NewzIntel.com

Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Interim Biometrics Commissioner announced

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Interim Biometrics Commissioner announced

    The Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention has appointed Francesca Whitelaw KC as the interim Biometrics Commissioner.

    The role of the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner has been vacant since August 2024. The government is actively recruiting the next permanent Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, through open competition.

    While this campaign is ongoing, the minister has decided to appoint Francesca as the interim Biometrics Commissioner. Francesca has been appointed in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Francesca will undertake the casework functions of the Biometrics Commissioner set out under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, providing oversight of National Security Determinations and applications made under section 63G PACE by the police. 

    Francesca was appointed King’s Counsel in 2023 and is a leading specialist in public law, police, government, information law and human rights. She has expertise in biometrics and national security, working on several inquiries and inquests. 

    She will take up her post from today, Tuesday 1 July 2025, for a period of up to 6 months, until the new Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner is appointed. The Surveillance Camera Commissioner post will also remain vacant until this point.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement from the interim Biometrics Commissioner

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Statement from the interim Biometrics Commissioner

    Statement from Francesca Whitelaw KC, who has been appointed the interim Biometrics Commissioner.

    Statement from the interim Biometrics Commissioner, Francesca Whitelaw KC:

    I am delighted to have been appointed the interim Biometrics Commissioner, while the government progresses the appointment of a permanent Commissioner.

    My focus will be to consider police applications to retain, exceptionally, DNA and fingerprints under s63G of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, and under National Security Determinations, balancing the public interest considerations with the rights of individuals.

    I bring my knowledge and expertise as KC to the role, with specialisms in public, police, national security and information law.

    I look forward to working with stakeholders and my team in fulfilling this important statutory function and contributing to keeping the UK safe and secure.

    Read more about this appointment and the process of appointing a permanent commissioner.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Shiprock Capital announces new Senior Investment Counsel

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shiprock Capital Management Limited (“Shiprock”), a London-based investment management firm focused on Global Distressed and Special Situations, has announced that Eric Ho has joined the firm as Senior Investment Counsel.

    Eric joins Shiprock from Ashmore Investment Management where for a decade he served as Senior Counsel principally responsible for the structuring, negotiation and execution of credit and special situations investments across public and private markets. He joined Ashmore in 2015 from Shearman & Sterling where he began his career in 2008. Eric holds a LLB Bachelor of Laws from the London School of Economics and completed the LPC at BPP Law School, London. He is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales.

    Frederick Schroder, CEO at Shiprock, said, “We are very glad to welcome Eric to Shiprock. His deep legal expertise in distressed and special situations globally will be exceptionally valuable in executing our strategy. His appointment underscores the significant investment in talent that Shiprock continues to make.”

    Eric Ho, Chief Investment Counsel at Shiprock, added, “I am excited to be joining the senior team at Shiprock and contributing to the firm’s continued success.”

    About Shiprock:

    Shiprock Capital Management is a London-based investment management firm focused on Global Distressed and Special Situations. Founded in 2023, the firm manages in excess of $1bn.

    Contact:

    info@shiprock.co.uk

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Norway’s WTO Trade Policy Review: UK Statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    Norway’s WTO Trade Policy Review: UK Statement

    UK Statement at Norway’s World Trade Organization Trade Policy Review. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Ambassador to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

    State Secretary, a very warm welcome to you and your delegation both from Oslo and here from Geneva. Thank you for bringing the spark of the land of Midnight Sun, beautiful Fjords and magical Northern Lights.

    Thank you to the WTO Secretariat, as ever, for their report. Thank you, Chair, for your introductory comments. Thank you to our distinguished discussant for his insightful comments. I thought your final point about the value shown by the Norwegian case, but obviously a much broader point about institutions, is a very worthwhile one.

    Thank you, also, to the government of Norway for piloting the new Trade Policy Review portal. We were particularly pleased to see it come to life given that we have our own TPR coming up later this year so we may see it in use again.

    Report Analysis

    1. Chair, the reports highlight Norway’s extraordinary economic resilience, keeping up its very high GDP per capita level despite the challenges of COVID-19 and the rest.

    2. Its transformation into a high-income, knowledge-based economy, for us, reflects the power of open trade and strategic investment. The World Bank says that international trade accounts for over 80% of its GDP, which is remarkable.

    3. Between 2018 and 2024, foreign trade rose steadily. Imports grew from over 700 billion Norwegian Krone to over one trillion Krone, and exports from just over one trillion Krone to almost two trillion Krone. Extraordinary figures. Excluding oil, gas, ships and drilling platforms, traditional goods trade rose by about 50% and services trade by 110%.

    4. Testimony, if I may say, State Secretary, to your commitment to open trade and investment, but also the rewards of that commitment.

    Digitoll

    1. As noted in our Advance Written Questions, we’re particularly interested in the Digitoll customs declaration system, set for full rollout next year.

    2. We very much welcome its aim to automate customs proceedings and speed up clearances, especially given imports represent over 40% of Norway’s GDP.

    3. We look forward to further details and we wish you every success with that rollout.

    Bilateral Relationship

    1. Bilaterally, Chair, our relationship with Norway is exceptionally close. So close, in fact, that the Norwegian Prime Minister described us as ‘best friends’ during our own Prime Minister’s visit in May. As somebody who has been around in the diplomatic service for a few years, I have never seen it so strong. And we have had several ministerial visits just in the last 12 months.

    2. And this relationship also extends to trade. In 2024, Norway was the UK’s 12th largest trading partner with total trade valued at over £38 billion.

    3. Our UK-EEA/EFTA Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in 2021, is one of the UK’s most modern and comprehensive. This FTA is not only a successful deal for businesses in both countries but also provides our governments with the opportunity for regular dialogue on trade, which we very much appreciate.

    4. Our Strategic Partnership, signed in December last year, adds further depth and breadth, particularly in priority sectors such as energy.

    5. In May, we welcomed our Green Industrial Partnership, which reflects our unique energy relationship across the North Sea. And just last week, in our newly published and elegant Trade Strategy, we committed to build on that bilateral partnership, underscoring its importance for our shared clean energy goals.

    Gender

    1. Chair, our countries also share a commitment to gender equality in trade.

    2. We welcome Norway’s efforts, including through its board composition requirements for limited liability companies. As one of the three co-chairs of our Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender here, let me commend Norway’s participation in that group, and encourage it to continue sharing its valuable practices here at the WTO.

    WTO Engagement

    1. Which brings me last, but by no means least, to Norway’s exemplary commitment to the multilateral trading system and to this organisation.

    2. Like others, I must start by paying tribute to my colleague, true friend of the system and multi-hatted Norwegian colleague, Petter Ølberg. DSB Chair, DS Reform Facilitator, General Council Chair; his personal commitment to this organisation is clear as is his track record of success.

    3. Petter, your leadership as GC Chair was genuinely inspiring. And we agree with your final message to all of us: real dialogue and real reform are essential to the future of this organisation.

    4. So, we are thrilled that you have been appointed as Reform Facilitator. As outlined in our Trade Strategy we remain a staunch supporter of the multilateral trading system but we agree there is an urgent need for reform.

    5. And so we welcome Norway’s participation in key WTO plurilateral initiatives, including the JSIs on Services Domestic Regulation, Electronic Commerce, and Investment Facilitation for Development. I think they reflect your forward looking approach, State Secretary, to modernising global trade rules and are a key part of those reform efforts.

    6. We applaud your ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and encourage your continued leadership.

    7. And your leadership on trade and environment is particularly commendable, where you have consistently championed ambitious and constructive engagement.

    8. Like the UK, as you said at the beginning, State Secretary, our two countries see trade policy as an enabler of the vital move to net zero. Our new Trade Strategy supports this, as it underlines that we would like to go further with Norway and others to “go further and faster in the transition to net zero”.

    9. And finally, on trade and development, your leadership and advocacy for the interests of developing countries is appreciated right across this organisation. As fellow donors, we have worked closely together, and will continue to do so, including through our support for the Advisory Centre on WTO Law and as Board members of the Enhanced Integrated Framework, to help ensure the proper participation of developing countries in the multilateral trading system.

    Conclusion

    So, to conclude, State Secretary, keep up the good work! Keep up being an example to all of us.

    As this is my last Trade Policy Review, let me say that it has been a real pleasure to end with such a close trading partner and genuine friend as well as a good neighbour. Trade Policy Reviews, Chair, are fundamental to transparency and the good working of this organisation. And I know my successor, Kumar Iyer, and our team, are looking forward to our own first TPR later this year.

    ‘Tusen takk’ to you, State Secretary, and your team for your full and transparent engagement with this TPR, yet another example of your continued commitment to this organisation. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Weapons found at Paralowie

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police allegedly located weapons and bomb-making equipment at a northern suburbs home today.

    Police attended a Paralowie address this morning, Tuesday 1 July, where officers allegedly discovered explosives components.

    Further police resources attended, including Bomb Response Unit, CIB detectives, Dog Operations and crime scene investigators.

    A thorough search of the home allegedly uncovered additional weapons, including firearms, swords and crossbows.

    A 30-year-old Paralowie man was arrested at the home and charged with possess firearm without a licence and possess prohibited weapon.

    He was bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on 7 August.

    A 30-year-old Paralowie woman was reported for possess firearm (gel blaster) and will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

    Investigations are continuing.

    Anyone with information about illicit firearms or weapons in our community can report it to police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are police allowed to do at protests and who keeps them in check?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Hine, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Earlier this week, former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas was hospitalised with serious injuries after being arrested at a protest in Sydney. This incident sparked public outcry, raising questions about the limits of police power and what happens when things go wrong.

    Protests are becoming more common and more intense across Australia and worldwide. This surge stems from growing social and political concerns.

    The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental aspect of democratic societies. It gives people the freedom to gather, speak out, and push for change.

    But that right is not unlimited and can be subject to certain restrictions. While the public has a right to protest, police have a responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone involved including protesters, bystanders and officers. Maintaining public order and respecting the right to peaceful assembly is a balance.

    So, what exactly are police allowed to do at protests? And if someone is hurt in the process, who is responsible, and who keeps police in check?

    Why do things go wrong at protests?

    Peaceful protesting is lawful in Australia and people have the right to gather and express their views. But that doesn’t mean anything goes.

    If someone’s behaviour at a protest threatens public safety or breaches the law, police have a responsibility to intervene, and individuals can be charged with an offence.

    Protests are emotionally charged events. Some groups may come to protests already hostile, especially those with strong anti-authority views or past negative experiences with police. In turn, this can increase the risk of confrontation from the outset.

    Often protests are driven by a shared sense of injustice. This can build strong group identity and solidarity among protesters, but it can also intensify resistance towards police who are seen as symbols of authority.

    When people act as part of a crowd, emotions can spread quickly. In these settings, individuals may feel less personally responsible for their actions and behave more impulsively or aggressively.

    At the same time, police responses play a big role in how protests unfold. Tactics that are seen as heavy-handed (like blocking movement or using force) can heighten tensions and lead to confrontation.

    In contrast, strategies focused on communication and de-escalation are more likely to calm things down and prevent violence.

    Typically, protests don’t turn violent on their own. Instead, it’s a mix of crowd dynamics and police response that often determines the outcome.

    What powers do police have at protests?

    Police have wide-ranging powers to respond to protests to prevent behaviour escalation. A person does not need to be committing an offence for police to exercise powers during a protest. Police consider the behaviour of individual protesters, or the risk they’re perceived to pose, rather than waiting for a specific law to be broken.

    While the specific laws differ between states and territories in Australia, there are several common features.

    Police can tell community members to move on in some circumstances. If a protester is in a public place and causing disruption, interfering with others, endangering others or being disorderly, police can direct that person to leave. An offence does not need to be committed for police to direct community members to move on.

    Where a person does not follow a police officer’s lawful direction, they are contravening the law and can be arrested.

    However, move-on powers are limited when there is a peaceful protest. Police cannot direct a person to move on just because they are peacefully protesting something, picketing or publicly sharing their views (such as speaking loudly or carrying a sign).

    States and territories have also criminalised certain behaviour related to protests. For example, it is unlawful to harass, intimidate or threaten a person accessing a place of worship in New South Wales.

    Police can use force to maintain peace or prevent violence. The force used must only be “reasonably necessary”. This means police can only use the minimum amount of force needed that is proportionate to the event.

    It might be appropriate for police to restrain a protester using their hands or handcuffs and individual circumstances will be relevant to whether use of force is permitted. Lethal force, though, would not be permitted against a protester unless a protester was endangering the life of another person.

    Injuries can occur during police arrests. It has been alleged that Hannah Thomas’ injury arising during her arrest was the result of “excessive use of force”. However, just because a person is injured during an arrest does not automatically mean a police officer acted inappropriately.

    Who holds police accountable if someone gets hurt?

    Where concerns arise about police behaviour during a protest (including the use of force or other actions), there are different ways police can be held accountable.

    Policing organisations have internal processes for investigating police conduct. Each policing organisation has a professional or ethical standards unit that investigates allegations of conduct.

    But integrity bodies have flagged police investigating police can perpetuate potentially problematic “cover up behaviours that can mask police misconduct”.

    Australia’s states and territories also have independent statutory organisations which target crime and corruption in the public service. These are generally corruption or integrity commissions and apply to all public service workers, including police officers. The relevant ombudsman can also assist to resolve complaints.

