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  • MIL-Evening Report: In Trump’s America, the shooting of a journalist is not a one-off. Press freedom itself is under attack

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Greste, Professor of Journalism and Communications, Macquarie University

    The video of a Los Angeles police officer shooting a rubber bullet at Channel Nine reporter Lauren Tomasi is as shocking as it is revealing.

    In her live broadcast, Tomasi is standing to the side of a rank of police in riot gear. She describes the way they have begun firing rubber bullets to disperse protesters angry with US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants.

    As Tomasi finishes her sentence, the camera pans to the left, just in time to catch the officer raising his gun and firing a non-lethal round into her leg. She said a day later she is sore, but otherwise OK.

    Although a more thorough investigation might find mitigating circumstances, from the video evidence, it is hard to dismiss the shot as “crossfire”. The reporter and cameraman were off to one side of the police, clearly identified and working legitimately.

    The shooting is also not a one-off. Since the protests against Trump’s mass deportations policy began three days ago, a reporter with the LA Daily News and a freelance journalist have been hit with pepper balls and tear gas.

    British freelance photojournalist Nick Stern also had emergency surgery to remove a three-inch plastic bullet from his leg.

    In all, the Los Angeles Press Club has documented more than 30 incidents of obstruction and attacks on journalists during the protests.

    Trump’s assault on the media

    It now seems assaults on the media are no longer confined to warzones or despotic regimes. They are happening in American cities, in broad daylight, often at the hands of those tasked with upholding the law.

    But violence is only one piece of the picture. In the nearly five months since taking office, the Trump administration has moved to defund public broadcasters, curtail access to information and undermine the credibility of independent media.

    International services once used to project democratic values and American soft power around the world, such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, have all had their funding cut and been threatened with closure. (The Voice of America website is still operational but hasn’t been updated since mid-March, with one headline on the front page reading “Vatican: Francis stable, out of ‘imminent danger’ of death”).

    The Associated Press, one of the most respected and important news agencies in the world, has been restricted from its access to the White House and covering Trump. The reason? It decided to defy Trump’s directive to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America.

    Even broadcast licenses for major US networks, such as ABC, NBC and CBS, have been publicly threatened — a signal to editors and executives that political loyalty might soon outweigh journalistic integrity.

    The Committee to Protect Journalists is more used to condemning attacks on the media in places like Russia. However, in April, it issued a report headlined: “Alarm bells: Trump’s first 100 days ramp up fear for the press, democracy”.

    A requirement for peace

    Why does this matter? The success of American democracy has never depended on unity or even civility. It has depended on scrutiny. A system where power is challenged, not flattered.

    The First Amendment to the US Constitution – which protects freedom of speech – has long been considered the gold standard for building the institutions of free press and free expression. That only works when journalism is protected — not in theory but in practice.

    Now, strikingly, the language once reserved for autocracies and failed states has begun to appear in assessments of the US. Civicus, which tracks declining democracies around the world, recently put the US on its watchlist, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, Serbia and Pakistan.

    The attacks on the journalists in LA are troubling not only for their sake, but for ours. This is about civic architecture. The kind of framework that makes space for disagreement without descending into disorder.

    Press freedom is not a luxury for peacetime. It is a requirement for peace.

    Peter Greste is Professor of Journalism at Macquarie University and the Executive Director for the advocacy group, the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom.

    – ref. In Trump’s America, the shooting of a journalist is not a one-off. Press freedom itself is under attack – https://theconversation.com/in-trumps-america-the-shooting-of-a-journalist-is-not-a-one-off-press-freedom-itself-is-under-attack-258578

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash: Seaview Avenue, Northcote

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are attending a fatal single vehicle crash in Northcote this evening.

    The crash occurred just after 4.30pm, where a vehicle left Onewa Road and collided with a power pole on Seaview Avenue.

    Despite medical assistance being provided at the scene, sadly we can confirm the sole occupant has died.

    The Serious Crash Unit attended the scene and carried out an examination.

    Enquiries will be carried out on behalf of the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Search for Victorian man at Cradle Mountain

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Search for Victorian man at Cradle Mountain

    Tuesday, 10 June 2025 – 4:23 pm.

    Parks and Wildlife Service rangers, with the support of a Tasmania Police drone, are continuing to search at Cradle Mountain for a 52-year-old Victorian man.
    There are concerns for the welfare of Christopher Michael Inwood, whose white Toyota HiAce van (VIC Rego 1TZ8PQ) was located in the car park of a ranger station on Cradle Mountain Road about 7.30am on Tuesday.
    A backpack, believed to belong to Mr Inwood, was located about 500m along the Cradle Mountain Road leading from the car park, in the direction of Dove Lake.
    Initial inquiries established Mr Inwood’s last confirmed location as Kelso, in the state’s north, on Sunday night.
    However, further investigation has identified a possible sighting of Mr Inwood and his vehicle in the Kindred area, about 8:30pm on Monday. It is believed he may have travelled to Cradle Mountain later that night.
    Police have released a CCTV image of Mr Inwood, captured over the weekend, to assist in identifying him.
    The search operation is being coordinated by Tasmania Police Search and Rescue however, specialist search officers have not yet been deployed.
    As of 3pm today, weather conditions in the area remain relatively clear, with a temperature of about 3°C.
    Anyone who has seen Mr Inwood, knows of his movements, or has any information that may assist the search, is urged to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444.

    MIL OSI News –

  • India building alternative rare earth supply chain amid curbs China curbs: Piyush Goyal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday described China’s rare earth export restrictions as a global “wake-up call,” underscoring India’s efforts to build alternative supply chains and position itself as a reliable partner for international businesses seeking to reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers.

    Speaking to reporters during his official visit to Switzerland—where he met with Swiss government officials and business leaders—Goyal acknowledged that China’s export curbs would pose short-term challenges for India’s automotive and white goods sectors.

    However, he expressed confidence that collaborative efforts among the government, industry, and innovators would turn these challenges into long-term opportunities.

    The minister outlined a multi-pronged strategy to address the crisis. This includes diplomatic engagement through ongoing dialogue between the Indian embassy and Chinese authorities, as well as the commerce ministry’s push to identify alternative sources. The government is also strengthening Indian Rare Earths Limited by providing resources to accelerate domestic production.

    “This situation serves as a wake-up call for all those who have become over-reliant on certain geographies,” Goyal said. “It’s a wake-up call for the whole world—you need trusted partners in your supply chain.”

    India’s automotive industry has requested the government’s assistance in expediting the approval process for importing rare earth magnets from China—critical components used in passenger vehicles and various automotive applications.

    China currently controls over 90% of global magnet production capacity, creating substantial vulnerabilities across industries. These materials are essential to sectors ranging from automobiles and home appliances to clean energy systems.

    The new Chinese regulations, effective April 4, require special export licenses for seven rare earth elements and related magnetic products.

    “There are clearly issues around the suspension of permanent magnet supplies from China to India, which will particularly affect our auto sector and several white goods manufacturers,” Goyal explained. “Some companies have submitted their applications, and we hope pragmatic considerations will prevail, allowing them to receive the necessary approvals.”

    Asked about possible government support through production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes, Goyal shared that discussions with automotive manufacturers have been encouraging.

    The companies have expressed strong confidence in addressing supply chain challenges through partnerships with domestic innovators and startups.

    “They are actively engaging with our innovators and startups, indicating their willingness to provide funding or pricing adjustments to accelerate growth in this sector,” the minister said.

    Goyal also praised the evolving mindset of Indian industry, noting a shift away from reliance on government subsidies.

    “More and more Indian businesses are moving beyond the old belief that subsidies alone will sustain operations. They are becoming bigger and bolder in their approach,” he said.

    The minister highlighted emerging technologies being developed in India as potential alternatives to Chinese rare earth supplies.

    “There are some technologies that India is developing,” he noted, stressing the importance of the collaborative approach among government, industry, startups, and innovators. “We are all working as a team and remain confident that, while short-term challenges exist, we will emerge as winners in the medium to long term.”

    Goyal concluded by framing the current disruption as a strategic opportunity for India’s manufacturing ecosystem. He believes it will accelerate the push for self-reliance and the formation of trustworthy global supply chain partnerships.

    “There is opportunity even in this crisis,” he said. “More and more companies and people in India will realise the importance of being self-reliant and having trusted partners in supply chains. The world increasingly wants India to be a part of their supply chains, because we are seen as a trusted partner.”

    (ANI)

  • US deploys Marines to Los Angeles as police break up fourth day of protests

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The U.S. military will temporarily deploy about 700 Marines to Los Angeles until more National Guard troops can arrive, marking another escalation in President Donald Trump’s response to street protests over his aggressive immigration policies.

    Tensions have been rising since Trump activated the National Guard on Saturday after street protests erupted in response to immigration raids in Southern California. It is the biggest flashpoint yet in the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally.

    The announcement that marines would be deployed was made on the fourth straight day of protests. Late on Monday police began to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles where immigrants have been held.

    National Guard forces had formed a human barricade to keep people out of the building. Then a phalanx of Los Angeles police moved up the street, starting to push people from the scene and firing “less lethal” munitions such as gas canisters. Police had used similar tactics since Friday.

    The LAPD said late on Monday afternoon that some protestors had started throwing objects at officers and the use of less lethal munitions had been authorized, adding in an X post: “Less lethal munitions may cause pain and discomfort.”

    California sued the Trump administration to block deployment of the National Guard and the Marines on Monday, arguing that it violates federal law and state sovereignty.

    U.S. Marines have been deployed domestically for major disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 2001, attacks, but it is extremely rare for U.S. military troops to be used for domestic policing.

    For now, the Trump administration was not invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to directly participate in civilian law enforcement, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity.

    The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that a contingent of 2,000 National Guard troops would be doubled to 4,000. Trump said on Monday he felt he had no choice but to increase the level of force to prevent violence from spiraling out of control.

    Trump also said he supported a suggestion by his border czar Tom Homan that California Governor Gavin Newsom should be arrested over possible obstruction of his administration’s immigration enforcement measures. “I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great,” Trump told reporters.

    Democrats said Trump’s decision to deploy military force to handle the protests amounts to an abuse of presidential power, and California’s lawsuit claimed it was illegal.

    “The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented,” Newsom’s press office said on X.

    FOUR DAYS OF PROTESTS

    The protests so far have resulted in a few dozen arrests and some property damage, including some self-driving Waymo vehicles that were set ablaze on Sunday evening. The Los Angeles Police Department said five officers sustained minor injuries on Saturday and Sunday, as did five police horses used in crowd control.

    Before the police intervention on Monday, several hundred protesters chanted “free them all” outside the Los Angeles federal detention facility where immigrants have been held.

    “What is happening effects every American, everyone who wants to live free, regardless of how long their family has lived here,” said Marzita Cerrato, 42, a first-generation immigrant whose parents are from Mexico and Honduras.

    Some in the crowd punched and tossed eggs at a Trump supporter at the event, while others fired paintballs from a car at the federal building.

    Protests also sprang up in at least nine other U.S. cities on Monday, including New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco, according to local news outlets.

    The Trump administration has argued that Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration allowed far too many immigrants to enter the country and that Democratic-run cities such as Los Angeles are improperly interfering with efforts to deport them. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people who are in the country illegally and to lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, setting a goal of at least 3,000 daily arrests.

    Trump can deploy Marines under certain conditions of law or under his authority as commander in chief.

    The last time the military was used for direct police action under the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when the California governor at the time asked President George H.W. Bush to help respond to Los Angeles riots over the acquittal of police officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King.

    More than 50 people were killed in the 1992 riots, which also caused some $1 billion in damage over six days.

    Federal law allows the president to deploy the National Guard if the nation is invaded, if there is “rebellion or danger of rebellion,” or the president is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash at Randalls Bay, south of Cygnet

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Fatal crash at Randalls Bay, south of Cygnet

    Tuesday, 10 June 2025 – 1:10 pm.

    Sadly, a 59-year-old man has died following a crash at Randalls Bay on Sunday afternoon.
    Initial inquiries indicate the man was travelling on the Channel Highway between Randalls Bay Road and Lowes Road in a silver Ford Falcon about 4pm, when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a power pole.
    Two passengers in the vehicle received minor injuries, and sadly the driver has since died in hospital.
    It is not believed that any other vehicle was involved in the collision.
    Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
    Anyone with information, or relevant dash cam footage, is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au.
    Information can be provided anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Motorists urged to be safe on the roads following several traffic operations across North West Tasmania

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Motorists urged to be safe on the roads following several traffic operations across North West Tasmania

    Tuesday, 10 June 2025 – 1:24 pm.

    Police in North West Tasmania are reminding all motorists of the dangers of engaging in risky behaviours on the roads, following several traffic operations conducted across the region over the long weekend.
    “Western Road Policing Services conducting seven traffic operations in North West Tasmania over the King’s Birthday long weekend, from Latrobe to Arthur River/West Coast areas, and while no drink drivers were detected, it’s concerning some motorists continue to engage in dangerous behaviours on our roads,” said Acting Inspector Martin Parker.
    During the operations police detected:

    2x drivers who returned a positive result on an oral fluid test
    3x motorists failing to wear seatbelt
    3x motorists driving while using a mobile phone
    32x drivers exceeding the speed limit
    4x defect vehicles
    2x unaccompanied learners
    1x unregistered motor vehicle
    2x unlicensed driver
    1x disqualified driver
    1x inattentive driver.
    An 18-year-old man from Upper Burnie who allegedly evaded police on Old Bass Highway at Wynyard on Saturday morning. He was charged with evading police and driving whilst not the holder of a driver licence and will appear in court.

