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Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man who Possessed Multiple Machinegun Conversion Devices Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

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

    A man who possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices on more than one occasion was sentenced on July 18, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison.

    Gentile Kahungu, age 19, who was living in Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025 guilty plea to possession of a machinegun. The evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Kahungu possessed a total of 18 machinegun conversion devices, two of which were connected to firearms.  On June 25, 2024, Kahungu possessed some of the devices in his bedroom in his home in Marion along with a tan Glock magazine and ammunition. When he was later arrested in Cedar Rapids, he possessed additional machinegun conversion devices, along with a tan Glock firearm that had a machinegun conversion device connected to it.  The evidence at the hearing also established that Kahungu’s Glock firearm was used during two other shootings, one in Marshalltown, Iowa, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Kahungu was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Kahungu was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Kahungu is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshalltown Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-00088.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 22, 2025

  • Female participation in skill training rises as govt expands outreach

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Centre is expanding its efforts to improve employability among Indian youth—particularly women—through focused skill development programmes under the Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.

    As part of SIM, the government is providing training through schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and the Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) via Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). These programmes aim to equip youth with future-ready, industry-relevant skills, the ministry said.

    To increase women’s participation, the government has introduced special provisions for transport, boarding and lodging, and post-placement support. PMKVY 4.0 has prioritised projects that designate women as the primary beneficiaries. Courses in sectors such as electronics, retail, healthcare, beauty and wellness, handicrafts, and apparel have been structured to attract more women trainees.

    The ministry said that Skill Hubs and Special Projects are actively designed to align with local skill demands and facilitate rural women’s access to training. As a result, female participation in apprenticeship schemes has risen—from 22.79% in 2024–25 to 25.80% in 2025–26.

    Under the JSS scheme, more than 80% of beneficiaries are women. The government also runs 19 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and over 300 ITIs exclusively for women. A 30% reservation for women candidates has been approved across all ITIs—both government and private—allowing each state to implement its own reservation policy.

    The MSDE has also launched several new initiatives. One of them is NAVYA, a pilot programme for adolescent girls (16–18 years) with at least Class 10 education. Developed in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), NAVYA focuses on providing vocational training in non-traditional roles.

    Additionally, the Swavalambini programme—launched in February 2025 in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform of NITI Aayog—aims to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets among young women in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. The initiative includes awareness and development training and is being implemented by NIESBUD (Noida) and IIE (Guwahati).

     

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Infected Blood Inquiry Additional Report: Oral Statement to Parliament

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Infected Blood Inquiry Additional Report: Oral Statement to Parliament

    This page provides a copy of the Minister for the Cabinet Office’s Oral Statement to the House of Commons on 21 July, made in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Additional Report on 9 July 2025.

    Mr Speaker, the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Additional Report was published on 9th July. Today, I would like to provide the House with an initial response to that report.

    I am grateful to Sir Brian Langstaff for seeking justice for victims of the Infected Blood Scandal and for the Inquiry’s constructive Additional Report. His ambition to ensure that fair compensation is provided to every person that is eligible without delay resonates across the country.

    Delivery progress

    Mr Speaker, before considering the detail of the report, I wanted to share the latest statistics from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority. As of 15 July, IBCA has contacted 2,215 people to begin their claim for compensation, with 1,934 having started the claim process. 808 offers of compensation have been made, with a total value of over £602 million. 587 people have accepted their offer and received payment, with over £411 million paid in compensation. This means approximately 60% of infected people registered with a support scheme have been contacted to begin their claim.

    I am pleased that progress is being made, but I acknowledge the calls from the community highlighting the need for faster payment. This is why the Government wrote to the Public Accounts and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committees last month outlining the steps we are taking to remove administrative barriers to allow IBCA to speed up payments.

    I am also pleased to announce further interim payments of £210,000 to the estates of infected people who were registered to an infected blood support scheme and have sadly passed away. This is in addition to the over 500 interim payments of £100,00 already paid to estates. I will provide further information on this as soon as I am able, including on timelines for applications opening.

