has plummeted and local industries are struggling amid cuts to public procurement.

Consumption has shown signs of recovery in the last few months, but only in the high-income segment. This has deepened a dual reality where middle-class and working sectors cannot make ends meet. Instead of helping the Argentinian economy recover, high-income consumption also pushes the trade balance to deteriorate.

Milei’s government has endeavoured to keep the Argentine peso strong. A strong currency has seen foreign investments paused and, despite ongoing capital controls, millions of US dollars leave the country with a surge in Argentinian tourism abroad. This trend is exactly the opposite of the most controversial of Milei’s promises: to adopt the dollar in Argentina.

Given the critical level of the central bank’s foreign reserves, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the release of a US$4.7 billion (£3.5 billion) loan tranche in April 2024. It is expected to loan an extra US$2 billion before the 2025 mid-term elections in October.

Squeezing Argentinian society

Job losses have been extensive. Tens of thousands of public sector workers have been laid off, and many more have seen their salaries decimated by inflation. Entire agencies have been shut, from science and housing to the post office.

Milei’s framing of public employees as part of a parasitic caste has helped him politically. It has reinforced his anti-establishment credentials and mobilised resentment among private sector workers and the self-employed. But it has further polarised an already fragmented Argentinian society.

Unions and civil society organisations have mobilised in response, organising strikes and mass protests. These have been met in turn with crackdowns, the criminalisation of dissent and expanded police powers.

Meanwhile, Congress has been sidelined. Milei’s critics warn of creeping authoritarianism as the president governs increasingly by decree, perhaps most notably by attempting to fill two vacancies of the Supreme Court in February.

Environmental protection and foreign policy have also been reshaped by Milei’s radical agenda. The ministry of environment was among the agencies targeted for elimination. And Milei’s sweeping law of bases bill, which became law in 2024, included provisions to weaken environmental regulations and accelerate extractive industries such as lithium and oil.

Milei dismisses environmental concerns as leftist distractions from economic freedom. This is a stance echoed in his foreign policy, which has seen Argentina pivot away from regional cooperation. He has snubbed neighbours like Brazil, withdrawn from the accession process to the Brics group of nations and has aligned himself more closely with the US, Israel and the global far right.

He frequently rails against “global socialism”, and presents himself as a figurehead of a new anti-globalist movement. This posture appeals to his domestic base and international allies, but has further isolated Argentina diplomatically and eroded longstanding regional ties.

If Badenoch wants to emulate Milei, it raises serious questions about the political and economic future she envisions for Britain. Argentina is currently living through a radical experiment in state destruction. Despite circumstantially winning praise from bond markets and libertarian circles, it has brought pain, polarisation and increasing levels of repression.

For those looking beyond spectacle, Milei’s presidency offers not a blueprint for bold reform, but a cautionary tale about the dangers of governing by chainsaw.

Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Kemi Badenoch says she wants to be Britain’s Javier Milei – but is the Argentinian president a model to follow? – https://theconversation.com/kemi-badenoch-says-she-wants-to-be-britains-javier-milei-but-is-the-argentinian-president-a-model-to-follow-261915

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Ancient India, Living Traditions: an earnest effort to show how the art of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism is sacred and personal

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ram Prasad, Fellow of the British Academy and Distinguished Professor in the Department Politics, Philosophy and Religion, University of Leicester

The British Museum’s Ancient India, Living Traditions exhibition brings together exhibits on the sacred art of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It also encompasses the spread of the devotional art of these traditions to other parts of Asia.

The exhibition speaks to religious identity and relationships. Buddhism and Jainism distinguish themselves from the vast surrounding traditions that together we call Hinduism; but they have close kinship with it in practices, beliefs and iconography. Museums that have presented sculptures in isolation have usually not attempted to narrate this complex history.

Not all the items displayed, some going back 2,000 years, are of purely historical interest. There are representations of traditions that are continuously living in a way the gods of ancient Egypt or classical Europe are not.

The most instantly recognisable example for visitors of such living ancient tradition is likely to be statues of the elephant-headed deity Ganesha. Visitors can see a rare and valuable 4th century sandstone Ganesha on show. They can also see a small bronze version of that ancient Ganesha that is like the kind you would find in people’s home and to which a quick prayer would be addressed every morning.

The question of how to respect that sense of the sacred while still mounting an exhibition is a moral and aesthetic challenge that few museums (including in India) have started to address. It’s not uncommon to see such pieces wrenched from the reality of their continued practice and presented in secular art displays. Here, however, the curators have tried to make connections between “statues” on display and “icons” in temples and homes.

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Finally, there’s the problematic history of the imperial museum and its need to reckon with its past. Most objects on display in this exhibition, and The British Museum more widely, have been presented with scarcely any acknowledgement of how they came to be acquired.

The exhibition makes an earnest effort to tackle most of these issues.

Ancient but not dead

The spaces of the exhibition are structured to be respectful of the historical and contemporary sensitivities of Buddhism and Jainism. This is signalled through subtle changes of colour and the placement of translucent drapery, allowing for transitions between distinct Jain, Buddhist and Hindu displays.

At the same time, conceptual and sensory commonalities are powerfully conveyed. The first space focuses on nature spirits and demi-deities that are shared across all the ancient traditions. The air is filled with the sound of south Asian birds and musical instruments. The explanatory labels draw attention to the percolation of iconographic features between traditions, for instance, those between the Buddha and the Jaina teachers, or the direct inclusion of the deity of learning (Sarasvati) in both Hindu and Jain worship.

Also well presented is a final space on the spread of south Asian iconography to central, east and southeast Asia. This is a long story that needs its own telling, but can only be hinted at through some beautifully chosen figures.

It’s the curators’ use of a community advisory panel of people who practice such traditions today that gives the information its sensitivity. Their inclusion in the exhibition’s production can be seen in a marked mindfulness that the content and symbols of these inert objects are alive and sacred to hundreds of millions.

For example, one Ganesha from Java in Indonesia draws attention to different elements of his iconography. There is the trans-continentally stable depiction of his having a broken tusk (which, as Hindus will know, he is said to have broken off to write down the epic Mahabharata). But this Ganesha also holds a skull, which is unique to the Javanese version. The label gently points out that “various communities understood and worshipped him differently”.

The combination of community engagement and creative presentation not only conveys a sense of respect for the traditions, but also elicits a respectful response from visitors. Those from within the tradition will note with satisfaction the description of a symbol or icon. Those from outside the traditions are invited to look at the exhibits with attention and care as they might in a cathedral.

I saw a pair of young Indian Americans looking at a fossilised ammonite from Nepal that is taken as a symbolic representation of god for worshippers of Vishnu. They animatedly compared it to the one in their own diasporic home.

Elsewhere in the exhibition, I caught an elderly English couple stood in wondering silence in front of a drum slab from the famous 1st century BC Amaravathi Buddhist site in south India. This slab was carved just before figural representations of the Buddha rapidly gained in popularity. Here, there are symbols associated with him, but the Buddha himself is represented by the empty seat from whence he has gone.

How did it all get here?

One potential interpretive danger lies in the emphasis on continuity between past objects and present realities. Hindus today from social backgrounds that did not have the privilege of reaching back to high sacred art might ask where they sit in the smoothed out historical narrative. More broadly, there is no acknowledgement of the complexity of Hindu identity and its formation across centuries, regions, social strata, languages and theologies.

The weakest part of this exhibition’s generally innovative retelling is the faint-hearted way in which it obliquely acknowledges the dubious acquisition process of the British Museum. To say something was “collected” by a major general “while serving in the East India Company army” is hardly facing up to the question with which the exhibition boldly begins: “How did it get here?”

This exhibition offers a powerful visual narrative of the multi-spiritual traditions of ancient India, mounted with sensitivity to their living communities today. Its immersive presentation is appealing, and the story it tells is respectful and innovative.

The task of honest self-representation and difficult conversations on reparation remain. Within that larger imperative, Ancient India, Living Traditions is a step in the right direction. It is a direction towards addressing context, responsiveness and engagement that museums can no longer ignore.

Ancient India, Living Traditions in on at The British Museum, London until October 19 2025

Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

Ram Prasad 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. Ancient India, Living Traditions: an earnest effort to show how the art of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism is sacred and personal – https://theconversation.com/ancient-india-living-traditions-an-earnest-effort-to-show-how-the-art-of-hinduism-buddhism-and-jainism-is-sacred-and-personal-262163

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Modi’s visit to Ghana signals India’s broader Africa strategy. A researcher explains

Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Veda Vaidyanathan, Associate, Harvard University Asia Center, Harvard Kennedy School

Ghana has historically been an anchor of Indian enterprise and diplomacy on the African continent.

New Delhi and Accra formalised ties in 1957. At the time, their partnership was grounded in shared anti-colonial ideals and a common vision for post-independence development. India offered counsel on building Ghana’s institutions, including its external intelligence agency. Meanwhile, Indian teachers, technicians, and traders regularly travelled to the west African country in search of opportunity.

The July 2025 visit of the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, to Ghana – the first by an Indian leader in over three decades – came at a critical moment for the continent. As the global order shifts towards multi-polarity, countries like Ghana are navigating a complex landscape, which includes western donors scaling back commitments. This has opened space to deepen cooperation through pragmatic, interest-driven collaborations with longstanding partners like India. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Ghana’s President John Mahama captured the spirit of this global realignment, noting that

as bridges are burning, new bridges are being formed.

Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Modi’s visit offered an opportunity to both revive and recalibrate bilateral ties. The visit carried a strong economic and strategic orientation. Ghana positioned itself as a partner in areas where India holds comparative advantage, such as pharmaceuticals. Over 26% of Africa’s generic medicines are sourced from India. The Food and Drugs Authority’s (Ghana’s regulator of pharmaceutical standards) listing of foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities is dominated by Indian firms.

Defence cooperation was also on the agenda. Ghana is looking to India for training, equipment and broader security engagement in response to rising threats from the Sahel and coastal piracy.

This emphasis on shared security interests is underscored by Ghana’s alignment with India on counter-terrorism. President Mahama for instance has condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attacks that occurred in April, 2025.

Reviving economic ties

Economic ties are at the heart of this renewed engagement between the two countries. Bilateral trade currently stands at around US$3 billion. Both leaders aim to double it to US$6 billion over the next five years. Currently, Ghana enjoys a trade surplus with India. This is mainly due to gold exports, which account for over 70% of its shipments. Cocoa, cashew nuts, and timber are also key exports, while imports from India include pharmaceuticals, machinery, vehicles, and various industrial goods.

India has invested more than US$2 billion in Ghana. These investments span private capital, concessional finance and grants across 900 projects. India now ranks among Ghana’s top investors. Indian firms and state-backed institutions play a key role in critical infrastructure development. Landmark projects include the 97km standard gauge Tema-Mpakadan Railway Line and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan ICT Centre, a hub for innovation and research.

In an earlier study, I documented the perspectives of Indian entrepreneurs in Ghana. The findings underscored the country’s appeal as a land of economic opportunity. In interviews, Indian businesses highlighted Ghana’s stable political environment. An expanding consumer base, and relatively transparent regulatory framework were also mentioned. Together, these factors continue to attract investor interest.

This economic momentum likely paved the way to pursue a closer bilateral relationship, marked by the elevation to a ‘Comprehensive Partnership’.

While delegates in the July visit addressed issues such as financial inclusion, healthcare and agriculture, the tangible outcomes were limited. Four memoranda of understanding were signed. They cover cooperation on traditional medicine, regulatory standards and cultural exchange. The creation of a joint commission to structure and advance bilateral collaboration across priority sectors was also signed.

Moving forward, Ghana offers India an entry point into west Africa’s resource landscape. With reserves of gold, bauxite, manganese and lithium, Ghana is well positioned to contribute to India’s needs for critical minerals. President Mahama’s invitation for investment in mineral extraction and processing aligns with India’s National Critical Mineral Mission, New Delhi is looking for supply chains for its energy transition. It creates an opportunity for Indian mining companies to expand into African markets.

Read more:
The world is rushing to Africa to mine critical minerals like lithium – how the continent should deal with the demand

Pragmatic diplomacy

With nearly US$100 billion in trade, cumulative investments of nearly US$75 billion, and a 3.5 million strong diaspora, the broader contours of India’s Africa policy is increasingly pragmatic and issue based.

New Delhi’s evolving relations with Accra reflects this. It comes as Ghana is making sweeping economic reforms domestically, particularly in fiscal management and debt restructuring.

This ambitious “economic reboot” hinges on attracting private sector investment. In this context, the Indian diaspora, already deeply embedded in Ghana’s commercial networks, is well positioned to foster stronger economic ties.

