NewzIntel.com

Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Additional Funding Available for Law Enforcement Recruits with Missouri Blue Scholarship

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JULY 8, 2025

    Jefferson City — Building on his public safety priorities, Governor Mike Kehoe today announced the maximum benefit of the Missouri Blue Scholarship for law enforcement academy recruits has been increased from $5,000 to $6,000, made possible by a funding increase of $1 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget. The scholarship program has awarded a total of $4.49 million to 995 law enforcement recruit scholarship recipients since its introduction in October 2022 through June 2025.

    “The Missouri Blue Scholarship Program has made law enforcement training more accessible to Missourians interested in joining the profession and helped bolster the number of licensed peace officers in Missouri,” Governor Kehoe said. “We appreciate the General Assembly approving our administration’s recommended $1 million increase in the scholarship fund. This increased investment allows the Missouri Department of Public Safety to raise the maximum scholarship award and make the scholarship available to more recruits who want to join the ranks of law enforcement and serve their communities.”

    The State of Missouri FY26 budget, which took effect July 1, included increased funding for the scholarship from $2 million to $3 million. In FY25, $1,917,942 was awarded for 420 recruits.

    While some Missouri law enforcement agencies, including the Highway Patrol, St. Louis Metropolitan Police and others, have their own basic training academies and pay recruits, many Missouri agencies do not have the funding to pay a salary or the cost of an academy. These graduating non-sponsored recruits are essential to staffing many sheriffs’ offices, smaller police departments, and even some larger departments. The Missouri Blue Scholarship expands the applicant pool and makes it easier for more young officers to stay in law enforcement without the burden of loans to repay once hired. Law enforcement academy tuition can be as high as $11,725.

    “Given the price of attending some of Missouri’s law enforcement academies and the shortage of officers around the state, raising the maximum scholarship amount to $6,000 is another way we can support recruitment efforts and will further allow DPS to provide scholarships to qualifying academy recruits this fiscal year,” Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Mark James said.

    Prior to the introduction of the Missouri Blue Scholarship in October 2022, an average of 1,025 peace officers were licensed annually in Missouri from 2020 to 2022. In 2023, the year the scholarship was first available before recruits started academy training, 1,050 peace officers were licensed; and in 2024, 1,099 peace officers were licensed.

    The impact of the Missouri Blue Scholarship is also evident in the number of scholarship recipients staffing Missouri law enforcement agencies. As of June 30, 2025, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office had 81 commissioned officers and 11 were Missouri Blue Scholarship recipients; the Fulton Police Department had 25 commissioned officers and 10 were Missouri Blue Scholarship recipients; the Henry County Sheriff’s Office had 29 commissioned officers and nine were Missouri Blue Scholarship recipients; and the University City Police Department had 62 commissioned officers and nine were Missouri Blue Scholarship recipients.

    The Missouri Department of Public Safety administers the scholarship, and law enforcement academy recruits can apply at this link. The $6,000 maximum scholarship is possible because of the FY26 appropriation by the Missouri General Assembly. Future scholarship awards will be determined by appropriations going forward.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Tree pollen reveals 150,000 years of monsoon history—and a warning for Australia’s northern rainfall

    Source: Flinders University

     

    Northern Australia’s annual monsoon season brings relief to drought-stricken lands and revitalises crops and livestock for farmers. But a study of 150,000 years of climate records shows that the monsoon is likely to intensify – triggering a higher risk of flooding while worsening the impact of droughts in East Asia.

     

    Led by Professor Michael Bird, researchers at James Cook University and Flinders University have assessed sediments at Girraween Lagoon near Darwin, revealing a continuous record of monsoon rainfall patterns dating back beyond the last interglacial period.

     

    This research published in the scientific journal Quaternary Science Reviews offers insight into how climate change could alter monsoon patterns across East Asia and Australia.

     

    “This is the longest terrestrial record ever produced at the southern end of the Indo-Australian monsoon system, which delivers vital rainfall to millions across the Southern Hemisphere. The record also has implications for the Northern Hemisphere where tens of millions in Asia rely on monsoons for food and their livelihoods.

     

    “Our study shows how the two monsoon systems are interrelated over thousands of years and reveals what causes them to change. Our analyses shows that that rainfall in northern Australia is closely tied to sea level changes, which shift the location of the northern coastline by up to 320 km. These shifts strongly alter local rainfall, with wetter periods occurring when the coastline is closer to the Australian landmass and the oppose effect is prolonged drought in East Asia.”

     

    “Intriguingly, the research also uncovered what we consider bursts of intense monsoon activity – some lasting less than 10,000 years. These bursts align with Heinrich events – abrupt pulses of freshwater into the North Atlantic from rapidly melting ice linked to the weakening of the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean,” said Professor Bird.

     

    These findings carry a warning from scientists because the Gulf Stream is already weakening due to climate change, and the study suggests this could lead to increased rainfall in northern Australia while contributing to droughts in parts of East Asia.

     

    “This isn’t just ancient history. It is a window into the rainfall patterns that are emerging today. Our data suggest that the weather tr

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What They Are Saying: Lankford Delivers Major Victory for Charitable Giving with Key Tax Provision in One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    WASHINGTON, DC — US Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Chairman of the Senate Values Action Team and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, secured an important policy provision for charitable giving in the One Big Beautiful Bill that passed the Senate and was signed into law last week. Lankford led efforts to restore and make permanent a tax deduction for non-itemizers up to $2,000 per couple. This change will enable more Americans to support churches, charities, and nonprofits that serve the most vulnerable.
    The provision restoring the non-itemizer deduction has earned strong support from leading charitable, faith-based, and nonprofit organizations nationwide, including the Charitable Giving Coalition, Faith and Giving, Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), the Nonprofit Alliance, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the National Council of Nonprofits, the League of American Orchestras, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, Philanthropy Southwest, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), Mental Health Matters (MHM), the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), United Philanthropy Forum, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
    “Permanently restoring and expanding the charitable deduction is a powerful policy change that will encourage additional giving,” said Brian Flahaven, Chair of the Charitable Giving Coalition. “Continuing to strengthen the charitable deduction in the Senate bill sends a clear message that encouraging private philanthropy is a national priority. The Coalition is immensely grateful to Senators James Lankford, Chris Coons, and our other bipartisan Senate champions for their unwavering commitment to America’s charities and the communities they serve.”
    “Faith and Giving is deeply grateful to Senator Lankford, Senate Finance Chairman Mike Crapo, and their colleagues for including a more robust charitable deduction for non-itemizers in the reconciliation package,” said Brian Walsh, Executive Director of Faith and Giving. “Giving by individuals is the financial lifeblood of many thousands of American faith-based organizations. Yet since 2018 giving to religion has fallen billions of dollars short of keeping pace with inflation. The temporary non-itemizer deduction incentivized substantial additional giving in 2020 and 2021. This larger and permanent non-itemizer charitable deduction will help stimulate even more giving by lower- and middle-income taxpayers to congregations and other faith-based organizations across the country.”
    “To honor and incentivize American generosity are among the most consequential investments we can make as a nation. Private giving fuels so much of what makes life good and beautiful in our communities – from education, arts, and the great outdoors to houses of worship that nurture faith, family, relationships and character,” said Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO). “Private giving also undergirds virtually every effort to give a hand-up to the hurting – both via financial support and, critically, in building communities of supporters whose hearts and volunteer service follow their giving. This is truly America at her best.”
    “The Nonprofit Alliance applauds the strong bipartisan support for the Charitable Act and Senator Lankford’s leadership on this important legislation to establish a permanent charitable deduction of up to $2,000,” said Shannon McCracken, President and CEO of The Nonprofit Alliance. “While giving from itemizers has continued to increase over the last several years, smaller contributions from everyday givers have declined. It is critically important to democratize giving and engage more Americans in the act of giving to support and sustain organizations across diverse cause areas – and the Charitable Act does that.”
    “Since the temporary charitable deduction for non-itemizers was allowed to expire in 2022, the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Fundraising Effectiveness Project has reported a sustained decline in gifts from small donors, with a drop of 8.9% in 2024 alone,” said H. Art Taylor, President and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. “This trend of continued reliance solely on large-dollar donors is unsustainable for a healthy, resilient, charitable sector. A permanent charitable deduction for non-itemizers will help reverse this decline by empowering and incentivizing everyday Americans to give, ensuring that charitable giving remains broad-based, diverse, and reflective of all communities. On behalf of our more than 26,000 fundraising professional members that raise more than $115 billion annually for charities, we thank Senator Lankford and our other bipartisan Congressional champions for their leadership in championing the original Charitable Act to restore this proven giving incentive.”
    “The Association of Art Museum Directors thanks Senator Lankford for his tireless work to restore a meaningful tax incentive for all Americans to be generous,” said Christine Anagnos, Executive Director of the Association of Art Museum Directors. “Donations to art museums make possible free and reduced admissions, educational programs, and a host of community services. The permanent reestablishment of a significant tax deduction for gifts made by people who do not itemize will encourage the participation of donors from every economic and demographic category and ensure that charitable service extends to every sector.”
    “Nonprofits are the backbone of this country, providing critical support to improve local communities and save live,” said Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits. “These vital organizations are led by our neighbors who step up to fill the gaps unmet by government or the private sector. On behalf of the National Council of Nonprofits’ network of more than 33,000 nonprofit organizations, I applaud Senator Lankford’s leadership in enacting a universal charitable deduction to provide the American people with a new way to support the essential work of nonprofits and their ability to serve local communities.”
    “Charitable giving provides essential support for the live performances and educational programming provided by orchestras and nonprofit arts organizations nationwide,” said Simon Woods, President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. “We are grateful to Senator Lankford for his leadership in advancing the permanent non-itemizer charitable deduction, which will fuel increased generosity by today’s donors and incentivize future generations to invest in the work of the nonprofit sector.”
    “We applaud Senator Lankford and his colleagues for including a permanent, non-itemizer charitable deduction in their reconciliation package,” said Michael Kenyon, President and CEO of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. “The deduction would be paid for by a modest floor on the itemized charitable deduction that will ensure all taxpayers are incentivized to give money away. We encourage Congress to ensure this increased and permanent deduction is included in the final version of the bill as we know once a donor starts to support a cause or organization, they are much more likely to continue giving in the future, instilling a habit of philanthropy that will drive more dollars to charity for years to come from a new generation of givers.”
    “The charitable deduction for non-itemizers is a vital step toward strengthening philanthropy by providing tax incentives that can help reverse declines in charitable giving and engagement,” said Tony Fundaro, President and CEO of Philanthropy Southwest. “Members of Philanthropy Southwest continue to face unprecedented needs in their communities, and the inclusion of this provision in the tax bill encourages giving at all levels, empowering more Americans to support nonprofits tackling our most pressing challenges. We are grateful to Senator Lankford for championing generosity in our communities, his leadership on the Charitable Act, and his commitment to supporting the charitable sector.”
    “I thank Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo for including a non-itemizer charitable deduction in this legislation, and I greatly appreciate the work of leaders like Senator James Lankford and Senator Chris Coons to urge that this common-sense provision be made more robust and permanent,” said Michael Martin, President and CEO of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). “America is well-served by supporting habits of giving among all taxpayers—regardless of whether they itemize on their tax forms or not.”
    “I commend the efforts of policymakers who recognize the importance of making the charitable deduction permanent for non-itemizers,” said Dan Cosgrove, President and CEO of Mental Health Matters (MHM).“Encouraging generosity across all taxpayers strengthens our communities and fosters a culture of giving that benefits everyone. This provision ensures that acts of charity are rewarded, regardless of tax filing status, promoting fairness and compassion in our tax system.”
    “For more than a century, the charitable deduction has played a vital role in encouraging Americans to support the missions of schools, colleges, universities, and charitable organizations across the nation,” said Sue Cunningham, President and CEO of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). “Yet, access to this incentive has long been limited to those who itemize their tax returns. The Senate’s proposal in the budget reconciliation bill to make the charitable deduction available to all taxpayers is a transformative step. If enacted, we believe that it would broaden participation in giving and strengthen the capacity of institutions to fund scholarships, support students, advance research, and serve their communities. We commend Senator James Lankford for his leadership and thoughtful engagement in making this a priority in the reconciliation bill, and we thank Senator Chris Coons and the bipartisan coalition of more than 20 Senators and 60 House members who continue to champion charitable giving as a cornerstone of civic life.”
    “As a proud partner in advocating for this critical policy, United Philanthropy Forum and our network of nearly 100 philanthropy-serving organizations have long championed modernizing giving incentives,” said Deborah Aubert Thomas, President and CEO of the United Philanthropy Forum. “Making the deduction permanent will create lasting pathways for everyday Americans to invest in the nonprofits that anchor their communities—from food banks to youth programs to places of worship. We thank Senator Lankford and colleagues for their leadership in ensuring that charitable giving remains a cornerstone of American civic life and accessible to all.”
    “Southern Baptists generously give to support missions, ministries, and most importantly, the works of their local church in commitment to the Great Commission,” said Brent Leatherwood, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. “Recognizing the importance of charitable giving, Southern Baptists have consistently called for the government to implement policies that incentivize charitable giving to fuel these services. The ERLC is grateful for Senator Lankford’s tireless effort to enact a robust universal charitable deduction to encourage all taxpayers, including those that do not itemize their returns, to give generously.”
    “The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is deeply grateful to the Senate for including an increase to the universal charitable deduction in the current reconciliation bill,” said the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. “Our faith calls us to give — and our students learn to live generously by seeing that even small gifts can make a lasting difference. A universal charitable deduction doesn’t just support Christian higher education — it fosters a culture of generosity that supports communities. By expanding this deduction and ensuring inclusion in the final bill, the Senate is helping to sustain faith-based higher education for the next generation.”
    Background
    Lankford remains the leading voice in the Senate working to protect and expand charitable giving. In 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Charitable Act with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) to restore and strengthen the non-itemized deduction for charitable contributions, allowing all taxpayers to deduct donations regardless of whether they itemize.
    He also introduced the Safeguarding Charity Act to protect the independence of tax-exempt organizations from burdensome federal regulations. The bill clarifies that tax-exempt status does not constitute federal financial assistance, shielding churches, nonprofits, and private schools from costly and unnecessary government overreach.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW REPORT: Republicans’ Extreme Tax Law Will Slash Over $232 Million From Nevada Hospitals, Endanger Health Care Access