    Additional Report Recommendations 

    Mr Speaker, the Government is committed to providing fair compensation to victims of the infected blood scandal, and in the Autumn Budget we set aside £11.8 billion to do just that. The Inquiry has recognised the Government’s commitment, saying ‘there can be no doubt that the Government has done right in ways which powerfully signal its intent.’ 

    However, I agree with Sir Brian’s statement that ‘there is still more to be done to ensure that the detail and operation of the scheme matches up to its intent’. 

    Sir Brian has made a number of recommendations on ways the compensation scheme could be amended to achieve a scheme which works for everyone. We will publish an update on gov.uk today setting out the Government’s approach to the Inquiry’s further recommendations. I will deposit a copy of that update in the House libraries. We will also provide a comprehensive response to all the recommendations in due course.

    The report includes several recommendations for IBCA on speed and transparency. I want to first reiterate that the Government still expects IBCA to contact all registered infected people to begin a claim, and to open the service for affected people, by the end of this year and the announcements I’m about to make do not change that position.

    On Friday, Sir Robert Francis and David Foley confirmed they will be accepting the recommendations the Inquiry made to IBCA. They have committed to working with the community to develop plans for designing and implementing these recommendations.

    IBCA will design and introduce a process for registration. 

    They will also update their sequencing in line with the Inquiry’s recommendation, noting that this will inform the order in which they open up to cohorts this year. 

    IBCA will introduce a process for prioritisation, recognising that community involvement is needed in tackling any uncertainty which this may introduce.

    Alongside this, I have asked for a review of IBCA’s delivery of the scheme to ensure that it is progressing as quickly as possible. This will be supported by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, NISTA, and led by an independent reviewer. I expect the review to begin in August.

    Now the Inquiry has made detailed recommendations across 9 key areas to ensure that infected and affected people feel that they have, overall, been compensated fairly, by a scheme that is designed and delivered with their input. Separate to the delivery of compensation by IBCA, the Inquiry has made recommendations relating to the design and structure of the scheme. Seven of these sub-recommendations, the Government will accept and implement as soon as we can, so that IBCA can get on with paying compensation. Others will require engagement with the community before changes are made, in line with the spirit of the Inquiry’s report.

    Now when I gave evidence to the Inquiry in May, I said that I would take a constructive approach and look at the issues which had been put to me. The Inquiry has made eight sub-recommendations in these areas. I am pleased to confirm that I am either accepting these, or agreeing with the Inquiry that the community should be consulted on next steps. 

    So I can confirm that we will remove the 1982 start date for HIV infection, to ensure anyone infected due to infected blood or blood products with HIV is eligible for the scheme, regardless of infection date. 

    We accept the Inquiry’s recommendation on affected estates; in fact, Mr. Speaker, we are going further than their recommendation. The Inquiry recommended that where someone who would be an eligible affected person sadly died or dies between 21 May 2024 and 31 December 2029, their claim will not die with them but becomes part of their estate. I am actually going to extend that period by an extra two years, to 31 December 2031.

    The Special Category Mechanism, I know has been a concern for members of the community and this House. I am pleased to say that we accept change is needed to acknowledge SCM as part of the supplementary route Severe Health Condition Award, and we will be engaging the community on how to best realise these changes. 

    Another area I committed to consider was to reinstate support payments to partners bereaved after 31 March 2025 until they receive their compensation. We are accepting this recommendation, and will ensure that those impacted will also be able to continue receiving those payments as part of their compensation package. 

    The issue of unethical research is one of the most shocking aspects of this scandal. I can confirm that we will be consulting on revising the approach for the additional autonomy award on unethical research, including the scope and value of the award. 

    The final area I said I would consider was whether further supplementary routes for affected people could be introduced. The Inquiry recommended we consult to understand the feasibility of how these could be implemented, alongside changes regarding the exceptional financial loss award. I agree with the Inquiry that consideration should be given to these issues, and that consideration rightly involves those impacted.

    In addition, we are accepting further Inquiry recommendations to remove the requirement for evidence of the date of diagnosis of Hepatitis B or C, which we hope may allow claims for those mono-infected with hepatitis to be processed more quickly. 

    By accepting these recommendations today, we can start to implement the necessary changes as soon as possible.

    There are several recommendations on areas where changes to the Scheme are needed. We intend to engage the community on how to best achieve them. The Inquiry is clear: people impacted by decisions need to be involved in them. That is what we will seek to do before implementing these changes to the scheme. 

    This includes acting on recommendations regarding compensation for the impacts of Interferon. We will introduce a new core route infection severity band for those who received interferon treatment, and consult on the evidence requirements and threshold for a supplementary route award for severe psychological harm. 

    Additionally, we will work with IBCA to introduce a mechanism that individuals can use to raise concerns to aid continuous improvement of the Scheme.

    I’m sure honourable members will understand that to do this the Government will need to make further regulations. Our top priority is to move quickly, so to make some of the simpler changes we will bring forward a set of regulations as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

    These regulations will not implement all the policy changes recommended by the Inquiry. In evidence to the Inquiry in May, I said that I was open to changes that do not lead to further delays. I believe that by making these changes recommended by the Inquiry it will not delay the speed at which offers are currently being made. 

    A further set of regulations will be needed to implement the more substantial changes, particularly those where we are taking time to engage the community on how those updates can be realised. Therefore, we expect this second, more substantial set of regulations, to be brought before Parliament in 2026. But, we do not expect that this engagement will cause delays to the rollout of the compensation scheme as it currently stands which is absolutely crucial as I said to the Inquiry.

    Mr. Speaker, we are responding swiftly and constructively to Sir Brian, and putting the voices – and needs – of the community first. 

    Progress on Inquiry’s 2024 Report

    Mr Speaker, I would also like to provide a further update on the Government’s response to the Inquiry’s 2024 report. I have continued to engage with the charities named by the Inquiry in recommendation 10. I recognise their concerns about the allocated funding and can confirm that the Department for Health and Social Care is re-examining funding for this year and will look at options for the future. 

    With regard to recommendation 2, on memorialisation, I am pleased to announce that, following engagement with the community, Clive Smith has been appointed as the Chair of the Memorial Committee. I am delighted to be able to appoint a Chair with his wealth of experience. I am confident he will be able to bring the community together to make great progress on this work. 

    Mr Speaker, this Government has made progress on implementing the recommendations made by this Inquiry. But progress is never a foregone conclusion. Sir Brian is clear about the importance of scrutinising progress in delivering what the Government has committed. I agree. Therefore, I am pleased to confirm that I have asked PACAC to take on the role of scrutinising implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations in both the May 2024 and July 2025 reports. It is for the Committee to outline how they approach this work but I trust that they will see fit to follow the example of the Inquiry thorough scrutiny of the design and delivery of compensation to the community. 

    In addition, today I am publishing a record of Inquiry recommendations and the government response on gov.uk, as promised in our response to the recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. These records will be periodically updated to show implementation progress, and will include all recommendations of future inquiries.

    Mr Speaker, to conclude I would like to quote directly from Sir Brian’s report, where he ends by stating that ‘truly involving people infected and affected in how the state recognises their losses would start to turn the page on the past’.

    He is absolutely right. Our focus as we move forward must be working together with the community, with IBCA, and indeed with each other in this House to not only deliver justice to all those impacted, but essentially, to restore trust in the state to people who have been let down too many times. 

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The main factor in the growth of exports from Georgia in the first half of 2025 was the re-export of passenger cars

    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

    Tbilisi, July 21 (Xinhua) — Georgia’s exports amounted to $3.2 billion in the first half of 2025, up 13 percent year-on-year, the National Statistics Office of Georgia reported on Monday.

    According to published data, the main factor behind the growth was the active re-export of passenger cars, the volume of which increased by 30 percent year-on-year and reached $1.2 billion.

    In terms of total exports, Kyrgyzstan remains Georgia’s largest sales market for the second year in a row. Exports to this country totaled $681 million, up 50 percent from the first half of last year. Kazakhstan ranked second with $414 million, and Azerbaijan third with $342 million.

    As for the export of goods of Georgian origin, it increased by 6.4 percent year-on-year, amounting to $1.473 billion. The largest markets for Georgian goods in the first half of 2025 were Russia /310.6 million dollars/, China /162.3 million dollars/ and Turkey /150.4 million dollars/. The main export goods were ferroalloys, mineral and fresh waters, carbonated drinks containing sugar, wine, nitrogen fertilizers, packaged medicines, as well as unprocessed and semi-processed gold. –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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Georgia records record international tourism revenues for first half of 2025

    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

    Tbilisi, July 21 (Xinhua) — Georgia’s revenue from international tourism in the first half of 2025 reached $1.971 billion, the Georgian National Tourism Administration reported on Monday.

    According to official data, revenues from the tourism sector grew by 3.8 percent compared to the same period in 2024 and by 35.4 percent compared to the first half of pre-pandemic 2019. Thus, the tourism sector set a new record for revenues in the first six months.

    Head of the National Tourism Administration of Georgia Maia Omiadze noted that the achieved results are a consequence of a targeted strategy for the development of tourism and the aviation sector.

    “We have achieved unprecedented revenues – almost two billion dollars in six months. This confirms that our strategy is working. Where tourist flow increases, so do revenues. We have focused our efforts on key markets where the greatest growth is currently observed,” said M. Omiadze. -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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran announces new round of talks with EU3 in Istanbul on July 25

    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

    TEHRAN, July 21 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that a new round of talks between Tehran and the E3 group, comprising France, Britain and Germany, is planned to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on July 25.

    The official said the talks would focus on lifting sanctions on Iran and issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme, with Tehran set out its demands “in all seriousness”. The meeting would be at deputy foreign minister level and would be attended by the EU deputy high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

    E. Baghaei criticized the three European countries that signed the 2015 nuclear deal for their “inappropriate” stance and silence in the face of Israel’s recent military “aggression” against Iran. The Iranian diplomat said these countries should be held accountable for their stance.

    He also mentioned the E3’s threats to trigger the sanctions snapback mechanism, stressing that resorting to it is “senseless, illegal and immoral.”

    The sanctions snapback mechanism is part of the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It allows other parties to reimpose all international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement.

    Iran and the EU3 have held six rounds of talks since September last year, when delegations began dialogue on a range of issues including Tehran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session in New York. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May.

    In July 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with six countries – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. –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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China urges EU to stop harming legitimate interests of Chinese companies

    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 21 (Xinhua) — China on Monday called on the European Union to stop harming the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises without any factual basis, and warned that it will take all necessary measures to protect such rights and interests.

    The corresponding statement was made by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Guo Jiakun, at a daily briefing when he was asked to comment on the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia, affecting a number of Chinese companies and banks.

    “I would like to emphasize that China has consistently opposed unilateral restrictive measures that are not based on international law and are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council,” Guo Jiakun said.

    Touching on the Ukrainian crisis, the diplomat noted that China has made tireless efforts to promote peace talks, has never supplied lethal weapons to conflicting parties, and exercises strict control over its export of dual-use goods.

    Normal business contacts and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises should not be subject to any interference or influence, Guo Jiakun stressed. –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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Belarusian Parliament has declared its focus on building a strategic partnership with Iran

    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

    MINSK, July 21 /Xinhua/ — Belarus aims to build a strategic partnership with Iran, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (lower house of parliament) of Belarus Vadim Ipatov said on Monday during a meeting in Minsk with the Iranian parliamentary delegation led by the head of the working group of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran on cooperation with the National Assembly of Belarus Aliasghar Bagherzadeh. The relevant information was published by BELTA.

    V. Ipatov noted that Belarus views Iran as an important partner in the region, an authoritative participant in international relations, and strives to establish a strategic partnership. “We have a common understanding of the processes taking place in the world and a desire to form a fair multipolar world order,” the deputy chairman of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament emphasized.

    He recalled that the two countries signed a Roadmap for comprehensive cooperation for 2023-2026 and proposed concentrating bilateral efforts on its implementation.

    In turn, A. Bagherzade stated that Iran is interested in developing relations with Belarus in all areas. “Since a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, and Iran is an observer in this union, very good additional opportunities for interaction with the union member countries, in particular with Belarus, are emerging,” he noted. –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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Evacuation Order Limits UN’s Ability to Deliver Aid in Gaza, Secretary-General warns

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    SG/SM/22734

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General is appalled by the accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing.

    He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition.

    The Secretary-General strongly condemns the ongoing violence, including the shooting, killing and injuring of people attempting to get food for their families.

    Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted.  The population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.

    Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organizations.

    The Secretary-General notes that the intensification of hostilities in recent days comes as the humanitarian system is being impeded, undermined and endangered.

    A new evacuation order in parts of Deir al Balah — home to tens of thousands — pushes people into more desperate conditions and further displacement and restricts the United Nations’ ability to deliver life-saving aid.  UN staff remain in Deir al Balah, and two UN guesthouses have been struck, despite parties having been informed of the locations of UN premises, which are inviolable.  These locations — as with all civilian sites — must be protected, regardless of evacuation orders.

    The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and for the provision of essential resources to ensure their survival.

    He once again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    The UN stands ready to significantly scale up our humanitarian operations.  The time for a ceasefire is now.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Strengthening early warnings and anticipatory action through the use of digital technology

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In Malawi, UNICEF, in partnership with the Malawi Government and the Malawi University of Science and Technology, launched the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) in 2020 to address severe cyclones, floods and droughts caused by climate change. ADDA equips youth with skills in drone technology, geospatial systems and disaster risk management. It trained over 1,280 graduates from 25 countries – 60 per cent young women – and achieved an 80 per cent employment rate.

    WFP and UNDP supported the strengthening of local capacities and Early Warning Systems (EWS) for comprehensive drought management in Eastern Cuba and Camagüey with a focus on resilience, food security and gender inclusivity, leveraging a systems thinking approach to enhance resilience in food production, water management, and community preparedness. Enhanced hydro-meteorological monitoring and communication channels, combined with gender-inclusive training, ensured that local producers and vulnerable communities received timely and actionable climate information. The project supported the development of standardized national methodologies for drought diagnosis and forecasting, aligning with Cuba’s State Plan for Climate Change Adaptation.

    In Serbia, UNDP and WHO supported the establishment and upgrading of a Disaster Risk Registry, which offers real-time data to inform decision making in times of crisis, to assess the effectiveness of emergency response, and for planning and implementing DRR measures at local and national level. The Registry incorporates a digital climate atlas, climate projections, compiled with mass evaluation of property prices, and is linked with the Strategic Tool for the Analysis of Risks (STAR) of WHO providing information on critical health facilities. The Register enables risk informed urban planning, and localizes risk knowledge and management, based on open data and transparency. It enables investment planning and attracted the interest of the insurance industry.

    Enhanced communications targeting at-risk populations is improving the effectiveness of early warnings, reducing potential damages and losses. In the Maldives, technological solutions are being leveraged for last-mile early warning dissemination through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). The CAP is a data format for exchanging public warnings and emergencies between alerting technologies, including the use of ITU’s Disaster Connectivity Maps initiative (in partnership with the Emergency Telecommunication Cluster (ETC) led by WFP). This initiative helps first responders quickly assess which areas are affected and which communication networks are operational, allowing for more efficient coordination and faster response times. The DCM initiative also integrates AI and satellite technologies for disaster preparedness.

    In the Pacific, EW4All has been instrumental in supporting the development of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System national costed roadmaps in Fiji, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands, collaborating with governments, UN agencies, civil society, and local communities. Through the EW4All initiative and the Weather Ready Pacific program, issues such as fragmented systems, siloed efforts, and communication barriers are being addressed. The EW4All initiative integrates AI into risk knowledge, hazard detection, monitoring, forecasting, warning dissemination, and preparedness. AI improves accuracy, ensures timely dissemination, and tailors warnings to vulnerable populations. This approach strengthens preparedness and reduces disaster impacts.