In his address to Ghana’s Parliament, The Indian Prime Minister spoke of development cooperation that is demand driven and focused on building local capacity and creating local opportunities. This approach “to not just invest, but empower”, signals India’s growing intent to anchor relationships in mutual agency, rather than dependency.

Veda Vaidyanathan is Fellow, Foreign Policy and Security Studies, at a leading Indian think tank.

– ref. Modi’s visit to Ghana signals India’s broader Africa strategy. A researcher explains – https://theconversation.com/modis-visit-to-ghana-signals-indias-broader-africa-strategy-a-researcher-explains-261187

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: 8 policies that would help fight poverty in South Africa’s economic hub Gauteng
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Adrino Mazenda, Senior Researcher, Associate Professor Economic Management Sciences, University of Pretoria

Poverty goes beyond income. It often arises when health, education and opportunities fall short of meeting people’s needs.

Individuals are classified as impoverished when they face deprivation in one-third or more of the indicators in a multidimensional poverty index. The index reflects the various influences on socioeconomic class. These include housing, sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel, nutrition and school attendance.

The index is one of the most comprehensive measures of poverty. The fact that the multidimentional index captures multiple dimensions enables it to reflect overlapping disadvantages. And provides a fuller picture of well-being. Other monetary measures such as income aren’t as comprehensive.

About 18% of the world’s population are poor by the definition of the multidimentional poverty index. Sub-Saharan Africa is especially affected, with a multidimensional poverty rate nearing 59%.

In South Africa, it is at around 40%. This means it experiences four in 10 of the dimensions of poverty.

The province of Gauteng is South Africa’s economic hub. Nevertheless it contains pockets of severe deprivation. About 4.6% of households are poor. In some wards up to 68% are severely deprived.

We are social scientists with research histories in food systems and livelihoods, public policy and economics of human capital. We recently conducted a study focused on Gauteng. We wanted to determine what could enable poor and vulnerable households to move out of those categories.

We used a modelling exercise that allowed us to isolate the most relevant factors for this transition.

The study found six factors: education, age, income, working time, medical aid and being a recipient of a low income municipal support grant. We concluded from this that attending to these six variables was the foundation for upward mobility.

Conversely, vulnerability to economic shocks, such as job loss or food insecurity, can trigger rapid downward mobility.

Based on our findings we make eight policy recommendations. These include boosting education and skills training, better healthcare and affordable, reliable transport.

Range of factors

Multidimensional poverty intersects with socioeconomic class structures. It reinforces inequality by placing individuals into hierarchical groups. These range from the affluent and middle class to the transient, vulnerable, and chronically poor.

These disparities shape access to resources, opportunities and upward mobility.

Lower-class households differ from middle-class and affluent (non-poor) households across multiple dimensions. These differences include income stability, consumption patterns, access to services, asset ownership, social capital and vulnerability to shocks.

In the light of this we adopted a multidimensional poverty approach to classify households. We used various dimensions and indicators of poverty to assess the extent of deprivation and associated poverty levels.

We calculated the deprivation score and classified households into three levels: not poor, moderate poverty (vulnerable), and severe poverty (chronically poor).

Working time had the strongest effect. Part- or full-time work greatly lowered odds of severe poverty (chronic poverty) and moderate poverty (transient poverty). Working time refers to the duration that a person is engaged in paid employment or work-related activities. This is usually between 35 and 45 hours per week for full-time employment. And fewer than 35 hours per week for part-time employment.

Some factors only influenced certain groups. For severe poverty, transport access, household health, food parcel reliance, household size, and skipping meals were significant. For moderate poverty, gender, food parcel reliance and skipping meals mattered. And for the vulnerable non-poor (middle class), distance from public transport was the only additional factor.

Social grants and being part of the black population group showed little influence. Transitions and the ability to transcend poverty classes were driven mainly by direct socio-economic factors.

These dynamics underscore the precariousness of low-income households. They also highlight the importance of targeted interventions to break cycles of poverty.

Higher education, stable income and access to full-time work, drastically reduce the odds of remaining in severe or moderate poverty or being vulnerable. Medical aid access and municipal assistance programmes that provide free or subsidised basic services, also serve as protective factors. These help households meet essential health and welfare needs.

However, several structural and socio-economic constraints hinder transitions out of poverty. For example, living a greater distance from public transport increases the likelihood of severe poverty and vulnerability.

Food insecurity, measured by skipping meals or dependence on food parcels, remains a persistent marker of entrenched deprivation.

Gender disparities suggest underlying labour market or social vulnerabilities that require targeted policy interventions. For example, male-headed households are more likely than female-headed households to be moderately poor.

What can be done

Escaping multidimensional poverty in Gauteng requires targeted, practical and complementary interventions. Examples include subsidised transport, decentralised clinics, or housing closer to jobs.

This will enable grants to be translated to improved well-being.

We suggest eight areas for improvement:
- access to education, vocational training and digital skills. This will help to increase employment prospects
- public works and youth entrepreneurship support. This will boost income generation
- social protection like indigent benefits, food vouchers and subsidised medical aid
- food security. This can be done through community gardens and nutrition programmes
- support for female-headed households and young people
- affordable, reliable public transport. Services also need to be decentralised
- data-driven municipal planning to guide infrastructure and service investments
- consistently tracking progress against defined objectives.
The province implements multiple poverty-reduction initiatives. These include expanded public works, township economy support, food gardens, free basic services, subsidised housing, and public transport projects.

These efforts address income, food security and mobility. But they have limited impact due to persistent barriers. This is because many, particularly young people, don’t have market-relevant skills. In addition, spatial inequality results in long, costly commutes. And housing shortages and rising food prices deepen vulnerability.

Fragmented funding, weak coordination and inadequate data tracking also undermine progress.

Massimiliano Tani receives funding from Australian Research Council (unrelated to this article).

Adrino Mazenda and Catherine Althaus do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. 8 policies that would help fight poverty in South Africa’s economic hub Gauteng – https://theconversation.com/8-policies-that-would-help-fight-poverty-in-south-africas-economic-hub-gauteng-261388
MIL OSI Analysis –
July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: What’s changing for children on social media from 25 July 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

Press release

What’s changing for children on social media from 25 July 2025

New laws come into force, protecting under-18s from harmful online content
From 25 July, the way children experience the internet will fundamentally change, as new laws come into force, protecting under-18s from harmful content they shouldn’t ever be seeing. This includes:

pornography

self-harm

suicide

hate speech

violence

Children will have to prove their age to access the most harmful material on social media and other sites, with platforms having to use secure methods like facial scans, photo ID and credit card checks to check the age of their users. This means it will be much harder for under-18s to accidentally or intentionally access harmful content.

A thousand platforms have confirmed to Ofcom they’ve got these checks in place, including the most visited porn site in the UK, PornHub.

It comes as Ofcom figures show that children as young as eight have accessed pornography online, and 16% of teenagers report seeing material that stigmatises body types or promotes disordered eating in the last four weeks.

Children will also see fewer harmful posts and videos in their feeds, with platforms required to make sure their algorithms aren’t feeding children content that promotes harmful behaviours like bullying, hate speech or dangerous online challenges.

And when harmful content does appear, platforms will need to act quickly to remove it. If children are seeing something harmful or inappropriate, it will be easier to find help and report it.

Technology secretary Peter Kyle said:

Our lives are no longer split between the online and offline worlds – they are one and the same. What happens online is real. It shapes our children’s minds, their sense of self, and their future. And the harm done there can be just as devastating as anything they might face in the physical world.

We’ve drawn a line in the sand. This Government has taken one of the boldest steps anywhere in the world to reclaim the digital space for young people – to lay the foundations for a safer, healthier, more humane place online.

We cannot – and will not – allow a generation of children to grow up at the mercy of toxic algorithms, pushed to see harmful content they would never be exposed to offline. This is not the internet we want for our children, nor the future we are willing to accept.

The time for tech platforms to look the other way is over. They must act now to protect our children, follow the law, and play their part in creating a better digital world.

And let me be clear: if they fail to do so, they will be held to account. I will not hesitate to go further and legislate to ensure that no child is left unprotected.

Enforcement action from the regulator

From 25 July these protections will be fully enforceable and services that don’t comply could face serious enforcement action from Ofcom including fines.  

Enforcement action can be 10% of the companies’ qualifying global annual revenues or £18 million, whichever is greater.

Action platforms will legally have to take

Block access to harmful content 

Starting from 25 July, platforms that host pornography, or content which encourages self-harm, suicide or eating disorder content will have to put in place robust age-checks. This means: 

using highly effective age assurance, like facial age estimation, photo-ID matching, or credit card checks to verify age more reliably; and 

stopping children encountering harmful content on the site – either by age restricting parts of the platform or blocking access to the site by under 18s 

this will create extra steps when creating a new account or attempting to access content not appropriate for children.

in practice, this is like a child not being able to sign up for a credit card, or buy alcohol, and means that children will encounter fewer instances of harmful content and have a more age-appropriate experience online 

Provide safer feeds and fewer toxic algorithms 

The codes set out how platforms can reduce toxic algorithms which we know can recommend harmful content to children without them seeking it out.  

This includes ensuring that algorithms do not operate in a way that harms children, such as by pushing content related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and pornography. That means fewer risky rabbit holes and more control over what children see on their feeds. 

Take faster action on harmful content 

Platforms will need more robust content moderation systems to take swift action against content that is harmful to children when they become aware of it. 

Search engines should filter out the most harmful content for children, for example by using a ‘safe search’ setting for children, which can’t be turned off.

User support 

Platforms will also be required to ensure they provide clear and easy-to-find information for children, and the adults who care for them.  

This will include easy-to-use reporting and complaints processes, as well as tools and support for children to help them stay safe online. 

Types of ‘harmful content’ the codes apply to

Platforms which host pornography, or the most harmful content to children and are likely to be accessed by children, must implement highly effective age assurance to prevent children from accessing said content. 

This content is described as primary priority content and includes: 

pornography, and

content that encourages, promotes, or provides instructions for:

self-harm

suicide

eating disorders 

Wider harmful content is known as priority content. The codes instruct platforms to protect children from this content by providing age-appropriate experiences. This category of content includes:

bullying

abusive or hateful content, and

content which encourages:

or depicts serious violence or injury

dangerous stunts and challenges

the ingestion, inhalation or exposure to harmful substances

ENDS

DSIT media enquiries

Email press@dsit.gov.uk

Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

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Published 24 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Pingree, Goodlander, Wasserman Schultz Tour Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to Discuss Delivering on Key Priorities in Congress

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Yesterday, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, joined her colleagues Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies under the Appropriations Committee, to tour Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). Pingree, Goodlander, Wasserman Shultz, and shipyard leadership and workers discussed how they are addressing the delays that are preventing PNSY from bringing on the workforce needed to continue its critical work for our national security, and how they’re working in Congress to strengthen the benefits that these public servants and skilled workers rely on.

“Portsmouth Naval Shipyard represents the best of public service—skilled, dedicated workers whose work strengthens our national security every day,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “During our visit today, my colleagues and I saw firsthand the dedication and expertise that keep this critical facility running. What we heard from workers and leadership was clear: they need stable funding, a reliable workforce pipeline, and a Congress that has their backs. I’m grateful to join Congresswomen Goodlander and Wasserman Schultz in making sure their voices are heard—and their priorities reflected—in the federal budget.”

From left: Congresswoman Pingree, Congresswoman Goodlander, Captain Jesse Nice, Naval Shipyard Commander, and Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. Photos from the visit are available here.

“We owe a sacred obligation to the women and men who dedicate their lives to serving our country, whether in uniform or as civilians. In Congress, I am focused on living up to that obligation and delivering for our servicemembers, veterans, and shipyard workers,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “We had a powerful and important conversation at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Manchester VA Medical Center about the critical role that federal funding plays in their operations and how Congress can and must be a continued partner in their mission.”

“Democrats work nonstop to ensure that vital national security investments and caring for our veterans remain top priorities, and the high-quality work I saw being done at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Manchester VAMC reconfirmed for me that strong, reliable Congressional funding and support is vital to these workers, their communities, and America’s overall strength,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. “I joined Representatives Goodlander and Pingree to inspect these facilities today, but they have both long stood with me in the trenches as Democrats fight to ensure veterans services and benefits are protected, and the work of protecting our national security is not impeded.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Legacy Investment for Technology (LIFT) Announces Loan for North Dakota Energy Services Company

Source: US State of North Dakota

The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced that the Legacy Investment for Technology (LIFT) program has awarded a $1 million loan to Trilogy LLC, a North Dakota-based company that developed the Sand Titan, a high-performance sand separator for the oil and gas industry.