    Community members can also sue a policing organisation for injuries they sustained during an arrest.

    What’s the right balance?

    Protest is a democratic right, but it also presents real public safety challenges.

    Police face genuine risks and have a difficult job managing dynamic and often unpredictable situations.

    They need certain powers to do their job, but those powers must come with strong accountability. If police exceed their power, it damages public trust and can escalate tensions further.

    Good policing practices mean talking to protest organisers early, keeping communication clear, using de-escalation tactics and responding proportionally to individuals – not treating the whole crowd the same.

    Protesters also play a role by staying peaceful, notifying police of a protest, knowing their rights, and helping to de-escalate tensions. The goal should always be to protect everyone. This includes protesters, police and the general public.

    Dominique is a former police officer who was previously employed by the Queensland Police Service.

    Hena Prince and Kelly Hine 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. What are police allowed to do at protests and who keeps them in check? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-police-allowed-to-do-at-protests-and-who-keeps-them-in-check-260096

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Lambert, Associate Professor Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong

    Fly View Productions/ Getting Images

    On Tuesday, some Australian university students got access to a new payment. The Commonwealth Prac Payment is available to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students.

    It will provide A$331.65 a week during compulsory professional placements, to help with living and study expenses. This could include travel, accommodation, uniforms and lost income from other employment.

    But while the payment is a much-needed step in the right direction, many students are still missing out.

    Who’s not covered?

    The prac payment was a recommendation from the federal government’s 2024 Universities Accord review. It is designed to help students complete essential professional placements, so they can graduate and enter the workforce.

    But numerous other health degrees with time-consuming work placements are excluded from the payment.

    This includes medicine, physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, radiography and other allied health professions. Veterinary medicine students are also ineligible. Many of these professions are also experiencing serious workforce shortages.

    The payment is also only available to teaching, nursing and social work students who already qualify for Ausstudy (the income support payment for students and apprentices who are 25 and over).

    So this means the prac payment is means tested. It is also considered taxable income and paid at the rate of Austudy – which is not generous. The basic Austudy rate is below the national poverty line.

    The payment is also only available to Australian domestic students, even though many international heath students end up working in the Australian health system after graduating.

    Why is this an issue?

    Researchers, including ourselves, use the term “placement poverty” to describe the impact mandatory placements can have on students. It can be a major barrier to students completing their degrees.

    Students have repeatedly described widespread impacts of doing up to 1,000 hours of unpaid work to graduate – taking a toll on their income and mental health.

    Kelly Lambert’s 2024 research suggests health and teaching students can incur a further $12,500–15,000 to the cost of degrees during unpaid placements.

    Students have explained the placement hours mean they can’t work in their regular paid casual or part-time jobs – and may lose this work as a result.

    What does this mean for students?

    In the short term, if students are not supported to complete their placements, they may not have enough money for food or accommodation.

    Our research found 29% of teaching and allied health students regularly skip meals while on placement. Some students also described sleeping in cars or driving excessive distances due to limited or expensive accommodation options near their placements.

    If students are not supported in their placements, research suggests they can experience burnout and may not finish their degrees. Or they may not even begin them in the first place.

    This is particularly the case for students from regional or rural communities (who may have further to travel), students with parenting or caring responsibilities, and students from low economic and otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds.

    We also know its important to support students to do placements in rural, regional and remote areas – students who complete placements in these communities are more likely to return and work in those communities.

    What do we need to do instead?

    As a first measure, the government should expand eligibility criteria for the current payment to include other health disciplines and those who don’t currently meet the means testing threshold.

    Research tells us financial hardship is not confined to students who qualify for Austudy, it is experienced across the board.

    Students have also suggested interest-free short-term loans, subsidised parking (similar to hospital employees), and greater transparency about the costs associated with unpaid placements. International students have also said public transport subsidies would help them complete their placements.

    Other, more significant changes could include apprenticeship-type compensation models for healthcare students, where students get paid to study as part of their training. These schemes are already available in Scotland.

    Ultimately, we want to support more students to do health and teaching degrees to fill workforce gaps – not discourage them with high costs of studying.

    Kelly Lambert has received funding from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success.

    Scott William does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students – https://theconversation.com/a-new-prac-payment-has-just-kicked-in-but-it-ignores-many-uni-students-260087

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Lambert, Associate Professor Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong

    Fly View Productions/ Getting Images

    On Tuesday, some Australian university students got access to a new payment. The Commonwealth Prac Payment is available to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students.

    It will provide A$331.65 a week during compulsory professional placements, to help with living and study expenses. This could include travel, accommodation, uniforms and lost income from other employment.

    But while the payment is a much-needed step in the right direction, many students are still missing out.

    Who’s not covered?

    The prac payment was a recommendation from the federal government’s 2024 Universities Accord review. It is designed to help students complete essential professional placements, so they can graduate and enter the workforce.

    But numerous other health degrees with time-consuming work placements are excluded from the payment.

    This includes medicine, physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, radiography and other allied health professions. Veterinary medicine students are also ineligible. Many of these professions are also experiencing serious workforce shortages.

    The payment is also only available to teaching, nursing and social work students who already qualify for Ausstudy (the income support payment for students and apprentices who are 25 and over).

    So this means the prac payment is means tested. It is also considered taxable income and paid at the rate of Austudy – which is not generous. The basic Austudy rate is below the national poverty line.

    The payment is also only available to Australian domestic students, even though many international heath students end up working in the Australian health system after graduating.

    Why is this an issue?

    Researchers, including ourselves, use the term “placement poverty” to describe the impact mandatory placements can have on students. It can be a major barrier to students completing their degrees.

    Students have repeatedly described widespread impacts of doing up to 1,000 hours of unpaid work to graduate – taking a toll on their income and mental health.

    Kelly Lambert’s 2024 research suggests health and teaching students can incur a further $12,500–15,000 to the cost of degrees during unpaid placements.

    Students have explained the placement hours mean they can’t work in their regular paid casual or part-time jobs – and may lose this work as a result.

    What does this mean for students?

    In the short term, if students are not supported to complete their placements, they may not have enough money for food or accommodation.

    Our research found 29% of teaching and allied health students regularly skip meals while on placement. Some students also described sleeping in cars or driving excessive distances due to limited or expensive accommodation options near their placements.

    If students are not supported in their placements, research suggests they can experience burnout and may not finish their degrees. Or they may not even begin them in the first place.

    This is particularly the case for students from regional or rural communities (who may have further to travel), students with parenting or caring responsibilities, and students from low economic and otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds.

    We also know its important to support students to do placements in rural, regional and remote areas – students who complete placements in these communities are more likely to return and work in those communities.

    What do we need to do instead?

    As a first measure, the government should expand eligibility criteria for the current payment to include other health disciplines and those who don’t currently meet the means testing threshold.

    Research tells us financial hardship is not confined to students who qualify for Austudy, it is experienced across the board.

    Students have also suggested interest-free short-term loans, subsidised parking (similar to hospital employees), and greater transparency about the costs associated with unpaid placements. International students have also said public transport subsidies would help them complete their placements.

    Other, more significant changes could include apprenticeship-type compensation models for healthcare students, where students get paid to study as part of their training. These schemes are already available in Scotland.

    Ultimately, we want to support more students to do health and teaching degrees to fill workforce gaps – not discourage them with high costs of studying.

    Kelly Lambert has received funding from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success.

    Scott William does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students – https://theconversation.com/a-new-prac-payment-has-just-kicked-in-but-it-ignores-many-uni-students-260087

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Alcaraz survives Wimbledon scare, Sabalenka serene, but others feel the heat

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz survived Wimbledon’s hottest-ever opening day although the Spaniard was far from his sizzling best as he began his quest for a hat-trick of titles with a scare against Fabio Fognini at the All England Club on Monday.

    With air temperatures soaring to 32 degrees Celsius, Alcaraz needed more than four hours to subdue veteran Fognini, winning 7-5 6-7(5) 7-5 2-6 6-1 – the last set interrupted after a spectator became unwell in the heat and required assistance.

    Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka, bidding to win Wimbledon for the first time, had no trouble as she dispatched Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1 7-5 but last year’s runner-up, fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, was pushed hard by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win.

    While five-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, who won the Queen’s Club title in the build-up, lives to fight another day, several high-profile players departed the men’s draw.

    No arena at Wimbledon gets as hot as bowl-like Court Two and the conditions were clearly not to the liking of ex-world number one Daniil Medvedev as the ninth seed saw his hopes scorched by Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who won 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2.

    Eighth seed Holger Rune of Denmark, yet to really make his mark at a Grand Slam, won the opening two sets against Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry but succumbed 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4.

    Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, twice a Grand Slam runner-up was left despondent after retiring with a back injury having fallen two sets behind against French qualifier Valentin Royer.

    American fifth seed Taylor Fritz looked to be on his way out before battling back to force a fifth set against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before their match was suspended with the Grand Slam’s 11 p.m. curfew looming.

    German third seed Alexander Zverev summoned up similar fighting spirit to draw level at one set apiece with Arthur Rinderknech in another match scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

    WINNING STREAK

    Only two defending men’s champions had ever lost in the first round at Wimbledon, but there were moments when Alcaraz looked in danger of joining compatriot Manuel Santana on that short list as Fognini rolled back the years.

    Alcaraz arrived at Wimbledon on an 18-match winning streak, which included a spellbinding French Open final win over Jannik Sinner. But the spark was missing on Monday in front of a Centre Court crowd that included David Beckham.

    Heat is second nature to Alcaraz, but it was Fognini who flourished in the sun and when he broke serve twice to level the match at two sets apiece a massive shock looked possible.

    But Alcaraz, regularly using an ice towel to cool down, found an extra gear in the decider and even charmed the crowd by offering his water bottle to the distressed fan.

    He then led the warm applause for former top-10 player Fognini, for whom this was his final Wimbledon.

    “I don’t know why it’s his last Wimbledon because the level he has shown, you know, he can still play three or four more years. It’s unbelievable,” Alcaraz said of Fognini.

    Next up for Alcaraz is British qualifier Oliver Tarvet who marked his Grand Slam main draw debut with a superb 6-4 6-4 6-4 defeat of fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland.

    Tarvet is one of 23 British players in the singles draw, the most since 1984. The home charge was led Sonay Kartal who upset 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 2-6 6-2. She was joined in round two by British number one Emma Raducanu who comfortably passed a tricky test against Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wild cards to play on Monday.

    When Katie Boulter later knocked out Spanish ninth seed Paula Badosa 6-2 3-6 6-4 on Centre Court, seven British players had enjoyed victories, the most in a single day for the home nation in the professional era.

    Home hope Jacob Fearnley could not follow suit though as he was outshone 6-4 6-1 7-6(5) by Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who showed why he is creating such a stir with carnival tennis on a steamy Court One.

    TOUGH WORKOUT

    World number one Sabalenka won the opening five games against part-time model Branstine but was given a far tougher workout after that as she moved into round two.

    The 27-year-old from Minsk missed last year’s event because of a shoulder injury and arrived this time with a point to prove after losing in the Australian and French Open finals this year.

    Several other women’s contenders sparkled in the sunshine, none more than 13th seeded American Amanda Anisimova who served up a dreaded ‘double-bagel’ 6-0 6-0 defeat to Yulia Putintseva.

    Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Anna Boindar in straight sets while 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova continued her return to form by knocking out American 30th seed McCartney Kessler, setting up a second-round clash with Raducanu.

    Australian Open champion Madison Keys, seeded sixth, battled for two hours and 41 minutes to beat Romania’s Elena Ruse and played down the impact of the heat.

    “It’s funny coming from the States, because this is quite literally a very typical summer day,” she said.

    Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka overcame some first-round jitters to beat Australian qualifier Talia Gibson, prevailing 6-4 7-6(4).

    There was a sad end for Tunisia’s twice runner-up Ons Jabeur though as she retired against Viktoriya Tomova due to illness.

    (Reuters)

  • Alcaraz survives Wimbledon scare, Sabalenka serene, but others feel the heat

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz survived Wimbledon’s hottest-ever opening day although the Spaniard was far from his sizzling best as he began his quest for a hat-trick of titles with a scare against Fabio Fognini at the All England Club on Monday.

    With air temperatures soaring to 32 degrees Celsius, Alcaraz needed more than four hours to subdue veteran Fognini, winning 7-5 6-7(5) 7-5 2-6 6-1 – the last set interrupted after a spectator became unwell in the heat and required assistance.

    Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka, bidding to win Wimbledon for the first time, had no trouble as she dispatched Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1 7-5 but last year’s runner-up, fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, was pushed hard by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win.

    While five-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, who won the Queen’s Club title in the build-up, lives to fight another day, several high-profile players departed the men’s draw.

    No arena at Wimbledon gets as hot as bowl-like Court Two and the conditions were clearly not to the liking of ex-world number one Daniil Medvedev as the ninth seed saw his hopes scorched by Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who won 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2.

    Eighth seed Holger Rune of Denmark, yet to really make his mark at a Grand Slam, won the opening two sets against Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry but succumbed 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4.

    Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, twice a Grand Slam runner-up was left despondent after retiring with a back injury having fallen two sets behind against French qualifier Valentin Royer.

    American fifth seed Taylor Fritz looked to be on his way out before battling back to force a fifth set against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before their match was suspended with the Grand Slam’s 11 p.m. curfew looming.

