NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • Over 1.28 lakh pilgrims perform Amarnath Yatra so far; fresh batch of 7,307 heads to Kashmir

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The annual Amarnath Yatra continues with strong participation, as over 1.28 lakh devotees have undertaken the pilgrimage over the past seven days. On Thursday, another batch of 7,307 pilgrims departed from Jammu for the Kashmir Valley to join the Yatra.

    Officials confirmed that the batch left from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in two escorted convoys. The first convoy, comprising 137 vehicles and carrying 3,081 pilgrims, departed at 3:15 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 147 vehicles with 4,226 pilgrims on board, left at 3:58 a.m. for the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam.

    According to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which oversees the management of the Yatra, many pilgrims are also arriving directly at the Baltal and Nunwan base camps for on-the-spot registration, in addition to those coming via Jammu.

    The Meteorological Department has forecast rain across Jammu and Kashmir over the next 12 hours, with isolated intense showers and thunderstorms expected, particularly in the Jammu region.

    This year’s Yatra is being held under tight security, following the April 22 terror attack in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam. In response, security has been significantly enhanced. An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to support the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. The entire pilgrimage route, including transit camps and roads from Jammu to the cave shrine, is under strict surveillance.

    Local residents have once again shown their support and hospitality. On July 6, people from Srinagar travelled 30 km to Nuner village along the Baltal-Srinagar road to offer cold drinks and clean water to returning pilgrims. The gesture was warmly received by the Yatris.

    The Yatra began on July 3 and is scheduled to conclude on August 9, coinciding with the festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. The holy cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas, can be accessed through two main routes.

    The traditional route from Pahalgam spans 46 kilometres and takes about four days to complete on foot, passing through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni. The shorter Baltal route covers 14 kilometres and allows pilgrims to return the same day after darshan. Due to security concerns, helicopter services are not being offered to pilgrims this year.

    Inside the sacred cave, an ice stalagmite naturally forms and is believed by devotees to represent Lord Shiva.

    (With agencies inputs)

  • MIL-Evening Report: Envoy’s plan to fight antisemitism would put universities on notice over funding

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    The government’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has recommended universities that fail to properly deal with the issue should have government funding terminated.

    In her Plan to Combat Antisemitism, launched Thursday, Segal says she will prepare a report card “assessing each university’s implementation of effective practices and standards”.

    This would cover complaints systems and whether the campus and online environment “is conducive to Jewish students and staff participating actively and equally in university life”.

    “Should significant problems remain at universities by the start of the 2026 academic year, as assessed by the Envoy’s report card, a dedicated judicial inquiry should be undertaken to address systemic issues,” the Envoy’s report says.

    That should include “investigation of foreign sources of funding for antisemitic activities and academics at universities”.

    “Universities must embrace cultural change to end their tolerance for anti-semitic conduct,” the Segal report says.

    It says the envoy will work with government to enable funding “to be withheld, where possible, from universities, programs or individuals within universities that facilitate, enable or fail to act against antisemitism”.

    The envoy also wants public grants to university centres, academics or researchers to be subject to termination if the recipient engages in antisemitic or other hateful speech or actions.

    In the wake of the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israelis, and Israel’s military response in Gaza, a number of Australian universities saw big pro-Palestinian protests, including encampments. At some universities Jewish students and staff felt unsafe going to classes or to their offices.

    More generally, antisemitism has been rife since the October attacks, with most recently a spate of incidents in Melbourne in the last week. These included setting fire to the door of a synagogue and protesters rampaging through a restaurant that is part of an Israeli chain.

    The envoy’s report was launched at a joint press conference attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, and Segal.

    The ambitious plan is broad, also covering security, law enforcement, and online regulation among other areas.

    But it is unclear how much of it the government will take up.

    Asked whether the government was committed to the plan “in full”, Albanese was noncommittal.

    “We welcome the plan, to be very clear. Some of the plan requires a long-term approach, some of it requires action by state governments, some of it requires action by society.

    “What we will do is work constructively with the envoy,” he said.

    “This isn’t something that is okay on the 10th of July, done, tick, and we move on. This will be a process.”

    The plan includes embedding Holocaust and antisemitism education in school curricula.

    Research the envoy commissioned found a substantial difference between the attitudes of Australians under 35 and those older. These reflected differences between the generations in media consumption and perceptions younger people have of the Middle East the the Jewish community.

    “There also appears to be generational differences in the understanding of the Holocaust and its impacts on society,” the report says.

    The envoy flags her intention, with the support of government, to “review, and where appropriate strengthen federal, state and territory legislation addressing antisemitism and other hateful or intimidatory conduct”.

    Among the recommendations is the removal of tax deduction status from any charitable institution which promotes speakers or engages in conduct that promotes antisemitism.

    The report says that from October 2023 to September 2024 antisemitic incidents increased by 316%, with more than 2,000 cases reported. These included threats, assaults, vandalism and intimidation.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Envoy’s plan to fight antisemitism would put universities on notice over funding – https://theconversation.com/envoys-plan-to-fight-antisemitism-would-put-universities-on-notice-over-funding-259685

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: First the dire wolf, now NZ’s giant moa: why real ‘de-extinction’ is unlikely to fly

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago

    Colossal Biosciences, CC BY-SA

    The announcement that New Zealand’s moa nunui (giant moa) is the next “de-extinction” target for Colossal Biosciences, in partnership with Canterbury Museum, the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and filmmaker Peter Jackson, caused widespread alarm among scientists.

    This follows the US company’s recreation of a “dire wolf”, which was essentially a genetically engineered grey wolf. But that project was probably easy compared to the latest plan to resurrect the moa.

    I think it’s a pipe dream and there are several reasons why.

    Firstly, birds are harder to “de-extinct” than placental mammals. One would need a surrogate egg to bring chicks to term, and for many moa species there are no eggs from living birds big enough to house a developing chick. In this case, artificial eggs would need to be developed.

    Then there is evolutionary history. From my own work and the research of others, we know the moa is most closely related to the tinamou, a small flying bird in South America.

    To get to the common ancestor of the moa and tinamou, you’d have to go back some 60 million years of evolution. That’s a lot of time for mutations to evolve in genes controlling how moa look, that would need to be re-engineered to bring back moa traits.

    The evolutionary history of the palaeognath group is even deeper. Formerly known as ratites, this group includes the tinamou and lineages of living flightless birds (emu, kiwi, cassowary, rhea, ostrich) and extinct ones (New Zealand’s moa and Madagascar’s elephant birds).

    Genetically engineering a tinamou or any other birds in this group to create a moa hybrid would be challenging given this deep evolutionary timescale – certainly much harder than genetically engineering a grey wolf. And in any case, this would not recreate a moa, but merely something that may look like a moa. As one critic put it, it would not have the mauri (life force) of a moa.

    There are no living analogues of moa within the palaeongath group. We don’t know whether birds created through de-extinction methods would function like a moa in the ecosystem.

    Moa are unique, even among other flightless birds, in that they had no wings – all other flightless birds still have remnant wings. As a start, any genetic engineering would need to target regions of the genome that control the expression of genes for wing formation. This could have unintended consequences.

    Working with moa ethically

    I’m involved in an ongoing project to sequence high-quality genomes of several species of moa in New Zealand to study their evolutionary history.

    In our conversations with tangata whenua around the country, there has been no support for de-extinction. Iwi (tribes) also want moa bone samples and all DNA extracts and sequence data to stay in New Zealand.

    A major question is whether Colossal has undertaken wider engagement. Ngāi Tahu is a very large iwi with lots of individual rūnanga (tribal councils) throughout the South Island.

    My research team has engaged with individual rūnanga, and we know they are opposed to de-extinction. I would like Colossal, Canterbury Museum and the Ngāi Tahu Research Center to disclose how widely they consulted across Ngāi Tahu.

    The numerous iwi at the top of the South Island are also against the de-extinction of the giant moa (or any moa) which also lived in their rohe (region). De-extinction of a giant moa would really need a South Island-wide or even national consensus before going ahead.

    Ecological concerns with de-extinction

    Māori have expressed longstanding concerns about not being involved in discussions about genetic engineering and the potential of bone samples or genetic material going offshore.

    With this announcement, it’s encouraging to see the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre is driving the project and that there are discussions around the need to restore habitat that would be suitable for moa.

    This is a challenge in its own right as there is little left. Parts of the eastern South Island were once covered in mosaics of open forest shrubland that were dominated by kowhai and lancewood, which have no analogue today.

    Even if we were to bring back an extinct species and kept individuals in a game reserve, we would need to produce enough (at least 500) to avoid inbreeding and genetic drift (random loss or retention of genes in a population).

    The birds would require sufficient funding for their ongoing conservation. This raises worries that money could be pulled from efforts to save living endangered species, pushing them closer to extinction.

    It’s undeniable the genetic engineering technology Colossal is developing could have real benefits to the conservation of New Zealand’s endangered species. Let’s say we could genetically engineer a kākāpō so it becomes resistant to a disease. That’s perhaps a project worth doing if there was widespread community support.

    Investing the money that goes into this project in the conservation of New Zealand’s currently endangered biodiversity would, in my view, be better than bringing back moa as an ecotourism venture.

    Nic Rawlence receives funding from Te Apārangi Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund.