“The LIFT program is a vital resource for fostering innovation and supporting North Dakota’s oil and gas industry,” said Commerce Economic Development & Finance Deputy Director and Head of Investments and Innovation Shayden Akason. “This funding highlights our commitment to supporting North Dakota businesses that drive economic impact in our core industries and create lasting impact across the state.”

LIFT is an innovation loan fund that supports technology advancement by providing financing for the commercialization of intellectual property within North Dakota. The loan funds are available to enhance capacity and, when possible, leverage state, federal and private sources of funding.

Since its inception, the LIFT program has awarded more than $45 million across 72 projects, with an average award of approximately $635,000. These investments span sectors such as health care, agriculture technology, energy, and advanced computing, demonstrating the program’s broad impact on North Dakota’s innovation economy.

Commerce works with the Bank of North Dakota to manage and administer the loan fund. LIFT loan terms include 0% interest for the first three years, 2% interest for the next two years, and a standard Bank of North Dakota loan rate for all subsequent years. The program is open to North Dakota companies working in advanced computing and data management, agriculture technology, autonomous and unmanned vehicles and technologies, energy, health care, value-added agriculture, value-added energy, and any area specifically identified by the LIFT committee as contributing to the diversification of the state’s economy.

For more information, application guidelines and program details, visit https://belegendary.link/LIFT.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/COLOMBIA – Augustinian priest released 40 days after his disappearance

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Agostiniani, Provincia di Nuestra Señora de Gracia

Bogotá (Agenzia Fides) – Forty days after his disappearance, Carlos Saúl Jaimes Guerrero, an Augustinian priest belonging to the Province of Our Lady of Grace, has been released. The priest’s religious community announced this in a statement: “With profound gratitude, we want to share with all of you—friends, faithful, religious communities, and people of good will who have listened to us—news that fills us with joy: our brother, Father Carlos Saúl Jaimes, has been released.”The priest, according to the government of the department of Cundinamarca, “was kidnapped on June 17 in a rural area of the municipality of Viotá and released on the morning of Sunday, July 27, in a rural area of the municipality of El Colegio. He was found in good health.”Father Carlos disappeared after leaving for a farm known as Casacoima, on the outskirts of Viotá. A few hours later, his vehicle was found abandoned on a path near a ravine, with the engine running. Since then, various joint operations have been launched between the Viotá Mayor’s Office, the police, and the National Guard.Once the investigation began, law enforcement followed the kidnapping, among others. However, no one claimed responsibility for the incident, nor was a ransom demanded. The family also offered a reward for anyone who provided information useful in finding the priest. However, nothing was known until July 27, when law enforcement finally found him.The website of the Cundinamarca Department Governor’s Office specifies that “at the express request of the family, no further details about the circumstances of his release will be revealed.” No precise information has yet been provided about the days of his disappearance.The Augustinian Order expressed its gratitude for the community’s support and asked for discretion: “We ask for understanding and respect so that Father Carlos Saúl can have a satisfactory recovery together with his family and the religious community.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/7/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – The adventure “accompanied by small prayers” of Junho Cho, “digital missionary”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

[embedded content]
by Pascale RizkSeoul (Agenzia Fides) – “Now I know. After all, even the Fathers of the Church, Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas, repeated this simple phrase: to be happy, I need God, and if God is present, I am happy when I am close to him, and I am not happy when I am far away.” Thus, Korean singer and “Catholic influencer” Junho Chu describes the beating heart that now animates his life. And he reveals what every authentic Christian witness suggests: the source of salvation brought by Christ is mysterious, but accessing it is simple and within everyone’s reach.Junho shared his story and experience with the Jubilee of Catholic digital missionaries and influencers celebrated in Rome these past few days.The Happy Face of GodGrowing up until the age of 22 with no particular interest in religious doctrines and practices, he says that as a teenager he longed for happiness that could last “more than three days or two weeks.” Something that isn’t found in training courses or school curricula, in a competitive society where one’s worth and “is worth” only what one accomplishes. He believed he could achieve that happiness through success at work. But that wasn’t the case.At that time, two years before beginning his military service, Junho heard Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan speak on television, an imposing figure in Korea also for his passion for social justice (see Fides, 11/4/2025). “I was struck by his humility and the witness of the people who mourned his death in 2009.” Without believing in God, Junho saw God’s happy face reflected in those people. They had no personal successes to show off. They were grateful for the free love they had received. “So I started going to church and asked to be baptized. To be close to God, to go to Mass, to take Communion, and to pray. Junho says that a priest once told him: “Do you want something special? Then you must be sincere. If you live with perseverance and sincerity, every day of your life can be special.”Thanking the Lord (also) for TteokbokkiKorean society is based on respect for others, following a social stratification that dates back to the Cheoson Dynasty. Hierarchical respect is an integral part of everyday language and behavior. So when Junho saw a high-ranking Catholic soldier come to church and eat with the others, he was impressed by his humility. “He came to wash dishes with me in the kitchen. It seemed inconceivable to me that someone like him would do that. One day, I was eating tteokbokki (Korean rice dumplings) and I invited him. He sat with me and, clasping his hands, began to pray. I was deeply moved by this gesture. I had no idea that Catholics would stop to thank God for something as small as tteokbokki. I think my life, accompanied by small prayers, began there,” he says.”Sometimes they asked me to sing, I did it a few times, and a bishop told me I should keep singing, and this was like a blessing for the rest of my life,” adds Chu, who, along with other singers, enlivened the Digital Missionaries Jubilee Festival in Piazza Risorgimento on the evening of Tuesday, July 29, singing in his native language.Talent is from God and for GodDuring his military service, Chu embarked on a path that would lead him to his baptism in 2011. He also began participating in parish life, catechism, and choir. It was thanks to a contest on CPBC (Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation) that he was able to begin composing music and songs, and singing in Catholic churches. It had been his passion since childhood. The stories of missionaries such as Father Giovanni Lee Tae-seok, a Salesian missionary in South Sudan, and Bishop René Dupont, a MEP missionary who arrived in Korea in 1954 (see Fides, 11/4/2025) led him to imitate them, he shared with others the love of God he had received as a gift, even through his own talents. “That’s why I’m always happy to live as a Catholic on Instagram and YouTube.” His Christian journey, intertwined with music and singing, led Junho to accompany priests and nuns on missions in Cambodia, Zambia, and Mongolia. “The love you receive is incredibly greater than the love you give. It’s an absolute miracle and cannot be understood through the eyes of the world,” says Chu, who today continues his mission singing in Brazil.“The digital mission should not be about self-exaltation. The encounter with Jesus remains the starting point, but also the point of arrival. Our faith can also find comfort in the use of digital media, but it does not depend on them. The Mystery of Jesus’s predilection, savored in the everyday life, is far greater than the captivating power of a voice behind the screen or special effects. And it promises enjoyment and happiness incomparable to the excitement of having 100 followers or 500,000,” he concludes. (Agenzia Fides, 30/7/2025)Share:

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDIA – Indian bishops appeal to government over attacks on nuns and promised “rewards” for those who attack priests

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Wednesday, 30 July 2025

CBCI

New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) – The nation’s constitutional rights must be protected and guaranteed. This is what the Indian bishops are asking for in an appeal to the government in the face of “the growing climate of hostility and violence against minorities throughout the country.”The intervention of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) comes a few days after the arrest of two nuns at the Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh. Government railway police detained Sisters Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis of the Green Garden Sisters.The nuns were accompanying three young women and an adult man belonging to a tribal group who were reportedly traveling from Narayanpur, in the diocese of Jagdalpur, to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, where they had been offered jobs in a Catholic-run hospital. “Although the young women were over 18 and had given their parents’ written consent, according to the bishops, the nuns were arrested after pressure from community members. They were allegedly subjected to physical assault. When the young women’s parents arrived at the police station, officers allegedly prevented them from seeing their daughters.“Christian sisters are increasingly targeted by social agitators who surround them at train stations, incite crowds, and use abusive language. These actions,” the CBCI stated, “pose a grave threat not only to the dignity and modesty of these women, but also to their lives.” Calling these repeated incidents a “grave violation of the Constitution,” the Indian bishops urged state governments to “ensure the safety of all women and take immediate steps to prevent such incidents,” while requesting urgent intervention from the central government in Delhi.The CBCI’s concern arose after a series of incidents that, according to the bishops, “reflect the deterioration of institutional impartiality. One such incident occurred on June 17, 2025, when BJP MP Shri Gopichand Padalkar allegedly incited public opinion against Christians by announcing monetary rewards for attacks on Christian priests.” The Indian Catholic bishops, in their statement, cited the MP’s alleged remarks: “Whoever hits the first priest will receive a reward of five lakh rupees, whoever hits the second will receive four lakhs, and the third will receive three lakhs.”This incitement, the Indian bishops explained, “justifies immediate legal action. The speech, widely disseminated through videos and media, was explicit, direct, and poses a real threat to public order. Such acts constitute a serious offense under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Indian Penal Code, which came into force in 2024), which criminalizes promoting enmity between different groups and threatens national unity. Despite the gravity of the statement and the peaceful protests by concerned citizens, the relevant authorities have remained indifferent.”According to the CBCI, “recent events indicate the deconstruction of the rule of law, leading to anarchy, something no nation can afford.” Given the gravity of the situation, “the Indian bishops urged the government and all political parties to overcome any partisanship and adopt appropriate constitutional measures to protect the country and all its citizens. We must act immediately to protect the principles enshrined in the Constitution and defend the dignity and rights of all citizens, regardless of their religion.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/7/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Warren Warns Democrats About Dangers of Voting for Funding Bills While Republicans Use Tricks to Claw Back Bipartisan Funds, Trump Breaks Law
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

July 30, 2025

“I’m asking my Republican colleagues to grow a spine and stand up for Americans instead of bowing down to their pretend-king. And I’m asking my Democratic colleagues to join me in using the power we have to fight back.”

Video of Floor Speech

Washington, D.C. — With the Senate set to vote on the first appropriations bill this week, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) took to the Senate floor in opposition, warning Democrats about the dangers of voting for Republicans’ funding bills while the Trump Administration illegally impounds funds, unilaterally cancels funding, and considers using tricks like pocket rescissions to sidestep Congress.

“Why should Democrats come to the table in good faith and throw our support behind a quote-unquote bipartisan bill, only for Republicans to turn around after the deal is done and, somewhere down the line, delete any of the parts Trump doesn’t like?,” said Senator Warren. “That’s like Republicans saying: “Let’s cut a deal to sell you a car today,” and then a month from now, they come back and steal the wheels.”

“Congress is a co-equal branch of government. We swore an oath to the Constitution, not to a king,” Senator Warren concluded. “I’m asking my Republican colleagues to grow a spine and stand up for Americans instead of bowing down to their pretend-king. And I’m asking my Democratic colleagues to join me in using the power we have to fight back.”

Transcript: Floor Speech Opposing Reconciliation Funding Bills

U.S. Senate Floor

July 30, 2025

As Prepared for Delivery

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Mr./Madame President, I’ve come to the Senate floor today to discuss how our government is funded.

The Constitution puts Congress in charge of setting up programs and funding them. There are some programs – for instance, Medicare and Social Security, that are funded at a certain level every year, unless Congress passes a law to change it. For everything else, Congress has to pass a new funding law every single year.

The list is long:
- medical research,
- fighter planes,
- weather satellites,
- salaries for park rangers,
- food inspection programs to make sure your chicken doesn’t make you sick.
The money that we spend is detailed every year in a set of twelve bills that Congress votes on called “appropriations bills.”

The Senate voted on the first one of those twelve bills last week – the one that deals with funding for veterans’ programs and military bases. I care deeply about improving the lives of our servicemembers and veterans. All three of my brothers are proud veterans, and they served their country with honor. I’m the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Personnel subcommittee.

I voted no on that funding bill because even if this bill becomes law, I don’t believe Donald Trump has any intention of following that law. I’m not willing to be a helpmate on another one of Donald Trump’s scams.

Why do I think Trump won’t follow the law? Consider his administration’s track record over the past six months on Congressional spending laws.

First, Trump tried to freeze billions of dollars that American families and businesses count on — money that Congress set aside to support everything from food assistance programs to scientific research. Multiple federal judges blocked the illegal power grab, saying it blatantly violated the Constitution. Now, even Republicans are begging the administration to hand out the investments that Congress already passed and, by law, their communities were promised.