    German third seed Alexander Zverev summoned up similar fighting spirit to draw level at one set apiece with Arthur Rinderknech in another match scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

    WINNING STREAK

    Only two defending men’s champions had ever lost in the first round at Wimbledon, but there were moments when Alcaraz looked in danger of joining compatriot Manuel Santana on that short list as Fognini rolled back the years.

    Alcaraz arrived at Wimbledon on an 18-match winning streak, which included a spellbinding French Open final win over Jannik Sinner. But the spark was missing on Monday in front of a Centre Court crowd that included David Beckham.

    Heat is second nature to Alcaraz, but it was Fognini who flourished in the sun and when he broke serve twice to level the match at two sets apiece a massive shock looked possible.

    But Alcaraz, regularly using an ice towel to cool down, found an extra gear in the decider and even charmed the crowd by offering his water bottle to the distressed fan.

    He then led the warm applause for former top-10 player Fognini, for whom this was his final Wimbledon.

    “I don’t know why it’s his last Wimbledon because the level he has shown, you know, he can still play three or four more years. It’s unbelievable,” Alcaraz said of Fognini.

    Next up for Alcaraz is British qualifier Oliver Tarvet who marked his Grand Slam main draw debut with a superb 6-4 6-4 6-4 defeat of fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland.

    Tarvet is one of 23 British players in the singles draw, the most since 1984. The home charge was led Sonay Kartal who upset 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 2-6 6-2. She was joined in round two by British number one Emma Raducanu who comfortably passed a tricky test against Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wild cards to play on Monday.

    When Katie Boulter later knocked out Spanish ninth seed Paula Badosa 6-2 3-6 6-4 on Centre Court, seven British players had enjoyed victories, the most in a single day for the home nation in the professional era.

    Home hope Jacob Fearnley could not follow suit though as he was outshone 6-4 6-1 7-6(5) by Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who showed why he is creating such a stir with carnival tennis on a steamy Court One.

    TOUGH WORKOUT

    World number one Sabalenka won the opening five games against part-time model Branstine but was given a far tougher workout after that as she moved into round two.

    The 27-year-old from Minsk missed last year’s event because of a shoulder injury and arrived this time with a point to prove after losing in the Australian and French Open finals this year.

    Several other women’s contenders sparkled in the sunshine, none more than 13th seeded American Amanda Anisimova who served up a dreaded ‘double-bagel’ 6-0 6-0 defeat to Yulia Putintseva.

    Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Anna Boindar in straight sets while 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova continued her return to form by knocking out American 30th seed McCartney Kessler, setting up a second-round clash with Raducanu.

    Australian Open champion Madison Keys, seeded sixth, battled for two hours and 41 minutes to beat Romania’s Elena Ruse and played down the impact of the heat.

    “It’s funny coming from the States, because this is quite literally a very typical summer day,” she said.

    Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka overcame some first-round jitters to beat Australian qualifier Talia Gibson, prevailing 6-4 7-6(4).

    There was a sad end for Tunisia’s twice runner-up Ons Jabeur though as she retired against Viktoriya Tomova due to illness.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 165 years on the frontline at Portland Brigade

    Source:

    Chief Officer Jason Heffernan presenting the Unit Citation for Courage to Adam Hermelin, John Wolf and Ryan Delong

    Portland Fire Brigade gathered over the weekend to celebrate their 165 years of service to the community and acknowledge the dedication of several brigade members.

    The brigade was formed by a public meeting notice in the Portland Guardian Newspaper in 1858 for the purpose of forming a Volunteer Fire Brigade to operate the fire vehicle they had recently received from England.  

    From that meeting, Portland Fire Brigade has been operating in many iterations and is now a co-located brigade with Fire Rescue Victoria.  

    Portland Captain Ian Hamley who has been involved with the brigade since 2010 said the night was a memorable tribute to the commitment and courage showed by all members past and present.  

    “From early days when horse and carts were used, to having a fleet of specialised firefighting vehicles, our purpose of serving the community has remained at the heart of what we do,” Ian said. 

    “The brigade has been an integral part of the local community since 1858, and we hope it continues to remain that way for generations to come.”  

    The brigade attends approximately 150 support calls annually and has been at the frontline of many major emergencies including the 2014 Grampians fires, 2014 Mt Clay fires and the 2015 Awassi Express fire. 

    Throughout their service, Portland brigade has encountered many challenges on the fireground, with the passing of 4th Lieutenant Garry Mallen a particularly devastating loss.  

    The crew were responding to a shed fire on 30 January 2024 when Lieutenant Mallen collapsed while fighting the fire. Three CFA members on scene were quick into action, undertaking CPR until the arrival of paramedics.  

    Unfortunately, Lieutenant Mallen was unable to be revived despite their efforts.  

    Portland 1st Lieutenant Adam Hermelin, who was on scene said it was one of the most confronting and emotional incidents he has faced.  

    “We learn first aid training hoping we never have to use it,” Adam said. 

    “To use it for the first time on a well-respected colleague was quite an unreal experience.”  

    “Garry was a prominent member here at Portland. He put his hand up for anything, was a great trainer and was always good for a laugh.”  

    The composure and professionalism shown by firefighters Adam Hermelin, Ryan Delony and John Wolf was awarded with a Unit Citation for Courage from Chief Officer Jason Heffernan on Saturday. 

    “It’s nice to be recognised for our efforts that day, but we simply did what anyone else in our shoes would have done that day,” Adam said.  

    Looking to the future, Ian says the brigade are always looking for new volunteers.  

    “If you’re thinking about joining, everyone is more than welcome to come take a look around the station and learn about the different roles available.” 

    • Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and Unit Citation for Courage recipients with Katie Robins and Justin Mallen (Garry Mallen’s children)
    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Salman Ahmad, Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of the West of Scotland

    Fahroni/Shutterstock

    As you wait in the departure lounge for your flight this summer, you may notice your aeroplane being pumped full of fuel ahead of takeoff. And then you may start to wonder why flying is still so dependent on fossil fuels, and whether you should have booked a holiday destination that’s accessible by a more environmentally friendly form of transport.

    So what happened to plans for so-called sustainable aviation fuel? Wasn’t it supposed to be the “game changer” that would make flying a much greener travel option than it used to be?

    Clearly, the move to adopt the technology is facing difficulties. One problem seems to be that there simply isn’t enough sustainable fuel to go around.

    But the business side of the process is also holding back sustainable fuel uptake.

    Research my colleagues and I conducted in 2021 revealed a deeply fragmented landscape at pretty much every step of sustainable fuel development. There are obstacles everywhere, blocking the paths of the producers developing these fuels, the airlines who might use them and the governmental and campaign groups pushing for change.

    Everyone seems to agree that sustainable fuel matters. They just don’t all agree about how to really get it off the ground.

    Our findings demonstrate that producers, for instance, were understandably focused on more research and development to improve efficient production. They were also worried that scaling up facilities could disrupt production that is already in place.

    Airlines meanwhile, are grappling with the economics of moving to sustainable fuel, which is around three to ten times more expensive than conventional fuel. Right now, a litre of conventional aviation fuel costs around £0.96 per litre in the UK – for sustainable aviation fuel it’s around £1.97. (Depending on the length of the journey and the size of the engine, a plane could need around 13,000 litres per hour of flying.)

    They spoke about inconsistent supply (especially at major airports), and the need for clearer regulations and incentives across the industry.

    “Cost is clearly the most important driver,” one airline executive told us, explaining that dealing with those costs would ultimately depend on passenger demand for greener travel – and how willing those passengers are to pay a premium for sustainable fuel.

    Distribution companies that take the sustainable fuel where it needs to go, have found themselves struggling to navigate the complexities of an emerging supply chain. They spoke of the logistical challenges of transporting and storing sustainable fuel, and a lack of clear communication between producers and airlines.

    They saw themselves as a crucial part of the sustainable aviation fuel puzzle, but were concerned about investing in logistics and infrastructure without guaranteed demand.

    Elsewhere, politicians and climate campaigners tend to view the adoption of sustainable fuel from a broader perspective, stressing the urgency of action on climate change. Their thinking is dominated by environmental strategy and sustainable aviation fuel regulation.

    But here, trust becomes an issue. Some of those involved with sustainable fuel development said they doubted government promises to support the sector over the long term. Others are cynical about whether airlines will really prioritise climate action over their very tight profit margins.

    Up in the air

    So sustainable fuel inspires plenty of different viewpoints and concerns. But one common thread was an overwhelming concern about cost and scale of production.

    Aside from being far more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel, building enough production facilities to make more will require billions of pounds of investment.

    The big question is who will foot the bill.

    sustainable fuel, on a wing and a prayer?
    Bulent camci/Shutterstock

    Some of this will need to be tax funded. For if the UK wants to become a leader in the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as the government says it does, it needs more than ambitious targets. It needs to start making things happen.

    And our research suggests that the industry as a whole would benefit from some certainty to encourage investment right across the supply chain. Without a clear and stable regulatory framework, everyone will remain hesitant about committing significant resources to sustainable fuel.

    Collaboration between the key players could also be improved, with a better dialogue between those in the industry and regulators, potentially leading to a shared vision for the future of sustainable aviation fuel.

    That future is by no means doomed. Major commercial airlines like Air France-KLM, IAG (British Airways) and United Airlines in the US are working with sustainable fuel producers around the world.

    But while the desire to decarbonise aviation seems clear, the path forward is not straightforward. It is a complex picture of politics, economics, trust and differing priorities.

    By navigating this turbulence wisely, the sustainable fuel sector can be part of a broader flight path to net zero. But if managed poorly, targets to dramatically increase its use will remain elusive.

    Salman Ahmad received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to undertake work that informs the contents of this article. He is also a professional member of the Project Management Institue and the Association for Supply Chain Management.

    – ref. Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel – https://theconversation.com/why-your-holiday-flight-is-still-not-being-powered-by-sustainable-aviation-fuel-258958

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Salman Ahmad, Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of the West of Scotland

    Fahroni/Shutterstock

    As you wait in the departure lounge for your flight this summer, you may notice your aeroplane being pumped full of fuel ahead of takeoff. And then you may start to wonder why flying is still so dependent on fossil fuels, and whether you should have booked a holiday destination that’s accessible by a more environmentally friendly form of transport.

    So what happened to plans for so-called sustainable aviation fuel? Wasn’t it supposed to be the “game changer” that would make flying a much greener travel option than it used to be?

    Clearly, the move to adopt the technology is facing difficulties. One problem seems to be that there simply isn’t enough sustainable fuel to go around.

    But the business side of the process is also holding back sustainable fuel uptake.

    Research my colleagues and I conducted in 2021 revealed a deeply fragmented landscape at pretty much every step of sustainable fuel development. There are obstacles everywhere, blocking the paths of the producers developing these fuels, the airlines who might use them and the governmental and campaign groups pushing for change.

    Everyone seems to agree that sustainable fuel matters. They just don’t all agree about how to really get it off the ground.

    Our findings demonstrate that producers, for instance, were understandably focused on more research and development to improve efficient production. They were also worried that scaling up facilities could disrupt production that is already in place.

    Airlines meanwhile, are grappling with the economics of moving to sustainable fuel, which is around three to ten times more expensive than conventional fuel. Right now, a litre of conventional aviation fuel costs around £0.96 per litre in the UK – for sustainable aviation fuel it’s around £1.97. (Depending on the length of the journey and the size of the engine, a plane could need around 13,000 litres per hour of flying.)

    They spoke about inconsistent supply (especially at major airports), and the need for clearer regulations and incentives across the industry.

    “Cost is clearly the most important driver,” one airline executive told us, explaining that dealing with those costs would ultimately depend on passenger demand for greener travel – and how willing those passengers are to pay a premium for sustainable fuel.

    Distribution companies that take the sustainable fuel where it needs to go, have found themselves struggling to navigate the complexities of an emerging supply chain. They spoke of the logistical challenges of transporting and storing sustainable fuel, and a lack of clear communication between producers and airlines.

    They saw themselves as a crucial part of the sustainable aviation fuel puzzle, but were concerned about investing in logistics and infrastructure without guaranteed demand.

    Elsewhere, politicians and climate campaigners tend to view the adoption of sustainable fuel from a broader perspective, stressing the urgency of action on climate change. Their thinking is dominated by environmental strategy and sustainable aviation fuel regulation.

    But here, trust becomes an issue. Some of those involved with sustainable fuel development said they doubted government promises to support the sector over the long term. Others are cynical about whether airlines will really prioritise climate action over their very tight profit margins.

    Up in the air

    So sustainable fuel inspires plenty of different viewpoints and concerns. But one common thread was an overwhelming concern about cost and scale of production.

    Aside from being far more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel, building enough production facilities to make more will require billions of pounds of investment.

    The big question is who will foot the bill.

    sustainable fuel, on a wing and a prayer?
    Bulent camci/Shutterstock

    Some of this will need to be tax funded. For if the UK wants to become a leader in the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as the government says it does, it needs more than ambitious targets. It needs to start making things happen.

    And our research suggests that the industry as a whole would benefit from some certainty to encourage investment right across the supply chain. Without a clear and stable regulatory framework, everyone will remain hesitant about committing significant resources to sustainable fuel.

    Collaboration between the key players could also be improved, with a better dialogue between those in the industry and regulators, potentially leading to a shared vision for the future of sustainable aviation fuel.