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    Rosen Warns GOP-Passed “Big Beautiful Bill” Will Force Millions Off Health Coverage, Push Hospitals Toward Closure
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is raising alarm following a new report that projects that Nevada hospitals will lose more than $232 million in annual revenue as a result of the recently-passed extreme Republican tax law. The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” includes severe cuts to Medicaid, which will decimate funding for hospitals and kick people off of their health insurance. These funding cuts will devastate rural providers and threaten access to care statewide.
    “At a time when Nevada is already facing a dire shortage of doctors, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans will make it even harder for families to access the care they need by cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from hospitals in our state,” said Senator Rosen. “Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful’ Betrayal will force maternity wards to close, emergency rooms to shutter, and families to have to drive hours for basic care. Hardworking Nevadans won’t forget that Trump made it harder and more expensive to see a doctor just so he could give more tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.”
    According to the report, hospitals that can see cuts in funding as a result of Republicans’ extreme law include:

    University Medical Center in Las Vegas: $45,408,749
    Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno: $32,126,708
    Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital in Elko: $3,144,661 
    Humboldt General Hospital in Winnemucca: $1,774,934 
    William Bee Ririe Hospital in Ely: $1,088,953 
    Battle Mountain General Hospital in Battle Mountain: $589,100 

    The full list of hospitals from this report can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been a steadfast champion for Nevada’s hospitals—particularly those serving rural areas—through bipartisan legislation and federal funding wins. Earlier this year, she helped introduce bipartisan legislation to bring more doctors to underserved areas by reauthorizing and expanding the Conrad 30 program. She also introduced the bipartisan REDI Act to address the doctor shortage in rural communities by easing student loan burdens on medical residents and the bipartisan SPARC Act to create a student loan repayment program for specialists practicing in rural areas. Most recently, she secured nearly $34 million in federal funding to support health care and critical infrastructure in Nevada’s rural communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 07.08.2025 Sen. Cruz Announces Key Senior Staff Hire

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced the hiring of John Etue as Chief of Staff in his Washington, D.C. office.A Texas native, John Etue most recently served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Roger Williams (TX-25), Chair of the House Small Business Committee. From 2009 to 2013, John served as Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-TX) Advance Director. John holds a degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
    Sen. Cruz said, “I’m proud to announce the hiring of Texan John Etue as my new Chief of Staff. John has over two decades of experience working for Congressman Roger Williams, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and the Texas state legislature. He is a native Texan and a selfless civil servant who will be an indispensable member of our team. Welcome to the team, John.”
    John Etue said, “I’m excited to be joining Team Cruz to bring the strong Texas spirit to Washington, D.C. It’s an honor to work for Senator Cruz and to support him in executing his legislative agenda and vision for America. I look forward to this new chapter.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces Nearly $5 Million in TRIO Student Support Services Grants for Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Department of Education’s action follows Senator Collins’ urging of the Secretary at an Appropriations Hearing.

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional TRIO Caucus, announced that the Department of Education has awarded a total of $4,981,867 in TRIO Student Support Services grants to 11 Maine colleges and universities. These grants are given to colleges and universities to improve the retention and graduation rates of first-generation and low-income college students. The announcement comes after Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the proposed elimination of TRIO programs at an Appropriations hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education. 

    “I have seen the lives of countless first-generation and low-income students, not only in Maine, but across the country, changed by the TRIO program. I am glad the Secretary of Education followed through on the commitment she made to me at our Appropriations hearing to disburse these grants, and I will continue to urge the Administration to support this critical investment into our students and schools,” said Senator Collins.  

    The following Maine colleges and universities received Student Support Services grants:

    1. University of Maine – $694,807
    2. Central Maine Community College – $620,879
    3. University of Maine at Augusta – $566,531
    4. University of Southern Maine – $544,728
    5. Southern Maine Community College – $544,728 
    6. University of Maine at Presque Isle – $373,084
    7. University of Maine at Fort Kent – $356,773
    8. Kennebec Valley Community College – $352,531
    9. University of Maine at Farmington – $352,530
    10. Washington County Community College – $302,912
    11. Eastern Maine Community College – $272,364

    In June, Senator Collins announced the Department of Education’s release of TRIO Upward Bound Grants for Maine following her urging. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks of Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson at George Washington University

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    Thank you to the George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center, Roger Nober, Susan Dudley, and the organizers of today’s event for allowing me to join virtually. As many of you are aware, I have spent the last several years engaging regulators and market participants from jurisdictions around the world on issues at the core of today’s discussion.[1]
    How might advances in artificial intelligence (AI) increase inclusion and customer experiences and democratize access to financial services, improve the accuracy and efficiency of financial services, and potentially reduce transaction costs as well as the costs of compliance? 
    These issues, among several other potential benefits and risks associated with the adoption of innovative technologies, are top of mind for me and many other senior regulators, chief executive officers, chief technology officers, chief information security officers, chief compliance officers, and chief risk managers around the world.
    According to an International Monetary Fund paper exploring the benefits and risks of AI in finance, AI and machine learning (ML) technologies alongside other
    [r]ecent technological advances in computing and data storage power, big data, and the digital economy are facilitating rapid AI/ML deployment in a wide range of sectors, including finance. The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the adoption of these systems due to the increased use of digital channels.
    AI/ML systems are changing the financial sector landscape. Competitive pressures are fueling rapid adoption of AI/ML in the financial sector by facilitating gains in efficiency and cost savings, reshaping client interfaces, enhancing forecasting accuracy, and improving risk management and compliance. AI/ML systems also offer the potential to strengthen prudential oversight and to equip [regulators]  with new tools. . . .[2]
    Indisputably, AI is rapidly transforming the financial sector, particularly in the areas of compliance, market surveillance, and regulatory enforcement. What once seemed the creative imaginings of science fiction or fantasy novels and films—forward-looking notions of a futuristic world—has now become a practical and increasingly essential tool across the financial market ecosystem. Market participants and regulators alike are leveraging AI and ML to improve risk management, detect misconduct, and strengthen the integrity of the markets.
    Let’s explore the use of AI in compliance, bad actors’ potential misuse of AI, opportunities for supervisory technology (suptech) in enforcement, and a path forward.
    AI and Industry Compliance
    Financial institutions have been at the forefront of AI adoption, especially in compliance functions. AI is widely used in anti-money laundering (AML) efforts, where algorithms analyze transaction patterns across millions of credit card statements, bank statements, and account details to detect anomalies that may go unnoticed by traditional systems. ML models have dramatically reduced false positives in AML alerts[3]; this has long been a challenge for compliance teams who may now rely on AI to learn by reviewing training data and distinguish between benign and suspicious activity more precisely and more efficiently.
    AI also supports compliance with complex cross-border financial regulations. Financial services firms deploy ML to monitor transactions for potential sanctions violations, helping ensure that transactions align with regulatory requirements based on origin, amount, frequency, and other risk factors.[4]
    Some firms have also embraced AI in communications surveillance, using platforms that offer digital communications governance to review internal communications for signs of fraud or misconduct. By automating these reviews, firms are better equipped to identify red flags early and maintain robust compliance programs.
    A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released in May of 2025—Artificial Intelligence: Use and Oversight in Financial Services—identifies six increasingly common activities for which financial services firms may choose to integrate AI models, including automated trading, countering threats and illicit finance, credit decisions, customer service, investment decisions, and risk management.[5]
    The GAO report indicated that AI may be used to “detect and mitigate cyber threats through real-time investigation of potential attacks, flagging and blocking of new ransomware, and identification of compromised accounts and files” as well as to “identify fake IDs, recognize different photos of the same person, and screen clients against sanctions and other lists; analyze transaction data … and unstructured data (such as email, text, and audio data) to detect evidence of possible money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, tax evasion, insider trading, market manipulation, and other fraudulent or illegal activities.”[6]
    For many of these use cases, financial services firms rely on generative AI. However, for use cases that require a high degree of reliability or explainability—the ability to understand how and why an AI system produces decisions, predictions, or recommendations—firms are rightly reticent to employ generative AI models.
    Regulators Use of AI for SupTech 
    The benefits of AI are not limited to the private sector. U.S. regulatory agencies—including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)—have begun integrating AI tools into their supervisory functions.
    These agencies use AI to analyze vast quantities of financial data, identify outliers, and detect emerging risks.[7] For example, AI can flag inconsistencies in data submissions from financial institutions, or surface patterns that indicate potential regulatory violations. This use of AI, often referred to as “suptech” (supervisory technology), enhances regulators’ ability to carry out their oversight responsibilities efficiently and proactively.
    Over the course of last year, the CFTC undertook extraordinary efforts to begin to clarify the Commission’s understanding of registrants’ use of AI and the potential benefits and limitations of the Commission’s implementation of AI for supervisory, surveillance, and enforcement purposes. In January of 2024, I worked with Commission staff to issue a Request for Comment distributed to our market participants to better understand the real-time adoption of AI models.[8] Following the Request for Comment, in December of 2024, the Commission issued a staff advisory on Use of Artificial Intelligence in CFTC-Regulated Markets.[9] One of the most significant takeaways from the staff advisory, which was echoed in executive orders issued by the prior administration, underscore the obligation for CFTC-regulated entities to maintain compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements whether they choose to deploy AI or any other technology.
    Addressing the Dark Side of AI
    While AI has the potential to enhance compliance and supervision, it also introduces new risks. Alongside the promise of AI, we must consider the limitations and potential perils of implementing AI quickly without appropriate guardrails. Many of you in the room today, former Commissioner Berkovitz and Professor Cary Coglianese, among others, have participated in joint studies published by the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) or independently published or presented on these limits. 
    In previous speeches, I have outlined concerns regarding the implementation of AI models without effective guardrails and governance interventions. 
    In a speech earlier this summer, I began to explore the specific concerns that may emerge as firms and regulators integrate agentic AI.[10] The discussion today, in fact, may largely focus on the integration of agentic AI models in compliance, surveillance, and enforcement. If so, I am hopeful that, in parallel to efforts to explore the benefits, panelists examining “AI’s Role in Regulation Post-Chevron” and “Regulatory Functions Most Amenable to AI-Drive Process Improvement” will also examine important concerns such as the limits of synthetic data, ghosts or hallucinations, data leakage, increasingly undetectable video and voice deepfakes, data accuracy, data security, and data integrity, among others.
    Some bad actors are paving the road for regulators and enforcement actions using AI technology. . But, in many cases, the bad actions are simply traditional, garden variety fraud with an AI white-label. 
    “AI washing”—the practice of exaggerating or misrepresenting AI capabilities to attract investors or customers[11]—is among the most concerning marketing and solicitation issues that financial market regulators currently face. Firms may claim to use advanced AI models to generate high returns when, in reality, they rely on rudimentary trading bots or nonexistent systems.[12]
    Enforcement in Action
    The CFTC has actively pursued enforcement actions against fraudulent actors who misuse or misrepresent AI. In a landmark case, the Commission obtained a $1.7 billion penalty—its largest ever—against a South African company that defrauded investors through a fraudulent multilevel marketing scheme.[13] The company falsely claimed to use a proprietary AI trading bot to generate high returns on Bitcoin investments. In reality, there was no proprietary trading bot and the firm engaged in minimal trading activity, most of which was unprofitable, and misappropriated investor funds.
    This and other cases underscore the CFTC’s ability to tackle AI-related misconduct using existing legal tools. The Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) provides a robust and flexible framework that prohibits fraudulent and manipulative practices regardless of the underlying technology. For example, CEA Section 4c(a) outlaws disruptive practices such as spoofing,[14] while CEA Section 6(c)(1) and Regulation 180.1 give the Commission broad anti-fraud and anti-manipulation authority.[15] These provisions are intentionally technology-neutral, allowing the CFTC to remain agile as new innovations emerge.
    The Commission has demonstrated, through its prior enforcement actions, that markets and market participants engaged in activities that are regulated by the Commission are expected to comply with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, even when such activities occur with cryptocurrencies or through the use of AI. The technology-neutral approach of the CEA and CFTC regulations allows these provisions to be used to combat fraud in any shape, manner, or form.
    The Strategic Importance of Suptech
    A recent survey by the Financial Stability Institute (FSI) and the Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub found that only 3 out of 50 supervisory authorities surveyed did not have ongoing suptech initiatives.[16] Those with a comprehensive suptech strategy were significantly more likely to deploy tools critical to supervision.[17]
    This underscores the importance of not only embracing AI on a case-by-case basis, but also developing cohesive strategies for integrating AI into regulatory and supervisory workflows. By investing in data infrastructure, fostering inter-agency collaboration, and recruiting AI-savvy talent, regulators can better equip themselves to meet the demands of increasingly complex markets.
    Finding a Pathway Forward
    I am looking forward to exploring the following principles and their role in our principles-based regulatory framework that I outlined in a speech last year. [18] As I have previously explained, there are many things that the Commission can do immediately to enhance our understanding of AI and help guide the development of effective guardrails that foster responsible development of AI.[19]
    Heightened Penalties
    As a CFTC Commissioner, I am also deeply concerned about the potential for abuse of AI technologies to facilitate fraud in our markets. As we examine the development of and limitations on the legitimate uses of AI in our markets, it is also important for the CFTC to emphasize that any misuse of these technologies will draw sharp penalties.
    In fact, I continue to call for the Commission to consider introducing heightened penalties for those who intentionally use AI technologies to engage in fraud, market manipulation, or the evasion of our regulations.
    In many instances, our statutes provide for heightened civil monetary penalties where appropriate.
    I propose that the use of AI in our markets to commit fraud and other violations of our regulations may, in certain circumstances, warrant a heightened civil monetary penalty.
    Bad actors who would use AI to violate our rules must be put on notice and sufficiently deterred from using AI as a weapon to engage in fraud, market manipulation, or to otherwise disrupt the operations or integrity of our markets. We must make it clear that the lure of using AI to engage in new malicious schemes will not be worth the cost.
    Recommendation for an Inter-Agency Task Force
    At the end of 2023, the previous administration announced the creation of an AI Safety Institute, which was to be established within the National institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), housed within the Commerce Department.[20]
    Shortly thereafter, I proposed the creation of an inter-agency task force composed of financial regulators including the CFTC, SEC, Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, FDIC, Federal Housing Finance Agency, and NCUA to develop guidelines, tools, benchmarks, and best practices for the use and regulation of AI in the financial services industry.[21]
    Addressing the perils of AI, while harnessing its promise, is a challenge that will require a whole-of-government approach, with regulators working together across diverse agencies. I continue to advocate for agencies working together to provide their essential experience and expertise to help guide the development of AI standards for the financial industry.
    Conclusion
    The CFTC, in particular, is well positioned to lead in this space. Its principles-based and technology-neutral approach to regulation allows for flexible oversight that supports innovation while safeguarding market integrity. The Commission’s mission—to foster open, transparent, competitive, and financially sound markets—naturally aligns with the adoption of cutting-edge technology.
    AI is no longer a futuristic concept—it is a central feature of modern financial markets. Used responsibly, AI enhances compliance, improves oversight, and enables faster and more effective enforcement. The CFTC’s technology-neutral framework allows it to keep pace with innovation while maintaining essential investor protections and market integrity.
    Thanks again for allowing me to share my thoughts with you today. I anticipate you will have an energetic, generative, and thoughtful discussion on the panels and following the presentations this afternoon.

