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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Hotspots for conservation of threatened native tree identified in Wellington – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

    Hotspots for the conservation of maire tawake or swamp maire in the Wellington region have been identified by researchers hoping to save this threatened native tree from the deadly myrtle rust disease.

    Swamp maire is thought to have been common in the wetlands that once covered the Wellington region. However, farming and urban development have significantly reduced its numbers. The arrival of myrtle rust in 2017 added a new threat and the tree has a conservation status of “nationally vulnerable”.

    Priority areas for its conservation have now been mapped in the western suburbs of Lower and Upper Hutt and in the towns of Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Ōtaki, Masterton, Carterton, and Featherston. These priority areas comprise up to 52 km2.

    “We’ve identified sites that are likely to have the highest abundance of swamp maire and the lowest risk of myrtle rust. They’re also easy to access so we think focusing on these sites offers the most cost-effective conservation strategy,” said Dr Sarah Herbert, a researcher in biological sciences at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

    Dr Herbert said the sites could act as refuges for swamp maire, with additional planting undertaken to help maintain the tree’s population as myrtle rust spreads.

    “Myrtle rust is a fungal plant pathogen that is primarily spread by the wind. It has a devastating effect on swamp maire, causing an almost complete loss of flowers, fruits, and new leaves. There’s an urgent need to identify sites where conservation and wetland restoration can take place to help ensure this treasured tree’s survival,” she said.

    In addition to the priority sites for conservation, the researchers identified other areas that could act as refuges for the tree but these areas would require more intensive management.

    “We mapped up to 233 km2 where swamp maire is present in relatively high abundance but where there is a higher risk of myrtle rust, so more effort would be needed to manage the sites. On the plus side, these areas are easy to access and existing community conservation efforts could be supported to allow more intensive control of myrtle rust.”

    Pockets of less accessible land in the wider Wellington region could also be considered as refuges for the tree’s conservation, she says.

    “We identified up to 134 km2, mostly within indigenous forest in the eastern Tararua range and in farmland in the Wairarapa, with potential for swamp maire conservation. Wetland restoration and swamp maire planting programmes by landowners and communities may be possible in places that can be accessed by off-road vehicles or on foot.”

    The researchers were able to identify areas for swamp maire conversation by using models of the Wellington region’s soil moisture and plant distribution to pinpoint sites where swamp maire was likely to be growing. They then mapped the risk of myrtle rust infection in these areas and graded sites by how easy they were to access.

    Results of the research are published in the journal Conversation Biology: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.70088

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sporting organisations

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Your organisation will be exempt from income tax, and can self-assess its exemption, if it meets all of the following requirements:

    • it’s a not-for-profit society, association or club
    • it’s established for the purpose of encouragement of either of the following
      • a game or sport
      • animal racing
    • it’s not a charity
    • it meets one of the 3 following tests 
      • physical presence in Australia test
      • DGR test
      • prescribed by law test
    • it complies with all the substantive requirements in its governing rules
    • it applies its income and assets solely for the purpose for which it is established.

    Taxation Ruling TR 2022/2 Income tax: the games and sports exemption provides detailed guidance for organisations seeking additional information to determine whether they are entitled to self-assess as income tax exempt.

    If all of your organisation’s purposes are charitable purposes for the public benefit and you do not have any independent non-charitable purposes, your organisation cannot self-assess as income tax exempt under this category. Your organisation will need to be registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and receive our endorsement to access an income tax exemption.

    For more information on what is a charitable purpose, see the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s websiteExternal Link.

    Society, association or club

    A society, association or club is an entity made up of people who have come together to implement a common purpose.

    An individual, or an incorporated body that has only one member, is not a society, association or club. A fund which only holds money to support activities carried out by other entities is also not a society, association or club.

    The members of a society, association or club do not need to be natural persons. They can be an association of other entities.

    Main purpose

    The main purpose of the society, association or club must be encouragement of a game or sport, or animal racing. To work out your organisation’s main purpose, look at its:

    • constituent documents
    • activities
    • use of funds
    • history.

    Any other purpose of the organisation must be incidental, ancillary or secondary to encouragement of a game or sport, or animal racing.

    For example, if your organisation’s main purpose is providing social and recreational facilities and activities, it won’t be exempt. This is the case even if your organisation also gives money to encourage games, sports or animal racing.

    Example 1: not for the encouragement of a game or sport

    An NFP club’s main operations are providing dining, gaming and leisure facilities at its clubhouse. It gives a minor yearly grant to an associated rowing club but is not involved in rowing itself.

    The club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 2: car appreciation club (not encouraging a game or sport)

    Classic Car Club (the Club) is an NFP association that holds events for enthusiasts of a particular make of car. The Club’s events are focused on providing attendees with information on how to maintain their cars and opportunities to build networks with each other.

    The Club’s main purpose is to promote a common interest in a particular make of car, as opposed to encouraging a game or sport.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 3: recreational fishing activities (not encouraging a game or sport)

    The One That Got Away Club (the Club) provides services and amenities for people who like to fish in the bay near the clubhouse and in surrounding watercourses. The services provided include weather and boating information, guest speakers and a bar and canteen which open daily. Members-only competitions are held once a month.

    While a fishing competition can be a sport, the Club’s main purpose is to provide services and amenities for members to do recreational fishing. The Club was not formed for the main purpose of encouraging a game or sport.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 4: club with sporting facilities occasionally conducting sporting activities for members (not encouraging a game or sport)

    Our Community Club (the Club) is an NFP association which was initially established for networking purposes, but now also provides dining, entertainment, gym and sporting facilities for its members. Occasionally, the Club organises member-only sporting competitions using its sporting facilities.

    Whilst the Club occasionally organises sporting competitions for its members, the Club’s main purpose is to provide a broad variety of services and facilities to its members and encourage social and networking activities among its members.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 5: services to members with incidental sporting activities – ski lodge (not encouraging a game or sport)

    Super Ski Club (the Club) is an NFP association which owns and operates a ski lodge. It was originally established to provide accommodation for its members to regularly participate in recreational skiing and snowboarding. When the Club’s lodging facilities are not fully used by its members, they are made available to the public on a commercial basis.

    The Club is affiliated with an association (the Association) which regularly holds snow sports competitions. The Club allows the Association to use its lodging facilities for meetings and equipment storage on an inconsistent basis. The Club also makes its lodging facilities available at discounted rates to individuals competing in the Association’s competitions, provided they are not already reserved by its members. The Club doesn’t enter any teams into any sporting competitions itself.

    The Club’s main purpose is the provision of accommodation to its members. The substantial and prioritised member usage of the Club’s lodging facilities, inconsistent support provided to the Association and lack of direct involvement in any sporting competitions indicates that the encouragement of a game or sport is not the Club’s main purpose.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Game or sport

    The terms ‘game’ and ‘sport’ are not defined and take their ordinary meaning. Games and sports extend to athletic games or sports (such as football and swimming) and non-athletic games (such as chess and bridge).

    They don’t extend to:

    • stamp-collecting
    • keeping and showing pets
    • making model railways
    • maintaining vintage cars
    • various social and recreational pursuits.

    Encouragement of a game or sport extends to less direct means such as:

    • research or testing
    • developing referees
    • providing sporting facilities.

    Example 6: for the encouragement of a game or sport

    An NFP association’s purpose is to provide a sports ground for use by the local hockey, soccer and cricket clubs.

    The association will qualify for the exemption if it is not a charity and it also meets the other requirements.

    End of example

    Example 7: rallying and track racing club (encouraging a game or sport)

    Riverstone Rally Club (the Club) is an NFP association that holds rallying and track racing activities. It is managed by a committee of members that actively participate in competitive rallying and track racing.

    The Club owns and maintains a local motorsport circuit, which is available for public usage. It regularly hosts rallying and track racing contests on its circuit and participates in state and national-level competitions.

    The Club’s main purpose is to encourage a game or sport. It will qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 8: ski club (encouraging a game or sport)

    Aussie Alps Ski Club (the Club) is an NFP association. The Club’s governing document states it has been set up to promote snow sports. The Club’s management committee consists of former snow sports athletes.

    The Club owns and operates a snow sports lodge and training and conditioning facility, which are available to the public (at commercial rates) and to a development snow sports squad selected by a national snow sports body (at no cost).

    The Club also regularly hosts skiing competitions. The Club consistently uses most of its profits to cover the training, accommodation and travel fees of skiing athletes representing Australia in the Olympics.

    The Club’s main purpose is to encourage a game or sport. It will qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Animal racing

    The income tax exemption includes horse racing, trotting and greyhound racing, and the racing of other animals.

    If your organisation doesn’t meet all the requirements for exemption for this category, you should check the other exemption categories in Eligible types of income tax exempt organisations.

    Early self-review worksheet for sporting organisations with multiple purposes

    Sporting organisations with multiple purposes can use the Working out your club’s income tax status worksheet (PDF, 220KB) when conducting an early self-review of their income tax status. The worksheet includes a schedule to help sporting organisations with multiple purposes weigh up their features and work out their main purpose.

    Once completed, the worksheet should be kept for your records. It does not need to be sent to the ATO.

    It is important to note that non-charitable NFPs with an active ABN, including sporting organisations, must lodge an annual NFP self-review return to notify their eligibility to self-assess income tax exemption.

    The worksheet is not a substitute for the lodgment of the NFP self-review return. However, if your sporting organisation has multiple purposes, the worksheet may help your sporting organisation work out its main purpose, so that it may accurately complete its NFP self-review return.