    – ref. First the dire wolf, now NZ’s giant moa: why real ‘de-extinction’ is unlikely to fly – https://theconversation.com/first-the-dire-wolf-now-nzs-giant-moa-why-real-de-extinction-is-unlikely-to-fly-260797

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McCreery Aviation finance director admits to $1.2 million mail fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 57-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and diverting company funds for her own benefit, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Elizabeth Batten was the director of financing at McCreery Aviation in the Rio Grande Valley from 2019 to 2023. As part of her plea, she admitted that during her tenure, she diverted company funds to pay for her personal expenses. She used signed blank company checks, intended for legitimate business purposes, to settle her personal credit card accounts.

    She also used the U.S. Postal Service to conceal her behavior and actions by mailing her fraudulent payments to multiple credit card companies in different states.

    The investigation into Batten began after a McCreery Aviation employee noticed irregularities in the handling of company checks in late 2023.

    It revealed she had fraudulently diverted a total of $1.2 million as part of her scheme.

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Oct. 7. At that time, Batten faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    As a part of the plea, Batten agreed to pay $1.191 million in restitution to McCreery Aviation.

    She was permitted to remain on bond pending her sentencing hearing.

    The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McCreery Aviation finance director admits to $1.2 million mail fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 57-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and diverting company funds for her own benefit, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Elizabeth Batten was the director of financing at McCreery Aviation in the Rio Grande Valley from 2019 to 2023. As part of her plea, she admitted that during her tenure, she diverted company funds to pay for her personal expenses. She used signed blank company checks, intended for legitimate business purposes, to settle her personal credit card accounts.

    She also used the U.S. Postal Service to conceal her behavior and actions by mailing her fraudulent payments to multiple credit card companies in different states.

    The investigation into Batten began after a McCreery Aviation employee noticed irregularities in the handling of company checks in late 2023.

    It revealed she had fraudulently diverted a total of $1.2 million as part of her scheme.

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Oct. 7. At that time, Batten faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    As a part of the plea, Batten agreed to pay $1.191 million in restitution to McCreery Aviation.

    She was permitted to remain on bond pending her sentencing hearing.

    The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged with Smuggling Protected Toucans

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Carlos Abundez of San Ysidro, California, appeared in federal court today to face charges that he smuggled 14 live, bound Keel-billed toucans concealed inside the dashboard of his Volkswagen Passat.

    Federal agents detained Abundez at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry after a Customs and Border Protection canine showed a change of behavior while screening the car. When a CBP officer further inspected the car, the officer found a bound bird, wrapped in cloth, duct taped to the underneath of the dash.

    At the time, the officer did not know what the object was until it began to move and flutter. Officers then pried open the side panel of the dashboard and discovered a total of 14 sedated juvenile Keel-billed toucans concealed within the compartment.

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents and inspectors responded to the scene.  A wildlife inspector identified the birds as Keel-billed toucans of the species Ramphastos sulfuratus. The 14 birds were identified as juveniles. Some had injuries including broken tails and a broken leg.

    The birds were initially cared for by Veterinary Services at the southern border, before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. The birds are now reported to be in stable condition.

    Keel-billed toucans are native to southern Mexico down through Ecuador, including Venezuela, Columbia and Nicaragua. Because of their threatened status as a species, Keel-billed toucans are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (“CITES”), an international treaty among approximately 183 governments, including the United States and Mexico, to protect fish, wildlife, and plants that may become threatened with extinction. They are illicitly sold as pets and can cost up to $5,000 per bird.

    The arrest follows the recent prosecution of three other individuals caught smuggling Amazon parrots and parakeets through the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro ports of entry, highlighting a troubling pattern of illegal wildlife trade through Southern California.

    “Smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks, and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel—it’s criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This disturbing trend of trafficking exotic wildlife through Southern California ports poses a serious threat to public health and agriculture. These birds bypass mandatory quarantine and screening, potentially carrying devastating diseases like avian influenza. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who treat living creatures as contraband and put our communities and ecosystems at risk.”

    Avian influenza (bird flu), for instance, can spread through feathers, droppings, or even airborne particles and has previously caused massive culls of farm birds in the U.S. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including birds in United States poultry farms.  Many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and can have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Jimenez.

    DEFENDANT                                                Case Number 25-mj-3726                           

    Carlos Abundez                                              Age: 35                                   San Ysidro, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Smuggling Merchandise – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged with Smuggling Protected Toucans

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Carlos Abundez of San Ysidro, California, appeared in federal court today to face charges that he smuggled 14 live, bound Keel-billed toucans concealed inside the dashboard of his Volkswagen Passat.

    Federal agents detained Abundez at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry after a Customs and Border Protection canine showed a change of behavior while screening the car. When a CBP officer further inspected the car, the officer found a bound bird, wrapped in cloth, duct taped to the underneath of the dash.

    At the time, the officer did not know what the object was until it began to move and flutter. Officers then pried open the side panel of the dashboard and discovered a total of 14 sedated juvenile Keel-billed toucans concealed within the compartment.

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents and inspectors responded to the scene.  A wildlife inspector identified the birds as Keel-billed toucans of the species Ramphastos sulfuratus. The 14 birds were identified as juveniles. Some had injuries including broken tails and a broken leg.

    The birds were initially cared for by Veterinary Services at the southern border, before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. The birds are now reported to be in stable condition.

    Keel-billed toucans are native to southern Mexico down through Ecuador, including Venezuela, Columbia and Nicaragua. Because of their threatened status as a species, Keel-billed toucans are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (“CITES”), an international treaty among approximately 183 governments, including the United States and Mexico, to protect fish, wildlife, and plants that may become threatened with extinction. They are illicitly sold as pets and can cost up to $5,000 per bird.

    The arrest follows the recent prosecution of three other individuals caught smuggling Amazon parrots and parakeets through the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro ports of entry, highlighting a troubling pattern of illegal wildlife trade through Southern California.

    “Smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks, and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel—it’s criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This disturbing trend of trafficking exotic wildlife through Southern California ports poses a serious threat to public health and agriculture. These birds bypass mandatory quarantine and screening, potentially carrying devastating diseases like avian influenza. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who treat living creatures as contraband and put our communities and ecosystems at risk.”

    Avian influenza (bird flu), for instance, can spread through feathers, droppings, or even airborne particles and has previously caused massive culls of farm birds in the U.S. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including birds in United States poultry farms.  Many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and can have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Jimenez.

    DEFENDANT                                                Case Number 25-mj-3726                           

    Carlos Abundez                                              Age: 35                                   San Ysidro, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Smuggling Merchandise – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Who Ran $7-Million-Dollar Cryptocurrency Investment Scheme Sentenced To Four Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Douglas Jae Woo Kim was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for his scheme to defraud investors of over $7 million in cryptocurrency and other funds.  Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down the sentence.

    At the conclusion of a three-week trial in February 2025, a federal jury convicted Kim, 32, of New York, New York, on 14 counts of wire fraud, international money laundering, and money laundering, and acquitted him on one count of international money laundering.  At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Breyer dismissed one count of laundering of monetary instruments, one of the 14 counts on which Kim had been found guilty, on venue grounds.  

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between October 2017 and June 2020, after moving to San Francisco, Kim engaged in a scheme to defraud investors, many of whom were friends and acquaintances, of over $7 million in money and cryptocurrency by holding himself out as a legitimate trader of cryptocurrency.  Kim falsely represented that he was seeking short-term liquidity in the form of loans or investments for cryptocurrency trading or other legitimate business purposes, told victims that the loans carried no risk or very low risk, promised high rates of return on their loans, and claimed that he had sufficient funds to personally guarantee the loans.  

    In October 2017, Kim contacted a victim by text message and said he was looking for investors interested in making what he called a short-term loan for a “fairly modest operation.”  Kim represented that he was investing in a cryptocurrency operation in which he would make a profit from fees charged to a peer-to-peer network and from exchange transactions, and informed the victim that the operation “isn’t very risky to me.”  Kim obtained over a million dollars’ worth of funds from this victim over the course of the scheme, the majority of which went to offshore sports betting sites.

    In November 2017, Kim contacted another victim by email and said he was looking for cryptocurrency for a trading strategy.  Kim assured that the victim that “my activities are fairly low risk.”  In total, Kim obtained over $500,000 in funds from this victim, most of which he sent to offshore sports betting sites.

    In an agreement dated Jan. 1, 2018, Kim set out the terms of a similar investment with a third victim.  The agreement called for the victim to provide cryptocurrency valued at approximately $200,000 at the time.  The same day, Kim converted more than half of the funds to bitcoin and, in the following days, transferred substantially all the converted cryptocurrency to his account with an offshore casino.  Kim went on to obtain over $4 million in funds from this victim.

    Kim defrauded numerous other victims, including nine who testified at trial, until at least July 2020, when he was charged by federal complaint.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced Kim to a three-year period of supervised release.  A hearing will be scheduled to determine issues regarding restitution.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Stern and Maya Karwande are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Maryam Beros, Andy Ding, Lynette Dixon, and Christine Tian. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Who Ran $7-Million-Dollar Cryptocurrency Investment Scheme Sentenced To Four Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Douglas Jae Woo Kim was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for his scheme to defraud investors of over $7 million in cryptocurrency and other funds.  Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down the sentence.