    [1] The views I share today are my own and not the views of the Commission, my fellow Commissioners or the CFTC staff.

    [7] Id. at 33, 35.

    [14] 7 U.S.C. § 6c(a).

    [15] 7 U.S.C. § 9(1); 17 C.F.R. § 180.1.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple announces chief operating officer transition

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple announces chief operating officer transition

    July 8, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple announces chief operating officer transition

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Jeff Williams will transition his role as chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations as part of a long-planned succession. Williams will continue reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook and overseeing Apple’s world class design team and Apple Watch alongside the company’s Heath initiatives. Apple’s design team will then transition to reporting directly to Cook after Williams retires late in the year.

    “Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple’s health strategy; and led our world class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeff’s true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he’s created and, while he’ll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.”

    “Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”

    Khan has been at Apple for 30 years and joined the executive team as senior vice president of Operations in 2019. He has been in charge of Apple’s global supply chain for the past six years, ensuring product quality and overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and product fulfillment functions, as well as Apple’s supplier responsibility programs that protect and educate workers at production facilities around the world. The team also supports Apple’s environmental initiatives by partnering with suppliers to propel green manufacturing, helping conserve resources and protect the planet.

    During his career with Apple, Williams built out a supply chain that has supported Apple’s growth and customers around the world with expansion, including the United States, China, India, Japan, and across Southeast Asia. He led Apple’s supplier responsibility efforts which has helped raise the bar for workers around the world, offering critical training and important education programs. Williams played a key role in the introduction of iPod and iPhone programs. He led the effort on Apple Watch over a decade ago and architected the company’s health strategy, helping customers live healthier lives, learn more about their health, and receive lifesaving care. For the past several years, Williams has also overseen Apple’s industry-leading design team.

    “I have a deep love for Apple. Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I can’t thank Tim enough for the opportunity, his inspirational leadership, and our friendship over the years,” said Williams. “June marked my 27th anniversary with Apple, and my 40th in the industry. Beginning next year, I plan to spend more time with friends and family, including five grandchildren and counting. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple’s future under his leadership in this role.”

    Before joining Apple’s procurement group in 1995, Khan worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics. He earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    Press Contact

    Josh Rosenstock

    Apple

    jrosenstock@apple.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    Suhasini Chandramouli

    Apple

    suhasini@apple.com

    (408) 974-3123

    © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple announces chief operating officer transition

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple announces chief operating officer transition

    July 8, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple announces chief operating officer transition

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Jeff Williams will transition his role as chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations as part of a long-planned succession. Williams will continue reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook and overseeing Apple’s world class design team and Apple Watch alongside the company’s Heath initiatives. Apple’s design team will then transition to reporting directly to Cook after Williams retires late in the year.

    “Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple’s health strategy; and led our world class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeff’s true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he’s created and, while he’ll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.”

    “Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”

    Khan has been at Apple for 30 years and joined the executive team as senior vice president of Operations in 2019. He has been in charge of Apple’s global supply chain for the past six years, ensuring product quality and overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and product fulfillment functions, as well as Apple’s supplier responsibility programs that protect and educate workers at production facilities around the world. The team also supports Apple’s environmental initiatives by partnering with suppliers to propel green manufacturing, helping conserve resources and protect the planet.

    During his career with Apple, Williams built out a supply chain that has supported Apple’s growth and customers around the world with expansion, including the United States, China, India, Japan, and across Southeast Asia. He led Apple’s supplier responsibility efforts which has helped raise the bar for workers around the world, offering critical training and important education programs. Williams played a key role in the introduction of iPod and iPhone programs. He led the effort on Apple Watch over a decade ago and architected the company’s health strategy, helping customers live healthier lives, learn more about their health, and receive lifesaving care. For the past several years, Williams has also overseen Apple’s industry-leading design team.

    “I have a deep love for Apple. Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I can’t thank Tim enough for the opportunity, his inspirational leadership, and our friendship over the years,” said Williams. “June marked my 27th anniversary with Apple, and my 40th in the industry. Beginning next year, I plan to spend more time with friends and family, including five grandchildren and counting. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple’s future under his leadership in this role.”

    Before joining Apple’s procurement group in 1995, Khan worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics. He earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    Press Contact

    Josh Rosenstock

    Apple

    jrosenstock@apple.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    Suhasini Chandramouli

    Apple

    suhasini@apple.com

    (408) 974-3123

    © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Kennedy Introduce Resolutions Celebrating LSU Shreveport, LSU Baseball National Championships

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced two resolutions recognizing the Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS) Pilots and the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers baseball teams for winning their respective 2025 national championships. The LSUS Pilots secured the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Baseball National Championship and made collegiate baseball history by completing a perfect 59-0 season. The LSU Tigers won the 2025 NCAA Division I College World Series, claiming their eighth national title, the second-most in NCAA history.
    “It’s hard to have a better year for baseball in Louisiana than this,” said Dr. Cassidy, an LSU alumnus. “The LSU Shreveport Pilots made history, doing something no college team has ever done before: going a perfect 59-0. And a huge congratulations to the LSU Tigers on fighting their way to another national championship up in Omaha. These young men and their coaches earned every single win and made our entire state proud. Geaux Pilots and Geaux Tigers!”
    “The LSU Shreveport Pilots are what ‘cool’ looks like. This baseball team capped off an undefeated season and the longest win streak in college baseball history with an NAIA championship. That’s an achievement that deserves Senate recognition. Geaux Pilots!” said Senator Kennedy.
    “The LSU Tigers proved once again that they are NCAA baseball’s gold standard, delivering an undefeated run in Omaha and bringing yet another national title home to Louisiana. I’m proud to help introduce this resolution recognizing their hard work and congratulating Coach Jay Johnson and this impressive team on a job well done,” continued Senator Kennedy.
    The resolutions honor both head coaches, Brad Neffendorf of LSUS and Jay Johnson of LSU, for leading their teams to national titles. The resolutions also recognize the individual achievements of standout players on both teams and celebrate the impact these championships have on LSU Shreveport, Louisiana State University, the cities of Shreveport and Baton Rouge, and the entire state of Louisiana.
    Read the full resolution for LSU Shreveport here.
    Read the full resolution for LSU here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Greek and Roman nymphs weren’t just sexy nature spirits. They had other important jobs too

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kitty Smith, PhD Candidate in Classical Greek and Roman History, University of Sydney

    Acteon, having accidentally seen the goddess Diana and her nymphs bathing, begins to change into a stag. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. George S. Amory, Object Number: 64.208.

    Could you ever be truly alone in the woods of ancient Greece or Rome? According to myth, the ancient world was filled with wild animals, terrifying monsters, and mischievous deities. Among them were nymphs: semi-divine female figures that personified elements of the natural world.

    But nymphs offer us more than just stories of sexy nature spirits.

    They can reveal how ancient people thought about their world and connected with their landscape through mythology.

    Personifying elements of nature

    Nymph was a broad category in myth. It encompassed almost every semi-divine woman and girl in myth, including a number of goddesses. The sea goddess Thetis and the underworld river Styx were both sea nymphs as well as goddesses.

    Nymphs were typically portrayed as young, exceptionally beautiful women in art and literature. The word “nymph” in ancient Greek could even be used to mean “young girl” or “unmarried woman” when applied to mortal women.

    Despite this etymological connection, many nymphs were married or mothers or gods. Amphitrite was the wife of Poseidon, and her sister Metis, the personification of wisdom, was Zeus’ first wife, according to Hesiod’s Theogony. Maia was the mother of Hermes, the messenger god.

    What links all nymphs was their connection with the natural world. Nymphs typically personified elements of nature, like bodies of water, mountains, forests, the weather, or specific plants.

    This carving derives from a passage in The Iliad that describes the nereid Thetis, mother of the hero Achilles, and other nereids carrying newly forged armour to her son.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Bothmer Purchase Fund, 1993, Object Number: 1993.11.2

    The nymph Daphne

    One of the most quintessential nymphs was Daphne (or Laurel, in Latin). According to the Roman poet Ovid in his poem the Metamorphoses, Daphne was a stunningly beautiful nymph who lived in the forest.

    Daphne had chosen to follow in the footsteps of Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the hunt, by being a huntress and abstaining from sex and marriage. But her beauty would be her downfall.

    One day the god Apollo saw Daphne and immediately tried to pursue her. Daphne did not feel similarly and fled through the forest. Apollo chased and nearly caught her.

    But Daphne’s father Peneus, a river god, saved his daughter by transforming her into the laurel tree.

    Like many nymphs, Daphne’s myth was an origin story for her namesake tree and its significance to the god Apollo.

    But her story also followed one of the most common tropes in nymph myths – the trope a nymph transformed into her namesake after running away from a male deity.

    Different nymphs for trees, water, mountains, stars

    There were even special names for different types of nymph.

    Daphne was a dryad, or tree nymph. Oreads (mountain nymphs) are referenced in Homer’s Iliad. There were three different types of water nymph: the saltwater oceanids and nereids, and the freshwater naiads.

    Nymphs lived in the wilderness. These untamed places could be dangerous but they also held precious natural resources that nymphs personified, such as special trees and springs.

    Spring nymphs personified one of the most precious resources of all: freshwater.

    It was hard to find freshwater in the ancient world, especially in places without human infrastructure. Cities were often built around springs.

    The nymph Arethusa was the personification of the spring Arethusa in Sicily. Today, you can visit the Fountain of Arethusa in modern day Syracuse.

    No matter where you looked in the ancient landscape, there were nymphs – even in the sky.

    The Pleiades and Hyades were two sets of daughters of the god Atlas who eventually were transformed into stars.

    Their myths gave an origin for two sets of constellations that were used for navigation and divination.

    The Pleiades and Hyades constellations were visible to the naked eye, and can still be seen today.

    This painting depicts the god Bacchus (the Roman equivalent of the wine god Dionysus) lounging with some nymphs in a landscape.
    Abraham van Cuylenborch/The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Object Number: 25.110.37

    The divine presence in nature

    Although myths may feel like a fictional story told to kids, nymph myths show that ancient myth is inseparable from the ancient landscape and ancient people.

