NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Te Whatu Ora refuses to address patient safety concerns – NZNO

    Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

    Te Whatu Ora is refusing to address calls to prioritise patient safety by adequately resourcing safe staffing levels, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōputanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
    A new offer from Te Whatu Ora to NZNO members has failed to include measures to address staffing concerns despite it being raised continually throughout the bargaining process.
    NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter says an earlier offer from Te Whatu Ora committed to acting on safe staffing research the two organisations had agreed to do together.
    “Te Whatu Ora has removed that from their latest offer without explanation. This demonstrates their focus is on cost cutting, not patient safety.
    “A survey of our members shows nurses have grave concerns that continued understaffing is putting their patients at risk. Overworked staff are unable to give patients the care they need and leads to staff burnout,” Paul Goulter says.
    Despite claiming there is no nursing shortage, Te Whatu Ora continues to understaff shifts. NZNO has received staffing figures under the Official Information Act for 631 wards using the safe staffing Care Capacity Demand Management programme (CCDM).
    “These figures show from January to October last year almost half (or 47.1%) of all wards were understaffed 20% of the time. That means nurses and health care assistants are working in understaffed wards at least one shift a week,” Paul Goulter says.
    “We are also continuing to see acute levels of understaffing in emergency departments, mental health, women’s health and children’s wards.”
    Paul Goulter says Te Whatu Ora Acting Chief Executive Robyn Shearer claimed this morning that clinical need “isn’t an easy thing” to resolve through collective bargaining.
    “It is concerning that Robyn Shearer isn’t aware CCDM has been in the Te Whatu Ora/NZNO collective agreement since 2010,” he says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Releases Statement on SCOTUS Victory on Criminal Illegal Alien Deportations to South Sudan

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    These barbaric criminal illegal aliens will be in South Sudan by Independence Day

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security released the following statement on the United States Supreme Court Decision to allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remove eight barbaric, violent criminal illegal aliens to South Sudan.

    “These sickos will be in South Sudan by Independence Day,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “A win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people. We thank our brave ICE law enforcement for their sacrifice to defend our freedoms.”

    Below are the individuals ICE is removing from American communities to South Sudan.

    Enrique Arias-Hierro, a Cuban national, was arrested by ICE on May 2, 2025. His criminal history includes convictions for homicide, armed robbery, false impersonation of official, kidnapping, robbery strong arm.

    On April 30, 2025, ICE arrested Cuban national, Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Quinones. He has been convicted of attempted first-degree murder with a weapon, battery and larceny, cocaine possession and trafficking.

    Thongxay Nilakout, a citizen of Laos, was arrested by ICE on January 26, 2025. Nilakout is Convicted of first-degree murder and robbery; sentenced to life confinement.

    On May 12, 2025, ICE arrested Mexican national, Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez. He is Convicted of second-degree murder; sentenced to life confinement.

    Dian Peter Domach, a citizen of South Sudan, was arrested by ICE on May 8, 2024. Domach is convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm, of possession of burglar’s tools and possession of defaced firearm and driving under the influence.

    Kyaw Mya, a citizen of Burma was arrested by ICE on February 18, 2025. Mya is convicted of Lascivious Acts with a Child-Victim less than 12 years of age; sentenced to 10 years confinement, paroled after 4 years.

    Nyo Myint, a citizen of Burma was arrested by ICE on February 19, 2025. Myint is convicted of first-degree sexual assault involving a victim mentally and physically incapable of resisting; sentenced to 12 years confinement. Myint is also charged with aggravated assault-nonfamily strongarm.

    On May 3, 2025, ICE arrested Tuan Thanh Phan, a Vietnamese national. Phan is convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault; sentenced to 22 years confinement.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Introduces Critical Legislation to Fund Community Violence Intervention

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, legislation that would create a new Office of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) and a new grant program within the Department of Health and Human Services to award $5 billion in grants to community-based, nonprofit organizations and eligible units of local government to create or support evidence-based and prevention programs to interrupt cycles of violence. U.S. Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) introduced companion legislation in the House. 
    Community violence should no longer be a problem for law enforcement to react to after it has occurred. We must invest in community-based violence intervention and prevention initiatives that stop this violence from happening in the first place. This legislation would provide resources to community outreach programs, hospital-based violence intervention programs, gun violence interventions strategies, and violence interruption and crisis management initiatives.
    “Too many people in New Jersey and across our country continue to lose loved ones to senseless gun violence,” said Senator Booker. “By investing federal dollars into programs and methods that work to prevent gun violence, we can do something about the violence plaguing our communities before it happens. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act will empower communities with the resources they need to reduce gun violence, save lives, and make our neighborhoods safer.” 
    Over the past decade, gun violence has risen sharply in communities across the United States, with a particularly devastating impact on predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods. Between 2018 and 2021, the rate of firearm-related deaths increased by 100 percent for Black youth and by 50 percent for Hispanic youth. In 2021, Black children represented 46 percent of youth firearm deaths though they represent only 14 percent of the youth population in the U.S. In 2023, there were 46,278 gun deaths—the third-highest annual total on record, trailing only 2022 and 2021. Shootings, homicides, and group violence continue to pose a serious and disproportionate threat to too many communities across the country.
    This violence has enormous human, social, and economic costs. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention found that “one-in-three youth living in inner cities show a higher prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder than soldiers” in the U.S. military during wartime. Gun violence harms rural communities as well, which suffer from a 37 percent higher death rate due to gun violence than urban communities. Gun violence costs the country approximately $280 billion per year.
    The Break the Cycle of Violence Act is endorsed by Community Justice, Sandy Hook Promise, Giffords Gun Violence Prevention & Advocacy, and Everytown for Gun Safety.
    “Over the last several years, cities across the country finally saw decreases in homicides and shootings, and that is only because of significant federal investment in community violence intervention (CVI) strategies,” Adzi Vokhiwa, Vice President of Policy at Community Justice, said. “However, Black and Brown communities continue to bear the brunt of gun violence. Without a doubt, more funding is needed to support CVI programs especially after the cancellation of many federal CVI grant awards earlier this year. If signed into law, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act would provide the largest federal investment in community-based and community-led efforts to end gun violence, expand workforce training for youth at the highest risk of violence, and help ensure the implementation of a public health approach to gun violence prevention. We thank Congressman Horsford and Senator Booker for recognizing the effectiveness and importance of CVI strategies and introducing this important legislation to save lives across the country.”
    “Gun violence manifests itself differently across U.S. communities, with children in many Black and Brown communities being disproportionally affected as well as children living in areas with high poverty rates,” Mark Barden, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, said. “Lives can and will be saved when local leaders are equipped with the tools, training, and resources to address the unique circumstances of violence in their regions. We applaud the reintroduction of the ‘Break the Cycle of Violence Act,’ and encourage Congress to pass this important bill to protect children throughout our country.” 
    “Seemingly never-ending cycles of gun violence crush families, hurt the economy, and suppress communities’ ability to thrive. In particular, Black and Latino Americans bear the brunt of America’s gun violence and gun crime epidemic. But we have strategies and programs that are proven to save lives—all they need is sufficient funding,” Emma Brown, Executive Director of the national gun violence prevention organization GIFFORDS, said. “Every lawmaker, Republicans and Democrats alike, should support Representative Horsford and Senator Booker’s Break the Cycle of Violence Act. This bill, which GIFFORDS is proud to have shaped, will not only fund essential programs, but also provide jobs to American youth that will allow them to thrive and break the cycle of violence.”
    “Communities most impacted by gun violence need real resources—and the Break the Cycle of Violence Act delivers,” Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, said. “It invests in proven, lifesaving programs and puts support where it’s needed most: in the hands of grassroots leaders. We’re grateful to Rep. Horsford for reintroducing this critical bill.” 
    The Break the Cycle of Violence Act provisions include: 
    ·         $5 billion investment in anti-violence programs to create and support violence interruption and crisis management initiatives.
    ·         $1.5 billion investment in workforce training and job opportunities, including improved youth employment and training activities, paid work experience for school aged youth, and partnerships with community-based organizations to serve youth in high-crime and high-poverty areas.
    ·         An Office of Community Violence Intervention at HHS to implement evidence-based violence reduction initiatives.
    ·         A Community Violence Intervention Advisory Committee to ensure people with expertise in community violence intervention have a voice in CVI policies.
    ·         A National Community Violence Response Center to provide technical assistance for implementing community violence intervention and prevention programs.
    The Break the Cycle of Violence Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). 
    To read the full text of the bill, click here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Markey Demand Trump Admin Explains Potential Weeding Out of Immigration Judges Based on Political Beliefs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 03, 2025
    Trump admin appears to be filtering out judges based on whether they will be supportive of the administration’s immigration agenda
    “The administration must ensure that its conversion decisions are based solely on judges’ performance, not their perceived loyalty to the Trump Administration’s immigration agenda or any other criteria.” 
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) wrote to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) with concerns that the Trump administration’s decision not to retain certain immigration judges may be for politically motivated reasons. 
    Immigration judges are “non-political members of the career civil service.” They are selected through a rigorous application process and typically serve for a 2-year probationary appointment. After that period, their performance is evaluated to decide if they will be converted to a permanent position. Typically, almost all probationary immigration judges are converted to permanent immigration judges; in recent years, immigration judges have had about a 94 percent conversion rate. 
    In President Trump’s first term, the administration adjusted the process to “clarify” that the Deputy Attorney General and Attorney General conduct “a performance review” of probationary judges and that the AG “retains discretion” over whether to convert them. Even still, qualified judges were almost uniformly converted to become permanent judges.   
    However, in April, a class of 16 judges reached the end of their probationary period, and EOIR decided not to convert 8 of them, half the class, even though their supervising judges had recommended them for conversion. The judges were provided no rationale for their dismissal. 
    Some observers have noticed a pattern: judges with backgrounds working in immigration enforcement were converted by the Trump Administration, while many of those who previously worked in other parts of government, nonprofits, or private practice were not. 
    “We are concerned that EOIR may be deciding whether to convert judges… using their prior employment as an indicator of whether they will be supportive of the Administration’s immigration agenda,” said the senators. 
    EOIR invests significant time and energy in vetting and training each individual immigration judge. The onboarding process includes multiple rounds of interviews, an extensive background check, weeks of training, and time observing experienced judges in court. The hiring process itself often takes several months or longer. 
    “Allowing IJs to reach the end of this process and then simply dismissing them with no apparent rationale wastes taxpayers’ investment in each judge,” wrote the senators. 
    The decision to not convert judges also worsens the backlog of roughly 4 million cases pending in immigration court. Replacing these judges will likely take months, and for each month that each judge’s seat is unfilled, roughly 50 more immigration cases go unresolved. 
    The senators asked EOIR to provide the following information by July 27, 2025, explain the decision to not convert half of a class of immigration judges that reached the end of its probationary period this year, its plan to replace those judges, and the expected impact of the non-conversion on immigration cases across the country. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Liverpool, football world mourn Jota as tributes pour in

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

    Liverpool FC and Cristiano Ronaldo have led tributes to Portugal international Diogo Jota, after he and his brother Andre died in a car crash in northwestern Spain in the early hours of Thursday morning.

    The brothers died when their Lamborghini went off the A52 road, possibly due to a tire exploding, and burst into flames, shortly after midnight in Spain.

    A banner to Diogo Jota is seen outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, Britain, July 3, 2025. Liverpool’s Portuguese international forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre died in the early hours of Thursday morning in a car accident in north-east Spain, according to Spanish authorities. (Xinhua)

    28-year-old Jota had been with Liverpool for five years and his club said it was “devastated by [his] tragic passing,” while also requesting privacy for Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff.

    “We will continue to provide them with our full support,” said the club, while former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp admitted he was “heartbroken” and struggling to understand the deaths.

    “This is a moment where I struggle. There must be a bigger purpose. But I can’t see it, Diogo was a not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father. We will miss you so much,” Klopp posted on social media.

    In his tribute to Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo also looked back to Portugal’s recent triumph in the UEFA Nations League.

    “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team,” he wrote, making reference to Jota marriage to long-time partner Rute Cardoso – with whom he had three young children – less than a fortnight ago.

    “You had just got married. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will miss you,” commented Ronaldo.

    Many football clubs also expressed messages of support and condolence, with Real Madrid posting: “Real Madrid expresses its condolences and support to their family, loved ones and teammates at their respective clubs,” while adding the club “shares in the deep sorrow felt by the footballing world.”