    MIL OSI News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – The Today Show with Karl Stefanovic and Jayne Azzopardi

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, the crisis gripping Australia’s child care sector is deepening, with a second man charged in connection to an abuse investigation that led to the arrest of a Melbourne worker.

    JAYNE AZZOPARDI: The Victorian Government has announced a major crackdown which will include a phone ban inside centres. But action is needed at a national level and it is needed now. So, for more on this, we’re bringing in Federal Education Minister Jason Clare. Minister, good morning to you. You revealed yesterday that you actually know a family that has been impacted by all of this. How are they doing?

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: One of my best friend’s daughters is caught up in this. Two of her little girls. She’s burning with rage, as you would expect her to be, and we’ve spoken a bit over the last 48 hours. She’s angry, she’s confused, she’s feeling all of the guilt and shame and anger that any mum or dad would be feeling when you get that notification. And she’s grappling with what she needs to do now to make sure that her girls are safe. 

    This is sickening and it’s serious. It’s not the sort of stuff we like to talk about on breakfast TV. But people can’t turn away. We’ve got to act here. There’s steps that we’ve already taken, but not enough and not fast enough. One of the things that I will do as the Minister for Education, is, when the Parliament returns later this month, introduce legislation that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t meeting our safety standards or our quality standards. If they’re repeat offenders, if they’re not meeting the sort of safety standards that we meet, that we need and we demand as a country, then we’ve got to cut off their funding. That’s the big weapon that the Commonwealth Government has to wield here.

    STEFANOVIC: I’ll circle back to some of those things in a second. This is such a difficult case, right, and it’s difficult too, because there’s a running narrative on the side of this and they’re just charges. But there are so many families affected and, you know, one. And I was just thinking about this the other day. Jayne has kids as well, and I was just going, if that was me, I don’t know what I’d do, but I’d be baying for blood. So, to try and wrestle all those emotions around this is incredibly difficult.

    CLARE: And she is. She is. Look, it’s impossible to put yourself in that position until you’re there. I’ve got a sense of it because of the fact that it’s one of my best friends. And these are allegations put aside this individual case. There was an individual that was arrested, charged and convicted with serious acts. Australia’s worst serial paedophile was arrested for actions in child care centres in Queensland a couple of years ago. It’s what prompted me to conduct a child safety review. It’s what’s prompted the actions on mobile phones in centres, as well as mandatory reporting. But it’s also the reason why we’ve got to go further, whether that’s a national register of workers in centres or the sort of action that’s now being taken in NSW and in Victoria around CCTV. Or for that matter, the action that I will take as Minister to introduce that legislation to cut funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch. The fact is that about 70 per cent of the funding that runs the centre comes from Australian taxpayers, comes from the Commonwealth Government through the child care subsidy. It’s what makes these centres work. And if they’re not working in the interest of our kids, then we’ve got to have the power to be able to cut that funding off.

    AZZOPARDI: Minister, as a dad yourself, who would be personally paying child care centres, as we do, to look after our children and to have the expectation that they are going to be not only safe, but nurtured and nourished, do you think your Government has done enough here?

    CLARE: The honest answer is no, of course we haven’t. We haven’t done enough and we haven’t done it fast enough. 

    You’re right. One of my little guys is in child care right now. Can I use this opportunity to say thank you to all of the extraordinary child care workers, early educators across the country. They’re as angry as I am, as my friend is right now. I remember the day that we told my big guy, my 8 year old, that Louise was pregnant with his little brother. The first thing he said when we told him that he was going to be a big brother is, “I can’t wait to tell Kelly.” And Kelly is the woman that looked after him when he was in early education and care. And that reminds me that that special bond and connection that our children have with our educators. This is an essential service for mums and dads to help them get back to work. But it’s much more than that for our kids. It helps them to get ready for school, it helps them to get ready for life. Every educator out there that’s seeing this is angry and furious as well. And the responsibility rests with me as well as every other educator in the country to make sure that we make our centres safer than they are today. Not enough’s been done, more needs to be done.

    STEFANOVIC: We had a lady on just about half an hour ago saying the men at these child care centres should be banned. There are going to be all sorts of people wanting certain reforms, some of them easily done, some of them not. So, is that something that you would consider?

    CLARE: I don’t think that’s going to be the solution here. Have a look at the Four Corners exposé from earlier this year that Adele Ferguson led on. That showed abuse in our child care centres and neglect in our centres, and they weren’t blokes. We’ve had a Royal Commission, we’ve had the child care safety review that I led. We’ve got recommendations there around registers and CCTV and legislation. We know what we need to do, Karl. Now, the obligation on us is to get busy and implement these recommendations.

    STEFANOVIC: So, what’s stopping you? And I know you’re a really hardworking guy. I know you deeply feel this story, you raised the Four Corners story. When that happened, we all said, let’s change it, let’s install these reforms and let’s protect our kids. Nothing happened. So, what’s it going to be?

    CLARE: People watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses, they’re interested in action. When we got the Four Corners Report, we said we’d introduce that legislation and that’s what I’ll do when Parliament returns. The New South Wales Government also commissioned the former Deputy Ombudsman to do a review. We got that report last week and the former Deputy Ombudsman briefed Education Ministers on Friday. That’s where CCTV reform’s coming from. That’s where increasing penalties and more information for parents is coming from. We’ve got to bring all of these recommendations together. That’s happening now and we’ve got to actually do the work, we’ve got to implement them.

    AZZOPARDI: So, when parents who are watching now, what can you tell them? When will this all be in place?

    CLARE: Number one, there’s already action being taken on mobile phones. But more action will happen in September when regulations come into effect. Legislation will be introduced into the Federal Parliament when Parliament returns in the first sitting fortnight. And as I said, that’s about cutting off funding to bad actors, to people that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our kids. And Early Education Ministers will meet again next month on the next stage of reform. 

    There’s another part to this as well, Jane, and that’s the Working With Children Checks. Not enough has been done to make sure that they work in the interest of our kids. They’re not a silver bullet because a lot of these offenders haven’t got a criminal record. So, they’re not caught by the system. But the Attorney-General has said yesterday that Attorney-Generals across the country will meet next month to make sure they work better, that there’s exchange of information, but that they’re also updated in near real-time. And Victoria and New South Wales have also announced a package of reforms. I strongly back that. We want to see that rolled out right across the country.

    STEFANOVIC: I know your pain will help motivate you to get this done. It needs to be done, pronto. There’s so much, so much at stake. Jason, thank you. And a reminder, a dedicated advice line for parents impacted in Melbourne has been established. You can call 1800 791 241. Just still rattled by all that story.

    AZZOPARDI: Completely. Completely.
     

    MIL OSI News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fossicking rules broken as gold fever strikes

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  03 July 2025

    At the fossicking site at Slab Hut Creek Campsite, south of Reefton on the West Coast of the South Island, there have been problems with fossickers mining into the creek bank. DOC staff say if left unaddressed, the fossicking will ultimately result in the creek eroding into the campground.

    Senior Ranger Darrell Haworth says the repairs to the site needed a digger to remediate and have cost thousands to undertake.

    “This is the second time we have had to carry out remediation to protect the camping area because of gold fossicking activity – which means we have less budget to spend on visitor assets elsewhere,” Darrell says.

    “As well as threatening the stability of the camping area, the unlawful digging potentially impacts the access road for the campground.

    “With the gold price so high at the moment (at over $5400 an ounce), we are assuming that’s a motivation for these people, as a lot of effort has been put into these destructive earthworks.

    “We’d like people to spread the word the rules need to be followed when fossicking for gold at these sites. Signs are in place informing people of the key rules – fossickers must stay in the active streambed, use hand tools only, leave natural features undisturbed; and ensure the area is returned to near its original condition.

    “We are aware this issue of digging in banks and undermining vegetation is also occurring at the Moonlight Creek fossicking area, and we have carried out legal proceedings in the past for people caught. Rangers are regularly in the area and will be monitoring these sites.”

    Digging in banks on Public Conservation Land is an offence under the Conservation Act as it interferes with or damages natural features.

    The penalty for this activity in the case of an individual, is imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding $100,000, or both: in the case of a body corporate, a fine not exceeding $200,000

    Background information

    Gold fossicking is the activity of collecting gold by a stream or river using pans, shovels, and sluice boxes.

    People can do this in designated public gold fossicking areas. There is a low concentration of alluvial gold (found in soil usually around rivers and streams) within all the gold fossicking areas.

    Nine of New Zealand’s 19 gold fossicking sites are on the West Coast.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Wairoa Gorge Road, Wairoa Valley (Tasman District)

    Source: New Zealand Police

    One person has died following a truck crash in Wairoa Valley, Tasman District, this morning.

    Police were notified at 9.40am that a logging truck had crashed on Wairoa Gorge Road.

    The driver was unresponsive when emergency services arrived and sadly was unable to be revived.

    The road is closed while the Serious Crash Unit conducts a scene examination.
     

