NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Releases Statement on Terrible Outlook of Social Security, Medicare

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) issued the following statement after the release of the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds annual report examining how much longer these programs can pay full benefits promised to taxpayers without significant benefit cuts. The report states that Social Security will become insolvent in 2033, forcing an automatic 23% benefit cut for all current and future beneficiaries. The Medicare Trust Fund will become insolvent in 2033, three years earlier than previously predicted. 
    “In eight years, millions of Americans who rely on Social Security and Medicare will be left stranded if Washington does nothing,” said Dr. Cassidy. “If we borrow to pay for benefits, we will rack up hundreds of trillions of dollars in debt. Congress must do everything we can to address a cliff we all see coming.”
    Read the full report here. 
    Background
    Cassidy has championed his “Big Idea” to save, strengthen, and secure America’s retirement system. He released the inaugural Bill on the Hill video where he asked Capitol Hill visitors from across the country their thoughts on the looming benefit cuts to Social Security and presented his “Big Idea.”
    Cassidy has discussed the “Big Idea” at a public forum with AARP and delivered a keynote speech at the National Institute on Retirement Security’s (NIRS) 15th Annual Retirement Policy Conference on the future of Social Security. He also outlined his Social Security plan in a fireside chat with the Bipartisan Policy Committee, and authored op-eds in the Washington Examiner , the Wall Street Journal , State Affairs, and Washington Post.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Traditional tofu-making techniques power industry growth in China’s Huainan

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

    This photo taken on April 8, 2025 shows the “Chrysanthemum-shaped tofu” made by Zhang Shihong, an inheritor of the tofu banquet making skills, in Shouxian County, Huainan City, east China’s Anhui Province. For thousands of years, the traditional tofu-making techniques have been carried on from generation to generation in Bagongshan Township of Shouxian County. This technique in 2014 was included in the fourth batch of the national representative list of intangible cultural heritage of China.

    The magic journey from soybeans to tofu includes more than ten processes, such as soybean selection, soaking, grinding, soy milk boiling and curdling.

    In Huainan City, tofu can be made into hundreds of dishes, including tofu dumplings, fried Huainan tofu steak and “Chrysanthemum-shaped tofu”, which requires chef to conduct cutting on a piece of tofo for over 160 times.

    In 2024, the output value of the entire soybean products industry chain in the city reached 4.52 billion yuan (about 0.63 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 10.4 percent. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

    1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   >  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Growing Chinese market offers greater stability, opportunity to world economy

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

    From durian plantations to iron ore mines, producers around the world are placing their bets on China’s consumption boom.

    As the world’s second-largest importer, China boasts a vast market of 1.4 billion increasingly prosperous individuals. This market is offering much-needed stability amid subdued global growth and rising protectionism and unilateralism.

    Vendors transport packaged durians at Haijixing Market, a large wholesale fruit market, in Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 25, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

    As China strives to stimulate domestic demand across the board while expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up in an orderly manner, its vast market will create more opportunities and choices for the world.

    A market too big to ingnore 

    A freshly harvested durian in Malaysia can now land on a Chinese plate within a day — a logistic sprint to satisfy China’s growing appetite for the “king of fruits.”

    Eyeing a bigger slice of the multi-billion-U.S. dollar market in China, the Southeast Asian country began exporting fresh durian to China last August, adding to its existing trade in frozen pulp and processed products.

    “Over 70 percent of Malaysia’s durian exports went to China between 2017 and 2023,” said Edwyn Chiang, secretary general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association.

    The durian frenzy in China, the world’s top consumer of the spiky fruit, epitomizes the nation’s broad import appetite. From Brazilian soybeans to German machinery, the breadth of China’s consumption continues to buoy global trade even as other engines sputter.

    Boosting imports is critical to China’s high-quality development. By bringing in high-quality foreign goods and services, they not only directly meet domestic production and consumption needs, but also stimulate market competition, elevate overall supply standards, and ultimately fulfill people’s aspirations for better lives, said Yu Chunhai, a professor at Renmin University of China.

    An anchor of stability 

    Nearly half a world away, in Nyagatare, a district in Rwanda’s eastern province, the sun beats down on the vibrant chili fields of Gashora Farm PLC, where a story of cooperation and prosperity is unfolding.

    The farm’s link to the Chinese market began in 2018 when Managing Director Dieudonne Twahirwa attended the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. “The Chinese market is enormous. We saw strong demand for Rwandan dried chili,” Twahirwa said.

    In 2024, the Gashora Farm partnered China’s Hunan Modern Agriculture International Development Co., Ltd. to launch the Rwanda-Hunan Chili Pepper Industry Demonstration Project. Under a contract farming model, the project covers 100 hectares and spans the entire value chain — from seedling cultivation to export. In the first season following the signing of the deal, 200 tonnes of dried chili were shipped to China.

    “The Chinese market offers more than orders. It brings stability and investment,” said Twahirwa.

    Chili is among the growing number of African products entering the Chinese market. In the first five months of 2025, China’s imports of African coffee, cocoa beans and frozen strawberries surged 145.7 percent, 88.6 percent, and 82 percent, respectively, according to Chinese customs data.

    “China’s expanding imports directly benefit other countries by creating more trade opportunities. For instance, more African products are entering the Chinese market thanks to China’s favorable trade policy for the region,” said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

    China has recently announced that it is ready to negotiate and sign the agreement of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development to implement the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

    Challenges remain 

    Despite China’s huge potential to expand imports, challenges and difficulties remain due to the uncertainty of international trade policies and slowing global economic growth, experts cautioned. This trend is evident in the recent decline of imports into China.

    Commenting on the decline of imports in May, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) spokesperson Fu Linghui said at a press conference early this week that slowing global trade growth inevitably affected China’s import growth and the restrictive trade measures by some countries also had adverse effects on imports. The drop in international commodity prices, meanwhile, also impacted import data. In the first five months of 2025, the average prices of China’s imported iron ore, crude oil, coal and soybeans all decreased.

    As China makes efforts to promote economic restructuring and consumption-led growth, Bai noted that it would be an exaggeration to say that the decline in imports in recent months indicates weak progress in China’s transition toward consumption-driven growth.

    The latest NBS data showed that China’s consumer spending in May posted its strongest growth in nearly 18 months, with retail sales of consumer goods expanding 6.4 percent year on year in May, a 1.3-percentage-point increase from April.

    Bai said China’s import expansion would also hinge on the availability of high-quality and price-friendly foreign products, and whether foreign supplies can match the country’s consumption needs. He added that some countries’ restrictive measures on exports to China further complicated the matter. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s desertification control efforts embrace high-tech solutions

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

    From employing biotechnological techniques to deploying a range of AI-powered automated machines, China has actively embraced innovations to replace strenuous manual labor in its efforts to build ecological barriers against desertification.

    Tuesday marked World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Often described as the “cancer of the earth,” desertification is a global challenge affecting more than 100 countries and regions. China, one of the countries most severely impacted, has made significant strides in halting desert expansion through its decades-long afforestation campaign.

    This aerial drone file photo taken on Sept. 6, 2023 shows the border area between the Tengger Desert and a sand-controlling forest belt in Zhongwei, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

    Winding through towering sand dunes along the edge of the Tengger Desert, China’s fourth-largest, the Lanzhou-Baotou Railway, built in 1958, has not only remained well-maintained and free from encroaching sand over the decades but has also helped transform the barren landscape. Its shelter belts have fostered the growth of biocrust, bringing new life to the once-desolate land.

    The green belt protecting this vital transport artery stands as a near-miracle in the arid landscape. Over the past 60 years, massive human efforts have been mobilized in Zhongwei City, in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, to create “straw checkerboard,” a dune stabilization technique where straw is laid out in a checkerboard pattern on the desert surface. These grids have provided a foundation for vegetation to take root and gradually transform the sand into green.

    Nicknamed the “Chinese Rubik’s Cube,” the technique is now widely adopted both across China and internationally to increase soil surface roughness, effectively reducing wind erosion in sandy areas.

    Workers build straw checkerboards in the Tengger Desert, in Zhongwei of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, May 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

    Within the checkerboards, the sand surface gradually forms a soil crust that helps prevent wind-driven movement. To speed up this process, Chinese researchers have developed lab-cultured cyanobacteria that accelerate the formation of biological soil crusts.

    “Under natural conditions, the formation of biological soil crusts takes 10 to 20 years. With the application of cyanobacteria, that process can be shortened to just one year,” said Zhao Yang, a researcher at the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

    Zhao added that the technology has already been applied across more than 267 hectares in Ningxia, with plans to further expand its coverage in the coming years.

    By spraying cyanobacterial liquid onto the sand surface and combining it with the straw checkerboard technique, stable artificial biological soil crusts can form within 10 to 16 months. In treated areas, wind erosion has been reduced by over 95 percent, the survival rate of sand-fixing shrubs has increased by 10 to 15 percent, and the need for seedling replacement has dropped by nearly 40 percent, significantly cutting the overall cost of sand control, Zhao explained.

    Tang Ximing, chief engineer at the Zhongwei state-owned forestry farm, recalled that with summer ground temperatures as high as 70 degrees Celsius, survival rates of saplings planted in decades ago were just over 40 percent. But the planting efforts have never been baffled.

    Tang Ximing, a senior engineer at a state-owned forestry farm in Zhongwei, demonstrates an upgraded electric seedling planter invented by himself in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, June 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

    In 2023, Tang developed an electric drilling device that allows workers to plant saplings into a 50-centimeter-deep layer of moist sand within the checkerboards in under 10 seconds. Previously, even skilled forestry workers needed three to four minutes to dig a single tree pit manually.

    Technology is accelerating China’s desertification control efforts, which are shifting from labor-intensive planting methods to innovative strategies powered by advanced technologies and intelligent machine fleets.

    Ordos City in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has introduced an integrated smart system that combines remote-controlled desertification monitoring with real-time data from satellite imagery, drone surveys, and ground sensors. This system enables precise tracking of dynamic indicators such as vegetation coverage and soil moisture levels of afforested areas.

    Meanwhile, in the green belt surrounding the Hunshandake Sandland — the nearest desert threat to Beijing — planting machines continuously shuttle back and forth, laying checkerboards and sowing grass seeds, making desert afforestation as efficient as plowing farmland.

    “Creating straw barriers and sowing grass seeds were once two separate manual steps in sand-fixing planting. Now, the new machine combines both processes,” said Wang Lei, director of the intelligent equipment research institute of the Inner Mongolia-based M-Grass Ecological Environment (Group) Co., Ltd.

    This photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows a chamber for accelerated seed breeding at M-Grass Ecological Environment (Group) Co., Ltd. in Hohhot, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Bei He)

    He added that these intelligent devices outperform manual labor by more than 20 times in terms of work efficiency.

    China initiated the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program in 1978 to combat desertification across the northwest, north and northeast of the country. The world’s largest afforestation project is still undergoing.

    Currently, 53 percent of China’s treatable sandy land has been effectively managed through afforestation. The country is not only the first in the world to achieve “zero growth” in land degradation and a “double reduction” in desertified and sandy land areas, but has also transformed its role from a recipient of international desertification control aid to a key contributor to global ecological governance.