Second, Republicans in Congress are bowing down to Donald Trump and ratifying some of his worst efforts. They are using an obscure piece of federal law to zero out federal funding after it was approved by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. This process is called a “rescission,” and it only requires 50 Republican votes to do Donald Trump’s bidding.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, Trump is already plotting to use a shady loophole to defund even more programs — demanding cuts so late in the year that Congress doesn’t have enough time to do anything about it. The Director of Donald Trump’s Office of Budget and Management, Russ Vought, has already said that loophole is quote-unquote “on the table.”

Let’s be clear about what’s happening here. Step One: Congress negotiates a compromise that both Republicans and Democrats support and it’s signed into law. Step Two: Trump tells Republicans what parts of that deal he wants to cancel. Step Three: Republicans in the Senate bend the knee and follow Trump’s orders to cancel the money. But wait there’s more — apparently, Step Four is Republicans turn around and, with a straight face, ask Democrats to negotiate more deals for next year’s funding, starting the whole rinse-and-repeat process again, beginning with the bill to fund veterans services.

Are you kidding me? Do we really look that gullible?

Why should Democrats come to the table in good faith and throw our support behind a quote-unquote bipartisan bill, only for Republicans to turn around after the deal is done and, somewhere down the line, delete any of the parts Trump doesn’t like? That’s like Republicans saying: “Let’s cut a deal to sell you a car today,” and then a month from now, they come back and steal the wheels.

Of course, Trump may not ask his Republican buddies to rescind spending. Maybe instead on his own he’ll just illegally refuse to spend it, the way he’s done with $425 billion already this year.

Our founders didn’t give the President the power to decide spending. A king can decide anything he wants, but not a president. Donald Trump wants to be able to wake up and decide to cancel funding for public education, transportation projects, medical research, food inspectors, anything, just because Donald Trump feels like it — and he wants the Republicans in Congress to roll over and let it happen. No checks and balances. Just Trump playing king and ending programs that would help Americans.

Trump is getting a lot of help from his team. Russ Vought, the head of OMB, has said that the problem in Congress is too much bipartisanship. Too much. In other words, the Trump administration is saying loud and clear that Donald Trump can make all the decisions. They don’t need — or want — Democrats.

At the very same time, the Republicans need Democratic votes for these funding bills because the Senate rules currently require 60 votes for them to pass and there are only 53 Republicans in the Senate. If Democrats don’t provide votes, the Republicans want to blame us for shutting down the government when this year’s funding runs out at the end of September.

On the other hand, if Senate Republicans want Democratic votes for these funding bills, they should ask us what it will take to win our support. Not just what programs we want to fund or at what levels, when those promises aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. No, Democrats should tell Republicans that if they want our votes, they will have to guarantee that any deal we strike actually means something.

I get it: Democrats and Republicans have different priorities. Here in the Senate, Republicans have voted to end health care for 17 million Americans and drive up health insurance costs for millions more. Republicans have voted to give billionaires huge tax cuts. Democrats are willing to make a deal, but our deal is about bringing down costs for families, including the cost of health care, groceries, and housing. If Republicans want to make a deal, let’s make a deal — but only if the Republicans include an agreement that they won’t take it back a few weeks later.

Congress is a co-equal branch of government. We swore an oath to the Constitution, not to a king. I’m asking my Republican colleagues to grow a spine and stand up for Americans instead of bowing down to their pretend-king. And I’m asking my Democratic colleagues to join me in using the power we have to fight back.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Hailing Progress to Transform Food Systems, Deputy Secretary-General Urges Stronger Collaboration to End Global Hunger, at UN Summit+4 Stocktake’s Closing Plenary
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the closing plenary of the Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), in Addis Ababa today:

Let me begin by extending my appreciation to the Government of Ethiopia for its warm hospitality, and to the Italian Government as well, for their support as Co-Hosts of this Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake.

Over the last three days, we have engaged and heard from over 3,000 of you — leaders from Ethiopia and Italy, Kenya, Somalia, Comoros, Liberia, Nigeria, Uganda, Cuba; the ministers from a wide range of sectors; National Convenors and other government representatives; youth, Indigenous Peoples, food producers, business, civil society, development partners; our Rome-based agencies; and the UN system. I am particularly grateful to the resident coordinators that joined us here in Addis and will now go back to work with renewed impetus to make food systems transformation a reality.

The energy and vitality of this movement continues to inspire. This gathering has reminded us of the value of coming together as a global community to benefit from the perspectives and experiences of others and to shape new, bold action for the future.

At the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in 2021, in the midst of a global pandemic, we embarked on a journey to grow and catalyse energy behind an emerging movement for the transformation of our food systems to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Too often food systems are seen as part of our challenges, when they can be one of the greatest solutions to deliver for people, planet, peace and prosperity.

Two years ago, still grappling with the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic, facing planetary crises and the effects of new conflicts, the Call to Action from the First Stocktake of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+2) in Rome appealed for inclusivity to strengthen our efforts to drive more targeted investment and mutual accountability.

Since then, Governments have continued to shift how they govern and shape policy for food systems. A total of 130 countries have articulated integrated, multisectoral National Pathways for Food Systems Transformation and here again; I want to acknowledge the incredible contribution of Sir David Nabarro.

In 168 countries, nationally determined contributions are now reflecting the critical role of food and agriculture in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as we seek to adapt and transform.

More than 170 countries are implementing school meal programmes that support child nutrition, often connecting with local producers and contributing to regenerative production practices. At the subnational level, many cities are leading the way in reducing food waste and strengthening local supply chains.

I am proud of what we have achieved. We have heard powerful stories of progress and rising ambition since 2021 from a diverse ecosystem of partners, who are reforming policies, championing local innovation and digitalization, mobilizing investments and partnerships and empowering women and youth.

And when it comes to our young people, there is increased understanding that ensuring youth-inclusive and youth-led food systems transformation is important both for enhancing youth welfare and building sustainable and resilient food systems.

The food systems movement has taken root in global and regional agreements — from the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) Declaration to initiatives emerging from the Group of Seven (G7) and Group of Twenty (G20) to regional agreements, such as the Kampala Declaration earlier this year.

These are powerful commitments to transform food systems for people and the planet that you have helped inspire. Thanks to your collective work and efforts we are better equipped to meet our ambition.

You are strengthening coalitions and launching new initiatives to help drive our work, including:
- The Food Systems Accelerator, launched by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), GAIN and the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, will support countries to turn strategies into financed, scalable change.
- Through greater uptake of the Financial Flows to Food Systems framework, co-developed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank, we can help Governments design more effective, tailored financing strategies.
- Business engagement — co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Global Compact and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development — broke new ground. These efforts culminated in a Business Compendium of 15 investment-ready models, showing how business is shifting from commitment to implementation.
- As a result of the investment pitch for Cameroon, the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security has announced their intent to partner with the Joint SDG Fund to significantly scale up existing programmes. The launch for this large-scale commitment will take place in New York this September 2025.
- The Convergence Initiative helps drive integration of food systems transformation and climate action for accelerated sustainable development and represents a useful resource for countries to navigate competing policy choices with partners.
- Investments in critical sectors, including those under the Mattei Plan for Africa, are mobilizing public-private partnerships and catalysing private sector investment.
- The UNFSS+4 Youth Declaration, crafted by more than 3,000 youth from all over the world, called for inclusive, participatory decision-making in food systems, climate justice and intergenerational collaboration.
- The UNFSS Coalitions of Action demonstrated that they are dynamic vehicles for food systems transformation, mobilizing diverse stakeholders across sectors and scales to deliver impact aligned with national priorities.
With just five years until 2030, it is encouraging to see that the world remains committed to the realization of the 2030 Agenda.

As we conclude this Stocktake, we must acknowledge that we met in the face of challenges that test our moral values and threaten the future sustainability of our planet, underscoring the urgency of our work together.

The release of the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report last night confirmed: hunger and malnutrition persist. Climate shocks, conflict, debt and inequality are widening the cracks in our systems.

It is estimated that between 638 and 720 million people — a bit less than 1 in 10 people in the world — faced hunger in 2024. 2.6 billion people are still unable to afford a healthy diet. Only about one third of children aged 6 to 23 months and two thirds of women aged 15 to 49 years achieved minimum dietary diversity globally.

People’s access to food in conflict zones is highly constrained and — in some instances — attempts to access humanitarian relief has led to injury and death. Whole communities experience man-made food insecurity and malnutrition, with extreme long-term consequences for their children.

Farmers everywhere are facing unprecedented adverse climate impacts, threatening livelihoods and food security. Developing economies are still coping with impacts of inflation, severe fiscal constraints, debt challenges and the high cost of capital. Looking ahead, 512 million people are still projected to be facing hunger in 2030, of whom nearly 60 per cent will be in Africa.

As we consider the pathway to 2030, peace and respect for human rights must anchor our ambition. Every person in our world — rich or poor, young or old — has the right to food that is accessible, affordable, safe and nutritious. Present and future generations are depending on our choices. Only through inclusive dialogue and genuine partnerships can countries and communities ensure faster and more effective progress.

As we leave this Stocktake and take what we achieved here in Addis back home and to other milestones, clear points of emphasis have been identified:

First, we must act urgently to summon the funding, innovations and global solidarity to build the food-secure and climate-resilient future that every person, everywhere, needs and deserves. The dramatic reduction in life-saving humanitarian funding to respond to these needs must be immediately reversed and safe access to life-saving humanitarian support granted.

Second, is to deepen the implementation of National Pathways for Food Systems Transformation. The effective and meaningful participation of all relevant stakeholders is a priority, with particular attention to involving family farmers, front-line food workers, women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Third, we must unlock finance and investment. That means mobilizing domestic resources and investments at scale for all dimensions of food systems transformation. It also means scaling up finance and investment by multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, and public development banks behind country priorities.

And we have work to do to scale up private sector investment in agriculture and food systems. This should include the small and medium-sized enterprises that serve as a backbone of our food systems interfacing with millions of food producers and consumers.

Fourth, we must continue the drive for an integrated approach. We need to simultaneously pursue policy measures that focus on equity and resilience through linking environmental, economic and social dimensions of food systems. Policies should be rooted in local culture, communities and traditional knowledge to help guide approaches that can accelerate transformation and enhance self-reliance.

Fifth, we must continue to leverage science, technology and knowledge. Science and innovation are prerequisites for food systems transformation and can support alignment of health, agriculture, climate, biodiversity and economic objectives and policies. Strong science-policy-society interfaces are essential and must appreciate traditional knowledge.

New technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are changing our economies and our societies. The road ahead demands we leverage the appropriate and responsible use of technology to ensure prosperity for all in a healthy and liveable planet. The digital public infrastructure needs more investment to ensure the connectivity of our rural communities.

And, finally, we must connect with our future. I agree with our young people — they are not merely future beneficiaries of food systems change, they are active co-leaders in transformation. Policies should enhance opportunities for young people to create, innovate and thrive.

On the road to 2030, there will be important milestones that the outcomes of UNFSS+4 will inform and in which this movement will engage. These include the World Social Summit, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP30, UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP17 and the 2027 SDG Summit.

UNFSS+4 has reinforced the value of a dedicated space to foster collaboration, deepen systems approaches and encourage the emergence of food systems whose purposes are at the heart of the 2030 Agenda.

The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub will continue to advance progress at country level, through our resident coordinators and country teams, accompanying National Convenors and collaborating with other partners. Our movement has shown what is possible when we work together in deliberate ways across sectors, stakeholders and countries with a shared purpose.

I call on Governments and people everywhere to build on what has been accomplished and continue to work together for peace and to realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda. Let’s continue to lead the way — together.

MIL OSI United Nations News –
July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: White House, Tech Leaders Commit to Create Patient-Centric Healthcare Ecosystem

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

Leading Healthcare, Tech Companies Pledge to Work on Interoperability & User-Friendly Apps

Today, the Trump Administration announced progress toward building a smarter, more secure, and more personalized healthcare experience in partnership with innovative private sector companies. During a White House “Make Health Tech Great Again” event hosted with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Administration secured commitments from major healthcare and information technology firms – including Amazon, Anthropic, Apple, Google, and OpenAI – to begin laying the foundation for a next-generation digital health ecosystem that will improve patient outcomes, reduce provider burden, and drive value.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senate Appropriators Advance Bill with Alaska Priorities for Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

07.30.25

Washington, DC – Last week, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to advance the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development bill for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) that contains significant Alaska priorities. The bill was approved in committee and will now advance to the Senate floor for consideration.