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamestown man pleads guilty to enticing travel to engage in sexual activity

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Anthony Burris, 34, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to two counts of enticing travel to engage in sexual activity, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that between January and March 11, 2021, Burris coerced Victim 1, a woman suffering from drug addiction, to perform commercial sex acts. He did so by threatening the use of physical violence, and by supplying, and at times withholding, quantities of controlled substances. Burris, who knew Victim 1 was physically addicted to controlled substances, also provided transportation, housing, a cellular phone, and food to Victim 1, who was homeless during this time. In exchange, Victim 1 performed commercial sex acts and gave the proceeds to Burris, who posted online advertisements on Skipthegames.com, which contained sexually suggestive photographs of Victim 1. Burris then transported Victim 1 to various locations in the Western District of New York and elsewhere, including to Pennsylvania, to engage in these commercial sex acts.

    Between June 2020, and March 11, 2021, Burris coerced a second victim (Victim 2) to perform commercial sex acts, once again threatening physical violence, and providing money for the purchase of controlled substances, and by supplying, and at times withholding, quantities of controlled substances. Like Victim 1, Burris knew Victim 2 was physically addicted to controlled substances and homeless. Victim 2 performed commercial sex acts and gave the proceeds to the defendant. Burris also posted ads for Victim 2 on Skipthegames.com and transported Victim 2 to various locations in the Western District of New York and elsewhere, including Pennsylvania, to perform commercial sex acts.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James B. Quattrone, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin, and the Millcreek, PA, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Carter Mook. 

    Sentencing is scheduled for October 8, 2025, before Judge Skretny.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China finalizes 800-billion-yuan funding for key national projects in 2025

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

    BEIJING, July 2 — China has finalized and issued its full list of this year’s key construction projects aimed at implementing major national strategies and building up security capacities in key areas, the country’s top economic planner said on Wednesday.

    The National Development and Reform Commission said that the total investment has come in at 800 billion yuan (about 111.8 billion U.S. dollars), following the recent allocation of over 300 billion yuan for the third and final group of 2025 projects.

    The funds will support 1,459 projects across key areas, including ecological restoration in the Yangtze River basin, transportation infrastructure along the Yangtze, the new western land-sea corridor, high-standard farmland, water conservancy infrastructure, and urban underground utilities, the commission said.

    It also said it will accelerate reforms in key areas, including efforts to improve financing for railways along the Yangtze River, maintenance systems for underground utilities, and national logistics hub planning.

    China is making efforts to expand effective investment and boost consumption. In addition to these major projects, support has been stepped up for large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-in programs.

    The country has earmarked 300 billion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bonds to support its trade-in program in 2025, with the first two tranches of funding — totaling 162 billion yuan — issued in January and April. The third batch of funding will be allocated in July to support the implementation of the program.

    China’s gross domestic product grew 5.4 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2025. The country is targeting full-year economic growth of about 5 percent this year.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Polis, DeGette, Neguse, Crow, Pettersen Denounce Republicans’ Reckless Budget Bill, Pressure House Members to Vote Against It

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Yesterday, Senate Republicans passed their budget that’ll increase prices for Coloradans, strip health care from 17 million Americans, increase the deficit, and give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy
    House Republicans are currently voting on the bill
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen held a virtual statewide press conference to detail the impact the Republican budget bill will have on Colorado. They urged the House of Representatives to reject the extreme legislation after it passed the Senate yesterday. The elected officials were joined by leaders from across Colorado who would be impacted by the harmful cuts in the legislation.
    “This was a vote that would strip 17 million Americans, including many, many children, of their health care, push more than 300 rural hospitals to close, gut investments in affordable and clean energy, and would expand our national debt at a level that we have never imagined before. All this just to accommodate these lavish tax cuts for wealthy Americans,” said Hickenlooper. “This fight isn’t over, and people calling and organizing, putting pressure, has had a huge effect.”
    “Budgets reflect values, and Republicans in Congress – including members of our delegation – are making it clear that they don’t value health care access for Coloradans, access to food for children and families, job creators in clean energy, or balancing the budget,” said Polis.
    “The bottom line is, this bill is the worst bill I’ve ever seen in my many years in Congress,” said DeGette. “Colorado hospitals would lose $10 billion in federal funding in this legislation. Many of the rural hospitals, particularly in Western and Northern Colorado, will have to go out of business. This will not only hurt people who get Medicaid. It will hurt the entire community.”
    “It would be devastating for Western Colorado, Northern Colorado, Southern Colorado, for rural Colorado in particular…” said Neguse. “This will clearly exacerbate and turbo charge a poverty crisis in our country by virtue of the cruel cuts that have been included in the bill…. So we’re going to use every procedural tool that we can to try to stop and block this bill from proceeding.”
    “We can’t understate the disastrous impact in the life and death consequence of this bill,” said Crow. “This is the single largest – if this bill passes – this will be the single largest transfer of wealth from the working class to the top one percent and large corporations in the history of America. And on top of that, it’s going to blow up the budget and add over $3 trillion to the debt.”
    “It is heartbreaking to think about the impacts that this disastrous bill is going to bring to communities in Colorado and across the country,” said Pettersen. “Today, I’m thinking about the 40% of kids in the United States who rely on Medicaid for care, the 40% of pregnant women who rely on Medicaid, and people like my mom who work a low wage job and would be unable to access care. We’re leaving people like her behind and decimating all the progress we’ve made to build up our capacity and our system across Colorado. And it’s going to hit all of us.”
    The Senate-passed reconciliation bill includes a $3 trillion tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. It pays for those tax cuts by taking healthcare away from 17 million Americans, forcing rural hospitals in Colorado to close their doors, gutting clean energy investments, and ballooning our national debt by trillions of dollars.
    After more than 24 hours of voting with a record-setting number of amendments, Hickenlooper voted NO on the budget resolution after Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments to prevent cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Inflation Reduction Act clean energy funding.
    The reconciliation bill now heads to the House for final passage. Only four House Republicans need to vote against the bill for it to fail.
    For video clips of the press conference, click HERE.
    Taking Health Care Away from 17 Million Americans
    The Republican budget proposal calls for extreme Medicaid cuts of more than $1 trillion, which would take away people’s health benefits; make it harder for them to see their health care providers; and prevent seniors from getting nursing home care. It also fails to extend the Affordable Care Act expanded premium tax credits, which expire at the end of 2025. As a result the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 17 million Americans will lose health insurance by 2034, and our national debt will increase by $3.3 trillion.
    “For every dollar invested in Medicaid in Colorado, we see more than double in economic activity and benefit returned. That means these cuts will have a huge ripple effect and severely harm our economy, and it will hit rural areas where Medicaid is most important the hardest,” said Adam Fox, Deputy Director at the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. “At the end of the day, though, what this means, and what we hear from folks who rely on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, is this bill is going to force more Coloradans into impossible decisions between paying for the care that they need and keeping a roof over their head or food on their table.”
    “I can’t underscore how important Medicaid and the [ACA] health exchanges are for our patients for Sunrise and for our community…” said Mitzi Moran, CEO of Sunrise Community Health in Evans. “Medicaid expansion in 2008 and in 2013 changed things dramatically for our patients and for Sunrise… [our patients] still struggle with the tough choices, but at least medication is not in the mix, and they have coverage when they seek care at the hospital.”
    “Southwest Health Systems is a 20 bed, critical access hospital… Our physicians and advanced practice providers deliver primary care services for almost 9,000 members of our Southwest Colorado communities. Our emergency department provided services to more than 13,500 urgent and emergency conditions last year in 2024,” Joe Theine, CEO of Southwest Health System in Cortez. “Permanent cuts to the provider taxes and state directed payments, along with other changes to the Medicaid program, put at risk the services that we offer to people who live, work and travel throughout Southwest Colorado.”
    “I have two adult children with developmental disabilities, a 24 year old son and a 20 year old daughter. Our family members are recipients of Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers, and these are not known by the general public very well, but they are state specific programs under Medicaid that provide much more than basic health care and dental care,” said Deana Cairo, Disability Rights Activist. “[Eligibility redeterminations every six months] is likely to result in more problems… There’s going to be service interruptions, loss of care. People are going to fall off the rolls. People who don’t have people to advocate and appeal for them are going to become unhoused. It’s going to be a disaster.”
    Slashing Investments in Clean Energy and Driving up Energy Bills
    The Republicans voted to gut hundreds of billions in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) clean energy investments, including tax credits for wind and solar. The results: over a million jobs lost, hundreds of billions in lost GDP and lost wages, electricity price inflation, and killing new renewable energy needed to prevent blackouts.
    “Republicans are always talking about independence and being dominant in our industries. This is how we become energy dominant. It’s not just wind. It’s not just solar. It’s not just natural gas plants. It’s not just nuclear power plants. It takes every single one of these technologies for us to create that.” said Josh Shipley, Owner of Alternative Power Enterprises in Ridgway. “And this is this bill is going to kill that – there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Small businesses like mine will go out of business because of it. There will not be the workforce that is going to be required to create that energy dominance later, when they’ve realized what they’ve done.”
    “By cutting these energy tax credits, they are going to end so much of the thriving industry, the jobs and the new electrons that are being put on the grid, and ultimately, they’re going to hurt local communities and our low cost energy right now,” said KC Becker, CEO of Colorado Solar and Storage Association and former EPA regional administrator.
    Hickenlooper took to the Senate floor in the middle of the night in support of his amendment to protect the IRA’s residential clean energy credit. He also worked with his colleagues to alter a few of the worst clean energy proposals, including eliminating a devastating renewable energy excise tax.
    Crushing Safety Net Programs Coloradans Depend on
    The Republican bill also rips away financial safety nets and crucial programs from millions of Americans, including the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that supports 55,000 Coloradans.
    “The majority of the households that would be affected by this bill, as mentioned, are working families with children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. With these high levels of food insecurity, food banks like ours cannot meet the increased need without vital federal assistance programs,” said Sue Ellen Rodwick, Western Slope Director of Food Bank of the Rockies. “One story I have is from a woman that one of my staff members was able to help out in Meeker. An older adult and she didn’t know that she would qualify for SNAP. We got her signed up for SNAP and our food program for older adults. She said it’s amazing, because even just the drive to the grocery store from Meeker to Rifle, that’s a 40 minute drive to get to a larger grocery store with affordable prices. This program makes a difference for so many people, and we need the funding for that outreach to help people give them assistance to enroll in SNAP.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Former health charity Chair disqualified for benefitting from almost £350k of charity funds

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments

    Press release

    Former health charity Chair disqualified for benefitting from almost £350k of charity funds

    The Charity Commission has concluded its inquiry into Island Health Trust.