    At the conclusion of a three-week trial in February 2025, a federal jury convicted Kim, 32, of New York, New York, on 14 counts of wire fraud, international money laundering, and money laundering, and acquitted him on one count of international money laundering.  At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Breyer dismissed one count of laundering of monetary instruments, one of the 14 counts on which Kim had been found guilty, on venue grounds.  

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between October 2017 and June 2020, after moving to San Francisco, Kim engaged in a scheme to defraud investors, many of whom were friends and acquaintances, of over $7 million in money and cryptocurrency by holding himself out as a legitimate trader of cryptocurrency.  Kim falsely represented that he was seeking short-term liquidity in the form of loans or investments for cryptocurrency trading or other legitimate business purposes, told victims that the loans carried no risk or very low risk, promised high rates of return on their loans, and claimed that he had sufficient funds to personally guarantee the loans.  

    In October 2017, Kim contacted a victim by text message and said he was looking for investors interested in making what he called a short-term loan for a “fairly modest operation.”  Kim represented that he was investing in a cryptocurrency operation in which he would make a profit from fees charged to a peer-to-peer network and from exchange transactions, and informed the victim that the operation “isn’t very risky to me.”  Kim obtained over a million dollars’ worth of funds from this victim over the course of the scheme, the majority of which went to offshore sports betting sites.

    In November 2017, Kim contacted another victim by email and said he was looking for cryptocurrency for a trading strategy.  Kim assured that the victim that “my activities are fairly low risk.”  In total, Kim obtained over $500,000 in funds from this victim, most of which he sent to offshore sports betting sites.

    In an agreement dated Jan. 1, 2018, Kim set out the terms of a similar investment with a third victim.  The agreement called for the victim to provide cryptocurrency valued at approximately $200,000 at the time.  The same day, Kim converted more than half of the funds to bitcoin and, in the following days, transferred substantially all the converted cryptocurrency to his account with an offshore casino.  Kim went on to obtain over $4 million in funds from this victim.

    Kim defrauded numerous other victims, including nine who testified at trial, until at least July 2020, when he was charged by federal complaint.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced Kim to a three-year period of supervised release.  A hearing will be scheduled to determine issues regarding restitution.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Stern and Maya Karwande are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Maryam Beros, Andy Ding, Lynette Dixon, and Christine Tian. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • 4.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Delhi-NCR

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Strong tremors from an earthquake were felt across Delhi-NCR on Thursday, causing panic among residents in the National Capital, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and other nearby areas.

    According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake was measured to be of 4.4 magnitude on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the earthquake was in Jhajjar, Haryana at a depth of 10 kilometres.

    The tremors were felt around 9.04 a.m. The strong tremors sparked panic as people rushed outside their offices and homes.

    No casualties or damage have been reported so far, but authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

    Following the quake, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) issued an advisory, urging people to follow the ‘dos and don’ts’ to ensure their and their family’s safety before, during and after an earthquake.

    While details of the quake and its effect are awaited, netizens in the Delhi-NCR claimed it to be “the longest earthquake” they have felt in a “very long time.”

    Speaking to IANS, a Noida resident said, “It was a very strong earthquake, and we were all terrified. But thankfully, it didn’t last long.”

    “There were strong jolts. We were very scared. We just ran outside,” another told IANS.

    “I could see the fan moving. We immediately ran out of our houses,” a Delhi resident told IANS.

    “I was working on my laptop when I felt the chair moving. Then I looked at the fan, and it was also moving. I quickly ran out of my home,” a local of Delhi said.

    Although no earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher have occurred near New Delhi in the past decade, small to moderate tremors do happen occasionally.

    A minor earthquake of 2.3 magnitude with an epicentre in South East Delhi struck on June 8. No damage or casualties were reported during this.

    In February this year, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre in Dhaula Kuan caused strong tremors across Delhi-NCR.

    In April, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush. The tremors were also felt in Delhi. No loss of life was reported.

    The strongest earthquake recorded in Delhi’s history was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake on August 27, 1960.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: [Galaxy Unpacked 2025] The Next Chapter in Personalized, Multimodal Galaxy Innovation

    Source: Samsung

    ▲ Galaxy Unpacked 2025 took place at Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn.
     
    On July 9, Samsung Electronics hosted Galaxy Unpacked 2025 in Brooklyn — a borough known for its culture, creativity and spirit of collaboration. Under the theme of “Unfold Ultra,” the event reimagined what’s possible in the era of mobile AI. The all-new Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Flip7 FE and Galaxy Watch8 series showcased seamless integration of Galaxy AI, redefined form factors and transformative performance.
     
    Samsung Newsroom was on the ground at Galaxy Unpacked 2025, where the next chapter of mobile AI innovation unfolded.
     
     
    Galaxy AI: A True AI Companion
    ▲ Roh opens the showcase by boldly announcing a new direction for Galaxy AI.
     
    Building on a legacy of human-centered innovation, Samsung’s latest lineup reflects a clear vision — making AI more meaningful, personal and accessible. From slimmer foldables to personalized health-tracking wearables, these devices chart a bold trajectory for how AI companions can support users in every moment.
     
    ▲ Roh shares the vision for Galaxy AI as a true AI companion.
     
    “When AI is paired with powerful mobile technology, it opens up a whole new world of opportunities,” said TM Roh, President, Acting Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division and Head of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “The biggest breakthroughs are made when hardware, software and services challenge each other to grow.”
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 are revealed through a launch video.
     
     
    One UI 8: Made for Foldables, Powered by AI
    ▲ Won-Joon Choi, Chief Operating Officer of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, introduces One UI 8.
     
    At the center of this transformation is One UI 8 — Samsung’s next-generation interface designed specifically for foldables, optimized for AI and built on the principles of multimodal understanding and deep personalization.
     
    Privacy and security are core to One UI 8. The on-device Personal Data Engine learns from user preferences, while Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection secures and isolates information within the app where it’s used.
     
    Android 16 is available on the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 at launch — made possible through close collaboration with Google.
     
    ▲ Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Platforms & Devices at Google, discusses ongoing AI collaboration with Samsung.
     
     
    Galaxy Z Fold7: A Larger Canvas for Galaxy AI
    ▲ Annika Bizon, Vice President of Product & Marketing at Samsung Electronics, highlights the Galaxy Z Fold7.
     
    Pushing the limits of design, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is the slimmest Z Fold to date.
     
    Features like Writing Assist and Drawing Assist help shape thoughts into polished prose and ideas into visuals. Now Brief displays insights — such as travel advisories, weather updates and exchange rates — by analyzing location, time and schedule.
     
    ▲ Circle to Search is demonstrated in a video.
     
    Circle to Search has evolved to recognize in-game elements and provide contextual assistance without breaking immersion. Meanwhile, Vulkan optimizations boost graphics and responsiveness, powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy — engineered for next-level performance.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers next-generation resolution and effortless cropping.
     
    For the first time, a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera headlines the Z Fold series, empowering users to shoot wide and crop tight without compromise. AI-powered editing tools have been optimized for the large display. Generative Edit now includes a new Suggest Erases feature that automatically detects and removes passersby. Audio Eraser offers intelligent sound isolation — with support for adjusting up to four sound types at once.
     
    ▲ Audio Eraser is demonstrated in a video.
     
     
    Galaxy Z Flip7: A Full Experience, Even When Closed
    ▲ Dale Hogen, Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics, reveals the Galaxy Z Flip7.
     
    Compact yet uncompromising, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is the slimmest Z Flip yet. With a reengineered Flex Hinge and the largest battery in Galaxy Z Flip history, the device features a 6.9-inch bar-type display that delivers vivid visuals through an embedded polarizer.
     
    The redesigned 4.1-inch FlexWindow spans edge to edge and supports a 120Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth interaction. To maximize screen space, the bezel has slimmed to just 1.25 millimeters — nearly a third the thickness of its predecessor. Supporting numerous apps and widgets, One UI 8 brings greater functionality to the cover screen.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Z Flip7 features a newly expanded Flex Window and thinner bezels.
     
    The Galaxy Z Flip7 is a pocket-perfect AI assistant. Timely information — such as the day’s schedule or current playlist — appears on Now Bar. Meanwhile, holding the side button activates Google’s Gemini for hands-free AI. Gemini Live can even analyze outfits via the camera and suggest style tips based on the weather or calendar events.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Z Flip7’s camera has FlexCam that allows users to take selfies in an easier way.
     
    The 50-megapixel camera delivers sharp detail and true-to-life color thanks to the ProVisual Engine, and FlexCam gives users a one-of-a-kind selfie experience.
     
    The revolutionary Galaxy Z Flip design is now even more accessible with the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE — featuring the same iconic foldable form, complete with a 50-megapixel camera, ProVisual Engine and Galaxy AI.
     
     
    Galaxy Watch8: A New Standard for Personalized Health
    ▲ John Englehardt, Sales at Samsung Electronics, presents the Galaxy Watch8 series.
     
    The Galaxy Watch8 series is an evolution in Samsung’s design philosophy to create a clearer, more iconic design identity with distinctive cushion design — first introduced on the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The slim design, combined with Dynamic Lug System provides an unparalleled all-day comfort. Galaxy Watch’s sleek form is complemented by its exceptional performance, with a new 3-nanometer processor, dual-frequency GPS and the advanced BioActive Sensor.
     
    ▲ Running Coach delivers personalized training.
     