    Tang said the forestry farm receives many foreign visitors each year, eager to learn sand prevention and control techniques. He recently demonstrated how to create straw checkerboards and use his electric drilling tool to plant saplings for a group of guests from Mongolia.

    China has actively fulfilled its commitments under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification by establishing the International Knowledge Management Center on Combating Desertification in Ningxia in December 2019. The center aims to share China’s expertise and experience in desertification control with countries worldwide.

    During a visit to Mongolia, Tang saw that the country lacks seedling nurseries. However, it has leveraged its geographical proximity to China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to support seedling cultivation.

    In 2024, Inner Mongolia exported a total of 2.8 million saplings to Mongolia, with exports expected to soar to 10 million this year for the green building in Mongolia.

    Zhang Tianliang, a seedling exporter based in Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia, noted that his company recently exported species such as larch, spruce and golden-leaf elm. These trees are highly adaptable to dry, poor soils and severe cold, making them well-suited for cultivation in Mongolia, Zhang explained. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash at Direk

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police and emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Direk.
    Just after 10am Thursday 19 June police were called to Heaslip Road after reports of a two-vehicle crash.
    Heaslip road is closed at Direk.
    Please avoid the area.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Popular period-tracking apps can hold years of personal data – new NZ research finds mixed awareness of risk

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Friedlander, PhD Candidate in Sociology, University of Waikato

    Shutterstock/Krotnakro

    Period-tracking apps are popular digital tools for a range of menstrual, reproductive and general health purposes. But the way these apps collect and use data involves risk.

    Many apps encourage users to log information well beyond their menstrual cycle, including sexual activity, medications, sleep quality, exercise, social activity and perimenopause symptoms. As well as this logged data, apps often collect location and other personally identifiable information.

    Period tracking apps may pose a particularly high risk in places where abortion is illegal because user data may be accessed by law enforcement on request.

    Our new research examines how aware app users in Aotearoa New Zealand are of these risks. We found a range of levels of understanding and perspectives on risk, from untroubled to concerned and deeply worried about the implications of digital tracking for reproductive rights.

    Privacy, data and risk

    The first period-tracking app was released in 2013. Since then, hundreds of such apps have been created, with collectively hundreds of millions of downloads worldwide.

    A recent analysis found app downloads are particularly prevalent in North America, Europe, Australia and Aotearoa. The same study found three apps – Flo, Clue and Period Tracker – make up the majority of downloads.

    Some period apps can link to and import information from other apps and wearables. For example, Clue can link to and import information from the Oura smart ring and Apple Health, both of which gather personal health metrics. Flo can similarly import information from other health apps.

    A recent analysis of period app privacy policies found they often collect a range of personally identifiable information.

    Personal health data flows to third parties

    Some participants in our research have used an app for a decade or longer. This means the app holds a comprehensive database of years of intimate health data and other personal information, including some which they may not have chosen to provide.

    This data can be used by a range of third parties in commercial, research or other applications, sometimes without app users’ explicit knowledge or consent. One study found many period apps exported more data than was declared in privacy policies, including to third parties.

    Another study reported that apps changed privacy policies without obtaining user consent. Apps can also infer sensitive information not explicitly logged by users by combining data.

    In 2021, Flo reached a settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission on charges over its sharing of user data with marketing and analytics companies without user consent.

    App privacy policies often state that user data may be accessed by law enforcement on request, which is a major concern in places where abortion is illegal. Users may explicitly log the start and end of pregnancies, but pregnancy can also be inferred or predicted using other data. In some cases, period app data may therefore reveal a user’s miscarriage or abortion.

    Making sense of the risk in New Zealand

    Our exploration of user attitudes about the risk of period-tracking apps has revealed that about half of participants were unconcerned about their data. Some imagined positive uses for their data, such as improving the app or contributing to reproductive healthcare research. These potential uses are often highlighted by period-tracking apps in marketing materials.

    Other participants were concerned about their data. Some had risk minimisation strategies, including limiting what information they logged. Concerned participants were often resigned to uncontrolled uses of their data.

    One said:

    [there’s] no such thing as private data these days.

    Another thought that:

    everyone that does anything online […] is kind of accepting the fact that your data is being potentially accessed and used by third parties. It’s just kind of where it is now.

    About a third of participants in our study contextualised their concerns with respect to reproductive rights and abortion access, especially since the 2022 overturn of Roe v Wade in the US.

    Others wondered if what happened in the US could happen in New Zealand. One participant referenced concepts such as rangatiratanga and mana motuhake (self determination) when thinking about period app data. She said:

    I worry about the politics that happen overseas coming here to Aotearoa […] knowing that I don’t have full control or rangatiratanga over the data I provide .  I worry for all users about what this information can be used for in future, as much as we like to say ‘this is New Zealand, that would never happen here’, we have no idea.

    With gender and reproductive rights at risk around the world, such concerns are reasonable and justified.

    Study participants used period-tracking apps for diverse reasons, including to plan for periods, to track pain and communicate it to doctors, to help get pregnant, and to learn about their bodies. Some participants told us that using period apps was empowering. Some perceived period apps as risky, with limits to how they can mitigate the risk.

    Menstruators shouldn’t have to trade data privacy and security in order to access the benefits of period-tracking apps. Legislators and policy makers should understand the benefits and risks and ensure strong data protections are in place.

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

    – ref. Popular period-tracking apps can hold years of personal data – new NZ research finds mixed awareness of risk – https://theconversation.com/popular-period-tracking-apps-can-hold-years-of-personal-data-new-nz-research-finds-mixed-awareness-of-risk-258920

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing to discuss the Department of Defense’s (DOD) budget for Fiscal Year 2026. During the hearing, Senator Tuberville and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed utilizing AI for military modernization and improving standards for military personnel. Additionally, Senator Tuberville and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General J. Daniel Caine, discussed the future of war fighting.

    Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON LIBERATING LOS ANGELES AND MILITARY PERSONNEL QUALITY OF LIFE

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for being here today. Mr. Secretary, thanks for looking out for the law enforcement and the millions of people in California that still love this country and want this country to survive and not the radicals that wave non-American flags, that protest in the streets, tear things down. It is ridiculous and thank you for doing what you’re doing, you and President Trump. It’s getting out of hand.”

    [I’m] chairman of the [Senate Armed Services] Personnel [sub]committee. Thanks for your recruiting. You’re doing great. Keep looking out after the quality of life [of our troops]. Please do that. We’ve done research after research. We did give a raise. We wanna continue to give raises. These first-year staffers in this building make tens of thousands [of] dollars more than first-year military personnel. That’s not right. We need to change that. It’s an all-volunteer army and thank you for working towards that.” 

    ON MILITARY STANDARDS

    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Secretary, your opening remarks mentioned the force-wide review of military standards. What’s the status of that review?”

    HEGSETH: “It is ongoing and very close to fruition. We’ve reviewed standards, specifically on Combat MOSs first to ensure that we haven’t seen a reduction in pursuit of quotas or any other agendas. So, standards are being moved back to where they were at their highest level, gender neutral. And then we’re looking at overall fitness standards, overall grooming standards, overall basic standards across our formations that we believe have slipped certainly under the previous administration, but over decades. But we’re being very careful about it too. We don’t wanna make big changes that are wide-sweeping that have unintended consequences. So, we’re looking service by service, but also trying to simplify and clarify as much as possible. High standards, clear standards that set us apart.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thanks for your help on putting me on the Air Force Board of Visitors […] and I look forward to going out soon, it is very important. We understand we do have problems in the Air Force Academy, and we’re going to get those straightened out, one way or another. So, thanks for you and President Trump for putting me on the board of visitors.”

    ON THE FUTURE OF WARFIGHTING

    TUBERVILLE: “General Caine, over the last few years, we’ve seen major efforts to refocus our services for future fights, Marine Corps force design, and the Army’s Transformation Initiative—[these] are major changes to the Joint Force. Can you describe the Joint Staff’s level of involvement in these efforts?”

    CAINE: “Sure. Thanks for the question. As the services carefully consider what they need to look like, one of my primary jobs is a global integrator. And so, I look at all of these capabilities as well as capacities. And then through a series of formal products that we deliver to the secretary have a chance to give the secretary my views on this. I appreciate the leadership of both of those services, all of the services, and the combatant commanders to identify what the fight of the future looks like and what the force mix of the future needs to look like. So, we’re deeply involved in all that.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”

    ON MILITARY SERVICE AND SPORTS

    TUBERVILLE: “This is right up my alley here. One important aspect of recruiting is how our services are represented in elite sports. We have made progress here, but we still have to work and work some things out. But West Point this year had a young man that was drafted to play baseball. In the past time when President Trump was in [office], he allowed them to go, do their thing, and [play] baseball, then come back and fulfill their service, but we are disallowing a young man at West Point to go to Major League Baseball. Could you look into that Mr. Secretary?”

    HEGSETH: “Coach, we will review that. Yes.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing to discuss the Department of Defense’s (DOD) budget for Fiscal Year 2026. During the hearing, Senator Tuberville and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed utilizing AI for military modernization and improving standards for military personnel. Additionally, Senator Tuberville and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General J. Daniel Caine, discussed the future of war fighting.

    Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON LIBERATING LOS ANGELES AND MILITARY PERSONNEL QUALITY OF LIFE

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for being here today. Mr. Secretary, thanks for looking out for the law enforcement and the millions of people in California that still love this country and want this country to survive and not the radicals that wave non-American flags, that protest in the streets, tear things down. It is ridiculous and thank you for doing what you’re doing, you and President Trump. It’s getting out of hand.”

    [I’m] chairman of the [Senate Armed Services] Personnel [sub]committee. Thanks for your recruiting. You’re doing great. Keep looking out after the quality of life [of our troops]. Please do that. We’ve done research after research. We did give a raise. We wanna continue to give raises. These first-year staffers in this building make tens of thousands [of] dollars more than first-year military personnel. That’s not right. We need to change that. It’s an all-volunteer army and thank you for working towards that.” 

    ON MILITARY STANDARDS

    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Secretary, your opening remarks mentioned the force-wide review of military standards. What’s the status of that review?”

    HEGSETH: “It is ongoing and very close to fruition. We’ve reviewed standards, specifically on Combat MOSs first to ensure that we haven’t seen a reduction in pursuit of quotas or any other agendas. So, standards are being moved back to where they were at their highest level, gender neutral. And then we’re looking at overall fitness standards, overall grooming standards, overall basic standards across our formations that we believe have slipped certainly under the previous administration, but over decades. But we’re being very careful about it too. We don’t wanna make big changes that are wide-sweeping that have unintended consequences. So, we’re looking service by service, but also trying to simplify and clarify as much as possible. High standards, clear standards that set us apart.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thanks for your help on putting me on the Air Force Board of Visitors […] and I look forward to going out soon, it is very important. We understand we do have problems in the Air Force Academy, and we’re going to get those straightened out, one way or another. So, thanks for you and President Trump for putting me on the board of visitors.”