    In a report published today, the charity regulator concludes there was a significant misuse of funds at Island Health Trust, determining its spending on consultants and advisors excessive, unreasonable and disproportionate. It found former trustees failed to act in the charity’s best interests and did not operate exclusively within the charity’s purposes.

    Island Health Trust was set up to promote the provision of primary healthcare, establish centres to provide healthcare within the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham, and provide grants for health-related education and facilities.

    The Commission started monitoring the charity in 2017 following concerns raised about how charity funds were being used and potential private benefit to one or more trustees. The Commission had additional concerns which led it to escalate its engagement to a formal inquiry in November 2017.

    Following an extensive investigation, the Commission has disqualified the charity’s former Chair, Suzanne Goodband, from serving as a trustee. The regulatory action was taken after the inquiry found the former Chair benefitted from £349,955 over a two-year period – amounting to 60% of the charity’s income. The disqualification is in place for 7 years and only applies to being a trustee.

    The Commission is also critical of a decision taken by the charity to appoint a consultant known to the former Chair who was paid a total of £105,834.88 across two financial years.

    Both of these payments were made for project management services after the charity was approached by a property developer in 2014. The proposal would have involved the charity selling a long lease to the developer, potentially generating more income for the charity. However, the benefits were speculative.

    After being approached, the trustees spent funds on project management services to set out a new strategic direction for the charity. The Commission found the amount spent on a project with only speculative benefits to be excessive. The eventual benefits never materialised, and the proposed new direction of the charity did not stay within the purposes it was set up to achieve.

    The inquiry also found the decision to enter into a contract with a private company owned by the former Chair was not in the charity’s best interest nor were conflicts of interest sufficiently managed.

    Wider findings include a lack of oversight of the former Chair by other former trustees and breaching the charity’s governing document by paying two former trustees sums of £15,913 and £8,325. Charities must ensure they follow their governing document when it comes to paying trustees. These failures were a breach of trust and amounted to misconduct and/or mismanagement.

    During the inquiry, the Charity Commission appointed an interim manager to the charity to work alongside the current trustees. The interim manager was tasked with reviewing the concerns raised about the former trustees and supporting legal action by the current trustees which recovered £165,000 of charity funds.

    Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations at the Charity Commission, said:

    We as the regulator, and the public, rightly expect trustees to spend funds in a way that best achieves their charity’s purpose. While charities can enter into contracts with parties connected to the trustees, this should be cost effective to ensure funds ultimately help those in need, and the conflict of interest must be properly managed.

    The actions by the former trustees of Island Health Trust fell short of these expectations and the excessive spending was unjustified.

    I’m pleased following our intervention that funds have been recovered and a new trustee board can give the charity a fresh start.

    The report, which includes the full findings, is available on GOV.UK.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:  

    • The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.
    • The Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity under s46 of the Charities Act 2011. A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and/or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns.
    • On 18 July 2019, the Inquiry exercised the Commission’s power to appoint an Interim Manager. Having completed the scope of their appointment, the Interim Manager was discharged on 23 March 2020. More information about the Charity Commission’s appointment of Interim Managers can be found on GOV.UK.
    • Our guidance on paying trustees can be found on GOV.UK.

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

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    Updates to this page

    Published 3 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    Getty Images

    While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”.

    Twenty-one US presidents have served second terms, but none has reached the same level of success they achieved in their first.

    Second term performances have ranged from the lacklustre and uninspiring to the disastrous and deadly. Voter dissatisfaction and frustration, presidential fatigue and a lack of sustainable vision for the future are all explanations.

    But Trump doesn’t quite fit the mould. Only one other president, Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century, has served a second nonconsecutive term, making Trump 2.0 difficult to measure against other second-term leaders.

    Trump will certainly be hoping history doesn’t repeat Cleveland’s second-term curse. Shortly after taking office he imposed 50% tariffs, triggering global market volatility that culminated in the “Panic of 1893”.

    At the time, this was the worst depression in US history: 19% unemployment, a run on gold from the US Treasury, a stock market crash and widespread poverty.

    More than a century on, Trump’s “move fast and break things” approach in a nonconsecutive second term might appeal to voters demanding action above all else. But he risks being drawn into areas he campaigned against.

    So far, he has gone from fighting a trade war and a culture war to contemplating a shooting war in the Middle East. His “big beautiful bill” will add trillions to the national debt and potentially force poorer voters – including many Republicans – off Medicaid.

    Whether his radical approach will defy or conform to the second term curse seems very much an open question.

    No kings

    The two-term limit was enacted by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1951. Without a maximum term, it was feared, an authoritarian could try to take control for life – like a king (hence the recent “No Kings” protests in the US).

    George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson all declined to serve a third term. Jefferson was suspicious of any president who would try to be re-elected a third time, writing:

    should a President consent to be a candidate for a 3d. election, I trust he would be rejected on this demonstration of ambitious views.

    There is a myth that after Franklin Delano Roosevelt broke the de facto limit of two terms set by the early presidents, the ghost of George Washington placed a curse on anyone serving more than four years.

    At best, second-term presidencies have been tepid compared to the achievements in the previous four years. After the second world war, some two-term presidents (Eisenhower, Reagan and Obama) started out strong but faltered after reelection.

    Eisenhower extricated the US from the Korean War in his first term, but faced domestic backlash and race riots in his second. He had to send 500 paratroopers to escort nine Black high school students in Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce a federal desegregation order.

    Reagan made significant tax and spending cuts, and saw the Soviet Union crumble in term one. But the Iran-Contra scandal and watered down tax reform defined term two.

    Obama started strongly, introducing health care reform and uniting the Democratic voter base. After reelection, however, the Democrats lost the House, the Senate, a Supreme Court nomination, and faced scandals over the Snowden security leaks and Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups.

    Truly disastrous examples of second term presidencies include Abraham Lincoln (assassination), Woodrow Wilson (first world war, failure of the League of Nations, a stroke), Richard Nixon (Watergate, impeachment and resignation), and Bill Clinton (Lewinsky scandal and impeachment).

    Room for one more? Trump has joked about being added to Mount Rushmore.
    Shutterstock

    Monumental honours

    It may be too early to predict how Trump will feature in this pantheon of less-than-greatness. But his approval ratings recently hit an all-time low as Americans reacted to the bombing of Iran and deployment of troops in Los Angeles.

    A recent YouGov poll showed voters giving negative approval ratings for his handling of inflation, jobs, immigration, national security and foreign policy. While there has been plenty of action, it may be the levels of uncertainty, drastic change and market volatility are more extreme than some bargained for.

    An uncooperative Congress or opposition from the judiciary can be obstacles to successful second terms. But Trump has used executive orders, on the grounds of confronting “national emergencies”, to bypass normal checks and balances.

    As well, favourable rulings by the Supreme Court have edged closer to expanding the boundaries of executive power. But they have not yet supported Trump’s claim from his first term that “I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President”.

    Some supporters say Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. And he was only half joking when he asked if there is room for one more face on Mount Rushmore. But such monumental honours may only amount to speculation unless Trump’s radical approach and redefinition of executive power defy the second-term curse.

    Garritt C. Van Dyk has received funding from the Getty Research Institute.

    – ref. Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-not-like-other-presidents-but-can-he-beat-the-second-term-curse-that-haunts-the-white-house-260002

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – Sunrise with Natalie Barr

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    NATALIE BARR: Australia has been dealt a horrific wake up call this morning that the rules and the regulations we thought were protecting our children are just not good enough. It follows revelations of horrific alleged crimes against children across several childcare centres in Victoria. 

    More than 2,000 families have been affected by this. Now our leaders are finally acting, but it follows years and years of experts, advocates and government bodies calling for change. 

    Education Minister Jason Clare joins us live in Sydney now. Our youngest, our most vulnerable Australians have been failed. What are you doing right now to fix this? 

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: The truth is, Nat, you’re right. This has taken too long for governments to act. This is sickening and it’s serious, it demands serious action. We’ve already taken action around mobile phones in child care centres and mandatory reporting, but there’s more that we have to do. There’s a lot more that we have to do. 

    When Parliament returns later this month I’ll introduce a piece of legislation in the first sitting fortnight that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our children. 

    The big weapon that the Federal Government has to wield here is the funding that we provide to child care centres. It equates to about 70 per cent of the funding that runs a centre, and if they’re not keeping our kids safe then we need to cut off their funding. 

    There’s got to be consequences for this sort of bad behaviour when centres don’t look after our kids properly. 