    The natural world was imbued with a divine presence from the gods who physically made it – Gaia (Earth) was literally the soil underfoot. Nymphs were a part of this divine presence.

    This divine presence brought with it a very special boon: the gift of inspiration.

    Some writers (such as Plato) referred to this sort of natural inspiration as being “seized by the nymphs” (νυμφόληπτος or nympholeptus).

    Being present in nature and present in places with nymphs could bring about divine inspiration for philosophers, poets and artists alike.

    So, if you ever do find yourself alone in a Grecian wood, you may find yourself inspired and in good company – as long as you remain respectful.

    Kitty Smith is a member of the Australian Society for Classical Studies and of Australasian Women in Ancient World Studies.

    – ref. Greek and Roman nymphs weren’t just sexy nature spirits. They had other important jobs too – https://theconversation.com/greek-and-roman-nymphs-werent-just-sexy-nature-spirits-they-had-other-important-jobs-too-258287

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Cassidy introduce resolution celebrating LSU baseball’s national championship

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today introduced a resolution celebrating the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers’ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I championship—the Tigers’ eighth national title and second in three years.
    “The LSU Tigers proved once again that they are NCAA baseball’s gold standard, delivering an undefeated run in Omaha and bringing yet another national title home to Louisiana. I’m proud to help introduce this resolution recognizing their hard work and congratulating Coach Jay Johnson and this impressive team on a job well done,” said Kennedy.
    “It’s hard to have a better year for baseball in Louisiana than this. A huge congratulations to the LSU Tigers on fighting their way to another national championship up in Omaha,” said Cassidy, an LSU alumnus. 
    The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Cassidy introduce resolution celebrating LSU Shreveport baseball’s championship, perfect season

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today introduced a resolution celebrating the Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSU Shreveport) Pilots’ perfect season, 59-0 win streak and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship win.
    “The LSU Shreveport Pilots are what ‘cool’ looks like. This baseball team capped off an undefeated season and the longest win streak in college baseball history with an NAIA championship. That’s an achievement that deserves Senate recognition. Geaux Pilots!” said Kennedy.
    “The 2025 LSU Shreveport Pilots made history by doing something no other collegiate baseball team has ever done: going a perfect 59-0. These young men and their coaches earned every win and made all of Louisiana proud. Geaux Pilots!” said Cassidy. 
    “We are incredibly proud of our Pilots Baseball Team members. The word, ‘lose’ is simply not in their vocabulary. No college baseball team has ever before gone an entire season without a single loss and I suspect none ever will again. These student athletes have thus secured for themselves a place in college sports history,” said Robert T. Smith, Chancellor of LSU Shreveport.
    “We are extremely honored and excited to receive this recognition! We had an incredible year, which was the result of all the incredible people involved. This has been a very rewarding time for our University, the city of Shreveport and our program. The players are extremely deserving of the praise they have been given and they are more than deserving of it! We want to thank everyone involved and we look forward to continuing the success!” said Brad Neffendorf, head coach of the LSU Shreveport Pilots baseball program.
    The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pooria Pasbakhsh, Research Fellow in Polymer Upcycling, The University of Melbourne

    ViDCan/Shutterstock

    Have you ever gone to toss something into the recycling bin – a jam jar, a pizza box, a takeaway container encrusted with yesterday’s lunch – and wondered if you’re doing it right? Perhaps you asked yourself: should I scrub the jar with hot water? Scrape the mozzarella off the box? Wash off that palak paneer?

    Research shows most Australians believe they are good recyclers. But only 25% of people separate waste correctly and up to 35% of recycling goes to landfill unnecessarily. And one in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before sending them to the bin.

    The problem is not helped by different recycling practices between councils, which causes public confusion.

    So just how well does recycling need to be rinsed? What should you do with your plastic lids and pizza boxes? And will robots one day work it all out for us?

    One in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before recycling them.
    ThamKC/Shutterstock

    The problem of contamination

    Mechanical recycling methods – such as shredding and melting – struggle to operate when food and other residues are present.

    In fact, one spoiled item might ruin the entire cycling batch. Queensland’s Goondiwindi Regional Council, for example, said nearly a quarter of its kerbside recyclables collected in 2022–23 was contaminated and sent to landfill.

    Some councils use “advanced materials recovery” that can tolerate lightly soiled recyclables. These facilities use mechanical and automated sorting processes, including optical sorters and artificial intelligence.

    But other councils still rely on human sorting, or basic mechanical systems, which require items to be relatively clean.

    Some recycling is still sorted by hand.
    Adwo/Shutterstock

    Be a tip-top recycler

    While local recycling capabilities come into play, as a general rule, rinse containers when you can. As well as avoiding contamination, it helps reduce smells and keep bins clean.

    The best pre-cleaning method for recycling depends on the type of packaging.

    Paper and cardboard: these items must be clean and dry – no exceptions. Paper and cardboard absorbs contamination more than other materials. So if it gets wet or greasy, it can’t be recycled – though it may be compostable.

    So for pizza boxes, for example, recycle the clean parts and bin the parts that are greasy or have food stuck to them.

    Unfortunately, traditional cardboard coffee cups are not usually recyclable in Australia. That’s because the plastic lining inside is bonded tightly to the paper, making it difficult to separate during standard paper recycling.

    However in some areas, programs such as Simply Cups collect coffee cups and recycle them into sustainable products such as asphalt, concrete and building products.

    And in some states, such as South Australia and Western Australia, single-use cups lined with polymer are banned and only compostable cups can be used.

    The plastic lining in disposable coffee cups is tightly bonded to the paper, making recycling difficult.
    maxbelchenko/Shutterstock

    Glass and metals: these items are washed and processed at extremely high temperatures, so can tolerate a bit of residue. But too much residue can contaminate paper and cardboard in the bin. So rinse glass and plastic to remove visible food and empty liquids. Just a quick rinse is enough – there’s no need to scrub or use hot water.

    But not all glass and metals can be recycled. Mirrors and light bulbs, for instance, are treated in such a way that they melt at different temperatures to other glass. So check before you chuck.

    Plastics: rinse plastics before putting them in the recycling bin. It’s important to know that the numbers 1 to 7 on plastics, inside a recycling symbol, do not necessarily mean the item can be recycled in your area. The number is a code that identifies what plastic the item is made from. Check if your council can recycle that type of plastic.

    Complicating matters further is the question of plastic lids. On this, guidelines differ across Australia, so check your local rules.

    Some councils recycle plastic coffee-cup lids while others don’t.

    Likewise, the rules on plastic bottle lids differ. Some councils allow bottle-lid recycling, but even then, the processes vary. In the Australian Capital territory, for example, a lid larger than a credit card can be put in the recycling bin, but consumers are asked to remove the lid from the bottle. But Brisbane City Council asks consumers to leave the lids on.

    Meanwhile, organisations such as Lids4Kids collect plastic lids and make them into new products.

    Some organisations collect plastic lids and make them into new products.
    Chutima Chaochaiya/Shutterstock

    The future of recycling

    Recycling methods are evolving.

    Advanced chemical recycling breaks plastic down into its chemical building blocks. It can process plastic types that traditional methods can’t, such as soft plastics, and turn it into valuable new products.

    AI and automation are also reshaping recycling, by improving sorting and reducing contamination. And closed-loop washing systems, which filter and reuse water, can clean lightly soiled recyclables.

    Other innovations are emerging, too, such as dissolvable packaging and AI-enabled “smart bins” that might one day identify and sort materials – and maybe even tell consumers if items need rinsing!

    And goods can also be “upcycled” into higher value products such as “nanomaterials” or hydrogen.

    But upcycling still requires clean, well-sorted streams to be viable. And until all these technologies are widespread, each of us must help keep our recycling systems working well.

    Pooria Pasbakhsh is also affiliated with Monash University Malaysia as an Adjunct Associate Professor. He received funding from CRC-P project entitled “Upcycling of Convoluted Subsea Flexible Flow Lines”, Grant number: 108439.

    – ref. Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions – https://theconversation.com/can-a-pizza-box-go-in-the-yellow-bin-or-not-an-expert-answers-this-and-other-messy-recycling-questions-258301

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pooria Pasbakhsh, Research Fellow in Polymer Upcycling, The University of Melbourne

    ViDCan/Shutterstock

    Have you ever gone to toss something into the recycling bin – a jam jar, a pizza box, a takeaway container encrusted with yesterday’s lunch – and wondered if you’re doing it right? Perhaps you asked yourself: should I scrub the jar with hot water? Scrape the mozzarella off the box? Wash off that palak paneer?

    Research shows most Australians believe they are good recyclers. But only 25% of people separate waste correctly and up to 35% of recycling goes to landfill unnecessarily. And one in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before sending them to the bin.

    The problem is not helped by different recycling practices between councils, which causes public confusion.

    So just how well does recycling need to be rinsed? What should you do with your plastic lids and pizza boxes? And will robots one day work it all out for us?

    One in four Australians tends not to rinse or empty food containers before recycling them.
    ThamKC/Shutterstock

    The problem of contamination

    Mechanical recycling methods – such as shredding and melting – struggle to operate when food and other residues are present.

    In fact, one spoiled item might ruin the entire cycling batch. Queensland’s Goondiwindi Regional Council, for example, said nearly a quarter of its kerbside recyclables collected in 2022–23 was contaminated and sent to landfill.

    Some councils use “advanced materials recovery” that can tolerate lightly soiled recyclables. These facilities use mechanical and automated sorting processes, including optical sorters and artificial intelligence.

    But other councils still rely on human sorting, or basic mechanical systems, which require items to be relatively clean.

    Some recycling is still sorted by hand.
    Adwo/Shutterstock

    Be a tip-top recycler

    While local recycling capabilities come into play, as a general rule, rinse containers when you can. As well as avoiding contamination, it helps reduce smells and keep bins clean.

    The best pre-cleaning method for recycling depends on the type of packaging.

    Paper and cardboard: these items must be clean and dry – no exceptions. Paper and cardboard absorbs contamination more than other materials. So if it gets wet or greasy, it can’t be recycled – though it may be compostable.

    So for pizza boxes, for example, recycle the clean parts and bin the parts that are greasy or have food stuck to them.

    Unfortunately, traditional cardboard coffee cups are not usually recyclable in Australia. That’s because the plastic lining inside is bonded tightly to the paper, making it difficult to separate during standard paper recycling.

    However in some areas, programs such as Simply Cups collect coffee cups and recycle them into sustainable products such as asphalt, concrete and building products.

    And in some states, such as South Australia and Western Australia, single-use cups lined with polymer are banned and only compostable cups can be used.

    The plastic lining in disposable coffee cups is tightly bonded to the paper, making recycling difficult.
    maxbelchenko/Shutterstock

    Glass and metals: these items are washed and processed at extremely high temperatures, so can tolerate a bit of residue. But too much residue can contaminate paper and cardboard in the bin. So rinse glass and plastic to remove visible food and empty liquids. Just a quick rinse is enough – there’s no need to scrub or use hot water.

    But not all glass and metals can be recycled. Mirrors and light bulbs, for instance, are treated in such a way that they melt at different temperatures to other glass. So check before you chuck.

    Plastics: rinse plastics before putting them in the recycling bin. It’s important to know that the numbers 1 to 7 on plastics, inside a recycling symbol, do not necessarily mean the item can be recycled in your area. The number is a code that identifies what plastic the item is made from. Check if your council can recycle that type of plastic.

    Complicating matters further is the question of plastic lids. On this, guidelines differ across Australia, so check your local rules.

    Some councils recycle plastic coffee-cup lids while others don’t.

    Likewise, the rules on plastic bottle lids differ. Some councils allow bottle-lid recycling, but even then, the processes vary. In the Australian Capital territory, for example, a lid larger than a credit card can be put in the recycling bin, but consumers are asked to remove the lid from the bottle. But Brisbane City Council asks consumers to leave the lids on.

    Meanwhile, organisations such as Lids4Kids collect plastic lids and make them into new products.

    Some organisations collect plastic lids and make them into new products.
    Chutima Chaochaiya/Shutterstock

    The future of recycling

    Recycling methods are evolving.

    Advanced chemical recycling breaks plastic down into its chemical building blocks. It can process plastic types that traditional methods can’t, such as soft plastics, and turn it into valuable new products.

    AI and automation are also reshaping recycling, by improving sorting and reducing contamination. And closed-loop washing systems, which filter and reuse water, can clean lightly soiled recyclables.

    Other innovations are emerging, too, such as dissolvable packaging and AI-enabled “smart bins” that might one day identify and sort materials – and maybe even tell consumers if items need rinsing!

    And goods can also be “upcycled” into higher value products such as “nanomaterials” or hydrogen.

    But upcycling still requires clean, well-sorted streams to be viable. And until all these technologies are widespread, each of us must help keep our recycling systems working well.

    Pooria Pasbakhsh is also affiliated with Monash University Malaysia as an Adjunct Associate Professor. He received funding from CRC-P project entitled “Upcycling of Convoluted Subsea Flexible Flow Lines”, Grant number: 108439.