    ON THE FUTURE OF WARFIGHTING

    TUBERVILLE: “General Caine, over the last few years, we’ve seen major efforts to refocus our services for future fights, Marine Corps force design, and the Army’s Transformation Initiative—[these] are major changes to the Joint Force. Can you describe the Joint Staff’s level of involvement in these efforts?”

    CAINE: “Sure. Thanks for the question. As the services carefully consider what they need to look like, one of my primary jobs is a global integrator. And so, I look at all of these capabilities as well as capacities. And then through a series of formal products that we deliver to the secretary have a chance to give the secretary my views on this. I appreciate the leadership of both of those services, all of the services, and the combatant commanders to identify what the fight of the future looks like and what the force mix of the future needs to look like. So, we’re deeply involved in all that.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”

    ON MILITARY SERVICE AND SPORTS

    TUBERVILLE: “This is right up my alley here. One important aspect of recruiting is how our services are represented in elite sports. We have made progress here, but we still have to work and work some things out. But West Point this year had a young man that was drafted to play baseball. In the past time when President Trump was in [office], he allowed them to go, do their thing, and [play] baseball, then come back and fulfill their service, but we are disallowing a young man at West Point to go to Major League Baseball. Could you look into that Mr. Secretary?”

    HEGSETH: “Coach, we will review that. Yes.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Riccarton death not suspicious

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police can now advise that the death of a woman in Leslie Hills Drive, Riccarton yesterday was not suspicious.

    The woman was located critically injured in a car park, likely as a result of a medical event, and tragically died while being transported to hospital.

    A scene guard that was in place in the car park has been stood down and the woman’s death will be referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Senator Peters Advocates for Continued Funding for Freight & Passenger Rail Projects Across Michigan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – During a hearing in the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) advocated for continued investments to upgrade railroad infrastructure in Michigan. During the hearing, Peters highlighted the success of the bipartisan infrastructure law, which has invested more than $140 million to improve freight operations and passenger service across Michigan.  

    “No state better exemplifies the reality of, and the opportunities for, passenger and freight rail than my home state of Michigan… As the home of the auto industry, and the heart of American manufacturing, Michigan’s freight rail network delivers cars, agricultural products, construction materials, and everyday goods all over our state as well as across international borders,” said Senator Peters, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety.  

    “Michigan is also leading the way when it comes to passenger rail. The Michigan Department of Transportation has effectively taken advantage of resources that Congress provided to improve passenger rail service,” Peters continued. “This includes efforts to restore Amtrak service to the historic Michigan Central station in downtown Detroit and to expand that service across the Canadian border into Windsor in the coming years, a project that I’m going to continue to fight for.” 

    Peters advocated for numerous federal programs that have supported rail projects in Michigan, including the Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program, which is being used for the expansion of accessible and affordable rail transportation service between key urban and rural communities across the state. 

    “This funding has specifically allowed Michigan to conduct the analysis and the planning that they need to support future expansion of passenger rail on all three of our Amtrak lines, the Wolverine, the Blue Water, and the Pier Marquette,” Peters added. 

    To ensure these ongoing projects continue moving forward, Peters made it clear that more must be done to keep these programs on solid financial footing into the future.  

    “Michigan is certainly not alone. Communities across the country have benefited from increased resources to strengthen their rail infrastructure, but this work is far from over,” Peters said. “Programs like the Corridor ID and Railroad Crossing Elimination Grants can only reach their full potential if we follow up with continued investment to ensure projects that are already underway are not abandoned midway.” 

    In response, Ian Jefferies, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of American Railroads agreed with Peters, saying, “My concern, if you let those programs be dormant or stagnate, is that there’s going to be a lot of missed opportunities to partner with public agencies throughout the entire country… to do projects that otherwise may not get done. That will have real benefits to cities and towns across the U.S., and the movement of freight, goods, and people.”  

    To watch video of Senator Peters’ opening remarks and question at the hearing, click here.

    Peters has consistently advocated for investments in our rail infrastructure made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law, including a $119 million investment to support five major commercial and passenger rail improvement projects across Michigan. In 2023, Peters helped announce $20 million in federal funding to replace the Manistee River Bridge in Manton to increase weight capacity and improve rail crossing safety. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Senator Peters Releases Statement Ahead of Juneteenth National Independence Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following video statement to honor Juneteenth National Independence Day, which commemorates the day the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom.

    “On Juneteenth National Independence Day, we commemorate the closing of one of our nation’s darkest and most painful chapters, and recommit ourselves to addressing the systemic inequalities and racial disparities that persist in our society,” said Senator Peters. “Together, we can create a better, more inclusive future, one where we tackle disparities in healthcare, education, job opportunities, and housing. And one where we protect the bedrock of our democracy: the fundamental right to vote.”

    Click here for video of his remarks and see below the text as delivered:

    “On June 19th, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform over two hundred thousand of the last enslaved African Americans that they were free. This came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.  

    “On Juneteenth National Independence Day, we commemorate the closing of one of our nation’s darkest and most painful chapters, and recommit ourselves to addressing the systemic inequalities and racial disparities that persist in our society.? 

    “We’ve made significant progress toward creating a more just and equal society, but at the same time, we know there is still much more work to do to ensure every American has the same opportunities to succeed. No matter the challenges we face, the fight for fairness and equality must continue. 

    “Together, we can create a better, more inclusive future, one where we tackle disparities in healthcare, education, job opportunities and housing. And one where we protect the bedrock of our democracy: the fundamental right to vote.  

    “As we celebrate this holiday, let us remember the obligation we all share to the pursuit of justice, equality, and opportunity for all Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Senator Peters Releases Statement Ahead of Juneteenth National Independence Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following video statement to honor Juneteenth National Independence Day, which commemorates the day the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom.

    “On Juneteenth National Independence Day, we commemorate the closing of one of our nation’s darkest and most painful chapters, and recommit ourselves to addressing the systemic inequalities and racial disparities that persist in our society,” said Senator Peters. “Together, we can create a better, more inclusive future, one where we tackle disparities in healthcare, education, job opportunities, and housing. And one where we protect the bedrock of our democracy: the fundamental right to vote.”

    Click here for video of his remarks and see below the text as delivered:

    “On June 19th, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform over two hundred thousand of the last enslaved African Americans that they were free. This came more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.  

    “On Juneteenth National Independence Day, we commemorate the closing of one of our nation’s darkest and most painful chapters, and recommit ourselves to addressing the systemic inequalities and racial disparities that persist in our society.? 

    “We’ve made significant progress toward creating a more just and equal society, but at the same time, we know there is still much more work to do to ensure every American has the same opportunities to succeed. No matter the challenges we face, the fight for fairness and equality must continue. 

    “Together, we can create a better, more inclusive future, one where we tackle disparities in healthcare, education, job opportunities and housing. And one where we protect the bedrock of our democracy: the fundamental right to vote.  

    “As we celebrate this holiday, let us remember the obligation we all share to the pursuit of justice, equality, and opportunity for all Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing on the FY26 Defense Budget with Senior Pentagon Leadership

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    Watch Video Here

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a hearing to receive testimony from the Pentagon’s senior leaders on the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget.

     

    In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker praised President Trump’s “peace through strength” leadership and Secretary Hegseth’s achievements in implementing that agenda at the Pentagon. The chairman also noted that maintaining the national defense budget at $893 billion, even with an additive $150 billion from defense reconciliation, would result in United States military spending falling far below 3 percent of GDP by 2029.

     

    Read Chairman Wicker’s hearing opening statement as delivered.

     

    The committee convenes this morning to hear testimony concerning the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request. I welcome Secretary Hegseth, Chairman Caine, and Acting Comptroller MacDonnell.

     

    As we review the past five months, the president and the Department of Defense have much to be proud of. The administration has largely succeeded in refocusing the Pentagon on warfighting.  Our recruitment numbers have dramatically improved.  That is a very important achievement and one we will continue to celebrate.

     

    The U.S. military has played a significant supporting role in the president’s wholesale success at our southern border.  He has achieved operational control over the situation – a position the vast majority of Americans support.

     

    In Operation Rough Rider, the president imposed costs on the Houthis.  The operation was well executed by our service members, and it appears to have achieved its stated objectives for now.  Similarly, the president has relentlessly struck al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorists.  Those strikes have helped to open up space for diplomatic breakthroughs in Syria, and they have prevented significant external attacks that could have emanated from Somalia.

     

    Unfortunately, the Axis of Aggressors is resilient.  It is hell-bent on challenging American global leadership.

     

    It is clearer than ever that Vladimir Putin is uninterested in President Trump’s and President Zelenskyy’s offers for real peace negotiations.  The Europeans are heeding the president’s call to re-arm, but we are in a tenuous period: A precipitate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Europe could undo all that progress.

     

    In Asia, the Chinese Communist Party continues its campaign of aggression against its neighbors and still displays open ambitions to retake Taiwan.  Secretary Hegseth recently made this crucial point in an important speech in Shangri-La. He said, “China seeks to become a hegemonic power in Asia.”  He is right.  China intends to use military force to achieve Xi Jinping’s goals.

     

    Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the Ayatollah is hiding as his regime crumbles.  He still refusing to negotiate.

     

    In short, this is the most dangerous national security moment since World War II.  Unconstrained, aggressive dictators are on the move.  And, importantly, the character of warfare is rapidly changing.  That is a dangerous combination. We cannot have an American-led Golden Age of peace and prosperity if we fail to navigate these historic security challenges.

     

    President Trump is actively working to protect American interests against four main adversaries: Xi Jinping and his Chinese Communist Party, Vladimir Putin’s militarized Russia, Kim Jong Un’s North Korea, and the Ayatollah’s religious fanatics, including his web of terrorists. Our commander-in-chief deserves a military capable of maintaining deterrence and applying force when necessary to protect U.S. interests – as he has done in Yemen.  I regret to say that this fiscal year 2026 budget request will not deliver that military.

     

    When Secretary Hegseth testified before this committee in his confirmation hearing, he made the correct point that spending less than 3 percent of GDP on defense would be, and I quote, “very dangerous.” What we have in front of us is an inadequate budget request with precious little detail and no follow-on data about fiscal years 2027, 2028, or 2029. We must assume – and, in fact, we have heard – that OMB intends to maintain defense spending at $893 billion across the four years of this administration.  Even with a one-time $150 billion reconciliation infusion, this would leave us at 2.65 percent of GDP by 2029 – below the 3% of GDP, and well below the 5% of GDP that we really really need. Clearly, such a budget plan would allow the military balance to continue – as it has been, to tilt away from the United States and toward Communist China. Communist China has increased its budget by over 7% each year for the past decade.

     

    I know the secretary fought for a stronger fiscal year 2026 discretionary request, but we need to acknowledge that a flat fiscal year 2026 budget is what OMB delivered.  I expect we will spend today reviewing the numerous significant holes in this request – gaps that will make it much more difficult for President Trump to equip our service members and for his advisors to develop credible military options.