“This funding meets some of Alaska’s most critical needs, ranging from affordable housing to infrastructure improvements,” said Senator Murkowski. “I look forward to continuing to advocate for these wide-ranging investments that will benefit all Americans and provide stability for those who need some help getting back on their feet.”

Highlights from the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Bill

Investments in Aviation Safety

Air travel is a way of life in Alaska, and oftentimes pilots are flying without guidance or accurate weather assessments. In recognition of these life-threatening conditions, Senator Murkowski is focused on bolstering aviation safety in Alaska and around the country. To that end, the THUD appropriations bill invests $20 million for the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative (DYAASI), and $687.5 million for Essential Air Service.

Bolstering Infrastructure

Senator Murkowski understands the diverse infrastructure needs in Alaska and around the country. Ensuring America’s roads, railroads, and maritime transport routes remain safe and efficient is essential. This bill provides for $63 billion for the Federal Highway Administration, $2.9 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration, and $874 million for the Maritime Administration, including $30 million for Assistance to Small Shipyards Grants and $75 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program.

Supporting Community Development Initiatives

Senator Murkowski recognizes the importance of having a safe place to call home for people of all ages, and how difficult it is to secure it. She advocated for significant funding for initiatives that aim to make housing more accessible in communities around the country.

Senator Murkowski ensured a continued investment of $107 million in funding for the Youth Homeless Demonstration Program, which takes a comprehensive, community-based approach to reduce the number of young people experiencing homelessness. She also secured $1.25 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, which provides the Department of Housing and Urban Development funding for grants used by states, local governments, and nonprofits to buy, build, and/or rehabilitate affordable housing options for low-income Americans. She also successfully fought for $52 million to rehouse survivors of domestic violence. Additionally, Senator Murkowski advocated for significant investments in Tribal Housing programs, $1.11 billion for Indian Housing Block Grants, and $10 million for Tribal Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers.

In addition to programmatic funding to help Alaskans, Senator Murkowski was able to secure investments specific to 27 Alaska communities, projects that have been requested and prioritized by local governments and organizations in this bill:
- Anchorage: $1,600,000 for Covenant House Alaska to purchase the Dena’ina House.
- Anchorage: $287,000 for NeighborWorks Alaska to replace their fire alarm system.
- Anchorage: $750,000 for Anchorage Community Land Trust for building repairs.
- Anchorage: $320,000 for Catholic Social Services to improve accessibility and egress at shelter.
- Buckland, Noatak, Kivalina: $330,000 for Northwest Arctic Borough School District to construct and renovate teacher housing.
- Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of AK: $2,500,000 to provide housing for first responders in Angoon, Hydaburg, Kake, Thorne Bay, and Pelican.
- City of Angoon: $2,000,000 to design and construct access to boat launch facility.
- Cordova: $750,000 for Cordova Family Resource Center to purchase and renovate a building.
- Craig: $900,000 for Helping Ourselves Prevent Emergencies (HOPE) to purchase a building for a domestic violence shelter.
- Emmonak: $4,000,000 through the Denali Commission to construct a domestic violence shelter.
- Fairbanks: $5,000,000 for the Alaska Department of Transportation (AKDOT) for road reconstruction.
- Fairbanks: $2,000,000 for North Star Council on Aging to rehabilitate senior housing.
- Fairbanks: $1,000,000 for Fairbanks Neighborhood Housing Services Inc to construct affordable housing.
- Fairbanks: $700,000 for Fairbanks Youth Advocates to build transitional housing for youth at risk of homelessness.
- Haines: $1,000,000 for Borough of Haines to construct an early childhood education building.
- Kake: $2,000,000 for Kake Tribal Corporation to replace a dock.
- Ketchikan: $1,575,000 for Inter-Island Ferry Authority for marine vessel upgrades.
- Ketchikan: $1,000,000 for Southeast Alaska Independent Living, Inc. to purchase and renovate a building to support people with disabilities.
- Ketchikan: $2,000,000 for Ketchikan Indian Community to construct a navigation center.
- Minto: $608,000 for Yukon Koyukuk School District to renovate teacher housing.
- Naknek: $2,000,000 for South Naknek Village Council to construct affordable housing.
- Native Village of Diomede: $1,500,000 to renovate teacher housing.
- Native Village of Unalakleet: $255,000 to construct housing for victims of violent crimes.
- Nome: $4,000,000 for City of Nome to construct housing for teachers and public safety officers.
- Nulato Village: $4,000,000 for Nulato Village for port infrastructure improvements.
- Petersburg: $2,000,000 for Petersburg Borough to replace a float and breakwater at Banana Point.
- Saint Paul Island: $1,000,000 for City of Saint Paul for fire station construction and renovation.
- Seldovia: $482,000 for City of Seldovia to replace the Jakolof Bay Dock.
- Sitka: $1,000,000 for Sitkans Against Family Violence to construct and renovate a domestic violence shelter.
- Soldotna: $2,387,000 for AKDOT to reconstruct a portion of Marydale Avenue.
- Talkeetna: $4,500,000 for Sunshine Station Child Care Center to design and construct a new childcare center.
- Thorne Bay: $1,574,000 for City of Thorne Bay to construct a new Fire and EMS building.
- Wasilla: $3,000,000 for Wasilla Airport (IYS) to design and extend runway.
- Yakutat: $2,000,000 for City & Borough of Yakutat to build housing.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 31, 2025
EU climate goals at risk as ailing forests absorb less CO2, scientists say

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Damage to European forests from increased logging, wildfires, drought and pests is reducing their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, putting European Union emissions targets at risk, scientists warned on Wednesday.

The European Union has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The target includes the expectation that forests will suck up hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions and store it in trees and soil, to compensate for pollution from industry.

But that assumption is now in doubt. The average annual amount of CO2 Europe’s forests removed from the atmosphere in 2020-2022 was nearly a third lower than in the 2010-2014 period, according to a paper led by scientists from the EU’s Joint Research Centre – its independent science research service.

In the later period, forests absorbed around 332 million net tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, said the paper, published in the journal Nature. Recent data from EU countries suggest an even steeper decline.

“This trend, combined with the declining climate resilience of European forests, indicates that the EU’s climate targets, which rely on an increasing carbon sink, might be at risk,” the paper said.

Today, Europe’s land and forestry sector offsets around 6% of the EU’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. That’s 2% short of the amount the EU calculates is needed to meet climate goals – with the gap expected to widen by 2030.

Agustín Rubio Sánchez, professor of ecology and soil science at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, said it was “wishful thinking” to rely on forests to meet climate targets.

“Forests can help, but they shouldn’t be assigned quantities to balance carbon budgets,” he told Reuters.

The findings are a political headache for EU governments, who are negotiating a new, legally-binding 2040 climate target – which is designed to use forests to offset pollution that industries cannot eliminate.

Already, some are warning this won’t be possible.

“What should we do when there are factors that we, as countries, as governments, have not much ability to control – like forest fires or drought,” Sweden’s environment minister Romina Pourmokhtari said in a news conference last week.

Over-harvesting, climate change-fuelled wildfires and droughts, and pest outbreaks are all depleting forests’ carbon storage.

However, some of these risks can be managed – for example, by reducing intense logging, or planting more diverse tree species, which may enhance CO2 storage and help forests withstand climate extremes and pests, the paper said.

(Reuters)

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Estes, Delbene, Bennet, Blackburn Introduce Legislation to Support Ambulances in Rural America

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

U.S. Representatives Ron Estes (R-Kansas), Suzan Delbene (D-Wash.), along with Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), reintroduced the Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act. This critical legislation will update Medicare reimbursement rates for emergency air services by using data collected under the No Surprises Act, which was passed in 2020.

“Air ambulances provide lifesaving services, especially for the many Kansans living in rural parts of our state,” said Rep. Estes. “The bipartisan bill I’m reintroducing with Rep. DelBene, along with my colleagues Senators Bennet and Blackburn, is a common sense way to ensure all Americans have emergency access to hospitals and specialized providers regardless of their location. When seconds matter, air ambulances have proven to be the best way to care for patients in need, and under this legislation, the work of the pilots and medical professionals on board will continue to save lives.”

“Coloradans should be able to trust that if they are sick or injured, they can get the medical attention they need, no matter where they live,” said Sen. Bennet. “As air ambulance bases across rural America have been forced to close, people in rural communities have lost access to lifesaving care. This bipartisan bill builds on our efforts to bring transparency to our health care system and improves access to lifesaving care for all Americans.”

“During a medical emergency, Tennesseans living in rural communities shouldn’t have to worry about access to emergency medical transportation, including air ambulance,” said Sen. Blackburn. “Our bipartisan Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act would preserve critical access to life-saving air ambulance services for Tennesseans and all Americans, no matter where they live.”

“Every second counts during a medical emergency, and for many in Washington, especially in rural and underserved areas, air ambulance services are a lifeline,” said Rep. DelBene. “Medicare’s outdated reimbursement rates no longer reflect the true cost of providing this critical care, putting access at risk. This legislation will ensure that reimbursement is based on current data, so patients can continue to count on timely, lifesaving emergency transport when it matters most.”

The legislation has received outside support:

“We applaud the introduction of the Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act,” said Jana Williams, President & CEO of the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS). “This bipartisan, bicameral legislation reflects a growing recognition that air medical providers are not just responders—they are lifelines, especially in rural and underserved communities. Air medical programs are increasingly essential mobile extensions of our national emergency care infrastructure. This bill takes a pragmatic step forward to ensure these high-acuity services remain available when and where they’re needed most. We look forward to working with Congress and other stakeholders to advance this critical legislation and protect access to life-saving care across the country.”

“Being part of the emergency medical system gives me an up-close look at the challenges facing rural Americans when it comes to accessing critical trauma care,” said Brittany Cox, Area Manager of the LifeSave Air Transport Program. “The introduction of this legislation is an important step to ensure that all Kansans have access to emergency air medical transport, no matter where they live. For people in rural parts of our state, timely access to emergency care can mean the difference between life and death. We’re grateful to Representatives Estes and DelBene for their leadership and commitment to addressing this critical need.”

Background:

June 2023: Reps. Estes, DelBene, Sens. Bennet, Blackburn Introduce Bill to Support Lifesaving Emergency Services for Americans in Rural Communities

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and safety regulations to support science and technology

Source: New Zealand Government

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is consulting on proposed changes to health and safety regulations to better support innovation in New Zealand’s science and technology sector. 

“As part of the wider health and safety reforms, we’re clearing the way for scientific progress by reducing complexity and making it easier to understand what’s required,” says Ms van Velden.  

“We’ve heard that the current regulations don’t match what university laboratories do, creating unnecessary compliance challenges. Researchers and innovators need a system that supports their work, not one that stands in the way.” 

I am proposing a change that aims to match hazardous substances requirements for university laboratories as well as science and technology laboratories with their actual risk. 

Current regulations require flammable substance laboratories to be on the ground floor. However, universities often place them on upper levels to improve fire safety and security, keeping evacuation routes clear and limiting access to hazardous materials. This approach, supported by Fire and Emergency New Zealand, does not align with how the regulations are currently written. 

“I’m developing these changes to ensure they are practical and effectively support New Zealand’s science and technology sector. This includes assessing whether the current laboratory design and hazardous substances storage requirements work for their laboratories. 

“We’ll be consulting directly with the university laboratories and science and technology laboratories. I intend to complete these changes by mid-2026.” 

Another key change already being consulted on aims to remove regulatory barriers to the development and use of hydrogen technologies. 

“We’re planning to update the rules to support the safe development and use of hydrogen technologiesin a way that’s flexible, future-proofed, and internationally aligned.” 

Officials have already conducted targeted consultation, and now we’re opening it more widely to ensure all interested stakeholders have the opportunity to share their feedback.

Because the current safety requirements were not developed with hydrogen in mind, they are now preventing the safe development and use of hydrogen technologies.  

Key changes being consulted on include: 

Enabling the use of hydrogen storage containers that are already in common use overseas. 
Establishing safety requirements for cryogenic liquid hydrogen. 
Introducing safety requirements for hydrogen filling stations and dispensers. 

“Hydrogen technologies could transform sectors from transport to manufacturing, and these changes will help unlock that potential by removing regulatory barriers.” 

These changes support the Government’s 2024 Hydrogen Action Plan by creating an enabling regulatory environment for hydrogen development while maintaining safety. The changes are expected to be completed by mid-2026. 

“Once agreed, these updates will remove unnecessary complexity and ensure the regulatory system better supports scientific research and emerging technologies,” says Ms van Velden.  