    – ref. Can a pizza box go in the yellow bin – or not? An expert answers this and other messy recycling questions – https://theconversation.com/can-a-pizza-box-go-in-the-yellow-bin-or-not-an-expert-answers-this-and-other-messy-recycling-questions-258301

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: XFG could become the next dominant COVID variant. Here’s what to know about ‘Stratus’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Griffin, Professor, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The University of Queensland

    visualspace/Getty Images

    Given the number of times this has happened already, it should come as little surprise that we’re now faced with yet another new subvariant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID.

    This new subvariant is known as XFG (nicknamed “Stratus”) and the World Health Organization (WHO) designated it a “variant under monitoring” in late June. XFG is a subvariant of Omicron, of which there are now more than 1,000.

    A “variant under monitoring” signifies a variant or subvariant which needs prioritised attention and monitoring due to characteristics that may pose an additional threat compared to other circulating variants.

    XFG was one of seven variants under monitoring as of June 25. The most recent addition before XFG was NB.1.8.1 (nicknamed “Nimbus”), which the WHO declared a variant under monitoring on May 23.

    Both nimbus and stratus are types of clouds.

    Nimbus is currently the dominant subvariant worldwide – but Stratus is edging closer. So what do you need to know about Stratus, or XFG?

    A recombinant variant

    XFG is a recombinant of LF.7 and LP.8.1.2 which means these two subvariants have shared genetic material to come up with the new subvariant. Recombinants are designated with an X at the start of their name.

    While recombination and other spontaneous changes happen often with SARS-CoV-2, it becomes a problem when it creates a subvariant that is changed in such a way that its properties cause more problems for us.

    Most commonly this means the virus looks different enough that protection from past infection (and vaccination) doesn’t work so well, called immune evasion. This basically means the population becomes more susceptible and can lead to an increase in cases, and even a whole new wave of COVID infections across the world.

    XFG has four key mutations in the spike protein, a protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 which allows it to attach to our cells. Some are believed to enhance evasion by certain antibodies.

    Early laboratory studies have suggested a nearly two-fold reduction in how well antibodies block the virus compared to LP.8.1.1.

    Where is XFG spreading?

    The earliest XFG sample was collected on January 27.

    As of June 22, there were 1,648 XFG sequences submitted to GISAID from 38 countries (GISAID is the global database used to track the prevalence of different variants around the world). This represents 22.7% of the globally available sequences at the time.

    This was a significant rise from 7.4% four weeks prior and only just below the proportion of NB.1.8.1 at 24.9%. Given the now declining proportion of viral sequences of NB.1.8.1 overall, and the rapid rise of XFG, it would seem reasonable to expect XFG to become dominant very soon.

    According to Australian data expert Mike Honey, the countries showing the highest rates of detection of XFG as of mid-June include India at more than 50%, followed by Spain at 42%, and the United Kingdom and United States, where the subvariant makes up more than 30% of cases.

    In Australia as of June 29, NB.1.8.1 was the dominant subvariant, accounting for 48.6% of sequences. In the most recent report from Australia’s national genomic surveillance platform, there were 24 XFG sequences with 12 collected in the last 28 days meaning it currently comprises approximately 5% of sequences.

    The big questions

    When we talk about a new subvariant, people often ask questions including if it’s more severe or causes new or different symptoms compared to previous variants. But we’re still learning about XFG and we can’t answer these questions with certainty yet.

    Some sources have reported XFG may be more likely to course “hoarseness” or a scratchy or raspy voice. But we need more information to know if this association is truly significant.

    Notably, there’s no evidence to suggest XFG causes more severe illness compared to other variants in circulation or that it is necessarily any more transmissible.

    Will vaccines still work against XFG?

    Relatively frequent changes to the virus means we have continued to update the COVID vaccines. The most recent update, which targets the JN.1 subvariant, became available in Australia from late 2024. XFG is a descendant of the JN.1 subvariant.

    Fortunately, based on the evidence available so far, currently approved COVID vaccines are expected to remain effective against XFG, particularly against symptomatic and severe disease.

    Because of SARS-CoV-2’s continued evolution, the effect of this on our immune response, as well as the fact protection from COVID vaccines declines over time, COVID vaccines are offered regularly, and recommended for those at the highest risk.

    One of the major challenges we face at present in Australia is low COVID vaccine uptake. While rates have increased somewhat recently, they remain relatively low, with only 32.3% of people aged 75 years and over having received a vaccine in the past six months. Vaccination rates in younger age groups are significantly lower.

    Although the situation with XFG must continue to be monitored, at present the WHO has assessed the global risk posed by this subvariant as low. The advice for combating COVID remains unchanged, including vaccination as recommended and the early administration of antivirals for those who are eligible.

    Measures to reduce the risk of transmission, particularly wearing masks in crowded indoor settings and focusing on air quality and ventilation, are worth remembering to protect against COVID and other viral infections.

    Paul Griffin has been the principal investigator for clinical trials of 8 COVID-19 vaccines. He has previously participated in medical advisory boards for COVID-19 vaccines. Paul Griffin is a director and medical advisory board member of the immunisation coalition.

    – ref. XFG could become the next dominant COVID variant. Here’s what to know about ‘Stratus’ – https://theconversation.com/xfg-could-become-the-next-dominant-covid-variant-heres-what-to-know-about-stratus-260499

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Some young people sexually abuse. Here’s how to reduce reoffending by up to 90%

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jesse Cale, Associate Professor of Criminology, Deputy Director Research (Griffith Youth Forensic Service), Griffith University

    When we think about who’s responsible for sexual abuse in Australia, we usually picture adults.

    But young people are responsible for a substantial proportion of sexual offences nationwide. Up to a third of all child sexual abuse is perpetrated by people under 18. So too are a quarter of sexual assaults against both teens and adults.

    New research shows there are effective treatment options for perpetrators under the age of 18 to help prevent them offending again in future.

    Our study found young people who received specialist forensic treatment were up to 90% less likely to sexually reoffend, compared with similar peers who did not receive the service.

    The findings suggest more children can be protected from the harms of sexual abuse by preventing repeat offending. It also shows many young people who commit these crimes can be safely treated in the community.

    Our study

    In our paper, published in the Journal of Criminal Justice, we evaluated administrative data from more than 1,400 young people who were processed for sexual offences, such as indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault, in Queensland between 2010 and 2024.

    We securely accessed more than a decade of anonymised youth justice records and applied advanced statistical techniques across treatment and control groups.

    Across five separate statistical approaches, the findings were consistent. Griffith Youth Forensic Service treatment significantly reduced reoffending across different categories of offending, and most importantly, sexual offences.

    Key findings showed a 78–90% reduction in sexual reoffending, a 34–44% reduction in overall offending, and additional reductions in violent and non-violent offending.

    The treatment group also showed longer follow-up periods without offending. This indicates not just fewer offences, but sustained behavioural change.

    The study is among the most scientifically rigorous to look into this issue, which is often hard to research due to the sensitivity of the subject and lack of high-quality data.

    What did the treatment involve?

    The Griffith Youth Forensic Service has operated in Queensland since 2001. It delivers specialised assessment and treatment for young people aged 10–17 who have been sentenced for sexual offences.

    Supported by a partnership between the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support and Griffith University, the service runs statewide, often in remote or under-resourced communities, and prioritises high-risk cases.

    Clinicians at the service use trauma-informed, evidence-based methods. But what makes the service unique is its individualised approach. Each young person is treated in the context of their family, school, peer group and community.

    The treatment is highly tailored to the circumstances of the young person involved.
    Shutterstock

    Two young people referred to treatment for sexually abusive behaviour may present with very different life histories and contributing factors. They therefore require tailored intervention approaches.

    The goal is to address the underlying drivers of offending, not just to manage behaviour.

    The service also helps produce research aimed at improving policy and frontline responses to youth sexual offending.

    Why it matters

    Sexually harmful and abusive behaviours often occur in the context of trauma, family dysfunction or developmental disruption, and do not always continue into adulthood.

    But without intervention, some young people go on to reoffend. The consequences for victims and communities can be devastating.

    This study offers evidence that specialist, community-based treatment can help break that cycle.

    And because the treatment model also appears to reduce general reoffending, its benefits likely extend beyond preventing sexual harm to preventing other types of harm too.

    It’s a flow-on effect: this treatment is promoting safer outcomes across the board.

    Treatment over jail time

    The study comes at a time of growing public concern about youth crime, and growing interest in solutions that go beyond punishment.

    In Queensland, where this research was done, “adult time for adult crime” laws trying to drive down the rate of youth offending featured prominently in the 2024 election campaign.

    The measures have been roundly criticised, including by the United Nations.

    This research shows properly resourced rehabilitative strategies can be highly effective in reducing youth offending, often more so than punishment.

    Other studies also show community-based ways to deal with the problem, albeit not looking at sexual offending specifically.

    We know mental health support is hugely helpful for reducing recidivism through keeping children out of a cycle of incarceration.

    There have also been studies of preschool programs that suggest specific types of early childhood education can prevent children going on to commit crimes.

    Where to from here?

    The particular focus of our study, the Griffith Youth Forensic Service, is only in Queensland, but the findings are relevant for other jurisdictions.

    In New South Wales, New Street Services provide therapeutic interventions across the state for adolescents aged 10–17 who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour.

    Importantly, specialised services aren’t available in all states, and very few include the same built-in research and evaluation components as the Griffith Youth Forensic Service.

    The results of our study support continued national investment in:

    • specialist, evidence-based programs tailored to young people

    • community-based and trauma-informed approaches

    • improving service accessibility, especially in remote or underserved areas.

    The study also highlights the importance of rigorous evaluation in guiding youth justice and broader government policy and funding decisions.

    This service works, and now we have data to prove it.

    Jesse Cale is the Deputy Director of the Griffith Youth Forensic Service.

    Benoit Leclerc is Director of the Griffith Youth Forensic Service

    Francisco Perales works for the Queensland Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support. The contributions made to this piece and the underlying research are however in his capacity as Adjunct Professor at Griffith University and are independent of his role at the department. The views expressed in this piece are therefore those of the author and may not reflect those of the department.

    Tyson Whitten is a Senior Research Fellow at Childlight, UNSW.

    – ref. Some young people sexually abuse. Here’s how to reduce reoffending by up to 90% – https://theconversation.com/some-young-people-sexually-abuse-heres-how-to-reduce-reoffending-by-up-to-90-260084

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: American science is in crisis. It’s a great opportunity for Australia to snap up top scientists

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Walker, Visiting Fellow, National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University

    Stellalevi / Getty Images

    Science in the United States in in trouble. The National Science Foundation, a key research funding agency, has suffered devastating funding cuts under the current administration. Critics say the cuts risk losing an entire generation of young scientists.

    In addition, about 280,000 scientists and engineers have been affected by US federal workforce cuts. Billions of dollars in further cuts have been proposed to US hospitals, universities and research institutions.

    The US has long been the global destination for science. But perhaps no longer. The rest of the world, including Australia, is looking to lure scientists from the US.

    And many of those scientists are looking to move. In March, a Nature survey suggested more than 75% of US researchers were considering leaving the country.

    What moves are under way to capitalise on this American brain drain? Where does Australia sit – and, importantly, are we doing enough?

    What are other countries doing?

    In May, the European Commission announced a two-year, €500 million package to woo scientists and researchers called Choose Europe. The announcement of the package highlighted how “academic and scientific freedom is increasingly under threat”, and offers researchers higher allowances, longer contracts and reduced regulatory barriers to innovation.

    Canada also has active efforts. The Toronto-based University Hospital Network, for example, aims to raise C$30 million to attract and recruit clinician scientists and medical talent.

    China, too, is actively seeking US scientists with dedicated recruitment programs and large salaries. This is accelerating the existing trend of Chinese-born scientists leaving the US.

    Programs such as the EU’s and Canada’s ostensibly aim to attract and recruit top talent from “around the world”. Given the timing, however, it’s no secret which country’s scientists they have their eyes on.

    What about Australia?

    In Australia, the scientific community is understandably concerned about events in the US and their impact on Australian research. The US is Australia’s largest research partner, with a conservatively estimated A$386 million in funding for Australian research organisations coming from the US government.

    At the same time, the US cuts represent an opportunity for Australia as for other countries. The Australian Academy of Science recently launched its Global Talent Attraction Program to take advantage of “a rare opportunity to strengthen our nation by attracting world-leading researchers to our shores”. The program will offer relocation packages for selected researchers, together with research funding, access to Australian infrastructure and family relocation support.

    As well as attracting US talent, it may also be an opportunity to reverse the brain drain and bring back talented Australians who may have moved to the US for what were once better career prospects.

    The global picture

    Attracting, recruiting and retaining US researchers and innovators at all levels is the right thing for Australia to pursue right now. But broader international relationships are also worth some effort, including with countries in our region such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, as well as in Europe.

    These can be facilitated through existing initiatives such as the strategic arm of the Global Science and Technology Diplomacy Fund. Backed by the Australian government and delivered by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (where I am the CEO) and the Australian Academy of Science, the fund brings together innovators and research initiatives in priority partner countries and Australia. Areas of interest include advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and hydrogen production.

    With the US pulling out of international collaborations, there is a chance for Australia to establish itself as a science and technology hub within our region.

    Australia has much to offer the world. We can provide insights into the behaviour and management of bushfires, floods and droughts. We bring a sophisticated understanding of extreme weather modelling, and are a global gateway to exceptional oceans and atmospheric research.