    Athletic Bilbao, who will play Liverpool in a friendly at Anfield in early August, posted “All our thoughts are with the loved ones of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre, and everyone connected with @LFC following today’s heartbreaking news. Rest in peace, Jota.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Sudan: Ongoing mass atrocities against civilians in and around El Fasher, North Darfur, documented in latest MSF report

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

    Paris, 4 July 2025— Mass atrocities are underway in Sudan’s North Darfur region, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned in a report today, urging the warring parties to halt indiscriminate and ethnically targeted violence and facilitate an immediate large-scale humanitarian response. MSF is extremely concerned about the threats of a full-blown assault on the hundreds of thousands of people in the state capital of El Fasher, which would lead to further bloodshed.

    As the conflict has intensified in the area since May 2024, civilians have continued to be the main victims. The report Besieged, Attacked, Starved, outlines a desperate situation for civilians in and around El Fasher that requires immediate attention and response. “People are not only caught in indiscriminate heavy fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their respective allies – but also actively targeted by the RSF and its allies, notably on the basis of their ethnicity,” says Michel Olivier Lacharité, MSF head of emergencies.

    Based on MSF data, direct observations and over 80 interviews conducted between May 2024 and May 2025 with patients and people who were displaced from El Fasher and nearby Zamzam camp, the report exposes systematic patterns of violence that include looting, mass killings, sexual violence, abductions, starvation and attacks against markets, health facilities and other civilian infrastructures.  

    “As patients and communities tell their stories to our teams and asked us to speak out, while their suffering is hardly on the international agenda, we felt compelled to document these patterns of relentless violence that have been crushing countless lives in general indifference and inaction over the past year,” says Mathilde Simon, MSF’s humanitarian affairs advisor.

    Besieged, Attacked, Starved also details how the Rapid Support Forces and their allies conducted a large-scale ground offensive in April on Zamzam displacement camp, outside of El Fasher, causing an estimated 400,000 people to flee in less than three weeks in appalling conditions. A large portion of the camp population fled to El Fasher, where they remained trapped, out of reach of humanitarian aid and exposed to attacks and further mass violence. Tens of thousands more escaped to Tawila, about 60 kilometers away, and to camps across the Chadian border, where hundreds of survivors of violence received care from MSF teams.

    “In light of the ethnically motivated mass atrocities committed on the Masalit in West Darfur back in June 2023, and of the massacres perpetrated in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, we fear such a scenario will be repeated in El Fasher. This onslaught of violence must stop,” says Simon.

    Several witnesses report that RSF soldiers spoke of plans to ‘clean El Fasher’ of its non-Arab community. Since May 2024, the RSF and their allies have besieged El Fasher, Zamzam camp and other surrounding localities, cutting communities from food, water, and medical care. This has contributed to the spread of famine and debilitated the humanitarian response.

    Repeated attacks on healthcare facilities forced MSF to end our medical activities in El Fasher in August 2024 and in Zamzam camp in February 2025. In May 2024 alone, health facilities supported by MSF in El Fasher endured at least seven incidents of shelling, bombing or shooting by all warring parties. Indiscriminate airstrikes conducted by the SAF had devastating consequences, as a 50-year-old woman highlights: “The SAF bombed our neighborhood by mistake, then came to apologise. SAF planes sometimes bombed civilian areas without any RSF [presence], I saw it in different places”.

    The harrowing level of violence on the roads out of El Fasher and Zamzam means that many people are trapped or take life-threatening risk when fleeing. Men and boys are at high risk of killing and abduction, while women and girls are subjected to widespread sexual violence. Most witnesses also report increased risks for Zaghawa communities. “Nobody could get out [of El Fasher] if they said they were Zaghawa,” says a displaced woman. Another man tells us that RSF and its allies were “asking people if they belonged to the Zaghawa, and if they did, they would kill them.”

    “They would only let mothers with small children under the age of five through,” recalls a woman about her journey fleeing to eastern Chad. “Other children and adult men didn’t go through. Men over fifteen can hardly cross the border [into Chad]. They take them, they push them aside and then we only hear a noise, gunshots, indicating that they are dead, that they have been killed […] Fifty families came along with me. Not even one boy of 15 years old or above was among us.”  

    The catastrophic nutritional situation continued deteriorating as the siege tightened: “[Three months ago] in Zamzam, we sometimes had 3 days a week without eating,” one man tells our teams. “Children died from malnutrition. We were eating ambaz [residue of peanuts ground for oil], like everyone, although usually it’s used for animals,” says displaced woman. “Zamzam was completely blocked,” another displaced person tells us. “Water wells depend on fuel and there was no access to fuel, so all of them stopped working. Water was very limited and very expensive.”

    MSF urges the warring parties to spare civilians and respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law. The RSF and their allies must immediately stop ethnic violence perpetrated against non-Arab communities, lift the siege of El Fasher and guarantee safe routes for civilians fleeing violence. Safe unrestricted access to El Fasher and its surroundings must be granted for humanitarian agencies to provide critically needed assistance.  International actors, including UN institutions and member states, and States who provide support to the warring parties must urgently mobilise and exert pressure to prevent further mass violence and allow emergency aid delivery. The recent unilateral announcements of a possible local ceasefire have not yet been translated into concrete change on the ground, and time is running out.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash – road blocked near Roxburgh

    Source: New Zealand Police

    State Highway 8 between Roxburgh and Millers Flat is blocked following a serious crash.

    The two-vehicle crash happened shortly before 11:15am.

    Indications are that there are serious injuries, and a helicopter is responding.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    Diversions are in place at Roxburgh and Millers Flat.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: On Country and in demand: Tackling remote teacher shortages

    Source:

    04 July 2025

    Sports day on Country.

    When a dry creek bed is your classroom, science connects to the land, and sports day kicks off amid a cloud of red dust, you know you’re on Country out bush.

    For a group of UniSA student teachers, the opportunity to teach in remote South Australia offers more than cultural immersion – it’s a chance to connect with community, embrace new ways of learning, and potentially spark a career in Aboriginal education.

    This National NAIDOC Week, UniSA is highlighting its remote teaching placements in the Anangu Lands, spanning Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) and Yalata Lands, aiming to inspire future teachers, while addressing workforce shortages in regional and remote Australia.

    The timing is significant, with the State’s Aboriginal Education Strategy, Impact Report showing that teaching support in the APY Lands has helped deliver the highest average preschool attendance in five years.

    Already, four of last year’s eight placement students have returned to continue teaching in the APY Lands while completing their degrees.

    With more than 30 years’ experience in Aboriginal education, UniSA’s Associate Director: Regional Engagement, Dr Sam Osborne, says encouraging students to explore remote teaching placements is vital to building the remote workforce.

    “When there’s a teacher shortage in Australia, we know there’s a desperate teacher shortage in rural and remote Australia,” Dr Osborne says.

    “These areas can seem daunting – they’re unfamiliar, far from family and friends, and may lack creature comforts – but they also offer incredibly rewarding experiences in close-knit and supportive communities.

    “Our placement program provides third-year education students with a unique opportunity to spend six weeks living and teaching in Anangu communities, alongside the world’s oldest continuing culture.

    “They live, learn and teach between the classroom, and on Country. Whether it’s working with Elders to link native plants with science, teaching kindy kids colours in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, or making maths fun by tallying bird species observed on Country.

    “Importantly, students are supported by the community as they learn their craft in a cultural and language context that few Australians ever encounter.”

    The Anangu schools’ partnership includes 10 schools spanning the far north and west of South Australia, including The APY Lands, Maralinga Tjarutja, and Yalata with around 200 local and non-local educators working in these schools.

    UniSA student teachers and team connecting at Yulara.

    Sophia, a third-year UniSA education student who recently returned from a six-week placement in Pipalyatjara Anangu School, says her stay was transformative.

    “One of the first things you notice is the scale of the Australian outback. From the desert plains to endless skies over the mountain ranges, you know you’re about to experience something completely different,” Sophia says.

    “Teaching at an Anangu school was so unique, and it very strongly connected to culture.

    “We often took learning outdoors – using hopscotch or other made-up games to teach language and numbers – which the kids loved because they’re such outdoor people.

    “There were also amazing opportunities to learn from people in the community. On family days, we’d sit with an Elder to hear stories of their history, their travels, or more practical things like how to mix bush medicines or make spears.

    “The local people are beautiful – gentle, kind and insightful, and they have a quiet confidence that really stayed with me.

    “This placement was unlike anything I’ve ever done. I felt welcomed in the community and I can’t wait to return – hopefully next year.”

    The program includes a three-day language and culture orientation run by Iwiri Aboriginal corporation, a mid-placement visit to the UniSA site at Ernabella, and a post-placement debrief at Uluru. Students are supported by experienced staff and take part in on-Country experiences and excursions.

    “This program provides high-quality support for preservice teachers who want to challenge themselves personally and professionally in a new context,” Dr Osborne says.

    “They are developing far more than classroom skills – they’re building cultural understanding, lasting connections, and for many, a sense of purpose that could shape their careers.”

    In partnership with the SA Department for Education, UniSA is also running a two-week field trip for students interested in teaching in remote areas.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contact for interview: Dr Sam Osborne E: Sam.Osborne@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Enquiries ongoing into Hamilton aggravated robbery

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Hamilton Police are following solid lines of enquiry in their investigation of a recent violent aggravated robbery.

    About 1:40pm on Saturday 28 June, two men armed with a firearm entered a bar on Liverpool Street.

    The offenders presented the firearm at the sole worker in the bar and demanded cash before leaving the scene in a stolen vehicle.

    The offenders dumped the stolen car on Islington Street and fled in a waiting Toyota Surf, which was later dumped in Te Awamutu.

    Both vehicles used in the robbery have been recovered by Police and are undergoing forensic testing.

    Hamilton CIB Detective Sergeant Johnny O’Byrne says, thankfully, the victim of this incident was unharmed.

    “However, they are understandably shaken and are receiving support.

    “A dedicated team of detectives are currently following very strong lines of enquiry to locate the offenders and hold them to account,” he says.

    “There is no place in our community for this type of violence against innocent people just going about their work, the use of firearms is of particular concern.”

    ‘Waikato Police would like to reassure the community that we will continue to work hard to hold these offenders to account, and we are asking members of the public with any information regarding this offending or the locations of the offenders to reach out to us,’ Detective Sergeant O’Byrne says.

    Anyone with information can contact Police via 105 quoting file number 250628/3013 or anonymously provide information via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks as prepared for delivery by Dr. Josh Cowen, Friend of Education Award winner, to the 104th Representative Assembly

    Source: US National Education Union

    Thank you President Pringle. Thanks to the Friend of Education Award Committee. And thanks most of all to you educators out there working hard for kids and families in public schools across the country. I want to give a special shout-out to the Michigan delegation for the work you do every day. I’m so honored and humbled to be standing up here to receive this award–and I share it with all of you.

    We all know tomorrow is Independence Day. Today I’m thinking about those famous words from Thomas Jefferson: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Each of us has probably seen that phrase a thousand times in our lives. But I want to use this opportunity to talk about what it means for me and what I think it means for all of us moving forward.

    When I first started the work that brought me up here, I thought I was talking about history. One bad idea–school voucher schemes–with roots in resistance to the Civil Rights Movement, and funded today by Betsy DeVos and other billionaires.

    But as we’ve seen, threats to public education, and to public investments in all of our futures–from health care, to jobs, to retirement security, and even basic, affordable costs of living–this is all very much breaking news. “Breaking” as in urgent. But also “breaking” as in a forceful, threatening undoing.

    Because that’s what’s at stake here. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone. Not just the wealthy and the well-connected. All of us.

    You might know my name because I’ve been fighting Betsy DeVos’s school voucher schemes. But as we look ahead we have to remember that it’s not just one bad billionaire idea. It’s an entire political agenda. Folks from Michigan may remember that when Betsy DeVos was chairwoman of our state’s Republican Party, she once said that the problem with Michigan’s economy was that our workers are paid too much!

    I don’t need any lessons about how to fix American education–or American health care, American Social Security, or American democracy itself–from a billionaire who thinks the way to fix the American economy is to cut worker pay!

    You know, I get a lot of crap from the DeVos political machine, her lobbyists and Super PACs, the Heritage Foundation, and all the rest. They attack me for the work you’ve honored me with here today. And of course, one thing they say is “Josh, he’s too close to the teachers’ unions.”

    But I’m proud to be here. I am my own man. And I have my own strength. And I have my own dignity. And I say: I would rather stand shoulder to shoulder with Becky Pringle, Randi Weingarten, Sean Fain, Liz Shuler–and labor leaders, autoworkers, educators, journeymen and women, and middle class families all over the country–then crawl for even one short minute at the feet of right-wing billionaires.

    Listen. It’s going to get harder. We have a lot work to do. But as my governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has been saying “we can do hard things.”

    We sure as hell can. For me, that’s going to mean that I’m going to be running for Congress in Michigan’s 7th District. Against a first-term Republican who comes right out of that DeVos political machine. And we know not just the DeVoses but other Republicans are gearing up to make 2026 in Michigan the “education election” for their priorities like more standardized testing. Cuts to public school funding. And yes, school vouchers.