    The new Running Coach feature analyzes users’ running level and provides personalized insights to keep users motivated through the tailored coaching program. Simultaneously, Samsung Health informs users when it’s time to wind down via the new Bedtime Guidance feature.
     
    ▲ Vascular Load and other advanced health tracking features have been added.
     
    Vascular Load monitors stress levels on the vascular system during sleep. Meanwhile, the Antioxidant Index uses the BioActive Sensor to measure carotenoid levels, delivering lifestyle insights for healthy aging.
     
    The experience of having a true AI companion now comes full circle with the introduction of One UI 8 Watch across the Galaxy Watch8 series. In addition, the Galaxy Watch8 is the first smartwatch to come out of the box with Google’s Gemini and be powered by Wear OS 6.
     
     
    Sustainability: A Commitment to the Planet
    ▲ This year’s Galaxy foldable align with Samsung’s sustainability vision.
     
    Sustainability remains central to Galaxy’s design philosophy. The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 incorporate nine recycled materials — including recycled lithium and plastics sourced from discarded fishing nets. These efforts align with Samsung’s broader Galaxy for the Planet initiative and reflect an enduring commitment to environmental stewardship.
     
     
    The Experience Zone: A Galaxy of Possibilities, Unfolded
    Attendees from around the world gathered in the product experience zone after the announcement, excited to explore the newly launched Galaxy devices. The Galaxy Z Fold7, in particular, drew attention for its noticeably slimmer, lighter build — with many eager to try it firsthand.
     
    ▲ The product experience zone draws a crowd at Galaxy Unpacked 2025.
     
    “When I first saw the Galaxy Z Fold7, I was surprised by how slim and lightweight it is,” said Francisco Javier, a Samsung Member from Spain. “The larger screen makes a big difference.”
     
    ▲ Francisco Javier, a Samsung Member from Spain
     
    “I love the Galaxy Z Flip7 because there are so many creative ways to use it,” said Ana Carolina Sandoval Diaz, an influencer from El Salvador. “I’m always making new content, and this gives me more freedom to do that.”
     
    ▲ Ana Carolina Sandoval Diaz, an influencer from El Salvador
     
    “Samsung always surprises us — and this year, it’s how thin the Galaxy Z Fold7 is,” said Adi Fida, a journalist from Indonesia. “Despite the larger screen, it still feels easy to use with one hand.”
     
    ▲ Adi Fida, a journalist from Indonesia
     
    “I like that the Galaxy Watch8 focuses on health,” said Bilge Suisik, an influencer from Türkiye. “I’ve never been great at sleeping, so I think it’ll help me get back on schedule — I could really use the reminders.”
     
    ▲ Bilge Suisik, an influencer from Türkiye
     
    With the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Flip FE and Galaxy Watch8 series, Samsung has made a groundbreaking leap in delivering personalized, intelligent experiences that adapt, anticipate and empower. Galaxy AI is now more deeply embedded than ever across the Galaxy ecosystem — positioning Samsung at the forefront of a future where mobile technology is both personal and powerful.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New truck handed over and station opened in Irymple

    Source:

    Irymple Fire Brigade has eagerly accepted the keys to a new heavy tanker and celebrated the official opening of their new station today.

    The keys were officially handed over today by the Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward, CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and CFA Board Chair Jo Plummer. 

    The new station will allow Irymple’s dedicated volunteers to serve and protect the community well into the future.  

    Irymple Captain Andrew Millen said the new station and truck meant a lot to the brigade.  

    “The upgrades to our facilities and equipment have meant we have the necessary tools to continue keeping our community safe,” Andrew said. 

    “This has been a huge project and it is great to see the fruits of everyone’s labour come to fruition. 

    “We want to thank everyone who has been involved in this process, we really are so grateful. 

    “The brigade is very proud of its new station and truck and Irymple and surrounding communities will reap the benefits of this long into the future.” 

    The new station replaces the previous fire station on Koorlong Avenue in Irymple with a modern facility including four motor bays, a four-bay external shed, support areas, offices, and volunteer amenities.  

    The heavy tanker will also boost the brigade’s capability by providing 4,000 litres of water, an increase of 1,650 liters from the previous medium tanker.  

    The heavy tanker also has improved off-road performance, electronic monitors, electric rewind hose reels, and provides more safety and comfort features for volunteers. 

    Chief Fire Officer Jason Heffernan said it was great to see Irymple brigade receiving updated facilities and equipment.  

    “Irymple is a very remote brigade and they do an outstanding job of responding to their community as well as others around the area,” Jason said. 

    “The new station and truck will allow them to continue protecting lives and property for many years to come.” 

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Growing Victoria’s network of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals

    Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

    10/07/25

    Victorians will soon have greater access to free mental health and wellbeing support, with 7 new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals set to open across the state.

    These new services will build on the success of the 15 existing Mental Health and Wellbeing LocalsExternal Link, which have already supported more than 21,000 people to access care closer to home – without the need for a referral or Medicare card.

    The new services will be located in the Local Government Areas of:

    • Cardinia
    • Darebin
    • Maribyrnong
    • Maroondah
    • Mount Alexander (servicing Mount Alexander, Central Goldfields and Macedon Ranges)
    • Port Phillip
    • Wyndham.

    The rollout of these new services is an important step in delivering on the Royal Commission’s vision for a connected, responsive and community-based mental health system.

    Services are expected to commence from late 2025.

    To learn more, visit Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: RBA Statement on the Conduct of Monetary Policy and Statement of Expectations

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Today I am releasing an updated Statement on the Conduct of Monetary Policy (SCMP) and the first Statement of Expectations for the RBA’s Governance Board.

    The RBA Monetary Policy Board formally agreed the new SCMP at its meeting on 7–8 July.

    These new Statements are next steps to strengthen the independence and transparency of the RBA.

    They finalise the Government’s implementation of our reforms to the RBA, including the publication of unattributed votes by the Monetary Policy Board.

    These reforms are all about reinforcing the Reserve Bank’s independence, clarifying its mandate, modernising its structures and enhancing its accountability.

    This is part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to ensuring Australia’s central bank remains world class with a monetary policy and governance framework fit to meet current and future economic challenges.

    The Statements are the result of careful consideration and extensive consultation with the RBA, the Bank’s boards, and Treasury.

    I thank Governor Bullock, the Bank’s boards and its leadership for their work bedding down the reforms.

    The SCMP reaffirms the Government’s commitment to the independence of the RBA and sets out the agreed approach to meeting the Board’s legislated objectives.

    Under the new SCMP the RBA publishes an unattributed record of votes.

    The RBA Review recommended this change to enhance the transparency and accountability of the RBA.

    The new SCMP also implements another key transparency and accountability recommendation for the Monetary Policy Board members to conduct at least one speech or public engagement each year.

    The first Statement of Expectations for the newly constituted Governance Board clarifies the Board’s responsibilities when it comes to accountability, transparency and operational matters, as well as reporting on progress in implementing the RBA Review recommendations.

    The RBA Governance Board considered the Statement at its meeting on 10 June.

    The Statement brings the RBA into line with best practice making the Governance Board’s role clear in overseeing the Bank’s culture and driving institutional change.

    Read the Statement on the Conduct of Monetary Policy

    Download the Statement of Expectations [PDF 127 kB]

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Breakout Sessions, Speakers Finalized for 2025 Governor’s Summit in Kearney

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Breakout session topics and speakers are now finalized for Thursday, Aug. 14 — the main day of the event. Breakout session information is listed on the Governor’s Summit agenda at govsummit.nebraska.gov/agenda.

    This year, the Governor’s Summit will feature three breakout tracks: (1) Workforce, (2) Manufacturing, and (3) the Bioeconomy. Gov. Pillen will host a roundtable for manufacturers during the 9:00 a.m. breakout session. The Governor will also lead a panel of state leaders over the lunch hour. The panel will highlight process improvements in state government that are translating into savings for Nebraskans.

    The 2025 Governor’s Summit kicks off on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 13 with an update on the 6 Regions, One Nebraska initiative. The Governor’s Office, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, and Nebraska Department of Economic Development co-launched the initiative in 2024 to encourage cooperation, rather than competition, among neighboring communities. Over the past 12+ months, each region has undertaken initial projects, supported by state funding, to tackle issues like housing, workforce, and childcare shortages.

    On Wednesday evening, the Nebraska Diplomats will host their annual awards banquet at the Governor’s Summit. Gov. Pillen will provide remarks and present awards to individuals, businesses, and communities who have made significant contributions to the state’s growth.

    Husker football coach Matt Rhule will headline Thursday morning’s plenary session of the Governor’s Summit. Participants will then attend breakout sessions, both before and after lunch, on various topics related to workforce development, manufacturing, and the bioeconomy.

    This year’s Governor’s Summit will coincide with the first-ever Youth Summit for high school students and recent graduates. The Youth Summit is designed to connect students with rewarding career opportunities in Nebraska. Attendees will meet one-on-one with colleges and employers, gaining privileged access to internships, scholarships, and jobs available within the state.

    For the Governor’s Summit agenda and registration information, go to govsummit.nebraska.gov.

    More information about the Youth Summit is available at govsummit.nebraska.gov/youth.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 10, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 10, 2025.