“These changes will save time and costs for businesses and workers as we cut red tape to make it easier to do business. When our Kiwi businesses thrive, there are more jobs and lower prices for all New Zealanders.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI: Little Pepe (LILPEPE) Sells Out Presale Stage 8 Ahead of Schedule, Raised Amount Crosses $13,775,000

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Little Pepe (LILPEPE), the newest token sensation in the meme coin sphere, is successfully selling Presale Stage 8 long before the planned deadline, and this marks a significant milestone on the way to the outfit raising funds. Earlier today, the amount raised had already skyrocketed to an impressive amount nearing $13.7 million. The project momentum is only then gaining speed as it starts attracting the interest of investors in the whole crypto space.

LILPEPE Raises Over $13.7M as Token Demand Soars in Stage 8
Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) is smashing through its presale of Stage 8, raising $13.75 million, bringing the funds raised to a total of around $13.775 million. The Ethereum-based meme coin, with over 9.7 billion tokens sold at the price of $0.0017, was still a strong attraction to investors.

The presale has experienced growth in interest, taking place in phases of increased prices and in Stage 7, it was an $11.225 million fund. A low-cost, scalable, EVM-compatible network is a great way to create a meme coin with some actual utility, with $LILPEPE tapping into the future of the part culture, meme NFTs, and utilities of the blockchain industry.

$777K Little Pepe Giveaway Still Open
To thank the early adopters, Little Pepe is running a giveaway of 777,000 dollars. The winners will be 10 people who will share 77,000 dollars worth of LILPEPE tokens.

The entry requires buying a minimum of $100 in Little Pepe during the presale and performing social actions such as following, sharing, tagging, and others and you should only enter via the official site, LittlePepe.com, to not getting scammed. Little Pepe will never DM or contact you to request wallet information.

About Little Pepe
Little Pepe is a blockchain of the next generation that combines the meme culture and the light infrastructure of decentralization, which is low-cost and fast at the same time and it is entirely EVM-compatible and able to support scalable applications with low fees. The project builds on these factors, as there is power in the $LILPEPE token, making this a project that brings utility and virality together, providing a meme coin with utility and cutting-edge technology.

Conclusion
Little Pepe ($LILPEPE) is quickly gaining traction, as Stage 8 is seeing its tokens sell out before its completion, and more than $13.7 million has already been raised. It poses a strong possibility in the meme coin market by having the support of a strong community and being useful. The giveaway of 777K is still ongoing, making it a great moment to attract new users. As it gets ready to launch, Little Pepe is establishing that meme coins can be more than hype-fueled vehicles; they can be a source of genuine innovation on the crypto scene.

For More Details About Little PEPE, Visit The Below Link:
Website: https://littlepepe.com

Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken
Twitter: https://x.com/littlepepetoken

Contact Details: COO- James Stephen Email: media@littlepepe.com

Disclaimer: This content is provided by Little Pepe. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34b6a1c5-e3f2-4a29-ab26-3ec0613d3f17

The MIL Network –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: New police unit bolsters B.C.’s response to human trafficking
Source: Government of Canada regional news

The Province is strengthening its efforts to combat human trafficking with the creation of a new, co-ordinated provincial response team.

The counter human trafficking unit (CHTU) will enhance the detection, investigation and prosecution of human trafficking crimes, while expanding support for victims and targeting organized crime networks operating in British Columbia.

“Human trafficking occurs in all areas of our province, and we all have a role to play in helping to prevent these horrific crimes,” said Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “The creation of this new unit marks a significant step forward in our government’s efforts to assist police in identifying and supporting victims of human trafficking, while also strengthening evidence-gathering to ensure those responsible for these crimes are held accountable.”

The CHTU is a 12-member team that will lead the provincial response to the issue of human trafficking through intelligence, education and investigation. The unit will work with police departments and other agencies to provide increased training to officers and additional capacity in investigations and intelligence-gathering on cases throughout the province. They will also help strengthen the response to these crimes by promoting experts in the field of human trafficking to support criminal prosecutions.

“Human trafficking is a complex and often hidden crime that requires specialized skills and resources from police,” said Chief Supt. Elija Rain, officer in charge of the B.C. RCMP major crime section. “From education to detection, investigation, prosecution and working closely with policing and community partners, the creation of this dedicated team strengthens our overall response to human trafficking in every corner of B.C.”

The funding for the CHTU is made available from the Province’s $230-million investment into the Provincial Police Service to enable the B.C. RCMP to hire officers in specialized units, such as the major crime section, the internet child exploitation unit and the BC Highway Patrol.

The Province’s broader response to human trafficking includes a focus on enhancing community-led supports for survivors, increasing community capacity to respond to human trafficking and enforcement efforts through police departments. More than $60 million is provided annually to support more than 475 front-line victim-service and violence against women programs in the province that offer emotional support, information, referrals and practical assistance to victims of violence, including victims of human trafficking. This includes funding for 70 new sexual-assault services and five sexual-assault centres to support victims of sexual violence in the province.

Human trafficking is a serious violation of human rights involving the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for profit. Due to their often hidden and complex nature, many human trafficking offences go undetected or unreported. In 2023, 43 incidents were reported to police in B.C., though the actual number may be higher as experts note human trafficking is significantly under-reported.

Quotes:

Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity –

“We know that human trafficking and gender-based violence are closely connected. Over 90% of police-reported human trafficking victims are women and girls, and one-third of them are trafficked by an intimate partner. Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people are at a higher risk, as are survivors of gender-based violence, which is why this new unit will support the important work underway as part of B.C.’s gender-based violence action plan.”

Amna Shah, MLA for Surrey City Centre –

“One incident of human trafficking is too many. This new 12-member unit will help our Province proactively respond to the issue of human trafficking in B.C. and ensure victims have the support they need. The B.C. RCMP is working hard to address these crimes and keep our communities safe.”

Jenea Gomez, director, Illuminate Anti-Human Trafficking Programs –

“It is an honour to work alongside the Province of British Columbia and this newly formed response team to ensure that legal and social mechanisms support our common goal of seeing survivors live free from exploitation. Illuminate has worked closely with the RCMP Counter-Exploitation Unit for many years, and we will continue to bring our expertise to the Counter Human Trafficking Unit for the support of survivors seeking safety and justice.”

Quick Facts:
- The Province provided $230 million to support the RCMP Provincial Police Service to hire 256 members over three years.
- Two hundred and twenty-five positions have been staffed and actions for the remaining 31 positions are expected to be completed by spring 2026.
- The United Nations has designated July 30 as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.
Two backgrounders follow.

MIL OSI Canada News –
July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Maxwell Frost Blasts Florida Attorney General’s Threats to Remove Orange County Government Officials Over Immigration Enforcement

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

July 30, 2025

ORLANDO, FL — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) issued a statement slamming Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, for threatening to remove Orange County Commissioners and Mayor Jerry Demings, after Orange County leaders rejected a proposal that would force county corrections staff to transport federal immigrant detainees to federal detention facilities. Uthmeier’s threat comes as Florida’s newly appointed CFO has announced the State is auditing the county’s spending.

In a statement, Rep. Frost says:

“In a desperate attempt to score points with the Trump Administration, Florida’s unelected Attorney General is threatening to remove elected Orange County officials for doing what they were elected to do — to stand up for the residents of Orange County and exercise their sovereignty and duties given to them by the people.

“This the same governor who used to claim that the federal government was an ‘out-of-touch bureaucracy that does not act on behalf of us, but instead looms over us and imposes its will upon us.’ And now after squandering $450 million of state taxpayer dollars to build an internment camp in the middle of the Everglades, they want to force Orange County to foot the bill for their cruel immigration agenda and use its resources to transport detainees nearly 250 miles away.

“The Governor’s office has a long track record of overstepping and playing these twisted political games to silence the opposition. Threats to remove local leaders who were elected to represent our community while at the same time auditing the county’s spending are nothing short of baseless, direct attacks on one of the only Democratic strongholds left in Florida. This is a political shakedown.

“I stand by Orange County and its leaders against these attacks. This assault on our local democracy will not stand.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI: Pacific General Leads Investment in NAYA

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pacific General, a New York based investment firm specializing in consumer and industrials private equity investments, announced today that it has invested in Naya Group LLC (“NAYA” or the “Company”), a rapidly growing Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant brand with 35 units across six states.

The investment is part of a single-asset continuation vehicle transaction of TriSpan (USA), LLC (“TriSpan”), a transatlantic private equity firm with offices in New York and London. The transaction was led by Pacific General, with Kline Hill Partners LP (“Kline Hill”) serving as co-lead. Pacific General’s investment offered liquidity to TriSpan’s investors while also providing growth equity capital to support NAYA’s expansion into a national brand.

Hady Kfoury, founder and CEO of NAYA, commented, “We are pleased to welcome Pacific General as our investor alongside our longstanding partner TriSpan. We look forward to leveraging Pacific General’s strategic support and industry insights to help accelerate our growth.”

“We are excited about our partnership with NAYA and TriSpan and also teaming up with Kline Hill to contribute to laying the cornerstone for the Company’s next phase of growth,” said Matthew Yoon, Managing Partner of Pacific General. “TriSpan and the management of NAYA have built the Company as a standout brand in the Mediterranean / Middle Eastern fast casual dining space, and we are thrilled to be joining the journey.”

“NAYA aligns with our investment strategy of supporting highly scalable, authentic restaurant brands with strong unit economics and significant whitespace for growth. The investment underscores our team’s ability to identify, source, and execute high-quality investment opportunities in the restaurant space,” said Dajeong Lee, Partner of Pacific General.

Proskauer Rose LLP acted as legal counsel to Pacific General. Goodwin Procter LLP and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as legal counsel and financial advisor, respectively, to TriSpan. Golenbock LLP acted as legal counsel to NAYA.

About NAYA

NAYA is a high-growth, fast-casual restaurant brand reimagining Middle Eastern / Mediterranean cuisine for the modern consumer. Blending bold flavors with fresh, high-quality ingredients, NAYA offers a customizable menu of craveable, wholesome dishes served in a sleek, contemporary setting. With generous portions, an efficient counter-service model, and broad demographic appeal, NAYA’s value proposition has resonated strongly with U.S. consumers, making it a go-to destination for flavorful, satisfying meals at an accessible price point. For more on NAYA, visit www.eatnaya.com.

About Pacific General

Pacific General is an investment firm focusing on private equity and alternative investments. The firm specializes in originating, structuring, and investing in businesses with growth potential in the consumer, industrials and business services sectors, and leverages its cross-border expertise and global network to create value. The firm operates through offices in New York and Seoul, South Korea and with a presence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For more information, please visit www.pacificgeneral.com.

About TriSpan

Founded in 2015, TriSpan, LLP is a private equity firm with offices in New York and London that invests in lower middle market companies in North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. TriSpan, LLP is committed to creating value by leveraging a combination of deep operational and financial resources to accelerate growth and drive improved performance. Since inception, the firm has completed 24 platform investments, alongside nearly 100 bolt-on acquisitions across its portfolio. TriSpan’s Rising Stars strategy focuses on control-oriented growth investments in differentiated, high-growth restaurant concepts. For more information, please visit www.trispanllp.com.

About Kline Hill Partners

Founded in 2015, Kline Hill Partners is an investment firm focused on the private equity secondary market, with industry-leading capabilities in the small-deal space. With over $5.4 billion in assets under management, Kline Hill’s funds are backed by a blue-chip investor base that includes endowments, foundations, family offices, and other institutional investors. Together, Kline Hill’s secondary strategies make up a platform designed to serve the entirety of the small-deal secondary market, with capabilities spanning LP fund transfers, GP-led transactions, and secondary direct transactions. For more information, please visit www.klinehill.com.

The MIL Network –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Israel’s attack on Syria: Protecting the Druze minority or a regional power play?

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Spyros A. Sofos, Assistant Professor in Global Humanities, Simon Fraser University

A new round of violence recently erupted in southern Syria, where clashes between local Druze militias and Sunni fighters have left hundreds dead.

In response, Israel launched airstrikes in and around the province of Sweida on July 15, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority and to deter attacks by Syrian government forces.

The strikes mark Israel’s most serious escalation in Syria since December 2024, and they underline a growing trend in its foreign policy: the use of minority protection as a tool of regional influence and power projection.

The Druze minority

The Druze, a small but strategically significant ethno-religious group, have historically occupied a precarious position in the politics of Syria, Israel and Lebanon.

With an estimated million members across the Levant — a sub-region of west Asia that forms the core of the Middle East — the Druze have often tried to preserve their autonomy amid broader sectarian and political upheavals. In Syria, they make up about three per cent of the population, concentrated largely in the southern province of Sweida.

Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in late 2024 and the rise of a new Islamist-led government under Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Druze in southern Syria have resisted central authority.