    BARR: Yeah, there should be. We spent millions and millions of dollars on a Royal Commission in 2015. That recommended a national working with children scheme, it recommended a national Federal office, it recommended a national register for childcare workers. That was 10 years ago. Has the government failed these families? 

    CLARE: The system has failed these families. If the allegations are proved to be true then the system has failed these families. 

    BARR: But what is the system? Because there’s a Royal Commission, it outlines all this, it gets all the experts, our taxpayers’ money pays for it, Jason, and it gives it ‑ hands with a bow to the government. And says, “This is what you guys need to do”. 

    CLARE: Correct. 

    BARR: And look where we are today. 

    CLARE: Correct, and the implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long, and they need to be accelerated. That’s why I’ve said we need to implement a register for educators in child care centres. It’s why we need to fix the working with children checks. That’s work that’s being led by Attorney‑Generals, but it needs to be sped up. 

    There’s no point in making excuses here, Nat. The families of these kids aren’t interested in excuses. One of these families is a friend of mine. I know how they’re feeling because they’ve rung me and told me, and I can’t repeat on television what they said to me because there’s kids watching. But this is serious, and I’m determined to act. 

    It’s a complicated system, but people watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses. They’re interested in action. And that’s what Education Ministers must take. 

    BARR: Okay. Two years ago under your Government the Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, a national independent body, issued a warning. They said they were concerned over “the level of vetting being undertaken pre‑employment”. Why didn’t you act on that? 

    CLARE: I commissioned that agency to conduct a review of child safety and I did that after a paedophile was arrested and convicted in Queensland. You’ll remember that case. That’s what led to a number of reforms around mobile phones and mandatory reporting. But there’s a whole bunch of recommendations there that need to be implemented. 

    The key point here to make, Nat, whether we’re talking about that or whether we’re talking about working with children checks or anything else, is there’s no silver bullet here. This work will never be done. There will always be people that will try to break through the net and try to get into the system. And we’ve also always got to work on making sure that we find ways to keep them out and keep our kids safe. 

    Now not enough has been done, and not enough has been done fast enough here. But I can tell you that I’m determined to act. That’s why I put this on the agenda of Education Ministers last week and we agreed that because of what’s happening in Victoria, but also what’s happening in New South Wales after the Four Corners exposé earlier this year, and what’s happened in Queensland, that we need to bring together all of these recommendations and implement them. 

    BARR: Okay. The phone ban. You’re talking about the phone ban now, but this was brought in nationally last July, wasn’t it? Victoria is only getting centres to implement it from this September. It’s voluntary and there’ll be fines. That’s a long time between last July and this September. 

    CLARE: Too long. The short answer to that is too long. The ban was put in the National Code in last July. Most centres have implemented it. The tortuous nature of the system means it needs to be put into regulations that happen in a couple of months time, and Victoria is making sure that that happens sooner than that. 

    But all of the advice that we’ve received from ACECQA, and other experts is you’ve got to get the personal mobile phones and any digital devices that workers have out of the centre. The only photographs that you should receive of your children from the centre should be from the authorised centre owned camera or phone. That was the advice that we got. We got it for a reason, Nat, and we’re implementing it. 

    BARR: Yep, okay. Still a massive amount of work to be done. Expanding and strengthening those working with children checks, the registers. We’re going to keep on it. Thank you very much. Thanks Jason. 

    CLARE: Thanks Nat.

    MIL OSI News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/2/2025 Blackburn Statement on President Trump’s Tennessee U.S. Attorney Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement praising President Trump’s nominations of Mike Dunavant to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and Braden Boucek to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee:

    “In nominating Mike Dunavant and Braden Boucek, President Trump is keeping his promise to Make America Safe Again,” said Senator Blackburn. “Both are experienced and principled federal prosecutors who know what it takes to lead a U.S. Attorney’s office. Mike and Braden will uphold the rule of law in Tennessee, restore law and order, and admirably serve the people of our incredible state. In my role on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to supporting their nominations and working to ensure they are swiftly confirmed.”

    BACKGROUND

    Mike Dunavant, Nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee:

    • Mr. Dunavant previously served as a U.S. Attorney during President Trump’s first term and was confirmed by the Senate in a unanimous vote.
    • Under his leadership, Memphis witnessed a 13.1% decrease in overall violent crime from 2017 to 2019.
    • Mr. Dunavant also instituted a successful carjacking initiative with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement to aggressively prosecute armed carjackings.
    • He reinvigorated the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, expanding cooperation with local and federal law enforcement.
    • Mr. Dunavant brings the leadership, experience, and proven track record needed to reduce violent crime and restore public safety in Memphis.

    Braden Boucek, Nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee:

    • Mr. Boucek served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in both Nashville and Memphis and as a prosecutor for the state of Tennessee—as both an Assistant Attorney General and as Assistant District Attorney. 
    • He has prosecuted hundreds of cases, ranging from organized crime and drug trafficking cases to terrorism and immigration offenses.
    • Currently, he serves as Vice President of Litigation at the Southeastern Legal Foundation, where he has focused his work on protecting Americans’ constitutional rights.
    • Mr. Boucek brings a strong background in criminal and constitutional law that will serve the people of the Middle District of Tennessee well.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Focusing on maintaining and building roads

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government’s focus on improving roads across the country is well on its way, with the successful completion of one of the largest state highway road renewal programmes in New Zealand history, Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed today.

    “We are focused on ensuring government agencies are better at looking after the infrastructure assets we already have, to ensure New Zealanders get the most from their public infrastructure,” Mr Bishop says.

    “That’s why we’ve invested in road maintenance and renewals through the $2 billion State Highway Pothole Prevention fund, which ensures vital work is carried out to keep our roads safe and suitable for the people that use them. 

    “Over the summer months from September to April, almost 2200 lane kilometres of road either received a new layer of seal or asphalt or the entire road was completely replaced. 

    “With over 300 lane kilometres of road being rebuilt, the NZ Transport Agency and its maintenance contractors almost tripled their delivery of brand-new high-quality roads when compared to the previous summer.

    “A particular highlight this past season was the State Highway 1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance programme, which delivered over 100 lane kilometres of road rebuilding and resealing throughout the centre of the Waikato region. Regions such as Northland, Taranaki, Manawatū and Southland each saw more than 20 lane kilometres of new roading also.

    “I extend my thanks to the communities, drivers and truckies who’ve been so patient through this busy summer maintenance season, and to the contractors who’ve worked hard to get the work done to a high standard.

    “Our focus on building new roads will continue over the next two years. We acknowledge that this work can be disruptive for road users; but the use of new construction techniques, increased use of risk-based traffic management guidance, and clear communication with the public will ensure that New Zealanders experience better journeys both during construction and after the works take place. 

    “Having safe, high-quality roads to drive on is critical for people getting to work, school and home safely as well as making sure our freight gets to where it needs to go in a timely manner.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Freemans Bay homicide: Charge laid as enquiries continue

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A woman will appear in court in connection with an investigation underway into the discovery of human remains in Freemans Bay on Tuesday.

    Police have been investigating since officers located the body of a newborn baby in a wheelie bin outside an address on Renall Street.

    Detective Inspector Scott Beard, of Auckland City CIB, says a 32-year-old woman is expected to appear in court.

    “At this stage we have charged the woman with interfering with human remains, and she is due to appear in the Auckland District Court,” he says.

    “We believe this appearance will be via audio-visual link.

    “A post-mortem examination was carried out on the baby yesterday, the results of which are still pending.

    “We are conscious that this is a very delicate situation, and we are ensuring there is support in place for the woman.”

    Cordons around Renall Street have since been stood down.

    Detective Inspector Beard says Police are still carrying out enquiries at a specific property on the street.

    “Our enquiries remain ongoing and it will take some time for a thorough investigation to be completed,” he says.

    “We are continuing to ask for those in the community that might have information or CCTV footage that could assist us to get in touch.”

    Anyone with information can update Police online now or call 105, using the reference number 250630/9878 or citing ‘Operation Yarrow’.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 3, 2025

  • PM Modi receives Ghana’s highest state honour, ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was conferred with Ghana’s national honour,  ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, by President John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

    Accepting the award, the Prime Minister said, “It is a matter of immense pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s highest honour… I express my deep gratitude to President Mahama, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians.”

    “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions and the historic ties between India and Ghana,” the PM added.

    Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to strengthen their partnership, the Prime Minister said the award further deepens the friendship between India and Ghana and places a new responsibility on him to advance bilateral ties. He expressed confidence that his historic state visit would give fresh momentum to the partnership, the MEA statement added.

    Earlier, Prime Minister Modi announced that India would establish a Skill Development Centre to train youth and support Ghana’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme, as part of a broader plan to strengthen ties between the two countries.

    During a joint press briefing with President Mahama, PM Modi said India would expand cooperation with Ghana in key sectors including agriculture, education, defence, healthcare and digital payments.

    “Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Centre for the vocational education of youth,” PM Modi said.

    “In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide affordable and reliable healthcare to the citizens of Ghana. We also discussed cooperation in vaccine production,” he added.

    The Prime Minister said India plans to double trade with Ghana within the next five years and share its digital payments system, Bharat UPI, to boost financial connectivity.

    President Mahama welcomed Prime Minister Modi and said the visit reflected the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

    “This visit is a testament to the deep-rooted historical ties between Ghana and India, founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s former Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,” Mahama said.

    This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and signal New Delhi’s continued engagement with Africa and the Global South.