    How can we stay safe after data breaches? Step 1 is to change the cybersecurity laws
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Andreotta, Lecturer, School of Management and Marketing, Curtin University Moor Studio / Getty Images Last week, Australian airline Qantas announced cyber attackers had accessed personal data about some of its customers. The company later confirmed that 5.7 million customer records were involved. The attackers targeted an

    Cyber crime and real-world crime are converging in a dangerous new way – here’s how to stay safe
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jongkil Jay Jeong, Senior Fellow, School of Computing and Information System, The University of Melbourne It starts with a call from someone claiming to be your bank. They know your name. They know your bank. They even know your credit card number. There’s been “unusual activity” on

    Labor leads in two Victorian state polls, but Premier Jacinta Allan’s approval tanks
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Labor leads in Victorian state polls by Newspoll and Redbridge, but Premier Jacinta Allan is very unpopular. Two federal polls give Labor big leads and a Tasmanian

    Cannabinoid products may reduce total sleep time in adults with insomnia: new study
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Camilla Hoyos, Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Macquarie University Lysenko Andrii/Shutterstock You might have heard cannabis and cannabinoid products can help people sleep. Data shows one of the top reasons people use cannabis is to help them sleep. But there’s a dearth of

    Planning a ‘Euro summer’ or cruise? Why another flu shot might save your holiday
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Janetzki, Lecturer in Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South Australia DavideAngelini/Shutterstock Are you escaping a southern hemisphere winter by heading off for a “Euro summer”? Maybe you’re planning a cruise through the Mediterranean. Or you’re dreaming of a white Christmas overseas later in the year. Maybe

    Melting ice will strengthen the monsoon in northern Australia – but cause drier conditions north of the Equator
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Node Leader in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures, Flinders University Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images Almost two-thirds of the world’s population is affected by the monsoon – the annual

    Earth’s ‘oldest’ impact crater is much younger than previously thought – new study
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Cavosie, Senior Lecturer, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Outcrops of shocked rocks from the Miralga impact structure. Aaron Cavosie Ever been late because you misread a clock? Sometimes, the “clocks” geologists use to date events can also be misread. Unravelling Earth’s 4.5-billion-year

    Where do giant volcanic eruptions come from? New study finds missing link to ‘blobs’ deep within Earth
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Flament, Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow, Environmental Futures, School of Science, University of Wollongong Volcanic eruptions at Earth’s surface have significant consequences. Smaller ones can scare tourists on Mount Etna or disrupt air traffic. Giant, large-scale eruptions can have more serious impacts. One such event

    Defence spending is like insurance – how will NZ pay the higher premiums?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Hickson, Lecturer in Economics and Director, Business Taught Masters Programme, University of Canterbury Getty Images Defence spending is like insurance – you have to pay for it but you hope you never have to use it. And the higher the risk you face, the higher your

    The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives shatters the church’s century-long effort to curate its own image
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Griffin, Casual Lecturer and Tutor in History, Indigenous Studies, and Politics, Flinders University Hulu Reality TV series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives follows a number of social media influencers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who rose to prominence through social media,

    We interviewed 205 Australians convicted of murder and manslaughter. Alcohol’s role was alarming
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Li Eriksson, Senior Lecturer, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University We’ve long known there’s a link between alcohol and violence, but when it comes to homicide the stories behind the statistics are harder to grasp. Our study sheds rare light on what actually happens when

    Thirsty future: Australia’s green hydrogen targets could require vastly more water than the government hopes
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madoc Sheehan, Adjunct Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering, James Cook University totajla/Shutterstock Green hydrogen is touted by some as the future – a way for Australia to slowly replace its reliance on fossil fuel exports. The energy-dense gas has the potential to reduce emissions in sectors challenging

    Israel’s Rafah camp – ‘humanitarian city’ or crime against humanity?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has announced a controversial plan to move up to 600,000 Palestinians in Gaza into a designated “humanitarian area” on the ruins of the southern city of Rafah. Access to the camp would be through

    Ice baths are booming in popularity – but they come with health risks
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate in Public Health & Community Medicine, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Michele Ursi/Getty Images Walk through any trendy suburb and you might find a new “wellness” studio offering ice baths or “contrast therapy” (a sauna and ice bath combo). Scroll social media,

    Can’t fill your ADHD script? Here’s why, and what to do while the shortage persists
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Janetzki, Lecturer in Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South Australia Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses are rising across Australia. But after finally getting a diagnosis, many people are discovering the medicine they’ve been prescribed isn’t available at the pharmacy. Australia faces a nation-wide shortage of methylphenidate

    Medicinal cannabis is big business. But the latest clampdown won’t curb unsafe prescribing
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carmen Lim, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland Nuva Frames/Shutterstock Australia’s key regulator of health professionals has announced it’s clamping down on unsafe prescribing of medicinal cannabis in the wake of surging patient demand. The Australian Health Practitioner

    Are ‘ghost stores’ haunting your social media feed? How to spot and avoid them
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology CC BY The offer pops up in your social media feed. The website is professional and the imagery illustrates an Australian coastal region, or chic inner-CBD scene. The brand name indicates this exclusive fashion retailer

    NZ Post is the latest company to drop its climate targets – another sign business is struggling to decarbonise
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pii-Tuulia Nikula, Associate Professor, School of Business, Eastern Institute of Technology Getty Images NZ Post committed to cutting its emissions by 32% by 2030 (based on 2018 levels), but recently announced it would abandon its climate target. The company was part of the Science Based Target initiative

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Applaud Senate Reapproval of VA Medical Facility Leases, Including for New Outpatient Clinic in Hampton Roads

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works voted to approve updated authorizations for 18 Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical facility leases, including a proposed lease for an outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads:
    “We are very encouraged to see the Senate EPW Committee heed our request to quickly reauthorize 18 VA medical facility leases, including one for a new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. This facility would fill a critical gap, providing broader access and more convenient services for veterans on the south side of the region, who currently represent over 60 percent of the Hampton VA Medical Center’s patient base. We will continue to press our colleagues in the House of Representatives to finalize the reauthorization process and ensure that our nation’s veterans are not forced to endure unacceptable wait times or travel burdensome distances to access the high-quality care they have earned through their sacrifice and dedication.”
    While these leases were originally authorized under the PACT Act, which both senators strongly supported, updated cost estimates and rent bids prompted the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees. To date, the leases have been reapproved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. One final approval, from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, remains.
    Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Warner and supported by Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Three sites on the African continent removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger

    Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre

    In recent years, UNESCO has made considerable and targeted efforts to support its African Member States. Since 2021, three sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Senegal have also been removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

     

    Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar)

    The Rainforests of the Atsinanana were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2007 for its important biodiversity. The Rainforests and the species they support have faced a series of threats in recent years including illegal logging, trafficking of precious woods and deforestation negatively affecting the status of important key species such as Lemurs – leading to its inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2010.

    Following this decision, Madagascar developed and implemented an ambitious action plan with the support of UNESCO and the international community. Thanks to robust management plans, control of ebony and rosewood felling, satellite surveillance and local patrols, the overall condition of the site was improved. As a result, 63% of areas of forest cover loss have been restored, illegal logging and trafficking of precious wood have been halted, and levels of lemur poaching have reached their lowest level in 10 years.

     

    Abu Mena (Egypt)

    Abu Mena was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 serving as an outstanding example of a pilgrimage site, cradle of Christian monasticism. The site was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2001 following concerns due to alarming rises in the water table caused by irrigation methods of surrounding farms and the collapse of several overlying structures.

    In 2021, a project to supply solar energy to the drainage system significantly reduced groundwater levels and stabilized the weakened structures. The conservation plan, developed in 2024 with the support of UNESCO’s World Heritage Fund, has enabled the establishment of appropriate strategies and greater involvement of local communities.

     

    Old Town of Ghadamès (Libya)

    The Old Town of Ghadamès was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 and has been a crossroads for major cultures of Africa and the Mediterranean basin. The site has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2016 due to the prevailing conflict in the country at that time, wildfires and torrential rain.

    Led by local authorities and several partners, extensive restoration works have been carried out on the property, including repairs to historic buildings, pipelines and traditional infrastructure. These activities were accompanied by efforts to strengthen local skills and governance through various training courses, as well as the development of a risk management and prevention plan.

     

    The List of World Heritage in Danger

    The purpose of the List of World Heritage in Danger is to provide information on the threats to the very values that led to the inclusion of a property on the World Heritage List, and to mobilize the international community to preserve the site. It also enables the site to benefit from the right to increased technical and financial support from UNESCO.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UN envoy warns against Yemen being drawn deeper into regional crises

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

    UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg (on screens) speaks via a video link at a Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Wednesday warned against Yemen being drawn deeper into regional crises involving Israel.

    The Iran-Israel ceasefire is a welcome development for the region. But against the backdrop of negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen launched multiple missile attacks against Israel in the past few weeks, followed by an escalation in the Red Sea with attacks on two commercial ships earlier this week that led to civilian casualties, said Grundberg in a monthly briefing to the Security Council.

    In response, Israeli airstrikes have hit Sanaa as well as the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Salif and a power station, he said.

    The Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea earlier this week were the first in over seven months, he noted.

    “Freedom of navigation in the Red Sea must be safeguarded, and civilian infrastructure must never become a target of conflict. Above all, Yemen must not be drawn deeper into regional crises that threaten to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country,” said Grundberg. “The stakes for Yemen are simply too high — Yemen’s future depends on our collective resolve to shield it from further suffering and to give its people the hope and dignity they so deeply deserve.”