Though not united in their stance, many Druze militias have rejected integration into the new Syrian army, preferring to rely on local defence networks. The latest wave of violence, sparked by the abduction of a Druze merchant, has been met with both brutality from pro-government forces and military retaliation by Israel.

Truly protecting Syrian minorities?

Israeli officials says they intervened to protect the Druze, which is not unprecedented. Over the past year, Israel has increasingly portrayed itself as a defender of threatened minorities in Syria — rhetoric that echoes past efforts to align with non-Arab or marginalized groups, such as the Kurds and certain Christian communities.

This strategy may be less about humanitarian goals and, in fact, much more deeply political.

By positioning itself as a regional protector of minorities, Israel could be seeking to craft a narrative of moral authority, particularly as it faces growing international outrage over its policies in the West Bank and Gaza. This is an example of what scholars refer to as strategic or nation branding by states to cultivate legitimacy and influence through selective interventions and symbolic gestures.

But Israel’s actions may not just concern image. They could also be part of a broader geopolitical strategy of containment and fragmentation.

The new authorities in Syria are seen as a significant threat, particularly because of the presence of Islamist factions operating near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. By creating what is in effect a buffer zone in southern Syria, Israel’s goal may be to prevent the entrenchment of hostile entities along its northern border while also capitalizing on Syria’s internal fragilities.

Strategic risks

With sectarian tensions resurfacing in Syria, the Israeli government probably sees an opportunity to build informal alliances with disaffected groups like the Druze, who may be skeptical of the new Syrian government. This reflects a shift in Israel’s foreign policy from reactive deterrence to proactive strategic disruption.

This approach is not without risks. While some Druze leaders have welcomed Israeli support, others — particularly in Syria and Lebanon — have accused Israel of stoking sectarian tensions to justify military intervention and advance territorial or security aims.

Such accusations echo longstanding criticisms that Israel’s involvement in regional conflicts is often guided less by humanitarian concern and more by cold strategic calculation.

This new phase in Israeli foreign policy also fits into a broader pattern I’ve previously written about — the increasing revisionism of Israel’s regional strategy under Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. That strategy seemingly seeks to upend multilateral norms, bypass traditional diplomacy and pursue influence through direct engagement — often militarized — with non-state entities and marginalized communities.

Read more:
How Israel’s domestic crises and Netanyahu’s aim to project power are reshaping the Middle East

Israel’s July 15 strikes, and an attack on Syria’s Ministry of Defence in Damascus the following day, have drawn strong condemnation from Arab states, Turkey and the United Nations.

While Israeli officials have justified the attacks as defensive and humanitarian, the intensity and symbolic targets suggest a deeper intention: to demonstrate operational reach, and, more importantly, actively engage in a redesign of the region with fragmentation and state weakness as the main objective.

Fragmentation of the Middle East

The United States, while expressing concern over the violence, has largely remained silent on Israel’s expanding role in Syria. This could further embolden Israeli actions in a region where international norms are being increasingly upended and traditional great power engagement is waning.

Sectarian clashes are likely to continue in Sweida and beyond as Syria’s central government struggles to reassert control. That means that for Israel, the opportunity to deepen its footprint in southern Syria under the guise of minority protection remains.

But despite its effort to present itself as a stable, moral presence in an otherwise chaotic neighbourhood, Israel could be undermining the very stability it says it wants to protect as it militarizes humanitarianism.

The world is not not just witnessing a series of airstrikes or another episode of sectarian violence in the Middle East. It’s watching a profound transformation in the regional order — one in which traditional borders, alliances and identities are being reshaped.

Amid this environment, Israel’s role could evolve not just as a military power, but as a revisionist nation navigating, and helping to bring about, the fragmentation of the Middle East.

Spyros A. Sofos 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. Israel’s attack on Syria: Protecting the Druze minority or a regional power play? – https://theconversation.com/israels-attack-on-syria-protecting-the-druze-minority-or-a-regional-power-play-261648

MIL OSI –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Pay us what you owe us:’ What the WNBA’s collective bargaining talks reveal about negotiation psychology

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ryan Clutterbuck, Assistant Professor in Sport Management, Brock University

WNBA all-star players, led by Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and the Minnesota Lynx’s Naphessa Collier, recently made headlines by wearing “Pay Us What You Owe Us” T-shirts during the pregame warm-up.

The T-shirts, which are now available for purchase, were a demonstration of players’ frustrations with the WNBA owners and the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiation. The collective agreement sets out the terms and conditions of employment (like salaries and benefits) between the league and its players, and is set to expire Oct. 31, 2025.

Reportedly, players are asking for increased revenue sharing (the current agreement stipulates WNBA players receive only nine per cent of league revenue, relative to their NBA peers who receive 50 per cent), increased compensation (the average WNBA salary is US$147,745) and other benefits.

Central to these demands is the perception that, despite a surge in popularity, media attention and viewership, WNBA players are still being underpaid and are undervalued.

Negotiations for a new collective agreement are ongoing. But as the T-shirts and subsequent public statements from the players and the WNBA show, there is increasing frustration with how the process is unfolding.

What is ‘owed’ to WNBA players?

Debate over what is “owed” to WNBA players has intensified recently. ESPN commentator Pat McAfee, for example, has suggested the league should simply increase players’ salaries by US$30,000 per player, saying that contracts like Clark’s are “an embarrassment.”

But others argue this discussion should go beyond players’ salaries. Syracuse University sport management professor Lindsey Darvin writes:

“The question isn’t whether the WNBA can afford to pay players what they’re worth; it’s whether the league can afford not to make the investments necessary to realize its full potential.”

According to Darvin, because the WNBA is an economically inefficient — and arguably exploitative — business, its focus should be on increasing revenue, and not simply on reducing its labour costs. For example, with the goal to satisfy increasing market demands for the WNBA, strategies to increase revenue could include expanding the league to new markets, scheduling more games at the 3 p.m. Eastern time slot and increasing the number of regular season games from 44 to 60 or more.

In sport management classrooms and negotiation workshops at Brock University, we call this “expanding the pie” — working collaboratively, as opposed to combatively, to grow the game and the business so that both players and owners benefit over the long term. But this is easier said than done.

Information shapes negotiation outcomes

While it’s still early in the negotiation process, there are lessons that can be learned from this round of collective bargaining. One of those lessons has to do with making and receiving first offers. In particular, two psychological concepts are at play: information asymmetry and the anchoring effect.

Information asymmetry occurs when one party holds more relevant knowledge than the other. For example, in a typical job negotiation, the employer knows the number of applicants for the position, how much the company is willing to pay and what compensation trends look like across the sector. The candidate, by contrast, lacks most if not all of this information and thus enters the negotiation at a distinct disadvantage.

The question is: who should make the first salary offer? The general rule is that when you lack critical information, it’s better to let the other side make the first move.

In the case of the WNBA’s negotiations, the information asymmetry problem is not so obvious. The owners likely have a certain perspective on what is acceptable in terms of sharing league revenue and improving working conditions. But the players possess their own kind of leverage, regarding their willingness to protest or walk out entirely.

The league made its initial proposal to the players in early July, but it was not well received.

The ‘anchoring effect’ can skew negotiations

Another problem influencing negotiations is the “anchoring effect.” This occurs when an initial offer influences subsequent offers and counteroffers, and ultimately has an impact on the final outcome.

Garage-sale aficionados may recognize this tendency, as buyers often negotiate with the seller’s sticker price in mind, haggling to earn a 25 or 50 per cent discount on an item without considering whether the item is actually worth the cost. Here, the sticker acts as the anchor.

While sticker prices and first offers are not inherently malicious, some sale prices and first offers are intended to manipulate buyers and negotiators representing the other side. Savvy negotiators deploy strategic anchors, but even they can sometimes miss.

In maritime terms, anchor scour occurs when a ship’s anchor fails to catch hold and instead drags across the seabed, destroying ecosystems caught in its path.

In negotiations, a similar process can unfold. When initial moves and first offers fail to catch hold because they are perceived to be unfair by the other side, it can damage relationships and can make subsequent negotiations even more difficult.

Now, the WNBA may face the consequences of a poorly received anchor. According to WNBA player representative, Satou Sabally, the WNBA’s initial offer was a “slap in the face”.

New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart called the players’ meeting with the league on July 17 to discuss a new collective bargaining agreement a “wasted opportunity” while Chicago Sky player Angel Reese called the negotiations “disrespectful.”

It’s time to right the ship

Though it’s still early days, we expect negotiations to heat up in the coming weeks as the Halloween deadline to reach a deal approaches.

There is still time to right the ship, so to speak, but to do so, WNBA players and owners must internalize the potentially disastrous impacts that can come from negotiating over an imagined “fixed pie” instead of expanding it, and dropping anchors that fail to address the other sides’ key interests.

WNBA players and WNBA team owners now have, in front of them, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform professional women’s sport in North America, through creatively and collaboratively expanding the pie and paying the players what they’re owed.

Michele K. Donnelly has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Michael Van Bussel and Ryan Clutterbuck do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. ‘Pay us what you owe us:’ What the WNBA’s collective bargaining talks reveal about negotiation psychology – https://theconversation.com/pay-us-what-you-owe-us-what-the-wnbas-collective-bargaining-talks-reveal-about-negotiation-psychology-261731

MIL OSI –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Car tires are polluting the environment and killing salmon. A global plastics treaty could help
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Timothy Rodgers, Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Engineering, University of British Columbia

In the 1990s, scientists restoring streams around Seattle, Wash., noticed that returning coho salmon were dying after rainstorms. The effects were immediate: the fish swam in circles, gasping at the surface, then died in a few hours.

Over the next several decades, researchers chipped away at the problem until in 2020 they discovered the culprit: a chemical called 6PPD-quinone that forms when its parent compound, a tire additive called 6PPD, reacts with ozone.

6PPD-quinone kills coho salmon at extraordinarily low concentrations, making it one of the most toxic substances to an aquatic species that scientists have ever found.

Today, a growing body of evidence shows that tire additives and their transformation products, including 6PPD-quinone, are contaminating ecosystems and showing up in people.

Now, alongside the researchers who made that initial discovery, we’re calling for international regulation of these chemicals to protect people and the environment.

Our recently published research outlines the hazard posed by tire additives due to their demonstrated toxicity and high emissions near people and sensitive ecosystems, how current regulations don’t do enough to protect us, and how we can do better.

Tires are complex chemical products

Tires are far from simple rubber rings. They’re complex chemical products made to endure heat, friction and degradation. For example, 6PPD is in tires to protect them from ozone, which causes tires to crack.

Unfortunately, little attention was paid to these chemicals until scientists discovered the impacts of 6PPD-quinone and realized these chemicals could be hazardous.

Once they started looking, researchers found many tire additives, including 6PPD-quinone, in streams near roads, in dust and in the air — wherever there are roads, there is tire additive contamination.

Although 6PPD-quinone is most lethal to coho, it is also lethal to several other species of salmonids, and it may be toxic to aquatic plants and terrestrial invertebrates.

We know that exposure to tire wear particles and the chemicals that leach from them affect other aquatic species that are used as indicators of toxicological risk. This widespread contamination occurs because emissions of tire additives are high.

Every time we drive, we produce particles from tire wear, and those particles release additives into the environment. Tires lose 10-20 per cent of their mass over their lifetime. That means driving emits over one million tonnes of tire particles to the environment in both the United States and the European Union every year.

All those tire particle emissions represent a large source of chemicals to the environment and high human exposures, especially in cities. Researchers have started to find tire additives and their transformation products in people.

Although more research is needed on how tire additives affect people, 6PPD is classified as a reproductive toxin, and other tire additives and their transformation products have been associated with increased cancer risk in exposed populations.

Emerging research with mice indicates that some tire additives and their transformation products impact mammals, with studies showing neurotoxicity, damage to multiple organ systems and impaired fertility from 6PPD-quinone.

That’s why our team of environmental scientists is calling for urgent global action.

Plastics treaty

We’re not arguing that tires shouldn’t have additives, but those additives must be safer. That’s why we are calling for a process that replaces 6PPD and other tire additives with safer alternatives. Tire additives should be nonhazardous across their entire life cycle, and manufacturers should be transparent about what tire additives they are using and what their hazards are.

Next week, governments from around the world are meeting to negotiate a global treaty to end plastic pollution. We call for tires to be explicitly included in the treaty, and we want to see strong measures around plastic additives including tire additives.