    “While it was pleasing no drink drivers were detected during the traffic operations, it is concerning that some drivers are engaging in risky driving behaviours including driving under the influence of illicit drugs, speeding, failing to wear seatbelts and using mobile phones while driving,” said Acting Inspector Martin Parker.
    “It is also disappointing that people are driving while disqualified, driving without a driver licence or disobeying the conditions of their licence.”
    “Risky driving behaviours increase the likelihood of serious and fatal crashed occurring on our roads.”
    “There are very real consequences for breaking the road rules, which could be a fine or loss of licence, or worse, serious injury or death from a crash.”
    “I urge every motorist to do the right thing every time they travel on the roads, to help keep everyone safe.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 10, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 10, 2025.

    Why won’t my cough go away?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of Queensland Mladen Zivkovic/Shutterstock A persistent cough can be embarrassing, especially if people think you have COVID. Coughing frequently can also make you physically tired, interfere with sleep and trigger urinary incontinence. As a GP, I have even

    Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Illume is spectacle with heart and spirit, a thrilling manifestation of Country
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Brannigan, Associate Professor, Theatre and Performance, UNSW Sydney Bangarra/Daniel Boud The stage is covered in stars that fill the depth of the space. When the 18 dancers slowly gather, they move through a night sky. This sky, and the scenes that unfold in Bangarra’s Illume are

    Starlink is transforming Pacific internet access – but in some countries it’s still illegal
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda H.A. Watson, Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University Solomon aligning the Starlink dish on the roof of his friend’s home in Vanuatu. Paul Basant In the past few years, Starlink’s satellite internet service has become available across much of the Pacific. This has created

    9 myths about electric vehicles have taken hold. A new study shows how many people fall for them
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Bretter, Senior Research Fellow in Environmental Psychology, The University of Queensland More people believe misinformation about electric vehicles than disagree with it and even EV owners tend to believe the myths, our new research shows. We investigated the prevalence of misinformation about EVs in four countries

    Keith Rankin Analysis – Remembering New Zealand’s Missing Tragedy
    Analysis by Keith Rankin. Every country has its tragedies. A few are highly remembered. Most are semi-remembered. Others are almost entirely forgotten. Sometimes the loss of memory is due to these tragedies being to a degree international, seemingly making it somebody else’s ‘duty’ to remember them. This could have been the case with the Air

    A 10-fold increase in rocket launches would start harming the ozone layer – new research
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Canterbury Han Jiajun/VCG via Getty Images The international space industry is on a growth trajectory, but new research shows a rapid increase in rocket launches would damage the ozone layer. Several hundred rockets are launched globally each year

    For the first time, fossil stomach contents of a sauropod dinosaur reveal what they really ate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Poropat, Research Associate, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Artist’s reconstruction of Judy. Travis Tischler Since the late 19th century, sauropod dinosaurs (long-necks like Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurus) have been almost universally regarded as herbivores, or plant eaters. However, until recently, no direct evidence –

    The Racial Discrimination Act at 50: the bumpy, years-long journey to Australia’s first human rights laws
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Azadeh Dastyari, Director, Research and Policy, Whitlam Institute, Western Sydney University On June 11, Australia marks 50 years since the Racial Discrimination Act became law. This important legislation helps make sure people are treated equally no matter their race, skin colour, background, or where they come from.

    Fake news and real cannibalism: a cautionary tale from the Dutch Golden Age
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato The Corpses of the De Witt Brothers, attributed to Jan de Baen, c. 1672-1675. Rijksmuseum The Dutch Golden Age, beginning in 1588, is known for the art of Rembrandt, the invention of the microscope, and the

    Some economists have called for a radical ‘global wealth tax’ on billionaires. How would that work?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Venkat Narayanan, Senior Lecturer – Accounting and Tax, RMIT University Rudy Balasko/Shutterstock Earlier this year, I attended a housing conference in Sydney. The event’s opening address centred on the way Australia seems to be becoming like 18th-century England – a country where inheritance largely determines one’s opportunities

    Australia’s whooping cough surge is not over – and it doesn’t just affect babies
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niall Johnston, Conjoint Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney Tomsickova Tatyana/Shutterstock Whooping cough (pertussis) is always circulating in Australia, and epidemics are expected every three to four years. However, the numbers we’re seeing with the current surge – which started in 2024 – are higher than

    As livestock numbers grow, wild animal populations plummet. Giving all creatures a better future will take a major rethink
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clive Phillips, Adjunct Professor in Animal Welfare, Curtin University Toa55/Shutterstock As a teenager in the 1970s, I worked on a typical dairy farm in England. Fifty cows grazed on lush pastures for most of their long lives, each producing about 12 litres of milk daily. They were

    Johannesburg’s problems can be solved – but it’s a long journey to fix South Africa’s economic powerhouse
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Harrison, Professor School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand South African president Cyril Ramaphosa met senior leaders of Johannesburg and Gauteng, the province it’s located in, in March 2025 to discuss ways to arrest the steep decline in South Africa’s largest city. Ramaphosa announced

    Albanese says the government’s focus on delivering commitments is essential to reinforce faith in democracy
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his second term government is “focused on delivery” of its commitments, declaring this is important not only for the economy but also for Australians’ faith in our democracy. In a speech to the National Press

    Why Israel’s ‘humane’ propaganda is such a sinister facade
    COMMENTARY: By Cole Martin in Occupied Bethlehem Many people have been closely following the journey this week of the Madleen, a small humanitarian yacht seeking to break Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza with a crew of 12 on board, including humanitarian activists and journalists. This morning we woke to the harrowing, yet not unexpected, news

    Trump has long speculated about using force against his own people. Now he has the pretext to do so
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University “You just [expletive] shot the reporter!” Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was in the middle of a live cross, covering the protests against the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy in Los Angeles, California. As

    Palestinian supporters in NZ accuse Israel of ‘state piracy’ and condemn silence
    Asia Pacific Report Israel’s military attack and boarding of the humanitarian boat Madleen attempting to deliver food and medical aid to the besieged people of Gaza has been condemned by New Zealand Palestinian advocacy groups as a “staggering act of state piracy”. The vessel was in international waters, carrying aid workers, doctors, journalists, and supplies

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: How ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ deepens US debt problem

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

    This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2023 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The political marriage between U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. billionaire Elon Musk came to a dramatic and public end, after the latter scathingly condemned the administration’s flagship economic proposal, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” labelling it a “disgusting abomination.”

    Musk’s high-profile break with Trump has amplified a wave of bipartisan disputes over the bill, which was passed narrowly in the House. Although designed to deliver sweeping tax cuts and fulfill campaign promises, economists and budget analysts argue that the bill may exacerbate an already unsustainable debt burden and even lead to a debt crisis in the long run.

    Why so controversial? 

    Trump’s megabill is a legislative package that combines tax and spending cuts with provisions on issues such as border security, energy exploration, and welfare reform. The bill was passed in the House last month by a 215-214 vote and is currently awaiting deliberation by the Senate. At its core, the bill aims to extend the 2017 tax cuts — Trump’s most significant legislative achievement during his first term.

    Musk repeatedly took to his social media platform X to denounce the bill — which called for cuts to electric vehicle credits — as wasteful.

    The bill includes 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars in spending cuts over a decade but would raise budget deficits by 2.4 trillion dollars, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate released Wednesday.

    The nonpartisan budget office also projected that close to 11 million more people would be uninsured in 2034 because of changes to Medicaid included in Trump’s megabill.

    Proponents argue that the bill will unleash growth and reduce the deficit “in the long run.”

    Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, claimed that Trump’s bill would reduce the deficit “when you adjust for CBO’s one big gimmick — not using a realistic current policy baseline.” The White House maintains that the CBO has an “artificial baseline” that does not factor in the 2017 tax cuts.

    However, budget experts have voiced concerns that the debt crisis, which was once dismissed as alarmism, is now alarmingly close to becoming a reality.

    Peter Orszag, chief executive of investment bank Lazard and a former U.S. budget director, was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying that those who bemoaned the unsustainability of deficit spending and debt levels during his time in government “seemed to cry wolf — a lot.”

    Now he is worried, too, because the wolf is “lurking much closer to our door.” As he put it, the current fiscal strategy looks less like sound policy and more like “budgetary wolf bait.”

    The CBO estimated that the bill would add about 3.8 trillion dollars to the federal government’s debt over the next decade.

    According to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, it would add around 3 trillion dollars to debt levels over the next decade compared with existing estimates and 5 trillion dollars if certain temporary features were made permanent.

    This file photo taken on Jan. 20, 2025 shows Elon Musk delivering a speech at Capital One arena in Washington, D.C., the United States. [Photo/Xinhua]

    How bad is debt situation? 

    So why are many now alarmed? Because the numbers have become overwhelming. Annual interest payments on the national debt have surpassed 1 trillion dollars, and policymakers in Washington continue to spend with little restraint. The fiscal state of the United States is increasingly dire.

    As of mid-2025, the U.S. national debt stands at over 36.2 trillion dollars, and the debt-to-GDP ratio has exceeded its peak during World War II. According to the CBO’s January 2025 Budget and Economic Outlook, this ratio is on track to hit 118 percent by 2035.

    The U.S. federal deficit for fiscal year 2025 had already reached 1.1 trillion dollars by April — a 13 percent increase from the same period last year. Although revenues have risen by 5 percent, government outlays have increased even faster, growing by 7 percent.

    At the same time, borrowing is becoming more expensive. The 10-year Treasury yield has climbed from 3.6 percent in September 2024 to 4.4 percent in mid-2025.

    If the 10-year were to hover around 4.4 percent permanently and yields on other Treasury securities were to increase equally, it would add an extra 1.8 trillion dollars to the debt above projections over the next decade, which is enough to counter the likely revenue gains from tariffs if they were to go into effect after the 90-day pause, said the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget in a report.

    Notably, about 30 percent of U.S. federal debt is held by foreign investors.

    Moody’s Ratings last month slashed U.S. long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings to Aa1 from Aaa citing rising government debt and interest payment ratios.

    “This one-notch downgrade on our 21-notch rating scale reflects the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns,” said a release by Moody’s Ratings.

    Rising tariffs and political instability discourage foreign investment, pushing the government to rely more heavily on domestic borrowing and at higher costs, warned Kent Smetters, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and faculty director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

    If foreign demand for U.S. Treasuries wanes, the result could be a vicious cycle of rising rates, shrinking demand, and ballooning debt.

    This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2023 shows the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C., the United States. [Photo/Xinhua]

    What led to US debt crisis? 

    The debt ceiling, or the U.S. Treasury Department’s “credit limit,” is the maximum amount of debt set by the U.S. Congress for the federal government to fulfill its payment obligations.

    When created in 1917, the debt ceiling was designed to maintain a regular check on government spending and control debt growth. However, in recent years, it has become a more frequent topic in partisan debates between Democrats and Republicans.

    Since 1960, the U.S. Congress has acted 78 separate times to permanently raise, temporarily extend, or revise the definition of the debt limit.

    Much of the debt accumulation in recent years has not been driven by emergencies like wars or recessions, but by political choices to cut taxes while maintaining or expanding spending.

    While reining in the debt growth will benefit the U.S. economy in the long run, no administration or party wants to upset voters with funding cuts or tax increases. Instead of funding these additional expenditures through fiscal reform, they keep borrowing, thus driving up debt to an unprecedented scale.

    The fact that America continues to borrow recklessly without going bankrupt is a result of the dollar’s hegemony.

    As the dominant global reserve currency, the U.S. dollar still accounts for nearly 60 percent of international reserves, and roughly 48 percent in the global payment system.

    Due to the global dominance of the dollar, U.S. Treasury bonds, with their safety and liquidity, are widely considered safe-haven assets.

    Driven by the impulse to profit from dollar hegemony, the United States has long maintained a trade deficit, exporting both dollars and inflation. Through massive debt issuance, it encourages the repatriation of dollars, creating a cyclical system of “debt monetization.” As a result, fiscal deficits have ballooned, budgetary discipline has eroded, and U.S. government debt has become an unwieldy burden.

    From a market supply-and-demand perspective, as long as there are willing buyers, the U.S. debt cycle can go on indefinitely. However, without real repayment capacity, the practice of endlessly rolling over old debt with new debt increasingly resembles a Ponzi scheme in essence.

    The moment international markets begin to question America’s willingness or ability to manage its finances, the consequences could be swift and severe. The ultimate question isn’t just whether the United States can afford another “Big Beautiful Bill,” but whether the world can continue affording America’s debt addiction. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s rare earth regulations responsible step toward sustainable global supply, security

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

    China’s rare earth regulations responsible step toward sustainable global supply, security

    An aerial drone photo shows a container vessel berthing at Qianwan Port in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, Jan. 13, 2025. (Photo by Yu Fangping/Xinhua)

    China’s recent announcement of new regulations to strengthen export control measures on certain rare earth-related items is a measure driven by its domestic industrial sustainable development needs. The move aligns with international management standards and reflects China’s responsibilities as a major country — and is not, as some claim, a so-called “tactical countermeasure.”