    (ANI)

     

    July 3, 2025

  • PM Modi receives Ghana’s highest state honour, ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was conferred with Ghana’s national honour,  ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, by President John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

    Accepting the award, the Prime Minister said, “It is a matter of immense pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s highest honour… I express my deep gratitude to President Mahama, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians.”

    “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions and the historic ties between India and Ghana,” the PM added.

    Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to strengthen their partnership, the Prime Minister said the award further deepens the friendship between India and Ghana and places a new responsibility on him to advance bilateral ties. He expressed confidence that his historic state visit would give fresh momentum to the partnership, the MEA statement added.

    Earlier, Prime Minister Modi announced that India would establish a Skill Development Centre to train youth and support Ghana’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme, as part of a broader plan to strengthen ties between the two countries.

    During a joint press briefing with President Mahama, PM Modi said India would expand cooperation with Ghana in key sectors including agriculture, education, defence, healthcare and digital payments.

    “Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Centre for the vocational education of youth,” PM Modi said.

    “In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide affordable and reliable healthcare to the citizens of Ghana. We also discussed cooperation in vaccine production,” he added.

    The Prime Minister said India plans to double trade with Ghana within the next five years and share its digital payments system, Bharat UPI, to boost financial connectivity.

    President Mahama welcomed Prime Minister Modi and said the visit reflected the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

    “This visit is a testament to the deep-rooted historical ties between Ghana and India, founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s former Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,” Mahama said.

    This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and signal New Delhi’s continued engagement with Africa and the Global South.

    (ANI)

     

    July 3, 2025

  • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

    Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

    “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

    “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

    Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

    The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

    On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

    “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

    Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

    On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

    “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

    Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

    IANS

    July 3, 2025

  • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

    Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

    “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

    “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

    Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

    The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

    On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

    “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

    Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

    On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

    “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

    Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

    IANS

    July 3, 2025

  • Normality returns to Wimbledon as Alcaraz and Sabalenka ease through

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and the end of London’s tropical heatwave ensured that a sense of normality returned to the lawns of Wimbledon on Wednesday after two sweat-soaked days of shocks, although Jasmine Paolini’s exit meant the surprises did not end.

    A stream of big names including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev crashed and burned in the oven-like temperatures of the first round.

    So when Alcaraz walked on Centre Court to continue his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the thought surely lurked somewhere in his mind that he could be the fall-guy in the event’s greatest upset.

    The 22-year-old second seed was not at his best but after saving three break points in a nervy first service game against a college student ranked 733rd in the world, he asserted his authority to win 6-1 6-4 6-4.

    Earlier on Centre Court, women’s top seed Sabalenka battled to a 7-6(4) 6-4 win against Czech Marie Bouzkova.

    “Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament, in both draws, women’s and men’s,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title.

    “I’m just trying to focus on myself… I hope there are no more upsets in this tournament.”

    That was not to be, as last year’s runner-up Paolini joined the mass exodus of fancied players when she crashed out 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.

    However, Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, made it safely into round three by beating Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2 while unseeded four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka eased past Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

    Lower temperatures did not necessarily mean more comfortable outings as world number 12 Frances Tiafoe became the 14th of the 32 men’s seeds to fall, losing 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 against Cameron Norrie, one of seven Britons in singles action on day three.

    The American was joined later on by Czech 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka, last month’s Queen’s Club Championships runner-up, who fell 7-6(4) 6-1 7-5 to Italian Mattia Bellucci.

    HOME CHARGE

    Ashlyn Krueger, the American 31st seed, was then beaten 7-6(4) 6-4 by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ensuring 15 of the 32 women’s seeds also went out of the tournament.

    Sonay Kartal led the home charge by defeating Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to book her place in the last 32 for the second year in succession while the nation’s big hope Emma Raducanu got past 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3.

    There was disappointment for Britain’s Katie Boulter, who served 14 double faults as she crashed 6-7(9) 6-2 6-1 to 101st-ranked Solana Sierra, the Argentine who lost in qualifying but has seized her lucky loser spot with both hands.

    Alcaraz, bidding to do the French Open-Wimbledon double for the second successive year, needed five sets to get past Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the opening round and set up an intriguing clash with 21-year-old Tarvet.

    Tarvet, who plays on the U.S. collegiate circuit for the University of San Diego, said he believed he could beat anyone, even Alcaraz, after winning his Grand Slam debut match against fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Monday.

    He was clearly not overawed at sharing a court with a five-times major champion and had he taken any of the eight break points he earned in the first set it could have been closer.

    Alcaraz proved a step too far though as he moved through the gears when required to keep an eager Tarvet under control.

    Just as the Spaniard did in his first round when going to the aid of a female spectator suffering in the heat, Alcaraz again endeared himself to the Centre Court crowd.

    “First of all I have to give a big congratulations to Oliver, it’s his second match on the tour. I just loved his game to be honest, the level he played,” Alcaraz said.

    Play on courts without roofs was delayed for two hours by light morning rain but once the clouds rolled away the place to be for fans without showcourt tickets was Court 12 for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca’s match against American Jenson Brooksby.

    The 18-year-old is widely tipped as a future challenger to the domination of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and he showed why during a 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4 win that was celebrated by a large contingent of exuberant Brazilians.

    Andrey Rublev, who suffered a bruising loss to Fonseca in the Australian Open first round earlier this year, battled past Lloyd Harris 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3 before Taylor Fritz closed out the day with a 3-6 6-3 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3 win over Gabriel Diallo.

    -Reuters

    July 3, 2025

  • Normality returns to Wimbledon as Alcaraz and Sabalenka ease through

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and the end of London’s tropical heatwave ensured that a sense of normality returned to the lawns of Wimbledon on Wednesday after two sweat-soaked days of shocks, although Jasmine Paolini’s exit meant the surprises did not end.

    A stream of big names including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev crashed and burned in the oven-like temperatures of the first round.

    So when Alcaraz walked on Centre Court to continue his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the thought surely lurked somewhere in his mind that he could be the fall-guy in the event’s greatest upset.

    The 22-year-old second seed was not at his best but after saving three break points in a nervy first service game against a college student ranked 733rd in the world, he asserted his authority to win 6-1 6-4 6-4.

    Earlier on Centre Court, women’s top seed Sabalenka battled to a 7-6(4) 6-4 win against Czech Marie Bouzkova.

    “Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament, in both draws, women’s and men’s,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title.

    “I’m just trying to focus on myself… I hope there are no more upsets in this tournament.”

    That was not to be, as last year’s runner-up Paolini joined the mass exodus of fancied players when she crashed out 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.

    However, Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, made it safely into round three by beating Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2 while unseeded four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka eased past Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

    Lower temperatures did not necessarily mean more comfortable outings as world number 12 Frances Tiafoe became the 14th of the 32 men’s seeds to fall, losing 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 against Cameron Norrie, one of seven Britons in singles action on day three.

    The American was joined later on by Czech 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka, last month’s Queen’s Club Championships runner-up, who fell 7-6(4) 6-1 7-5 to Italian Mattia Bellucci.

    HOME CHARGE

    Ashlyn Krueger, the American 31st seed, was then beaten 7-6(4) 6-4 by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ensuring 15 of the 32 women’s seeds also went out of the tournament.

    Sonay Kartal led the home charge by defeating Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to book her place in the last 32 for the second year in succession while the nation’s big hope Emma Raducanu got past 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3.

    There was disappointment for Britain’s Katie Boulter, who served 14 double faults as she crashed 6-7(9) 6-2 6-1 to 101st-ranked Solana Sierra, the Argentine who lost in qualifying but has seized her lucky loser spot with both hands.

    Alcaraz, bidding to do the French Open-Wimbledon double for the second successive year, needed five sets to get past Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the opening round and set up an intriguing clash with 21-year-old Tarvet.

    Tarvet, who plays on the U.S. collegiate circuit for the University of San Diego, said he believed he could beat anyone, even Alcaraz, after winning his Grand Slam debut match against fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Monday.

    He was clearly not overawed at sharing a court with a five-times major champion and had he taken any of the eight break points he earned in the first set it could have been closer.

    Alcaraz proved a step too far though as he moved through the gears when required to keep an eager Tarvet under control.

    Just as the Spaniard did in his first round when going to the aid of a female spectator suffering in the heat, Alcaraz again endeared himself to the Centre Court crowd.

    “First of all I have to give a big congratulations to Oliver, it’s his second match on the tour. I just loved his game to be honest, the level he played,” Alcaraz said.

    Play on courts without roofs was delayed for two hours by light morning rain but once the clouds rolled away the place to be for fans without showcourt tickets was Court 12 for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca’s match against American Jenson Brooksby.

    The 18-year-old is widely tipped as a future challenger to the domination of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and he showed why during a 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4 win that was celebrated by a large contingent of exuberant Brazilians.

    Andrey Rublev, who suffered a bruising loss to Fonseca in the Australian Open first round earlier this year, battled past Lloyd Harris 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3 before Taylor Fritz closed out the day with a 3-6 6-3 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3 win over Gabriel Diallo.

    -Reuters

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: New Open Market Pattern: Strategic Opportunities in the XRP and DRML Mining Machine Alliance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The crypto industry evolves rapidly. Among emerging collaborations, the alliance between XRP and DRML mining machines is gaining attention. Both technologies aim to simplify and amplify blockchain infrastructure. When combined, they introduce a new era of innovation, speed, and efficiency in mining operations.