    That future is by no means doomed. Major commercial airlines like Air France-KLM, IAG (British Airways) and United Airlines in the US are working with sustainable fuel producers around the world.

    But while the desire to decarbonise aviation seems clear, the path forward is not straightforward. It is a complex picture of politics, economics, trust and differing priorities.

    By navigating this turbulence wisely, the sustainable fuel sector can be part of a broader flight path to net zero. But if managed poorly, targets to dramatically increase its use will remain elusive.

    Salman Ahmad received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to undertake work that informs the contents of this article. He is also a professional member of the Project Management Institue and the Association for Supply Chain Management.

    – ref. Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel – https://theconversation.com/why-your-holiday-flight-is-still-not-being-powered-by-sustainable-aviation-fuel-258958

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Brownlow, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Sheffield Hallam University

    Peatland burns over the reservoir in Langsett, a village in South Yorkshire. Wendy Birks, CC BY-NC-ND

    Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick grey smoke drifted across Sheffield’s western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about “bonfire smoke”, while others were forced to leave the city due to breathing difficulties.

    However, this smoke did not originate within the city. It was drifting in from the Peak District, more than nine miles away, where controlled heather burning was taking place on the moorlands. For around six hours, levels of fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5), tiny airborne pollutants known to harm human health, exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and peaked at 70µg/m³, well above the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.

    This single incident points to the wider and largely invisible problem of the routine burning of the UK’s uplands. This can be a serious source of air pollution, but because most official air pollution monitoring concentrates on urban areas, the effects are overlooked. This is why we have started monitoring upland fires and the pollution they cause.

    Prescribed burning is a longstanding land management practice often used to control vegetation for grouse shooting or livestock grazing. It happens across a range of upland landscapes. Many of the areas being burned sit on deep peat, an organic-rich soil made from layers of slowly decomposed plant material formed over thousands of years in waterlogged conditions.

    Peatlands are incredibly important. They are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. In the UK, they cover around 12% of the land area and store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to all the forests of Germany, France and the UK combined. Most of the UK’s peat is found in Scotland, but notable areas in England include the Peak District and North York Moors. However, their value goes well beyond carbon.

    Around 70% of Britain’s drinking water comes from upland areas that are largely peatland, and healthy peatlands help reduce flooding by slowing the flow of water from hills to towns and cities. They also provide vital habitats for birds, insects and rare plants, forming the UK’s largest area of semi-natural habitat.



    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is burning hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why

    Despite their ecological importance, more than 80% of English peatlands are classified as degraded, often through historic air pollution, draining, overgrazing and, importantly, repeated burning.

    One hidden consequence of that burning is air pollution. These burns are often viewed as isolated rural events, but their effect on regional air quality can be substantial. On that day in Sheffield, pollution levels briefly rivalled those seen across the city during bonfire night, a well-known peak in urban air pollution.

    In response to that October event, our research team launched a new pilot monitoring network across part of the Peak District national park. This FireUp project combines air quality sensors, satellite data and community observations to detect and measure pollution from upland fires.

    Planned burning event in the Peak District captured via Copernicus Sentinel-2 data (2024), retrieved from Copernicus SciHub and processed by European Space Agency.
    CC BY

    By using a mix of technologies and local reporting, we have documented spikes in PM2.5 pollution that would have otherwise been missed. Our system offers a clearer picture of when and where fires occur, and how far their smoke spreads, opening the door for better planning and stronger protections for public health. But the problem is not just a lack of data, it is also a failure of regulation. England’s current upland burning regulations are limited on four fronts.

    Heather and grass burning regulations introduced in 2021 prohibit burning only on peat deeper than 40cm inside designated sites. That means 60% of upland peat is excluded from these protections.

    With more than 95% of PM2.5 monitors located in urban areas, smoke from moorland fires in remote rural locations is rarely registered on official networks.

    The resources for organisations responsible for enforcing regulations have shrunk over the last decade. Natural England, one of the government’s statutory bodies responsible for environmental protection, has experienced a 4% decrease in funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

    Prosecutions for illegal burning are exceptionally rare, with satellite analyses pointing to a higher level of unlicensed activity than official records suggest.

    In short, narrow legal scope, limited monitoring coverage and under-resourced enforcement leave many prescribed burns undetected and unaccounted for, along with the health and environmental risks they carry.

    Our FireUp system improves fire detections and helps quantify the effects of air pollution from these burns. As the UK government reviews regulations as part of the 2025 heather and grass burning consultation for England, and as upland fire risk increases, this kind of evidence is essential, not just to track what is happening, but to help shape a healthier and better future for the UK’s uplands.

    Our next step is to develop a citizen science app that makes it easier for people to report peatland fire incidents and upland burning to help improve regulation and log the effects of changes in air quality.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    James is a member of the Welsh Government Clean Air Advisory Panel, and Promoting Awareness of Air Quality Delivery Group. James also sits on the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Advisory Group.

    Maria Val Martin receives funding from UKRI and is a member of the DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group.

    Rebecca Brownlow does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires – https://theconversation.com/air-quality-isnt-just-bad-in-cities-heres-why-and-how-were-tracking-pollution-from-upland-fires-258034

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Class and masculinity are connected – when industry changes, so does what it means to ‘be a man’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Lively, PhD Candidate in Human Geography, Newcastle University

    Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock

    On July 3, I’ll be discussing Youth, Masculinity and the Political Divide at an event with The Conversation and Cumberland Lodge at Newcastle University (get your tickets here).

    Young people involved in the panel have brought up class and the decline of industry as topics for discussion. This is particularly fitting, given my ongoing PhD research exploring masculinity and the contemporary lives of working-class men in Tyneside.

    Tyneside is an area in north-east England which was once a major centre of Britain’s Industrial Revolution. Its coal mining, shipbuilding and heavy engineering industries were seen as the backbone of the region, upheld by a large industrial skilled working class.

    As with many northern towns, widespread deindustrialisation, predominantly around the 1970s and 1980s, dramatically changed the area. At its peak, Swan Hunter – a globally recognised shipyard and significant employer in Wallsend (North Tyneside) and the surrounding area – employed up to 12,000 people. By 2005, the year before its closure, only 357 direct workers were employed.

    The process of deindustrialisation affected not just the type of work that was done, but how men in the region saw themselves. As I am currently researching, the effects of this ring true today.


    Boys and girls are together facing an uncertain world. But research shows they are diverging when it comes to attitudes about masculinity, feminism and gender equality.

    Social media, politics, and identity all play a role. But what’s really going on with boys and girls? Join The Conversation UK and Cumberland Lodge’s Youth and Democracy project at Newcastle University for a discussion of these issues with young people and academic experts. Tickets available here.

    Like other regions in Britain, Tyneside shifted from mostly masculine manual labour to a largely “feminised” service sector. Informal work, subcontracting and part-time work proliferated while rates of trade unionism declined.

    Changes in industry and understandings of social class have a surprising amount to do with how we think about masculinity. Paul Willis’ 1977 seminal study Learning to Labour explores how the links between social class and masculinity are forged early in life.

    Our ideas about masculinity are produced, reinforced and upheld through institutions such as schools, the workplace and media. There is no singular “form” of masculinity – men perform it in many different ways. There is, however, hegemonic masculinity. This is the most dominant form of masculinity in a society at any given time, valued above other forms of gender identities that do not match up to the dominant ideal.

    “Traditional” views of masculinity were particularly prevalent during the height of industry in the area. These views centred around ideas of men as providers and ideas of toughness. Value was placed on a willingness (or need) to do physical and often hazardous labour.

    The demise of “masculine” labour in areas such as Tyneside disrupted not only economic stability but also male identity and pride. As broader socioeconomic shifts unfolded across England, many working class men found themselves outside of those traditional masculine ideals around labour.

    This has been well documented, particularly in ethnographic work such as Anoop Nayak’s 2006 study Displaced Masculinities. This key text explored how working-class boys navigate “what it is to be a ‘man’ beyond the world of industrial paid employment”.

    Class and identity in a changing world

    Early findings from my research suggest that today, class (and working-class identity) is not as salient in mens’ everyday lives. Participants in my study have spoken about class, but it does not overtly feature in how they make sense of their identities. As one man put it: “Class means you have to use yourself to earn money. Your labour, that’s what I understand by it, but I’ve never thought about class much.”

    The quayside in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
    Philip Mowbray/Shutterstock

    What happens to men when an area’s strong working-class identity declines, but there is no narrative to replace it? There is a risk that harmful ideas about masculinity step in to fill a gap left by declining industry and continued economic inequality. We have seen this in extensive research in the US about masculinity, class and the appeal of the far right.

    This is why class must be part of the discussion around the rise of the “manosphere” – online communities and influencers sharing content about masculinity that can veer into misogyny. Class politics also presents a positive and unifying alternative.

    It is imperative that working-class areas and the people within them aren’t portrayed as somehow inherently susceptible to, or represented by, the narratives of the manosphere. Indeed, the men I have spoken to have not been particularly pulled in by the manosphere. However they do recognise the feeling of being overlooked and not measuring up to idealised “standards” about masculinity.

    The “manosphere” preys on this, tapping into boys’ and young men’s fears around masculinity and their (perceived) social status. Narrow portrayals of what success looks like puts immense pressure on young people to live up to unattainable standards.

    As I have written before, mansophere content often relies on messages around hyper-individualism that ignore the broader effects of class, the economy and political views.

    Manosphere messaging that “most men are invisible” and that the system is now “rigged against men” fits neatly with young boys’ and men’s anxieties about not having the same place or opportunities in society that previous generations of men might have had.

    Without honest discussion about working-class communities and the effects of deindustrialisation on identity, this messaging may become alluring in postindustrial towns.

    Sophie Lively receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council as part of the Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership.

    – ref. Class and masculinity are connected – when industry changes, so does what it means to ‘be a man’ – https://theconversation.com/class-and-masculinity-are-connected-when-industry-changes-so-does-what-it-means-to-be-a-man-258857

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Completely unexpected’: Antarctic sea ice may be in terminal decline due to rising Southern Ocean salinity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alessandro Silvano, NERC Independent Research Fellow in Oceanography, University of Southampton

    Adélie penguins rely on Antarctic sea ice for habitat. Nick Dale Photo/Shutterstock

    The ocean around Antarctica is rapidly getting saltier at the same time as sea ice is retreating at a record pace. Since 2015, the frozen continent has lost sea ice similar to the size of Greenland. That ice hasn’t returned, marking the largest global environmental change during the past decade.

    This finding caught us off guard – melting ice typically makes the ocean fresher. But new satellite data shows the opposite is happening, and that’s a big problem. Saltier water at the ocean surface behaves differently than fresher seawater by drawing up heat from the deep ocean and making it harder for sea ice to regrow.

    The loss of Antarctic sea ice has global consequences. Less sea ice means less habitat for penguins and other ice-dwelling species. More of the heat stored in the ocean is released into the atmosphere when ice melts, increasing the number and intensity of storms and accelerating global warming. This brings heatwaves on land and melts even more of the Antarctic ice sheet, which raises sea levels globally.

    Our new study has revealed that the Southern Ocean is changing, but in a different way to what we expected. We may have passed a tipping point and entered a new state defined by persistent sea ice decline, sustained by a newly discovered feedback loop.

    The Southern Ocean surrounds Antarctica, which is fringed by sea ice.
    Nasa

    A surprising discovery

    Monitoring the Southern Ocean is no small task. It’s one of the most remote and stormy places on Earth, and is covered in darkness for several months a year. Thanks to new European Space Agency satellites and underwater robots which stay below the ocean surface measuring temperature and salinity, we can now observe what is happening in real time.

    Our team at the University of Southampton worked with colleagues at the Barcelona Expert Centre and the European Space Agency to develop new algorithms to track ocean surface conditions in polar regions from satellites. By combining satellite observations with data from underwater robots, we built a 15-year picture of changes in ocean salinity, temperature and sea ice.

    What we found was astonishing. Around 2015, surface salinity in the Southern Ocean began rising sharply – just as sea ice extent started to crash. This reversal was completely unexpected. For decades, the surface had been getting fresher and colder, helping sea ice expand.

    The annual summer minimum extent of Antarctic sea ice dropped precipitously in 2015.
    NOAA Climate.gov/National Snow and Ice Data Center

    To understand why this matters, it helps to think of the Southern Ocean as a series of layers. Normally, the cold, fresh surface water sits on top of warmer, saltier water deep below. This layering (or stratification, as scientists call it) traps heat in the ocean depths, keeping surface waters cool and helping sea ice to form.

    Saltier water is denser and therefore heavier. So, when surface waters become saltier, they sink more readily, stirring the ocean’s layers and allowing heat from the deep to rise. This upward heat flux can melt sea ice from below, even during winter, making it harder for ice to reform. This vertical circulation also draws up more salt from deeper layers, reinforcing the cycle.

    A powerful feedback loop is created: more salinity brings more heat to the surface, which melts more ice, which then allows more heat to be absorbed from the Sun. My colleagues and I saw these processes first hand in 2016-2017 with the return of the Maud Rise polynya, which is a gaping hole in the sea ice that is nearly four times the size of Wales and last appeared in the 1970s.

    What happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay there

    Losing Antarctic sea ice is a planetary problem. Sea ice acts like a giant mirror reflecting sunlight back into space. Without it, more energy stays in the Earth system, speeding up global warming, intensifying storms and driving sea level rise in coastal cities worldwide.