    This step also underscores China’s sense of responsibility as a key global supplier of critical minerals and its commitment to advancing shared global development.

    China’s export controls on certain rare earth-related items are not trade barriers targeting specific countries, but a responsible measure to uphold international non-proliferation obligations. Implemented under the principle of non-discrimination, these controls reflect China’s commitment to maintaining global peace and regional stability.

    Rare earth elements are not only crucial for manufacturing new energy vehicles, consumer electronics and wind turbines, but also play an indispensable role in advanced military equipment such as fighter jets and nuclear facilities. Preventing such strategic resources from being used to undermine international peace and security is a shared non-proliferation obligation for all nations.

    In fact, export controls on dual-use strategic materials are an internationally accepted practice and a legitimate right of sovereign states to safeguard national security and fulfill international responsibilities.

    What is more, China’s new rare earth regulations reflect necessary industrial reforms. In the past, extensive and unregulated development led to the undervaluation of resources and severe ecological damage. This unsustainable model not only depleted the country’s natural resource endowment but also posed risks to the long-term stability of global industrial supply chains.

    China’s new moves, including new regulations on rare earth administration announced in 2024, have demonstrated China’s commitment to transitioning toward high-quality and sustainable development. These measures not only safeguard the domestic ecosystem but also ensure more reliable and transparent rare earth supplies for global industrial chains. A well-regulated and eco-friendly Chinese rare earth industry will ultimately benefit global users.

    Despite misleading hype from some Western media, China’s objective is to regulate exports and not ban them, and to facilitate trade that adheres to established regulations rather than disrupt normal commercial activity. For example, in response to concerns raised by the European Union (EU) and others recently, China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao assured the EU side that China is willing to establish a green channel for eligible applications and expedite the approval process. Relevant work teams have also been instructed to maintain timely communication on this matter.

    These constructive responses and practical adjustments demonstrate China’s sincere commitment to working with its partners to minimize the impact of regulatory measures on legitimate trade.

    As China-U.S. economic and trade frictions deepen and critical technology sectors face unjustified restrictions, China’s efforts to strengthen the management of its strategic resources have often become subject to speculation. However, viewing these measures as mere short-term bargaining tools underestimates the strategic depth of China’s policy decisions.

    China’s rare earth regulations are a prudent decision grounded in widely accepted international norms, the country’s need for sustainable industrial development, and its responsibilities as a major country.

    Rather than succumbing to anxiety over “decoupling” or misconceptions of rare earths as a “strategic weapon,” it would be more constructive for the West to focus on understanding and adapting to China’s new measures.

    Only through candid dialogue and cooperation can all parties help ensure that this critical resource continues to support global technological advancement and the green transition within a peaceful and sustainable framework.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information: Aggravated robbery Oxford Terrace

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are asking for the public’s help after an aggravated robbery on Wednesday 4 June.

    Police were called to the Oxford Terrace store about 8pm on Wednesday, after three males entered the premises and threatened a worker.

    The offenders then fled in a vehicle, after stealing a number of items.

    Thankfully the worker was not physically injured.

    The vehicle used was a Black Mitsubishi Colt, registration KCB102, and was reported stolen prior to this incident.

    Police are requesting the public’s help to identify the individuals pictured, including the male in the 4th picture who was seen with the stolen vehicle 2 days earlier.

    Anyone with information about them, or anyone who witnessed the robbery, is urged to contact Police as soon as possible via 105.

    If you can help, please call 105 and quote reference number 250604/5483.

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

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sony Semiconductor Solutions to Release Stacked SPAD Depth Sensor for Automotive LiDAR Applications

    Source: Sony

    Atsugi, Japan — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (SSS) today announced the upcoming release of the IMX479 stacked, direct Time of Flight (dToF) SPAD depth sensor for automotive LiDAR systems, delivering both high-resolution and high-speed performance.

    The new sensor product employs a dToF pixel unit composed of 3×3 (horizontal × vertical) SPAD pixels as a minimum element to enhance measurement accuracy using a line scan methodology. In addition, SSSs proprietary device structure enables a frame rate of up to 20 fps*1, which is the fastest for such a high-resolution SPAD depth sensor having 520 dToF pixels.*2 

    The new product enables the high-resolution and high-speed distance measuring performance demanded for an automotive LiDAR required in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving (AD), contributing to safer and more reliable future mobility.

    *1  The frame rate may vary depending on horizontal FoV (Field of View) and its resolution.
    *2  According to SSS research (as of announcement on Jun 10, 2025)

    IMX479 stacked dToF SPAD depth sensor for automotive LiDAR applications

     

    Model name Sample shipment date (planned)

    Sample price

    (including tax)*3

    IMX479 1-type (15.8 mm diagonal)
    520-dToF-pixel SPAD depth sensor

    		 Autumn 2025 ¥35,000

    *3  Differs depending on the handling quantity.

    LiDAR technology is crucial for the high-precision detection and recognition of road conditions and the position and shape of the objects, such as vehicles, pedestrians. There is a growing demand for further technical advancements and developments progress in LiDAR toward Level 3 automated driving, which allows for autonomous control. SPAD depth sensors use the dToF measurement method, one of the LiDAR ranging methods, that measures the distance to an object by detecting the time of flight (time difference) of light emitted from a source until it returns to the sensor after being reflected by the object.

    The new sensor harnesses SSS’s proprietary technologies acquired in the development of CMOS image sensors, including the back-side illuminated, stacked structure and Cu-Cu (copper-copper) connections.*4By integrating the newly developed distance measurement circuits and dToF pixels on a single chip, the new product has achieved a high-speed frame rate of up to 20 fps while delivering a high resolution of 520 dToF pixels with a small pixel size of 10 μm square.

    *4  A technology used when a pixel chip (top) is stacked with a logic chip (bottom), to achieve electrical continuity by connecting the Cu (copper) pads to each other. This increases the flexibility in the design, improves productivity, and enables a smaller size and higher performance compared with Through-Silicon Vias (TSV), where the upper and lower chips are connected via electrodes around the circumference of the pixel area.

     

    Main Features
    ■ Up to     20 fps frame rate, the fastest for a 520 dToF pixel SPAD depth sensor*2
    This product consists of a pixel chip (top) with back-illuminated dToF pixels and a logic chip equipped with newly developed distance measurement circuits (bottom) using a Cu-Cu connection on a single chip. This design enables a small pixel size of 10 μm square, achieving high resolution of 520 dToF pixels. The new distance measurement circuits handle multiple processes in parallel for even better high-speed processing.

    These technologies achieve a frame rate of up to 20 fps, the fastest for a 520 dToF pixel SPAD depth sensor.*1They also deliver capabilities equivalent to 0.05 degrees vertical angular resolution, improving the vertical detection accuracy by 2.7 times that of conventional products.*5These elements allow detection of three-dimensional objects that are vital to automotive LiDAR, including objects as high as 25 cm (such as a tire or other objects in the road) at a distance of 250 m. 

    *5  Compared with SSS’ IMX459 1/2.9-type 100,000-effective pixel SPAD depth sensor.

    ■ Excellent distance resolution of 5 cm intervals
    The proprietary circuits SSS developed to enhance the distance resolution of this product individually processes each SPAD pixel data and calculates the distance. Doing so successfully improved the LiDAR distance resolution to 5 cm intervals.

    ■ High, 37% photon detection efficiency enabling detection of objects up to a distance of 300 m
    This product features an uneven texture on both the incident plane and the bottom of the pixels, along with an optimized on-chip lens shape. Incident light is diffracted to enhance the absorption rate to achieve a high, 37% photon detection efficiency for the 940 nm wavelength, which is commonly used on automotive LiDAR laser light sources. It allows the system to detect and recognize objects with high precision up to 300 m away even in bright light conditions where the background light is at 100,000 lux or higher.

    SPAD Pixel cross-sectional structure

    Key Specifications
    Model name IMX479
    Effective SPAD pixels 105 × 1,568 pixels (H × V), approx. 164,000 pixels
    Vertical effective dToF pixel count 520 dToF pixels
    Image size Diagonal 15.8 mm (1-type)
    Recommended light source wavelength 940 nm
    SPAD unit cell size 10.08 μm ×10.08 μm (H × V)
    Element size （dToF pixel unit） Minimum 3 × 3 (H × V)）
    Photon detection efficiency 37%  (940 nm wavelength)
    Response speed Approx. 6 ns
    Power supply SPAD breakdown voltage -20.5 V
    SPAD excess voltage 3.3 V
    Analog 3.3 V
    Digital 1.125 V
    Interface 1.8 V
    Interface MIPI CSI-2 serial output （4 lane）
    Chip size 12.2 mm（H）×20.0 mm（V）
    Max. detection distance 300 m
    Distance precision at 300 m Minimum 5 cm equivalent

    Mechanical scan LiDAR for evaluating the product
    SSS has developed a mechanical scanning*6 LiDAR unit equipped with this new sensor for product evaluation, which will be provided to customers and partners. This will contribute to customer and partner LiDAR development and product evaluation initiatives.

    *6  A method in which a rotating mirror reflects the beam from a fixed laser light source for wide area horizontal scanning.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Three arrests, stolen property recovered from Nelson burglaries

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A 45-year-old man has been arrested and faces charges relating to a series of burglaries and thefts from vehicles in the Richmond and Stoke areas in recent months.

    A number of search warrants were executed in the Nelson area over the last couple of weeks, where Police recovered numerous items of stolen property, as well as two firearms and both class A and class C drugs.

    A 33-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were also arrested following one of the warrants, charged with receiving stolen property, unlawful possession of firearms and possession of drugs with intent to supply.

    We would like to thank the members of the public who reported these incidents to Police, as the information provided assisted greatly in making the arrests.

    We would also like to remind everybody to lock their vehicles and not keep any valuables inside if your vehicle is unoccupied. If you own any tools, ensure these remain out of sight and you have recorded a list of all the serial numbers, or engrave your initials into them.

    The 45-year-old man is due to appear in the Nelson District Court on 1 September, facing a number of charges including burglary and unlawfully being in an enclosed area.

    The 33-year-old man is due to reappear in the Nelson District Court on 7 July, and the 31-year-old woman will reappear in the Nelson District Court on 16 June.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Washington, D.C. in preparation for military parade

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

    The capital city of the United States is gearing up for Saturday’s military parade to honor the 250th birthday of the Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump.

    “We’re preparing for an enormous turnout,” Matt McCool of the Secret Service’s Washington Field office, was quoted on Monday by The Associated Press as saying. More than 18 miles of “anti-scale fencing” would be erected and “multiple drones” would be in the air, according to the officer. The entire District of Columbia is normally a no-fly zone for drones.

    Army officials have estimated around 200,000 attendees for the evening military parade, and McCool said he was prepared for “hundreds of thousands” of people.

    A total of 175 magnetometers would be used at security checkpoints controlling access to the daytime birthday festival and the nighttime parade. Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith predicted major impacts to traffic and advised attendees to arrive early and consider forgoing cars for the Metro.

    The military parade has been designated a National Special Security Event, similar to a presidential inauguration or state funeral. That status is reserved for events that draw large crowds and potential mass protests. It calls for an enhanced degree of high-level coordination among D.C. officials, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Capitol Police and Washington’s National Guard contingent, with the Secret Service taking the lead.

    The Army birthday celebration had already been planned for months. But earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to transform the event, which coincides with his 79th birthday, into a massive military parade complete with 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s foreign trade maintains resilience despite headwinds

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

    China’s foreign trade demonstrated resilience in the first five months of 2025, with total trade value rising 2.5 percent year on year, driven by the country’s efforts to optimize its trade structure and stabilize growth.

    The growth rate marked an increase of 0.1 percentage points compared to that registered in the first four months of 2025. The total value of goods imports and exports in yuan-denominated terms stood at 17.94 trillion yuan (about 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars) in the January-May period, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC) data released Monday.

    During the first five months of 2025, China’s exports rose 7.2 percent year on year to 10.67 trillion yuan while imports fell 3.8 percent to 7.27 trillion yuan, the data showed.

    An aerial drone photo shows vehicles to be exported at Yantai Port in east China’s Shandong Province, Jan. 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Strong resilience

    Lyu Daliang, director of the GAC’s Department of Statistics and Analysis, said China’s goods trade has maintained “relatively strong resilience” despite external pressures, as the country’s economy has continued its recovery trend since the beginning of the year.

    “In May, China’s foreign trade continued its growth trend, with the pace of expansion accelerating notably following the high-level China-U.S. economic and trade talks (held in Geneva last month),” the official said.

    In May alone, China’s total goods imports and exports in yuan-denominated terms rose 2.7 percent year on year. Goods exports rose 6.3 percent year on year, while imports went down 2.1 percent, according to the data.

    “In the face of a more complex and challenging international situation, China’s foreign trade has overcome difficulties and withstood pressure, maintaining stable growth and demonstrating strong resilience,” said Wang Xuekun, head of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.