    XRP’s fast, secure, and low-cost transactions offer the perfect foundation for scalable mining platforms. DRML Miner, known for high-performance and energy-saving mining machines, complements this with hardware that performs without massive energy consumption.

    Why the XRP-DRML Partnership Matters to the Open Market

    The open market is fueled by progress. XRP’s advanced blockchain network ensures instant payments and ultra-low fees. DRML’s contribution lies in optimizing mining hardware, using smart power consumption and efficient chips.

    Together, this duo could transform how miners earn. Transaction speeds improve, and hardware becomes more affordable. That’s not just evolution — it’s disruption. It promises better profit margins and more stable long-term investments for crypto participants.

    Enhanced Mining Efficiency and Lower Operational Costs

    DRML machines are already known for superior hash rates with minimal energy waste. Partnering with XRP creates new mining ecosystems that require less operational capital. Instant rewards paid in XRP reduce friction in payout processing.

    Miners no longer need to rely on third-party processors or suffer delays. Every transaction becomes fast, transparent, and verified. That leads to greater savings and smoother cash flows. Miners can scale with lower barriers to entry.

    Tapping Into Emerging Global Markets

    This strategic cooperation opens the door to underserved regions. Countries in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia are seeking efficient and affordable blockchain solutions. The XRP-DRML duo fits that demand.

    By providing discounted DRML hardware preloaded with XRP benefits, local operators gain tools to mine profitably. That could lead to a rise in mining adoption globally. Moreover, these regions might become future hubs for decentralized finance infrastructure.

    Creating New Revenue Channels and Loyalty Programs

    XRP offers more than fast transfers. It also functions as a bridge currency. DRML can tap into that to streamline international payments with ease. Vendors and miners can use XRP for cross-border hardware purchases, minimizing currency exchange fees.

    DRML could also roll out exclusive incentives — like lower service charges or faster delivery for XRP-based purchases. These perks promote repeated usage and brand loyalty. Both XRP and DRML benefit from this closed-loop ecosystem of recurring transactions.

    Building Trust and Enhancing Transparency

    Every great partnership thrives on trust. XRP’s public ledger brings traceability to every transaction. When DRML Miner hardware is sold, the payment trail remains crystal clear.

    For miners, this means faster verification and fewer disputes. With fewer delays in processing, confidence increases. Transparency adds value to business-to-business deals, elevating DRML’s brand and XRP’s utility in real-world transactions.

    Addressing Challenges Before They Emerge

    Of course, challenges exist. Global regulatory pressures could influence blockchain partnerships. Hardware manufacturing still faces risks from chip shortages or rising energy prices.

    However, both XRP and DRML have teams that anticipate market fluctuations. Their agility and innovative drive position them to navigate complex environments. Combined, they offer resilience backed by solid tech and strategic planning.

    The Future Vision: A Smarter Crypto Economy

    This alliance could do more than improve mining. It might redefine the economic model behind crypto production and distribution. With XRP providing instant liquidity and DRML offering scalable mining gear, the two set a precedent for future projects.

    New startups and existing miners alike can benefit from these innovations. Whether you’re a solo miner or run a large-scale operation, this partnership offers efficiency, reduced costs, and greater global access.

    Conclusion: XRP and DRML as a Crypto Power Duo

    XRP and DRML are not just collaborating — they’re setting a new standard. Together, they can cut costs, speed up transactions, and reach global markets that need innovation most. The open market thrives on change, and this synergy could very well lead the charge into a more inclusive and efficient crypto mining economy.

    The future of crypto isn’t just digital — it’s smarter, faster, and more interconnected. And XRP with https://drmlminers.com/ might just be the partnership that lights the way.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network –

    July 3, 2025

  • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

    Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

    “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

    “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

    Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

    The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

    On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

    “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

    Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

    On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

    “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

    Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

    IANS

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Shelbyville, Kentucky Men Found Guilty of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Louisville, KY – On June 27, 2025, following a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted two Shelbyville, Kentucky men of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing firearms as convicted felons.

    U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, U.S. Marshal Gary B. Burman of the of the U.S. Marshal Service for the Western District of Kentucky, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on December 15, 2022, Benjamin Quintero Martinez, 31, and Rodolfo Reyes Martinez, 27, aided and abetted by each other and others, possessed with intent to distribute over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, including possessing a pill press used to manufacture illicit pills containing fentanyl, over 200 grams of methamphetamine, and over 200 grams of cocaine. The defendants also possessed 7 firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Both defendants were prohibited from possessing firearms because they had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On July 7, 2014, in Shelby Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, cocaine, less than 4 grams, 1st degree, 1st offense, and tampering with physical evidence.

    On January 4, 2016, in Henry Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st degree, 1st offense (two counts).

    On May 22, 2017, in Shelby Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st degree, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of handgun by a convicted felon, tampering with physical evidence, and trafficking in a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.

    On June 29, 2017, in Shelby Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez, was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, methamphetamine, less than 2 grams, 1st degree, 1st offense.

    On February 28, 2019, in Marshall Circuit Court, Reyes Martinez was convicted of complicity to escape, 2nd degree.

    On July 19, 2022, in Shelby Circuit Court, Reyes Martinez, was convicted of convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

    Both are scheduled for sentencing on September 25, 2025, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Quintero Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, Reyes Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and both face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The ATF, USMS, and LMPD investigated the case.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic.

    This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Shelbyville, Kentucky Men Found Guilty of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Louisville, KY – On June 27, 2025, following a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted two Shelbyville, Kentucky men of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing firearms as convicted felons.

    U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, U.S. Marshal Gary B. Burman of the of the U.S. Marshal Service for the Western District of Kentucky, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on December 15, 2022, Benjamin Quintero Martinez, 31, and Rodolfo Reyes Martinez, 27, aided and abetted by each other and others, possessed with intent to distribute over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, including possessing a pill press used to manufacture illicit pills containing fentanyl, over 200 grams of methamphetamine, and over 200 grams of cocaine. The defendants also possessed 7 firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Both defendants were prohibited from possessing firearms because they had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On July 7, 2014, in Shelby Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, cocaine, less than 4 grams, 1st degree, 1st offense, and tampering with physical evidence.

    On January 4, 2016, in Henry Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st degree, 1st offense (two counts).

    On May 22, 2017, in Shelby Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st degree, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of handgun by a convicted felon, tampering with physical evidence, and trafficking in a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.

    On June 29, 2017, in Shelby Circuit Court, Quintero Martinez, was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, methamphetamine, less than 2 grams, 1st degree, 1st offense.

    On February 28, 2019, in Marshall Circuit Court, Reyes Martinez was convicted of complicity to escape, 2nd degree.

    On July 19, 2022, in Shelby Circuit Court, Reyes Martinez, was convicted of convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

    Both are scheduled for sentencing on September 25, 2025, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Quintero Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, Reyes Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and both face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The ATF, USMS, and LMPD investigated the case.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic.

    This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Enhances Mortgage Operations with AI-Powered Loan Officer Assistant

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the “Company” or “reAlpha”), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced the launch of its AI-powered Internal Loan Officer Assistant. This newly released AI-powered assistant is designed to streamline administrative tasks within the mortgage division, driving operational efficiency and enhancing loan processing accuracy.

    The introduction of the AI Loan Officer Assistant is part of reAlpha’s broader strategy to enhance its mortgage operations. This initiative builds on the Company’s recent acquisitions, including Be My Neighbor and GTG Financial, which have expanded reAlpha’s mortgage services footprint across 30 U.S. states.

    “Our mission is to deliver exceptional service without sacrificing the human connection that defines the homebuying experience,” said Jamie Cavanaugh, Chief Executive Officer at Be My Neighbor. “By automating time-consuming tasks, we empower our team members to increase their productivity and support more consumers. This AI-powered Loan Officer Assistant is not a replacement for people: it’s a force multiplier that allows mortgage professionals to focus more time on what truly matters: helping individuals and families navigate the path to homeownership with confidence and care.”

    Early operational results1 show that reAlpha’s AI Loan Officer Assistant reduces manual document preparation and reconciliation time by approximately 60 percent at the loan processing stage. By automating one-third of the loan intake process, the tool accelerates document classification, labeling, and validation. This efficiency would enable loan teams to process up to 40 additional loans per month per officer, enabling teams to support increased loan volumes while preserving service quality and positioning reAlpha’s mortgage division for scalable growth.

    This launch aligns with industry trends, as financial institutions are increasingly adopting AI to reduce operational costs and improve service delivery. Industry data indicates that AI integration in mortgage lending can increase loan origination volumes by up to 50%, reduce underwriting cycle times by 50%, and cut operational costs by as much as 30-50%.2 Moreover, AI-driven automation has been shown to improve borrower experience through faster approvals and personalized service, factors critical to competitive positioning in today’s market.3

    reAlpha’s AI Loan Officer Assistant will continue to evolve, expanding to handle more complex mortgage scenarios. The company’s technology roadmap includes the rollout of additional features aimed at further improving loan processing speed, accuracy, and scalability as market demands grow.