    While by and large the front lines in Yemen continue to hold, the situation remains fragile and unpredictable, said the envoy.

    “I recognize that for some — on both sides of the conflict — the appetite for a military escalation remains. A military solution, however, remains a dangerous illusion that risks deepening Yemen’s suffering,” he warned. “While negotiations may not be easy, they offer the best hope for addressing, in a sustainable and long-term manner, the complexity of the conflict.”

    Grundberg stressed the urgent need to carry forward the peace process.

    The longer the conflict is drawn out, the more complex it becomes. There is a risk that divisions could deepen further and therefore it is important for both sides not to engage in any unilateral activity to the detriment of all Yemenis. Both sides must signal a genuine willingness to explore peaceful avenues and create conditions for lasting stability, he said.

    Grundberg called for efforts to support de-escalation along the front lines and work with the parties on the parameters for a nationwide ceasefire. He also called for the establishment of a path for talks between the parties.

    He promised to continue to work with the region and the international community on the broader security guarantees that are needed, including on freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

    Yemenis need to have confidence in any agreement reached, and the region and the international community also need to have confidence that their concerns are met, he said. “This is how we build a durable support structure for a negotiated settlement.”

    Grundberg reiterated his call for the unconditional and immediate release by the Houthis of all those arbitrarily detained from the United Nations, national and international NGOs, civil society organizations and diplomatic missions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: OPEC seminar focuses on energy transition, calls for stronger global cooperation

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

    Artists perform at the opening ceremony of the 9th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, Austria, on July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The 9th OPEC International Seminar opened on Wednesday, bringing together global energy leaders to discuss key issues including energy transitions, market stability, energy security, investment, technology, and innovation.

    Under the theme “Charting Pathways Together: The Future of Global Energy,” the two-day event features exhibitions, ministerial sessions, and high-level roundtables aimed at exploring energy security and cooperation across the energy sector.

    OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said at the opening ceremony that 2025 holds special significance for OPEC, marking its 65th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of its Vienna headquarters. How to reduce carbon emissions while achieving energy security, improving energy accessibility and reducing global energy poverty is a key topic of the seminar, he added.

    Meanwhile, Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud highlighted that energy transition is not a threat, but an opportunity to drive innovation, investment and economic development.

    In a video address, Mohsen Paknejad, president of the OPEC Conference for 2025, urged countries to commit to peace and cooperation to ensure secure and sustainable energy supplies.

    During the seminar, the organization will launch the 19th edition of the World Oil Outlook, one of its flagship publications that provides in-depth review and analysis of the global oil and energy industries and offers assessments of various scenarios in the medium- and long-term development.

    The first OPEC International Seminar was held in 2001. As one of the most influential platforms for dialogue and cooperation in the energy sector, this year’s seminar attracted numerous ministers from OPEC member countries, representatives from major energy-producing and consuming nations, heads of international organizations, executives from energy companies and financial institutions, as well as experts and scholars. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: EU seeks trade deal framework with US, keeps retaliation option open: Officials

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

    The European Union (EU) is pushing for a framework of trade agreement in principle with the United States while retaining the options to retaliate, multiple EU officials said on Wednesday.

    “We are looking for a reliable framework — from which we can keep building our common trade,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

    While reaffirming the EU’s adherence to its principles and readiness for “all scenarios,” von der Leyen said the 27-nation bloc favored a negotiated settlement.

    A Commission spokesperson echoed von der Leyen’s remarks, adding that an agreement in principle could be reached “in the coming days.”

    “We’re working hard to get an agreement in principle with the U.S., and that is where our focus is at this point,” the spokesperson said.

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would “probably” send a letter to the EU within two days, adding: “A letter means a deal.”

    “They treated us very badly until recently, and now they’re treating us very nicely. It’s like a different world, actually,” he said.

    Trump also escalated trade tensions by threatening tariffs of up to 200 percent on foreign pharmaceuticals and 50 percent on copper. According to EU data, medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as medicaments have been among the bloc’s top exports to the United States over the past two years.

    EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic told lawmakers that Brussels and Washington had made “good progress” on the text of a joint statement or agreement in principle.

    “I hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion, potentially even in the coming days,” Sefcovic said. However, he emphasized that EU legislation and regulatory autonomy remain “red lines” and are “non-negotiable” in the talks.

    Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, said the EU continues to face “illegal and unjustified” U.S. tariffs, referring to the 50 percent duties on steel and aluminum, and the 25 percent on cars and auto parts.

    “Of course, we are not really accepting this,” Lange told reporters in Strasbourg, adding that two key issues remain unresolved: Washington has yet to commit to significantly cutting existing tariffs or refraining from new ones.

    Lange warned that the EU is prepared to retaliate, with a first package of countermeasures set to take effect on July 14 if no agreement is reached.

    Regarding Trump’s letter, Lange said the EU had not received any correspondence so far and had “no clue” about its contents. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xizang high-altitude apples gain global market share

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

    An aerial drone photo taken on May 28, 2025 shows a view of Basum Tso, a lake in Nyingchi, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At an apple base in Bepa Town of Nyingchi, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, which sits at an altitude over 3,000 meters, Lin Chuanqing, head of a local apple business, was busy inspecting the growth of apples.

    “A wave of orders poured in from overseas,” said Lin. “Beyond our existing exports to Nepal, this year will mark Xizang’s first-ever local apple shipments to Singapore.”

    “Apples here are favored by foreign markets,” Lin said. His company owns over 4,000 mu (about 266.6 hectares) of apple orchards in Nyingchi, exporting 490 tonnes of apples to Nepal last year and over 137 tonnes so far this year.

    However, when Lin and his team arrived in Xizang three years ago, the local apple industry operated in a rudimentary and unsystematic manner.

    At that time, many local farmers mainly grew apples in their backyards and sold them in bulk without sorting or grading them. The unsold apples were stored in earthen cellars with plastic film, which was not effective for properly preserving them for more than two months.

    Now, Lin’s company has invested 158 million yuan (about 22 million U.S. dollars), building a complete industrial chain from seedling research and development to cold chain logistics.

    Apples grown on the plateau enjoy unique advantages. The region’s intense sunlight and dramatic temperature fluctuations between day and night contribute to their exceptional sweetness and firmness, setting them apart from those cultivated in other areas of the country.

    “Apples of the same size here are 15 percent heavier than others of the same variety and our apple yield will reach 3,000 kilograms per mu during peak season,” said Lin. The unique environment also boosts the sugar content of Nyingchi apples to 12 percent, with vitamin levels 30 percent higher than ordinary apples.

    Despite the plateau’s vast territory and relatively high transportation costs, growing apples here actually works out cheaper. Eligible local businesses benefit from a series of government subsidies for freight.

    “Transporting apples from Nyingchi to south China’s Guangdong Province is cheaper than from east China’s Shandong Province to Guangdong, for the government subsidies cover nearly half of the transport costs,” added Lin.

    Additionally, there are fewer pests on the plateau. In other areas of China, apple cultivation requires bagging to avoid pests, which alone adds 1.2 yuan per kilogram in labor costs.

    “In Xizang, we don’t need to bag our apples, and pesticide use is minimal,” said Lin. Nyingchi apples have obtained GLOBAL Good Agricultural Practice certifications and have met the EU’s 533-item pesticide residue testing standards. Even in dried apple products, residue levels are undetectable.

    The apples are also precisely categorized into 16 different grades based on sugar content, size and color. Now, people in Xizang are sharing Nyingchi apples with the world, introducing a new market-recognized apple variety.

    Apart from Nyingchi, there are 10,000-mu apple orchards in Shannan’s Dranang County and 2,000-mu in Qamdo. A growing number of people beyond the plateau are falling in love with apples grown in Xizang.

    “In November, when the apples are ripe, consumers in Singapore will be able to taste the apples from Nyingchi,” Lin said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese humanoid robots demonstrate industrial capabilities in live factory test

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

    A humanoid robot shakes hands with a staff member at Anhui Efort Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. in Wuhu, east China’s Anhui Province, July 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At a car parts factory in southwestern Chinese city of Mianyang, a group of humanoid robots undertook an unscripted, real-world stress test: identifying pallets and bins on the factory floor, autonomously planning their routes, and transporting the bins to their designated shelves.

    In this groundbreaking demonstration of the industrial potential of embodied AI, Shanghai-based robotics firm AgiBot and its partners livestreamed their dual-armed, wheeled robots performing real factory tasks for three uninterrupted hours on Wednesday afternoon.

    The live recording marked an advancement in the global robotics industry, showcasing how adaptive machines are poised to become standard collaborators in manufacturing.

    The A2-W robot team, which was deployed about a month before the live test, completed two full logistics shifts during the broadcast, moving over 800 cargo boxes per shift between assembly stations with virtually no errors.

    Their performance demonstrated their ability to navigate the dynamic chaos of a real factory environment. They deftly avoided moving obstacles like forklifts, recalculated paths when workers crossed their trajectory, and even adjusted their grip to handle misaligned boxes.

    At present, even on highly automated production lines, flexible tasks like handling bins still rely on human workers, who are prone to errors, said Deng Yang, engineering director of Fulin P.M., an auto parts supplier in Mianyang of Sichuan Province, whose clients include Volkswagen, General Motors, BYD, NIO and XPeng.