    This resilience has been underpinned by dedicated efforts to boost trade at the local level. In east China’s Jiangsu Province, the provincial government has pledged increased funding to support exporters’ participation in overseas exhibitions. Since the beginning of the year, it has helped more than 1,400 companies take part in over 120 exhibitions overseas.

    In southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, cross-border freight vehicles carrying Chinese products, such as motorbike components and agricultural machinery, can reach Vietnam in as little as two days after clearing customs in Chongqing.

    Thanks to the timeliness and flexibility of the road transport corridor, Chongqing’s cross-border freight trucks transported goods worth 5.7 billion yuan in the first five months of 2025, marking a 4.3-fold increase year on year.

    An aerial drone photo taken on May 22, 2025 shows China-Europe freight train X8489 loaded with autos, machine parts and home appliances before its departure for Duisburg, Germany, in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Structural improvements 

    Monday’s GAC data also showed continued structural improvements in China’s foreign trade. High-tech product exports performed strongly in the first five months of 2025, rising 6.1 percent year on year in U.S.-dollar term, while exports of mechanical and electrical products grew by 8.1 percent over the same period.

    In terms of trading partners, ASEAN remained China’s largest trading partner in the January-May period. During this period, trade between China and ASEAN totaled 3.02 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.1 percent.

    During the same period, China’s trade with the European Union went up 2.9 percent year on year to nearly 2.3 trillion yuan, while its trade with the United States decreased by 8.1 percent year on year to 1.72 trillion yuan, according to the data.

    Trade with Belt and Road partner countries rose 4.2 percent to 9.24 trillion yuan, and trade with African countries hit a record high, with the China-Africa trade volume increasing 12.4 percent to 963.21 billion yuan during the period.

    Wang said that against the headwinds of rising unilateralism and protectionism, China would rise to the challenges and take multiple measures to properly handle trade frictions and stabilize foreign trade.

    According to him, these measures include seizing trade opportunities by diversifying trading partners and supporting Chinese exporters in exploring the domestic market through promotional campaigns and channels such as supermarkets and e-commerce platforms to sell high-quality foreign trade products.

    Wang also emphasized the need for greater support for foreign trade enterprises, calling for enhanced government efforts to help companies secure deals through matchmaking services at major trade exhibitions, as well as increased financing support. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s passenger car sector reports steady growth in May

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

    An automatic assembly line is pictured at a smart factory of Changan Auto in Chongqing, southwest China, Jan. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s passenger car sector recorded a double-digit growth in retail sales in May as the country’s policies to boost consumption continued to take effect, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said on Monday.

    Last month, retail sales of passenger cars in China grew by 13.3 percent year on year to exceed 1.93 million units, data from the CPCA shows.

    China launched a new round of its consumer goods trade-in program last year to boost spending, offering subsidies for trading in automobiles, home appliances, and home decorations. The scope of the program was further expanded earlier this year.

    In the first five months of this year, the program has driven the sale of 4.12 million new vehicles, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    Last month, China produced nearly 1.17 million new energy passenger vehicles, with retail sales exceeding 1.02 million units, representing year-on-year increases of 30.2 percent and 28.2 percent, respectively.

    In the first five months of the year, retail sales of passenger cars exceeded 8.81 million units, increasing 9.1 percent year on year, according to the CPCA data. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Development Asia: Moa Housing: A Small-Scale Approach to Transform Seoul’s Aging Neighborhoods

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Introduction

    The city of Seoul’s Moa Housing initiative is an innovative urban renewal strategy launched in 2022 to revitalize aging, low-rise residential areas that are difficult to redevelop on a larger scale. These neighborhoods—developed in the 1960s and 1980s—consist of compact, multi-family housing districts with narrow streets, insufficient parking, outdated infrastructure, and limited green spaces.

    To overcome these challenges, the initiative introduces a new model that consolidates small plots of land for collective development, enabling residents to build high-quality housing while securing underground parking, green spaces, and other infrastructure. Once consolidated and infrastructure is established, these areas are designated as “Moa Towns.”

    Unlike conventional redevelopment—which can take 10 years and require two-thirds of buildings to be in poor condition—Moa Housing operates on a faster four to five-year timeline. It streamlines the process and offers favorable conditions, including regulatory exemptions and incentives. The program is built on resident participation, supported by public–private partnerships, and aims to provide 30,000 new homes across 100 Moa Towns in 25 years, with the first town scheduled for completion in 2028.

    What is the Moa Housing initiative?

    Moa Housing is a maintenance project in which homeowners collectively own and manage individual parcels of land and develop them together into high-quality housing on a block-by-block basis. It is a small-scale urban renewal model focused on low-rise residential areas that are hard to redevelop under traditional large-scale projects.

    How does the Moa Housing model work?

    The model gathers low-rise areas (within 100,000 square meters) with a mix of old and new buildings, establishes a regional unit, and creates a management plan. Once underground parking and green spaces are secured, the area is designated as a “Moa Town” and implemented through a streamlined process with better incentives than conventional redevelopment.

    What problems does Moa Housing address?

    Moa Housing targets long-standing issues common in aging, low-rise neighborhoods that hinder livability and safety. These include:

    • High-density housing areas with illegal parking and resident conflict
    • Narrow streets that obstruct fire trucks and emergency response
    • Topographical challenges that make access during emergencies and evacuation difficult
    • Inadequate infrastructure such as parking lots, parks, and green space
    • Fragmented development when using building-by-building improvements

    How does Moa Housing differ from conventional redevelopment?

    Moa Housing offers a more flexible and expedited alternative to traditional redevelopment models. Key differences include the following:

    • Traditional redevelopment requires at least two-thirds of buildings be in poor condition—Moa Housing does not.
    • Projects can proceed without major building deterioration in hard-to-develop locations.
    • Moa Housing projects are exempt from architectural and urban management standards, such as height and floor area ratio, as long as site conditions are met.
    • Timeline is significantly faster: 4–5 years versus 10 years or more for conventional projects.

    How are Moa Towns selected?

    There are two methods:

    • A contest conducted by borough offices
    • Consultation based on residents’ proposals

    After meeting eligibility conditions, a management plan must be submitted to the autonomous district. The required conditions are:

    • At least two cooperatives must be established to implement small-scale housing maintenance.
    • Consent from at least two-thirds of the land area targeted by the project must be obtained.

    As of June 2025, 111 neighborhoods have been selected as Moa Town project sites. One site is currently under construction and expected to be completed around 2028.

    What happens once an area is designated as a Moa Town?

    Each autonomous district prepares a Moa Town Management Plan, which is shared with residents and reviewed by a committee. After approval, the plan is granted legal status as a “small housing maintenance management area.” The project then proceeds.

    What financial support does the city provide?

    The Seoul Metropolitan Government pledges to provide 70% of the establishment cost (up to 380 million won per site) for management plan formulation. The remaining 30% is covered by the district.

    What kinds of projects are included under Moa Housing?

    Moa Housing includes various small-scale maintenance types under the Small-scale Housing Maintenance Act:

    • Autonomous housing maintenance
    • Street housing maintenance
    • Small-scale reconstruction
    • Small-scale redevelopment

    Projects are implemented through joint development using architectural agreements.

    What types of improvements are made in Moa Towns?

    Moa Towns are designed to enhance livability through shared infrastructure and better land use. These improvements include:

    • Underground parking lots and increased green spaces
    • Community and shared facilities along low-rise streets
    • Upgraded living infrastructure, including community amenities
    • More integrated, accessible environments for residents

    What makes the business model feasible and attractive?

    The Moa Housing model streamlines redevelopment and offers strong financial and regulatory support, including:

    • Shorter business cycle of 4–5 years compared to 10 years
    • Exemptions from zoning and urban design rules
    • Upzoning and simplified commercial use changes
    • Government subsidies improve project profitability
    • Public architect support for design and planning

    Were there any early difficulties with the project?

    Residents initially had limited understanding of the project’s scope, and promotional efforts were insufficient. Momentum improved after the SH Corporation launched a pilot Moa Town site, focusing on areas with constraints (e.g., height restrictions) and helping raise awareness.

    What are some example sites of Moa Housing in action?

    • An old low-rise residential area near Jungnang Station with a high density of multi-family dwellings.
    • Junghwa 1-dong, Jungnang-gu: Existing dilapidated housing is being transformed into a complex with new infrastructure and essential amenities.

    What are the long-term goals and outcomes of the project?

    Moa Housing aims to transform Seoul’s aging neighborhoods into vibrant, sustainable communities. Its key goals include:

    • Deliver 30,000 homes in 25 years
    • Designate 100 Moa Towns across Seoul
    • Rejuvenate aging districts while addressing housing shortages
    • Enhance quality of life and revitalize local economies
    • Promote energy-efficient buildings, green spaces, and job creation

    How does Moa Housing promote inclusion and diversity in housing?

    By providing a range of housing types, the initiative accommodates varied income levels and lifestyles, promoting a more inclusive housing market.

    The Moa Town project is predicated on the principle of community participation, with residents playing an active role in the planning and execution of the project. Residents are directly involved in the planning and implementation of the project, creating a customized residential environment that reflects the actual needs and wants of the residents. The development of the local economy is twofold: (i) it contributes to improving living spaces, and (ii) it contributes to the economic development of the local area.

    What are the economic development benefits?

    Moa Housing injects public funds into key infrastructure like public parking and parks, which improves local conditions and boosts business profitability. The simplified regulatory framework enhances efficiency for developers.

    What partnerships support Moa Housing?

    Moa Housing is driven by collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure efficient project delivery. This joint approach ensures cost-effective execution.

    • Public sector: responsible for licensing, financing, and infrastructure
    • Private sector: responsible for construction and project implementation

    Figure 1: Overview of available support for joint project

    Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government.

    What are the risks or drawbacks of the model?

    While Moa Housing offers many benefits, it also faces some limitations that can impact implementation:

    • Higher construction costs than typical redevelopment
    • Requires resident consent, which may be hard to obtain
    • Less popular than large-scale complexes
    • As a new initiative, outcomes are not yet fully determined

    When selectively applied, Moa Housing facilitates more efficient urban maintenance.

    What lessons can cities learn from Moa Housing?

    The initiative provides valuable insights into small-scale, community-centered urban renewal:

    • Supports structural change in low-rise housing at appropriate densities
    • Addresses issues such as isolated projects, inadequate infrastructure, and disconnected living environments
    • Demonstrates how community engagement, sustainable design, and localized planning can deliver high-impact results
    • Offers a scalable, replicable model for other urban centers facing similar renewal challenges

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: BYD’s growth hinges on EV demand stability and financial transparency, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    BYD’s growth hinges on EV demand stability and financial transparency, says GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Following the news that China-based electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD Co Ltd is under scrutiny as its rapidly rising accounts payables raise concerns over a potential hidden debt burden;

    Murthy Grandhi, Company Profiles Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

    “BYD posted record 2024 results with revenues of $108.1 billion (CNY777.1 billion) (+29% year-on-year (YoY)) and net profit of $5.6 billion (CNY40.2 billion) (+34% YoY). However, experts warn that the company’s growing reliance on supply chain financing could expose it to serious financial risks if market conditions deteriorate.

    “Despite holding $17.8 billion (CNY102.5 billion) in cash and reducing total debt to $5.8 billion (CNY194.2 billion), BYD’s accounts payables rose 24.3% YoY to $33.6 billion (CNY241.6 billion) in 2024, reaching $34.9 billion (CNY250.8 billion) by March 2025. Over five years, this figure has grown at a CAGR of 41.2%, outpacing both revenue and profit growth.

    “BYD’s financing method involves issuing commercial paper to suppliers, who then sell it to banks. These are treated as trade finance, not corporate debt. However, if credit sentiment shifts, this paper could trade below par. Banks may demand cash, suppliers may go unpaid, and production lines could stall—like Evergrande’s liquidity crisis.

    “The broader risk is systemic. BYD anchors a vast ecosystem of parts suppliers, particularly in Guangdong and Hunan provinces, employing over 900,000 people. A disruption in payments could trigger a liquidity shock across the supply chain.

    “GlobalData emphasizes that this model is only vulnerable under significant market stress. If EV demand drops or credit tightens, BYD may need to accelerate supplier payments or seek external funding—both of which could strain its liquidity. BYD’s capacity to sustain growth while ensuring financial transparency will be vital to preserving investor confidence amid its increasingly leveraged expansion.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

    Source: Apple

    Headline: macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

    June 9, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

    Introducing a stunning new design, more Continuity experiences with the Phone app and Live Activities, the biggest update to Spotlight ever, and expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed the next major macOS release — macOS Tahoe 26 — which introduces a stunning new design and powerful capabilities that enable users to get even more done. With the new design, iconic elements of macOS will feel more expressive, delightful, and personal while remaining instantly familiar, including the desktop, Dock, in-app navigation, and toolbars. Users can further personalize the experience with an updated Control Center and new color options for folders, app icons, and widgets. Continuity gets even better with the Phone app arriving on Mac, so users can access familiar features from iPhone — including Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails — and new ones like Call Screening1 and Hold Assist.2 And with Live Activities from iPhone, users can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming flight, right on their Mac. Spotlight gets its biggest update ever, allowing users to now directly execute hundreds of actions — like sending an email or creating a note — and take advantage of all-new browsing experiences to get to content faster.