    ________________________________
    1 These early operational results are based on preliminary internal testing with a limited sample size and have not been independently verified.
    2https://www.scnsoft.com/lending/mortgage/artificial-intelligence
    3https://riverjournalonline.com/around-town/real-estate/how-ai-will-shape-the-mortgage-industry-in-2025/199032/

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is an AI-powered real estate technology company transforming the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. real estate services market. reAlpha is developing an end-to-end platform that streamlines real estate transactions through integrated brokerage, mortgage, and title services. With a strategic, acquisition-driven growth model and proprietary AI infrastructure, reAlpha is building a vertically integrated ecosystem designed to deliver a simpler, smarter, and more affordable path to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The information in this press release, including early operational results relating to the AI Loan Officer Assistant, includes “forward-looking statements.” Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements by Be My Neighbor’s Chief Executive Officer, Jamie Cavanaugh, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s ability to pay contractual obligations; reAlpha’s liquidity, operating performance, cash flow and ability to secure adequate financing; reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to successfully enter new geographic markets; reAlpha’s ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies’ services; reAlpha’s ability to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets and nationally; the potential loss of key employees of reAlpha and of its subsidiaries; the outcome of certain outstanding legal proceedings against reAlpha; reAlpha’s ability to obtain, and maintain, the required licenses to operate in the U.S. states in which it, or its subsidiaries, operate in, or intend to operate in; reAlpha’s ability to successfully identify and acquire companies that are complementary to its business model; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; any accidents or incidents involving cybersecurity breaches and incidents; the inability to accurately forecast demand for AI-based real estate-focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; the inability of reAlpha to obtain additional financing or access the capital markets to fund its ongoing operations on acceptable terms and conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that might be instituted against reAlpha; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact:
    Cristol Rippe, Chief Marketing Officer
    media@realpha.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey, VP of Investor Relations
    investorrelations@realpha.com

    The MIL Network –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Enhances Mortgage Operations with AI-Powered Loan Officer Assistant

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the “Company” or “reAlpha”), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced the launch of its AI-powered Internal Loan Officer Assistant. This newly released AI-powered assistant is designed to streamline administrative tasks within the mortgage division, driving operational efficiency and enhancing loan processing accuracy.

    The introduction of the AI Loan Officer Assistant is part of reAlpha’s broader strategy to enhance its mortgage operations. This initiative builds on the Company’s recent acquisitions, including Be My Neighbor and GTG Financial, which have expanded reAlpha’s mortgage services footprint across 30 U.S. states.

    “Our mission is to deliver exceptional service without sacrificing the human connection that defines the homebuying experience,” said Jamie Cavanaugh, Chief Executive Officer at Be My Neighbor. “By automating time-consuming tasks, we empower our team members to increase their productivity and support more consumers. This AI-powered Loan Officer Assistant is not a replacement for people: it’s a force multiplier that allows mortgage professionals to focus more time on what truly matters: helping individuals and families navigate the path to homeownership with confidence and care.”

    Early operational results1 show that reAlpha’s AI Loan Officer Assistant reduces manual document preparation and reconciliation time by approximately 60 percent at the loan processing stage. By automating one-third of the loan intake process, the tool accelerates document classification, labeling, and validation. This efficiency would enable loan teams to process up to 40 additional loans per month per officer, enabling teams to support increased loan volumes while preserving service quality and positioning reAlpha’s mortgage division for scalable growth.

    This launch aligns with industry trends, as financial institutions are increasingly adopting AI to reduce operational costs and improve service delivery. Industry data indicates that AI integration in mortgage lending can increase loan origination volumes by up to 50%, reduce underwriting cycle times by 50%, and cut operational costs by as much as 30-50%.2 Moreover, AI-driven automation has been shown to improve borrower experience through faster approvals and personalized service, factors critical to competitive positioning in today’s market.3

    reAlpha’s AI Loan Officer Assistant will continue to evolve, expanding to handle more complex mortgage scenarios. The company’s technology roadmap includes the rollout of additional features aimed at further improving loan processing speed, accuracy, and scalability as market demands grow.

    ________________________________
    1 These early operational results are based on preliminary internal testing with a limited sample size and have not been independently verified.
    2https://www.scnsoft.com/lending/mortgage/artificial-intelligence
    3https://riverjournalonline.com/around-town/real-estate/how-ai-will-shape-the-mortgage-industry-in-2025/199032/

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is an AI-powered real estate technology company transforming the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. real estate services market. reAlpha is developing an end-to-end platform that streamlines real estate transactions through integrated brokerage, mortgage, and title services. With a strategic, acquisition-driven growth model and proprietary AI infrastructure, reAlpha is building a vertically integrated ecosystem designed to deliver a simpler, smarter, and more affordable path to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    The information in this press release, including early operational results relating to the AI Loan Officer Assistant, includes “forward-looking statements.” Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements by Be My Neighbor’s Chief Executive Officer, Jamie Cavanaugh, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s ability to pay contractual obligations; reAlpha’s liquidity, operating performance, cash flow and ability to secure adequate financing; reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to successfully enter new geographic markets; reAlpha’s ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies’ services; reAlpha’s ability to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets and nationally; the potential loss of key employees of reAlpha and of its subsidiaries; the outcome of certain outstanding legal proceedings against reAlpha; reAlpha’s ability to obtain, and maintain, the required licenses to operate in the U.S. states in which it, or its subsidiaries, operate in, or intend to operate in; reAlpha’s ability to successfully identify and acquire companies that are complementary to its business model; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; any accidents or incidents involving cybersecurity breaches and incidents; the inability to accurately forecast demand for AI-based real estate-focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; the inability of reAlpha to obtain additional financing or access the capital markets to fund its ongoing operations on acceptable terms and conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that might be instituted against reAlpha; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact:
    Cristol Rippe, Chief Marketing Officer
    media@realpha.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey, VP of Investor Relations
    investorrelations@realpha.com

    The MIL Network –

    July 3, 2025

  • PM Modi receives Ghana’s highest state honour, “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana”

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was conferred with Ghana’s national honour, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, by President John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement.

    Accepting the award on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, the Prime Minister dedicated the honour to the aspirations of India’s youth, its cultural traditions and diversity, and the historical ties between Ghana and India.

    PM Modi thanked the people and government of Ghana for this special gesture.

    Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to strengthen their partnership, the Prime Minister said the award further deepens the friendship between India and Ghana and places a new responsibility on him to advance bilateral ties. He expressed confidence that his historic State Visit would give fresh momentum to the partnership, the MEA statement added.

    Earlier, Prime Minister Modi announced that India would establish a Skill Development Centre to train youth and support Ghana’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme, as part of a broader plan to strengthen ties between the two countries.

    During a joint press briefing with President Mahama, Modi said India would expand cooperation with Ghana in key sectors including agriculture, education, defence, healthcare and digital payments.

    “Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Centre for the vocational education of youth,” Modi said.

    “In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide affordable and reliable healthcare to the citizens of Ghana. We also discussed cooperation in vaccine production,” he added.

    The Prime Minister said India plans to double trade with Ghana within the next five years and share its digital payments system, Bharat UPI, to boost financial connectivity.

    President Mahama welcomed Prime Minister Modi and said the visit reflected the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

    “This visit is a testament to the deep-rooted historical ties between Ghana and India, founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s former Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,” Mahama said.

    This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and signal New Delhi’s continued engagement with Africa and the Global South.

    (ANI)

     

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Belarus and Libya Sign Package of Cooperation Documents

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    MINSK, July 2 /Xinhua/ – Belarus and Libya signed a package of documents on cooperation on Wednesday following the visit of the Libyan government delegation to Minsk, BelTA reported.

    Among the signed documents is an agreement of intent between the ministries of industry of the two countries. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of the Government of National Stability of Libya signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of cooperation in the field of agriculture. A protocol of intent was also signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus and the National Development Agency of Libya.

    In addition, the parties signed a memorandum of intent on cooperation between the Ministry of Education of Belarus and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Government of National Stability of Libya, a protocol of intent on the creation of an emergency prevention and response system in Benghazi, and an action plan for the development of cooperation in the field of healthcare.

    At the end of the signing ceremony of the package of documents, Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Turchin particularly noted that the parties had summed up an important result of the next stage of bilateral work. “I am simply confident that this event will give a serious impetus to further interaction between Belarus and Libya. I am grateful to all my colleagues who worked intensively to ensure that our cooperation continues at such a high level,” said the Prime Minister of Belarus. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Georgia expelled over 40 foreign citizens for violating migration laws

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Tbilisi, July 2 (Xinhua) — As a result of joint measures carried out by the Migration Department and other units of the Georgian Interior Ministry, 41 foreign citizens were expelled from the country, the press service of the Georgian Interior Ministry reported on Wednesday.

    The expulsion was carried out on the basis of the Georgian Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons. Among those deported were citizens of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, India, Jordan, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Armenia and Zimbabwe. All of them were banned from re-entering the country.

    According to official data, 525 foreign citizens were deported from Georgia between January and June 2025. This is 280 percent more than the same period last year.

    In late June, the Georgian parliament approved a package of legislative amendments aimed at tightening migration policy. The new rules provide for a simplified deportation procedure. Court proceedings will no longer suspend the expulsion process if a visa or residence permit is refused. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde Investigates the Merger of Cartica Acquisition Corp. (OTCMKTS: CRTAF)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde with Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. The firm is headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and is investigating Cartica Acquisition Corp. (OTCMKTS: CRTAF) related to its merger with Nidar Infrastructure Ltd., in which the pre-transaction equity value of Nidar implied by the proposed transaction’s terms is approximately $2.75 billion. Is it a fair deal?

    Click here for more info https://monteverdelaw.com/case/cartica-acquisition-corp/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE EQUAL. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No one is above the law. If you own common stock in the above listed company and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

    July 3, 2025
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