We want to see:
- Deadlines for phasing out hazardous chemicals;
- The ability to mandate alternatives;
- Transparency around the chemicals used in tires;
- Independent panels for evaluating additive alternatives and for assessing additive effects;
- Dedicated working groups focused on tire additives due to their large emissions and demonstrated ecological impacts.
The good news is that we’ve done this before. After scientists found a hole in the ozone layer, the world banded together under the Montréal Protocol to phase out the most damaging chemicals to the ozone layer. Today, the ozone layer is recovering, averting millions of cases of skin cancer and helping combat climate change. We need the same level of ambition and urgency now.

Making tires nonhazardous for the environment would help safeguard coho salmon populations, restoring traditional foods to Indigenous Peoples across the Pacific Northwest and protecting a species vital for aquatic ecosystems.

Since roads are built where people are, reducing the hazard from tire particle pollution would reduce one source of exposure to potentially toxic chemicals, and ensure a future where fewer people are impacted by chemical pollution. It’s time for global action on tire additives, before their impacts become even harder to ignore.

Timothy Rodgers receives funding from the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

Rachel Scholes receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the BC Knowledge Development Fund, and the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

Simon Drew receives funding from the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

– ref. Car tires are polluting the environment and killing salmon. A global plastics treaty could help – https://theconversation.com/car-tires-are-polluting-the-environment-and-killing-salmon-a-global-plastics-treaty-could-help-261832
MIL OSI –
July 31, 2025
NISAR launch a landmark in Indo-US space cooperation, set to transform earth observation: Jitendra Singh

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh lauded the successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite on Wednesday, calling it a “global benchmark” in Earth observation and a powerful symbol of Indo-US scientific collaboration.

Though parliamentary duties kept him in the capital, Singh joined scientists and senior officials at the CSIR Auditorium in New Delhi to witness the satellite’s flawless lift-off aboard the GSLV-F16 rocket via live telecast from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

“NISAR is not just a satellite; it is India’s scientific handshake with the world,” Singh said, emphasising that the mission represents the growing strength of India’s space programme and its transition from utility-based goals to knowledge-driven global initiatives.

The 2,393-kg satellite is the first in the world to carry dual-frequency synthetic aperture radars—L-band by NASA and S-band by ISRO—on a single platform. This enables high-resolution, all-weather, day-and-night imaging of Earth’s land and ice surfaces, with a revisit time of just 12 days.

In a first for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the GSLV-F16 successfully placed the satellite into a 747-kilometre Sun-synchronous Polar Orbit, marking the vehicle’s 18th mission and its 12th flight using an indigenous cryogenic stage.

Singh highlighted NISAR’s broad utility in areas such as disaster management, glacier tracking, agriculture monitoring, climate observation, and more. But he also stressed the mission’s extended value across sectors like aviation safety, maritime navigation, coastal management, and urban planning.

“This satellite will be a data backbone for smarter decisions in shipping routes, air traffic systems, and infrastructure development,” he said.

The open-access data policy of NISAR will benefit global researchers, disaster-response agencies, and developing nations, making cutting-edge Earth observation insights widely available over its five-year mission life.

Jointly funded by NASA and ISRO, the $1.5 billion mission involved significant hardware contributions from both agencies. NASA provided the L-band radar, GPS receiver, high-rate telecom system, and 12-meter deployable antenna, while ISRO contributed the S-band radar, spacecraft bus, launch vehicle, and support systems.

Singh concluded by attributing India’s space advancements to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “From Chandrayaan to NISAR, we are not just launching satellites—we are launching new possibilities for global science, sustainability, and shared progress.”

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rooted in Wisdom: Garden Party Celebrates Menopause, Sisterhood, and Health Equity
Source: US State of Connecticut

Nearly 80 women gathered at the Community Health Center in Middletown (CHC) on July 19 for Rooted in Wisdom: A Menopause Garden Party, a joyful, intergenerational celebration of wisdom, wellness, and womanhood. With floral bouquets in hand and shared stories in their hearts, attendees came together to reclaim the menopause journey: openly, proudly, and in community.

Women celebrating at the July 19, 2025 community-led Rooted in Wisdom: A Menopause Garden Party (Photo by Barbara McClane).

This community-led event was part of the UConn Health Disparities Institute’s Menopause Equity Initiative (MEI), a statewide effort to break the silence, reduce stigma, and create community-informed solutions to support women’s midlife health.

Organized by CHC and the Epsilon Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, the event was co-hosted by DeLita Rose-Daniels and Yvette Highsmith-Francis, CHC’s vice president of the Eastern Region. Their vision created a space where participants could learn, connect, and celebrate menopause as a shared journey rather than a silent struggle.

“Rooted in Wisdom was a powerful example of what it means to center community voices in health equity work,” said Dr. Linda Sprague Martinez, director of HDI. “Women are experts in their own lived experience. This event was special because it was created by women of color for women of color to reclaim their stories and build collective knowledge about menopause. HDI is committed to supporting intergenerational, culturally grounded conversations like these, which are needed to address health and health care disparities.”

Photo by Barbara McClane.

The event opened with a screening of the (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause, the first PBS documentary to spotlight the complex realities of the menopause transition. The film resonated deeply with the audience, evoking both quiet reflection and vocal commentary. “Women were connected to every word,” said DeLita Rose-Daniels. “It was an unspoken affirmation to me that women felt connected, seen, and heard about their menopause experience, a piece of them they probably never really shared out loud with anyone.”

Following the film, a “talkback” session with expert health professionals helped break down myths and medical misinformation, giving voice to common but often undiscussed symptoms. Guests asked questions, shared personal stories, and received guidance from:
- Dr. Carla Gunn Samson, obstetrician/gynecologist and founder of Hibiscus and Honey Medical and Aesthetic, LLC
- Dr. Jessica Kluewer-D’Amico, medical director of the Silver Sage Geriatric Psychiatry and Dual Diagnosis IOP Programs at UConn Health
Photo by Barbara McClane.

The event continued with a tea and wellness session led by Sasha Allen Walton, a Gullah Geechee herbalist and owner of Sasha’s Whole Earth. Walton offered a sampling of teas grounded in ancestral knowledge and everyday health rituals, demonstrating the connection between cultural healing and bodily empowerment.

To close the afternoon, guests created their floral bouquets on CHC’s garden rooftop as a personal expression of rebirth and rootedness.

CHC Vice President Yvette Highsmith-Francis captured the spirit of the day: “I literally saw faces light up when we shared the reframing of menopause from a negative to a journey to be embraced; a second spring- a time of personal rebirth, creativity, and internal wisdom. Individuals should be able to discuss their symptoms and find treatment openly or ways they can manage them.”

Why Menopause Equity Matters

While menopause is a universal experience, it is not equally experienced by all. Black women, for example, are three times more likely to enter menopause early and often face symptoms that last up to a decade, substantially longer than other groups. These symptoms are frequently dismissed or ignored, compounding risks for chronic conditions like heart disease.

One attendee shared, “This was the first time I ever had a real conversation about menopause. I didn’t even know hormone replacement therapy was something to explore.”

Photo by Barbara McClane.

“At HDI, we believe that those most affected by health inequities should be at the heart of the solutions,” said Trisha Pitter, director of Community Learning and Engagement at HDI. “That’s what this event was: a community-driven expression of wisdom, joy, and truth-telling. Menopause doesn’t have to be a silent or isolating experience. Nor does someone have to figure it out alone. Through gatherings like this, we’re restoring connections, sharing intergenerational stories, and changing the narrative about what midlife can look and feel like, especially for Black and Brown women.

Looking Ahead

HDI will host the “Power of the Pause,” a statewide celebration during Menopause Awareness Month, on October 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. The event will take place at the Mandell JCC in West Hartford, bringing together individuals experiencing menopause and their loved ones while connecting them with health providers and tailored resources.

For more information or to get involved, visit HDI’s Menopause Equity Initiative webpage or email us at hdimenopauseequity@uchc.edu.

MIL OSI USA News –
July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Applauds Committee Passage of Bipartisan Legislation, Including Bill to Improve Access to Care in Rural Communities

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded the committee passage of the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation Kaine introduced to reauthorize programs to improve access to health care in rural communities.

“Everyone – regardless of their ZIP code – deserves access to high-quality medical care. But rural communities across Virginia and the country face unique challenges that can reduce or completely eliminate their access to that care. President Trump’s new law that will rip health care away from more than 15 million Americans and cut funding rural hospitals rely on to keep their doors open will only make those challenges worse. We were able to take a small step forward today in the HELP Committee to provide much-needed funding for health care in rural communities, and I will keep doing all that I can to reverse the dangerous health care policies of this Administration,” said Kaine. “I’m also glad that the HELP Committee passed my bipartisan bill with Senator Banks to improve over-the-counter (OTC) drug safety and modernize the FDA’s review of OTC medications, and my bipartisan bill with Senator Marshall and to help more employees harness a stake in the companies they work for.”

In addition to the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act, the HELP Committee passed several other pieces of Kaine-led legislation. The committee passed a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Over-the-Counter Monograph User Fee Program (OMUFA), which modernizes the FDA’s review of OTC medications with support from drug manufacturer user fees, until fiscal year (FY) 2030. Included in that text, the committee also passed the Kaine-led OTC Monograph Drug User Fee Transparency Act, mandating that the FDA annually provide information about OTC drug safety, adverse effects, the speed with which the FDA processes OTC monograph order requests, and other matters related to the safe and timely regulation of over-the-counter drugs. The legislation also requires that the FDA provide the Senate HELP Committee and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with a report after two years on the status of the OTC drug supply chain. The committee also passed the Retire through Ownership Act, led by Kaine and Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), which provides crucial guidance to facilitate the formation and continued operation of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). ESOPs allow all workers to directly share in the profits they help their company earn, leading to higher wages and more wealth-building.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan College Transparency Bill

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, (D-VA) joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in introducing the College Transparency Act (CTA), legislation to ensure students and families have better information as they consider higher education opportunities. The CTA would modernize the college reporting system for postsecondary data by providing accurate reporting on student outcomes such as enrollment, completion, and post-college earnings across colleges and majors.

“For many Virginians, higher education is one of the best investments for one’s future, and it’s vital that students and families have accurate information about student outcomes before choosing the right school and program for them,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to join colleagues from both sides of the aisle to introduce the College Transparency Act to ensure our college reporting system is up to date and able to provide Virginians with the most important information as they make this life-changing decision.”

The information provided by the CTA will give students a clear understanding of the return on investment in higher education and help them to make better decisions regarding the schools and programs of study that are best for them and their goals. It will also promote better outcomes by aiding institutions of learning and policymakers in their work to improve our country’s postsecondary education system and assist businesses and other employers in finding potential employees best suited to a particular field.

The legislation is led by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA). U.S. Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) and Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The CTA is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Association for Career and Technical Education, Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP).

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the introduction of the College Transparency Act. This legislation will make postsecondary data available to students and employers, empowering students to make informed decisions about their education and career paths while equipping employers with the data necessary to connect with skilled talent. The College Transparency Act will strengthen our education system, enhance workforce competitiveness, and drive economic growth,” said Rodney Davis, Head of Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: On Anniversary of Medicare And Medicaid, Warner & Kaine Introduce Bill to Repeal Health Care Provisions in Republican ‘Big, Ugly Bill’

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on the 60th anniversary of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) introduced legislation to repeal the health care provisions in President Donald Trump and Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits, which expire at the end of the year. The law, which Warner and Kaine strongly opposed, will result in more than 15 million people losing their health insurance under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and many rural hospitals losing federal funding from Medicaid, putting them at risk of closure.

“In the 60 years since President Johnson signed the law that established Medicare and Medicaid, millions of Americans have been able to access the health care they need. Sadly, instead of strengthening these programs, President Trump and Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ will do the opposite and kick people off their health insurance under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act,” said the senators. “We will all be better off if more people can access health insurance, and that’s why we’re proud to join our colleagues in introducing legislation to repeal the health care changes in the disastrous Republican law and extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits so Virginians can continue to access care.”

The Republican law makes massive cuts to health care, nutrition assistance, and other critical programs that Virginians rely on in order to cut taxes for the ultra-wealthy. While the bill was being considered in the Senate, Warner and Kaine introduced a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but Republicans blocked them.

78,000 Virginians will lose access to some benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Virginia will be required to contribute an estimated $263 million annually in state cost-share for benefits, which have always been fully federally funded. The law jeopardizes clean energy jobs in Virginia by phasing out clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits and incentives that were passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. The law gives the top 0.1% a $250,000 tax cut and makes it harder for students to access student loans. The legislation also includes $85 million to move the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia to Houston, Texas; the full cost to move the space shuttle is estimated to be $300-$400 million.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 31, 2025