     

    Across the budget, we see significant holes: shipbuilding, tactical fighters, basic maintenance money, and more – all insufficient.  The budget seems to be written as if there are many items in the reconciliation package that simply are not in that bill.  This is confusing, because the text of the reconciliation bill has been public for quite some time. Chairman Rogers, of the House, and I worked closely with the executive branch on the contents of the package.  This budget threatens to undermine the good work we have done together on that bill, and it leads me to question whether some officials in the administration plan to ignore congressional intent.

     

    I believe ignoring congressional intent would be a wrong-headed decision for the United States of America. We all work for the American people and share largely identical goals when it comes to deterring Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and other threats.  We need to work much more closely together on investment strategies and actions necessary to rebuild our industrial base.  The president and the Congress want action on reindustrialization.  We want to rebuild the Arsenal of Democracy.  We need action on industrial base integration, streamlined weapons sales, and cooperation with our allies and partners.  We agree on fundamentally changing the way the DOD budgets and handles acquisition.  Now, we need to agree on providing the men and women of the Department of Defense with the resources they need to do their jobs. We have no time to waste, and we must commit to continued collaboration now.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Highlights Tax Priorities in Senate’s One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today released the following statement on his tax priorities included in the Senate Finance Committee’s legislative text for the Senate’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:  

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Congress to bend the spending curve, make key provisions of the Trump Tax Cuts permanent, and improve the lives of hardworking Texas families,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Under Chairman Crapo’s leadership, the Senate Finance Committee has worked around the clock to release this landmark legislation, marking an important step forward in our mission to deliver on President Trump’s mandate.”

    The Senate Finance Committee’s legislative text for the Senate’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act contains the following provisions championed by Sen. Cornyn, a senior member of the committee:

    • Includes his Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act, which would prohibit federal funding from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from going towards gender transition procedures at any age;
    • Includes a modified version of his Small Business Investment Act, which would make it easier for small and start-up businesses to access the financing they need to grow and succeed;
    • Cuts burdensome taxes and regulations of certain firearms and silencers;
    • Prevents a more-than $3,000 tax hike on the average Texas family;
    • Protects 547,000 Texas jobs from being lost;
    • Ensures more than 3.7 million Texas households’ child tax credit is not cut in half;
    • Shields more than two million Texas small business owners from a massive tax hike;
    • Makes sure more than 12 million Texas families’ standard deduction is not cut in half;
    • Establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults who are choosing not to work and do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care;
    • And ensures no taxes on tips or overtime for millions of tipped and hourly workers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Previews Judiciary Hearing on Biden Cognitive Decline Cover-Up

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) previewed the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing he will co-chair tomorrow alongside Sen. Schmitt (R-MO) to investigate who was running the country during President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline while in office, the alleged cover-up by the mainstream media, the Biden family, and his inner circle, and the resulting constitutional questions. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

    “Tomorrow, I’ll be co-chairing, along with my colleague from Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt in the Senate Judiciary Committee, a hearing to delve into the constitutional implications of President Biden’s cognitive decline while in office.”

    “At that hearing, we’ll begin to address some of the many unanswered questions from this scandal, questions that are foundational to the functioning of our form of government.”

    “One of the aims of the hearing will be shining a light on what exactly went on at the White House during the Biden administration.”

    “From the Biden border crisis to the disastrous results from the withdrawal in Afghanistan, the American people were the ones who paid the price.”

    “And it’s now clear that for many months – no one knows exactly how long – the President was simply not up to the task.”

    “Whoever happened to be making those decisions and carrying out the duties of the Office of President was not somebody who was authorized by the Constitution or by a vote of the American people.”

    “The hearing we’ll hold tomorrow in the Judiciary Committee will examine in depth these constitutional questions and what happens when the President is no longer capable of performing the duties of his office.”

     “Who… is accountable when the cabinet fails to do its duty, when the Vice President fails to do her duty under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment? Are there penalties for failing to act?”

    “Why was the 25th Amendment not invoked, and what factors do we need to look at that may have played a role in congressional inaction?”

    “Most importantly, as part of our legislative responsibilities, should Congress consider amending the 25th Amendment further to further clarify responsibilities and protocols in case this disaster befalls our nation again?”

    “Those in authority derive their power from the consent of the governed, but during much of the last four years, we know that our country was largely led by unelected staff whose names are unknown by the American people.”

    “I look forward to tomorrow’s hearing examining these hard but existentially important questions that must be answered from this monumental scandal.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Delivers Opening Statement at Biden Health Cover-Up Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today delivered the following opening remarks during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing he co-chaired, “Unfit to Serve: How the Biden Cover-Up Endangered America and Undermined the Constitution.” Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.

    “Last June, the American public saw with their own eyes what many knew to be true but would not dare to admit publicly – our sitting Commander-in-Chief was suffering from severe cognitive decline.”

    “As we now know, there was a conspiracy to hide the President’s true condition by his family, by his staff, by the media, and many elected officials.”

    “This was a constitutional crisis bigger than President Biden, bigger than any single election, and one that cannot be absolved by the collective apology of the press and an election where the President’s party lost.”

    “We need to know who was in charge during the last months of the Biden administration. Was it his wife, his chief of staff, nameless others? None of these people were elected by the American people, nor were they authorized by the Constitution and laws of the United States to carry out the duties of the President of the United States.”

    “The 25th Amendment provides a roadmap for succession in instances of presidential incapacity. Section 4 gives the Vice President and a majority of the President’s Cabinet the authority to challenge the President’s ability to carry out the functions of his office, subject to a vote in Congress.”

     “But in this instance, the Vice President and the cabinet – the very ones authorized by the 25th Amendment to question the President’s capacity – they did nothing.”

    “Biden’s cabinet and the Vice President did not act in good faith. They acted in their political and personal self-interest.”

    “As a government, it is imperative that we have clear contingency plans when emergency strikes, and yes, it is an emergency when we have a sitting president who is unable to discharge the duties of that office.”

    “I will note that few of my Democratic colleagues are here today – thank you to Senator Welch from Vermont for being here – leaving us with no other option than to take the boycotting of this hearing as an admission of guilt for their role in this crisis.” 

    “It is not an overstatement to say that the future of our country could one day hinge on how we choose to act or not act on this very issue.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock, Marshall, Gallego Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Fatherhood Engagement, Improve Maternal Health Outcomes 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock, Marshall, Gallego Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Fatherhood Engagement, Improve Maternal Health Outcomes 

    The Dads Matter Act of 2025 aims to improve maternal health outcomes through promoting fatherhood engagement
    Senator Reverend Warnock has worked to combat maternal mortality, promote healthy families
    Georgia has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the country
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Georgia’s maternal mortality rate is a crisis that we must address with every tool at our disposal. That includes redoubling our efforts to uplift the role of fathers in keeping their family healthy during pregnancy and early childhood”
    Senator Marshall: “Fathers play such a critical role in their households, and I am proud to support legislation that champions their role as providers, spouses, and caregivers”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve maternal health outcomes by promoting fatherhood engagement. The Dads Matter Act of 2025 would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to raise awareness about father inclusion and engagement through a public awareness campaign and to provide state-level guidance aimed at strengthening the role of fathers in supporting healthy mothers and babies. Last Congress, Senator Warnock introduced a resolution to uplift fathers and their role in maternal health. TheDads Matter Act, co-led by Senator Marshall, builds on the resolution that passed the Senate and would direct HHS to raise awareness about father inclusion and engagement through a public awareness campaign and guidance to states. 

    “Georgia’s maternal mortality rate is a crisis that we must address with every tool at our disposal. That includes redoubling our efforts to uplift the role of fathers in keeping their family healthy during pregnancy and early childhood,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Now is the time to spread awareness about the critical role of fathers in improving maternal health outcomes and creating thriving families and communities.” 

    “As an OBGYN for more than 25 years, I know firsthand the challenges facing mothers, and how important a stable support system can be to both pediatric and maternal health outcomes,” said Senator Marshall. “Fathers play such a critical role in their households, and I am proud to support legislation that champions their role as providers, spouses, and caregivers.”

    “Too many women in Arizona die from pregnancy-related causes. This bill helps reverse this trend by recognizing that engaged fathers are part of the solution. When dads show up, maternal health outcomes are better, babies are healthier, and families are stronger,” said Senator Gallego.

    The Dads Matter Act of 2025 would: 

    • Direct HHS to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase awareness of the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving overall health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. 
    • Direct HHS to issue guidance to states to encourage and incentivize maternity care providers to provide training and education to health care professionals about the benefits of including and engaging fathers in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum process. 
    • Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report to Congress that describes the results and effectiveness of this legislation. 

    Organizations supporting the legislation include March of Dimes, the National Fatherhood Initiative, the What to Expect Project, and 4Kira4Moms. 

    “National Fatherhood Initiative® applauds Senators Warnock and Marshall for reintroducing bipartisan legislation that has the potential for long-term impact on our nation’s well-being. This bill leverages a golden moment by focusing on increasing father engagement during the perinatal period when parents are most highly motivated for the father’s involvement in his child’s life,” said Christopher A. Brown, president, National Fatherhood Initiative®. “Research shows that maternal and child health outcomes are enhanced when the father becomes engaged during and after the child’s birth. It also increases the chance that the father stays involved for the long haul. There’s no more cost-effective time to invest in the well-being of whole families.”

    “The science and research are clear: Not only are fathers biologically hard wired to be nurturers, but they’re the best and most effective champions of maternal and infant health. When dads are involved in pregnancy, postpartum and infant care, the risks from nearly all preventable and treatable complications – from preeclampsia to preterm birth to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to sudden infant death are reduced. Breastfeeding rates soar, as does a baby’s development, future mental and behavioral health, success in school, and so much more. Yet for too long, we’ve sidelined fathers – in some communities, even seen them as part of the problem, not the solution they are. Excluded them from the conversation about our current maternal health crisis and from legislation intended to reverse it. That’s why the What to Expect Project and I are proud to support the Dads Matter Act, the first bill to address the measurable impact fathers have on maternal and infant health, safety, and wellbeing – and to improve awareness among health care providers and communities about the need to involve them. Because dads do matter. We’re grateful for the passionate leadership and tireless efforts and commitment from Senator Warnock, Senator Marshall, and Senator Gallego on behalf of all moms and dads,” said Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting and Founder of the What to Expect Project

    “We’re incredibly grateful to Senator Warnock, Senator Marshall, and Senator Gallego for their leadership on the Dads Matter Act. This critical legislation highlights the power of bipartisan collaboration in improving maternal health outcomes for all families. We believe that by empowering fathers, we can not only make our country safer for mothers and babies, but we can also strengthen our families,” said Charles Johnson, Founder & Board President, 4Kira4Moms

    “The Dads Matter Actis an important piece of federal maternal health legislation that brings awareness to the fact that maternal health is a fundamental human right not just a woman’s right. The Dads Matter Act will help enable education and training of fathers to be in service of mothers during their pregnancy journeys as a family! We are excited to help see this piece of legislation pass,” said Gabrielle Albert, Executive Director & Board Vice President & Secretary, 4Kira4Moms

    Senator Warnock has long championed legislation to combat maternal mortality and improve health outcomes for hardworking families. In 2022, Senator Warnock partnered with then-Senator Marco Rubio to pass the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act, which provides federal funding to reduce maternal mortality and improve implicit bias training for providers to prevent maternal death. Senator Warnock also partnered with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) to introduce the Kira Johnson Act, legislation to provide funding to community-based organizations leading the charge to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women. Additionally, in 2023, Senator Warnock introduced a bipartisan bill with U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to support efforts to collect and analyze maternal health data to prevent maternal deaths; the bipartisan Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act would reauthorize programs to preserve maternal health throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, and would address disparities in maternal health outcomes through data collection, analysis, and strategies for prevention. In 2023, Senator Warnock also traveled to North Georgia to hear from health care providers and Georgians at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville about the state’s maternal mortality crisis and why Congress must act to invest in better health care outcomes for women in Georgia and across the country. In 2024, Senator Warnock introduced a resolution designating January 23 as Maternal Health Awareness Day in order to raise public awareness about maternal health and promote initiatives to address and eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Representatives Will Remain Available in Kahului and Lahaina

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the availability of SBA  Recovery Centers on Maui to assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents affected by wildfires occurring Aug. 9-Sept. 30, 2023.