    I’m not going to let them. But I’m going to need some help in that work to defend public schools. And Medicaid, Social Security, jobs and so much more. Now, I know that I’m going to have to work hard to win any official endorsements from the Michigan folks and others, but for today I’m hoping you’ll visit my website and learn more about me and how we can stand together for students and families.

    My time on this stage is up but our work together is just beginning. And I want to wrap up by just going back to that Declaration of Independence–life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness–and to remind all of us that what’s at stake here really is democracy.

    We all talk about democracy in different ways, and none of us have to be as eloquent as Jefferson, or Abe Lincoln, or FDR or Dr. King. We just have to listen to families and go out and meet them where they are at the places that matter to them.

    For a single mom with a kid who’s struggling to read, maybe democracy is just having a public school that is a bit more responsive to her when she’s trying to get what she needs for her kiddo.

    For a 27 year-old guy with Type-I diabetes, maybe democracy is just having a health care plan that won’t throw him out in the cold because he has a pre-existing condition.

    Maybe for a retiree, democracy is just having someone there at the Social Security office to pick up the damn phone and talk to a real person if their check goes missing.

    For a working dad of 3 or 4 kids, who’s just lost his job, maybe democracy is just getting a little bit of economic assistance till he gets back on his feet. Or if he has a job, maybe democracy means being able to count on an income not just to survive and put food on the table–but to thrive and build out his family’s future.

    A democracy that works for everyone is an economy that works for everyone. And an economy that works for everyone is a democracy that works for everyone.

    Thank you all, God Bless you. And God Bless America–this weekend on her birthday, and every day ahead.

    -###- 

    Follow us on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/neapresident.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/neatoday.bsky.social  

    The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEA awards public school advocate and national expert on private education vouchers with its highest honor

    Source: US National Education Union

    PORTLAND, Ore.—The National Education Association today awarded Dr. Josh Cowen—distinguished author, professor, researcher, and national expert on private school vouchers—with its highest honor, the Friend of Education Award. Cowen received the award in front of nearly 7,000 educators gathered in Portland, Oregon, during the 2025 NEA Representative Assembly. 

    Cowen is at the forefront of the fight against school privatization and holding billionaire-run organizations accountable for the ineffective voucher policies they have promoted through lobbying efforts in multiple states and Congress. His book, The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers, lays out the dishonest, money-driven, and faux-researched lobby effort used to support voucher policies by monied interests. He also explains how vouchers have negatively impacted the overall educational outcomes in the United States. Across the country, voters continue to reject vouchers, most recently seen as voters in Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska all rejected ballot measures related to school vouchers. 

    “Dr. Cowen is a leading voice in the work of advocating for our nation’s public schools and the well-being of our students. America’s educators are proud to bestow him with NEA’s highest honor, the Friend of Education award,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Through his research and in his advocacy, Dr. Cowen is tireless in his commitment to America’s public schools. He speaks truth to power, and at a time when anti-public education politicians push harmful voucher schemes and try to steal opportunities from our students, our families, and our communities, we need more voices like his.” 

    “I’m accepting this Friend of Education Award on behalf of all the public school educators, middle-class families, and everyone else out there who’s been standing up to right-wing billionaires like Betsy DeVos for years. My life’s work has been fighting for public schools and making sure every student gets the education they deserve. Now more than ever, we’re going to need the same commitment in the fight to defend our democracy. And when it comes to that fight, I’m just getting started.”  

    Cowen has been a leader in educational research, teacher mobility, teacher attrition, and interpreting educational outcomes. In 2016, he founded the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC), a think tank designed to partner with policymakers to improve educational outcomes for students and educators alike. He has also been a national director for the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH), which is based at Tulane University. 

    “Vouchers are the education equivalent of predatory lending. The right-wing markets vouchers specifically to families of color, to low-income families, as if there are a whole lot of high-quality private school providers that will take all of these children in mass amounts. We know that doesn’t happen. We know the schools that do accept them tend to be barely hanging on, tend to be subprime, as I call them, as the academic results show,” Cowen said in an interview with NEAToday. 

    The NEA Friend of Education Award is presented during NEA’s annual convention and recognizes a person or organization whose leadership has significantly contributed to improving American public education. Past recipients include activists Judith Heumann, Greta Thunberg, Dolly Parton, and Quinta Brunson. 

    # # # 

    Follow us on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/neapresident.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/neatoday.bsky.social 

    The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Boozman Applaud Trump Administration Decision to Uphold 14(c) Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact:     Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    July 3, 2025

    Cotton, Boozman Applaud Trump Administration Decision to Uphold 14(c) Program 

    Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after the Trump administration reversed Joe Biden’s attempt to overturn section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

    “We applaud the Trump administration’s decision to reverse Joe Biden’s disastrous attempt to end 14(c). All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program and organizations like MARVA and Abilities Unlimited provide many individuals with disabilities with a sense of accomplishment and community, and provides their families and caretakers with much needed support. ”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Final Passage of Trump-Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Betrayal’ Bill is a Bad Deal for American People

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, following a vote of 218-214 in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement assailing passage of Republicans’ ‘big, ugly’ reconciliation budget bill: 

    “Republicans knew this bill is a bad deal for their constituents and passed it anyway.  This bill goes against the self-interest of average Americans in favor of the ultra-wealthy and corporations.  It slashes the safety net out from under hardworking families – taking away health care from millions — in order to give special interests bigger tax benefits.  Republicans structured the bill so the ultra-wealthy can cash out right away while the little guy and average taxpayers will get stuck paying the bill for years to come.

    “During this unprecedented time of chaos and dysfunction, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and miss the latest developments. But the negative impacts of this bill must cut through the noise. Americans must be informed about the consequences of this legislation and they deserve to hear plainly from their elected representatives about how this bill is going to impact their families.

    “Republicans are shifting a heavier financial burden onto families, communities, hospitals, and states.  Taking away people’s health coverage doesn’t mean they stop getting sick or can’t see a doctor.  Health costs for everyone will rise.  And it takes away over one trillion dollars in federal funding that states and localities rely on to provide vital services like schools, transit, nutrition assistance and aid to families in crisis.

    “This fiscally irresponsible giveaway to the wealthy and well-connected is a debt-busting disaster.  It will cost U.S. taxpayers trillions of dollars in interest payments and Republicans unilaterally approved a record breaking $5 trillion dollar debt limit increase.  But that’s just debt already incurred – this bill will add trillions of dollars in future debt when it’s all said and done, with little to no long-term benefit for middle- and working-class families. 

    “Whatever short-term economic benefits this bill may offer, it will do lasting destructive damage to U.S. finances and young Americans will be forced to pay for it long after Donald Trump is gone.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – 7:30 with Sarah Ferguson

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    SARAH FERGUSON: It emerged today that accused child sex offender Joshua Brown may have worked at several child care centres in Victoria longer than authorities originally thought. It means more parents now face the excruciating prospect that their children may be involved and may be required to undergo health screening. On Tuesday, Brown was charged with more than 70 offences, including sexual assault, relating to eight alleged victims at a child care centre in Melbourne’s west. Authorities had also listed more than 20 other centres he’d worked at across the city. These allegations will now be tested in court. But as our reporter Adele Ferguson told us when the story broke, it’s not the first time parents have had to consider the possibility their children may have been the victims of assault while in childcare. 

    ADELE FERGUSON: If you look across at the data, at least one report a day of sexual misconduct comes from child care centres, which is a heck of a lot. 

    SARAH FERGUSON: The latest allegations put pressure on the Federal Government to overhaul the regulation of child care in Australia. Education Minister Jason Clare is the Minister responsible. Jason Clare, welcome.

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thank you.

    FERGUSON: Now you learnt about the allegations being made against the child care worker in Melbourne over a week ago. What action did you take?

    CLARE: The first step I took was to put this on the top of the agenda for Education Ministers when we met last week. Last week, two things happened. I was informed that a person had been arrested for the alleged behaviour in child care centres in Victoria. But a second thing happened. The Wheeler Report was released by the NSW Government, and their initial response. And as you know, that was an investigation conducted by the former Deputy Ombudsman of NSW, Chris Wheeler, in response to the Four Corners exposé earlier this year, which revealed horrifying examples of physical abuse and neglect in child care centres. I thought it was necessary to put this at the top of the agenda for Education Ministers last week so we could pull together the recommendations from Chris and he briefed us, but also recommendations from Gabrielle Sinclair, who’s the head of the federal regulator, about what are the next steps we need to take to keep our kids safe in child care.

    FERGUSON: We’ll come to some of those in a minute. I just want to stay with the situation in Melbourne and just repeating that these are now allegations, the man has been charged and will face trial. How is it possible that if you knew a week ago, some parents only found out when they went to the childcare centres that there was a problem?

    CLARE: Let me be very clear. I was informed by the Victorian Government that someone had been arrested, I wasn’t briefed on the details of this, and nor were Ministers at the Education Ministers meeting last week. To the best of my knowledge, the Victorian Government has made sure that they’ve informed parents as soon as they possibly can. As you would have heard —

    FERGUSON: Well, it’s not – it can’t be as soon as they possibly could because we had an incident of a mother on the program last night who did receive a text message. The text message was very confusing. The media were at the child care centre. She didn’t know, walked into a child care centre.

    CLARE: Fair point. Let me correct that. The Victorian Government were informing parents when they believed that they were ready to do so. One of those people is a friend of mine. She’s directly affected by this. Her girls are caught up in this. I know the white-hot anger of all parents that are affected by this and the confusion that they’re facing and feeling right now. I don’t want to make any points specifically about the alleged offender because this will go before the courts. But this is serious, it’s sickening. People want to turn away from this and turn off their TVs, but you can’t. It requires serious action. I’ve been pretty blunt about this today and yesterday. We’re taking action, but not enough action has happened and not fast enough.

    FERGUSON: Alright, let’s talk about that. But just in the case of your friends, and obviously we offer them all our sympathy, how did they find out, and how did they think the matter was treated?

    CLARE: They received a text message.

    FERGUSON: Did they understand the text message?

    CLARE: Yeah, they did. They did, but then they received further details. She’s gone off to see a GP, but to be honest, she’s still confused, wanting to find out what tests she needs to get her daughters to do, whether those tests might cause more trauma than the girls. The girls don’t know about it at the moment. She’s keeping it from them, as you expect that she would. But at some point, they need to get tests done. She needs to know what those tests involve and what the potential impact of them might be on the girls.

    FERGUSON: Are paedophiles targeting child care centres because they can get easy access to children?

    CLARE: We’ve seen evidence of this, Sarah. We saw evidence of this in Queensland, where Australia’s worst paedophile was arrested and charged and convicted a couple of years ago. It’s why I asked the federal regulator to conduct a review into child safety. It’s why the sort of actions that are rolling out now are happening, because you have seen paedophiles do this.

    FERGUSON: We will talk about what came out of that review, but there are figures that show, and these are just in the jurisdictions that have reporting requirements, at least one incident of sexual misconduct a day. And that doesn’t include any figures from Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. How do you defend those statistics?

    CLARE: I don’t. No reasonable person would. What those statistics show you is that we’ve got a serious problem, and we’ve got to take serious action. The honest answer to you is that this job will never be done, that there will always be bad people that try and break through the net. That doesn’t mean that you do nothing, though. That means that we’ve got to do everything that we possibly can to make sure that our children are safe. That’s why people are talking now about CCTV or about an educator register, about improving working with children checks. None of that is a silver bullet. None of that is going to guarantee every child is safe. But all of it are the sort of things that are necessary if we’re fair dinkum about doing our jobs.

    FERGUSON. So, what is your view on each of those things? Just one at a time? CCTV. Should there be CCTV in child care centres?

    CLARE: Yes, there should. Chris talked about this in his report that was handed down last week —

    FERGUSON: When can we expect to see that?

    CLARE: Hang on a sec. So, what Mr. Wheeler said in his report, based on the Four Corners investigation, is that that should be targeted to certain centres based on the fact that some centres haven’t been up to scratch. And so, Education Ministers are looking at –

    FERGUSON: Just hold it. Just hold it there. You’re talking about the need for CCTV in a child care centre that is not up to scratch. Should any centre that is required to have CCTV for the safety of its – for the children attending it, should that centre be in operation?

    CLARE: The short answer to that is no, and that’s why I’m going to introduce legislation when the Parliament returns in the first sitting fortnight that will cut funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch, that aren’t meeting the quality and safety standards that Australians would expect and that our kids deserve. This is the big weapon that the Commonwealth Government has to wield here. We fund centres, 70 per cent of the funding for these centres comes from taxpayers —

    FERGUSON. So, you have all the levers.