    Apple Intelligence expands with powerful new features that elevate the Mac experience further, while protecting privacy at every step. Live Translation helps users easily communicate across languages, translating text and audio. Genmoji and Image Playground offer new options for creativity.3 Shortcuts get even more powerful with intelligent actions and the ability to now tap directly into Apple Intelligence models to automate complex tasks.

    “macOS is the heart and soul of the Mac, and with Tahoe, we’re building on what users love most. Whether you’re a power user or just getting started on Mac, there’s something for everyone, with even more features to turbocharge productivity and make working across Mac and iPhone more seamless than ever before,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “With its gorgeous new design, amazing Continuity experiences, powerful enhancements to Spotlight, more intelligent shortcuts, and updates to Apple Intelligence, the Mac experience is better than ever.”

    A Gorgeous New Design

    The gorgeous new design enhances the Mac experience in new ways, while maintaining the familiarity of macOS. It is crafted with Liquid Glass, a translucent new material that reflects and refracts its surroundings. The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been refined, bringing greater focus to a user’s content. The menu bar is now completely transparent, making the display feel even larger. There are more ways to customize what controls appear in the menu bar and Control Center, along with how they’re laid out. The new design also unlocks more personalization on the Mac. App icons come to life in light or dark appearances, colorful new light and dark tints, as well as an elegant new clear look. Users can also change the colors of folders and add a symbol or emoji to give them a unique identity. And when combined with personalized wallpapers and theme colors, it’s easier than ever to make Mac a seamless extension of a user’s style.

    New Continuity Experiences with the Phone App and Live Activities

    The Phone app arrives on Mac thanks to Continuity, which lets users relay cellular calls from their nearby iPhone. The Phone app on Mac has the familiar features of the Phone app on iPhone — including Recents, Favorites, and Voicemails — and the latest updates like Call Screening and Hold Assist. Call Screening automatically answers calls from unknown numbers and asks the caller for information so a user can decide whether or not to answer. And when a user is stuck on hold, Hold Assist allows them to keep their spot in line while they wait for a live agent, so users can continue working on their Mac.

    Live Activities from a user’s nearby iPhone will now appear in the menu bar on their Mac so they can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming Uber ride, flight, or live sports score. When clicking on a Live Activity, the app opens in iPhone Mirroring to show more information so users can take action right from their Mac.

    The Biggest Update Ever to Spotlight

    Spotlight, the central place to search for things on Mac, makes finding what users are looking for easier than ever, and provides users with all-new ways to take action. During a search, all results — including files, folders, events, apps, messages, and more — are now listed together and ranked intelligently based on relevance to the user. New filtering options rapidly narrow searches to exactly what a user is looking for, like PDFs or Mail messages. Spotlight can also surface results for documents stored on third-party cloud drives. And when a user doesn’t know exactly what they’re searching for, Spotlight’s new browse views make it easy to scan through their apps, files, clipboard history, and more.

    Users can now take hundreds of actions directly from Spotlight — like sending an email, creating a note, or playing a podcast — without jumping between apps. Users can take actions from both Apple apps and apps built by developers, because any app can provide actions to Spotlight using the App Intents API. Users can also run shortcuts and perform actions from the menu bar in the app they’re currently working in, all without lifting their hands off the keyboard. Spotlight learns from users’ routines across the system and surfaces personalized actions, such as sending a message to a colleague a user regularly talks to. Additionally, Spotlight introduces quick keys, which are short strings of characters that get users right to the action they’re looking for.

    Brand-New Capabilities Powered by Apple Intelligence

    Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence, gets even more capable while protecting users’ privacy at every step.

    • Seamless communication across language barriers with Live Translation: In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages, so if a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type and delivered in the recipient’s preferred language. And when the user receives a response, each text can be instantly translated.4 On FaceTime, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker’s voice. And when a user is on a call in the Phone app, their words are translated for the recipient as they speak.5 This is enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so conversations stay private.
    • Shortcuts get more intelligent: A whole new class of intelligent actions lets users create shortcuts that are more powerful than ever, including summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. And now users will be able to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses that feed into the rest of their shortcut, maintaining the privacy of information used. For example, a student can build a shortcut that uses Apple Intelligence models to compare an audio transcription of a class lecture to the notes they took, and add any key points they may have missed. Users can also choose to tap into ChatGPT for its broad world knowledge and expertise. Additionally, users can now run shortcuts automatically on macOS, such as at a specific time of day, or when taking a specific action like saving a file to a folder or connecting a display.
    • Updates to Genmoji and Image Playground: macOS Tahoe brings new ways to create Genmoji, giving users the ability to start with existing emoji and descriptions, modify personal attributes like hair length or accessories, and select expressions based on the moment. Users will also have more control of personal attributes and expressions in Image Playground, and can tap into brand-new styles with ChatGPT, like an oil painting style or vector art. For moments when users have a specific idea in mind, they can tap Any Style and describe exactly what they want.
    • Increased productivity with Reminders: Apple Intelligence can review an email, website, note, or other content on Mac to find the most relevant action items. And users can also choose to use Apple Intelligence to automatically categorize Reminders into sections to make them more manageable.

    New Apple Games App, Game Overlay, and More Titles

    macOS Tahoe introduces Apple Games, a dedicated app that gives players a home for all their games, making it easier to jump back into favorites, discover new games tailored just for them, and play with friends in whole new ways. With the new Game Overlay, players can conveniently adjust their system settings, chat with friends, or invite them to play, all without having to leave their game. Players can also turn on Low Power Mode, which extends gaming sessions and maximizes playtime on battery. For developers, macOS Tahoe introduces Metal 4, which brings even more advanced graphics and next-generation rendering technologies to games, like MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising, for smoother visuals and faster frame rates.

    Alongside these improvements, developers continue to deliver exciting new games on Mac, including upcoming titles like Crimson Desert and InZOI. Both games leverage powerful software technologies like MetalFX Upscaling to accelerate performance and deliver high-quality visuals, as well as take advantage of the M3 and M4 family of chips with ray tracing for a breathtaking experience. Additional titles on the way include Cyberpunk 2077, Cronos: The New Dawn, Architect: Land of Exiles, Lies of P: Overture, HITMAN World of Assassination, EVE Frontier, Where Winds Meet, and more.

    Additional features in macOS Tahoe include:

    • Safari, the world’s fastest browser,6 offers a fresh but familiar experience, featuring a rounded tab design that floats in the toolbar, along with a refreshed sidebar with new sections to help users more easily find saved content like iCloud Tabs and Saved. When compared to Chrome, Safari is 50 percent faster at loading frequently visited websites7 and offers up to four more hours of battery life when streaming video.8 And for even greater protection from trackers when browsing, Safari now offers advanced fingerprinting protection in all browsing by default.
    • The Messages app brings Backgrounds, Polls, and a redesigned details view that helps users easily navigate what has been shared in a conversation. Plus, it features typing indicators in groups to let participants know exactly who is going to chime in, as well as the ability to add new contacts easily right from the group chat and search with more natural language.
    • Journal comes to Mac, making it easy to capture and write about everyday moments and special events when inspiration strikes. On Mac, it’s easy to type long, thoughtful entries and view them on a map. Users can keep multiple journals for various aspects of life, which are all synced across Apple devices.
    • Photos has an updated design that includes beautiful Liquid Glass elements, enhancements for customization, easier workflows, and sidebar consistency with iPadOS. Pinned Collections now come to Mac, so users can access the collections they use most with a click on the sidebar. Users will also find new buttons to quickly access filtering and sorting options in all views, and the ability to customize the size of Collections tiles, so they can view their library just how they like.
    • On FaceTime, the reimagined landing page features beautiful Contact Posters of recent callers, Liquid Glass controls now float in the bottom right and recede to create more space, and a new More button lets users quickly access features like SharePlay and Live Translation.
    • Notes adds the ability to import and export a note into a markdown file, and support for capturing conversations in the Phone app as audio recordings with transcriptions.
    • Accessibility features include Magnifier on Mac, which enables users with low vision to zoom in on their surroundings using Continuity Camera on iPhone or attached USB cameras, apply image filters so items are easier to see or read, and even change perspective when viewing presentations or books from an angle. Additional features include Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind; an all-new Braille Access experience that offers a user-friendly interface for those with a connected braille display; and Vehicle Motion Cues, which helps reduce motion sickness in a moving vehicle.
    • With Passwords, users can easily reference changes they make to their accounts, including checking previous versions of passwords they save, along with details on when they were changed.

    Availability

    All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. The release will be available as a free software update this fall. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/os/macos and apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

    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.

    1. Call Screening supports Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, UK), French (Canada, France), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Korean (Korea), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Taiwan, Macao), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain).
    2. Hold Assist will be available in English (U.S.), English (Canada), English (UK), English (Singapore), English (Australia), English (India), French (France), Spanish (U.S.), Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Spain), German (Germany), Portuguese (Brazil), Japanese (Japan), and Mandarin Chinese (mainland China).
    3. Genmoji and Image Playground are available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, and Japanese.
    4. Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified).
    5. Live Translation in Phone and FaceTime is available for one-on-one calls in English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
    6. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2025 using JetStream 2.2, MotionMark 1.3.1, and Speedometer 3.1 performance benchmarks. Tested with prerelease Safari 26.0 and latest stable versions of Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox at the time of testing on: 15-inch MacBook Air systems with Apple M4 and prerelease macOS Tahoe, and Intel Core Ultra 9-based PC systems with Intel Arc Graphics and Windows 11 Home; iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) units with prerelease iPadOS 26.0, and Intel Core Ultra 7-based PC systems with Intel Arc Graphics and Windows 11 Pro; and iPhone 16 Pro Max with prerelease iOS 26.0, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite-based smartphones with Android 15. Devices tested with a WPA2 Wi-Fi network connection. Performance will vary based on usage, system configuration, network connection, and other factors.
    7. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2025 by measuring page load performance of snapshot versions of 10 popular websites under simulated network conditions. Tested on production 15-inch MacBook Air systems with Apple M4, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and prerelease macOS Tahoe. Tested with prerelease Safari 26.0 and Chrome v136.0.7103.93. Performance will vary based on usage, system configuration, network connection, and other factors.
    8. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2025 on production 15-inch MacBook Air systems with Apple M4, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and prerelease macOS Tahoe. Systems tested with WPA2 Wi-Fi network connection while running on battery power, with display brightness set to 8 clicks from bottom and keyboard backlight off. Video streaming tested with 1080p content on prerelease Safari 26.0 and Chrome v136.0.7103.93. Not all features are available on all devices. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/batteries for more information.

    Press Contacts

    Michelle Del Rio

    Apple

    mr_delrio@apple.com

    Starlayne Meza

    Apple

    starlayne_meza@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 9 myths about electric vehicles have taken hold. A new study shows how many people fall for them

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Bretter, Senior Research Fellow in Environmental Psychology, The University of Queensland

    More people believe misinformation about electric vehicles than disagree with it and even EV owners tend to believe the myths, our new research shows.

    We investigated the prevalence of misinformation about EVs in four countries – Australia, the United States, Germany and Austria. Unfortunately, we found substantial agreement with misinformation across all countries.

    People who endorsed false claims about EVs were, not surprisingly, significantly less likely to consider buying one.

    Electric vehicles are vital in the fight against climate change. But pervasive misinformation is a significant challenge to the technology’s uptake and has serious implications for the shift away from fossil fuels.

    Widespread agreement with false EV claims

    We conducted a survey of 4,200 people across the four countries who did not own an electric vehicle. We measured the extent to which they agreed with these nine misleading claims about electric vehicles:

    What we found

    The most widely believed myth was that electric vehicles are more likely to catch fire than petrol cars. Some 43–56% of people agreed with the statement, depending on the country.

    To tally the results, we looked at participants’ responses for all nine misinformation statements – more than 36,000 responses in all. We then calculated how many of these responses indicated agreement or disagreement.

    Of the 36,000 responses, 36% were in agreement with a statement and 23% were in disagreement. A further 24% were undecided and 17% did not know.

    Misinformation agreement was highest in Germany and lowest in the US, but the differences between nations were small.

    Agreement with misinformation was strongly correlated with a lack of support for electric vehicle policies and a lack of intention to buy an EV in future.

    A separate part of the research involved 2,100 people in the US, about half of whom owned an electric vehicle. Surprisingly, EV owners did not significantly differ in their agreement with misinformation compared to non-owners. This underscores how embedded the problem has become.

    Agreement with misinformation was strongly correlated with a lack of buying intention.
    Photo by Sebastian Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    It’s not about education

    We also examined the factors that make individuals more susceptible to EV misinformation.

    The strongest predictor was people who scored highly on a “conspiracy mentality” – in other words, they believed conspiracies were common in society, they saw the world through a lens of corruption and secret agendas, and distrusted institutions.

    People with progressive political and environmental views were less likely to endorse misinformation about EVs.

    A person’s scientific knowledge or level of education was not a predictor. This finding aligns with previous research, and suggests the pervasive endorsement of misinformation stems from distrust in institutions and expertise rather than from a lack of education.

    People with progressive political views were less likely to endorse EV misinformation.
    Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Grounds for optimism

    We tested whether misinformation could be reduced with two interventions among a different sample of US participants. One group was asked to converse with ChatGPT about their views on EV misinformation. The second was asked to read a traditional EV fact sheet from the US Department of Energy. On a third “control” group, no intervention was tested.