    FEMA has announced an end to in-person staffing at the two public-facing recovery centers on June 18. SBA customer service representatives will remain on hand at the Recovery Centers in Kahului and Lahaina to answer questions and assist with the disaster loan application process. No appointment is necessary, walk-ins are welcome. Those who prefer to schedule an in-person appointment in advance can do so at appointment.sba.gov.

    The following locations are open and continue to serve survivors:

    MAUI COUNTY
    Council for Native Hawaiian
     Advancement (CNHA)
    70 E. Kaahumanu Ave., Unit D-1
    Kahului, HI  96732

    Mondays – Fridays, 
    9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    MAUI COUNTY
    Maui Office of Recovery West
    Lahaina Gateway, Unit 102-B
    (Near Ace Hardware)
    325 Keawe St.
    Lahaina, HI  96761

    Mondays –Fridays, 
    8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    “SBA’s Business Recovery Centers have consistently proven their value to business owners following a disaster,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “Business owners can visit these centers to meet face‑to‑face with specialists who will guide them through the disaster loan application process and connect them with resources to support their recovery.”

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to these disasters. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    SBA representatives will also provide help to business owners and residents at disaster recovery centers when they opened in the impacted area.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 2.37% for nonprofits, and 2.50% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash at Munno Para Downs

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police and emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Munno Para Downs.

    Just after 9am Thursday 19 June police were called to Coventry Road with the intersection of Dalkeith Road after reports of a two-vehicle crash.

    Coventry Road is closed with Dalkeith Road.

    Please avoid the area.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Han, Zhang star as China top Japan in Asia Cup warm-ups

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

    Chinese centers Han Xu and Zhang Ziyu finished double-doubles respectively, helping China win over Japan 101-92 at the Asia Cup warm-up series on Wednesday.

    Han scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Zhang had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and guard Yang Shuyu got 17 points. Japan’s Mai Kawai led her team with 13 points.

    In 2024, China suffered two defeats consecutively in the warm-ups against Japan in Xi’an. Before today’s clash, Chinese player Li Yuan told Xinhua that although Japan missed some of its best players, “we would prepare carefully for the game.”

    China took a 26-25 lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Zhang Ziyu bagged 10 points, bringing the home team a 49-44 lead before the half break.

    In the middle of the third quarter, China enjoyed a 10-4 run, extending the lead to 14 points. Japan netted five three-pointers, cutting the deficit to 10 before the final period.

    Although Japan narrowed the gap to seven points in the fourth quarter, China regained control with a 9-2 run.

    “Japan is actually a team with very prominent characteristics. They move fast and they are good at shooting beyond the arc,” said China head coach Gong Luming.

    “We showed our advantages in height and strength. What’s more, all the players had good performances in offense.”

    “However, we didn’t deal with Japanese three-pointer shooters well. We will do some adjustments in the next game,” added Gong.

    The two teams will meet again this Friday in Hefei, the capital of eastern China’s Anhui Province.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: State Highway 7, Stillwater closed following crash

    Source: New Zealand Police

    State Highway 7, Stillwater is currently closed at the intersection with Taylorville Road following a crash.

    Just after 12pm, Police were notified that a vehicle had collided with a stationary vehicle.

    One person has sustained minor injuries.

    Diversions are in place and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Man dies after Edmund Road crash

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Attributable to Detective Sergeant Phil Wilkinson

    Rotorua Police can confirm the man who was found critically injured following a crash on Edmund Road has died in hospital.

    The man was found critically injured after having been struck by a motorcycle when crossing a designated pedestrian crossing.

    Emergency services were called to the crash on Sunday 15 June at around 2.15pm, where the man was located and transported to hospital.

    Sadly, as a result of the injuries received in the incident the 24-year-old man died in hospital yesterday surrounded by family.

    Police and Victim Support are providing support to his family at this difficult time.

    We are still working to determine the circumstances of the crash, and the events leading up to it.

    Investigators are continuing to comb through evidence and information provided by the public, and urge anyone with information who has not yet contacted us to please do so.

    A number of people were in the area and witnessed the crash, and we would like to speak with them and obtain any video and still images people may have of the incident.

    Today, Police are releasing four additional images of the motorcycle and its rider, in the hope that members of the community will recognise them and contact Police.

    The motorbike is believed to have been damaged in the crash, with damage to the front fairing. Family, friends, neighbours will notice a difference in the motorbike with either damage, changes to the bike or a motorbike that had previously been ridden in the street is now not being seen in the neighbourhood.

    If you are the rider or know who the rider is, please get in touch with us – do the right thing. The events of this incident will be weighing heavily on the rider’s mind. It is important that they come forward and speak to us.

    Police are thankful for the positive response from the community and the information that has been provided so far.

    As the man’s family are dealing with the death of their loved one, we ask that any information is sent to Police to ensure the family can grieve in private.

    You can provide information online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

    Please use the reference number 250615/1168.

    You can also provide information through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons statement on United States v. Skrmetti

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Skrmetti, which upheld the State of Tennessee’s ban on youth gender-affirming care: 

    “Today, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee state statute banning minors from accessing the gender-affirming hormone therapy that they, their parents, and their doctors all agree they need. These kids and their parents should have the same rights as anyone else – to make their own informed medical decisions and be treated equally under the law. Trans youth are some of the most vulnerable people in our country, more likely to commit suicide, to be depressed, to be bullied. Like all children, they deserve to live, to find a purpose, and to pursue happiness.

    “This comes as the Trump administration attacks trans Americans through executive orders, and Republicans in Congress try to use their tax bill to make changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act that will make it harder for vulnerable Americans to access healthcare. I’m proud to come from a state that trusts doctors and patients more than politicians and the government to make their own decisions about what’s best for their families.” 

    Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New scanner could improve brain tumour treatment Scientists at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian have been awarded £350,000 of Scottish Government funding to investigate a new way to scan brain tumours.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    FCI scanner

    Scientists at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian have been awarded £350,000 of Scottish Government funding to investigate a new way to scan brain tumours.
    Funded by a Chief Scientist Office Translational Clinical Studies grant, the team will use Aberdeen-designed, Field Cycling Imaging (FCI) to generate never-before seen images of glioblastoma brain tumours.
    Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumour with over 3,000 new patients in the UK diagnosed each year. Half of all patients die within 15 months of diagnosis even after extensive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
    Field cycling imaging (FCI) is a new and specialist type of low-field MRI scan pioneered in Aberdeen. The FCI scanner follows in the footsteps of the full body MRI scanner, also invented at the University around 50 years ago which has gone on to save millions of lives around the world. The FCI derives from MRI but can work at low and ultra-low magnetic fields which means it is capable of seeing how organs are affected by diseases in ways that were previously not possible.
    While similar to MRI, in that MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body, the FCI scanner can vary the strength of the magnetic field during the patient’s scan. This means the FCI acts like multiple scanners in one and can extract more information about the tissues.
    A further benefit of this new technology is that it can detect tumours without having to inject dye into the body, known as contrast agents, which have been associated with kidney damage and allergic reactions in some patients.
    The Aberdeen scanner is the only one of its type used in patients anywhere in the world.
    The team of doctors and scientists involved in this project will scan glioblastoma patients undergoing chemotherapy after surgery and chemoradiotherapy.
    They hope to show that, unlike conventional MRI scans, FCI can tell the difference between tumour growth, known as progression, and ‘pseudo-progression’ which looks like tumour but is not cancerous tissue.

    Ultimately this study and related future work will improve quality, effectiveness and healthcare cost-effectiveness in the treatment of glioblastoma patients across Scotland and beyond.” Professor Anne Kiltie

    If they can distinguish pseudo-progression from true progression this could improve care and quality of life in future patients.
    Professor Anne Kiltie, Friends of ANCHOR Chair in Clinical Oncology at the University of Aberdeen, who is leading the study said: “We already have evidence that FCI is effective in detecting tumours in breast tissue and brain damage in patients following a stroke.
    “Applying this exciting new technology to glioblastoma patients could give us a much more accurate and detailed picture of what is going on in their brain. If we can detect true tumour progression early, we can swap the patient to a potentially more beneficial type of chemotherapy. Also, being able to verify that a patient has pseudo-progression will prevent effective chemotherapy being stopped too early, because it was thought that the tumour has progressed, thus worsening prognosis.
    “Providing certainty will also reduce anxiety for both patients and relatives and improve the quality of life of patients.
    “Importantly, having a reliable method to identify progressive disease will allow development and more precise evaluation of emerging potential treatments. This is of particular importance as patients currently have a limited choice of treatments for combatting their cancer.
    “Ultimately this study and related future work will improve quality, effectiveness and healthcare cost-effectiveness in the treatment of glioblastoma patients across Scotland and beyond.”
    Sarah-Jane Hogg, chief executive at Friends of ANCHOR, added: “This is a really promising development and another example of the pioneering work coming out of the University of Aberdeen.
    “Professor Kiltie’s role at the University is fully funded by Friends of ANCHOR through our Dream Big appeal, and our thanks go to our donors and fundraisers for the part they’ve played in supporting this work.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Matariki weekend forecast mixed for star-gazing across New Zealand