    “Robots, by contrast, can operate 24/7 with significantly higher accuracy in visual recognition,” Deng said.

    The A2-W robots outperformed traditional automation in resisting interference and correcting errors, according to Deng. Additionally, they can adapt to non-standard tasks and handle repetitive, hazardous work.

    Behind the adaptability of these robots is neural-network architecture designed by A.N.U., a Chengdu-based startup. “Today’s demonstration is a small step, but it may represent a giant leap for the global commercialization of embodied AI,” said Yang Zeng, A.N.U.’s algorithm director.

    Many Chinese manufacturers are now facing labor shortages, rising costs and demand for flexible production. While traditional industrial robots are efficient, they lack adaptability for small-batch, multi-product manufacturing. Humanoid robots are believed to be a solution to this problem.

    Humanoid robot firms such as UBTECH in Shenzhen and Kepler in Shanghai have previously conducted factory training, but Wednesday’s show was China’s first live broadcast of a real-world industrial trial.

    Chinese startups have gained global attention by showcasing robots performing impressive stunts like dancing, backflips and Tai Chi, and more robotics companies are now focusing on making these machines even smarter so that they can handle more practical tasks in factories.

    AgiBot sends its robots to a “technical school.” In a 4,000-square-meter space in Shanghai, locations like restaurants, bubble tea shops and homes have been recreated, with over 100 data collectors teaching robots daily chores.

    On Monday, the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center open-sourced its Tien Kung-Lab motion control framework, providing critical technological support for potential applications in industrial logistics, hazardous environments and other high-complexity scenarios. This April, Tien Kung made history by winning the world’s first half-marathon for humanoid robots.

    “In the future, robots will collaborate with automated production lines, AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and on-site engineers, enabling factories to move toward truly unmanned operations,” Deng said.

    “We’re at a transformative stage for industrial humanoid robots. In the next year or two, AgiBot will scale its general-purpose embodied robots across more industrial applications,” said Wang Chuang, an executive at AgiBot.  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China and S. Korea share spoils in thrilling 2-2 draw

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

    China’s women’s football team played to a 2-2 draw with hosts South Korea in their opening match of the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, also known as the East Asian Cup, on Wednesday.

    Li Mengwen (L) of China vies with Mun Eunju of South Korea during the women’s football match between China and South Korea at the EAFF (East Asian Football Federation) E-1 Football Championship 2025 Final in Suwon, South Korea, July 9, 2025. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua)

    China opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Yao Wei struck from distance. South Korea responded with increased pressing and created several chances before Jang Sel-gi netted the equalizer in first-half stoppage time.

    In the 67th minute, Yao turned provider, heading an assist to Shao Ziqin, who nodded home to restore China’s lead. But deep into stoppage time, Ji So-yun salvaged a dramatic draw for the hosts with a long-range strike.

    “We expected a tough game between two decent teams in Asia, playing under difficult conditions,” said China’s head coach Ante Milicic after the match. “We’re obviously disappointed to have conceded two goals, both in injury time of the first half and second half.”

    Milicic said he was proud of his team’s effort. “Playing away against a strong home crowd is never easy, and this kind of situation happened to us before, like when we played Australia,” he added.

    “Tonight we were so close, and I thought the girls deserved to hang on for the win,” he noted.

    “Still, I think they will gain confidence from taking the lead twice against such a strong opponent. We just need to look at why we’re conceding late and giving these [chances] away, because looking ahead to the Asian Cup, we will definitely need to hold on [to our leads].”

    Chinese player Wang Shuang said the team remains young and needs more time to build chemistry and improve understanding on the field. “We will give our all to perform well in the upcoming matches,” she added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach Club World Cup final

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

    Fabian Ruiz scored two first-half goals as Paris Saint-Germain reached the FIFA Club World Cup final on Wednesday with a 4-0 rout of Real Madrid.

    Ruiz struck either side of an assured Ousmane Dembele finish as PSG raced to an early 3-0 lead before substitute Goncalo Ramos added a fourth goal three minutes from time.

    The reigning French and European champions will meet Chelsea in the final at the same venue on Sunday.

    PSG took control from the outset in the all-European semifinal, with Ruiz cutting inside and forcing a diving save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

    The Belgian goalkeeper was again called into action a minute later, showing sharp reflexes to turn the ball away after Nuno Mendes’ goal-bound attempt.

    The Parisian outfit went ahead in the sixth minute when Raul Asencio dithered inside Real Madrid’s box and the ball fell to Ruiz, who slotted into an empty net after Courtois rushed off his line.

    Dembele then finished clinically after Antonio Rudiger gave the ball away in his own half. The former Barcelona forward has now scored 27 goals in 33 games for his club in 2025.

    PSG was in rampant form and Ruiz made it 3-0 by firing low past Courtois following Dembele’s cross.

    At times it looked as if PSG was toying with Real Madrid’s defense. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia went close to scoring again when he beat Asencio with ease in the penalty area, dancing around the center-back before lashing just wide.

    Courtois prevented his team from entering halftime with a four-goal deficit, executing a fingertip save after Mendes’ dipping shot from distance.

    Real Madrid moved the ball with greater fluency after the break and Kylian Mbappe sent a 20-yard attempt over the bar after a slick exchange with Federico Valverde.

    Vinicius Junior, who struggled to make an impact in an uncustomary role on the right wing, then had a rare shot on goal before Jude Bellingham’s powerful long-range effort was blocked by Lucas Beraldo.

    One of the few highlights for Real Madrid was the encouraging form of Eder Militao, fit again after suffering the second anterior cruciate ligament injury of his career in November last year.

    The Brazilian defender, who replaced Asencio in the 64th minute, helped tighten Madrid’s defense and twice went close to scoring late on – sending a header just wide and drawing a full-stretch save from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with a low drive.

    But Paris Saint-Germain’s defense proved unbreakable, while at the other end, its appetite for goals remained undimmed.

    Ramos completed the rout by receiving Bradley Barcola’s pass and turning superbly out of trouble before rifling a shot past Courtois. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Djokovic survives late fall to set Sinner SF at Wimbledon

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

    Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic battled past Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a hard-fought match on Wednesday, securing his place in the Wimbledon semifinals, where he will face Jannik Sinner in a highly anticipated showdown.

    The Serbian star, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, rallied from a set down to defeat Cobolli 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.

    Djokovic converted six of his 12 break points, while Cobolli’s 44 unforced errors – double Djokovic’s 22 – proved costly.

    Novak Djokovic set up a mouthwatering Wimbledon semi-final against world number one Jannik Sinner as he moved a step closer to claiming a historic 25th Grand Slam title.

    Top seed Sinner overcame lingering discomfort from an elbow injury to defeat American Ben Shelton 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4.

    The 23-year-old Italian had injured his right elbow after slipping during his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov on Monday. Wearing a protective sleeve, Sinner showed little sign of trouble as he controlled the match against Shelton.

    After the match, he admitted trying to ignore the injury during play. “When you are in a match with a lot of tension, you try not to think about it.”

    “It has improved a lot from yesterday to today. Yesterday my day was very short on the practice court,” he added.

    Friday’s semifinal will be a rematch of their 2023 encounter, which Djokovic won in straight sets.

    The other men’s semifinal will feature world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz against fifth seed Taylor Fritz.

    In the women’s draw, 18-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva’s impressive run came to an end with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) loss to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic.

    The 35th-ranked Swiss, a former Olympic champion, will now face eighth seed Iga Swiatek, who booked her semifinal place with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova.

    The other semifinal will see world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka take on American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegation Welcomes $1.5 Million In TRIO Funds to Help RI College Students Succeed

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – As Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation continues working to make college more affordable and protect Pell grants from budget cuts, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced $1.5 million in federal funding to support existing college success and completion programs at Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and Rhode Island College (RIC) through the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program.  For fiscal year 2025, CCRI will receive $949,145 and RIC will receive $544,728 in TRIO funding.

    TRIO is a federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Education.  TRIO represents the largest federal investment aimed at assisting low-income or first-generation college students or individuals with disabilities to successfully advance through the academic pipeline and navigate academic and financial barriers.

    First-generation college students, those who meet low-income qualifications, or those with a disability are eligible to apply for TRIO.  In order to help these students navigate college life, the SSS program offers specialized tutoring, along with workshops on issues like financial literacy, leadership development, and finding a career path.  The federal program is designed to increase graduation rates and help students transfer from two-year to four-year colleges.

    Last year, Congress appropriated $1.2 billion for the program.  This year, the Trump Administration is seeking to eliminate federal funding for TRIO programs.

    “TRIO helps students not only get on the college track, but succeed once they are on campus.  It helps them acclimate to college life and prepares them to overcome key higher education hurdles.  Through skills workshops, summer learning, and other support services, this program can be a real lifeline for first-generation college students.  It teaches them things like time management, good study habits, and helps set them up for success in the college classroom and beyond.  I am proud of the work CCRI and RIC are doing and will continue working to ensure more deserving students have the opportunity to attend college and the resources to afford it,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who got into a notable back and forth with Education Secretary Linda McMahon over TRIO funding at a recent hearing.  Reed had to set the record straight and disabuse the Secretary of Education of the incorrect notion that the federal government has spent over $1 trillion on TRIO programs.

    “TRIO programs have opened the door to higher education for many first-generation college students and students facing other obstacles,” said Whitehouse.  “This federal funding will support the outstanding work CCRI and RIC do to bring higher education within reach for more Rhode Islanders.”