    Wildlife also suffers. Emperor penguins rely on sea ice to breed and raise their chicks. Tiny krill – shrimp-like crustaceans which form the foundation of the Antarctic food chain as food for whales and seals – feed on algae that grow beneath the ice. Without that ice, entire ecosystems start to unravel.

    What’s happening at the bottom of the world is rippling outward, reshaping weather systems, ocean currents and life on land and sea.

    Feedback loops are accelerating the loss of Antarctic sea ice.
    University of Southampton

    Antarctica is no longer the stable, frozen continent we once believed it to be. It is changing rapidly, and in ways that current climate models didn’t foresee. Until recently, those models assumed a warming world would increase precipitation and ice-melting, freshening surface waters and helping keep Antarctic sea ice relatively stable. That assumption no longer holds.

    Our findings show that the salinity of surface water is rising, the ocean’s layered structure is breaking down and sea ice is declining faster than expected. If we don’t update our scientific models, we risk being caught off guard by changes we could have prepared for. Indeed, the ultimate driver of the 2015 salinity increase remains uncertain, underscoring the need for scientists to revise their perspective on the Antarctic system and highlighting the urgency of further research.

    We need to keep watching, yet ongoing satellite and ocean monitoring is threatened by funding cuts. This research offers us an early warning signal, a planetary thermometer and a strategic tool for tracking a rapidly shifting climate. Without accurate, continuous data, it will be impossible to adapt to the changes in store.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Alessandro Silvano is a Natural Environment Research Council (United Kingdom Research and Innovation) Independent Research Fellow.

    – ref. ‘Completely unexpected’: Antarctic sea ice may be in terminal decline due to rising Southern Ocean salinity – https://theconversation.com/completely-unexpected-antarctic-sea-ice-may-be-in-terminal-decline-due-to-rising-southern-ocean-salinity-259743

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mohammadamin Ahmadfard, Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities.

    By integrating renewables — from solar panels and wind turbines to geothermal grids, hydrogen plants, electric vehicles and batteries — AI can enable cities to manage diverse energy sources as a single, intelligent system.

    One striking example is the Oya Hybrid Power Station in South Africa. Here, AI-driven controls seamlessly co-ordinate solar, wind and battery storage to deliver reliable power to up to 320,000 households. Using AI makes this kind of integration not only possible, but dramatically more efficient.

    Recent research shows AI can also optimize how batteries, solar and the grid interact in buildings. A 2023 study found that deep learning and real-time data helped a boarding school in Turin, Italy increase low-cost energy purchases and cut its electricity bill by more than half.

    Cleaner, smarter energy grids

    AI models are increasingly able to predict weather with greater precision. These predictions allow electric grid operators to plan hours ahead, storing excess energy in batteries or adjusting supply to meet demand before a storm or heatwave hits.

    Using AI to respond strategically to weather is a game-changer. In Cambridge, England, a system called Aardvark uses satellite and sensor data to generate rapid, accurate forecasts of sun and wind patterns.

    Unlike traditional supercomputer-driven weather models, Aardvark’s AI can deliver precise local forecasts in minutes on an ordinary computer. This makes advanced weather prediction more accessible and affordable for cities, utilities and even smaller organizations — potentially transforming how communities everywhere plan for and respond to changing weather.

    AI models are increasingly able to predict weather with greater precision, allowing electric grid operators to plan ahead, storing excess energy in batteries or adjusting supply to meet demand before a storm or heat wave hits.
    (Shutterstock)

    AI for smarter district heating and cooling

    In Munich, Germany, AI is improving geothermal district heating by using underground sensors to monitor temperature and moisture levels in the ground.

    The collected data feeds into a digital simulation model that helps optimize network operations. In more advanced versions, during winter cold snaps, such systems can suggest lowering flow to underused spaces like half-empty offices and boosting heat where demand is higher, such as in crowded apartments.

    This intelligent, self-optimizing approach extends the life of equipment and delivers more warmth with the same energy input.

    This is a breakthrough with enormous potential for cities in cold climates with established geothermal networks, such as Winnipeg in Canada and Iceland’s Reykjavik.

    Although these cities have not yet adopted AI-driven monitoring systems, they could benefit from AI’s real-time improvements in efficiency, comfort and energy savings during harsh winters — a principle that holds true wherever geothermal district heating and cooling exists.

    Inside the home, AI-managed smart climate systems can factor in how many people are in each room, which appliances are in use, how much natural sunlight each space receives.
    (Shutterstock)

    Smart buildings

    Inside the home, AI-managed smart climate systems can factor in how many people are in each room, which appliances are in use, how much natural sunlight each space receives and how much electricity or heat a home’s solar panels generate throughout the day.

    Based on this, AI determines how to heat or cool rooms efficiently, and can transfer energy from one space to another, balancing comfort with minimal energy use.

    Coastal cities and those in wind-heavy regions are using AI in other creative ways. In Orkney, Scotland, excess wind and tidal energy are converted into green hydrogen. Instead of letting that surplus power go to waste, an AI system called HyAI controls when to generate hydrogen based on wind forecasts, electricity prices and how full the hydrogen storage tanks are.

    When winds are strong at night and electricity is cheap, the AI can divert surplus power to produce hydrogen and store it for later use. On calmer days, that stored hydrogen can power fuel cells or buses.

    Energy storage

    AI is transforming energy storage into a smart, revenue-generating force. In Finland, a startup called Capalo AI has developed Zeus VPP, an AI-powered virtual power plant that aggregates distributed batteries from homes, businesses and other sites.

    Zeus VPP uses advanced forecasting and AI algorithms to decide when batteries should charge or discharge, factoring in energy prices, local consumption and weather forecasts. This enables battery owners to earn revenue by participating in electricity markets, while also supporting grid stability and making better use of renewable energy.

    Utility companies are also using AI to monitor everything from high-voltage transmission lines to neighbourhood transformers, dramatically increasing reliability.

    AI-powered dynamic line rating adjusts how much electricity a line can carry in real time, boosting capacity by 15 to 30 per cent when conditions allow. This helps utilities maximize the use of existing infrastructure instead of relying on costly upgrades.

    At the local level, AI analyzes smart metre data to predict which transformers are overheating due to rising EV and heat pump use.

    By forecasting these stress points, utilities can proactively upgrade equipment before failures happen — a shift from reactive to predictive maintenance that makes the grid stronger and cities more resilient.

    AI-powered public transit and mobility

    Transportation innovation is becoming part of the energy solution, with AI at the centre of this transformation. In New York City, energy company Con Edison has installed major battery storage systems to help manage peak electricity demand and reduce reliance on polluting peaker plants, which supply energy only during high-demand periods.

    More broadly, Con Edison is deploying advanced AI-powered analytics software across its electric grid — optimizing voltage, enhancing reliability and enabling predictive maintenance. Together, these efforts show how combining energy storage and AI-driven analytics can make even the world’s busiest cities more resilient and efficient.

    AI is also powering “vehicle-to-grid” innovations in California, where an AI-driven platform manages electric school buses that can supply stored energy back to the grid during periods of high demand.

    By carefully managing when buses charge and discharge, these systems help keep the grid reliable and ensure vehicles are ready for their daily routes. As this technology expands, parked electric vehicles could serve as valuable backup resources for the electricity system.

    Transportation innovation is becoming part of the energy solution.
    (Shutterstock)

    AI for clean energy initiatives

    AI is rapidly transforming cities by revolutionizing how energy is used and managed. Google, for example, has slashed cooling energy at its data centres by up to 40 per cent using AI that fine-tunes fans, pumps and windows more efficiently than any human operator.

    Organizations like the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), in collaboration with NVIDIA, Microsoft and others, have launched the Open Power AI Consortium, which is creating open-source AI tools for utilities worldwide.

    These tools will enable even the most resource-constrained cities to deploy advanced AI capabilities, without having to start from scratch, helping to level the playing field and accelerate the global energy transition.

    The result is not just cleaner air and lower energy bills, but a path to fewer blackouts and more resilient homes.

    Mohammadamin Ahmadfard receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Mitacs Inc. for his postdoctoral research at Toronto Metropolitan University.

    – ref. AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit – https://theconversation.com/ai-applications-are-producing-cleaner-cities-smarter-homes-and-more-efficient-transit-256291

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ciprian N. Radavoi, Associate Professor in Law, University of Southern Queensland

    Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers kneel ahead of a game in 2016. Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

    It’s almost a decade since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started a worldwide trend and sparked fierce debate when he knelt during the US national anthem.

    In 2016, Kaepernick refused to follow the pre-game protocol related to the national anthem and knelt instead, saying:

    I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour.

    Soon, many athletes and teams began “taking a knee” at sports events to express their solidarity with victims of racial injustice.

    Now, they appear to have stopped, which prompted us to research the decline.

    Initial widespread support

    Following the intense public debate over the appropriateness of Kaepernick’s act, the ritual quickly spread worldwide, with athletes in major soccer leagues, cricket, rugby, Formula 1, top-tier tennis and the US’s Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association taking a knee.

    Athletes didn’t always kneel during national anthems, with the majority kneeling at certain points pre-game.

    Despite the occasional “defection” of a small number of players who would stand while their teammates knelt – such as Israel Folau in rugby league, Wilfried Zaha in soccer and Quinton de Kock in cricket – the ritual was widely embraced by teams and athletes and helped raise awareness of the issue.

    Even major sports organisations notorious for prohibiting any type of political activism generally accepted the kneeling ritual. For example, soccer’s International Football Federation (FIFA) showcased kneeling as a “stand against discrimination” and as human rights advocacy.

    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) initially stood firm by its Rule 50, which states “no kind of demonstration or political, religious, or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.

    But just three weeks before the 2021 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, the IOC relaxed its interpretation, and athletes were permitted to express their views in ways that included taking a knee.

    A surprising turn of events

    Despite permission and even encouragement from sports governing bodies, our research shows the practice is disappearing from major sports competitions.

    Take soccer, for example. At the FIFA World Cup 2022, England and Wales were the only national teams that knelt at their games in Qatar.

    At the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, no teams or players knelt.

    The same happened at the 2024 Olympic soccer tournament in Paris.

    That only a handful of teams knelt in Tokyo at the 2021 Olympics, two at the FIFA Mens’ World Cup in Qatar in 2022, none at the FIFA Womens’ World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, and again none at the Paris 2024 Olympics indicates a growing reluctance throughout the sports world.

    This surely cannot mean athletes have become indifferent to racial injustice or other forms of oppression in the interval between the late 2010s and the mid-2020s.

    The explanation must be sought elsewhere. A hint was provided when Crystal Palace soccer player Zaha, the first player of colour in the UK who refused to kneel, explained:

    I feel like taking the knee is degrading, because growing up my parents just let me know that I should be proud to be Black no matter what and I feel like we should just stand tall.

    The explanation may therefore be, at least in part, the players’ uncomfortable feelings related to the kneeling posture.

    In sociology, this bothersome state of mind is called “cognitive dissonance”: the mental conflict a person experiences in the presence of contrasting beliefs.

    A history of kneeling

    The body posture of kneeling is not deemed, in any culture, as expressing solidarity.

    Ancient Greek and the Roman societies, on whose values Western civilisation was built, rejected kneeling as improper, even when praying to gods.

    Then, with the spread of Christianity in the Western world, kneeling became widely used, but only as an act of worship, confessing guilt, or praying for mercy.

    When performed outside the church, kneeling meant submission to nobility or royalty.

    The significance of kneeling as humility is not limited to the Western world.

    In African tribal culture, the young kneel in front of elders, and everyone kneels before the king.

    In China in 1949, Chairman Mao famously proclaimed at the first plenary of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference:

    From now on our nation […] will no longer be a nation subject to insult and humiliation. We have stood up.

    With this in mind, kneeling may be deemed unfit at sporting events, which often feature a powerful cocktail of emotions, values and social expectations.

    The inconsistency between the excitement of competition and the expectation to kneel — a gesture associated with submission and humility — likely creates a bothersome state of mind for athletes.

    This potentially motivates some players to reject one of the two – in this case, the kneeling – to restore cognitive harmony.

    What could replace the kneeling ritual?

    After refusing, by unanimous players’ vote, to take a knee before their October 2020 game against the All Blacks, the Australian rugby union team chose instead to wear a First Nations jersey.

    The same year, several teams in German soccer’s top league chose to show their support for Black Lives Matter by wearing distinctive armbands.

    So it appears wearing a distinctive jersey or at least an armband is more easily accepted by modern-day athletes. This may be challenging given the governing bodies of many sports, such as FIFA, ban athletes from wearing political symbols on their clothing.

    Depending on whether sports code accept this type of activism in the future, wearing suportive clothing could replace taking a knee as symbolic communication of solidarity with oppressed minorities.

    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. Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’? – https://theconversation.com/why-have-athletes-stopped-taking-a-knee-259047

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public services put in your pocket with trial GOV.UK App launched today

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Public services put in your pocket with trial GOV.UK App launched today

    A trial version of the GOV.UK App is to be available to download on smartphones today, putting public services in people’s pocket to save them from wasting time on admin.

    • First GOV.UK App released to the public, kickstarting a whole new way for people to interact with government services that will make it easier to manage childcare payments and get travel guidance from your pocket.
    • Custom home page shows people services that they need most, while in future, notifications will help remind people to book their MOT, update their passport and more.
    • Initial version takes crucial services a step closer to citizens in a bid to cut life-admin, with plans to add a generative AI chatbot, GOV.UK Chat, later this year with much more to come.

    The first version of the GOV.UK App will be available to download on smartphones today, putting public services in people’s pocket to save them from wasting time on life admin.

    It marks an overhaul to the experience of using the GOV.UK website, which is visited by 88 million times every month by people completing essential daily tasks, to bring public services more in line with what people are used to when they bank or shop from their phones.

    Launching first in “public beta”, meaning the technology is still being worked on extensively, today’s release will allow the public to build the app around their personal circumstances, life events and services. 

    People will be able to choose which topics to prioritise on their home page, based on which government services are most important to them, whether it’s ‘care’, ‘travel’ or ‘business’. A home page will then let people access these services right away, rather than having to scour the internet each time, so they can get information, request support or change their details with the right government service with ease.

    Over time, new tools and functionality will be added. Later this year, the government’s generative AI chatbot – GOV.UK Chat – will be added for everyone to use. It will help people get answers to niche questions more quickly, where the details important to them may be buried in the 700,000-page website, with it instead drawing the most relevant information within seconds – whether it’s how to set up a specific type of business, what’s needed to apply for a passport, or what support new parents can access.

    Following the addition of GOV.UK Chat, work will start to make sure different government benefits, such as childcare allowances, can be dealt with seamlessly through the app. As well as making it easier for people to apply for support they’re eligible for, the move will also aim to tackle fraud, which could save the government millions.

    Today’s launch follows the digital blueprint for government which includes a number of tools to make it much easier for people and businesses to interact with the government, saving time and transforming the public services underpinning our Plan for Change. Later this year, the UK government will also launch GOV.UK Wallet which will include a pilot digital driving licence, which Brits will be able to easily use from their phone to prove their age when buying age restricted items online and in person.

    Technology secretary Peter Kyle said:

    Our new GOV.UK App shows for the first time how this government is overhauling taxpayer-funded services as we deliver on our Plan for Change. By putting public services in your pocket, we will do away with clunky paper forms and hours spent on hold, so you can immediately get the information you need and continue on with the rest of your day.

    This release of the GOV.UK App is just the start. Soon, you will be able to use it to ask GOV.UK Chat any question you like about government services, and get a reliable answer immediately. You will then get personal notifications, reminding you when your MOT is due or whether you need to register to vote, and then you will be able to closely track your childcare credits just as you do your bank account.

    People using the GOV.UK App will get the same experience every time they open the app in a way that is tailored to them, enabled by GOV.UK One Login. This technology will ultimately remove the need for several passwords to access different government services and users will be able to use facial ID to log in.

    To do this, the GOV.UK App considered major life events relevant to most of the population – such as ‘money and tax’, ‘studying and training’ and ‘retirement’. Some life events also cover topics where people might interact more with public services, such as ‘parenting’, ‘benefits’ and ‘care’.

    Notes to editors

    The GOV.UK App public beta will be available to download from 1 July in the Apple App store and Google marketplace.

    In January, the GOV.UK App was announced alongside the GOV.UK Wallet. The latter will carry a digital version of all government issued documents – starting with a Veterans’ Card this autumn, followed by a pilot of a digital drivers’ licence later this year. For the first release, the GOV.UK Wallet will be separate from the GOV.UK App. Over time the Wallet will also integrate with the GOV.UK App.

    The homepage of GOV.UK App can feature any combination of the below 11 topics:

    • benefits
    • business
    • care
    • driving and transport
    • employment
    • health and disability
    • money and tax
    • parenting and guardianship
    • retirement
    • studying and training
    • travel

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture

    Source:

    01 July 2025

    Terraglossia by Dr Debra Dank.

    Award-winning author and University of South Australia academic Dr Debra Dank has unveiled her latest work, Terraglossia, a powerful response to colonial oppression that invites all Australians to reimagine how we engage with the world’s oldest living culture.

    Dr Dank, a Gudanji/Wakaja and Kalkadoon woman from the Barkley Tablelands in the Northern Territory, launched the compelling follow-up to her acclaimed memoir, We Come With This Place, to challenge entrenched narratives and celebrate the richness of First Nations language and culture.

    The title of the small hardback, Terraglossia, is a word coined by Dr Dank herself in response to the colonial notion of terra nullius – a concept used by British colonisers to assert the land of Australia was unoccupied and available to claim and settle.

    “There is no result to be found if you Google the term ‘terraglossia’ and you won’t find it in a dictionary yet, or perhaps not ever,” she writes in the book.

    “It is a word I have coined because in making the untruth visible, populating the great Australian silence with the sounds that have been yarning here for thousands of years, we must identify the words that illustrate or define Aboriginal and Islander ways of knowing, being, doing and seeing as defined by us through our concepts and not merely non-Aboriginal concepts massaged into something that is close enough.”

    Dr Dank, who is based on the Sunshine Coast, has spent 40 years working in primary, secondary and tertiary education roles in urban and remote areas across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Northern Territory.

    She also helped establish the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a charity dedicated to improving literacy among Aboriginal children and young people, especially in remote and isolated communities.

    Throughout the new book, Dr Dank explores how an uncritiqued English language – evolved from a comparatively young language literally on the other side of the world ­– continues to silence First Nations’ voices and suppress more-than-ancient knowledges.

    She draws on several experiences throughout her childhood and teaching career where she has witnessed firsthand the impact of language loss and cultural disconnection.

    “I once worked with a non-Aboriginal teaching colleague who was from a non-English speaking European ancestry. I entered her classroom and found her shaking a small child and saying most aggressively, ‘You will not speak that gobbledygook in my classroom.’ The child, five years old, had spoken their own Aboriginal language,” Dr Dank says.

    “In my almost 40 years of working in a range of educational institutions and contexts throughout much of Australia, I have never once by connotation or by explicit statement, heard anyone voice disquiet about English speaking children speaking their own language in the classroom.

    “It’s time to disrupt a very erroneous narrative that started here when Cook claimed Country that was never his or open for claiming. We need to begin the business of being able to at least communicate a little more effectively.”

    Dr Debra Dank.

    Dr Dank’s first book We Come With This Place, a memoir of sorts of her Gudanji/Wakaja family’s connection to Country and culture, won numerous awards in 2023, including four NSW Premier’s Awards, three Queensland Literacy Awards and the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal.

    “I’m still a bit befuddled and bemused by the whole thing,” she says. “I didn’t set out to write books, I’m perplexed by the success of it but I am deeply honoured.”

    Dr Dank has already started work on her third book, expected to hit the printers before the end of 2025.

    Terraglossia, published by Echo Publishing, is available online and at major Australian booksellers.

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

    Contact for interview: Dr Debra Dank, Enterprise Fellow, UniSA E: debra.dank@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Melissa Keogh, Communications Officer, UniSA M: +61 403 659 154 E: melissa.keogh@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Status of the Chagos Archipelago – Part I: History of the Disputes Surrounding its Status and the Creation of a UK-US Military Base

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Clare Feikert-Ahalt, a senior foreign law specialist at the Law Library of Congress covering the United Kingdom and several other jurisdictions. Clare has written numerous posts for In Custodia Legis, including Revealing the Presence of Ghosts; Weird Laws, or Urban Legends?; FALQs: Brexit Referendum; 100 Years of “Poppy Day” in the United Kingdom; and most recently Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office Spurs Possible Law Change.

    A small, but important, island known as Diego Garcia has given rise to a number of legal challenges and international agreements that date back to Britain’s colonial era. The challenges surround whether the detachment from Mauritius, and subsequent colonization of the Chagos Archipelago, which consists of several islands and atolls remotely located in the center of the Indian Ocean, including the island of Diego Garcia, was lawful, and whether the removal and prohibition on the return of its inhabitants occurred within the bounds of the law. A recent agreement between the United Kingdom (UK) and Mauritius settles the disputes, by returning Chagos Archipelago to Mauritus and providing the UK with continued use of a military base, which I will describe in a post tomorrow. Today I will look at the history that preceded the agreement.

    UK Colonization of Chagos Archipelago

    One of the driving forces for the UK colonization of Chagos Archipelago was the establishment of a defense facility, to be operated jointly with the United States (US). Almost immediately upon detaching the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius and establishing the colony of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) the UK, after undertaking a survey to determine the most appropriate location for a defense facility, entered into an agreement with the US to allow Diego Garcia to be used for defense purposes. The US subsequently constructed, and jointly operated with the UK, a defense facility that according to the UK government provides “crucial strategic capabilities, which have played a key role in missions to disrupt high-value terrorists, including Islamic State threats to the UK.”

    History of the Chagos Archipelago and Diego Garcia

    The BIOT, which includes Diego Garcia, was the last colony established by the British as its colonial era entered into its waning days and Mauritius was on the verge of obtaining independence. In 1965, the government of the UK and a representative of Mauritius signed an agreement detaching the Chagos Archipelago from the territory of Mauritius.

    The agreement between the UK and Mauritius provided the legal foundation for the UK to establish the BIOT as new colony in the Chagos Archipelago, which initially included three other islands detached from Seychelles that were later ceded back to the Seychelles upon their independence in 1976. In return for the detachment of the Chagos Archipelago, the UK government provided Mauritius with a grant of £3 million (approximately US$4 million), along with a commitment to return the islands to Mauritius at a later date when it no longer needed the territory for defense purposes. Once under UK control, in 1966, the UK signed an agreement with the US to establish a military base on the largest island, Diego Garcia.

    Independence of Mauritius Leads to Legal Dispute over Territorial Definition

    Mauritius was granted independence from the UK in 1968, but the definition of Mauritius, contained in the Mauritius Independence Act 1968, which became its constitution and was promulgated by the government of the UK prior to Mauritius’ independence, does not include the Chagos Archipelago. Instead “Mauritius” is defined in section 5 of the 1968 Act as “the territories which immediately before the appointed day constitute the Colony of Mauritius.” The Mauritian government later claimed that its independence was made conditional upon the detachment of the Chagos Archipelago from its territory and disputed the sovereignty of the UK over the Chagos Archipelago.

    This bilateral dispute progressed through numerous meetings, international exchanges, courts and tribunals for a period of 60 years until the UK and Mauritius signed the recent agreement providing sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius..

    United Nations Resolution of 1966

    In 1966, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted a resolution condemning the British for exercising sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and calling for it to be returned to Mauritius.  In the same year, the UK and US reached an agreement providing for the use of an island in the Chagos Archipelago for defense purposes. The agreement provided that the UK government would take any administrative measures necessary to ensure the defense needs were met, which included the resettlement of the inhabitants of the islands.

    Challenges Regarding Status Continue

    The challenges faced by the Chagossians, along with their efforts to reclaim Diego Garcia are well detailed and documented in the decisions of the courts in which they lodged their claims.

    The UK entered into an agreement with Mauritius in 1972 whereby it agreed to pay Mauritius £650,000 (approximately US$875,000) for the cost of resettlement of people displaced from the Chagos Archipelago. The UK reached an additional agreement with Mauritius in 1982, under which it paid a further £4 million (approximately US$5.4 million) to be placed into a trust fund for the Chagossians removed from the islands as a final settlement of all claims, without admitting liability.

    Despite these agreements and settlement, Mauritius continued to challenge the legitimacy of British sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and the Chagossians challenged the legality of their resettlement and exile from Diego Garcia. During these challenges, and in response to a judgment from England’s High Court, the UK government conducted a feasibility study in 2002 into the return of the Chagossians to Diego Garcia. The study concluded that if the Chagossians were permitted to return to live on Diego Garcia, the costs of long-term inhabitation would be prohibitive and that natural events, such as flooding and seismic activity “would make life difficult for a resettled population.”

    Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

    In 2019, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion that the decolonization of Mauritius was not completed lawfully and that an international agreement was not possible when one territory was under the authority of the other. The ICJ stated that the UK “has an obligation to bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible.” The UK government acknowledged the opinion, but noted it was not legally binding. It stated that it did “not share the court’s approach” and asserted that it has exercised sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago since 1814. The UK affirmed that it stood by its commitment “to cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius when it is no longer required for defence purposes.”

    While advisory opinions from the ICJ are not binding, the UK government in 2025 acknowledged that they do “carr[y] significant weight; in particular it is likely to be highly influential on any subsequent court/tribunal”. This advisory opinion had a “meaningful real-world impact on the sustainability of UK sovereignty and the operation of the Base.” In particular, the UK government determined that if Mauritius made another legal challenge, its “… longstanding legal view is that [the UK] would not have a realistic prospect of success.”

    The advisory opinion was followed in 2021, by a case heard by the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea relating to the delimitation of the boundary between Mauritius and the Maldives and the court ruled that the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago could be inferred from the advisory opinion made by the International Court of Justice.

    The Congress of the Universal Postal Union also recognized Mauritius as responsible for making decisions regarding international postal services in the Chagos Archipelago. The UK government determined these decisions “confirmed the risk that a future (binding) case could be brought successfully against the UK” and that this “would create serious real-world operational impacts for the Base.”

    Between the years 2021-2022, the UK used diplomacy and bilateral initiatives to attempt to steer Mauritius away from commencing further legal challenges, but these were unsuccessful and “… it became clear by mid-2022 that the only viable means to halt the process was to enter negotiations” and the start of these were announced in November 2022. They resulted in the May 2025 agreement, which I will describe in tomorrow’s post. Stay tuned!