    We have huge clout in renewable energy and battery technologies. Australian-invented solar panels represent the majority of household solar around the world and Australian batteries technology is among the best.

    Australian researchers, policymakers and citizens are right to be concerned by what’s happening in the US. But we don’t need to wait anxiously. We have an extremely rare opportunity to foster talent in Australia on our terms.

    Kylie Walker is CEO of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and previously worked for the Australian Academy of Science (2011–2016).

    – ref. American science is in crisis. It’s a great opportunity for Australia to snap up top scientists – https://theconversation.com/american-science-is-in-crisis-its-a-great-opportunity-for-australia-to-snap-up-top-scientists-260593

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley, Correa Demand Transparency from Secretary Noem on ICE and DHS Overreach

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – This week, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) joined Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) and 21 House Democrats in pressing U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on the alarming actions of federal agents in California, including Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. In a letter to Secretary Noem, the Members expressed deep concerns about the Trump Administration’s lack of transparency in the agency’s recent immigration enforcement operations and activities, including the detention of individuals with no criminal record. The letter strongly condemns the administration’s overreach and demands immediate transparency.

    “President Trump initially promised to go after the worst of the worst in his immigration policy,” wrote the Members. “However the actions of this administration and your DHS show you are not interested in arresting dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists, and drug dealers. Instead, you are sending masked individuals who do not identify themselves as law enforcement to arrest college and high school students, restaurant workers, factory workers, and even American children.”

    “This administration refuses to provide accurate details around what criminal record, if any, DHS components use to justify the arrest of an individual,” wrote the members. 

    A recent analysis by the Los Angeles Times found that 69% of individuals detained by ICE had no criminal convictions. In their letter, the Members demanded DHS to provide immediate and accurate information on their immigration enforcement activities, including: 

    • A breakdown of criminal charges and convictions of people detained since January 20, 2025
    • Number of deported individuals and their criminal offenses
    • How many individuals have proven ties to gangs, foreign terrorist organizations, or criminal enterprises
    • DHS arrest policy
    • How agents and officers identify themselves when approaching an individual to detain 
    • Arresting officers’ training
    • If arresting officers are federal agents.

    Earlier this year, Brownley also contacted DHS to express concerns about ICE actions in the community, but ICE has thus far refused to answer questions or provide details on its operations. Brownley continues pressing the Trump administration to adhere to DHS’ mission and act “with honor and integrity to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.”

    The letter was also signed by Representatives Val Hoyle (D-OR), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Danny Davis (D-IL), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Andre Carson (D-IN), Darren Soto (D-FL), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO).

    The full letter can be found here and below:

    The Honorable Kristi Noem
    Secretary
    Department of Homeland Security
    Washington, D.C. 20528

    Secretary Noem:

    We write to express serious concern with this administration’s chilling actions of rounding up and arresting individuals with no criminal history and doing so without the transparency as to why the individuals are being arrested. The lack of accountability and transparency from this administration is of grave concern to the citizens of this country. Not only are Members of Congress concerned with the lack of transparency, accountability, and its immigration actions, but the majority of the American people do not agree with this administration’s actions either.

    President Trump initially promised to go after the worst of the worst in his immigration policy. Similarly, you recently went on Fox News and claimed you were going after the worst of the worst. However, the actions of this administration and your DHS show you are not focused on arresting dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists and drug dealers. Instead, you are sending masked individuals who do not identify themselves as law enforcement to arrest college and high school students, restaurant workers, factory workers, and even American children, some of whom have cancer which is beyond heartless. The scope of your enforcement activities has grown so large to include migrant workers and tourists with visas, that you are unable to effectively focus on arresting dangerous criminals, which makes our country less safe.

    Even though President Trump has finally acknowledged his immigration policies are harming individuals and businesses, particularly farmers, and those in the hotel and leisure business which is further damaging our once strong economy – we fear this administration will not learn from their mistakes. White House officials have said they hope U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can scale up to 3,000 arrests a day, from approximately 660 during the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency. Since these numbers cannot be achieved without arresting non-criminals, it appears this administration will continue arresting hardworking individuals who pose no threat to our communities. It also appears this is why DHS has eliminated any transparency efforts regarding migrant arrests. For an administration that claims to be the most transparent in history, you have contributed to being the least transparent this country has ever seen.

    This administration refuses to provide accurate data and details around what criminal record, if any, DHS components use to justify the arrest of an individual. After President Trump took office DHS stopped issuing detailed statistical reports on immigration enforcement, which makes it challenging to gauge the scope of your immigration crackdown.

    Since your administration will not provide transparent data, we must piecemeal different data sources to get an accurate picture of DHS’s enforcement efforts. For example, we look at The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse – a project from Syracuse University that compiles immigration figures – which estimates that of the 51,302 people in ICE detention facilities as of June 1, about 44% had no criminal record aside from entering the US without permission. News outlets also report ICE detention statistics show the number of detainees arrested by ICE with no other criminal charges or convictions rose from about 860 in January to 7,800 this month – a more than 800% increase.

    And if we look at recent events and updates from ICE, the unnecessary and harmful immigration raids in Los Angeles saw the immigration arrests of 118 people, which DHS said included five gang members. While the agency has identified a handful of people with criminal histories, due to DHS refusing to provide more transparent details of their actions, it’s unclear how many of the 118 individuals have criminal histories.

    Sadly, this administration’s credibility is so badly damaged we cannot simply rely on the words coming from a DHS spokesperson or yourself that this administration is targeting the worst of the worst. The fact this administration has repeatedly misrepresented migrants’ criminal histories, lied to the American people by photoshopping gang tattoos on the body of individual they were illegally detaining, and having to reluctantly admit to clerical errors and software errors that resulted in arrests and deportations of migrants with no criminal history, we in Congress and the American people cannot trust the administration’s word that they are doing what they say. President Trump and his administration leadership have eroded the trust of the American people and Congress, and we must request all necessary pieces of information to get a truthful picture of your immigration enforcement activities.

    Therefore, given these concerns we request the following information by July 18, 2025:

    1. A breakdown of the criminal charges and convictions migrants that have been arrested and detained by a DHS component from January 20, 2025 to date.
    2. Of these individuals how many have been deported since January? Please provide a breakdown of their criminal offenses by category.
    3. How many of the individuals have been found by a court to have proven ties, not alleged ties without proof, to criminal enterprises, gangs, or Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO)?
    4. What is the policy DHS components follow when deciding to arrest an individual? How are agents and officers deciding who to detain and arrest in public?
    5. How are agents and officers identifying themselves when they approach an individual to detain and or arrest in the streets?
    6. What type of training do arresting officers have?
    7. Are the arresting officers federal agents?

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We must remind you of the DHS mission statement which is “With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.” It seems you have forgotten this, and we truly hope you reverse course and start leading with integrity and honor while working to keep us safe.

    ###

    Issues: 119th Congress, Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley, Correa Demand Transparency from Secretary Noem on ICE and DHS Overreach

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – This week, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) joined Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) and 21 House Democrats in pressing U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on the alarming actions of federal agents in California, including Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. In a letter to Secretary Noem, the Members expressed deep concerns about the Trump Administration’s lack of transparency in the agency’s recent immigration enforcement operations and activities, including the detention of individuals with no criminal record. The letter strongly condemns the administration’s overreach and demands immediate transparency.

    “President Trump initially promised to go after the worst of the worst in his immigration policy,” wrote the Members. “However the actions of this administration and your DHS show you are not interested in arresting dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists, and drug dealers. Instead, you are sending masked individuals who do not identify themselves as law enforcement to arrest college and high school students, restaurant workers, factory workers, and even American children.”

    “This administration refuses to provide accurate details around what criminal record, if any, DHS components use to justify the arrest of an individual,” wrote the members. 

    A recent analysis by the Los Angeles Times found that 69% of individuals detained by ICE had no criminal convictions. In their letter, the Members demanded DHS to provide immediate and accurate information on their immigration enforcement activities, including: 

    • A breakdown of criminal charges and convictions of people detained since January 20, 2025
    • Number of deported individuals and their criminal offenses
    • How many individuals have proven ties to gangs, foreign terrorist organizations, or criminal enterprises
    • DHS arrest policy
    • How agents and officers identify themselves when approaching an individual to detain 
    • Arresting officers’ training
    • If arresting officers are federal agents.

    Earlier this year, Brownley also contacted DHS to express concerns about ICE actions in the community, but ICE has thus far refused to answer questions or provide details on its operations. Brownley continues pressing the Trump administration to adhere to DHS’ mission and act “with honor and integrity to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.”

    The letter was also signed by Representatives Val Hoyle (D-OR), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Danny Davis (D-IL), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Andre Carson (D-IN), Darren Soto (D-FL), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO).

    The full letter can be found here and below:

    The Honorable Kristi Noem
    Secretary
    Department of Homeland Security
    Washington, D.C. 20528

    Secretary Noem:

    We write to express serious concern with this administration’s chilling actions of rounding up and arresting individuals with no criminal history and doing so without the transparency as to why the individuals are being arrested. The lack of accountability and transparency from this administration is of grave concern to the citizens of this country. Not only are Members of Congress concerned with the lack of transparency, accountability, and its immigration actions, but the majority of the American people do not agree with this administration’s actions either.

    President Trump initially promised to go after the worst of the worst in his immigration policy. Similarly, you recently went on Fox News and claimed you were going after the worst of the worst. However, the actions of this administration and your DHS show you are not focused on arresting dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists and drug dealers. Instead, you are sending masked individuals who do not identify themselves as law enforcement to arrest college and high school students, restaurant workers, factory workers, and even American children, some of whom have cancer which is beyond heartless. The scope of your enforcement activities has grown so large to include migrant workers and tourists with visas, that you are unable to effectively focus on arresting dangerous criminals, which makes our country less safe.

    Even though President Trump has finally acknowledged his immigration policies are harming individuals and businesses, particularly farmers, and those in the hotel and leisure business which is further damaging our once strong economy – we fear this administration will not learn from their mistakes. White House officials have said they hope U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can scale up to 3,000 arrests a day, from approximately 660 during the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency. Since these numbers cannot be achieved without arresting non-criminals, it appears this administration will continue arresting hardworking individuals who pose no threat to our communities. It also appears this is why DHS has eliminated any transparency efforts regarding migrant arrests. For an administration that claims to be the most transparent in history, you have contributed to being the least transparent this country has ever seen.

    This administration refuses to provide accurate data and details around what criminal record, if any, DHS components use to justify the arrest of an individual. After President Trump took office DHS stopped issuing detailed statistical reports on immigration enforcement, which makes it challenging to gauge the scope of your immigration crackdown.

    Since your administration will not provide transparent data, we must piecemeal different data sources to get an accurate picture of DHS’s enforcement efforts. For example, we look at The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse – a project from Syracuse University that compiles immigration figures – which estimates that of the 51,302 people in ICE detention facilities as of June 1, about 44% had no criminal record aside from entering the US without permission. News outlets also report ICE detention statistics show the number of detainees arrested by ICE with no other criminal charges or convictions rose from about 860 in January to 7,800 this month – a more than 800% increase.

    And if we look at recent events and updates from ICE, the unnecessary and harmful immigration raids in Los Angeles saw the immigration arrests of 118 people, which DHS said included five gang members. While the agency has identified a handful of people with criminal histories, due to DHS refusing to provide more transparent details of their actions, it’s unclear how many of the 118 individuals have criminal histories.

    Sadly, this administration’s credibility is so badly damaged we cannot simply rely on the words coming from a DHS spokesperson or yourself that this administration is targeting the worst of the worst. The fact this administration has repeatedly misrepresented migrants’ criminal histories, lied to the American people by photoshopping gang tattoos on the body of individual they were illegally detaining, and having to reluctantly admit to clerical errors and software errors that resulted in arrests and deportations of migrants with no criminal history, we in Congress and the American people cannot trust the administration’s word that they are doing what they say. President Trump and his administration leadership have eroded the trust of the American people and Congress, and we must request all necessary pieces of information to get a truthful picture of your immigration enforcement activities.

    Therefore, given these concerns we request the following information by July 18, 2025:

    1. A breakdown of the criminal charges and convictions migrants that have been arrested and detained by a DHS component from January 20, 2025 to date.
    2. Of these individuals how many have been deported since January? Please provide a breakdown of their criminal offenses by category.
    3. How many of the individuals have been found by a court to have proven ties, not alleged ties without proof, to criminal enterprises, gangs, or Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO)?
    4. What is the policy DHS components follow when deciding to arrest an individual? How are agents and officers deciding who to detain and arrest in public?
    5. How are agents and officers identifying themselves when they approach an individual to detain and or arrest in the streets?
    6. What type of training do arresting officers have?
    7. Are the arresting officers federal agents?

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We must remind you of the DHS mission statement which is “With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.” It seems you have forgotten this, and we truly hope you reverse course and start leading with integrity and honor while working to keep us safe.

    ###

    Issues: 119th Congress, Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Use of EU funds for educational activities on ‘gender’ aimed at primary school children – E-002655/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002655/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Susanna Ceccardi (PfE)

    As part of the ‘GEnder BUdgeting e DIffusione della CUltura di Genere’ project, organised by the University of Florence in partnership with the Metropolitan City of Florence and co-financed by the European Union, pupils in the fourth year of primary school are involved in educational activities addressing issues related to ‘gender’, ‘appreciating diversity’, ‘inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals’ and ‘deconstructing stereotypes’.

    The aim of this project is to influence language, the perception of gender roles and the recognition of ‘hostile behaviour’ through questionnaires, play-based workshops and educational materials aimed at young children whose sense of self is still developing.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of this project and the use of EU funds for educational activities on ‘gender identity’ aimed at primary school children?
    • 2.What monitoring tools does the Commission employ to ensure that use of EU funds in educational projects does not result in ideological indoctrination of minors?
    • 3.Does the Commission believe the funding of initiatives that promote controversial ideological views in the school environment, without prior and informed parental consent, is compatible with the principles of subsidiarity and educational freedom, as well as with Article 14 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union?

    Submitted: 1.7.2025

    Last updated: 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How Philadelphia’s current sanitation strike differs from past labor disputes in the city

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Francis Ryan, Associate Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations, Rutgers University

    Curbside trash collection has been on pause in Philadelphia since July 1, 2025. AP Photo/Matt Slocum

    As the Philadelphia municipal worker strike enters its second week, so-called “Parker piles” – large collections of garbage that some residents blame on Mayor Cherelle Parker – continue to build up in neighborhoods across the city.

    The AFSCME District Council 33 union on strike represents about 9,000 blue-collar workers in the city, including sanitation workers, 911 dispatchers, city mechanics and water department staff.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Francis Ryan, a professor of labor studies at Rutgers University and author of “AFSCME’s Philadelphia Story: Municipal Workers and Urban Power in Philadelphia in the Twentieth Century,” about the history of sanitation strikes in Philly and what makes this one unique.

    Has anything surprised you about this strike?

    This strike marks the first time in the history of labor relations between the City of Philadelphia and the AFSCME District Council 33 union where social media is playing a significant role in how the struggle is unfolding.

    The union is getting their side of the story out on Instagram and other social media platforms, and citizens are taking up or expressing sympathy with their cause.

    Some city residents are referring to the garbage build-up sites as ‘Parker piles.’
    AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa

    How successful are trash strikes in Philly or other U.S. cities?

    As I describe in my book, Philadelphia has a long history of sanitation strikes that goes back to March 1937. At that time, a brief work stoppage brought about discussions between the city administration and an early version of the current union.

    When over 200 city workers were laid off in September 1938, city workers called a weeklong sanitation strike. Street battles raged in West Philadelphia when strikers blocked police-escorted trash wagons that were aiming to collect trash with workers hired to replace the strikers.

    Philadelphia residents, many of whom were union members who worked in textile, steel, food and other industries rallied behind the strikers. The strikers’ demands were met, and a new union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, was formally recognized by the city.

    This strike was a major event because it showed how damaging a garbage strike could be. The fact that strikers were willing to fight in the streets to stop trash services showed that such events had the potential for violence, not to mention the health concerns from having tons of trash on the streets.

    There was another two-week trash strike in Philadelphia in 1944, but there wouldn’t be another for more than 20 years.

    However, a growing number of sanitation strikes popped up around the country in the 1960s, the most infamous being the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike.

    Black sanitation workers peacefully march wearing placards reading ‘I Am A Man’ during the Memphis sanitation strike in 1968.
    Bettmann via Getty Images

    In Memphis, a majority African American sanitation workforce demanded higher wages, basic safety procedures and recognition of their union. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. rallied to support the Memphis workers and their families as part of his Poor Peoples’ Campaign, which sought to organize working people from across the nation into a new coalition to demand full economic and political rights.

    On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated. His death put pressure on Memphis officials to settle the strike, and on April 16 the the strikers secured their demands.

    Following the Memphis strike, AFSCME began organizing public workers around the country and through the coming years into the 1970s, there were sanitation strikes and slowdowns across the nation including in New York City, Atlanta, Cleveland and Washington, D.C. Often, these workers, who were predominantly African American, gained the support of significant sections of the communities they served and secured modest wage boosts.

    By the 1980s, such labor actions were becoming fewer. In 1986, Philadelphia witnessed a three-week sanitation strike that ended with the union gaining some of its wage demands, but losing on key areas related to health care benefits.

    Workers begin removing mounds of trash after returning to work after the 18-day strike in Philadelphia in July 1986.
    Bettmann via Getty Images

    How do wages and benefits for DC33 workers compare to other U.S. cities?

    DC 33 president Greg Boulware has said that the union’s members make an average salary of $46,000 per year. According to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, that is $2,000 less than what a single adult with no kids needs to reasonably support themselves living in Philadelphia.

    Sanitation workers who collect curbside trash earn a salary of $42,500 to $46,200, or $18-$20 an hour. NBC Philadelphia reports that those wages are the lowest of any of the major cities they looked at. Hourly wages in the other cities they looked at ranged from $21 an hour in Dallas to $25-$30 an hour in Chicago.

    Unlike other eras, the fact that social media makes public these personal narratives and perspectives – like from former sanitation worker Terrill Haigler, aka “Ya Fav Trashman” – is shaping the way many citizens respond to these disruptions. I see a level of support for the strikers that I believe is unprecedented going back as far as 1938.

    What do you think is behind this support?

    The pandemic made people more aware of the role of essential workers in society. If the men and women who do these jobs can’t afford their basic needs, something isn’t right. This may explain why so many people are seeing things from the perspective of striking workers.

    At the same time, money is being cut from important services at the federal, state and local levels. The proposed gutting of the city’s mass transit system by state lawmakers is a case in point. Social media allows people to make these broader connections and start conversations.

    If the strike continues much longer, I think it will gain more national and international attention, and bring discussions about how workers should be treated to the forefront.

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

    – ref. How Philadelphia’s current sanitation strike differs from past labor disputes in the city – https://theconversation.com/how-philadelphias-current-sanitation-strike-differs-from-past-labor-disputes-in-the-city-260676

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Trade and gender group outlines priorities for gender equality work leading to MC14

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Trade and gender group outlines priorities for gender equality work leading to MC14

    The 2025-2026 Work Plan reinforces the work initiated at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), held in Abu Dhabi in 2024. An action plan to support its implementation will be drafted in consultation with members, with clear milestones, targets and activities.
    The Work Plan features a detailed compendium mapping all the technical work of the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Trade and Gender, as well as a ministerial joint statement by the co-chairs. It also includes ministerial-level deliverables, such as the potential inclusion of a paragraph on women’s economic empowerment through trade in the MC14 outcome document.
    WTO Symposium on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment
    Members also took stock of the WTO Symposium on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment, “Growing economies through trade – empowering women”, which was held on 2 July in cooperation with the IWG co-chairs (Cabo Verde, El Salvador and the United Kingdom).
    The event brought together policymakers, researchers and international organizations to explore how trade policy can drive women’s economic empowerment. In her opening address, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala underlined that empowering women in trade is not only a moral imperative, but an economic necessity, and she called for a modernized multilateral system that better serves women and developing economies. Discussions throughout the day underscored the need to treat gender equality as a core element of trade policy.
    Key themes of the symposium included the opportunities and challenges of digitalization, the role of regional trade agreements and the importance of gender-disaggregated data. Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, the United Kingdom  shared national experiences, while institutional initiatives from the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Bank highlighted efforts to make trade more inclusive.
    Ambassador Simon Manley of the United Kingdom noted that the experts and researchers who spoke at the symposium encouraged members to ensure that gender is genuinely addressed – not only within the IWG, but also across WTO committees and negotiations more broadly. Looking ahead to MC14, he observed that many members are calling for a renewed commitment to embed gender equality into the multilateral trading system.
    International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade
    The IWG co-chairs reported on the second edition of the International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade, which recognises impactful national initiatives that promote gender equality through trade-related policies and programmes. Announced on 2 July during an award ceremony held as part of the WTO Symposium on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment, the winners of the 2025 edition were Brazil for “Elas Exportam”, the Dominican Republic for “Service Revolution” and Ghana for the “Inclusive Trade Facilitation Project”, with special mentions for Ecuador for the “Safe Company Seal” and Viet Nam for an initiative implemented under the WTO Chairs Programme at Foreign Trade University (WCP–FTU), titled “From Knowledge to Impact: Amplifying Women’s Influence in Trade through WCP-FTU”.
    Updates by WTO members
    The United Kingdom shared findings from a Scottish Government-commissioned report on the gender export gap. The study revealed that only 15 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) led by women in Scotland were engaged in export, fewer than Scottish SMEs led by men (17 per cent). Closing this gap could boost Scotland’s trade revenues by up to GBP 10.4 billion (CHF 11.3 billion) over two years. The research identified key barriers for women, including limited access to finance, lack of mentoring and networks, and a complex support landscape.
    Costa Rica also updated members, in its role as the 2025-2026 Chair of the Inclusive Trade Action Group (ITAG) – established on the margins of the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Summit – and of ITAG standalone initiative the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement (GTAGA). The ITAG, which was launched in 2018, promotes inclusive trade with a focus on gender equality, support for SMEs, indigenous trade, sustainability and labour issues. The GTAGA advances women’s economic empowerment through joint actions such as data-sharing, policy dialogue and capacity-building.
    Key activities included a virtual meeting to adopt priorities, as well as the recent launch of a Trade and Gender Review of Latin America by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Virtual events for government officials will be organized in 2025 and 2026. Costa Rica also outlined plans to standardize accession procedures, and it announced that there will be a GTAGA Day 2026, an in-person capacity-building event.
    Ukraine presented its national strategy to advance women’s economic empowerment and integrate gender equality into trade and recovery policies. Measures include targeted support for women-led businesses through mentorship, access to finance, professional training and psychological assistance, as well as programmes to encourage women’s participation in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Ukraine reported that women established 56 per cent of new businesses in 2023, rising to 59 per cent in 2024.
    Presentations by international organizations
    The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) outlined its efforts to promote gender-responsive standards, with a focus on practical tools such as its Gender Action Plan Model Blueprint. This initiative supports institutions in embedding gender considerations into standards, regulations and artificial intelligence (AI) governance. UNECE also emphasized the role of inclusive standards in addressing gender bias in data and design, particularly in emerging technologies like AI.
    The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), a global network of women engaged in all segments of the coffee value chain, presented its work to address gender inequalities in the sector. Representing over 36 national groups and 18,000 members – including farmers, processors, exporters, baristas and entrepreneurs – IWCA outlined the persistent challenges that women face, such as unequal labour distribution, limited income and land ownership, and underrepresentation in leadership. It also presented its 2023-2027 strategic plan, structured around four pillars: organizational development, research and advocacy, impactful programmes and high-impact communications.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of Australia Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Clare Monica Walsh, the new Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Walsh held the position of Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary, Enabling Services Group, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, since 2022.  Earlier in her career, she held multiple other posts at the Department and posted abroad, including as Chief Operating Officer, Finance (2020–2022); Deputy Secretary, Global Cooperation, Development and Partnerships Group (2018–2020); Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy in Japan (2016–2018); and as First Assistant Secretary, International Policy and Partnerships Division (AusAID) and Multilateral Development and Policy Division (2012–2015).  Ms. Walsh also held several positions in the Department of Climate Change and Energy between 2007 and 2012.

    Ms. Walsh holds degrees from three Australian universities, including a Master of Management from the Australian National University (2006); a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sciences from Murdoch University (1992); and a Bachelor of Arts from Curtin University (1989).

    __________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    CR.25.024E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of Australia Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Clare Monica Walsh, the new Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Walsh held the position of Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary, Enabling Services Group, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, since 2022.  Earlier in her career, she held multiple other posts at the Department and posted abroad, including as Chief Operating Officer, Finance (2020–2022); Deputy Secretary, Global Cooperation, Development and Partnerships Group (2018–2020); Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy in Japan (2016–2018); and as First Assistant Secretary, International Policy and Partnerships Division (AusAID) and Multilateral Development and Policy Division (2012–2015).  Ms. Walsh also held several positions in the Department of Climate Change and Energy between 2007 and 2012.

    Ms. Walsh holds degrees from three Australian universities, including a Master of Management from the Australian National University (2006); a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sciences from Murdoch University (1992); and a Bachelor of Arts from Curtin University (1989).

    __________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    CR.25.024E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is driving down the price of knowledge – universities have to rethink what they offer

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Dodd, Professional Teaching Fellow, Business School, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    For a long time, universities worked off a simple idea: knowledge was scarce. You paid for tuition, showed up to lectures, completed assignments and eventually earned a credential.

    That process did two things: it gave you access to knowledge that was hard to find elsewhere, and it signalled to employers you had invested time and effort to master that knowledge.

    The model worked because the supply curve for high-quality information sat far to the left, meaning knowledge was scarce and the price – tuition and wage premiums – stayed high.

    Now the curve has shifted right, as the graph below illustrates. When supply moves right – that is, something becomes more accessible – the new intersection with demand sits lower on the price axis. This is why tuition premiums and graduate wage advantages are now under pressure.

    According to global consultancy McKinsey, generative AI could add between US$2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in annual global productivity. Why? Because AI drives the marginal cost of producing and organising information toward zero.

    Large language models no longer just retrieve facts; they explain, translate, summarise and draft almost instantly. When supply explodes like that, basic economics says price falls. The “knowledge premium” universities have long sold is deflating as a result.