    Source: NIWA

    New Zealanders hoping to see the Matariki stars over the long weekend will have mixed conditions, with the best viewing likely on Friday and Saturday in many areas, according to NIWA’s 2025 Matariki cloud cover forecast.
    With the Matariki star cluster visible on New Zealand’s eastern horizon just before the rising of the sun, NIWA’s forecast for each region covers the pre-dawn period 3am to 6am.
    Eastern regions such as Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, and the lower North Island, along with parts of the upper and eastern South Island, can expect clearer skies for Matariki celebrations, says NIWA meteorologist and forecaster Chris Brandolino.
    “Stargazers can check NIWA’s cloud cover forecast for the best viewing conditions in their region Matariki Viewing Conditions on Vimeo, which is updated at 3:30pm each day for the following morning.”
    2025 Matariki Forecast for the hours between 3:00 am to 6:00 am
    Upper North Island (including Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Coromandel Peninsula)
    • Early Friday morning: Mostly cloudy with showers possible. Showers most likely over Northland and the Coromandel. Temperatures ranging from 11-13° in Whangārei and Auckland, to 7-9°C for the interior Waikato (e.g., Hamilton).
    • Early Saturday morning: Variable cloud cover, i.e., at times partly cloudy, other times mostly cloudy. Threat for scattered showers, mainly for the Auckland and Waikato regions. Best chances for ideal viewing conditions likely over eastern Northland and the Coromandel. Temperatures ranging from 10-12° in Whangārei and Auckland, to 7-9°C for the interior Waikato (e.g., Hamilton),
    East Coast (including Gisborne, Napier, Wairarapa)
    • Early Friday morning: Cloud cover looks to gradual thin in the lead up to sunrise. A few showers possible, especially Tairāwhiti/Gisborne. Temperatures ranging from 6-9°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Partly cloudy, with overall for most, favourable viewing conditions likely. Temperatures ranging from 8-11°C.
    Western North Island (including New Plymouth, Whanganui)
    • Early Friday morning: Cloud will likely have the upper-hand. Threat for a few showers. Temperature between 9-11°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Cloud will likely have the upper-hand. Threat for a few showers. Temperature between 6-8°C.
    Lower North Island (including Wellington)
    • Early Friday morning: Generally ideal viewing conditions with clear to partly cloudy skies. Temperature between 10-11°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Generally ideal viewing conditions with clear to partly cloudy skies. Temperature between 7-9°C.
    Upper South Island (including Nelson, Blenheim)
    • Early Friday morning: Variable cloud cover, so viewing conditions are likely to range. Temperature between 5-7°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Generally ideal viewing conditions with clear to partly cloudy skies. Temperature between 3-5°C.
    Eastern South Island (including Christchurch, Timaru)
    • Early Friday morning: Generally ideal viewing conditions with clear to partly cloudy skies. Temperature from 8-10°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Variable cloud cover, so viewing conditions are likely to range. Temperature from 6-8°C.
    West Coast (including Greymouth, Hokitika)
    • Early Friday morning: Variable cloud cover, so viewing conditions are likely to range. Showers are likely to be around. Breezy, with a temperature around 8-9°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Ideal conditions likely Hokitika/southwards, with more cloud likely farther north. Temperatures around 4-6°C.
    Lakes Region (including Queenstown, Wanaka)
    • Early Friday morning: Cloud is likely to have the upper-hand for most locations. Showers are likely to be around. Breezy with a temperature around 5-6°C.
    • Early Saturday morning: Variable cloud cover, so viewing conditions are likely to range. Temperature around 4-5°C.
    Lower South Island (including Dunedin, Invercargill)
    • Early Friday morning: Cloud is likely to have the upper-hand for Southland areas (e.g., Invercargill/Gore) with showers around. Eastern Otago and Dunedin is more likely to have less cloud and favourable viewing conditions. Breezy, with a temperature between 8-10°C
    • Early Saturday morning: Cloud is likely to have the upper-hand with less than ideal viewing conditions. Threat for a shower or two. Temperature between 8-10°C.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Amnesty International – Urgent need to protect civilians amid unprecedented escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran

    Source: Amnesty International
    As more and more civilians bear the cruel toll of the terrifying military escalation in Iran and Israel since 13 June 2025, and amid threats of further escalation in the conflict, Amnesty International is urging the Israeli and Iranian authorities to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.
    On 16 June, an Iranian government spokesperson reported that Israeli attacks had killed at least 224 people, including 74 women and children, without specifying how many of them were civilians. The health ministry also stated 1,800 people have been injured.
    In Israel, the Israeli Military Home Front reported that Iranian attacks had killed at least 24 people, including women and children, stating that they were all civilians, with nearly 600 injured.
    “As the number of deaths and injuries continue to rise, Amnesty International is urging both parties to comply with their obligations and ensure that civilians in both countries do not further pay the price of reckless military action,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
    “Further escalation of these hostilities risks unleashing devastating and far-reaching consequences for civilians across the region and beyond.
    “Statements by the US and the G7 so far have failed to recognise the catastrophic impact this escalation will have on civilians in both countries.
    “Instead of cheering on one party to the conflict over another as if civilian suffering is a mere sideshow, states must ensure the protection of civilians. Preventing further suffering must be the priority – not the pursuit of military or geopolitical goals.
    “Both Israeli and Iranian authorities have time and again demonstrated their utter disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law, committing grave international crimes with impunity.
    “The world must not allow Israel to use this military escalation to divert attention away from its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, its illegal occupation of the whole Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and its system of apartheid against Palestinians.
    “Likewise, the international community must not ignore the suffering that decades of crimes under international law by the Iranian authorities have inflicted upon people inside Iran, that is now being compounded by relentless bombardment.”
    Under international humanitarian law, all parties must take all feasible precautions to spare civilians and minimize their suffering and casualties. International humanitarian law strictly prohibits attacks directed at civilians and civilian objects, as well as attacks which do not distinguish between military targets and civilians or civilian infrastructure.
    For this reason, weapons that are extremely inaccurate and have large warheads that produce large area effects, such as ballistic missiles, should never be used in areas with large populations of civilians. Attacks on military objectives that are likely to result in disproportionate civilian casualties or destruction of civilian objects are also prohibited.
    In the deadliest incident in Israel, eight people including three children, were killed in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, on 15 June.
    In Iran, at least 12 people including children and a pregnant woman were killed in one attack in Tajrish square in Tehran on 15 June.
    In the shadow of this latest escalation, Israeli authorities continue to forcibly displace and starve Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip as part of their ongoing genocide. They have imposed a full closure on the West Bank, where state-backed settler violence continues to rise, further entrenching Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid system.
    Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have responded to Israel’s latest military attacks by imposing internet restrictions, arresting journalists and dissidents within the country. They have also restricted prisoners’ communication with the outside world, including those in prisons near sites of the bombings. On 16 June, the Iranian authorities executed a man for alleged espionage for Israel, raising concerns about the fate of others on death row for similar charges. The Iranian authorities must release all human rights defenders and others arbitrarily detained and should relocate other prisoners away from locations at risk of being attacked by Israel.
    Sinister and fear-inducing ‘ warnings’
    Over the past three days, Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Defence Israel Katz, and Persian-language spokesperson of the Israeli army Kamal Pinchasi have issued alarming threats and overly broad, ineffective evacuation warnings to millions of civilians in Tehran a major city with a population of around 10 million people, located in Tehran province which is home to around 19 million people. In some cases, warnings were issued in the middle of the night when residents were asleep or did not clarify if they referred to the city or the province of Tehran.
    On 16 June, Israel Katz, Israel’s Minister of Defense threatened on X that “the residents of Tehran will be forced to pay the price” for the actions of the Iranian authorities. Hours later, the Israeli military’s Persian-language spokesperson warned civilians to evacuate Tehran’s District Three – an area of approximately 30 square km and home to over 350,000 people- via a video showing unclear danger zones. The video included a map indicating danger zones for civilians but did not clearly specify targeted locations or areas of blast and fragmentation hazard, leaving residents uncertain about which areas to avoid. Iranian civil society activists later republished the map with cleared boundaries and locations named.
    Prior to the “evacuation” warnings on 16 June, the Israeli army had issued another overly broad warning in Persian, instructing people across the country to “immediately leave areas … [housing] military weapons manufacturing facilities and their support institutions”. The statement sowed panic and confusion among people, as the locations of military facilities are not known to the general public, and no clear guidance was provided on where civilians should or should not go to ensure their safety.
    Evacuation warnings, even if detailed and effective, do not release Israel from its other obligations under international humanitarian law. They must not treat as open-fire zones areas for which they have issued warnings. Millions of people in Tehran cannot leave, either because they have no alternative residences outside the city or due to limited mobility, disability, blocked roads, fuel shortages or other constraints. Israel has an obligation to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to these civilians.
    Early morning Tehran time on 17 June, US President Donald Trump caused further panic with a Truth Social post stating: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the White House amplified the message on X, amid media reports that the United States may join Israel in striking Iran.
    In reaction to the Israeli warnings, Iranian state media reported on 15 June that the Iranian armed forces had issued warnings urging residents of Tel Aviv to evacuate. In a video aired on state media, Reza Sayed, spokesperson of the Communication Center of the General Staff of the Armed Forces stated: “Leave the occupied territories [referring to Israel and the OPT], as they will undoubtedly become uninhabitable for you in the future … Do not allow the criminal regime to use you as human shields. Avoid residing or moving near the aforementioned locations and know that even underground shelters will not provide you with safety.”
    In Israel, these Iranian warnings have not triggered the same level of chaos and mass evacuation, largely due to the presence of the Iron Dome defense system and available shelters. However, there have been cases where civilians, particularly Palestinian citizens of Israel and Bedouin communities, who do not have access to underground shelters, such as the Khatib family in the Palestinian town of Tamra, were killed as a result of an Iranian missile strike. Israeli civil society groups are calling on the government to urgently address the chronic lack of protected space for non-Jewish Israeli citizens
    Parties to armed conflicts are prohibited from issuing threats of violence which are designed to spread terror among the civilian population. They cannot hide behind overly general warnings to claim that they have met their obligations under international law. To constitute effective warnings under international humanitarian law, parties must provide civilians with clear and practical instructions on moving away from military objectives that will be targeted rather than unlawfully calling for the mass exodus of millions – an approach that appears designed more to incite panic and terror among civilians than to ensure their protection.
    Internet shutdowns and media censorship
    In Iran, the authorities have disrupted access to the Internet and instant messaging applications, preventing millions of people caught up in the conflict from accessing essential information and communicating with loved ones both inside and outside the country and thereby exacerbating their suffering.
    “Access to the Internet is essential to protect human rights, especially in times of armed conflict where communications blackouts would prevent people from finding safe routes, accessing life-saving resources, and staying informed. The Iranian authorities must immediately ensure full restoration of internet and communication services in all of Iran,” said Agnès Callamard.
    The Israeli authorities are also using vague security pretexts to target people over social media posts or sharing videos deemed to breach strict censorship rules.
    “Israeli authorities must refrain from using military escalations, as they have done in the past, as a further pretext to crack down on freedom of expression, disproportionately targeting Palestinian citizens of Israel, including through arbitrary detention over unsubstantiated allegations of incitement,” said Agnès Callamard.
    Background
    On 13 June 2025, Israeli authorities launched air and drone strikes against Iranian territory. Shortly afterwards, Israeli officials announced that they launched the operation to target Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and decapitate Iran’s military leadership. The Israeli strikes began as Iran and the US were in the process of negotiating a new deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
    Iranian authorities have retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and drones against Israeli territory.
    Israeli attacks have struck cities in multiple provinces across Iran, including the provinces of Alborz, East Azerbaijan, Esfahan, Fars, Kermanshah, Hamedan, Lorestan, Ilam, Markazi, Qom, Tehran, West Azerbaijan and Khorasan Razavi.
    Iranian attacks have struck several urban areas in Israel, such as Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Tamra, Petah Tikva, Bnei Brak, Haifa, Herzliya.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Mount Logan Capital Inc. Reports Results of Election of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mount Logan Capital Inc. (Cboe Canada: MLC) (“Mount Logan,” “our,” “we,” or the “Company”) announced that at the annual meeting of shareholders held on June 18, 2025 (the “Meeting”), each of the six nominees listed in the management information circular dated May 13, 2025 (the “Circular”) were elected as directors of the Company. A total of 31,979,130 votes or 55.78% of Mount Logan’s issued and outstanding common shares were voted in connection with the Meeting. The detailed results of the vote for each of the six elected directors are set out below.