    ——————————————————————————————————————————–

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office summons Georgian Chargé d’Affaires – 30 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office summons Georgian Chargé d’Affaires – 30 June 2025

    The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office protests Georgian Dreams crackdown on civil society, independent media and critical voice in Georgia

    Today (30 June 2025), the Georgian Chargé d’Affaires was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where a senior official made clear the UK’s firm opposition to their country’s increasingly harmful trajectory and strongly objected to false claims and public attacks launched by Georgian Dream against the UK and international partners.

    An FCDO Spokesperson said:

    “The imprisonment of prominent opposition leaders is the latest attempt by the Georgian government to crack down on freedoms and stifle dissent.

    “The detention of election rivals is incompatible with any remaining Euro-Atlantic aspirations held by Georgian Dream as well as their own constitutional commitments.

    “The UK Government will not hesitate to consider further action should Georgia not return to respecting and upholding democracy, freedoms, and human rights.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting active travel in Skye and Raasay

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Work to promote and support active travel projects in Skye and Raasay is being backed by Highland Council.

    An Active Travel budget for 2025/26 has been agreed and earmarked towards capital works for the area.

    Monday’s meeting of the Isle of Skye and Raasay Committee noted ambitions for this resource to be used strategically to unlock additional investment, such as match funding from the Scottish Government.

    A project officer has been appointed for an initial two-year period to assist in delivery of the identified projects.

    They will work closely with a range of public sector partners and local community organisations to advance infrastructure projects, identify new or potential active travel development opportunities and improve access to public transport and sustainable travel options.

    The Project Officer will also provide a coordinating role for active travel infrastructure projects defined and developed through the Skye and Raasay Futures Initiative (SARF).

    Three key actions have been identified for more detailed exploration:

    • Integrating bikes and buses – including cycle parking at bus stops and stations, and retrofitting buses for bike storage.
    • A public cycle hire scheme.
    • Ongoing support for a local cycle network.

    The recently appointed Project Officer has undertaken a series of site/familiarisation visits covering potential projects and has met with key community groups through the Skye Active Travel Forum to understand their needs and priorities going forward.

    There are some works within the Portree Active Travel Masterplan that have been identified as being feasible for delivery in the next year, subject to updated cost estimates and agreement with elected members.

    These include work at Woodpark Road/A87 Roundabout crossings, Hedgefield Road signage and wayfinding, and Blaven Road/Home Farm Road junction minor improvements.

    Several of the more major actions will require works along the trunk road network.

    In these cases, officers will continue to progress discussions with colleagues in Transport Scotland and HITRANS.

    The Skye Cycle Way and Skye Cycle Network projects are currently being taken forward by local communities with support from HITRANS.

    Bids have been put forward to the Transport Scotland Active Travel Infrastructure Fund for the Skye Cycle Way, key initial section connecting Kyleakin with Broadford, as well as the Skye Cycle Network, Edinbane section, to connect the village with the campsite.

    The Council is working closely with HITRANS on a range of Active Travel projects and will monitor opportunities to support these pieces of work where possible.

    Additionally, a potential opportunity has been identified for the council to support works on the Old Sleat Road parallel to the A851, potentially providing another key piece of cycle route to be fully joined into the network at a later date.

    Chair of the Skye and Raasay Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said: “Supporting active travel is a commitment to make it easier, safer and more convenient for people to walk, wheel and cycle.

    “This benefits individual health as well as our environment, so I welcome the work taking place in Skye and Raasay to encourage these projects.”

    During Monday’s meeting members were also given an update on housing performance in the ward.

    They were told that there had been a decrease in rent arrears, and a reduction in the numbers living in temporary accommodation over the past year.

    Further business on the agenda included updates on new school projects in Dunvegan and Broadford, as well as on the ongoing refurbishment of Tigh na Sgire in Portree.

    The building is being redeveloped as a co-location hub to accommodate a number of other agencies, as well as council departments.

    Figures detailing income generated through pay and display car parks in the ward were also provided for the area committee.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change to public toilet provision in Uig, Isle of Skye

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Public toilet provision in Uig in the Isle of Skye will move to the port’s new ferry terminal when it opens this autumn.

    At Highland Council’s Skye and Raasay Committee meeting today (Monday 30 June) it was agreed that the current toilets, which are in poor state of repair, should be closed on 31st August following the full commissioning of the new facilities at the ferry terminal.

    The new terminal includes publicly accessible toilets which will be maintained to a high standard and will be open during all ferry operating hours.

    Members and the public are keen to see these hours extended and discussions on this issue will continue with Caledonian MacBrayne.

    Chair of the Skye & Raasay Area Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, welcomed the news and said: “This move to the new ferry terminal is positive for the community, ferry users and visitors to the area.

    “I am sure everyone welcomes the new and modern facilities that will now be available.”

    The current cost to operate the Uig PC is an estimated £9,372 per annum.

    The Council does not have a statutory responsibility to provide or operate Public Conveniences.

    The cost to refurbish the facility is estimated at £150,000.

    An approach has been made to Uig Community Trust to discuss the possibility of taking over ownership of the Uig PC via lease or Community Asset Transfer.

    The replacement of the existing PC with modern facilities at the ferry terminal aligns with current policy to consolidate services where appropriate, improve the quality and accessibility of public amenities, and reduce ongoing maintenance and operational costs.

    The new facilities provide a more suitable and sustainable long-term solution.

    The ferry terminal can provide male and female toilets and changing facilities within the building.

    During ferry operating hours, the building will be accessible to all.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Additional bins will help keep popular visitor spots tidy

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins. The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.

    Councillor Derek Louden, Chair of Highland Council’s Corporate Resources Committee, said: “The Corporate Resources Committee considers the Highland Council’s Delivery Plan on an ongoing basis, which includes an ambitious portfolio of projects targeting increased investment in tourism infrastructure. 

    “At the most recent committee meeting on 5 June, Members were pleased to hear about the plans that are in place to support responsible tourism and to address the concerns raised by our communities regarding littering.  Building upon the launch of the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme in 2024, it is encouraging to see that additional large bins are being rolled out for 2025.”

    Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said: “These plans for 2025 include providing waste enclosures at key sites including Inverness Torvean, Dunnet Seadrift, Wick Riverside, Golspie Beach (Shore Street), Ullapool Latheron Lane, Gairloch Harbour, and Kylesku Bridge (East).  These enclosures have been aesthetically designed to improve the look of the waste facilities at some of our key tourist sites.

    “A common theme we found in the feedback received from residents and tourists is that improved infrastructure should encourage more responsible behaviours. Increasing our bin capacity at these popular visitor sites will help to protect our fragile environment by minimising overfilling during peak periods.”

    The bin design incorporates a reduced opening which will protect waste on windy days and prevent instances of fly tipping.  Sites were selected based upon intelligence gathered during previous tourism seasons by multi-disciplinary teams across the Council. 

    The sites receiving additional bins will be:

    • Dunnet Head Car Park
    • Dunnet Seadrift Car Park
    • Wick Riverside Car Park
    • Glengarry Viewpoint Car Park
    • Nairn Harbour
    • Gairloch Harbour
    • Little Gruinard Bay Car Park
    • Rogie Falls
    • Durness Village Car Park
    • Golspie Shore Street Car Park
    • Kylesku Bridge (East) Car Park

    For further information and details about joining the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme, please visit: www.highland.gov.uk/motorhome and for details regarding locations of our Public Conveniences and Waste and Recycling Centres please visit: www.highland.gov.uk/tourism.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Biotoxins affecting bivalve shellfish in coastal waters in Loch Eishort, Isle of Skye

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Highland Council’s Environmental Health team have identified raised levels of naturally occurring bivalve shellfish biotoxins following routine monitoring at Loch Eishort. Eating bivalve shellfish such as cockles, mussels, oysters or razor fish from the area of Loch Eishort may pose a health risk arising from the consumption of these biotoxins.

    As a sensible precaution, people should avoid eating bivalve shellfish from this area until further notice. It is important to note that cooking does not remove risks from consumption.

    Commercial shellfish harvesters in the area have been contacted by Highland Council.

    For further information, please refer to Food Standards Scotland shellfish website.

    Map of the affected area:

    30 Jun 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Reject Sen. Markey Effort to Protect Rural Hospitals from Republican Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Over 300 Rural Hospitals at Disproportionate Risk of Closure, Conversion, or Service Reductions Due to GOP Cuts

    Watch: Senator Markey forces vote on Senate floor

    Washington (June 30, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, today forced a vote on a motion to cut any provision of Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that would make it more likely that rural hospitals close or cut services altogether. Republicans overwhelmingly voted down the amendment from passing. The motion failed by a vote of 49-51.

    Earlier this month, Senator Markey released a list of more than 300 rural hospitals across the United States at disproportionate risk of closure, conversion, or service reductions due to proposed health care cuts in the bill. Republicans are proposing over $1.6 trillion in draconian spending cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and SNAP to pay for tax cuts for people with incomes over $500,0000. These cuts include $930 billion to Medicaid, $500 billion to Medicare, and $300 billion to the Affordable Care Act. 

    Below is an excerpt from Senator Markey’s remarks on the Senate floor.

    “A few weeks ago, I released a list of more than 300 rural hospitals across the country at risk of closing or stopping services because of ANY major cuts to Medicaid or Medicare. Today, that’s what Republicans are guaranteeing with the $1 trillion cut to our health care system they would create with this bill.

    “My Republican colleagues know these risks are real, which is why they’ve tried to create a so-called Medicaid Cuts Replacement Fund that is just a fraction of what they’re taking from Americans’ health care to give to billionaires. This Fund is like giving aspirin to a cancer patient. It is pathetically insufficient.

    “No billionaire tax break or Donald Trump pat on the back is worth the risk to people’s lives and livelihoods. Stop these cuts.”

    Previously, Senator Markey, along with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Budget Committee, released detailed data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill concluding that Republican health care cuts in the House Republican-passed bill could place over 300 rural hospitals across the U.S. at disproportionate risk of closure, conversion, or service reductions. This includes 33 hospitals in Louisiana, 35 hospitals in Kentucky, and 21 hospitals in Oklahoma.

    In the face of these Republican cuts, a majority of adults living in rural areas are concerned that health care cuts will “negatively impact hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers in [their] community.” Rural hospitals are struggling; in 2023, there were 50 fewer rural hospitals than in 2017, and a lack of health care access in rural America is contributing to worse health outcomes. Faced with additional cuts to their revenue, many rural hospitals may be forced to stop providing certain services, including obstetric, mental health, and emergency room care, convert to clinics or standalone emergency centers, or close altogether. Rural hospitals are often the largest employers in rural communities, and when a rural hospital closes or scales back their services, communities are not only forced to grapple with losing access to health care, but also with job loss and the resulting financial insecurity.

    The 338 rural hospitals at-risk of reducing service lines, converting to a different type of health care facility, or closing include:

    Alaska

    Providence Valdez Medical Center

    Providence Seward Medical & Care Cen

    Prov. Kodiak Island Medical Center

    Cordova Community Medical Center

    Ketchikan Medical Center

    Alabama

    Community Hospital Inc.

    Marion Regional Medical Center

    Lawrence Medical Center

    Bullock County Hospital

    Hill Hospital of Sumter County

    Arkansas

    Wadley Medical Center at Hope

    Arizona

    Page Hospital

    Winslow Memorial Hospital

    Copper Queen Community Hospital

    Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital

    Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center

    California

    Adventist Health St. Helena

    Mad River Community Hospital

    Oroville Hospital

    St. Elizabeth Community Hospital

    Adventist Health Reedley

    Hi – Desert Medical Center

    Barstow Community Hospital

    Adventist Health Ukiah Valley

    Pioneers Mem. Hospital

    Memorial Hospital – Los Banos

    Eastern Plumas Health Care

    Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley

    Southern Inyo Hospital

    John C. Fremont Healthcare District

    Mayers Memorial Hospital

    Jerold Phelps Community Hospital

    Biggs-Gridley Memorial Hospital

    Mountains Community Hospital

    Kern Valley Healthcare District

    Trinity Hospital

    Fairchild Medical Center

    Adventist Health Clearlake

    Sutter Lakeside Hospital

    Modoc Medical Center

    Bear Valley Community Hospital

    Mee Memorial Hospital

    Hazel Hawkins Mem. Hospital

    Coalinga Regional Medical Center

    Colorado

    Delta County Memorial Hospital

    Conejos County Hospital

    Grand River Hospital District

    Prowers Medical Center

    Southwest Memorial Hospital

    Arkansas Valley Regional Med Center

    Connecticut

    Sharon Hospital

    Delaware

    Nanticoke Memorial Hospital

    Florida

    Lakeside Medical Center

    Georgia

    Washington Co Reg Med Center

    Irwin County Hospital

    Fannin Regional Hospital

    Flint River Community Hospital

    Hawaii

    Kau Hospital

    Kohala Hospital

    Molokai General Hospital

    Lanai Community Hospital

    Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital

    Hale Hoola Hamakua

    Iowa

    MercyOne – Newton Medical Center

    Manning Regional Healthcare Center

    Idaho

    Power County Hospital District

    St. Lukes Jerome Ltd

    Cassia Regional Hospital

    Illinois

    Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital

    OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center

    Richland Memorial Hospital

    Harrisburg Medical Center Inc.