    Employers have already made their move

    Markets react faster than curriculums. Since ChatGPT launched, entry-level job listings in the United Kingdom have fallen by about a third. In the United States, several states are removing degree requirements from public-sector roles.

    In Maryland, for instance, the share of state-government job ads requiring a degree slid from roughly 68% to 53% between 2022 and 2024.

    In economic terms, employers are repricing labour because AI is now a substitute for many routine, codifiable tasks that graduates once performed. If a chatbot can complete the work at near-zero marginal cost, the wage premium paid to a junior analyst shrinks.

    But the value of knowledge is not falling at the same speed everywhere. Economists such as David Autor and Daron Acemoglu point out that technology substitutes for some tasks while complementing others:

    • codifiable knowledge – structured, rule-based material such as tax codes or contract templates – faces rapid substitution by AI

    • tacit knowledge – contextual skills such as leading a team through conflict – acts as a complement, so its value can even rise.

    Data backs this up. Labour market analytics company Lightcast notes that one-third of the skills employers want have changed between 2021 and 2024. The American Enterprise Institute warns that mid-level knowledge workers, whose jobs depend on repeatable expertise, are most at risk of wage pressure.

    So yes, baseline knowledge still matters. You need it to prompt AI, judge its output and make good decisions. But the equilibrium wage premium – meaning the extra pay employers offer once supply and demand for that knowledge settle – is sliding down the demand curve fast.

    What’s scarce now?

    Herbert Simon, the Nobel Prize–winning economist and cognitive scientist, put it neatly decades ago: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” When facts become cheap and plentiful, our limited capacity to filter, judge and apply them turns into the real bottleneck.

    That is why scarce resources shift from information itself to what machines still struggle to copy: focused attention, sound judgement, strong ethics, creativity and collaboration.

    I group these human complements under what I call the C.R.E.A.T.E.R. framework:

    • critical thinking – asking smart questions and spotting weak arguments

    • resilience and adaptability – staying steady when everything changes

    • emotional intelligence – understanding people and leading with empathy

    • accountability and ethics – taking responsibility for difficult calls

    • teamwork and collaboration – working well with people who think differently

    • entrepreneurial creativity – seeing gaps and building new solutions

    • reflection and lifelong learning – staying curious and ready to grow.

    These capabilities are the genuine scarcity in today’s market. They are complements to AI, not substitutes, which is why their wage returns hold or climb.

    What universities can do right now

    1. Audit courses: if ChatGPT can already score highly on an exam, the marginal value of teaching that content is near zero. Pivot the assessment toward judgement and synthesis.

    2. Reinvest in the learning experience: push resources into coached projects, messy real-world simulations, and ethical decision labs where AI is a tool, not the performer.

    3. Credential what matters: create micro-credentials for skills such as collaboration, initiative and ethical reasoning. These signal AI complements, not substitutes, and employers notice.

    4. Work with industry but keep it collaborative: invite employers to co-design assessments, not dictate them. A good partnership works like a design studio rather than a boardroom order sheet. Academics bring teaching expertise and rigour, employers supply real-world use cases, and students help test and refine the ideas.

    Universities can no longer rely on scarcity setting the price for the curated and credentialed form of information that used to be hard to obtain.

    The comparative advantage now lies in cultivating human skills that act as complements to AI. If universities do not adapt, the market – students and employers alike – will move on without them.

    The opportunity is clear. Shift the product from content delivery to judgement formation. Teach students how to think with, not against, intelligent machines. Because the old model, the one that priced knowledge as a scarce good, is already slipping below its economic break-even point.

    Patrick Dodd 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. AI is driving down the price of knowledge – universities have to rethink what they offer – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-driving-down-the-price-of-knowledge-universities-have-to-rethink-what-they-offer-260493

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces More Than $4.4 Million for TRIO Student Support Services Grants for Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Department of Education’s action follows Senator Collins’ urging of the Secretary at an Appropriations Hearing.

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional TRIO Caucus, announced that the Department of Education has awarded a total of $4,437,139 in TRIO Student Support Services grants to 11 Maine colleges and universities. These grants are given to colleges and universities to improve the retention and graduation rates of first-generation and low-income college students. The announcement comes after Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the proposed elimination of TRIO programs at an Appropriations hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education. 

    “I have seen the lives of countless first-generation and low-income students, not only in Maine, but across the country, changed by the TRIO program. I am glad the Secretary of Education followed through on the commitment she made to me at our Appropriations hearing to disburse these grants, and I will continue to urge the Administration to support this critical investment into our students and schools,” said Senator Collins.  

    The following Maine colleges and universities received Student Support Services grants:

    1. University of Maine – $694,807
    2. Central Maine Community College – $620,879
    3. University of Maine at Augusta – $566,531
    4. University of Southern Maine – $544,728
    5. Southern Maine Community College – $544,728 
    6. University of Maine at Presque Isle – $373,084
    7. University of Maine at Fort Kent – $356,773
    8. Kennebec Valley Community College – $352,531
    9. University of Maine at Farmington – $352,530
    10. Washington County Community College – $302,912
    11. Eastern Maine Community College – $272,364

    In June, Senator Collins announced the Department of Education’s release of TRIO Upward Bound Grants for Maine following her urging. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces More Than $4.4 Million for TRIO Student Support Services Grants for Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Department of Education’s action follows Senator Collins’ urging of the Secretary at an Appropriations Hearing.

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional TRIO Caucus, announced that the Department of Education has awarded a total of $4,437,139 in TRIO Student Support Services grants to 11 Maine colleges and universities. These grants are given to colleges and universities to improve the retention and graduation rates of first-generation and low-income college students. The announcement comes after Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the proposed elimination of TRIO programs at an Appropriations hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education. 

    “I have seen the lives of countless first-generation and low-income students, not only in Maine, but across the country, changed by the TRIO program. I am glad the Secretary of Education followed through on the commitment she made to me at our Appropriations hearing to disburse these grants, and I will continue to urge the Administration to support this critical investment into our students and schools,” said Senator Collins.  

    The following Maine colleges and universities received Student Support Services grants:

    1. University of Maine – $694,807
    2. Central Maine Community College – $620,879
    3. University of Maine at Augusta – $566,531
    4. University of Southern Maine – $544,728
    5. Southern Maine Community College – $544,728 
    6. University of Maine at Presque Isle – $373,084
    7. University of Maine at Fort Kent – $356,773
    8. Kennebec Valley Community College – $352,531
    9. University of Maine at Farmington – $352,530
    10. Washington County Community College – $302,912
    11. Eastern Maine Community College – $272,364

    In June, Senator Collins announced the Department of Education’s release of TRIO Upward Bound Grants for Maine following her urging. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces More Than $4.4 Million for TRIO Student Support Services Grants for Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Department of Education’s action follows Senator Collins’ urging of the Secretary at an Appropriations Hearing.

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional TRIO Caucus, announced that the Department of Education has awarded a total of $4,437,139 in TRIO Student Support Services grants to 11 Maine colleges and universities. These grants are given to colleges and universities to improve the retention and graduation rates of first-generation and low-income college students. The announcement comes after Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the proposed elimination of TRIO programs at an Appropriations hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education. 

    “I have seen the lives of countless first-generation and low-income students, not only in Maine, but across the country, changed by the TRIO program. I am glad the Secretary of Education followed through on the commitment she made to me at our Appropriations hearing to disburse these grants, and I will continue to urge the Administration to support this critical investment into our students and schools,” said Senator Collins.  

    The following Maine colleges and universities received Student Support Services grants:

    1. University of Maine – $694,807
    2. Central Maine Community College – $620,879
    3. University of Maine at Augusta – $566,531
    4. University of Southern Maine – $544,728
    5. Southern Maine Community College – $544,728 
    6. University of Maine at Presque Isle – $373,084
    7. University of Maine at Fort Kent – $356,773
    8. Kennebec Valley Community College – $352,531
    9. University of Maine at Farmington – $352,530
    10. Washington County Community College – $302,912
    11. Eastern Maine Community College – $272,364

    In June, Senator Collins announced the Department of Education’s release of TRIO Upward Bound Grants for Maine following her urging. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Collaboration Reveals How Light Unlocks Chemistry of Nickel Catalyst

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Max Kudisch works in the Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Photoconversion Processes Lab at NREL, where he performed experiments to investigate the role of light in activating the nickel pre-catalyst. Photo by Justin Johnson, NREL

    A team of scientists across several U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories has unraveled how light and a previously unknown form of certain nickel-based catalysts together unlock and preserve reactivity.

    This research, described in the journal Nature Communications, could potentially advance the use of abundant nickel in place of more expensive palladium in industrial chemistry.

    The collaborative research effort was spearheaded by NREL and involved scientists from DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory, among other institutions.

    Nickel catalysts have emerged as promising replacements for palladium catalysts in industrial-scale chemical reactions, as nickel is both more readily available and cheaper. Nickel has other advantages: its reactivity can be driven by light instead of the high heat required for palladium, resulting in milder overall reaction conditions, which expands the variety of reactions that can be done. Nickel catalysts can also facilitate reactions that are new and have not been demonstrated with palladium, but key questions regarding how these light-activated nickel catalysts operate have remained unanswered until now.

    The newly published paper explains how light activates the catalyst to enable it to join two fragments of simple molecules to make a more complex molecule. Along the way, the researchers discovered a new intermediate form of the nickel catalyst that keeps the catalyst from degrading.

    “Pharmaceuticals is the only area that has commercialized light-driven nickel catalysis so far, but nickel-based catalysts can also potentially replace palladium catalysts for a variety of other industrial processes, including in the agricultural industry and the manufacture of electronics,” said Max Kudisch, first author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at NREL. “There are some very large-volume chemicals that are produced there where these sorts of methods could be applicable.”

    The price difference between the two elements is vast. An ounce of nickel costs approximately 50 cents, while an ounce of palladium approaches $1,000.

    “Nickel has often been used in tandem with an iridium photosensitizer,” said Matthew Bird, a chemist at Brookhaven and a co-author of the paper. “But as we start to understand exactly how it works, we could then see ways of getting rid of the iridium, a rare element like palladium, and just having the nickel. That adds to the potential value.”

    The researchers experimented with nickel dihalides, compounds where nickel is bonded to two halide ions such as chloride, which are the predominant source of nickel used in these types of reactions. Exposure to light causes a bond between the nickel and chloride to break, which lowers the oxidation state of nickel and suddenly makes it reactive. But the freed chloride ion, now a chlorine “radical” due to the broken bond, does not sit idly by. In the reaction the team studied, they first hypothesized and then confirmed that it interacts with the solvent. This creates an activated form of the solvent that in turn can react with the activated nickel.

    That turns out to be a crucial and previously unknown step because it forms a stable nickel intermediate that prevents the activated nickel atoms from interacting directly with one another.

    “Controlling the amount of the nickel in the lower oxidation state in the reaction is essential to prevent the catalyst from getting deactivated,” Kudisch said.

    If the intermediate did not exist, the lower oxidation state form of nickel would build up and bind with itself, forming a nickel compound that can no longer catalyze the reaction.

    Instead, the solvent-bound intermediate can react further to complete the joining of molecules to achieve the desired chemistry.

    Justin D. Earley prepares nickel/iridium solutions for time-resolved X-ray absorption measurements at the Advanced Photon Source, beamline 11ID-D, at Argonne National Laboratory. Photo by Obadiah Reid, NREL

    The researchers used a range of techniques to follow the chemistry step by step, showing how light drives the chemistry.

    One of these tools was the Laser Electron Accelerator Facility (LEAF) within Brookhaven Lab’s Chemistry Division, which combines very short pulses of electrons with various spectroscopic detection methods to produce and examine transient molecular and atomic species with high time resolution. 

    “Pulse radiolysis lets us generate reactive intermediates to recreate a particular step in a proposed reaction mechanism to see if that step does or does not actually happen,” Bird said.

    Lakshmy Kannadi Valloli, a Brookhaven Lab postdoc working with Bird, used LEAF to generate the reactive “radical” form of the solvent. “Then we watched that radical react with the nickel and saw what species it made,” Kannadi Valloli said.

    The spectroscopic signature matched what Kudisch had seen when he shone light on the solution. This helped to confirm the hypothesis of how light activates the catalyst, and how the subsequent reactions generate the protective nickel intermediate.

    Scientists at SLAC further characterized the intermediate using powerful X-rays at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source (SSRL), a DOE Office of Science user facility, to understand its atomic-scale structure.

    “Max made it by shining light on it. We made it by pulse radiolysis. And then our colleagues at SLAC looked at it with X-rays,” Bird said.

    “With those techniques all combined, we know the exact molecular structure of this intermediate form of the nickel catalyst and the pathway through which it is formed,” Kudisch concluded.

    This mechanistic understanding could lead to new strategies to prevent catalyst degradation and control the amount of activated nickel catalyst present during the reaction to advance the use of light-driven nickel catalysts.

    In addition to the four national laboratories, researchers who contributed to the project are with Northeastern University and the University of Colorado Boulder. Other NREL personnel listed as co-authors are Justin Earley, Anna Zieleniewska, Rebecca Smaha, Garry Rumbles, and Obadiah Reid.

    The research was funded by DOE’s Bio-Inspired Light-Escalated Chemistry Energy Frontier Research Center via the DOE Office of Science.

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