    Participants who engaged with either ChatGPT or the fact sheet before we surveyed them showed significantly lower endorsement of EV misinformation compared to the control group. This persisted at a follow-up session ten days after the survey.

    Notably, ChatGPT did not produce any misinformation about EVs. These results build upon existing research demonstrating ChatGPT’s potential to reduce endorsement of conspiracy theories.

    Misinformation about EVs poses significant challenges to uptake of the technology.
    Florian Wiegand/Getty Images

    How to tackle EV misinformation

    Our findings show misinformation about electric vehicles has a substantial foothold in Western nations. Susceptibility is not a matter of education or knowledge, but rather stems from distrust of established institutions and expertise.

    We also found people who engage with facts about electric vehicles are less likely to endorse misinformation.

    This suggests a dual strategy is needed to reduce misinformation about EVs. First, those who deliberately spread misinformation should be held accountable. And second, evidence-based information, including accessible AI tools, can be used to build public resilience against false claims.

    Matthew Hornsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

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

    – ref. 9 myths about electric vehicles have taken hold. A new study shows how many people fall for them – https://theconversation.com/9-myths-about-electric-vehicles-have-taken-hold-a-new-study-shows-how-many-people-fall-for-them-257557

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Starlink is transforming Pacific internet access – but in some countries it’s still illegal

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda H.A. Watson, Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University

    Solomon aligning the Starlink dish on the roof of his friend’s home in Vanuatu. Paul Basant

    In the past few years, Starlink’s satellite internet service has become available across much of the Pacific. This has created new challenges for regulators in Pacific Island countries: some have promoted Starlink while others have banned it.

    What is Starlink?

    Elon Musk founded the space technology company SpaceX in 2002, and owns about 44% of it.

    Among other projects, SpaceX has launched thousands of satellites into low-Earth orbit, where they circle the globe and enable internet connectivity at ground level. This service is offered through Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX.

    The first satellites were launched in 2019. Later the same year, Musk demonstrated the use of Starlink internet.

    It took a few years for access to be available in the Pacific region. The first known use was in Tonga in 2022, after a volcanic eruption and tsunami.

    Satellite internet in the Pacific

    Starlink is not the only company offering internet access via satellite technology. However, it is well known and has generated much interest in the Pacific.

    Other companies use satellites in low-Earth orbit, such as OneWeb. Another consumer offering comes from Kacific, which provides internet access via a geostationary satellite high above the Pacific. This type of satellite moves at the same speed as Earth spins, so it appears to stay in the same place from ground level.

    Starlink access is available in many of the 18 member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum, such as Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. In several of those, there are both resellers and retailers.

    Authorised resellers can sell Starlink products and services, meaning customers can buy Starlink kits and pay their monthly Starlink charges through these companies. Authorised retailers can only sell Starlink equipment.

    Gateways and barriers

    Nauru and Kosrae (a state in the Federated States of Micronesia) have recently launched more powerful Starlink connections called community gateways to improve internet access for their communities.

    Nauru’s gateway, reportedly the first in the Pacific, went live in December 2024. Kosrae’s followed in February 2025.

    In Niue, the government has banned the use of Starlink, warning users of fines or imprisonment for unauthorised use. Satellite provider Kacific continues to operate legally on the island.

    In Papua New Guinea, Starlink licensing is before the courts.

    Education and disasters

    Remote schools across Fiji and Solomon Islands are using Starlink services to improve connectivity in the hope it will enable access to online learning and digital resources. In Fiji, six rural schools now have internet access.

    In Malaita, in the Solomon Islands, Starlink is being used in classrooms, funded and supported by an initiative to make education more accessible. Kacific’s satellite internet service has also been used to connect schools in the Pacific.

    Starlink has been used for disaster communications. It is proving to be a crucial backup for undersea cables, which are vulnerable to natural disasters and service disruptions.

    Immediately after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Vanuatu on December 17 2024, causing an outage of the country’s sole submarine cable, Starlink was used to maintain communication. As traditional internet services failed, more than 300 Starlink units were quickly deployed, restoring connectivity for residents, businesses and emergency services.

    Fast-moving change

    Governance responses to Starlink have differed across the Pacific, impacting access for consumers.

    Where Starlink has been approved, people can buy equipment and pay monthly usage fees in local currency.

    In some countries, Starlink has been approved but no local resellers or retailers have been established yet. In these cases, people can access the service by ordering a kit directly from the official Starlink website, which offers international shipping to approved locations.

    Internet access options across the Pacific are changing rapidly. In several countries, Starlink has not yet officially launched.

    Further change is likely. For now, governance of Starlink among Pacific countries remains a mixed bag.

    Amanda H.A. Watson receives research funding from the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Pacific Research Program.

    Atishnal Elvin Chand 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. Starlink is transforming Pacific internet access – but in some countries it’s still illegal – https://theconversation.com/starlink-is-transforming-pacific-internet-access-but-in-some-countries-its-still-illegal-257905

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

    Source: Apple

    Headline: macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

    June 9, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

    Introducing a stunning new design, more Continuity experiences with the Phone app and Live Activities, the biggest update to Spotlight ever, and expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed the next major macOS release — macOS Tahoe 26 — which introduces a stunning new design and powerful capabilities that enable users to get even more done. With the new design, iconic elements of macOS will feel more expressive, delightful, and personal while remaining instantly familiar, including the desktop, Dock, in-app navigation, and toolbars. Users can further personalize the experience with an updated Control Center and new color options for folders, app icons, and widgets. Continuity gets even better with the Phone app arriving on Mac, so users can access familiar features from iPhone — including Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails — and new ones like Call Screening1 and Hold Assist.2 And with Live Activities from iPhone, users can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming flight, right on their Mac. Spotlight gets its biggest update ever, allowing users to now directly execute hundreds of actions — like sending an email or creating a note — and take advantage of all-new browsing experiences to get to content faster.

    Apple Intelligence expands with powerful new features that elevate the Mac experience further, while protecting privacy at every step. Live Translation helps users easily communicate across languages, translating text and audio. Genmoji and Image Playground offer new options for creativity.3 Shortcuts get even more powerful with intelligent actions and the ability to now tap directly into Apple Intelligence models to automate complex tasks.

    “macOS is the heart and soul of the Mac, and with Tahoe, we’re building on what users love most. Whether you’re a power user or just getting started on Mac, there’s something for everyone, with even more features to turbocharge productivity and make working across Mac and iPhone more seamless than ever before,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “With its gorgeous new design, amazing Continuity experiences, powerful enhancements to Spotlight, more intelligent shortcuts, and updates to Apple Intelligence, the Mac experience is better than ever.”

    A Gorgeous New Design

    The gorgeous new design enhances the Mac experience in new ways, while maintaining the familiarity of macOS. It is crafted with Liquid Glass, a translucent new material that reflects and refracts its surroundings. The Dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been refined, bringing greater focus to a user’s content. The menu bar is now completely transparent, making the display feel even larger. There are more ways to customize what controls appear in the menu bar and Control Center, along with how they’re laid out. The new design also unlocks more personalization on the Mac. App icons come to life in light or dark appearances, colorful new light and dark tints, as well as an elegant new clear look. Users can also change the colors of folders and add a symbol or emoji to give them a unique identity. And when combined with personalized wallpapers and theme colors, it’s easier than ever to make Mac a seamless extension of a user’s style.

    New Continuity Experiences with the Phone App and Live Activities

    The Phone app arrives on Mac thanks to Continuity, which lets users relay cellular calls from their nearby iPhone. The Phone app on Mac has the familiar features of the Phone app on iPhone — including Recents, Favorites, and Voicemails — and the latest updates like Call Screening and Hold Assist. Call Screening automatically answers calls from unknown numbers and asks the caller for information so a user can decide whether or not to answer. And when a user is stuck on hold, Hold Assist allows them to keep their spot in line while they wait for a live agent, so users can continue working on their Mac.

    Live Activities from a user’s nearby iPhone will now appear in the menu bar on their Mac so they can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming Uber ride, flight, or live sports score. When clicking on a Live Activity, the app opens in iPhone Mirroring to show more information so users can take action right from their Mac.

    The Biggest Update Ever to Spotlight

    Spotlight, the central place to search for things on Mac, makes finding what users are looking for easier than ever, and provides users with all-new ways to take action. During a search, all results — including files, folders, events, apps, messages, and more — are now listed together and ranked intelligently based on relevance to the user. New filtering options rapidly narrow searches to exactly what a user is looking for, like PDFs or Mail messages. Spotlight can also surface results for documents stored on third-party cloud drives. And when a user doesn’t know exactly what they’re searching for, Spotlight’s new browse views make it easy to scan through their apps, files, clipboard history, and more.

    Users can now take hundreds of actions directly from Spotlight — like sending an email, creating a note, or playing a podcast — without jumping between apps. Users can take actions from both Apple apps and apps built by developers, because any app can provide actions to Spotlight using the App Intents API. Users can also run shortcuts and perform actions from the menu bar in the app they’re currently working in, all without lifting their hands off the keyboard. Spotlight learns from users’ routines across the system and surfaces personalized actions, such as sending a message to a colleague a user regularly talks to. Additionally, Spotlight introduces quick keys, which are short strings of characters that get users right to the action they’re looking for.

    Brand-New Capabilities Powered by Apple Intelligence

    Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence, gets even more capable while protecting users’ privacy at every step.

    • Seamless communication across language barriers with Live Translation: In Messages, Live Translation can automatically translate messages, so if a user is making plans with new friends while traveling abroad, their message can be translated as they type and delivered in the recipient’s preferred language. And when the user receives a response, each text can be instantly translated.4 On FaceTime, a user can follow along with translated live captions while still hearing the speaker’s voice. And when a user is on a call in the Phone app, their words are translated for the recipient as they speak.5 This is enabled by Apple-built models that run entirely on device, so conversations stay private.
    • Shortcuts get more intelligent: A whole new class of intelligent actions lets users create shortcuts that are more powerful than ever, including summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. And now users will be able to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, either on-device or with Private Cloud Compute, to generate responses that feed into the rest of their shortcut, maintaining the privacy of information used. For example, a student can build a shortcut that uses Apple Intelligence models to compare an audio transcription of a class lecture to the notes they took, and add any key points they may have missed. Users can also choose to tap into ChatGPT for its broad world knowledge and expertise. Additionally, users can now run shortcuts automatically on macOS, such as at a specific time of day, or when taking a specific action like saving a file to a folder or connecting a display.
    • Updates to Genmoji and Image Playground: macOS Tahoe brings new ways to create Genmoji, giving users the ability to start with existing emoji and descriptions, modify personal attributes like hair length or accessories, and select expressions based on the moment. Users will also have more control of personal attributes and expressions in Image Playground, and can tap into brand-new styles with ChatGPT, like an oil painting style or vector art. For moments when users have a specific idea in mind, they can tap Any Style and describe exactly what they want.
    • Increased productivity with Reminders: Apple Intelligence can review an email, website, note, or other content on Mac to find the most relevant action items. And users can also choose to use Apple Intelligence to automatically categorize Reminders into sections to make them more manageable.

    New Apple Games App, Game Overlay, and More Titles

    macOS Tahoe introduces Apple Games, a dedicated app that gives players a home for all their games, making it easier to jump back into favorites, discover new games tailored just for them, and play with friends in whole new ways. With the new Game Overlay, players can conveniently adjust their system settings, chat with friends, or invite them to play, all without having to leave their game. Players can also turn on Low Power Mode, which extends gaming sessions and maximizes playtime on battery. For developers, macOS Tahoe introduces Metal 4, which brings even more advanced graphics and next-generation rendering technologies to games, like MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising, for smoother visuals and faster frame rates.

    Alongside these improvements, developers continue to deliver exciting new games on Mac, including upcoming titles like Crimson Desert and InZOI. Both games leverage powerful software technologies like MetalFX Upscaling to accelerate performance and deliver high-quality visuals, as well as take advantage of the M3 and M4 family of chips with ray tracing for a breathtaking experience. Additional titles on the way include Cyberpunk 2077, Cronos: The New Dawn, Architect: Land of Exiles, Lies of P: Overture, HITMAN World of Assassination, EVE Frontier, Where Winds Meet, and more.

    Additional features in macOS Tahoe include:

    • Safari, the world’s fastest browser,6 offers a fresh but familiar experience, featuring a rounded tab design that floats in the toolbar, along with a refreshed sidebar with new sections to help users more easily find saved content like iCloud Tabs and Saved. When compared to Chrome, Safari is 50 percent faster at loading frequently visited websites7 and offers up to four more hours of battery life when streaming video.8 And for even greater protection from trackers when browsing, Safari now offers advanced fingerprinting protection in all browsing by default.
    • The Messages app brings Backgrounds, Polls, and a redesigned details view that helps users easily navigate what has been shared in a conversation. Plus, it features typing indicators in groups to let participants know exactly who is going to chime in, as well as the ability to add new contacts easily right from the group chat and search with more natural language.
    • Journal comes to Mac, making it easy to capture and write about everyday moments and special events when inspiration strikes. On Mac, it’s easy to type long, thoughtful entries and view them on a map. Users can keep multiple journals for various aspects of life, which are all synced across Apple devices.
    • Photos has an updated design that includes beautiful Liquid Glass elements, enhancements for customization, easier workflows, and sidebar consistency with iPadOS. Pinned Collections now come to Mac, so users can access the collections they use most with a click on the sidebar. Users will also find new buttons to quickly access filtering and sorting options in all views, and the ability to customize the size of Collections tiles, so they can view their library just how they like.
    • On FaceTime, the reimagined landing page features beautiful Contact Posters of recent callers, Liquid Glass controls now float in the bottom right and recede to create more space, and a new More button lets users quickly access features like SharePlay and Live Translation.
    • Notes adds the ability to import and export a note into a markdown file, and support for capturing conversations in the Phone app as audio recordings with transcriptions.
    • Accessibility features include Magnifier on Mac, which enables users with low vision to zoom in on their surroundings using Continuity Camera on iPhone or attached USB cameras, apply image filters so items are easier to see or read, and even change perspective when viewing presentations or books from an angle. Additional features include Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind; an all-new Braille Access experience that offers a user-friendly interface for those with a connected braille display; and Vehicle Motion Cues, which helps reduce motion sickness in a moving vehicle.
    • With Passwords, users can easily reference changes they make to their accounts, including checking previous versions of passwords they save, along with details on when they were changed.

    Availability

    All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com. The release will be available as a free software update this fall. The Apple Intelligence features detailed require supported devices, which include all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, or Chinese (simplified). More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. For more information, visit apple.com/os/macos and apple.com/apple-intelligence. Features are subject to change. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more information about availability, visit apple.com.

    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.

    1. Call Screening supports Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), English (U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, UK), French (Canada, France), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Korean (Korea), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland, Taiwan, Macao), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain).
    2. Hold Assist will be available in English (U.S.), English (Canada), English (UK), English (Singapore), English (Australia), English (India), French (France), Spanish (U.S.), Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Spain), German (Germany), Portuguese (Brazil), Japanese (Japan), and Mandarin Chinese (mainland China).
    3. Genmoji and Image Playground are available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, and Japanese.
    4. Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified).
    5. Live Translation in Phone and FaceTime is available for one-on-one calls in English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
    6. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2025 using JetStream 2.2, MotionMark 1.3.1, and Speedometer 3.1 performance benchmarks. Tested with prerelease Safari 26.0 and latest stable versions of Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox at the time of testing on: 15-inch MacBook Air systems with Apple M4 and prerelease macOS Tahoe, and Intel Core Ultra 9-based PC systems with Intel Arc Graphics and Windows 11 Home; iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) units with prerelease iPadOS 26.0, and Intel Core Ultra 7-based PC systems with Intel Arc Graphics and Windows 11 Pro; and iPhone 16 Pro Max with prerelease iOS 26.0, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite-based smartphones with Android 15. Devices tested with a WPA2 Wi-Fi network connection. Performance will vary based on usage, system configuration, network connection, and other factors.
    7. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2025 by measuring page load performance of snapshot versions of 10 popular websites under simulated network conditions. Tested on production 15-inch MacBook Air systems with Apple M4, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and prerelease macOS Tahoe. Tested with prerelease Safari 26.0 and Chrome v136.0.7103.93. Performance will vary based on usage, system configuration, network connection, and other factors.
    8. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2025 on production 15-inch MacBook Air systems with Apple M4, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and prerelease macOS Tahoe. Systems tested with WPA2 Wi-Fi network connection while running on battery power, with display brightness set to 8 clicks from bottom and keyboard backlight off. Video streaming tested with 1080p content on prerelease Safari 26.0 and Chrome v136.0.7103.93. Not all features are available on all devices. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/batteries for more information.

    Press Contacts

    Michelle Del Rio

    Apple

    mr_delrio@apple.com

    Starlayne Meza

    Apple

    starlayne_meza@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for witnesses: Whitford serious crash

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Counties-Manukau Police are appealing for information from anyone who witnessed a crash involving a car and a truck yesterday morning on Whitford-Maraetai Road.

    The crash occurred around 6.45am near the intersection of Whitford-Maraetai and Waikopua Roads.

    The female driver of a small maroon hatchback vehicle remains in hospital in a serious condition.

    The truck driver sustained minor injuries.

    “A scene examination has been completed and Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward,” Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Batey, of Counties Manukau East Police, says. 

    “We are keen hear from anyone who saw the accident or has dash cam footage that might assist our enquiries.”

    Anyone with information is asked to update Police online or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 250609/0912.

    ENDS

    Nicole Bremner/NZ Police 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: MediPharm Labs’ Founder-CEO Pat McCutcheon Throws his Support behind Apollo Capital as Dissident

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    McCutcheon Agrees with Apollo that Urgent Change is Needed, including Complete Turnover at the Board Level after Years of Value-Destruction

    Apollo Capital Announces Filing of Circular Addendum to
    Reflect McCutcheon’s Endorsement

    SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO VOTE THE GOLD CARD “FOR” APOLLO CAPITAL’S SIX DIRECTOR NOMINEES AND NOT VOTE MEDIPHARM’s GREEN CARD

    TORONTO, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo Technology Capital Corporation (“Apollo Capital”), one of MediPharm Lab Corp’s (TSX: LABS) (OTCQB: MEDIF) (FSE: MLZ) (“MediPharm”, or the “Company”) largest investors, is very pleased to announce that Pat McCutcheon, a founder, former CEO, director and Chairman of MediPharm, has joined Apollo Capital as a co-dissident in its battle to bring integrity, transparency and prosperity back to MediPharm’s long-suffering shareholders.

    Pat McCutcheon stated: “I have been observing Apollo’s activist campaign from the sidelines, and I can no longer just sit by and watch. I still feel a deep responsibility to the Company, its employees and the shareholders who have invested millions into the vision of MediPharm being the global leader in medical cannabis and cannabis derived pharmaceutical products. Over the past three years, the share price has collapsed while the senior management team has been paid over $10,000,000, a compensation program that should never have been approved by the independent Directors. Management has failed to capitalize on the medical cannabis opportunity and taken the Company away from its founding vision by entering the recreational market, taking on dilutive M&A transactions and recently announcing a return to cultivating cannabis. This is not the MediPharm investors have supported.

    I have gotten to know Regan McGee & his team of proposed directors. The directors have a broad range of relevant experience including medical cannabis experience, turn-around experience, and extensive capital markets experience. Regan has demonstrated himself to be a skilled investor who has been successful in both start-ups and turn-around projects. He’s also overcome great personal adversity, showing that he never backs down from a fight. In terms of the negative statements from MediPharm about Regan, the ones that I have been able to independently verify have turned out to be simply fabrications that appear to be part of MediPharm’s campaign to discredit and defame Regan. I believe the attacks on Regan & his business record are not factual and more importantly hide the real issues that shareholders should be considering such as compensation, dilution & the share price. On each of these fronts, I believe the Apollo directors are a better choice than the directors put forward by the current Board.

    We need to focus on the real issues – who is going to drive the stock price higher. Apollo only makes money when the stock price goes up, as all the shareholders do together. This is why I support the Apollo team. I’m asking shareholders to vote GOLD at this year’s AGM. We do not have time to wait.”

    Apollo notes that its business model with MediPharm is highly aligned with shareholders. As an activist investor, it looks to make investments in poorly managed companies where new governance and management can work to improve the share price for Apollo and all other investors. Apollo’s business model is to buy stock in target companies and work with frustrated shareholders to secure the majority of votes needed to replace board members and executives with ones focused on share value growth. Apollo does not “take over” or otherwise control its target companies, rather it appoints directors who recognize their legal fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of all common shareholders.

    Regan McGee of Apollo Capital commented: “We are immensely proud to welcome Pat McCutcheon as a co-dissident. Pat is responsible for helping to build MediPharm into an absolute powerhouse in the cannabis industry, and I can only imagine how difficult it has been for him to watch the Company he loves so much be mismanaged virtually to the point of insolvency.

    Pat and I want exactly the same thing – to restore value to MediPharm shareholders and to usher in a new era of profitability, good governance and most importantly, accountability. We both believe that if we all come together and take urgent action, the future for the MediPharm will be bright.”

    In connection with the addition of Mr. McCutcheon as a “dissident” within the meaning of applicable corporate laws, an addendum dated June 4, 2025 (the “Addendum”) to the dissident information circular dated May 15, 2025 (the “Circular”) has been filed on www.SEDARPLUS.ca under MediPharm’s profile. Shareholders are encouraged to read the Circular, as supplemented and amended by the Addendum.

    Apollo Capital’s strategic five-pillar plan for MediPharm has been made available in detail at www.curemedipharm.com. With shareholder support, we can turn MediPharm around and transform it into the world’s leading medical cannabis company.

    Apollo Capital urges shareholders to vote for change by voting the GOLD CARD by June 12, 2025. Shareholders are urged NOT to sign or return the green proxy cards sent by the Company.

    Contacts

    For Shareholders:
    Carson Proxy
    North American Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-530-5189
    Local or Text Message: 416-751-2066 (collect calls accepted)
    E: info@carsonproxy.com

    For Media:
    media@curemedipharm.com

    This solicitation is being made by and on behalf of the Concerned Shareholder, who, as of the date of this Circular, beneficially owns or controls, directly and indirectly through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nobul Technologies Inc., 12,491,500 common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”), representing approximately 3% of the total Common Shares issued and outstanding, and not by the management of the Company (“Management”).

    Legal Disclosures

    Information in Support of Public Broadcast Exemption under Canadian Law

    In connection with the annual general and special meeting (the “Annual Meeting”) of shareholders of MediPharm, Apollo Capital has filed an amended and restated dissident information circular dated May 15, 2025 (the “Circular”), as amended and supplemented by an addendum to the Circular subsequently filed by Apollo Capital and Patrick McCutcheon (together, the “Concerned Stakeholder”) dated June 4, 2025 (the “Addendum” and together with the Circular, the “Amended Circular”), each in compliance with applicable corporate and securities laws. The Concerned Stakeholder has provided in, or incorporated by reference into, this press release the disclosure required under section 9.2(4) of NI 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”) and the corresponding exemption under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), and has filed the Amended Circular, available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The Amended Circular contains disclosure prescribed by applicable corporate law and disclosure required under section 9.2(6) of NI 51-102 in respect of the Concerned Stakeholder’s director nominees, in accordance with corporate and securities laws applicable to public broadcast solicitations. The Amended Circular is hereby incorporated by reference into this press release and is available under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The registered office of the Company is 151 John Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada L4N 2L1.

    SHAREHOLDERS OF MEDIPHARM ARE URGED TO READ THE AMENDED CIRCULAR CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the Amended Circular and any amendments or supplements thereto and further proxy circulars at no charge under MediPharm’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. In addition, shareholders are also able to obtain free copies of the Amended Circular and other relevant documents by contacting the Concerned Stakeholder’s proxy solicitor, Carson Proxy Advisors Ltd. (“Carson Proxy”) at 1-800-530-5189, local (collect outside North America): 416-751-2066 or by email at info@carsonproxy.com.

    Proxies may be revoked in accordance with subsection 110(4) of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) by a registered shareholder of Company shares: (a) by completing and signing a valid proxy bearing a later date and returning it in accordance with the instructions contained in the accompanying form of proxy; (b) by depositing an instrument in writing executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney authorized in writing; (c) by transmitting by telephonic or electronic means a revocation that is signed by electronic signature in accordance with applicable law, as the case may be: (i) at the registered office of the Company at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting is to be held, or (ii) with the chair of the Annual Meeting on the day of the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting; or (d) in any other manner permitted by law. In addition, proxies may be revoked by a non-registered holder of Company shares at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered holder by its intermediary. It should be noted that revocation of proxies or voting instructions by a non-registered holder can take several days or even longer to complete and, accordingly, any such revocation should be completed well in advance of the deadline prescribed in the form of proxy or voting instruction form to ensure it is given effect in respect of the Annual Meeting.

    The costs incurred in the preparation and mailing of any circular or proxy solicitation by the Concerned Stakeholder and any other participants named herein will be borne directly and indirectly by Apollo Capital. However, to the extent permitted under applicable law, Apollo Capital intends to seek reimbursement from the Company of all expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of its director nominees at the Annual Meeting.

    This press release and any solicitation made by the Concerned Stakeholder is, or will be, as applicable, made by such parties, and not by or on behalf of the management of the Company. Proxies may be solicited by proxy circular, mail, telephone, email or other electronic means, as well as by newspaper or other media advertising and in person by managers, directors, officers and employees of the Concerned Stakeholder who will not be specifically remunerated therefor. In addition, the Concerned Stakeholder may solicit proxies by way of public broadcast, including press release, speech or publication and any other manner permitted under applicable Canadian laws, and may engage the services of one or more agents and authorize other persons to assist it in soliciting proxies on their behalf.

    Apollo Capital has entered into an agreement with Carson Proxy for solicitation and advisory services in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Concerned Stakeholder for the Annual Meeting, for which Carson Proxy will receive a fee from Apollo Capital not to exceed $250,000, together with reimbursement for reasonable and out-of-pocket expenses. Apollo Capital has also engaged Gasthalter & Co. LP (“G&Co”) to act as communications consultant to provide the Concerned Stakeholder with certain communications, public relations and related services, for which G&Co will receive, from Apollo Capital, a minimum fee of US$75,000 in addition to a performance fee of US$250,000 in the event that the Concerned Stakeholder’s nominees make up a majority of the board of directors of MediPharm (the “Board”) following the Annual Meeting, plus excess fees, related costs and expenses.

    No member of the Concerned Stakeholder nor any of their respective associates or affiliates has or has had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the beginning of the Company’s last completed financial year or in any proposed transaction that has materially affected or will or would materially affect the Company or any of the Company’s affiliates. No member of the Concerned Stakeholder nor any of their respective associates or affiliates has any material interest, direct or indirect, by way of beneficial ownership of securities or otherwise, in any matter to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting, other than setting the number of directors and the election of directors to the Board.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward‐looking statements. All statements contained in this filing that are not clearly historical in nature or that necessarily depend on future events are forward‐looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward‐looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of the Concerned Stakeholder and currently available information. They are not guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. All forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date hereof and the Concerned Stakeholder disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur, or of which the Concerned Stakeholder hereafter becomes aware, except as required by applicable law.

    Hashtags: #ShareholderActivism #CorporateGovernance #InvestorProtection #Investor Alert #Investor Fraud #FinancialRegulation #CorporateCrime #FinancialCrime #HomelandSecurity #DHS #OpioidCrisis #OpioidEpidemic #OpioidLitigation #OpioidVictims #BMO #DEA #ONDCP

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A 10-fold increase in rocket launches would start harming the ozone layer – new research

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Canterbury

    Han Jiajun/VCG via Getty Images

    The international space industry is on a growth trajectory, but new research shows a rapid increase in rocket launches would damage the ozone layer.

    Several hundred rockets are launched globally each year by a mix of commercial companies and nation-state space programmes. These take place at around 20 sites, almost all in the northern hemisphere, with the most prolific launch rates currently from the United States, China, New Zealand and Russia.

    Our latest research explores the tipping point when launching more rockets will begin to cause problems. Our findings show that once rates reach 2,000 launches a year – about a ten-fold increase on last year – the current healing of the ozone layer slows down.

    We argue that with care, we can avoid this future. The economic benefits of industry growth can be realised, but it will take a collaborative effort.

    Rocket launches thin the ozone layer

    The ozone layer protects life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) rays. It is slowly healing from the effects of chlorofluorocarbons and other damaging chemicals emitted last century, thanks to global cooperative agreements under the Montreal Protocol.

    Gases and particulates emitted by rockets as they punch through the atmosphere are known to thin the ozone layer. So far, they don’t cause appreciable ozone depletion, as relatively few launches take place each year.

    However, launches are steadily increasing. In 2019, there were 102 launches. By 2024, that increased to 258 worldwide. There are expected to be even more in 2025. At multiple sites worldwide, the launch industry projects impressive levels of future growth.

    For US-based launches, a three-fold increase in the number of rockets launched in 2023 is expected as soon as 2028.

    One driver of this growth is the effort to build out satellite constellations to tens of thousands of units, positioned low in Earth’s orbit. These require many launches to create and are happening in several nations, run by a number of companies.

    Once in place, these constellations require ongoing launches to keep them supplied with active satellites.

    Potential delay in ozone recovery

    To figure out how future launches could affect the ozone layer, we first built a database of ozone-depleting chemicals emitted by rockets currently in use. We then fed this database into a model of Earth’s atmosphere and climate, and simulated atmospheric composition under several scenarios of higher rates of rocket launches.

    We found that with around 2,000 launches worldwide each year, the ozone layer thins by up to 3%. Due to atmospheric transport of rocket-emitted chemicals, we saw the largest ozone losses over Antarctica, even though most launches are taking place in the northern hemisphere.

    Fortunately, the ozone losses are small. We wouldn’t expect to see catastrophic damage to humans or ecosystems. However, the losses are significant given global efforts underway to heal the ozone layer. The global abundance of ozone is still around 2% lower than before the onset of losses caused by chlorofluorocarbons.

    Future ozone losses are not locked in

    Encouragingly, we found no significant ozone loss in a scenario of more modest rates of around 900 launches per year. However, this is for the types of rockets that are in use right now around the world.

    We focus on current launch vehicles because it is uncertain when the new and massive rockets currently in development will enter use. But these larger rockets often require far more fuel, which creates more emissions at each launch.

    Rocket propellant choices make a big difference to the atmosphere. We found fuels emitting chlorine-containing chemicals or black carbon particulates have the largest effects on the ozone layer. Reducing use of these fuels as launch rates increase is key to supporting an ongoing recovery of the ozone layer.

    Re-entering spacecraft and satellite debris can also cause damage. However, the global scientific community doesn’t yet fully understand the chemistry around re-entry. Our work provides a realistic “floor” for the lowest level of damage that will occur.

    But it is important to remember that these effects are not locked in. It is entirely possible to create a launch industry where we avoid harmful effects, but that would require reducing use of chlorine-containing fuels, minimising black carbon emissions by new rockets and monitoring emissions.

    It will take keen effort and enthusiasm from industry and regulators, working together with scientists. But this needs to start now, not after the damage is done.

    Laura Revell is a member of the International Ozone Commission and the UNEP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, which assesses the effects of ozone depletion on life on Earth. She is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, funded by the Royal Society of NZ Te Apārangi.

    Michele Bannister is the NZ delegate for the International Astronomical Union, serves on the COSPAR-NZ national committee, is a voting member of Aerospace New Zealand, and has research collaborations with the IAU Centre for Protection of the Dark & Quiet Sky. She is a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, funded by the Royal Society of NZ Te Apārangi.

    – ref. A 10-fold increase in rocket launches would start harming the ozone layer – new research – https://theconversation.com/a-10-fold-increase-in-rocket-launches-would-start-harming-the-ozone-layer-new-research-257480

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall on Newsmax: Failure Is Not an Option

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Wake Up America on Newsmax today to discuss President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ and the violent riots in Los Angeles, California, that have erupted in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) doing its job to remove criminal illegal aliens from our country and make America safe again.

    [embedded content]

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On getting President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ across the finish line:
    “We are not going to go home this summer without finishing this bill. Failure is not an option. This bill is going to prevent the largest tax increase in American history. It’s going to give Americans $1,000 a month more of their own money. They’ll take home $1,000 more a month. If we don’t pass this bill, that evaporates. We have to deliver [on] the President’s agenda to secure the border. 
    “… In this bill, there’s enough money for 2,000 miles of barrier. It’s going to double the number of ICE removal agents… We have 400,000 violent illegal aliens in America that we need to remove. It’s easy to spend $100,000 on their removal. So, failure is not an option.
    “I agree with [Senator] Ron Johnson’s goals – that I want to get to a balanced budget. I believe we’ll do that over four years’ time. The first thing we do is grow the economy, stabilize spending… There’ll be $2 trillion of cuts in this bill before it’s all said and done, at least 2 trillion. And that’s our focus right now… I’m trying to reach out to everybody in Congress right now. Where else can we trim some money? I’m working hard on Medicaid. That would be my area of expertise. So, we’ll get there, but we have a lot of work to do now in the next three weeks.” 
    On the timeline of the Senate passing the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’:
    “I wouldn’t plan on any big plans over July 4. I think that the Senate will take it right up to that day. We’re supposed to be done on Thursday before July 4. I bet we’re here all weekend. I bet we give it over to the House. Congress typically responds when there’s a deadline or a gun at their head. So, I wouldn’t make any big plans for July 4 if I was on the House side.”
    On the un-American, anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles:
    “Thank God we’ve had Donald Trump as our president. He’s not going to tolerate this one bit. Look these rioters have defaced a federal property. They’re setting cars on fire, and they’re treating our law enforcement horribly. President Trump is not going to tolerate that. I hope he doubles up the number of troops that were sitting there. We need to send a loud and clear message that under Donald Trump, we’re not going to tolerate this type of violence, this type of vandalism.
    “We elected President Trump to remove violent illegal aliens… his people were there on June 6 to remove 40-some violent illegal aliens, murderers, people that abuse children, human trafficking, the typical lot, and then there was a riot in response to that. We need to empower President Trump. Thank God that Donald Trump is there sticking up for our military and sticking up for our law enforcement.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Memphis Man Sentenced to Seventeen Years for Trafficking 17-Year-Old Female to Perform Commercial Sex Acts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DOMINIQUE PEEPLES (“PEEPLES”), age 28, from Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced on May 28, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(b)(2), 1594(a), and 2.

    According to court documents, PEEPLES brought a seventeen-year-old female (“Minor Victim”) from Memphis, Tennessee to New Orleans, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and Houston, Texas, and required her to engage in commercial sex acts.  During this time, PEEPLES was aware of Minor Victim’s age.  PEEPLES advertised Minor Victim on websites commonly used to advertise sexual services in exchange for money and kept all or most of the proceeds from her work.   PEEPLES waited in a vehicle and watched Minor Victim while she solicited commercial sex “dates.”  Minor Victim worked under PEEPLES’ supervision between August of 2020 and her escape in mid-January 2021.  After Minor Victim ran away, PEEPLES posted a video on social media in which he boasted about exploiting Minor Victim and pointed firearms at the screen.

    U.S. District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced PEEPLES to seventeen (17) years in prison.  PEEPLES was also sentenced to ten (10) years of supervised release after release from prison. Judge Vance further ordered PEEPLES to pay $120,000 in restitution to Minor Victim, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  PEEPLES will also have to register as a sex offender.

    This case was part of a broader investigation involving defendants JEREMY TALBERT and MACEO ROBERTS, both of whom have pleaded guilty for related sex trafficking crimes.  In February 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan sentenced ROBERTS to 22.5 years of imprisonment for conspiring to traffic three minors and two adults.  In March 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Lance Africk sentenced TALBERT to 18 years for trafficking a fourteen-year-old minor to New Orleans.

    These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Woman Guilty of Wire Fraud for Fraudulent Vehicle Purchase Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KENDRA WALKER (“WALKER”), age 41, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on June 5, 2025 before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe on June 5, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. 

    According to court documents, in 2022, WALKER conspired with her father, Kenneth Richmond, to use fake and stolen personal identifying information to make fraudulent vehicle purchases from a local car dealership.  The vehicle purchases were financed through a financial institution, and several of the loans went into default.  WALKER also made three vehicle purchases in her own name using a fake Social Security Number in Georgia.  In total, WALKER caused the financial institution to approve approximately $216,939 in loans for fraudulent applications.  Richmond was also charged in this case and pled guilty for his role in this scheme in May 2025.

    In pleading guilty, WALKER faces up to twenty (20) years in prison and up to three (3) years of supervised release.  WALKER also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

    Judge Ashe set sentencing in this matter for September 25, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Micropolis Holding Company Announces Receipt of Audit Opinion with Going Concern Explanation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Micropolis Holding Company (“Micropolis” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: MCRP), a pioneer in unmanned ground vehicles and AI-driven security solutions, today announced that, as previously disclosed in its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed on May 8, 2025 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “2024 Annual Report”), the Company’s audited financial statements contained an audit opinion from its independent registered public accounting firm that included an explanatory paragraph related to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. See further discussion in Note 3 to the Company’s financial statements included in the 2024 Annual Report. This announcement is made pursuant to NYSE American LLC Company Guide Sections 401(h) and 610(b), which requires public announcement of the receipt of an audit opinion containing a going concern paragraph. This announcement does not represent any change or amendment to the Company’s financial statements or to its 2024 Annual Report.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, “intend”, “believe”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “can have”, “likely” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements represent Micropolis’ current expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    About Micropolis Holding Company

    Micropolis is a UAE-based company specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), AI systems, and smart infrastructure for urban, security, and industrial applications. The Company’s vertically integrated capabilities cover everything from mechatronics and embedded systems to AI software and high-level autonomy.

    For more information please visit www.micropolis.ai.

    Investor Contact:
    KCSA Strategic Communications
    Valter Pinto, Managing Director
    PH: (212) 896-1254
    Valter@KCSA.com

    Media Contact:
    Jessica Starman
    media@elev8newmedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Teen Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Salem Gun Theft, Trafficking Offenses

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

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDUARDO CRUZ, 19, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to the theft of firearms from a federally-licensed gun dealer in Salem, and the trafficking of some of the stolen firearms.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning of March 15, 2024, Cruz and others drove a car into the entryway doors of Statewide Pawn Shop, a federal firearms licensee in Salem, and stole 21 firearms from the store.  Later that day, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of three of the stolen firearms from Cruz and a juvenile in Waterbury.  On March 18, 2024, investigators purchased another of the stolen firearms from Cruz, who arrived at the meeting location with two juveniles.  Cruz was arrested at that time, and law enforcement recovered two additional stolen firearms, one that was carried by one of the juveniles, and one from Cruz’s vehicle.

    Two of the stolen firearms were also found in the home of one of Cruz’s associates on March 18, 2024.  Thirteen of the stolen firearms are still missing.

    Cruz has been detained since his arrest.  On March 7, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a licensee and one count of firearms trafficking.

    This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Waterbury, Stamford, and Wolcott Police Departments.

    U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Waterbury and the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New London for their cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mahard through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    MIL Security OSI –