    CLARE: That is the big lever that the Commonwealth Government has. States have other levers, but that’s the big one. A centre can’t run without taxpayer funding or taxpayer support. And so, that’s why we’ve said this was something that we announced in March. That’s a major important measure to make sure that our kids are safe. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have CCTV as well. Chris gave us recommendations about that, and that’s one of the things Ministers are going through right now.

    FERGUSON: One of the standards that you’ve already talked about that’s coming in in September is mandatory reporting of any physical or sexual abuse within 24 hours. Why not bring that in immediately?

    CLARE: We’re bringing it in as quick as we possibly can. I’m conscious here no one is interested in any excuses here. But the honest answer to this is out of the review that we did, that we asked the National Regulator to conduct for us, they recommended a suite of changes, about 16 different reforms. Some of them are the responsibility of Education Ministers, some the Attorney-General, some building Ministers. One of them was around mobile phones, one of them was around mandatory reporting. I’ve told my department, I’ve told Ministers across the country, we need to implement these as quick as we possibly can, and that’s one of them.

    FERGUSON. So, the beginning of September is the earliest you can possibly do that. There is no mechanism under which you could make that immediate because I think that’s something that people will be puzzled about. If you have an existing requirement that says you have to report within seven days, that seems extremely long. Why can’t you move more quickly on that?

    CLARE: I think anyone listening would say, why is it seven days now?

    FERGUSON: Yes, indeed.

    CLARE: Why hasn’t this been fixed yet?

    FERGUSON: What’s the answer?

    CLARE: The answer is it should have been fixed yesterday. I’m determined to get it fixed as soon as it possibly can. The best advice I’ve got is the way this system works is we can get it done in September.

    FERGUSON: How do you propose to fix a system that fails to punish centres that offer substandard care?

    CLARE: There’s at least two parts to this. The penalties that centres cop at the moment are insufficient. This is another thing that Chris Wheeler pointed to in his report last week. For an individual that breaches —

    FERGUSON: Do you need Chris Wheeler’s report to tell you that?

    CLARE: No. I think any right-minded person, when they find out that a maximum penalty under the existing law for an individual is about $9,000, for a centre or a provider is about $45,000, would say, “well, that’s probably not enough to make sure that people are doing what they should be doing”.

    FERGUSON: Why did it take a television program to make this an urgent matter of business development?

    CLARE: It shouldn’t, but there’s a bit of a history here at the ABC of Four Corners doing the right thing.

    FERGUSON: But I want to know what the Government’s been doing because this information was not held secretly from you or your department.

    CLARE: No, I get all of that —

    FERGUSON: So, what have you been doing for the last three years?

    CLARE: The bottom line is that Ministers haven’t been doing enough fast enough, right?

    FERGUSON: Including you?

    CLARE: Including me, and I take my fair share of responsibility for it. I’ve been pretty blunt about that. But I tell you what, I’ve got the job now and I’m determined to act. Part of that is significantly beefing up those penalties. The other part in answering your question is about cutting off the funding to centres who don’t comply if they’re persistently not meeting safety standards. If they’re persistently not meeting the sort of quality that we expect, whether it’s for a for-profit centre or a not-for-profit community centre, then we’ve got to have the ability to cut off funding, pull the funding for them. That’s what’s going to help get centres up to the sort of safety and quality standards we expect —

    FERGUSON: What should the threshold be? Is one breach of a serious safety standard enough?

    CLARE: We’re working through the details of that bill that I’ll introduce now, so I won’t pre-empt that, but there needs to be stages there so that potentially we can set conditions on centres. But ultimately, you’ve got to have the power to pull the funding.

    FERGUSON: The Federal Government undertook a drive, the Albanese Government, when it came into power, a drive to provide what were urgently needed childcare places across the country. Have you pushed the sector to expand too fast at the expense of children’s safety?

    CLARE: No, I don’t think that’s right. We have seen the centre grow over the last three years. There’s 100,000 more children in early education and care today than there were three years ago.

    FERGUSON: And we’ve got a crisis of quality. So, doesn’t that make the answer to that question yes?

    CLARE: There’s about one and a half million children in the sector right now, so it’s gone from about 1.4 to 1.5. So, we’re seeing that grow. That’s good for parents because it’s an essential service. It’s good to have more children in early education and care because it’s helping to get them ready for school —

    FERGUSON: Sure, but this is a debate about quality.

    CLARE: I get that. I’m determined to make sure that we hit those quality standards. So, the question then is, how do you make sure you hit those quality and safety standards? What do businesses in this sector listen to? Money. And if you cut off the funding, then you end up closing down the centre. That’s going to be the real tool that we’ve got here to help boost those standards.

    FERGUSON: So do you – As things stand, do you accept that there is a correlation between for-profit in this sector and low quality?

    CLARE: What I would say is that in the community or the not-for-profit sector, we’re seeing overwhelmingly higher levels of achieving the sort of quality we want and expect than in the for-profit sector. But whether it’s for-profit or not-for-profit, everybody has to meet those sort of standards. We’ve got to make sure that the safety of our children is number one, and one of the ways we can do that is with the lever of Commonwealth money.

    FERGUSON: Long way to go on this. Thank you very much indeed for coming in. 

    CLARE: Thanks, Sarah.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Demo Copy now available on desktop — Start copying Lead Traders in a simulated trading environment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WOO X, a leading global crypto trading platform, is thrilled to announce that Demo Copy, a cornerstone feature of our social trading product, is now live on desktop, expanding access beyond its initial launch on mobile.

    This exciting update makes it easier than ever for traders to experience zero-cost crypto paper trading on their preferred devices.

    Demo Copy is a zero-cost crypto paper trading tool designed to help users simulate copying trades from top lead traders using virtual funds in a fully simulated trading environment. Many traders hesitate to start copy trading due to fear of loss and uncertainty about strategy performance. By replicating real trading with virtual funds, Demo Copy allows users to learn, practice, and build confidence before committing real capital.

    Since its debut on the WOO X mobile app, Demo Copy has empowered countless users to explore copy trading safely and effectively. Now, with the desktop version available, even more traders can take advantage of this innovative tool.

    Key Features

    Follow Lead Traders’ moves in real time: Track and replicate the trades of seasoned lead traders as they happen, gaining insight into their strategies without risking your own capital.

    Interactive dashboard with performance metrics: Monitor key indicators such as Return on Investment (ROI) and Profit and Loss (PnL) on an intuitive dashboard, helping you evaluate the effectiveness of different trading strategies.

    Compare Lead Traders: Explore and analyze multiple lead traders’ performance and trading styles to select the ones that align with your risk tolerance and goals.

    CounterTrading feature: Take advantage of WOO X’s innovative CounterTrading tool, which allows you to strategically hedge by taking opposite positions against lead traders when market conditions call for it.

    Learn, practice, and optimize: Demo Copy is designed to help users build confidence and sharpen their trading skills by practicing in a simulated environment before committing real funds. This hands-on experience helps avoid common pitfalls and better prepares traders for live copy trading.

    How to start copying Lead Traders on WOO X

    1. If you aren’t registered yet, create your WOO X account by signing up here: https://woox.io/en/register
    2. Learn all about Social Trading and its benefits by visiting the dedicated overview page: https://woox.io/en/social-trading
    3. Visit the Social Trading page to browse a curated list of top-performing Lead Traders, each with detailed profiles showcasing key metrics like ROI, PnL, win rate, and drawdown: https://woox.io/en/social-trading/marketplace
    4. Explore our curated selection of Hyperliquid whales tracking the performance of well-known whale traders on the Hyperliquid protocol: https://woox.io/en/social-trading/strategy?lt_id=683a65dcd94c3031fef64b78&strategy_id=6840fcb86d451a15cd8b908d

    Ben Yorke, Vice President of Ecosystem at WOO X, said:

    “We’re excited to bring Demo Copy to desktop, making it even easier for traders to experience the power of social trading without risking real capital. Demo Copy is designed to break down barriers for new and experienced traders alike by providing a zero-cost, fully simulated environment where users can learn, practice, and build confidence by following top lead traders in real time. At WOO X, we believe that by democratizing access to advanced trading tools and education, we can foster a smarter, safer, and more inclusive crypto trading ecosystem. This launch is a significant step toward that mission, enabling more people to take their first confident steps into the world of copy trading.”

    Closing remarks
    Demo Copy lowers entry barriers and encourages wider crypto adoption by providing a safe simulated environment where users can practice and test trading strategies. This accessible approach helps traders build confidence and skills before moving to live trading, making crypto markets more inclusive and approachable.

    At WOO X, our mission is to make crypto trading smarter, safer, and more accessible for everyone. To welcome new users, don’t miss our Welcome Bonus offer when you complete KYC verification: https://woox.io/blog/welcome-bonus-kyc

    Ready to start?
    Download the WOO X App or log in now to try Demo Copy today and take your first step into Social Trading: https://woox.io/download

    Contact: media@woo.network

    About WOO X
    WOO X is a global centralized crypto futures and spot trading platform offering the best-in-class liquidity and price execution. WOO X has achieved a daily volume exceeding $1.6 billion and is home to hundreds of thousands of traders worldwide. WOO X traders benefit from radical transparency through our industry-first live Proof of Reserves & liabilities dashboard and the company’s mission to maintain the trust of its growing community of traders.

    Disclaimers

    The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal advice or professional advice of any kind. While we have made every effort to ensure that the information contained herein is accurate and up-to-date, we make no guarantees as to its completeness or accuracy. The content is based on information available at the time of writing and may be subject to change.

    Cryptocurrencies involve significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The value of digital currencies can be extremely volatile, and you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite before participating in any staking or investment activities.

    We strongly recommend that you seek independent advice from a qualified professional before making any investment or financial decisions related to cryptocurrencies. We shall in NO case be liable for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this article.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ce311f0f-d596-4fba-b73e-9d13005d9a61

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish recipients of The Elizabeth Emblem

    Source: Scottish Government

    First Minister marks lives given in public service.

    First Minister John Swinney has paid tribute to the eight Scottish recipients of The Elizabeth Emblem.

    The emblem is awarded posthumously to family members of those who died in public service. It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or a terrorist attack.

    The First Minister said:

    “I warmly welcome the awarding of The Elizabeth Emblem to these individuals and their families.

    “This recognition enables us to remember their sacrifice and their lives dedicated to public service. They made Scotland a better place for us all and we continue to honour their memory.”

    The family of Dunblane Primary School teacher Gwen Mayor including her husband Rodney Mayor said:

    “As a family we are extremely proud and honoured to be receiving this award on behalf of Gwen. We always believed her actions that day deserved more recognition.

    “You would have to have known Gwen to know that she would have done whatever trying to protect the children in her care. She paid the ultimate price for that commitment. Finally we now feel that she has been honoured for what happened that day.”

    The full list of Scottish recipients of The Elizabeth Emblem are:

    • Joseph Stewart Drake, a Constable with Stirling and Clackmannan Constabulary. He died on 11 August 1967 when a stolen lorry intentionally struck his car at Dennyloanhead as he tried to intercept it. 
    • Gwen Mayor, Primary 1 teacher at Dunblane Primary School died on 13 March 1996 alongside 15 of her pupils when a gunman entered the school.
    • Rodney (Rod) Moore, a retired NHS paramedic from Falkirk with 40 years’ service, rejoined the Scottish Ambulance Service to support its Covid-19 response and died on 21 November 2020 having contracted coronavirus.
    • Roderick Nicolson, a Scottish Fire & Rescue Service firefighter died at Perth Harbour on 4 December 1995. He was attempting to rescue workers who became trapped in a silo filled with five tonnes of sodium carbonate ash.
    • Richard Paul North, a Constable with Tayside Police died on 17 March 1987. He was on duty driving a marked police patrol car when it collided with another vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was under the influence of drink and drugs.
    • William Oliver of the Glasgow Salvage Corps died at the Cheapside Street whisky bond fire on 28 March 1960. He was instantly killed alongside 18 others when some casks ruptured causing a massive boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion.
    • Ewan Williamson, a Scottish Fire & Rescue Service firefighter with Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service. He became trapped in a fire at the Balmoral Bar public house in Edinburgh and died on 12 July 2009.
    • Alastair Soutar, of HM Customs and Excise died of his injuries on 29 July 1996 after he was crushed between ‘The Sentinel’ HM Customs and Excise vessel and the ‘Ocean Jubilee’ smugglers vessel. Mr Soutar, from Dundee, was participating in Operation Balvenie to apprehend drug smugglers.

    Background

    The Elizabeth Emblem is a national form of recognition conferred by His Majesty The King and was established last year.
    The design of the Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with ‘For A Life Given In Service’, and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. It will include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Summer blitz on town centre crime

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Summer blitz on town centre crime

    Over 500 town centres have signed up to the Home Secretary’s Safer Streets summer blitz that will see increased police patrols and local action .

    Thousands of shoppers and businesses will see increased police presence, stronger prevention and enforcement action by police and councils to support safer high streets this summer.   

    Over recent years street crime has sky-rocketed, with theft from the person more than doubling between December 2022 and December 2024, and there has been record levels of shop theft, up by more than 60% – with offenders increasingly using violence and abuse against shopworkers.

    This marks a key step in delivering the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which from July will see named, contactable officers in every community, increased peak time patrols in town centres and anti-social behaviour leads in every force.  

    Commissioned by the Home Secretary, Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales have developed bespoke local action plans with police, businesses and local councils to crackdown on crime this summer.  

    The aim is to support town centres to be vibrant places where people want to live, work and spend time, and restore faith in community policing after years of declining police officer presence on Britain’s streets.  

    These plans include increased visible town centre policing and ramping up the use of targeted enforcement powers against troublemakers – including banning perpetrators from hotspots.  

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:  

    High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities. Residents and businesses have the right to feel safe in their towns. But the last government left a surge in shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour which has left too many town centres feeling abandoned. 

    It’s time to turn this round, that’s why I have called on police forces and councils alike to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished. 

    The fact that 500 towns have signed up shows the strength of feeling on this issue. 

    Through our Safer Streets Mission and Plan for Change, we are putting officers back on the beat where you can see them and making our town centres safe again.

    The summer initiative will also support young people, making sure there are activities across the 500 towns for young people to be involved in throughout the holidays. 

    The Home Office, alongside police, retailers and industry are also launching a new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy, which will use shared data to assist in disrupting not just organised criminal gangs, but all types of perpetrators including prolific offenders who are stealing to fund an addiction and ‘opportunist’ offenders. 

    Creating thriving town centres where businesses and communities can flourish supports the government’s growth mission, raising living standards, backing local economies and supporting communities. 

    Initiatives taking place this summer include:  

    • in Humberside, police are using real-time mapping to deliver dynamic patrols to target emerging problem locations while reassuring local communities
    • in Devon and Cornwall, police are embedding specialist anti-social behaviour lawyers to fast-track enforcement activity
    • in Derbyshire, police have developed a Night Time Economy Charter to help deliver consistent proactive policing and coordinated management across the four largest local town centres
    • in Wales, Dyfed-Powys Police are targeting seasonal, tourist towns through early police visibility, deterrence and community reassurance
    • in Nottinghamshire, police have introduced a new diversionary intervention programme for Out of Court Resolutions with conditions attached for problem offenders

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 

    We are on the side of local businesses, and our Plan for Change is helping create the right conditions for our great British high streets to thrive.  

    The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will play a vital role in achieving this by keeping footfall high, communities and those that work in them safe, and the economy growing. 

    Shop theft and the abuse of shopworkers has become an endemic problem for Britain’s high streets with many shopworkers victimised in the same communities where they live.

    The government is set to introduce a new law to protect shop workers from this vile abuse. 

    Record levels of shop theft have been driven not just by organised crime gangs but drug addiction for some prolific offenders and opportunism for others. 

    The new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy will bring together multiple sources of data from industry and policing to create a single avenue for intelligence to help better target and respond to perpetrators. 

    Police and retailers will also team up with security firms and local communities to locate the highest harm areas and identify the role offender management programmes can play in breaking the cycle of crime for repeat offenders.   

    Anthony Hemmerdinger, Managing Director, Boots said:  

    Retail theft alongside intimidation and abuse of our team members is unacceptable, so we welcome this additional support from government and the police to strengthen shopworker protection.  

    While we continue to invest significantly in schemes to deter and disrupt crime, including our state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring centre and bodycams for our team members in stores, it is only through collaboration with government, police forces, and local communities, that we can ensure high streets feel like welcoming and safe spaces for people to work, shop and visit, all the time.

    Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Emily Spurrell said: 

    Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Deputy Mayors know how much people want to rid their neighbourhoods of criminal and anti-social behaviour (ASB) that blights too many communities. Tackling retail crime and ASB is essential to allowing our town centres to flourish. People have a right to feel safe and shop workers shouldn’t have to defend their stores against regular and organised theft, putting themselves at risk of violence.  

    As the public’s voice in policing, we have long understood that neighbourhood policing is key to addressing these issues which is why we welcomed the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. It will see thousands more officers on our streets and introduce specialist training for them to operate effectively within local communities, building trust.  

    With our local police forces and other partners in support of the Safer Streets Summer initiative, PCCs and Deputy Mayors will be working harder than ever to target criminal and anti-social behaviour so that people feel safe and have pride in where they live and work. We are determined to deliver real and demonstrable change so that communities and town centres can thrive and prosper.

    The initiative launches today at an event hosted by the Home Office and the English Football League at Derby County Football Club, attended by partner representatives from police, businesses, local councils and local government.  

    It will see increased collaborative community-led interventions across sectors such as schemes to keep kids out of trouble during the summer holidays and targeted prevention activity with businesses, to not only tackle crime, but prevent crime and anti-social behaviour happening in the first place. 

    English Football League’s Director of Community Debbie Cook said:  

    Today at Derby County Football Club, EFL in the Community was proud to stand alongside the Home Office as the government reaffirmed its commitment to working hand-in-hand with trusted local organisations — like our clubs — to prioritise public safety and tackle town centre crime, street violence, and anti-social behaviour. 

    Beyond the pitch, football clubs and their charities across England and Wales play a transformative role in people’s lives. Through innovative initiatives — like Bristol City Foundation’s free ‘turn-up and play’ sessions in supermarket car parks and South Yorkshire clubs uniting to combat violence against women and girls — our clubs are contributing to creating safer, stronger, and more connected communities. We look forward to this work continuing and growing.

    Harvinder Saimbhi, CEO of ASB Help, said:  

    We welcome the Safer Streets Summer Initiative as we know that ASB can increase during these months with lighter nights and improved weather. One of the most effective ways to address shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is through effective partnerships that work proactively in addressing and tackling issues at the forefront.  

    This proactive initiative will contribute towards communities and businesses in feeling safer by seeing boosted police presence and council operations working together to make town centres safer. We are pleased to see that this initiative will not be only enforcement driven but will focus on creating more positive activities for young people and keeping vulnerable groups safer where everyone can feel secure.

    Hetal Patel, National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) said:  

    This crackdown on shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is timely and welcome. Shop theft is often seen as a victimless crime but this is not the case. It takes a heavy toll mentally, physically and financially on shop owners, their families and their employees. At the same time, the financial costs of retail crime will eventually impact on customers through inflated prices. 

    ASB, meanwhile, can cost independent retailers dear in terms of cleaning and clearing up, as well as increasing premiums, deterring footfall and shoppers. 

    A recent Fed survey found that 72% of respondents had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to their property and they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened.  A whopping 91% of respondents called for more police patrols on streets. 

    Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.

    Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods said:  

    Our colleagues and customers are our number one priority at Iceland, and I hope this increase in visible policing will give them more confidence to enjoy our high streets and communities in safety this summer.

    Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said: 

    With the huge rise in retail theft and the continued impact of violence and abuse on retail colleagues, we welcome the announcement of increased police patrols and local action to tackle town centre crime and anti-social behaviour. We must stamp out this scourge of crime up and down the country, and this announcement is certainly a step in the right direction.

    Superintendent Lisa Maslen of the National Business Crime Centre said:  

    Retail crime continues to have a significant impact on businesses, staff, and communities across the country. The Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy and campaign is about strengthening the vital partnerships between policing and the retail sector to deliver meaningful action. The NBCC received £2 million of funding from the Home Office to support police and partners in tackling retail crime and we have used some of the funding to develop the first national campaign to highlight the amount of work being done to respond to, prevent and detect retail crime offences across the country.

    There will also be increased collaborative community led interventions across sectors such as schemes to keep kids out of trouble during the summer holidays and targeted prevention activity with businesses, to not only tackle crime but prevent crime and anti-social behaviour happening in the first place.

    Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services, Mitie said: 

    We all deserve to live and work in a safe environment and the Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy has been developed to fuse industry knowledge and data with policing powers.   

    With momentum building as towns across the country rally behind this initiative, the intelligence shared will inform a collaborative approach across regions and enable the right interventions to be deployed to break the cycle of offending.  

    Together, our actions will deter potential offenders, ensure criminals face consequences and ultimately create safer, thriving communities.

    The APCC joint leads for Business and Retail Crime, Katie Bourne OBE, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, and Andy Dunbobbin, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, said: 

    This strategy is an acknowledgement of the urgent need to focus on tackling unacceptable levels of shop theft and violence against retail workers.  

    We are delighted that the success of the Police and Crime Commissioner-led Pegasus partnership of retailers, Home Office and police has been recognised and is being built upon.  

    Through the work of Pegasus and policing’s Opal team, a hugely effective, data-led and intelligence-sharing approach has been developed that focuses on organised retail crime gangs with greater police and retailer working at its heart.

    Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for retail crime, said:  

    We know retail crime has a significant impact on victims, damages businesses and communities and goes far beyond financial loss. We also know it is a complex problem with a diverse offender profile and is something which requires a strong partnership approach, tackling the issues together. 

    Over the last two years we have made significant strides in our fight against retail crime, strengthening relationships with retailers and greatly improving information sharing which has resulted in a number of high harm offenders being brought to justice and the new Retail Crime Strategy builds on this even further. It brings together policing, retailers, the security industry and academia in a shared strategy which makes best use of our collective resources to turn the tide on the volume of offending blighting our communities. 

    A collective approach is key, ensuring everyone can enjoy where they live, work and spend their leisure time safely. 

    Clare Sumner, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer at the Premier League said: 

    The Premier League welcomes the government’s proposals to create opportunities for young people as part of its Safer Streets Summer Initiative. For the last 20 years, our Premier League Kicks programme has provided support for young people who need it the most, funding free weekly football sessions across 93 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs.  

    Through the power of football, we offer real opportunities for young people to develop vital life skills and reach their potential, supported by club coaches from similar backgrounds who help to inspire, guide and mentor them to a better future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes Make America Beautiful Again Commission

    Source: US Whitehouse

    MAKING AMERICA BEAUTIFUL AGAIN: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the Make America Beautiful Again (MABA) Commission to conserve America’s lands and waters, cut red tape, and drive conservation and economic growth.

    • The MABA Commission will be chaired by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and comprised of members of President Trump’s Administration.
    • Guided by our Nation’s rich history, the MABA Commission will work to expand access to recreation for outdoorsmen, hunters, anglers, hikers, bikers, climbers, skiers, runners, and all Americans seeking to spend time in nature.
    • The MABA Commission is tasked with expanding access to public lands and waters for recreation and incentivizing voluntary conservation efforts.
    • Using gold-standard science, the MABA Commission will promote active forest management and responsible stewardship of our public lands, while reducing bureaucratic delays that hinder effective environmental management and put our forests and rural communities at risk.

    EXPANDING ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS: President Trump wants to preserve America’s natural beauty and expand outdoor recreation for future generations.

    • As the Roosevelt Arch at Yellowstone National Park states, America’s public lands are “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Therefore, the MABA Commission will work to expand access to America’s natural wonders for the enjoyment of the American people.
    • The outdoor recreation economy creates $1.2 trillion in economic output and supports 5 million jobs.
    • The Biden Administration unnecessarily restricted outdoorsmen’s access to public lands and deprived them of the ability to responsibly hunt and fish in certain areas.
    • Years of mismanagement have unnecessarily reduced public access to and enjoyment of outdoor recreational areas

    CONSERVING AMERICAN TREASURES: The MABA Commission will build on the legacy of conservative conservationists like President Teddy Roosevelt and protect our Nation’s natural treasures.

    • During President Trump’s first term in office, his Administration recovered more endangered or threatened species than any other administration in its first term.
    • President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act during his first term—the largest investment in America’s national parks and public lands in history and the most significant development in conservation policy since Teddy Roosevelt.
    • During President Trump’s first term, his Administration designated 1.3 million new acres of wilderness, added 1,645 miles of new trails to the National Recreational Trails System, and expanded hunting and fishing opportunities across more than 2.3 million acres of land.
    • President Trump has worked to protect American industries while maintaining standards that allow Americans to have among the cleanest air and water in the world.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Establishing the President’s Make America Beautiful Again Commission

    Source: US Whitehouse

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

     Section 1.  Purpose.  The United States is blessed with vast beautiful landscapes, abundant natural resources, and a rich heritage of discovery by travelers and outdoorsmen.  America’s national parks, forests, waterways, and public lands have inspired generations and kindled our Nation’s spirit of exploration.  To ensure that the next generation of Americans inherits this same sense of duty and adventure, my Administration will prioritize conserving our great American national parks and outdoor recreation areas.

    Years of mismanagement, regulatory overreach, and neglect of routine maintenance require action.  Land-use restrictions have stripped hunters, fishers, hikers, and outdoorsmen of access to public lands that belong to them.  These bureaucratic restrictions have undermined outdoor traditions and threatened conservation funding.  The National Park Service and the United States Forest Service face more than $23 billion and $10.8 billion in deferred maintenance, respectively, leaving roads, trails, and historic landmarks in disrepair.  Despite these challenges, our Nation has proven that conservation and economic growth go hand in hand.  Since the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act (Public Law 116-152), the outdoor recreation economy has grown to $1.2 trillion in economic output, and, in 2023, comprised 3.1 percent of employees in the United States and supported 5 million jobs.

    Through both innovation and commonsense policies, America can preserve its natural beauty and expand outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations.  It is the policy of my Administration to prioritize responsible conservation, restore our lands and waters, and protect our Nation’s outdoor heritage for the enjoyment of the American people.

    Sec. 2.  General Policies. All Federal land management agencies, as defined by 16 U.S.C. 6801(3), shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that their policies:

    (a)  promote responsible stewardship of natural resources while driving economic growth;

    (b)  expand access to public lands and waters for recreation, hunting, and fishing;

    (c)  encourage responsible, voluntary conservation efforts;

    (d)  cut bureaucratic delays that hinder effective environmental management; and

    (e)  recover America’s fish and wildlife populations through proactive, voluntary, on-the-ground collaborative conservation efforts.

    Sec. 3.  Establishment and Composition of the President’s Make America Beautiful Again Commission. (a)  There is hereby established the President’s Make America Beautiful Again Commission (Commission), which shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Interior (Chair), with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy serving as Executive Director (Executive Director).

    (b)  In addition to the Chair and the Executive Director, the Commission shall include the following officials or their designees:

    (i)     the Secretary of Defense;

    (ii)    the Secretary of Agriculture;

    (iii)   the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;

    (iv)    the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;

    (v)     the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers;

    (vi)    the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff;

    (vii)   the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy;

    (viii)  the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality; and

    (ix)    other members of my Administration invited to participate, at the discretion of the Chair and the Executive Director.

    Sec. 4.  Conserving Our National Treasures. The Commission shall advise and assist the President regarding how best to responsibly conserve America’s national treasures and natural resources, including by:

    (a)  monitoring the implementation of this order and facilitating interagency coordination on conservation efforts;

    (b)  providing to the President actionable recommendations for improving conservation efforts;

    (c)  developing policies to recover fish and wildlife populations through collaboration rather than regulation, including policies involving coordination with State wildlife agencies;

    (d)  recommending to the President solutions to expand access to clean drinking water and restore aquatic ecosystems to improve water quality and availability; and

    (e)  developing policies to expand access to public lands, national parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges while promoting a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, boating, off-roading, and wildlife viewing.

    Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    (d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of the Interior.

                                   DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,

        July 3, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: City to hold free nature events during July school holidays

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    The City of Greater Bendigo is again holding a series of free events to highlight the region’s natural environment and biodiversity during the July School Holidays.

    City of Greater Bendigo Climate Change and Environment Manager Michelle Wyatt said the free events will both educate and entertain participants.

    “We held a series of similar events during the last school holidays which proved very popular,” Ms Wyatt said.

    “Our region has a diversity of wildlife and the free sessions help residents to learn about their unique characteristics and understand the importance of caring for the habitats they live in.”

    The free events include:

    • Evening Bat Fly-out on Tuesday July 8 and Tuesday July 15, 5pm – 6.30pm at Rosalind Park
    • Nature by Night on Thursday July 10 and Thursday July 17, 5.30pm – 7pm along the O’Keefe Rail Trail
    • Winter Wander on Saturday July 12, 10am – 12pm in Junortoun Flora and Fauna Reserve
    • Bats of Bendigo on Tuesday July 15, 10am – 11.30am at Rosalind Park
    • Nature in the Mall on Thursday July 17, 11am – 2pm at Hargreaves Mall

    For more information, or to book, visit:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Desert retrofit housing project boosts energy efficiency and comfort in APY Lands

    Source:

    04 July 2025

    A local tradesmen laying insulation in the roof of an existing home in the APY Lands.

    An ambitious housing project led by the University of South Australia, the SA Government and industry partners is making homes in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands more comfortable and energy efficient.

    The APY Lands Energy Efficiency Retrofit Pilot, part of the national RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre, is improving energy efficiency in desert housing, where summer temperatures soar above 45°C and winter nights plunge below freezing.

    Since launching the pilot in December 2023, the project team has installed energy monitoring devices in 12 households and completed retrofits on six homes in an APY community. The homes are managed by key project delivery partner, the SA Housing Trust.

    The trial retrofits are targeted solutions to reduce air leakage, increase insulation, and reduce thermal bridging – where heat or cold bypasses insulation through the steel building frames.

    With 15 project and industry partners, the team has assessed 20 homes, interviewed residents, installed monitoring equipment, built two test rooms in Adelaide, and modelled over 100 retrofit scenarios.

    In addition to the retrofit work, the team has produced household energy efficiency and trade training education materials in consultation with the community, to ensure residents know how to get the best outcomes in their homes. Local trades will take part in rolling out the retrofits to remaining APY households.

    Lead investigator, UniSA Sustainable Engineering Systems researcher Professor Ke Xing, says the project combines scientific rigour with practical on-the-ground training.

    Local tradespeople were trained on site, supported by housing retrofit experts.

    “This pilot is not only improving living conditions in one of the toughest climates in Australia; it’s also creating a blueprint for future upgrades in remote and regional communities across the country,” Prof Xing says.

    “In the past year we have collaborated closely with the community, local maintenance workers and our industry partners, all of whom have shown an extraordinary commitment.”

    Key findings so far show that addressing uncontrolled air leakage delivers the greatest improvements in thermal comfort and energy efficiency.

    Currently winter – more so than summer – is the most uncomfortable period for APY communities. Households rely heavily on inefficient electric radiant heaters, with some resorting to ovens for warmth – an unsafe and costly practice.

    Upgrades so far include new bulk insulation in the roof and adding continuous insulation to external walls, self-closing exhaust fans, evaporative cooling dampers, and sealing common air leakage points throughout the homes.

    Local tradespeople were trained on-site, supported by custom training resources and guidance from retrofit experts.

    Importantly, residents themselves are noticing the difference.

    “Common feedback from residents was that their homes were cooler this summer, due to the retrofits. That anecdotal feedback supports our early testing, and we are in the process of conducting full evaluations over the 2025 winter,” says Prof Xing.

    UniSA researchers partnered with the SA Department for Energy and Mining, the SA Housing Trust, and community focused organisations such as Healthabitat and Nganampa Health Council. They worked closely with the Iwantja Community Council and local residents, including Aṉangu Energy Education Workers supported by MoneyMob Talkabout.

    The project also involves organisations with technical expertise who have provided knowledge and product support, including the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand (ICANZ), Kingspan, Sika Australia, Powertech Energy, Efficiency Matrix, and the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA).

    Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation in the Attorney-General’s Department has also partnered and contributed to the project, and TAFE SA, CodeSafe Solutions and Pointsbuild have contributed the development to the trade training program.

    As part of the Pilot’s legacy, trade training programs have been developed to support a broader rollout of housing retrofit skills in remote communities. A “train-the-trainer” event was held in Adelaide in 2024, involving TAFE, SA Housing Trust, Renewal SA and Building Contractor (Furnell’s) staff. Local TAFE students were provided with Net Zero Energy Builder Scholarships to support energy efficient construction in the APY Lands.

    The next steps include re-testing the retrofitted homes and expanding the model to other APY communities.

    “Ultimately, we want this project to inform national guidelines for remote housing upgrades, tailored to the needs and voices of Aboriginal communities,” says SA Department for Energy and Mining Project Manager Lynda Curtis.

    “Aboriginal people have lived in Australia’s desert regions for tens of thousands of years, but temperature extremes have become more pronounced due to climate change,” Ms Curtis says.

    “With broader climate extremes and overall hotter summers predicted for the future, how people are living and maintaining healthy communities on Country is of growing concern, and we are invested in providing solutions to those challenges.”

    Notes for editors

    RACE for 2030 (Reliable, Affordable Clean Energy) is an innovative, collaborative research centre for energy and carbon transition. The Federal Government has provided $68.5 million, supplemented by $280 million in cash and in-kind contributions from partners. Its aim is to deliver $3.8 billion of cumulative energy productivity benefits and 20 megatons of cumulative carbon emission savings by 2030.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contact for interview: Professor Ke Xing E: ke.xing@unisa.edu.au

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: DP World Australia’s proposed acquisition of Silk Logistics not opposed

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC will not oppose DP World Australia Limited’s proposed acquisition of Silk Logistics Holdings Limited (ASX:SLH).

    Following an extensive investigation, including considering detailed responses to its statement of issues, the ACCC concluded that the proposed acquisition would not likely result in a substantial lessening of competition.

    DP World Australia operates container stevedores at the Ports of Botany (Sydney), Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle. On average, DP World Australia services approximately a third of the containers processed at these ports.

    Silk is a national container logistics provider in Australia. It hauls import and export containers using trucks to and from ports where DP World Australia operates.

    The ACCC considered the integration of DP World Australia’s container terminals with Silk’s national container transport and warehousing business and the potential impact on container transport service providers in the supply chain. 

    The ACCC focussed on whether DP World Australia would have the ability and incentive to engage in discriminatory conduct against Silk’s container transport rivals by raising their costs or lowering their quality of access to DP World Australia’s terminals.

    ACCC analysis indicated that DP World Australia is unlikely to engage in forms of discriminatory conduct which would lead to material operational delays and disruption at DP World’s terminals. A reduction in DP World Australia’s ability to efficiently process containers at its terminals would risk DP World Australia losing shipping lines to other terminals, damaging its own business. 

    “Although DP World Australia may be able to engage in subtle forms of discrimination without adversely affecting its primary function as a container terminal, such conduct is unlikely to reach a level so as to substantially lessen competition,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.

    “DP World Australia would continue to face competition from a range of established and prospective container transport providers.”

    The ACCC has an ongoing role in monitoring Australia’s container freight industry. This involves tracking prices, costs and profits of container terminals, gathering information from the container freight industry, and providing a monitoring report to the government each year.

    More information on the ACCC’s role in this area can be found here: Container stevedoring monitoring.

    Further information on this transaction can be found on the ACCC’s public register: DP World Australia Limited – Silk Logistics Holdings Limited.

    Background

    Container stevedores are responsible for lifting containers on and off container ships. They are a key part of international trade.

    DP World Australia provides port and general logistics services. Its main business is the provision of container stevedoring services and operation of container terminals at each of the Ports of Melbourne, Botany, Brisbane and Fremantle.

    In addition to its stevedoring services, DP World Australia:

    • operates an empty container park in each of the areas surrounding the Ports of Brisbane, Melbourne and Botany,
    • has a 50 per cent interest in a vehicle booking system, that container transport providers use for the purpose of collecting/delivering containers at several Australian ports, and
    • operates a limited fleet of container transport trucks in Melbourne and Sydney.

    DP World Australia is an indirect subsidiary of DP World Limited (DPW). DPW provides freight forwarding and contract logistics services in Australia.

    Silk is an ASX listed port-to-door services provider offering warehousing, distribution and port logistics services. It operates 46 facilities across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

    Silk’s operations are categorised into two divisions:

    • port logistics: road transport of import and export containers to and from ports in Australia, in addition to ancillary services (such as fumigation, quarantine inspection, packing/unpacking services), and
    • contract logistics: warehousing and distribution services. Warehousing services relate to receiving containerised freight, unpacking it, palletising it, storing it and then packing and dispatching it to the destination. Distribution services refer to the transportation of goods from warehouses to delivery points, such as retail premises, factories or households.

    Below is a diagram summarising the movement of containers along the supply chain and the typical commercial relationships between key parties. The blue boxes refer to parts of the supply chain at the port precinct.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 241 county lines shut down following national action

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Criminal gangs who exploit children and vulnerable adults to supply drugs across the country were targeted last week in a national police operation, which led to 241 County Lines shut down.

    County Lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines to enable the supply of drugs.