    Hoopeston Community Memorial Hospital

    Franklin Hospital

    Massac Memorial Hospital

    Hardin County General Hospital

    Crawford Memorial Hospital

    Indiana

    Daviess Community Hospital

    Memorial Hospital Logansport

    Community Hospital of Bremen Inc.

    Ascension St. Vincent Randolph

    Ascension St. Vincent Jennings

    Ascension St. Vincent Clay

    Ascension St Vincent Salem

    IU Health Jay Hospital

    Franciscan Health Rensselaer

    Sullivan County Community Hospital

    Adams Memorial Hospital

    Harrison County Hospital

    Kansas

    Centura Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital

    UKHS Great Bend Campus

    Kiowa County Memorial Hospital

    Rush County Memorial Hospital

    Norton County Hospital

    Great Plains of Smith County, Inc.

    Kentucky

    Whitesburg ARH

    Highlands Regional Medical Center

    UofL Health-Shelbyville

    T.J. Samson Community Hospital

    St. Claire Medical Center

    Middlesboro ARH

    Spring View Hospital

    AdventHealth Manchester

    Bourbon Community Hospital

    Harlan ARH

    Deaconess Henderson Hospital

    Saint Joseph Mount Sterling

    Tug Valley ARH

    Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical

    Baptist Health Corbin

    Clark Regional Medical Center

    Baptist Health Madisonville

    The Medical Center of Albany

    Three Rivers Medical Center

    Kentucky River Medical Center

    TJ Health Columbia

    Pineville Community Health Center

    Marcum & Wallace Memorial Hospital

    Our Lady of The Way

    Casey County Hospital

    Carroll County Memorial Hosp

    The Medical Center at Caverna

    Fort Logan Hospital

    Mary Breckinridge Hospital

    Jane Todd Crawford Hospital

    Barbourville ARH Hospital

    Saint Joseph Berea

    Russell County Hospital

    McDowell ARH

    Fleming County Hospital

    Louisiana

    Ochsner St. Mary

    Savoy Medical Management Group Inc.

    Iberia Medical Center

    West Carroll Health Systems LLC

    North Louisiana Medical Center

    Winn Parish Medical Center

    Avoyelles Hospital

    Oakdale Community Hospital

    Morehouse General Hospital

    Desoto Regional Health System

    Allen Parish Hospital

    Franklin Medical Center

    Minden Medical Center

    Richland Parish Hospital Service District 1-B

    Byrd Regional Hospital

    Mercy Regional Medical Center

    Citizens Medical Center

    Caldwell Memorial Hospital

    East Carroll Parish Hospital

    Sabine Medical Center

    Our Lady of The Angels Hospital Mc

    Southeast Regional Medical Center

    Acadian Medical Center

    St. Helena Parish Hospital

    Union General Hospital Inc.

    West Feliciana Parish Hospital

    West Ascension Parish Hospital

    Hood Memorial Hospital

    Franklin Foundation Hospital

    Christus Coushatta Health Care Center

    Madison Parish Hospital

    Trinity Medical

    Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center

    Massachusetts

    Baystate Franklin Medical Center

    Maine

    The Aroostook Medical Center

    Maine Coast Memorial Hospital

    Michigan

    Mclaren Central Michigan

    Carson City Hospital

    Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital

    Ascension Borgess-Lee Hospital

    Minnesota

    Range Regional Health Services

    Mayo Clinic Health System-Fairmont

    Missouri

    Bothwell Regional Health Center

    Scotland County Memorial Hospital

    Parkland Health Center – Bonne Terre

    Lafayette Regional Health Center

    Mississippi

    Alliance Healthcare System

    Delta Health-Northwest Regional

    Baptist Mem Hospital Booneville

    Greenwood Leflore Hospital

    Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center

    Highland Community Hospital

    Panola Medical Center

    Baptist Medical Center – Yazoo

    Montana

    Northeast Montana Healthcare-Poplar

    Prairie Community Hospital

    Garfield Co. Health Center

    Logan Health Cutbank

    Big Horn Hospital

    Northeast Montana Health Services

    Providence St Joseph Medical Center

    Big Sky Medical Center

    North Carolina

    UNC Rockingham Hospital

    Person Memorial Hospital Inc.

    Chatham Hospital Inc.

    MH Angel Medical Center LLLP

    Blue Ridge Regional Hospital

    North Dakota

    Nelson County Health System-Hospital

    Presentation Medical Center

    Mercy Hospital

    Nebraska

    Avera Creighton Hospital

    Ogallala Community Hospital

    New Hampshire

    Cheshire Medical Center

    New Mexico

    Alta Vista Regional Hospital

    Eastern New Mexico Medical Center

    Espanola Hospital

    Plains Regional Medical Center – Clovis

    Rehoboth Mckinley Christian Hospital

    Carlsbad Medical Center

    Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital

    Roosevelt General Hospital

    Lovelace Regional Hospital-Roswell

    Socorro General Hospital

    Dr. Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital

    Lincoln County Medical Center

    Miner Of Colfax Medical Center

    Mimbres Memorial Hospital

    Holy Cross Hospital

    Nevada

    Battle Mountain General Hospital

    Humboldt General Hospital

    New York

    Wyoming County Community Hospital

    Newark Wayne Community Hospital

    Geneva General Hospital

    Bon Secours Community Hospital

    Westfield Memorial Hospital

    Claxton Hepburn Medical Center

    Massena Memorial Hospital

    Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills

    Clifton-Fine Hospital

    Gouverneur Hospital

    Lewis County General Hospital

    Ohio

    Southern Ohio Medical Center

    Wayne Hospital Company

    East Liverpool City Hospital

    Coshocton Regional Medical Center

    Twin City Hospital

    Harrison Community Hospital

    Bucyrus Community Hospital

    Holzer Medical Center Jackson

    Galion Community Hospital

    Adams County Regional Medical Center

    Fayette County Memorial Hosp

    Oklahoma

    Integris Miami Hospital

    Blackwell Regional Hospital

    McAlester Regional Health Center

    Hillcrest Hospital Cushing

    Choctaw Memorial Hospital

    Sequoyah County City of Sallisaw Hos

    Integris Grove Hospital

    Perry Memorial Hospital

    Wagoner Hospital Authority

    Adair County Health Center

    Hillcrest Hospital Henryetta

    Lindsay Municipal Hospital Authority

    Mercy Hospital Watonga

    Mercy Hospital Tishomingo

    Mercy Health/Love County

    Mercy Hospital Healdton Inc.

    Cleveland Area Hospital

    Carnegie Tri-County Municipal Hospital

    Haskell Regional Hospital

    Harmon Memorial Hospital

    Memorial Hospital of Texas County

    Oregon

    Silverton Hospital

    Providence Seaside Hospital

    St Charles Madras

    Good Shepherd Medical Center

    Pennsylvania

    UPMC Jameson

    UPMC Northwest Hospital

    UPMC Kane

    UPMC Horizon Hospital

    Highlands Hospital

    South Carolina

    Oconee Memorial Hospital

    MUSC Health Chester Medical Center

    MUSC Health Marion Medical Center

    The Regional Medical Center

    Abbeville Area Medical Center

    South Dakota

    Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center

    Bennett County Hospital

    Tennessee

    Unicoi County Hospital

    Wayne Medical Center

    Baptist Mem Hospital Huntingdon

    West Tn Healthcare Volunteer Hospital

    Dyersburg Regional Medical Center

    St Thomas Dekalb Hospital

    Saint Thomas Highland Hospital

    Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital

    Saint Thomas Stones River Hospital

    Texas

    Anson General Hospital

    Ascension Seton Smithville

    Val Verde Regional Medical Center

    Falls Community Hospital and Clinic

    Covenant Hospital Plainview

    Scenic Mountain Medical Center

    El Campo Memorial Hospital

    Covenant Hospital Levelland

    North Runnels Hospital District

    Palacios Community Medical Center

    Haskell Memorial Hospital

    Mitchell County Hospital

    TMC Bonham Hospital

    Mid Coast Medical Center-Central

    Baylor Scott & White – Marble Falls

    Utah

    Fillmore Community Hospital

    Blue Mountain Hospital

    Beaver Valley Hospital

    Virginia

    Southampton Memorial Hospital

    Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center

    Community Memorial Hospital

    Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital

    Rappahannock General Hospital

    Lee County Community Hospital

    Washington:

    Samaritan Hospital

    Toppenish Community Hospital

    Summit Pacific Medical Center

    Odessa Memorial Hospital

    Coulee Medical Center

    Providence St Joseph’s Hospital

    Prosser Memorial Health

    Klickitat Valley Health

    Othello Community Hospital

    Three Rivers Hospital

    Forks Community Hospital

    Mid-Valley Hospital

    Astria Sunnyside Hospital

    Mason General Hospital

    Wisconsin:

    Holy Family Memorial Inc.

    MCHS Oakridge

    Aspirus Stanley Hospital

    West Virginia:

    Logan Regional Medical Center

    Welch Community Hospital

    Broaddus Hospital Association

    Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center

    Grafton City Hospital

    Montgomery General Hospital

    Jackson General Hospital

    Wyoming

    Summit Medical Center LLC

    Platte County Memorial Hospital

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Microsoft Flight Simulator: City Update 11 spotlights US Northeast states

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Flight Simulator: City Update 11 spotlights US Northeast states

    Plymouth: The Mayflower Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620, making it one of the most important historical sites in the United States. Called “America’s Hometown,” Plymouth is located 40 miles south of Boston and is the oldest settlement in New England.

    New Jersey

    Northeastern New Jersey: Cities include Newark, Hackensack, and Paterson, all of which are members of the greater New York metropolitan area. Newark, one of the oldest cities in the United States, is renowned for its contribution to the industrial development of the country and as a modern transportation hub. Hackensack is known for its historical importance during the American Revolution where George Washington established a headquarters. Paterson became a key location in the Industrial Revolution due to the energy supplied by the Great Falls of the Passaic River, around which the city was initially constructed.

    Central Jersey: This AOI focuses on cities in the eastern portion of Central Jersey, including Elizabeth, New Brunswick, and Edison. Elizabeth was the first capital of New Jersey and is one of the state’s oldest cities. New Brunswick played an important role in the American Revolution and is an important university center. Edison (originally called Raritan Township) was named after famed American inventor Thomas Edison who established his research laboratory in the area and created several important innovations, including the incandescent light bulb and the phonograph.

    New York

    Brooklyn: Located on the western end of Long Island, Brooklyn is the most populous of the five boroughs of New York City. It lies just south of the borough of Queens and is connected to the borough of Manhattan by one tunnel and three bridges that span the East River. Brooklyn offers some of the most stunning views in all of New York City, notably of the Brooklyn Bridge, the East River, and lower Manhattan.

    Manhattan: Manhattan is one of the most renowned urban centers in the world. The smallest borough by area of the five boroughs that compose New York City, Manhattan is often cited as the capital of several global industries, including finance, media, and entertainment. Known for its iconic architecture, Manhattan is home to the tallest building in both the United States and the Western Hemisphere, One World Trade Center (1,776 feet tall), and the second tallest in the Nation and the Western Hemisphere, Central Park Tower (1,550 feet tall).

    Long Island’s East End: One of the most beautiful areas in the northeastern United States, Long Island’s East End is renowned for its pastoral landscapes, historic villages, colonial architecture, and maritime vistas. The update includes Southampton, one of the core towns of the well-known Hamptons resort area, and Montauk, the easternmost point in New York State and home to the spectacular Montauk Point Lighthouse.

    Rhode Island

    The update’s Rhode Island AOI covers all major cities in the state, including Providence, Cranston, and Warwick. Providence, established in 1636, is the capital and most populous city in the state. Providence, along with the cities of Cranston and Warwick to its south, are located along the mouth of the Providence River at the northern extremity of Narragansett Bay, which opens to the Atlantic Ocean.

    City Update 11: Northeastern United States is available FREE to all owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Ensure that you have the latest simulator version installed (1.38.2.0 for MSFS2020 / 1.3.23.0 for MSFS2024 / 1.3.25.0 for MSFS2024 on Windows PC – Steam as of 06/27/2025), download City Update 11, and take to the skies above the Northeastern United States!

    Microsoft Flight Simulator is available for Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported mobile phones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the latest information on Microsoft Flight Simulator, stay tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter. 

     

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • England name unchanged team for second test against India

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    England have named an unchanged team on Monday for the second test against India, set to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston, with fast bowler Jofra Archer remaining sidelined.

    The England and Wales Cricket Board retained the lineup that secured a five-wicket win at Headingley to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

    Archer, who was added to England’s test set-up last week for the first time since 2021, missed training on Monday due to a family emergency, British media reports said.

    The 30-year-old is expected to rejoin the squad on Tuesday.

    ENGLAND PLAYING XI

    Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

    (Reuters)

  • England name unchanged team for second test against India

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    England have named an unchanged team on Monday for the second test against India, set to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston, with fast bowler Jofra Archer remaining sidelined.

    The England and Wales Cricket Board retained the lineup that secured a five-wicket win at Headingley to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

    Archer, who was added to England’s test set-up last week for the first time since 2021, missed training on Monday due to a family emergency, British media reports said.

    The 30-year-old is expected to rejoin the squad on Tuesday.

    ENGLAND PLAYING XI

    Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

    (Reuters)