    Nominee Votes For Percentage of Votes For Votes Withheld Percentage of Votes Withheld
    Edward Goldthorpe 27,549,276 93.39% 1,949,588 6.61%
    Perry Dellelce 27,549,300 93.39% 1,949,564 6.61%
    Sabrina Liak 27,549,260 93.39% 1,949,604 6.61%
    Rudolph Reinfrank 28,304,236 95.95% 1,194,628 4.05%
    David Allen 28,304,276 95.95% 1,194,588 4.05%
    Buckley Ratchford 28,304,300 95.95% 1,194,564 4.05%

    In addition, shareholders approved the re-appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as auditor.

    Ted Goldthorpe, CEO and Chairman of Mount Logan, noted, “We appreciate the active engagement and strong vote of confidence our shareholders expressed at this year’s Meeting. Their support reaffirms our strategic course, and we remain committed to transparent, two‑way dialogue as we pursue disciplined growth for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

    About Mount Logan Capital Inc.

    Mount Logan Capital Inc. is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company that is focused on public and private debt securities in the North American market and the reinsurance of annuity products, primarily through its wholly owned subsidiaries Mount Logan Management LLC (“ML Management”) and Ability Insurance Company (“Ability”), respectively. Mount Logan also actively sources, evaluates, underwrites, manages, monitors and primarily invests in loans, debt securities, and other credit-oriented instruments that present attractive risk-adjusted returns and present low risk of principal impairment through the credit cycle.

    ML Management was organized in 2020 as a Delaware limited liability company and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The primary business of ML Management is to provide investment management services to (i) privately offered investment funds exempt from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) advised by ML Management, (ii) a non-diversified closed end management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company, (iii) Ability, and (iv) non-diversified closed-end management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act that operate as interval funds. ML Management also acts as the collateral manager to collateralized loan obligations backed by debt obligations and similar assets.

    Ability is a Nebraska domiciled insurer and reinsurer of long-term care policies and annuity products acquired by Mount Logan in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021. Ability is also no longer insuring or re-insuring new long-term care risk.

    This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication of this release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or an offer to purchase any securities in the Company or in any fund or other investment vehicle. This press release is not intended for U.S. persons. The Company’s shares are not and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Company is not and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). U.S. persons are not permitted to purchase the Company’s shares absent an applicable exemption from registration under each of these Acts. In addition, the number of investors in the United States, or which are U.S. persons or purchasing for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, will be limited to such number as is required to comply with an available exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

    Contacts:
    Mount Logan Capital Inc.
    365 Bay Street, Suite 800
    Toronto, ON M5H 2V1
    info@mountlogancapital.ca

    Nikita Klassen
    Chief Financial Officer
    Nikita.Klassen@mountlogancapital.ca

    Scott Chan
    Investor Relations
    Scott.Chan@mountlogan.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mount Logan Capital Inc. Reports Results of Election of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mount Logan Capital Inc. (Cboe Canada: MLC) (“Mount Logan,” “our,” “we,” or the “Company”) announced that at the annual meeting of shareholders held on June 18, 2025 (the “Meeting”), each of the six nominees listed in the management information circular dated May 13, 2025 (the “Circular”) were elected as directors of the Company. A total of 31,979,130 votes or 55.78% of Mount Logan’s issued and outstanding common shares were voted in connection with the Meeting. The detailed results of the vote for each of the six elected directors are set out below.

    Nominee Votes For Percentage of Votes For Votes Withheld Percentage of Votes Withheld
    Edward Goldthorpe 27,549,276 93.39% 1,949,588 6.61%
    Perry Dellelce 27,549,300 93.39% 1,949,564 6.61%
    Sabrina Liak 27,549,260 93.39% 1,949,604 6.61%
    Rudolph Reinfrank 28,304,236 95.95% 1,194,628 4.05%
    David Allen 28,304,276 95.95% 1,194,588 4.05%
    Buckley Ratchford 28,304,300 95.95% 1,194,564 4.05%

    In addition, shareholders approved the re-appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as auditor.

    Ted Goldthorpe, CEO and Chairman of Mount Logan, noted, “We appreciate the active engagement and strong vote of confidence our shareholders expressed at this year’s Meeting. Their support reaffirms our strategic course, and we remain committed to transparent, two‑way dialogue as we pursue disciplined growth for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

    About Mount Logan Capital Inc.

    Mount Logan Capital Inc. is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company that is focused on public and private debt securities in the North American market and the reinsurance of annuity products, primarily through its wholly owned subsidiaries Mount Logan Management LLC (“ML Management”) and Ability Insurance Company (“Ability”), respectively. Mount Logan also actively sources, evaluates, underwrites, manages, monitors and primarily invests in loans, debt securities, and other credit-oriented instruments that present attractive risk-adjusted returns and present low risk of principal impairment through the credit cycle.

    ML Management was organized in 2020 as a Delaware limited liability company and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The primary business of ML Management is to provide investment management services to (i) privately offered investment funds exempt from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) advised by ML Management, (ii) a non-diversified closed end management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company, (iii) Ability, and (iv) non-diversified closed-end management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act that operate as interval funds. ML Management also acts as the collateral manager to collateralized loan obligations backed by debt obligations and similar assets.

    Ability is a Nebraska domiciled insurer and reinsurer of long-term care policies and annuity products acquired by Mount Logan in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021. Ability is also no longer insuring or re-insuring new long-term care risk.

    This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication of this release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or an offer to purchase any securities in the Company or in any fund or other investment vehicle. This press release is not intended for U.S. persons. The Company’s shares are not and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Company is not and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). U.S. persons are not permitted to purchase the Company’s shares absent an applicable exemption from registration under each of these Acts. In addition, the number of investors in the United States, or which are U.S. persons or purchasing for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, will be limited to such number as is required to comply with an available exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

    Contacts:
    Mount Logan Capital Inc.
    365 Bay Street, Suite 800
    Toronto, ON M5H 2V1
    info@mountlogancapital.ca

    Nikita Klassen
    Chief Financial Officer
    Nikita.Klassen@mountlogancapital.ca

    Scott Chan
    Investor Relations
    Scott.Chan@mountlogan.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Migrating bogong moths use the stars and Earth’s magnetic field to find ancestral summer caves each year

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Warrant, Professor of Zoology at the University of Lund, Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, and Adjunct Professor, University of South Australia

    Vik Dunis/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC

    It’s a warm January summer afternoon, and as I traverse the flower-strewn western slopes of Australia’s highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, I am on the lookout for a tell-tale river of boulders that winds its way down into the alpine valleys below.

    Here, hidden in cave-like hollows and crevices formed deep within the river of boulders, is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the insect world – the summer mass gathering of an iconic Australian insect, the bogong moth (Agrotis infusa).

    Tightly huddled together in their dim cool cavernous world, with each moth’s head pushed slightly under the wings of the moth just ahead, millions of bogong moths sleep out the summer, slumbering in a state of dormancy known as “aestivation”.

    Their little bodies coat the stone surfaces in an endless soft brown carpet, with 17,000 of them tiling each square metre of cave wall. It’s a sight that never fails to take my breath away.

    Bogong moths sleep through the summer heat clinging to the walls of caves in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
    Eric Warrant

    Marathon migrations

    To get here, these moths have flown from all over southeast Australia through the spring, arriving from as far away as south-eastern Queensland and far-western Victoria. Converted to human body length, these journeys of roughly 1,000 kilometres would be equivalent to a person circumnavigating Earth twice.

    The moths’ marathon voyages to the Alps are likely undertaken to escape the lethal heat of the coming summer in their breeding areas. When the cool of autumn arrives, the moths leave the mountains to produce their own offspring and die.

    Every summer, bogong moths travel up to 1,000 kilometres to sleep through the heat in cool mountain caves.
    Eric Warrant

    But how on Earth do they know how to find these caves? How do they know the direction to travel and how do they know when they’ve arrived?

    These questions have fascinated me and the other members of my research group for many years. It turns out bogong moths possess a most extraordinary ability to navigate, harnessing Earth’s magnetic field and the stars as compasses to follow their inherited migratory direction.

    Moths, magnets and stars

    We made these remarkable discoveries in a specialised lab we built a few years ago near Adaminaby in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.

    First we light-trapped bogong moths that were either migrating towards the Alps in spring or away again in autumn. We next placed them in a special flight arena inside the lab, and finely controlled Earth’s magnetic field (with magnetic coils around the arena) and the starry night sky (by projecting a highly realistic starry night sky on the roof of the arena).

    Because we already knew bogong moths have a magnetic sense, we used the coils to completely remove, or null, the magnetic field in the arena. This ensured any orientation using the stars was not confounded by the ability to detect Earth’s magnetic field.

    The orientation of the nighttime sky determines the moths’ direction of movement. When researchers showed moths random star patterns, they flew in random directions.
    Dreyer et al./Nature

    What we found next astounded us. Using only the local Australian starry night sky projected above them, bogong moths flying in our arena were able to discern and follow their inherited migratory direction – both in spring and in autumn.

    If we turned this projected sky by 180°, the moths turned and flew in exactly the opposite direction. If we then took all of the stars in this projected natural sky and randomly distributed them across the roof of the arena, the moths became completely confused and lost their ability to migrate in their inherited migratory direction.

    Navigators with tiny brains

    In the absence of all other possible cues, bogong moths clearly used the stars as a true compass to discern a geographic direction relative to north.

    This is the first invertebrate we so far know of that can do this. Only human beings and some species of night-migratory birds are known to have this ability.

    But in moths this ability is even more remarkable considering their brain is approximately one-tenth the volume of a grain of rice and their eyes only a couple of millimetres wide.

    A magnetic backup system

    We made a final discovery when we moved our flight arena up onto the hill behind the lab under the magnificent dome of the natural starry sky. As expected, the moths were beautifully oriented in their inherited migratory direction.

    But on one of these nights the sky was heavily overcast with cloud. To our great surprise, the moths remained oriented in their migratory direction, even though the stars were obscured.

    The only remaining cue that could have been used was Earth’s magnetic field, which showed very clearly that moths rely on two compasses – a magnetic compass and a stellar compass.

    But of course, two compasses will always be better than one – if one becomes corrupted or drops out, the other can take over. Nature’s perfect solution for robust navigation!

    Bogong moths under threat

    Despite its fantastic abilities, this tiny navigator is under threat. A result of anthropogenic climate change, the recent drought in Australia saw bogong moth numbers fall by a jaw-dropping 99.5%.