    The intensification week saw:

    • 1965 arrests made (adults is 91.7% and children 8.3%)
    • Approx. 2.4 million cash seized
    • 325 bladed weapons seized (inc knives, machetes, axes & swords)
    • 93 other weapons seized (inc knuckledusters, ASPS, batons, hammers, nun chucks)
    • 83 Firearms seized (15 S.1, 29 S.5 and 39 imitation plus ammunition)
    • 241 deal lines seized
    • Approx. 178.49 kg of Class A drugs (16.1kg crack, 11kg heroin, 151.3kg cocaine)
    • Approx. 7,217 Class A wraps seized ready for sale
    • Approx. 11,200 thousand cannabis plants
    • 6 Dangerous Dogs seized
    • 584 cuckooed addresses visited
    • 395 females safeguarded (214 adults, 181 under 18)
    • 784 males safeguarded (345 adults, 439 under 18)

    Often, children and vulnerable adults are groomed to transport drugs and money to different parts of the country. Last week local officers worked with charities and safeguarding services to ensure 620 children and 559 adults identified as being exploited were supported via numerous routes including, specialist support referrals (such as to Catch22 or London’s Violence and Exploitation Service), strategy meetings, safety plans created and Modern Slavery investigations.

    The Police are bringing victimless prosecutions for modern slavery offences against perpetrators, just one of the many ways officers are protecting young people. Victimless prosecutions ensure children and vulnerable adults are spared the ordeal of having to go through the court process to give evidence and face the violent and abusive individual responsible for their suffering.

    Commander Paul Brogden, NPCC lead for County Lines, said: “Protecting communities is our top priority and the arrests of these organised criminals who control and hold drug lines will contribute hugely to this.

    “Over the past week we have seen an overwhelming amount of drugs seized and arrests made and this will have had a substantial impact on drug supply and associated crime, particularly violence, that comes with it.

    “The intensification work isn’t just about arrests and seizures, it’s also about crime prevention, identifying the people being exploited for other’s gain and making sure they receive the best support possible.

    “To be clear, we remain persistent in pursuing these offenders and our officers work tirelessly all year round to identify and close down these drug lines. We will continue to root out those who are exploiting the vulnerable and supplying drugs which devastates communities across the country.”

    Highlights

    Officers across the country concentrated efforts to crack down on County Lines.

    • In a joint operation between BTP and Northamptonshire Police, officers arrested four suspects linked to a county line at their home addresses. As a result, five mobile phones, approximately 7g of crack cocaine and 10g of heroin as well as 43 wraps of crack cocaine and 43 wraps of heroin, 99.5g of mixing agent, and a total of £33,000 cash seized. Both the drugs and cash were found concealed in the extractor fans in the kitchen of their respective addresses and in a hide in one of the vehicles. They were arrested for the supply of crack cocaine, heroin, and money laundering.
      A child found at one of the addresses has also been referred to social services.
    • Eastern Region Special Operations Unit arrested a man for the supply of class A and B drugs and seized a phone which contained marketing texts consistent with cocaine supply.
    • Officers from East Midlands Special Operations Unit conducted a search at an address in Derby where £3,400 in cash, approximately £2,130 worth of class A drugs, 213 wraps (23 heroin and 190 crack cocaine) 4g of cannabis, and two burner phones, were found and seized. A man was subsequently arrested for supply of class A, possession of class B drugs and driving a motor vehicle without a license. He was remanded to court where he pleaded guilty to all offences and has been remanded into custody.
    • BTP officers observed a suspect exiting a B&B and entering a vehicle known for drug dealing. The vehicle was stopped, and both the suspect and the driver were arrested. Over 18 grams of heroin and six wraps of cocaine and £1,000 cash, as well as an axe and two imitation guns, were seized.
    • West Mercia Police executed a warrant in stoke where three men and two women were arrested following a seizure of 8kg cannabis, 2kg amphetamine, 1.2kg cocaine, 5kg cannabis resin, £50,000 cash and a knuckleduster. Children found at the address were also safeguarded.
    • Dedicated County Lines investigators within Lincolnshire Constabulary, completed enforcement activity on the ‘Yum Yum’ drugs line, identified via intelligence and phone data. Following the arrest and closure of this County Line, a child victim of exploitation was identified. A subsequent Modern Slavery investigation was commenced, and an adult male was charged with the trafficking of a 15year old child.

    Analysis by the NPCC-led National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) has shown that many of the drug dealers are known to police for offences of violence and/or weapons whilst Dame Carol Blacks independent review of drugs found that County Lines is a very violent business model and a big causal factor in drug-related violence across the UK.   

    Coordinated by the NCLCC, the County Lines Intensification Week (Monday 23 – Sunday, 29 June) saw approximately 178.49 kg of Class A drugs, 500 weapons including 325 bladed weapons (e.g. knives), and £2.4 million in cash seized by officers across England and Wales, making a huge dent in the profit these gangs are making from their violent illegal business.

    This activity forms a key part of our national County Lines policing strategy, which aims to prevent County Lines, protect children and vulnerable adults, prepare communities to mitigate against the harms and impact, and pursue offenders including for Drugs Supply, Modern Slavery and Weapons offences: National County Lines Policing Strategy 2024-27.

    Our dedicated County Lines teams, funded via the national County Lines Programme, are working hard to deliver this strategy, alongside Neighbourhood Policing Teams, limiting the terrible harms County Lines causes to local communities. This is aligned to HM Government’s Safer Streets mission, particularly halving knife crime and preventing criminal gangs enticing children into crime. During the week officers seized hundreds of weapons, particularly knives, demonstrating the inherent link between drugs and violence.

    Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said: “County Lines drug running relies on the coercion and exploitation of children and vulnerable people. It must be stopped. 

    “I want to thank every police officer who dedicates themselves to combatting this criminality. I recently saw firsthand how hard they work to close lines, bring perpetrators to justice and safeguard those exploited by this evil trade.

    “Protecting vulnerable people should always be at the heart of the police’s response and is why the government has introduced new laws which will punish the heartless gangs who lure people into their illegal trade further- including specific offences of child criminal exploitation, cuckooing and coerced internal concealment.”

    Tackling County Lines requires a multi-agency approach and our dedicated policing teams work alongside key partners to deliver that response. This County Lines intensification week ran in partnership with The Children’s Society and their #LookCloser campaign to spot the signs of exploitation in children and young people.

    James Simmonds-Read, National Programme Manager at The Children’s Society, said: “Too many children continue to be exploited by criminals to carry and sell drugs, often under threat, at great personal risk and with devastating consequences for their lives. 

    “We speak to young people all the time who tell us that adults won’t take action to keep them safe; instead they feel judged and blamed – their vulnerabilities overlooked or ignored. 

    “County Lines Intensification Week is a chance to show them that adults do care and will step in to protect them. 

    “The government’s pledge to define criminal child exploitation is a vital step that will mean that children caught up in county lines are recognised as victims, not offenders, and can be given the support they deserve.” 

    Safecall
    Missing People’s Safecall service provided a confidential and anonymous helpline and support service for young people and family members in England and Wales that are affected by County Lines and criminal exploitation. The service also provides confidential support and advice for professionals in relation to their work with an exploited young person or family. Call or text 116000 for free, 9am to 11pm, 7 days a week.

    Catch22
    Victims of County Lines exploitation also received support from Catch22, a not-for-profit, one-to-one specialist support service for young people under 25, helping children escape drug gangs in four priority locations – London, West Midlands, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, where young people are often targeted.  

    Catch22 will safely make contact with young people who have been referred by safeguarding partners, such as the police and children’s services, and work with them to exit their involvement in County Lines activity.

    Anyone can refer in, including young people themselves. You can find the Support and Rescue service referral forms on the service website for more information. For more information and useful resources about Child Exploitation and County Lines, you can visit our website. For example, you can download Catch On, our free educational resource about Child Exploitation aimed at pupils in Years 7 and 8 (aged 11-13). 

    Kate Wareham, Strategic Director – Young People Families and Communities, Catch22 says: “As policing efforts rightly intensify to disrupt criminal networks, we must be equally focused on ensuring that exploited children are not swept up as offenders.

    “These children are victims first and foremost, who are coerced and controlled – and they need safeguarding, not prosecution. The government’s recent commitment to a statutory definition of Child Criminal Exploitation is a crucial step, but now we must ensure that this translates into practice. At Catch22, across our County Lines and Child Exploitation services, we remain committed to working with partners across the system to protect every child from harm and help them build a safer future.”

    Action for Children
    Action for Children offers support to children and their families who are affected by criminal exploitation.

    Through their Criminal Exploitation Intervention Service, they support children, young people, and families affected by exploitation. By drawing on lived experience and working in close partnership with the police and other agencies, they help protect children from harm and guide them toward safety and stability.

    Action for Children also advocate for stronger legal protections for children who are criminally exploited—recognising the complex reality that these children are often both victims of abuse and may be criminalised for actions linked to their exploitation.  It is vital that we confront the risks these children face, and ensure they are supported, not punished. Read more: Criminally Exploited Children | Action For Children

    Together we can build stronger communities, safer streets and more trust, you should report any concerns to the police on 101. If on a train text British Transport Police on 61016. Dial 999 if there is an immediate risk to a child. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously online or call their helpline on 0800 555111. If concerns arise online people should also contact the relevant digital platform.

    Background info:

    County Lines – Strategic Threat Risk Assessment

    Review of drugs: summary (accessible version) – GOV.UK

    County Lines Programme data – GOV.UK

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Elizabeth Emblem awarded to families of public servants who died in the line of duty

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Elizabeth Emblem awarded to families of public servants who died in the line of duty

    More than 100 public servants who died in service recognised in the second ever Elizabeth Emblem List

    106 police officers, firefighters, overseas workers and other public servants who died in service have been recognised with the Elizabeth Emblem.

    The Elizabeth Emblem recognises the sacrifices made by public servants who have lost their lives as a result of their duty. It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. 

    Established last year, it is only the second ever list of Elizabeth Emblem recipients to be published. The next of kin are awarded the national form of recognition.

    Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said: 

    We owe an enduring debt to the public servants who give their lives to protect others.

    The Elizabeth Emblem is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid in service of our communities, it is a lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.

    The list includes:

    Gwen Mayor, a school teacher who was killed in 1996 while protecting her pupils at Dunblane Primary School in 1996 as a result of a mass shooting. She died aged 45 alongside 15 pupils.

    Police Constable Nina Mackay, who died aged 25 when confronted with a violent and mentally unstable man while searching a property in East London. The man stabbed her once in the abdomen, and she died from her injuries.

    Firefighter John Liptrot, who in 1968 was part of a fire crew called to attempt to rescue three children who had entered a disused mineshaft. He was overcome by blackdamp (a combination of gases with insufficient oxygen to support human life) and could not be revived.

    Police Constable Dennis Cowell, who died in 1965 whilst on duty as a River Policeman. He died in the river Thames after a police launch on which he was a crew member, capsized after a collision between three boats. PC Cowell was in the cabin at the time of the incident and drowned.

    Six people who contracted COVID-19 while working in healthcare are recognised in the list. These include Dr Poornima Nair Balupuri, a General Practitioner Partner living in Bishop Auckland. She died in 2020 doing frontline essential work. 

    33 people on the list were police officers and firefighters based in Northern Ireland. They include:

    Reserve Constable William Allen, who was serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary when he was shot by the IRA while driving a lorry to collect milk from farms in South Armagh. His body was recovered in 1980.

    Constable Cyril Wilson, who was shot by the IRA in an ambush in 1974. His patrol was responding to answer a call when it came under fire from a house in the Rathmore estate. Constable Wilson was rushed to Craigavon Area Hospital but died the next day.

    Reserve Constable Robert Struthers, who died in 1978 while serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He was shot by two members of the Provisional IRA while working in his office.

    The design of the Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with ‘For A Life Given In Service’, and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. It will include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased.

    Families and next of kin of those who have died in public service are encouraged to apply for an Elizabeth Emblem via gov.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to accelerate high-quality development of photovoltaics sector

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

    BEIJING, July 3 — China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Thursday held a symposium for manufacturing enterprises, focusing on accelerating the high-quality development of the photovoltaics industry.

    The symposium called for efforts to deal comprehensively with the problem of disorderly price competition in the photovoltaics industry in accordance with laws and regulations, as well as efforts to guide enterprises to improve product quality, phase out backward production capacities in an orderly manner, and achieve healthy and sustainable development.

    An MIIT official said that in recent years, China’s photovoltaics industry has transformed from nothing into something, moving from weakness to strength and gaining leading advantages in industrial scale, technological level and application markets while becoming a bright calling card for Chinese manufacturing.

    The official said that industry enterprises should commit to technological innovation, uphold the bottom lines of quality and safety, strengthen international cooperation, and accelerate the creation of competitive advantages for China’s next-generation photovoltaic products.

    MIIT will enhance macro guidance and industry governance further, strengthen its standardization leadership and service support, and continuously help enterprises solve their most pressing and difficult problems, according to the official.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US 2 slope stabilization project between Stevens Pass and Leavenworth begins mid-July

    Source: Washington State News 2

    LEAVENWORTH – A project aimed to stabilize slopes alongside a stretch of US 2 in Chelan County will bring delays for travelers this summer.