    “Every student deserves a fair shot at college success, and the TRIO Student Support Services program provided at CCRI and RIC help make that possible by providing the mentorship, tools, and support students need to thrive,” said Magaziner. “I will keep fighting to protect federal education funding and expand programs like TRIO that open the doors of opportunity for more Rhode Islanders and strengthen the state’s workforce.”

    “Every student deserves the tools to reach their full potential. Today’s federal TRIO grant brings $1.5 million to support first-generation and low-income students at the Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “But let’s be clear, Trump’s budget proposal to eliminate TRIO funding is a direct threat to these students and the progress we’ve made. I’m fighting in Congress to protect these programs, defend educational opportunity, and ensure that Rhode Islanders aren’t left behind.”

    CCRI’s successful TRIO SSS program, known as “Access to Opportunity,” was first launched in 1980 and serves approximately 440 CCRI students annually.  Previous graduates have gone on to a variety of careers, including some current full-time and adjunct faculty and staff at CCRI.

    Rhode Island College offers its TRIO programs through the Center for Scholar Development.  These programs are designed to provide educational pathways in an affirming environment for first-generation scholars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 9th, 2025 Heinrich Grills Trump Administration Nominee on Maintaining a Robust Energy Grid That Keeps Utility Costs Low for Families, Oil Spills in New Mexico

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider Trump’s Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of the Interior (DOI) nominees, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, grilled Audrey Robertson, an oil and gas executive, who is nominated to spearhead DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, on energizing our grid with renewables to keep costs low for families, and her record of managing oil spills in New Mexico as the co-founder and an executive of Franklin Mountain Energy.

    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), Ranking Member of the U.S. Energy and Natural Resources Committee, grills DOI and DOE nominees.

    On Maintaining a Robust Energy Grid to Keep Costs Low for Families

    Heinrich began by questioning Audrey Robertson on Texas’ grid, “I’ve been looking closely at NERC’s 2025 summer reliability assessment in Texas. Texas added seven gigawatts of solar power in 2024, nearly seven and a half gigawatts of battery storage in 2024 alone, which is helping the state meet growing electricity demand from AI data centers and some of the things that you’ve articulated. As a result of those additional capacities, the risk of power emergencies has dropped to just 3% now, as opposed to 15% a little over a year ago. So, Ms. Robertson, do you agree that in the face of rising demand, that the grid requires more, not less affordable, reliable energy?”

    Robertson responded, “Undoubtedly the grid demands and we need to deliver more reliable, affordable, secure energy. Are you specifically asking about best systems, or solar systems?”

    Heinrich pressed, “Looking at Texas, would you agree that deploying both energy storage in tandem with renewable energy technologies can actually increase grid reliability, hold prices down and add new generation sources?”

    Robertson followed, “It certainly has the capability to do that. Texas still relies primarily on natural gas as its base load power, and that has to be the base load and the maximum because solar, solar plus wind, excuse me, solar plus batteries can provide a number of benefits, both at a large scale and a small scale, but we have yet to see the 5 or 10 year implications of these large battery systems, which unfortunately or ironically, the environments that are wonderful for solar Texas are not great for batteries. And so battery degradation and the life, the lifetime of a utility scale battery is something that is going to be a further effort of my Department, if I’m so fortunate to be confirmed. But those technologies have yet to play out.”

    Heinrich countered, “I would beg to differ. In New Mexico, we were an early adopter of grid scale storage. At this point in my personal grid in the Albuquerque area, we’re not only 35% solar, 7% nuclear, 15% wind, but using 15% battery storage, we’ve been able for a number of years now to maintain a high level of reliability, and not just a high level of reliability, but a low retail cost, which is the other thing that American consumers care about. I pay about 10.8 cents. Now I rarely pay that, because I have solar on my roof at a scale that I don’t get an electric bill most months. But when I do, I pay 10.8% – 10.8 cents, which is, if you look at the country as a whole, much lower than what you see in the Midwest and the East.”

    On Oil and Gas Spills in New Mexico

    Heinrich pressed Robertson on her company’s record of oil and gas spills in New Mexico, “Ms. Robertson, I wanted to ask you, give you something that’s been raised to me, and I wanted to give you a chance to speak to it is that Franklin Mountain Energy has had a number of both Clean Air Act [violations] and spills in the state of New Mexico, several dozen spills, in fact. And what would you just say to my constituents that are concerned about that record in the Permian?”

    Robertson responded, “Senator Heinrich, happy to speak to that. Franklin Mountain Energy is now sold, but when we built this company from a few barrels a day to over 65,000 barrels a day of oil production. Growing an organization from raw BLM leases in Southeast New Mexico, to running five rigs at one time is a massive 24/7 manufacturing operation for which our team has an outstanding safety record and an outstanding EPA air quality record. We did have a number of violations that were cited, the vast majority of those were remedied within a day or two. The majority of those issues came from third party equipment that were on our facilities. We take great pride in both building and operating some of the most remarkable oil and gas facilities in the United States and in this great state of New Mexico. So I guess… Having spills is part of running a big, complicated business. There is not an oil and gas company that can move the amount of fluid, gas, and people that we do without having an occasional spill, but our record within the community is outstanding, and I’m very proud of them.”

    Heinrich responded, “I appreciate your response to that. I think that while these impacts are reality, they also have very real impacts on my constituents and so I think the goal as challenging as it should, should be zero. But I appreciate your focus on that and your response to those questions.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Campaign takes aim at tour operators

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

    China is taking action against tour operators who engage in illegal practices — including forcing travelers to shop at designated stores — with the aim of protecting consumers and ensuring a safe and more enjoyable travel experience.

    The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, together with the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Market Regulation, has launched a yearlong campaign to tighten supervision and enforcement over “forced shopping” practices, which involve pressuring tourists to buy goods at specific stores in exchange for rebates.

    The culture and tourism ministry on Wednesday also published a list of 12 companies and three individuals accused of violating tourism regulations, including operating without licenses, forcing tourists to shop and organizing low-priced tours with hidden additional payments. The ministry said it will continue updating the list to deter dishonest operators.

    “The practice of forced shopping has severely infringed upon tourists’ rights, and stronger government action is required,” Yu Changguo, deputy director of market management at the ministry, said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Authorities will work together to crack down on operators that lure travelers with unusually low-priced tours, then pressure them into shopping at designated stores while collecting commissions. Other illegal activities, including unauthorized business operations, fraudulent advertising and price manipulation, will also incur strict punishment, officials said.

    With the summer travel peak underway during the July-August school vacation period, the ministry said it will send undercover inspection teams to online travel platforms, brick-and-mortar agencies and popular destinations to check for forced shopping practices and potential safety hazards at entertainment sites.

    The Ministry of Transport said that railway passenger trips from July 1 to Aug 31 are expected to reach 953 million, a year-on-year increase of 5.8 percent.

    Liu Nan, an official at the culture and tourism ministry, said the government will intensify efforts to tackle tourism-related cases involving large sums of money or that have a significant social impact.

    “We hope that tourists whose rights have been violated can keep their tourism contracts, travel itineraries, payment records and chat or video evidence, and report promptly to the authorities,” Liu said.

    Yu also warned travelers to watch out for fraudulent tourism ads and low-priced tours that may not disclose additional fees or risks of property loss. He advised travelers to check the credentials of travel agencies and qualifications of guides and avoid booking tours without standard contracts.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Speaks Out Against President Trump’s Efforts to Cut Federal Funding for Public Broadcasting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch Defends Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Public Radio, Public Broadcasting Service 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, spoke out against President Trump’s request to cut $9.4 billion in federal funding—which was already appropriated by Congress—including $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. If Senate Republicans approve the President’s request, $700 million of federal funding for local public media would be rescinded, impacting more than 1,500 public radio and TV stations across the country. 
    “One of the things that allows us to be united, despite our differences, is a shared understanding and knowledge of what is going on in our communities. That’s what the news is about. It’s not a propaganda machine. It’s not advocating the point of view of the President or the point of view of the Senator from Vermont. It is giving information,” said Senator Welch. “So, the question I have for us—in respect to the responsibility that you have, and I have, to the people we represent—is when we know that there are these extraordinary globalizing pressures…why would we compromise an institution that has served so many, so well, for so long? It weakens that sense of community. So why would we do that? There is not a good reason that we would do that.” 
    “We must not abandon the people we represent and the right they have to public broadcasting. And we cannot abandon the trust we must have in one another to keep our word. An agreement made must be an agreement kept.” 
    Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led Senator Welch and seven Democratic colleagues in speaking from the Senate floor about the cuts to CPB and public media.  
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 

    “These news deserts that are afflicting all of us…what has helped us so much is that many of these extraordinarily gifted reporters—who care about a sense of place, who have been on community newspapers—have now become the talent that has created this extraordinary institution of Vermont Public. Great reporting. So, in a democracy, we all know we need this. And it’s not because it’s going to be an agent for our point of view, but it’s going to be a cohesive force in the community to help people figure out the path forward.” 
    Senator Welch has been outspoken in his opposition to the Trump Administration’s unlawful efforts to dismantle and defund vital programs. In June, Senator Welch took to the Senate floor to slam the Trump Administration’s reckless rescissions request for Congressionally-appropriated funding. 
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –