Category: AM-NC

MIL-OSI USA: S. 237, Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025

Source: US Congressional Budget Office

Bill Summary

S. 237 would expand eligibility for death, disability, and education benefits provided by the Public Safety Officer’s Benefit (PSOB) program to public safety officers and their beneficiaries if an officer dies or becomes permanently and totally disabled as a direct result of a cancer covered under the bill. S. 237 would apply retroactively to officers who die or become disabled on or after January 1, 2020. The bill would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review the list of cancers covered by the bill at least once every three years.

S. 237 also would extend the deadline to file a claim for benefits under the PSOB program for officers and their beneficiaries for officers who die or become permanently and totally disabled from COVID-19. Under current law, the deadline to file such a claim was May 11, 2023, when the public health emergency declared during the coronavirus pandemic ended.

Estimated Federal Cost

The estimated budgetary effect of S. 237 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget function 750 (administration of justice).

Table 1. Estimated Budgetary Effects of S. 237
	By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032	2033	2034	2035	2025-2030	2025-2035
	Increases in Direct Spending
Estimated Budget Authority	0	22	50	43	30	26	23	18	17	18	18	171	265
Estimated Outlays	0	15	40	45	34	27	23	19	17	17	18	161	255
	Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation
Estimated Authorization	*	6	15	16	13	11	n.e.	n.e.	n.e.	n.e.	n.e.	61	n.e.
Estimated Outlays	*	5	14	16	13	11	n.e.	n.e.	n.e.	n.e.	n.e.	59	n.e.

Basis of Estimate

CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted near the end of fiscal year 2025. The estimate is based on CBO’s analysis of cancer incidence and mortality among the general population of the United States and a review of the medical literature related to cancer incidence and mortality among public safety officers, including firefighters. The estimate is also based on CBO’s projections of the number of deaths among public safety officers that are likely to be related to cancer and the number of officers or their beneficiaries who apply for and receive benefits under the PSOB program.

Background

The PSOB program is administered by DOJ to provide cash benefits to federal, state, and local public safety officers and their beneficiaries in the event of death or permanent and total disability resulting from physical injuries and certain mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Education benefits are also available to eligible spouses and children of officers who die or become disabled in the line of duty. Public safety officers include those working in law enforcement, firefighters, emergency management, and emergency medical services.

The program already provides benefits to World Trade Center responders and their beneficiaries who die or become disabled from cancer from exposure to a carcinogen after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. CBO is unaware of the program approving any death or disability claim related to cancer that does not stem from attacks on September 11, 2001.

Eligibility Under the Bill

Under S. 237, an exposure to a carcinogen would qualify as an injury in the line of duty if an officer later dies or becomes permanently and totally disabled as a direct result of cancer. The bill would direct DOJ to presume that a qualifying injury caused the death or disability if the officer:

Was exposed to a carcinogen while in the line of duty;
Served for at least five years before being diagnosed with cancer; and
Received a diagnosis of cancer within 15 years of leaving service.

The presumption would not apply if DOJ determines, based on competent medical evidence, that the exposure to a carcinogen was not a substantial factor in an officer’s death or disability.

Direct Spending

The PSOB program pays a one-time death benefit to spouses and children or other designated beneficiaries of officers who die in the line of duty. The cost of those benefits is classified in the budget as direct spending. In 2025, the one-time benefit is $448,575; under current law, that amount increases each year to account for inflation.

Cancer Claims. CBO expects that most relatives of potentially eligible officers would apply for benefits. Based on information from DOJ and other similar programs, such as the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, CBO estimates that about 75 percent of claims for cancer-related deaths among public safety officers would ultimately result in benefits being paid to family members or designated beneficiaries. CBO expects that firefighters would account for most claims under the bill.

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on cancer mortality among the general population and a review of medical literature regarding cancer incidence and mortality among firefighters, CBO estimates that, on average, about 40 claims would be filed annually over the 2025-2035 period.

S. 237 also would require benefits to be awarded for cancer deaths occurring between January 1, 2020, and the date of enactment. CBO estimates that about 200 claims would be submitted for officers who died from cancer during that period and that those claims would be filed within three years of enactment.

COVID-19 Claims. Additionally, the bill would extend by three years the deadline to file a claim for death benefits for spouses, children, or other beneficiaries of officers who die from COVID-19. Under current law, an officer is presumed to be eligible by DOJ if the officer was diagnosed with COVID-19 within 45 days of the last day of duty and medical evidence indicates that the officer had the virus or complications from the virus at the time of death. Under current law, the deadline to file such a claim was May 11, 2023, when the public health emergency related to the coronavirus pandemic was lifted. Using information from DOJ about the number of those claims it received between 2020 and 2023 and data from the CDC on COVID-19 mortality, CBO estimates that about 150 claims would be submitted for officers who die from COVID-19.

In total, CBO estimates that under the bill, about 765 claims would be filed over the 2025-2035 period. Based on the amount of time CBO estimates that it would take DOJ to process each eligible claim, CBO estimates that about 530 claims would be approved for benefits over the next decade under S. 237. (About 30 claims filed during that period would be approved after 2035.) Accounting for expected increases in inflation, CBO estimates that enacting S. 237 would increase direct spending by $255 million over the 2025-2035 period.

Spending Subject to Appropriation

By expanding the scope of qualifying deaths and injuries, S. 237 also would increase the number of claimants eligible for disability and education benefits under the PSOB program. Spending for those benefits is subject to the availability of appropriated funds. DOJ also would incur administrative costs to implement the bill. In total, CBO estimates that implanting S. 237 would cost $59 million over the 2025-2030 period (see Table 2). That spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Disability Benefits. Under current law, the PSOB program pays benefits for permanent and total disability resulting from injuries suffered in the line of duty. Under current law, claimants receive a one-time benefit that is the same amount as the death benefit ($448,575 in 2025), which increases each year to account for inflation. In total, CBO estimates that the cost of disability benefits under S. 237 would be $24 million over the 2025-2030 period.

Table 2. Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 237
	By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2025-2030
Disability Benefits
Estimated Authorization	0	1	5	7	6	5	24
Estimated Outlays	0	1	5	7	6	5	24
Education Benefits
Estimated Authorization	0	4	9	8	6	5	32
Estimated Outlays	0	3	8	8	6	5	30
Administrative Costs
Estimated Authorization	*	1	1	1	1	1	5
Estimated Outlays	*	1	1	1	1	1	5
Total Changes
Estimated Authorization	*	6	15	16	13	11	61
Estimated Outlays	*	5	14	16	13	11	59

Cancer Claims. S. 237 would designate an exposure to a carcinogen as an injury in the line of duty if an officer later becomes permanently disabled as a direct result of cancer. Using information from DOJ about the historical number of claims, CBO expects that fewer claims for disability benefits would be filed under the bill than claims for death benefits. On that basis, CBO estimates that one claim for disability benefits would be filed for every three claims for death benefits. Additionally, based on conversations with DOJ and subject matter experts, CBO expects that most officers affected by cancer would not meet the permanently and totally disabled threshold. Based on historical approval rates for disability-related claims, CBO estimates that about 50 percent of claims for disability claims would ultimately be approved.

Under the bill, CBO estimates that about 120 claims for disability benefits related to cancer would be filed over the 2025-2030 period. Using information from DOJ about the time it takes to process each claim, CBO estimates that about 50 claims would be approved over the same period. (About 10 additional claims filed during the period would be approved after 2030.)

COVID-19 Claims. S. 237 also would extend by three years the deadline to file a claim for benefits under the PSOB program for officers who become permanently and totally disabled from COVID-19. Using data from DOJ about the number of those claims filed and approved over the 2020-2023 period, CBO estimates that under S. 237 fewer than five claims would be approved for officers who become disabled from COVID-19.

Education Benefits. Under current law, the spouse or children of a public safety officer who dies or becomes permanently disabled from physical injuries and certain mental health conditions may also be eligible for education benefits to cover tuition, fees, books, supplies and room and board. The monthly benefit for a full-time student in 2025 is $1,536; that amount is adjusted each year for inflation. Under current law, the maximum duration of benefits is 45 months of full-time education or a proportionate duration of part-time education.

Historical data from the PSOB program indicate that about three claims for education benefits have been approved for every two claims that have been approved for death and disability benefits. On that basis, CBO estimates that about 360 claims stemming from death benefits and about 50 claims stemming from disability benefits will be approved over the 2025-2030 period under S. 237. Using information about the time it takes to process claims for education benefits, CBO estimates that about 650 people will receive benefits over the 2025-2030 period under the bill. In total, CBO estimates that those benefits would cost $30 million over the 2025-2030 period. Those outlays reflect the historical spending patterns for such claims.

Administrative Costs. As discussed above, implementing S. 237 would require DOJ to review more than 150 additional claims annually under the bill. Using information from the agency about the number of staff required to process claims under current law, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would require an additional five people each year to process claims and review the list of eligible cancers at a cost of $1 million annually. In total, CBO estimates that DOJ would incur $5 million in administrative costs over the 2025-2030 period.

Uncertainty

CBO’s cost estimate for S. 237 is subject to significant uncertainty in several areas:

Identifying public safety officers’ rate of incidence and deaths from cancer and COVID-19;
Estimating the number of people who would be eligible to file claims for benefits under the bill;
Calculating the proportion of claims that DOJ would determine to be eligible, which is affected by the latency periods for different cancers and other circumstances specific to each officer’s medical history and lifestyle; and
Anticipating the timing of submissions and the amount of time required to review applications and process claims.

CBO strives for estimates that are in the middle of possible outcomes and each factor in the estimate could be higher or lower than CBO estimates. As a result, enacting the bill could result in higher or lower costs than CBO estimates.

Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. CBO’s Estimate of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Effects of S. 237, the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025, as Reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on May 20, 2025
	By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032	2033	2034	2035	2025-2030	2025-2035
	Net Increase in the Deficit
Pay-As-You-Go Effect	0	15	40	45	34	27	23	19	17	17	18	161	255

Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

CBO estimates that enacting S. 237 would not increase net direct spending by more than $2.5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

CBO estimates that enacting S. 237 would not increase on‑budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

Mandates

The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

Federal Costs: Jeremy Crimm

Mandates: Erich Dvorak

Estimate Reviewed By

Justin Humphrey
Chief, Finance, Housing, and Education Cost Estimates Unit

Kathleen FitzGerald
Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

H. Samuel Papenfuss
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

Phillip L. Swagel

Director, Congressional Budget Office

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Passenger Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault Charges During Flight From Montana to Texas

Source: US FBI

MISSOULA – A New Jersey man accused of sexual assault while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla faces up to 2 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for November 19, 2025. Shukla was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation.

Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks.

A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.

XXX

MIL Security OSI –

July 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato

Getty Images

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion overnight to clarify state obligations related to climate change.

It will answer two urgent questions: what are the obligations of states under international law to protect the climate and environment from greenhouse gas emissions, and what are the legal consequences for states that have caused significant harm to Earth’s atmosphere and environment?

ICJ advisory opinions are not legally binding. But coming from the world’s highest court, they provide an authoritative opinion on serious issues that can be highly persuasive.

This advisory opinion marks the culmination of a campaign that began in 2019 when students and youth organisations in Vanuatu – one of the most vulnerable nations to climate-related impacts – persuaded their government to seek clarification on what states should be doing to protect them.

Led by Vanuatu and co-sponsored by 132 member states, including New Zealand and Australia, the United Nations General Assembly formally requested the advisory opinion in March 2023.

More than two years of public consultation and deliberation ensued, leading to this week’s announcement.

What to expect

Looking at the specific questions to be addressed, at least three aspects stand out.

First, the sources and areas of international law under scrutiny are not confined to the UN’s climate change framework. This invites the ICJ to consider a broad range of law – including trans-boundary environmental law, human rights law, international investment law, humanitarian law, trade law and beyond – and to draw on both treaty-related obligations and customary international law.

Such an encyclopaedic examination could produce a complex and integrated opinion on states’ obligations to protect the environment and climate system.

Second, the opinion will address what obligations exist, not just to those present today, but to future generations. This follows acknowledgement of the so-called “intertemporal characteristics” of climate change in recent climate-related court decisions and the need to respond effectively to both the current climate crisis and its likely ongoing consequences.

Third, the opinion won’t just address what obligations states have, but also what the consequences should be for nations:

where they, by their acts and omissions have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment.

Addressing consequences as well as obligations should cause states to pay closer attention and make the ICJ’s advisory more relevant to domestic climate litigation and policy discussions.

Representatives from Pacific island nations gathered outside the International Court of Justice during the hearings.
Michel Porro/Getty Images

Global judicial direction

Two recent court findings may offer clues as to the potential scope of the ICJ’s findings.

Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights published its own advisory opinion on state obligations in response to climate change.

Explicitly connecting fundamental human rights with a healthy ecosystem, this opinion affirmed states have an imperative duty to prevent irreversible harm to the climate system. Moreover, the duty to safeguard the common ecosystem must be understood as a fundamental principle of international law to which states must adhere.

Meanwhile last week, an Australian federal court dismissed a landmark climate case, determining that the Australian government does not owe a duty of care to Torres Strait Islanders to protect them from the consequences of climate change.

The court accepted the claimants face significant loss and damage from climate impacts and that previous Australian government policies on greenhouse gas emissions were not aligned with the best science to limit climate change. But it nevertheless determined that “matters of high or core government policy” are not subject to common law duties of care.

Whether the ICJ will complement the Inter-American court’s bold approach or opt for a more constrained and conservative response is not certain. But now is the time for clear and ambitious judicial direction with global scope.

Implications for New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand aspires to climate leadership through its Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019. This set 2050 targets of reducing emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) to net zero, and biogenic methane by 25-47%.

However, actions to date are likely insufficient to meet this target. Transport emissions continue to rise and agriculture – responsible for nearly half of the country’s emissions – is lightly regulated.

Although the government plans to double renewable energy by 2050, it is also in the process of lifting a 2018 ban on offshore gas exploration and has pledged $200 million to co-invest in the development of new fields.

Critics also point out the government has made little progress towards its promise to install 10,000 EV charging stations by 2030 while axing a clean-investment fund.

Although a final decision is yet to be made, the government is also considering to lower the target for cuts to methane emissions from livestock, against advice from the Climate Change Commission.

With the next global climate summit coming up in November, the ICJ opinion may offer timely encouragement for states to reconsider their emissions targets and the ambition of climate policies.

Most countries have yet to submit their latest emissions reduction pledges (known as nationally determined contributions) under the Paris Agreement. New Zealand has made its pledge, but it has been described as “underwhelming”. This may present a chance to adjust ambition upwards.

If the ICJ affirms that states have binding obligations to prevent climate harm, including trans-boundary impacts, New Zealand’s climate change policies and progress to date could face increased legal scrutiny.

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

– ref. Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question – https://theconversation.com/do-countries-have-a-duty-to-prevent-climate-harm-the-worlds-highest-court-is-about-to-answer-this-crucial-question-261396

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Names Christa Kiedrowski as Regional Director In Bismarck

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
07.22.25
BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today announced that Christa Kiedrowski will serve as his regional director for the south-central region of North Dakota. Based in Hoeven’s Bismarck office, Kiedrowski will manage outreach to 10 counties, helping with the senator’s efforts to assist constituents, businesses and community leaders in the region.
“We’re excited to have Christa step in as our regional director for North Dakota’s capital city and the surrounding region,” said Hoeven. “Throughout her career, she has been focused on building relationships in her community, whether through the stories she’s reported or the business clients she’s worked with. This experience will serve her well as we continue working to advance the priorities of families and businesses across the state.”
Since 2022, Kiedrowski has worked as an anchor, reporter and producer at KFYR TV. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and Mass Communications Technologies, with a minor in Public Relations, from North Dakota State University in 2011. She will be working from Hoeven’s office at 220 East Rosser Avenue, Room 312 in Bismarck and can be reached at 701-250-4618 or christa_kiedrowski@hoeven.senate.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Executive Session to Consider USTR, Treasury Nominations

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at an executive session to consider the nominations of Joseph Barloon to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) and Brian Morrissey, Jr. to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury.
As prepared for delivery:
“We meet today to consider favorably reporting the nominations of Joe Barloon, who is nominated to serve as Deputy USTR and Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Brian Morrissey, who is nominated to serve as the General Counsel of the Treasury Department.
“The meeting this morning will provide members with the opportunity to make remarks on the nominees. Following statements, we will recess briefly then proceed to our nominations hearing this morning. Later today, we will notify members of the time and location of the vote on Mr. Barloon and Mr. Morrissey.
“During his hearing, Mr. Barloon discussed his plan to work in good faith with WTO Members to advance the interests of the United States. Importantly, based on his prior tenure as General Counsel to the U.S. Trade Representative, Mr. Barloon understands the critical role the WTO plays in ensuring market access for our farmers and businesses of all types. If confirmed, Mr. Barloon will work to restore U.S. leadership at the WTO.
“Building on prior Treasury Department experience, Mr. Morrissey is well-suited to provide critical legal and policy advice to the Secretary and other senior Department officials. He is exceptionally qualified for the position, and his nomination received bipartisan support from Treasury General Counsels dating back to 1977. I was encouraged to hear that he will prioritize a close working relationship with Congress to ensure that the Department effectively implements all laws Congress sends to it.
“I will vote in favor of both nominations and I encourage all of my colleagues on the Committee to do the same.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Finance Committee Advances USTR, Treasury Nominations

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

Washington, D.C.–The U.S. Senate Finance Committee today advanced the nominations of Joseph Barloon to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) and Brian Morrissey, Jr., to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury, each by a vote of 14-13. Following the vote, Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the statement below:
“Each of the nominees advanced by the Committee today will bring vital experience to their respective roles. Mr. Barloon will work to advance the Unites States’ trade interests at the World Trade Organization as the Administration reestablishes U.S. leadership and will be an incredible advocate for American businesses and farmers. Mr. Morrissey is well-suited to provide critical legal and policy advice to the Secretary and other Treasury officials, and has made it clear he will work closely with Congress to ensure the Department effectively implements all laws. I look forward to each nominee’s confirmation by the full Senate.”
Executive session information can be found here.
Read Chairman Crapo’s full statement at the nomination hearing here, and his statement at the executive session here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Treasury, HHS Nominations Hearing

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a nomination hearing to consider Jonathan McKernan to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury and Alex Adams of Idaho to be Assistant Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary for Family Support.
As prepared for delivery:
“Thank you to our nominees, Mr. McKernan and Dr. Adams, for being here today. Congratulations on your nominations and thank you both for your willingness to serve.
“Today, we will first hear from Jonathan McKernan who is nominated to serve as the Under Secretary for Domestic Finance at the Treasury Department.
“The Domestic Finance office develops policies and guidance for Treasury Department activities in areas involving financial institutions, federal debt finance, financial regulation and capital markets. Sensible guidance in these areas better ensures financial stability and the growth and resilience of our economy.
“Mr. McKernan has a demonstrated track record of support for sound and balanced regulation. As a member of the Board of Directors at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Mr. McKernan opposed burdensome rulemakings, such as the Basel III Endgame Proposal, which would have hindered economic growth and reduced lending to households and businesses.
“He also served in senior advisory roles on the staff of the Senate Banking Committee, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Treasury Department.
“Mr. McKernan, I look forward to working with you, if confirmed, to bolster and protect our domestic financial system.
“We will also hear from Dr. Alex Adams–from Eagle, Idaho–who is nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Family Support, which oversees the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“ACF plays a vital role in supporting some of America’s most vulnerable populations, including foster care and adoption assistance, both of which have garnered bipartisan interest from this Committee. It is imperative that this agency is led by someone with a deep understanding of these complex issues, a commitment to sound fiscal management, and a proven track record of delivering results.
“Dr. Adams’ service as the Director of Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare has prepared him to lead ACF. He has overseen a staff of nearly 3,000 individuals and an annual budget of $5.5 billion and delivered clear results for Idahoans.
“As Director, Dr. Adams placed a strong emphasis on child welfare, working with the Idaho State Legislature to enact laws to extend foster care to age 23, allow kin-specific licensing standards, and enhance time to permanency.
“Dr. Adams also has a strong record on budget and efficiency, having served as Governor Little’s budget and regulatory director. He has demonstrated a keen eye toward fiscal responsibility, reducing regulatory burden and maximizing the impact of taxpayer dollars. This experience will be invaluable as he oversees the varied programs under ACF’s purview.
“His nomination has also received letters of support from a broad range of different stakeholders, which I request to be entered into the record.
“Thank you again to our nominees for their time today.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British Ambassador pays courtesy visit to Guatemalan Minister of Education
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story

British Ambassador pays courtesy visit to Guatemalan Minister of Education

English

Español de América Latina

Ambassador Juliana Correa and Minister Anabella Giracca met to explore ways to further deepen UK-Guatemala educational ties.
The meeting highlighted the potential of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)—the world’s largest fund dedicated to transforming education in lower-income countries, with the UK as its leading donor. Discussions focused on leveraging this platform to support Guatemala’s education priorities.

Key areas of potential collaboration included enhancing early English language learning and expanding Guatemalan participation in the UK’s prestigious Chevening Scholarship programme at the postgraduate level.

Ambassador Correa also expressed the UK’s interest in supporting national initiatives such as the “Scholarships for Our Future” programme, recognizing its transformative impact on the lives of Guatemalan youth.

In closing, the Ambassador commended Minister Giracca’s efforts to expand educational access, improve learning outcomes, and promote equity and inclusion across the country’s education system.

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Published 22 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British Ambassador pays courtesy visit to Guatemalan Minister of Education
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story

British Ambassador pays courtesy visit to Guatemalan Minister of Education

English

Español de América Latina

Ambassador Juliana Correa and Minister Anabella Giracca met to explore ways to further deepen UK-Guatemala educational ties.
The meeting highlighted the potential of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)—the world’s largest fund dedicated to transforming education in lower-income countries, with the UK as its leading donor. Discussions focused on leveraging this platform to support Guatemala’s education priorities.

Key areas of potential collaboration included enhancing early English language learning and expanding Guatemalan participation in the UK’s prestigious Chevening Scholarship programme at the postgraduate level.

Ambassador Correa also expressed the UK’s interest in supporting national initiatives such as the “Scholarships for Our Future” programme, recognizing its transformative impact on the lives of Guatemalan youth.

In closing, the Ambassador commended Minister Giracca’s efforts to expand educational access, improve learning outcomes, and promote equity and inclusion across the country’s education system.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

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Updates to this page

Published 22 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Garbage management and disposal: new guide and e-learning modules

Source: Maritime New Zealand

Last month we issued a new guide for the Marine Protection Rules Part 170: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships. This guide explains what vessel owners, operators, and skippers need to do to comply with Part 170 rule requirements.

New Zealand’s Marine Protection Rules Part 170 implement the international garbage discharge and management requirements under MARPOL Annex V: Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Garbage from Ships (MARPOL Annex V). New Zealand signed up to MARPOL Annex V, which aims to reduce and eliminate the amount of garbage discharged from ships, in 1998.

Part 170 applies to all vessels (whether New Zealand or foreign flagged) and the requirements apply regardless of whether the vessel is used for commercial or recreational purposes. The specific requirements that apply to you will depend on your vessel type, operation, and location.

The guidance doesn’t contain any new rules – it’s just a reminder of the current legislation and vessel owner/operator/skipper responsibilities for helping to prevent garbage pollution of the marine environment, which also covers accidental loss of fishing gear. It replaces the 2013 Advisory Circular.

If you’d like to learn more about MARPOL Annex V, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has also recently released a new free e-learning course that aims to improve awareness and enhance global implementation of the garbage regulations. It blends animated modules and practical scenario-based questions. Visit the IMO e-Learning portal.

For more information see:

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Indianapolis CPA Sentenced for Participation in Illegal Tax Shelter

Source: US State of North Dakota

Defendant Helped Clients in Mississippi and Elsewhere File Returns Claiming False Business Deductions

An Indiana CPA was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for assisting in the preparation of false tax returns on behalf of clients who participated in an illegal tax shelter.

The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: between 2013 and 2022, Jason L. Crace prepared income tax returns for clients that claimed millions of dollars in false deductions for so-called “royalty payments.” However, as Crace knew, these “royalty payments” were merely circular flows of money designed to give the appearance of genuine business expenses. Typically, a client would send money to bank accounts controlled by scheme promoters who then sent the money — minus a fee — back to a different bank account controlled by the client. In this way, tax shelter participants retained control of the money they transferred, while falsely deducting the transfers as business expenses on their tax returns. One of the scheme’s promoters, Stephen T. Mellinger III, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role promoting the scheme.

In total, Crace’s preparation of false tax returns claiming fraudulent “royalty” deductions caused a loss to the IRS of more than $2.5 million.

In addition to his prison sentence, the court sentenced Crace to serve one year of supervised release and to pay restitution of $2,532,936.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Richard J. Hagerman, William M. Montague, and Matthew C. Hicks of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Five Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Operating One of the Largest Illegal Television Show Streaming Services in the United States

Source: US State of North Dakota

Yesterday, the final judgments were issued for five Nevada men, including a citizen of Germany, who were sentenced on May 29 and 30 to terms of up to 84 months in prison for running Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal television streaming services in the United States.

“The defendants operated Jetflicks, an illegal paid streaming service that made available more television episodes than any licensed streaming service on the market,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, and hurt thousands of U.S. companies and individuals who owned the copyrights to these shows but never received a penny in compensation from Jetflicks. The sentences issued in this case demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to protect American creativity and to ensure that large-scale infringers are brought to justice and punished for their crimes.”

“Digital crimes are not victimless crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The copyright owners lost millions of dollars as a result of the illegal paid streaming service. These sentences underscore our joint commitment with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and FBI to deter and disrupt intellectual property crime via thorough investigation and prosecution of those who violate federal intellectual property laws.”

“By building and running one of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the U.S., these individuals not only stole from content creators and legitimate streaming services, they undermined the integrity of our economy and the rule of law,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “These sentencings are a reminder that illegal actions have consequences. The FBI and our partners are unwavering in our commitment to protect intellectual property rights and hold criminals accountable.”

After a 14-day trial that ended in June 2024, a federal jury in the District of Nevada convicted Kristopher Lee Dallmann, 42; Peter H. Huber, 67; Jared Edward Jaurequi, also known as Jared Edwards, 44; Felipe Garcia, 43; and Douglas M. Courson, 65, all of Las Vegas, of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. The jury also convicted Dallmann of criminal copyright infringement by distribution, criminal copyright infringement by public performance, and money laundering. Subsequently, the court sentenced Dallmann to 84 months in prison; Huber to 18 months in prison; Jaurequi to time served (almost 5 months in prison), 180 days of home confinement, and 500 hours of community service; Garcia to three years probation with 49 days in prison and 1000 hours of community service; and Courson to three years probation with 48 days in prison.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants ran a site called Jetflicks, an online subscription-based service headquartered in Las Vegas, that permitted users to stream and at times download copyrighted television programs without the permission of the relevant copyright owners. At one point, Jetflicks claimed to have 183,285 different television episodes, significantly more than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, or any other licensed streaming service. This was the largest internet piracy case — as measured by the estimated total infringement amount and total number of infringements — ever to go to trial as well as the first illegal streaming case ever to go to trial. The defendants’ conduct harmed every major copyright owner of a television program in the United States. Copyright owners lost millions of dollars from the operation.

Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendants used automated software and computer scripts that ran constantly to scour sites around the world hosting pirated content. The software and scripts would download, process, and store illegal content, and then make it immediately available on servers in the United States and Canada to tens of thousands of paid subscribers located throughout the United States for streaming and/or downloading. The defendants often delivered episodes to subscribers the day after the shows originally aired on television. The service was not only available to subscribers over the internet but specifically designed to work on many different types of devices, platforms, and software.

Each defendant performed at least one and often multiple roles at Jetflicks including management, computer programming and coding, design of the website, applications, and customer interface, technical assistance, content acquisition, subscriptions and revenue, and customer support.

Dallmann reaped millions of dollars in profit from the operation. The government conservatively estimated the value of the copyright infringement in the case at $37.5 million. This included the approximate retail value of the defendants’ reproduction of infringing works to create the Jetflicks inventory as well as the approximate retail value of the streams of pirated television episodes that the defendants provided to subscribers.

The five defendants sentenced were among eight defendants originally indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in connection with operating Jetflicks. In addition to the defendants just sentenced in Nevada, defendant Darryl Polo previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to four counts of criminal copyright infringement and one count of money laundering for his involvement with Jetflicks as well as an equally large illegal streaming site he ran called iStreamItAll. Similarly, defendant Luis Villarino also previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. In May 2021, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Virginia sentenced Polo and Villarino to, respectively, 57 months in prison and 12 months and a day in prison.

After the case was transferred to the District of Nevada for trial, defendant Yoany Vaillant was tried separately from the other five remaining defendants. In November 2024, after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Vaillant of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. Vaillant is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office.

Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti, Trial Attorney Michael Christin, and Acting Deputy Chief Christopher S. Merriam of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Edward G. Veronda for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The CCIPS Cybercrime Lab, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada provided significant assistance.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma City Duo Plead Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms Following Shooting at Apartment Complex
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

OKLAHOMA CITY – LARRY WELCH, 29, and JACOB MADISON, 24, both of Oklahoma City, have each pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On May 6, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment, charging both Welch and Madison with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, on April 7, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a reported shooting at an apartment complex. Witnesses told police that prior to the shooting, they had been involved in a dispute with the shooting suspects, later identified as Welch and Madison. Nobody was injured as a result of the shooting. Officers reviewed nearby surveillance video which showed Welch and Madison opening fire on the unarmed witnesses and then fleeing the complex. Officers canvassed the area, and shortly thereafter arrested Welch and Madison, who were found hiding in a residential backyard shed on a nearby property. Law enforcement also recovered two firearms, which Welch and Madison used during the shooting.

Public records show that both Welch and Madison have lengthy criminal histories. Welch has previous felony convictions that include:
- possession of a firearm after felony conviction in Cherokee County District Court case number CF-2015-629;
- injuring or burning a public building in Mayes County District Court case number CF-2015-0228; and
- feloniously pointing a firearm in Cleveland County District Court case number CF-2019-1389.
Madison has previous felony convictions that include:
- second-degree burglary in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2020-1275;
- knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property in Canadian County District Court case number CF-2022-437; and
- possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, committing a felony with a firearm with a defaced ID number, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia in McClain County District Court case number CF-2023-0072.
On July 16, 2025, both Welch and Madison pleaded guilty, and both admitted they possessed a firearm despite their previous felony convictions.

At sentencing, the defendants face up to 15 years in federal prison each, and fines of up to $250,000.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis (SAUSA) is prosecuting the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

MIL Security OSI –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Real Estate Podcaster Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Orchestrating $7 Million Ponzi Scheme

Source: US FBI

CLEVELAND – A popular former podcaster was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for orchestrating a real estate Ponzi scheme that took in over $7.3 million from at least 63 victims from across the United States, involving a wide range of income levels and ages.

According to court documents, from October 2017 to March 2022, Matthew Motil, 45, of North Olmsted, was a licensed real estate agent in Ohio who owned and operated several companies. He devised a scheme to defraud investors by using his podcast and other marketing tools to position himself as an expert in the field. Branding himself as the “Cash Flow King,” Motil produced and hosted programs which he promoted through social media and his websites. He also authored a book, “Man on Fire,” to further his credibility with investors. Using a combination of marketing tactics, he solicited prospective investors to invest their money with him and his real estate companies as a lucrative way to generate passive income. Motil provided the victim investors with promissory notes he said were secured by mortgages on properties located throughout Northeast Ohio. Unbeknownst to them, he used the same properties over and over to obtain money from one victim after another, each time providing them with a promissory note purportedly secured by a mortgage. Each victim believed that they were the sole mortgage holder of the investment property and that they would be able to recover their investment through foreclosure if Motil failed to make the payments he promised.

Motil deflected mortgage questions from investors by saying that there were long processing times. As he convinced more people to invest with him, he used those new funds to pay earlier investors to keep the scheme going.

“These victims were deceived and manipulated into handing over their hard-earned money to a shameless and selfish individual for his own benefit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office will take action to prosecute anyone who preys on the trusting nature of others.”

Motil also used the victim investors’ money to fund his lifestyle. He funded personal expenses such as leasing a large home on Lake Erie and securing courtside seats to Cleveland Cavaliers home games. He also used the funds to pay his credit cards and financially sustain his fitness businesses.

“The 63 victims of this investment/Ponzi scheme are at the forefront of our work, and this conviction reflects our steadfast commitment to justice on their behalf,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Blaine M. Forschen for the Cleveland Field Office. “Together with our federal, state, and local partners on the Secret Service Money Laundering Task Force, we will continue to protect our communities from those who exploit trust and inflict financial harm.”

Motil pleaded guilty to securities fraud and wire fraud on Sept. 5, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Donald C. Nugent imposed the sentence July 18, 2025. Motil was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $5,085,247.08 in restitution.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service Money Laundering Task Force* with significant assistance from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the former Major Crime Task Force hosted by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department. The Office of the United States Trustee for Region 9 – Cleveland, Ohio, also significantly contributed to the case.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica D. Barnhill for the Northern District of Ohio.

*The United Secret Service Task Force consists of the following agencies: Social Security-OIG, US Postal-OIG, US Postal Inspection Service, USDA-OIG, HUD-OIG, FBI, TIGTA-OIG, IRS-CI, Ohio BCI, Westlake PD, Parma PD, Amherst PD, North Olmsted PD, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Investigative Unit, Lorain County Sheriff’s Department, Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Casino Commission, Richfield PD and North Ridgeville PD.

MIL Security OSI –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Five Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Operating One of the Largest Illegal Television Show Streaming Services in the United States

Source: United States Attorneys General

Yesterday, the final judgments were issued for five Nevada men, including a citizen of Germany, who were sentenced on May 29 and 30 to terms of up to 84 months in prison for running Jetflicks, one of the largest illegal television streaming services in the United States.

“The defendants operated Jetflicks, an illegal paid streaming service that made available more television episodes than any licensed streaming service on the market,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This scheme generated millions of dollars in criminal profits, and hurt thousands of U.S. companies and individuals who owned the copyrights to these shows but never received a penny in compensation from Jetflicks. The sentences issued in this case demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to protect American creativity and to ensure that large-scale infringers are brought to justice and punished for their crimes.”

“Digital crimes are not victimless crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The copyright owners lost millions of dollars as a result of the illegal paid streaming service. These sentences underscore our joint commitment with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and FBI to deter and disrupt intellectual property crime via thorough investigation and prosecution of those who violate federal intellectual property laws.”

“By building and running one of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the U.S., these individuals not only stole from content creators and legitimate streaming services, they undermined the integrity of our economy and the rule of law,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “These sentencings are a reminder that illegal actions have consequences. The FBI and our partners are unwavering in our commitment to protect intellectual property rights and hold criminals accountable.”

After a 14-day trial that ended in June 2024, a federal jury in the District of Nevada convicted Kristopher Lee Dallmann, 42; Peter H. Huber, 67; Jared Edward Jaurequi, also known as Jared Edwards, 44; Felipe Garcia, 43; and Douglas M. Courson, 65, all of Las Vegas, of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. The jury also convicted Dallmann of criminal copyright infringement by distribution, criminal copyright infringement by public performance, and money laundering. Subsequently, the court sentenced Dallmann to 84 months in prison; Huber to 18 months in prison; Jaurequi to time served (almost 5 months in prison), 180 days of home confinement, and 500 hours of community service; Garcia to three years probation with 49 days in prison and 1000 hours of community service; and Courson to three years probation with 48 days in prison.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants ran a site called Jetflicks, an online subscription-based service headquartered in Las Vegas, that permitted users to stream and at times download copyrighted television programs without the permission of the relevant copyright owners. At one point, Jetflicks claimed to have 183,285 different television episodes, significantly more than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime, or any other licensed streaming service. This was the largest internet piracy case — as measured by the estimated total infringement amount and total number of infringements — ever to go to trial as well as the first illegal streaming case ever to go to trial. The defendants’ conduct harmed every major copyright owner of a television program in the United States. Copyright owners lost millions of dollars from the operation.

Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendants used automated software and computer scripts that ran constantly to scour sites around the world hosting pirated content. The software and scripts would download, process, and store illegal content, and then make it immediately available on servers in the United States and Canada to tens of thousands of paid subscribers located throughout the United States for streaming and/or downloading. The defendants often delivered episodes to subscribers the day after the shows originally aired on television. The service was not only available to subscribers over the internet but specifically designed to work on many different types of devices, platforms, and software.

Each defendant performed at least one and often multiple roles at Jetflicks including management, computer programming and coding, design of the website, applications, and customer interface, technical assistance, content acquisition, subscriptions and revenue, and customer support.

Dallmann reaped millions of dollars in profit from the operation. The government conservatively estimated the value of the copyright infringement in the case at $37.5 million. This included the approximate retail value of the defendants’ reproduction of infringing works to create the Jetflicks inventory as well as the approximate retail value of the streams of pirated television episodes that the defendants provided to subscribers.

The five defendants sentenced were among eight defendants originally indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in connection with operating Jetflicks. In addition to the defendants just sentenced in Nevada, defendant Darryl Polo previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to four counts of criminal copyright infringement and one count of money laundering for his involvement with Jetflicks as well as an equally large illegal streaming site he ran called iStreamItAll. Similarly, defendant Luis Villarino also previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. In May 2021, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Virginia sentenced Polo and Villarino to, respectively, 57 months in prison and 12 months and a day in prison.

After the case was transferred to the District of Nevada for trial, defendant Yoany Vaillant was tried separately from the other five remaining defendants. In November 2024, after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Vaillant of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. Vaillant is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Las Vegas Field Office.

Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti, Trial Attorney Michael Christin, and Acting Deputy Chief Christopher S. Merriam of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Edward G. Veronda for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The CCIPS Cybercrime Lab, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada provided significant assistance.

MIL Security OSI –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Taney County Volunteer Firefighter Sentenced to 180 Months for Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Hollister, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for sharing child pornography over the internet.

Cameron Allen Ryan, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Ryan to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. The court ordered Ryan to pay $51,000 in restitution to his victims and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

Ryan will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

Ryan pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, Ryan, who was a volunteer with the Taney County Volunteer Fire Department, admitted to receiving and trading files of child pornography with the undercover FBI agent and other individuals on the internet.

Law enforcement was alerted by a CyberTip made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. On Nov. 28, 2023, an undercover FBI agent downloaded numerous images of minor children which had been posted to an image hosting website by the suspect user profile and began communicating with suspect via email. The undercover officer made contact with the suspect, and the suspect sent a video to the agent that depicted a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The FBI identified Ryan as the suspect user. When officers searched Ryan’s cell phones, one of the phones was logged in to the email account that had been messaging the undercover FBI agent. A forensic analysis of the two phones found over 1800 files containing child pornography.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

MIL Security OSI –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Burlison Opens Subcommittee Hearing on Advancing Nuclear Energy

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Eric Burlison (R-Missouri 7th District)

WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) delivered opening remarks at today’s hearing on “The New Atomic Age: Advancing America’s Energy Future.” In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Burlison highlighted President Trump’s actions to boost American energy production and Congressional action to reinvigorate the nuclear industry. Subcommittee Chairman Burlison also noted the efficiency and cost of nuclear energy emphasized the importance discovering new pathways to solving domestic energy challenges.

VIDEO: Opening Remarks

Below are Subcommittee Chairman Burlison’s prepared remarks:

A new age for nuclear power has started—led by President Trump’s four recent executive orders on nuclear energy and Congressional action to reinvigorate the nuclear industry.

President Trump’s orders call for permitting reform and the reduction of overburdensome regulations from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has become a slow-moving, bureaucratic mess, constraining and delaying expansion of U.S. nuclear power deployment for decades.

Under President Trump’s orders, the NRC must rule on reactor license applications within 18 months—a dramatic shift from the ambiguous, open-ended timelines of the past.

President Trump’s orders also promote expanding domestic mining, enrichment of uranium and other reactor fuels, and nuclear-fuel recycling.

These ground-breaking actions will power United States energy independence and provide a secure and reliable U.S. electrical grid—something we must obtain as the AI revolution places surging demands on our. electrical capacity.

At the heart of nuclear power’s resurgence are two key innovations: small and micro modular reactors.

These new reactors promise the U.S. will have a strong answer to future energy demands.

They will be more capital-effective, more efficient, and more scalable for both on and off-grid sites here in the United States.

Moreover, they offer enhanced safety features, eliminate the risk of meltdowns, and can use recycled fuel from other reactors.

The Department of Energy predicts that 12 percent of electricity consumption in the United States in 2028 will come from data centers, which require constant and consistent electricity.

And the Energy Information Agency recently projected that U.S. power consumption will reach all-time highs this year and next, in part due to AI and data-center demand.

Nuclear power is the answer to data centers’ growing appetite for stable energy.

I recently toured two prototype micro modular reactors being developed here in the United States.

I can confidently say the technology is ready—what is holding nuclear back is the onerous and capital-intensive regulatory permitting burden placed on nuclear energy expansion.

Under the Trump Administration, the federal government is waking up to the roadblock that nuclear power has faced for decades.

The federal government, not technology, has been in the way.

Congress should and will be watching for the fruits of the Administration’s actions, eager to cooperate in achieving lasting change.

Nuclear power in the age of SMRs and MMRs isn’t just safe—it’s essential.

It is our best shot at securing clean, reliable, American energy independence.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Investigate Skydance’s Role in Potential Secret Trump Payoff Connected to Paramount Deal
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

July 22, 2025

With Skydance/Paramount merger pending, Skydance reportedly set up secret side deal with Trump worth tens of millions more dollars

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed Skydance Media about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and Donald Trump that may be related to Paramount’s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with the Trump administration, in a letter with Senate colleagues.

Skydance and Paramount are awaiting approval from the Trump administration on their proposed mega-merger, raising concerns about potential bribery related to the deal. In May, following reports of a potential settlement in Paramount’s legal battle with Trump, the senators wrote to the company with concerns that its attempt to settle Trump’s “meritless” lawsuit for tens of millions of dollars, while approval for its $8 billion merger with Skydance is pending in front of the Trump administration, could be construed as bribery.

“These reports raise fresh questions about corruption in the Trump administration and President Trump’s willingness to accept payments from entities with significant policy interests before agencies he controls,” the senators wrote in a letter to Skydance Media CEO David Ellison.

Despite warnings from senators that the deal resembled back-door bribery, Paramount reached a $16 million settlement with Trump, a portion of which will go towards his presidential library. Moving funds to the presidential library offers a discrete way for Trump to collect money under the appearance of ‘contributions’. It was later revealed that the arrangement exceeds the original $16 million. The arrangement may involve public service announcements and other broadcast content promoting conservative causes, potentially worth an additional $15 to $20 million – leading to reports of a back-door deal with Skydance. Consequences could include CBS’ decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert just days after he publicly criticized Paramount’s settlement.

Along with Wyden, the letter was led by Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

To understand whether Skydance’s actions complied with federal anti-bribery laws, the senators are requesting answers to the following questions by August 4.
1. Is there currently any arrangement under which you or Skydance will provide compensation, advertising, or promotional activities that in any way assist Trump, his family, his presidential library, or other Administration officials?
2. Have you personally discussed with Trump, any of his family members, any Trump administration officials, or presidential library fund personnel any matters related to the Paramount-Skydance transaction? If so, what was the nature of these discussions?
3. Were you or any other Skydance executives involved in discussions about settling Trump’s lawsuit against CBS? If so, please provide information regarding the timing, nature of, and participants in these discussions, including whether the pending transaction with Paramount was discussed.
4. Has Skydance agreed or have you personally agreed to make changes to Skydance’s content or Paramount’s or CBS’s content at the request of the Trump administration, to facilitate approval of the transaction? If so, please describe those requests.
5. Were you or other Skydance executives involved in discussions about canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert? If so, please provide information regarding the timing, nature of, and participants in these discussions, including whether the pending transaction with Paramount was discussed.
6. Does Skydance have any policies, procedures, or guidance related to compliance with 18 U.S.C. 201 or any other laws governing public corruption? If so, please provide a copy of those policies and procedures.
7. Does Skydance conduct any training for its staff or executives related to compliance with 18 U.S.C. 201 or any other laws governing public corruption? If so, please provide details regarding these trainings.
In a move to amass more money under the guise of ‘contributions’, at least part of Paramount’s $16 million settlement will go towards Trump’s presidential library. Wyden joined his colleagues to introduce legislation in the Senate and House that would close loopholes allowing presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery, including Trump’s potential back-door deal with Skydance.

The full text of the letter is here.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Colleagues Demand Answers from Delta on Use of AI to Set Individualized Ticket Prices

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) along with his colleagues Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Richard Blumental (D-CT) led their colleagues in demanding answers from Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian after the company announced that it plans to ramp up its use of Artificial Intelligence to set surveillance-based ticket prices.

“Individualized pricing, or surveillance-based price setting, eliminates a fixed or static price in favor of prices that are tailored to an individual consumer’s willingness to pay. Delta’s current and planned individualized pricing practices not only present data privacy concerns, but will also likely mean fare price increases up to each individual consumer’s personal “pain point” at a time when American families are already struggling with rising costs,” wrote the senators. “The technology making that determination is trained using “all the data we can get our hands on” according to Fetcherr CEO Roy Cohen, and the company’s website claims that AI adoption and usage could increase aviation industry profits by up to $4.4 trillion annually.”

“The implications for individual consumer privacy are severe on their own. Surveillance pricing has been shown to utilize extensive personal information obtained through a variety of thirdparty channels, including data about a passenger’s purchase history, web browsing behavior, geolocation, social media activity, biometric data, and financial status,” they continued. “Former FTC Chair Lina Khan has cautioned against a particularly egregious but conceivable example of an airline using AI to charge a higher fare to a passenger ‘because the company knows that they just had a death in the family and need to fly across the country.’”

In the letter, the senators demanded answers on the company’s plans to protect Americans from pricing discrimination. They also requested answers to a series of questions around the types and sources of data Delta will use to train this AI system, how many passengers and which routes will be impacted, and what steps the company has taken to ensure compliance will follow all applicable federal and state laws.

The full text of the letter is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Portugal Fully Supports Autonomy Initiative as Most Serious, Credible & Constructive Basis to Settle Moroccan Sahara Dispute

Source: APO

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As part of the international momentum generated under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara and the Autonomy Plan, the Portuguese Republic expresses “its full support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative as the most serious, credible and constructive basis to settle this dispute.”

This position was expressed in the Joint Statement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and the Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, following their meeting on Tuesday in Lisbon.

Portugal recognizes the importance of this issue for Morocco, as well as the serious and credible efforts undertaken by the Kingdom within the framework of the United Nations to achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, the Joint statement notes.

The two ministers reaffirmed their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2756, which emphasizes the role and responsibility of the parties in seeking a realistic, pragmatic and lasting political solution based on compromise, the document adds.

Through its new stance, Portugal sends a clear message reflecting its adherence to the international consensus around Morocco’s autonomy Plan, in line with the strong international dynamic driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: President Ramaphosa appoints National Youth Development Agency board members

Source: APO

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in terms of Section 9(1)(a) of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Act of 2008, appointed members of the Board of the Agency for a period of three years, with effect from 1 August 2025.

An Act of Parliament established the NYDA, primarily to address challenges faced by the nation’s youth.

The Agency functions as a single, unitary structure addressing youth development issues at national, provincial and local government level.

President Ramaphosa has appointed the following Board members:

– Ms Kelly Sandra Baloyi
– Ms Thembisile Precious Mahuwa
– Mr Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya
– Mr Sibusiso Makhathini
– Dr Wiseman Mfaniseni Mbatha
– Dr Sunshine Minenhle Myende
– Mx Busisiwe Nandipha Nxumalo

President Ramaphosa has also, in terms of Section 9(5)(a) of the NYDA Act, designated Dr Sunshine Minenhle Myende as the chairperson of the of the National Youth Development Agency Board, and Mr Bonga Siphesihle Makhanya as the deputy chairperson of the Board.

The President appreciates the willingness of the Board members to avail themselves for the national task of securing a promising future for the nation through the empowerment of young people.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: National Assembly Adopts the 2025 Revenue Laws Amendment Bill

Source: APO

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The National Assembly (NA) today approved the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill, which marks a significant step in the country’s retirement reform agenda.

The Bill proposes changes to several tax laws. It is categorised as a Money Bill, processed under Section 77 of the Constitution and follows extensive consultations led by the Standing Committee on Finance.

The Bill is part of necessary legislative reforms to support the implementation of the two-pot retirement system, which aims to give individuals limited early access to a portion of their retirement savings while preserving the remainder for retirement. The system was implemented in September 2024, and the amendments will provide much-needed clarity for retirement fund members and administrators. The Bill, among other things, clarifies terms like “retirement annuity fund” within the broader legislative context, although some terminology issues will need to be addressed in future updates.

The National Treasury published the draft bill in December 2024. This was followed by extensive public participation in Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance, where public input was received from June 2025 onwards.

With the National Assembly’s approval, the Bill will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces for further consideration.

The full committee report (dated July 18, 2025) can be accessed using this link: https://tinyurl.com/3wp2uapb

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Fostering Digital Villages Initiative showcases innovation at agricultural shows in Zimbabwe

Source: APO

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Mhondoro-Ngezi District Agricultural Show Society, successfully hosted a ‘Digital Fair’ in the Mashonaland West Province in Zimbabwe. The Digital Fair was held under the auspices of the Fostering Digital Villages Initiative (FDiVi).

This strategic blending of digital innovation with traditional agricultural exhibitions marks a significant step in Zimbabwe’s journey towards agrifood systems transformation as it showcases tools and services that significantly improves the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural practices.

The event served as a dynamic platform to introduce digital service providers to rural communities, enabling farmers, youth, and local leaders to explore and evaluate digital tools tailored for agricultural productivity and rural development. The digital fair is part of the broader global FAO Digital Villages Initiative, which aims to transform agrifood systems in rural Malawi, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe using effective digital technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Digital Fairs are platforms for raising awareness as well as conduits for digital literacy for rural communities on one hand and rural market entry points for digital service providers, innovators and entrepreneurs.

“Collaborating with Agricultural Show Societies is a step in the right direction. The success of the digital fair in the Mhondoro-Ngezi where we partnered the Mhondoro-Ngezi District Agricultural Society sets the stage for future integration of digital fairs into national and sub-national agricultural shows, amplifying outreach and fostering inclusive access to innovation,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative to Zimbabwe.

“This approach aligns with Zimbabwe’s broader goals for sustainable agriculture, youth empowerment, and rural development, and is more sustainable,” added Talla.

“The Venice Digital Fair has been overwhelmingly welcomed by the Mhondoro-Ngezi farmers, extension staff and stakeholders, with a lot of interest shown on the services that were being exhibited. We wish to continue to synchronize our future agricultural shows with these digital fairs as this has shown a positive impact on attendance, knowledge sharing and exchange.” said Spiwe Goto an extension officer with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.

The digital fair brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including Government officials; digital service providers; local traditional leaders and community members; and youth organizations, rural development groups, and digital champions.

“I have learnt a lot through being part of this initiative. Digital innovation isn’t just for urban centres. It’s for every farmer, every youth, and every rural entrepreneur ready to grow. We’re building bridges between technology and tradition,” Maria Chinyoka a Digital Champion trained under the FDiVi project who is also the Kushinga farmer group leader.

The Digital Fair delivered tangible results, reinforcing the value of integrating digital innovation into Zimbabwe’s agrifood systems. The digital fair contributed to increased awareness of digital tools among rural stakeholders, showcasing their potential to drive agricultural productivity and rural transformation. It also strengthened engagement between digital innovators and grassroots communities, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.

“These series of Fairs are a vital bridge between us as digital innovators and grassroot communities that we often overlook in tech-driven agriculture” said Tafadzwa Chikwereti (Co-founder of eAgro).

“As a financial institution, we witnessed opportunities for our company to penetrate the under-banked community. We will be partnering with local agents to offer our micro-finance services,” Kanukai Madende the Managing Director of Village Finance.

The digital fair enhanced the visibility of digital solutions within sub-national agricultural platforms, laying the groundwork for broader adoption and policy integration. FAO remains committed to supporting Zimbabwe’s digital transformation journey, ensuring that no community is left behind in the pursuit of modern, resilient, and inclusive agrifood systems.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Media files

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Strengthening vulnerability analysis to tackle food insecurity in Southern Africa

Source: APO

Food insecurity in Southern Africa is worsening, driven by erratic weather patterns, pest outbreaks, and economic shocks. An estimated 46.3 million people across seven countries -Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, South Africa and Tanzania— are projected to fate acute food insecurity during the 20205/26 consumption period. As shocks intensify, timely and harmonized vulnerability assessments remain critical to inform early action, response planning, and policy development.

To this end, representatives from 11 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States, joined by regional and international partners including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Regional Support Unit, gathered virtually from 14 to 16 July 2025 for the Annual Dissemination Forum of the SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) Programme. The event was followed by the 29th Steering Committee meeting on 17 July 2025.

Despite data collection and budgetary challenges, seven Member States successfully completed their national assessments and presented findings at the forum. These findings contributed to the finalization of the 2025 Regional Synthesis Report on the State of Food and Nutrition Security in SADC, validated by the Regional Vulnerability Assessment Committee (RVAC).

The report highlights a concerning uptick in food insecurity, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and low-income urban areas, underscoring the compounded impact of the 2024 El Niño-induced drought, ongoing conflict, and high food prices. At the same time, the region experienced normal to above-normal rainfall in many areas during the 2024/25 season, supporting a modest recovery in cereal production and grazing conditions, particularly in countries like Tanzania, Lesotho and Eswatini.

FAO’s technical support and way forward

As a long-standing partner of the RVAA system, FAO continues to support Member States in enhancing the quality and use of vulnerability assessments. This includes contributing technical expertise to the Regional Vulnerability Assessment Committee, promoting alignment with IPC frameworks, and strengthening links between data and early action.

Looking ahead, FAO will continue engaging with SADC Member States and partners to improve the quality and coverage of vulnerability assessments across the region. This includes supporting harmonization of tools and methodologies, promoting digital data collection systems, and fostering cross-country learning and peer-to-peer exchange. FAO is committed to working alongside the SADC Secretariat to strengthen the institutional sustainability of the RVAA programme and integrate early warning into broader disaster risk management systems.

The outcomes of the 29th Steering Committee meeting reaffirm the urgency of accelerating investment in regional food security analysis. The Committee called for renewed efforts to mobilize resources for the upcoming landscape analysis of existing national frameworks, which will inform the development of a harmonized vulnerability assessment framework for the SADC region by 2026. FAO will remain a key technical partner in this process, offering expertise to ensure that the proposed framework is scalable, inclusive, and responsive to the complex drivers of vulnerability facing Southern Africa today.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Media files

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Ethiopia: Ministry of Finance Launches First-Ever Issuance Calendar for Treasury (T)-Bills

Source: APO

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As part of ongoing efforts to reform and modernize public finance management and to foster market-based deficit financing through domestic-currency Treasury bills and bonds market, the Ministry of Finance has published its first three-month Treasury-bill issuance calendar.

This milestone supports the government’s “reset, reform, and relaunch” agenda, deepening the domestic debt market and improving transparency. By giving market participants clear visibility of upcoming auctions, the calendar enhances predictability and builds investor confidence. It also underscores the government’s commitment to borrow domestically in ways that limit inflation and safeguard macroeconomic stability.

The calendar embodies the shift toward a genuinely market-based approach to Treasury-bill issuance. This compliments the opening of the secondary market and the introduction of more competitive retail auctions open to a wider range of investors through the Ethiopian Securities Exchange.

The Ministry of Finance will continue to build on this momentum by promoting openness, broadening investor participation, and aligning Ethiopia’s debt-management practices with international best practice.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Finance, Ethiopia.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Egypt Strategic Partnership: 22 July 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

UK-Egypt Strategic Partnership: 22 July 2025

A Strategic Partnership between the UK and Egyptian governments.
The UK and Egypt share deep, historic ties. We partner across multiple fields, from climate change to global security, trade and investment to tourism, underpinned by rich people-to-people and cultural connections. However, both countries aspire to strengthen this co-operation in pursuit of shared prosperity and greater regional and global security.

The Governments of Egypt and the UK have therefore committed to elevating the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. This commitment marks a significant milestone and will enable both governments to strengthen and systematise existing collaboration in line with shared interests and priorities such as trade and investment, irregular migration, regional security and responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The UK and Egypt will launch the Strategic Partnership during a visit to Cairo by the Prime Minister in the autumn of 2025. To unlock new mutual growth opportunities and strengthen economic ties, the Prime Minister and President Sisi will jointly chair an Investment Conference convening key British and Egyptian businesses.

The UK Government looks forward to building the Strategic Partnership with Egypt to enhance the prosperity and security of our citizens.

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Published 22 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: US withdrawal from UNESCO contradicts fundamental principles of multilateralism – head of organization

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

PARIS, July 22 (Xinhua) — The US withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) runs counter to the fundamental principles of multilateralism, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said on Tuesday.

Expressing deep regret over the decision taken by US President Donald Trump, O. Azoulay warned that the country’s withdrawal from the organization would primarily affect UNESCO’s American partners, in particular communities applying for inclusion of sites on the World Heritage List, obtaining the status of “UNESCO Creative City” and the creation of UNESCO Chairs.

The United States announced on Tuesday that it would withdraw from UNESCO by the end of December 2026, just two years after rejoining, marking the country’s third exit from the organization.

According to a statement from the US State Department, the decision was made in connection with UNESCO’s policy, which Washington believes “promotes divisive social and cultural initiatives” against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Commenting on the statement, the UNESCO Director-General expressed regret over the US decision, rejecting the arguments made. She stressed that the organization remains “a rare forum for consensus building through concrete, action-oriented multilateralism.”

O. Azoulay assured that the US withdrawal from UNESCO in 2026 and the loss of American funding will not affect the normal activities of the organization, since its financial position has been significantly strengthened.

“We have undertaken major structural reforms and diversified our funding sources. Thanks to the efforts made by the organization since 2018, the decline in US financial contributions has been effectively offset,” the CEO said. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Chairmen of NPC Standing Committee, CPPCC National Committee Meet with Madagascar Senate President

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) — Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), and Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held separate meetings with Richard Ravalomanana, president of the Senate (upper house) of Madagascar, in Beijing on Tuesday.

As Zhao Leji pointed out, China hopes to work with Madagascar to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries and the results of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, strive for new achievements in friendly cooperation between the two countries, and contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

The NPC Standing Committee chairman called on the legislative bodies of the two countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and promote the continuous development of the China-Madagascar comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

R. Ravalomanana, for his part, noted that relations between the two countries are based on mutual benefit and common gain, the heads of the two states maintain close exchanges, setting the vector for the development of Madagascar-Chinese relations.

The Senate of Madagascar, he said, is willing to work with the Chinese side to strengthen exchanges between legislative bodies and play an active role in promoting cooperation in areas such as economics, trade, investment and interregional relations.

Wang Huning stated that China and Madagascar are companions and true friends on the path of modernization. According to him, China hopes to work with Madagascar to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, achieving new results of practical cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

Wang Huning assured that the CPPCC National Committee is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with the Senate of Madagascar and promote the development of China-Madagascar comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

R. Ravalomanana, in turn, stated that Madagascar pays special attention to the development of relations with China, admires China’s achievements in the field of development, intends to learn from China’s experience and promote bilateral cooperation in various fields for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.

The Senate of Madagascar is ready to intensify the exchange of experience in public administration with the CPPCC National Committee to promote the in-depth development of interstate relations, R. Ravalomanana added. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Vice Premier of China’s State Council calls for proper work on agricultural production, consolidation of poverty alleviation gains

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

NANNING, July 22 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong on Tuesday called for properly implementing the production of grain and other major agricultural products in China and continuously consolidating and expanding the achievements of the nationwide poverty alleviation campaign.

Liu Guozhong, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (south China) from July 20 to 22.

During the trip, Liu Guozhong studied the situation of rice production, sugar crop cultivation and the development of high-standard farmland on the spot.

Touching upon the pressing issue of typhoons, floods and other natural disasters, the Vice Premier called for measures such as emergency floodwater drainage, replanting and reseeding crops on damaged lands, making efforts to reduce losses in the agricultural sector.

Liu Guozhong stressed the need for targeted implementation of measures to support the poor, paying special attention to stabilizing the employment of rural migrant workers and people who have escaped poverty, as well as developing rural industries with local specific advantages that improve the well-being of farmers. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: US deploys nuclear weapons in UK for first time since 2008 – media

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) — Several U.S. nuclear bombs have been delivered to a British air base, marking the first deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons on British soil since 2008, local media reported Tuesday.

As reported by the UK Defence Journal on July 20, the US-run Royal Air Force Lakenheath air base in Suffolk, East Anglia, received B61-12 thermonuclear bombs. These are free-fall nuclear bombs weighing about 320 kg, designed to be dropped from aircraft.

The bombs were allegedly delivered from the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center in New Mexico using a C-17 military transport aircraft. The aircraft was flying with its transponders on, making it easy for foreign governments and air traffic monitors to track its movements.

As the Times newspaper clarified, citing military experts, the nature of the American transport plane’s flight indicated a “one-way delivery,” which indicates a permanent placement of weapons, rather than a routine movement.

Neither the US Department of Defense nor the UK Defense Ministry commented on the incident.

Ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague in June, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the purchase of at least 12 new F-35A fighter jets from the US for a total of almost £1 billion (about $1.35 billion). –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025

Category: AM-NC

Bill Summary

Estimated Federal Cost

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Direct Spending

Spending Subject to Appropriation

Uncertainty

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Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

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Implications for New Zealand

British Ambassador pays courtesy visit to Guatemalan Minister of Education

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British Ambassador pays courtesy visit to Guatemalan Minister of Education

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With Skydance/Paramount merger pending, Skydance reportedly set up secret side deal with Trump worth tens of millions more dollars

UK-Egypt Strategic Partnership: 22 July 2025

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