    Beginning Monday, July 21, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will remove rocks from and place netting on unstable slopes at four locations adjacent to US 2 from Stevens Pass to just west of Leavenworth. These slopes have a history of active rockfall. 

    From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, travelers will encounter single-lane closures, and flagger-controlled traffic at the following locations on US 2:

    • Site 1, milepost 60 to 61, near the summit of Stevens Pass
    • Site 2, milepost 94, Tumwater Canyon, 5 miles west of Leavenworth
    • Site 3, milepost 96
    • Site 4, milepost 97 to 98

    Three-day closure of US 2 at Tumwater Canyon

    Rock removal at sites 3 and 4 will require a three-day closure of US 2 at Tumwater Canyon. During the closure, passenger vehicles will follow a 23-mile detour to Chumstick Highway that will add 33 minutes to the trip. Freight traffic must detour using US 97 Blewett Pass. The freight detour adds 151 miles, or two hours and 38 minutes to the drive.

    This closure is tentatively planned for late July and early August, depending on slope conditions and work progress. Once the final closure dates are confirmed, the information will be announced in a travel advisory and shared on the project webpage, mountain pass page, real time travel map, and @WSDOT_East on X/Twitter.

    The project is expected to finish in late September.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: We Have Only Just Begun

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    On July 1, after the longest vote-a-rama in Senate history, the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by a vote of 51-50. Here is why I voted yes. 

    With President Biden in the White House and majorities in both chambers of Congress, Democrats had every opportunity to repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and increase taxes on “the rich.” They did not do so. Instead of returning to a reasonable pre-pandemic level of spending and deficits, once the economy recovered, they incurred deficits averaging $1.9 trillion over four years. If that wasn’t bad enough, President Biden also left office with open borders and raging wars.  

    By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, we have avoided a $4 trillion automatic tax increase and a default on our debt. Due to the enormous messes Biden and congressional Democrats left us, we are also providing additional funding for border security and defense.   

    While the bill is a step forward, we have only just begun the difficult task of reducing spending, and there is still a long way to go. A rigorous effort will soon be announced to review every program and every line of the federal budget, looking for ways to reduce spending to a reasonable pre-pandemic level. I look forward to being fully involved in that effort to put America on a path to fiscal sustainability.

    As a follow up to my May 21 Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ hearing entitled, The Corruption of Science and Federal Health Agencies: How Health Officials Downplayed and Hid Myocarditis and Other Adverse Events Associated with the COVID-19 Vaccines, I asked witnesses to “send me the science” to back up their hearing testimony. 

    We kept the record open until June 5, during which time Majority’s witnesses submitted hundreds of documents — including peer-reviewed studies — and thousands of citations about COVID-19 vaccine adverse events to accompany their testimonies. These records provide substantial support for the witnesses’ claims regarding the serious health risks associated with the COVID-19 vaccines. 

    At the hearing we released a Majority staff interim report and over 2,400 pages of records detailing the failure of Biden health officials to properly warn the public of the risks of myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. The hearing featured testimony from Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Jordan Vaughn, Dr. James Thorp, Dr. Joel Wallskog, and Mr. Aaron Siri, all of whom were invited  to speak about COVID-19 vaccine adverse events.

    Hawaii Governor Josh Green, the Minority’s witness at the hearing, submitted 33 pages of testimony in his written statement for the hearing. He then submitted 19 links to studies and articles to support his claims about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines one week after the hearing record officially closed.   

    I allowed Governor Green’s late submission to be included in the official record so that the public can compare the evidence that the governor presented in support of the COVID-19 vaccines to the multitude of documentation indicating the clear health risks associated with the injections.

    Documents and citations that the Majority’s witnesses entered into the record can be viewed here. 

    Governor Green’s submission to the record can be viewed here.

    Congratulations to Class 171 of the Joseph Project. These seven participants spent the week learning how to prepare for opportunities to put them on a successful path in the job market.

    We connect graduates with employers who are ready to hire and help with the job application and interview process. Once employment is secured, the Joseph Project provides transportation (free for one month) to participants to help establish good work habits. 

    While the U.S. Coast Guard Academy is the only service academy that does not require a congressional nomination, my staff stays abreast of the academic and service opportunities provided by this institution for young people in Wisconsin. 

    The other service academies — U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy — require a congressional nomination in addition to your application.

    Wisconsin students should be aware the deadline for nomination applications is September 19, 2025. Visit my website for more information. 

    The Senate passed a resolution I introduced designating July as National Sarcoma Awareness Month. The resolution raises awareness of sarcoma, a form of cancer, and honors the life of Hartford’s Melissa Locke and the many other Americans that this disease affects.

    I am pleased that my resolution passed the Senate in honor of Melissa Locke and the countless other Americans who have struggled with this life-threatening disease. I hope we can continue to increase awareness of this complex form of cancer that is diagnosed thousands of times each year.

    My staff is part of the Capitol Brew Crew softball team which plays against other Congressional offices. They are 4-2 overall and the last game of the season is against the team from the Office of Sen. Tammy Baldwin on July 17. Stay tuned!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met Police shut down over 100 county lines in major crackdown on organised crime gangs

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Met has shut down over 100 drug lines as part of its efforts to reduce the number of vulnerable people exposed to criminality and abuse and tackle wider associated violence.

    In just one week (between Monday, 23 June and Sunday, 29 June) Met officers arrested 301 people believed to be behind county lines drug networks, with 111 individuals subsequently charged, so far.

    As well as this, 260 vulnerable or young people were engaged with and safeguarded to prevent their involvement in future organised crime, with officers making crucial interventions to keep them safe.

    ‘County lines’ is the name given to drug dealing where organised criminal groups (OCGs) and criminal gangs use phone lines to move and supply drugs, historically from cities into smaller towns and rural areas.

    While county lines is a very violent business model, the most insidious element is its exploitation of vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs, or using their homes as a base for drug dealing in a practice known as ‘cuckooing’.

    Detective Superintendent Dan Mitchell, from the Metropolitan Police Service and National County Lines Coordination Centre, said:

    “The Commissioner recently spoke about the indisputable link between county lines and violence. Disrupting county lines is not only vital in keeping society’s most vulnerable safe, but also as a key part of our mission in tackling violence.

    “The criminals behind these networks are dangerous individuals, capable of manipulating and exploiting anyone to achieve their aims.

    “Dedicated Met officers continue to work closely with other police forces around the UK to ensure dangerous offenders are stopped.”

    Met officers also seized substantial evidential items from suspects during the same week, including:

    • 12 firearms
    • 78 dangerous weapons (including samurai swords and Zombie knives)
    • nearly 70kg of class A drugs (such as crack cocaine and heroin),
    • over £600,000 of cash

    On Thursday, 26 June a county line between London and Hampshire was also halted by police. They arrested four male suspects at addresses in London and Portsmouth.

    At one address in the Isle of Dogs, London, a suspect was arrested and found in possession of several class A and class B drugs, cash amounting to over £5,000 and several high-value items including sports cars and designer watches.

    Two others were arrested at addresses in Portsmouth and one was detained at London Gatwick Airport.

    There have since been charges relating to these arrests.

    For more information on county lines and how to prevent yourself or a loved one from becoming a victim, visit:  www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/cl/county-lines

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Lost in space: MethaneSat failed just as NZ was to take over mission control – here’s what we need to know now

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Rattenbury, Associate Professor in Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Environmental Defense Fund, CC BY-SA

    This week’s announcement of the loss of a methane-detecting satellite, just days before New Zealand was meant to take over mission control, is a blow to the country’s space research sector.

    New Zealand invested NZ$29 million in the MethaneSat mission, built and operated by the US nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund, with a goal of growing the nation’s space industry.

    This would have been accomplished through gaining experience in operating a satellite at the University of Auckland’s Te Pūnaha Ātea Space Institute, and through research led by a team at Earth Sciences New Zealand to use the satellite to measure agricultural sources of methane.

    But on June 20, the satellite lost power and contact with the ground, and appears to be irrecoverable. This is disappointing for everyone on the mission development and operations teams.

    Having been in that position personally when my team lost a miniature satellite after a successful launch, I sympathise. But the benefits New Zealand hoped to gain from the MethaneSat mission will now be limited, at best, and questions need to be asked to learn from the failure.

    Early issues and delays

    The MethaneSat satellite launched in March 2024. New Zealand was meant to take over mission control by the end of last year, but problems with the satellite’s thrusters meant this was delayed to June this year.

    The satellite’s main mission was to detect methane leaks from oil and gas production, but it was also used to track methane sources from agriculture.

    New Zealand was not likely involved in the chain of events leading to the under-performance and delays, nor the eventual loss of the satellite. But as investors in the project, we are entitled to an explanation.

    That a spacecraft fails in orbit is not surprising. The space environment is unforgiving. But there is a question about whether New Zealand should have taken a closer look “under the hood” before investing in MethaneSat.

    The principle of caveat emptor (buyer beware) applies to spacecraft as much as to purchasing a car. While we were not involved in the MethaneSat mission design, satellite construction and testing, we were certainly entitled to relevant information to make a fully informed decision on whether or not to invest.

    Questions remain. During the MethaneSat post-mortem, one could reasonably ask to what extent experts were consulted during the decision-making process to invest in the satellite mission, and who was applying due diligence on behalf of New Zealand taxpayers.

    When earlier issues emerged, to what extent should New Zealand taxpayers, as investors, have been happy with explanations veiled in reported obligations of confidentiality or commercial sensitivity?

    Lessons for future space missions

    New Zealand has scientists and engineers working at publicly-funded universities who can contribute to future decision-making processes for the next taxpayer-funded space mission.

    New Zealand scientists working in the space sector do so knowing full well that the nation’s capacity to fund space missions is limited. Apart from being hard, frustrating, rewarding and unforgiving, working in space is expensive – and there are often delays and setbacks.

    Some of us working in New Zealand space research have been trying to work through how best to advise government on where to spend limited public funding. This will not be an easy task.

    The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) is an international organisation established in 1958 to promote global cooperation in space research. It provides a forum for the exchange of scientific results, sets standards for space data sharing, and advises on space policy and planetary protection.

    New Zealand participates in COSPAR as a national member and its committee comprises space science researchers from across the country. As chair of the New Zealand COSPAR committee, I sent a letter to Minister of Space Judith Collins last year offering our services:

    I believe closer collaboration between COSPAR’s initiatives and New Zealand’s aerospace goals would enhance our mutual objectives and strengthen our contribution to the global aerospace community. Specifically, we are uniquely placed to advise on the range of scientific endeavours currently underway […] that could be at the heart of a national space mission.

    Close scrutiny needed

    New Zealand has more talent and good research ideas than funding to support them. So there has to be a way of choosing between competing ideas.

    Crucially, that selection process has to be fully transparent so the investors – New Zealand taxpayers – can have confidence their investment is being safely bestowed.

    My vision is for a funding process for future space missions that addresses scientific goals relevant to New Zealand and takes advantage of the talent we have.
    There will be applicants who miss out, as there always are in any competitive process. But I would like to see support given to unsuccessful applicants to improve their chances in subsequent attempts.

    I work towards fostering the New Zealand space sector, especially in the areas where we can push back the boundaries of human knowledge via the safe, peaceful and sustainable use of space. This is the excitement I see reflected in the students I teach.

    For a nation with ambitions to utilise space for science, technological development and commercial gain, we also have to acknowledge that failure is a part of that journey. To make the best use of our very limited resources, we must examine our processes in the fullest light of disclosure – regardless of whether the failure was technological or in our decision-making processes.

    Nicholas James Rattenbury works for The University of Auckland. He has received funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Royal Society Te Apārangi. He is affiliated with Te Pūnaha Ātea Space Institute. He is the current Chair of the New Zealand Committee of COSPAR.

    None of the viewpoints expressed in this article necessarily reflect those held by any of the abovementioned organisations or any other organisation or entity mentioned in the article.

    – ref. Lost in space: MethaneSat failed just as NZ was to take over mission control – here’s what we need to know now – https://theconversation.com/lost-in-space-methanesat-failed-just-as-nz-was-to-take-over-mission-control-heres-what-we-need-to-know-now-260407

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ivey Statement on Passing ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Ivey – Maryland (4th District)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04) released the following statement today after voting against H.R.1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act:”

    Today’s vote marks a cruel and calculated attack on America’s working families. By gutting core safety net programs, this bill hands out billions in tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy—while telling everyone else to fend for themselves.

    Let’s be clear: neither Maryland nor any other state has the resources to plug the gaping holes this bill tears in our health care, food assistance, and basic support for families in need.

    This legislation makes our country less affordable, less healthy, and more unstable. It strips health care from millions, slashes food assistance, and deepens inequality—all under the guise of “fiscal responsibility.” This isn’t responsible governing. It’s a reckless betrayal of the people we were elected to serve.
                                                                                                     ###

    MIL OSI USA News –