    Endless thousands of generations of bogong moths have slept through summer in a few specific caves dotted across these outcrops.
    Eric Warrant

    Endangered alpine marsupials that depend on the moth’s arrival in spring for food – such as the mountain pygmy possum – suffered heavily as a result.

    Droughts in southeast Australia are only predicted to worsen in both frequency and intensity. The future of the bogong moth, as well as the fragile alpine ecosystem that depends on it, does not look very bright.

    Eric Warrant receives funding from the Swedish Research Council, the European Research Council, the Wenner-Gren Foundation and the Carl Tryggers Foundation. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, The German National Academy of Science Leopoldina, the Royal Danish Society of Sciences and Letters, the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Royal Physiographic Society.

    – ref. Migrating bogong moths use the stars and Earth’s magnetic field to find ancestral summer caves each year – https://theconversation.com/migrating-bogong-moths-use-the-stars-and-earths-magnetic-field-to-find-ancestral-summer-caves-each-year-259361

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nirmala Naidoo to the annual conference of the National Campus and Community Radio Association

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Nanaimo, British Columbia
    June 18, 2025

    Nirmala Naidoo, Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories
    Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    Check against delivery

    Thank you for the invitation to speak today and for that warm welcome. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw and Snaw-Naw-As First Nations. I thank them and pay respect to their Elders.

    Let me begin by saying: it’s great to be among my fellow broadcasters. In my short time with you today so far, I can see the excitement and exuberance for community broadcasting and news that so many of you have. It’s wonderful to be around that energy once again.

    My background is in the other side of broadcasting, of course, in television. But as a former journalist and anchor, and current CRTC Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories, I share your passion. Across my career I have seen firsthand how broadcasting connects people and how trusted sources of news can help inform public debate.

    And community and campus radio, as you all know, is all about connecting people. From its beginnings at Queen’s University amongst some student hobbyists in the 1920s, community and campus radio has blossomed into a vibrant community. There are stations across our country, from CHLY-FM here in Nanaimo to CJBI-FM broadcasting from Bell Island in Newfoundland and Labrador, and everywhere in between. Each of them plays a vital role in connecting Canadians in their communities to new opportunities, new artists, and the local news and information that matters to them.

    Campus and community stations continue to be a great entry point into radio for so many Canadians. I will give you a personal example from my own time at the University of Alberta to illustrate what I mean. For myself and so many of my fellow students, our campus radio station at the University of Alberta, CJSR, was our gateway into the world of local broadcasting. At CJSR we created content tailored specifically to our audience – our fellow students and the surrounding community.

    It was staffed and supported by the community it served. It was a place of hands-on learning, where students gained the real-world experience that would later become a career for some. It might have been only a few steps from our classrooms, but our time there prepared us better than any textbook could have.

    For some, campus and community radio provided the first step to a career in broadcast journalism or radio production. For others, community and campus radio provided a launching pad to stardom: Bob Cole, the longtime Hockey Night in Canada announcer started his career as a volunteer at CHFM in St. John’s; Tom Green hosted an overnight program in Ottawa on CHUO-FM; and back at the University of Alberta, I was lucky enough to witness k.d. lang’s rise from precocious talent to international star. Though lang would have certainly risen to the top regardless, I like to think CJSR played a small role in her emergence as we continually wore out recordings of her local band k.d. and the Reclines long before the artist’s Grammy wins and appearances on David Letterman.

    Connecting Canadians through broadcasting

    These are the types of Canadian success stories we love to see. And currently at the CRTC, we are focused on modernizing our broadcasting framework so we can ensure those same opportunities are still there for Canada’s next generation of radio producers, broadcast journalists, and yes, hockey announcers, comedians, and country western virtuosos.

    But before I get to the details of some of our ongoing proceedings, I’d like to give you one more example from my experiences, this one from earlier this year. I want to show you how the goals of NCRA members and those of the CRTC are often aligned and, importantly, how you can help us reach our goals together.

    Earlier this year I had the privilege of being on a panel that was considering two applications for a new radio licence to serve the community of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. The CRTC is still considering the applications and the public record, and we expect to issue our decision in the coming weeks.

    But I bring up that hearing not to discuss the decision, but to relate the incredible levels of engagement we saw in Yellowknife concerning local radio. Over two days in Yellowknife we convened in front of a packed and engaged audience, many of whom lined up first thing in the morning to ensure a seat. And in February, that meant braving temperatures of minus forty – you would have thought k.d. lang herself was going to be there.

    We heard from local and Indigenous residents, musicians, journalists, business owners and more. We heard, and could clearly see, how important local radio was to this community. How they depended on local news from trusted local sources. How evacuees and first responders relied on local radio for vital information during last year’s devastating wildfires. And we heard how important it was for those stations to be staffed and run by people in their communities who know their markets.

    I imagine for many of you that is starting to sound familiar, and well it should. Local radio is grounded in the communities they serve, whether they are broadcasting in remote areas or for localized communities living in our largest cities. And at the CRTC, we are working to ensure the conditions are favourable for radio stations to be part of the future of Canadian broadcasting.

    But to do that, we need your help. The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest and makes decisions based on the public record. And that last point is key. All of our decisions are based on the interventions, submissions, and contributions of anyone who wants to provide input on our proceedings – from the largest broadcasters to members of the public.

    So when it comes to shaping the future of Canadian broadcasting, everyone has a role to play. You know your communities better than anyone else – we need your input to help us understand the needs of your stations and the communities you serve.

    Public participation is critical to CRTC proceedings. It’s how we ensure that the decisions we make are in the public interest, and how we ensure Canadians have access to the media, entertainment, and news that they enjoy and need.

    There are so many ways you can engage with the CRTC: by submitting a formal intervention, chatting with me here today, or simply giving us a call with your questions. Some of my colleagues are here with me today. They would be happy to answer your questions, and we have brought some cards in case you need to contact us in the future.

    When you take part in our proceedings, you are giving your stations and the communities you serve a voice in the regulatory process. So I encourage you to do so, either as part of the NCRA, your individual station, or simply as someone who listens and watches to content on radio, television or online.

    I would like to take the rest of my time today to turn to the broadcasting modernization process, our environment, and a few of our ongoing proceedings.

    Modernizing the broadcasting industry and ongoing radio policy proceedings

    We started the modernization process soon after Parliament adopted the Online Streaming Act, which amended the Broadcasting Act. While we have been moving quickly, this is the first major overhaul of Canada’s broadcasting frameworks since 1993 – it’s a big job.

    And as we have been working, we have been watching alongside all of you as the world in which we operate has become more unstable and uncertain. We know that the broadcasting industry is not immune to those currents of change.

    So it has made our job doubly difficult: we must do what we can to address the current challenges facing the broadcasting industry while also ensuring the frameworks we create will sustain a successful broadcasting system years into the future.

    We are taking into account both of these goals in all of our proceedings. There are two ongoing in particular concerning audio broadcasting that I would like to touch on.

    The first is our proceeding focused on reducing the regulatory burden on radio stations operating in Canada. By streamlining requirements, our goal is to help radio stations remain dynamic and competitive while still ensuring their programming serves the public interest.

    I know the NCRA submitted an intervention in this proceeding, and we thank you for it. We will continue to review all the information submitted on the public record, and will make a decision on this key issue as quickly as possible.

    Secondly, there is a review of the definition of Canadian content for audio services. In line with our efforts on the audio-visual side, we need to modernize our approach to radio and audio regulatory policy. So earlier this year, we sought comments on the definition for audio services, and received comments from a wide range of groups, communities, and industry members. Everything submitted to us will help us update the definition of Canadian content for audio services.

    This included French-speaking, Indigenous and official language-minority communities – many of which I know your members serve. If we are going to ensure our broadcasting system supports our homegrown musicians, we need to ensure the definition of Canadian content captures the full breadth of our country.

    The updated definition will be used to support the creation, distribution, and discoverability of Canadian and Indigenous audio content across radio and online audio streaming platforms.

    Ultimately, we want to ensure our system gives Canadians access to the audio and music content they want, and our aim is to help ensure that content can be easily discovered and enjoyed.

    And the timing for this update is fortuitous – we can see that perhaps at no other time in Canadian history has there been such an appetite for Canadian talent and a desire across the country to see Canadians succeed. We want to help ensure our broadcasting frameworks are creating the conditions for Canadian musicians, artists, and performers to excel. 

    Supporting local news

    At the same time, we are focused on ensuring local news is part of the Canadian broadcasting system and widely available. Given the instability I mentioned before and the growing prevalence of natural disasters like the wildfires currently affecting the Prairies, ensuring local news and information is widely available is more critical than it has ever been.

    Just as we heard in Yellowknife, we know this includes community radio stations. That’s why we decided the Community Radio Fund of Canada would receive additional funding as part of last year’s decision on base contributions that online services must make to support the Canadian broadcasting system. Community, campus and Indigenous stations can benefit through the Local Journalism Initiative administered by the Fund.

    And we are also currently looking at how to help support local news produced by commercial radio stations. Late last year we held a consultation on this, and we are exploring how we can best support local stations in rural and remote communities. We are currently considering an application submitted by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters to run this fund, as well as all submissions made to us as part of this proceeding. We hope to have a decision ready in the coming weeks.

    Additionally, as part of our implementation of the Online News Act, we have established a framework which aims to ensure the largest online platforms fairly compensate Canadian news organizations when their content appears on those services. Google has secured an exemption from the mandatory bargaining under the Act and has committed $100 million annually for five years to support Canadian news organizations. Google’s initial contribution is being disbursed by the Canadian Journalism Collective, and news organizations across Canada are now receiving funding as a result of the Act. 

    Finally, I want to mention a decision we made just last week to modify the Independent Local News Fund, or ILNF. The decision was made after a consultation last fall reviewing the ILNF and its support for local news. We wanted to make sure that local, independent television stations across the country were supported as they produced news. We also wanted to address how any additional funding coming into the audio-visual broadcasting system should be allocated.

    The decision is an important step in supporting local news and information, and confirms that high-quality and diverse local news are an integral part of the Canadian broadcasting system. It also ensures that Canadians have access to local news and information in whatever medium they prefer: all recipients of ILNF funding are now required to make their local news and information available online.

    Although this recent decision supports television broadcasters, I mention it to point out how seriously we are taking the importance of local news and content. It remains a central part of Canadian broadcasting, and impartial news and information is something to be protected and preserved for years into the future.

    Conclusion

    The decisions and proceedings I have detailed today are key pieces of our ongoing work, but they are just a part of our overall modernizing of Canada’s broadcasting frameworks.

    And the message I want to leave you with today is that taken together, all of our proceedings, whether we are talking about removing regulatory burden or revising Canadian content definitions, are about connecting people.

    These are goals the CRTC and NCRA members share.

    We want to connect Canadians to the music and content they enjoy.

    We want to connect artists to new opportunities and new audiences.

    And we want to connect all Canadians to the local news and information they need, when they need it.

    These goals shape our decisions in the same way they guide the work you do each and every day at your local station.

    So, as I mentioned before, work with us. Contribute to our proceedings. Help give your communities and your stations a voice.

    Let’s work together to set up the next generation of Canadian broadcasting to succeed, to excel, and to thrive.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Canada News –