    Spotlight: The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sub-Group under the EW4All Initiative focuses on integrating AI into the four pillars of early warning systems: risk knowledge, detection/monitoring, dissemination of warnings, and preparedness, led by ITU, WMO, UNDRR and IFRC. AI improves hazard forecasting, enhances dissemination, and strengthens response planning by analyzing complex datasets. The initiative aims to bridge technological gaps globally, ensuring timely and equitable warnings for all.

    The WHO-led initiative Epidemic Intelligence from Open Source (EIOS) is a vital tool that enables early detection and assessment of public health threats, including those related to natural hazards, in near real time. It connects experts around the world and provides them with tools to detect, analyse, assess and share information for quick, evidence-based action. Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, Philippines, Tonga, and Vanuatu have developed their emergency risk profiles at the national, subnational and local levels to inform preparedness, contingency planning, simulation, training and mass gathering under the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework.

    Flagship reports on Early Warning

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Another Successful Year for The Veteran Service Club Support Program

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    For the second consecutive year, the Saskatchewan Veterans Service Club Support Program has been fully subscribed in one intake.  

    Introduced in 2019-20, the program provides grants up to $30,000 to organizations such as Legion branches, Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) units and more.

    “Saskatchewan’s veterans’ service organizations play a vital role – enriching our communities, preserving local history and working tirelessly on behalf of veterans who have faithfully served our province and our country,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “We cannot thank these organizations enough for their continued efforts and look forward to continuing to support this amazing work.”

    For 2025-26, grants up to $30,000 were provided to 67 Legion branches, ANAVETS units, and other registered, non-profit veterans organizations across the province.

    Minister Ross was joined in Prince Albert by representatives from Royal Canadian Legion/Saskatchewan Command to see first-hand the improvements at ANAVETS Unit 222 that were funded through the program.

    The grant is used to support facility upgrades, operations, events and other activities to advance the work and help strengthen the long-term sustainability of veteran service organizations throughout the province.  

    Last year, ANAVETS Unit 222, in Prince Albert, received more than $28,400 to help update the plumbing in the lounge. In previous years, Unit 222 received funding to repair electrical and air conditioning, new flooring, replace the furnace, replace the bar counter and upgrade their parking lot lighting.  

    “For 2025-26, Unit 222 received $23,280 to perform renovations to the downstairs auditorium which includes relocation and repair of the stage, building a storage room, as well as other modifications to create a more functional room layout to host larger events,” ANAVETS Unit 222 President Floyd Lavalee said. “Projects like this, as well as previous years, would not have been possible if not for support from the Government of Saskatchewan through the Veterans Service Club Support Program. On behalf of the ANAVETS Unit 222 board, members and staff, we would like to extend a huge thank you for their commitment to provincial Veterans and their families.”

    The program is delivered collaboratively by the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command, the Saskatchewan ANAVETS and the Government of Saskatchewan.

    More information about the program, guidelines, applications and eligibility are available through the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SDEV to visit Beijing

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, will depart for a visit to Beijing tomorrow evening (July 22).
     
    During her stay in Beijing, Ms Linn will call on several central ministries, including the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Water Resources, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, and the National Cultural Heritage Administration. She will also attend the eighth Joint Conference on Advancing Hong Kong’s Full Participation in and Contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as activities of a study tour on national water engineering projects, culture and technology, and inspect urban renewal projects.
     
    The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, and the Director of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, Mr Vic Yau, will join the visit.
     
    Ms Linn will return to Hong Kong on the evening of July 25. During her absence, the Under Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, will be the Acting Secretary for Development.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TLB alerts public to fraudulent website

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) today (July 21) alerts members of the public to a fraudulent website (https://bhsb588[.]online/) that pretends to be the website of the TLB.

    The TLB advises that such a website has no affiliation with the TLB and has reported the case to the Police for follow-up.

    The TLB urges the public to stay alert to suspicious websites, to remain vigilant in protecting personal information, and not to click on any hyperlinks from unknown sources.

    For information about the TLB, please visit the TLB website (www.tlb.gov.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. MicroStockHub-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Champions of the almost entirely party-line vote in the U.S. Senate to erase US$1.1 billion in already approved funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called their action a refusal to subsidize liberal media.

    “Public broadcasting has long been overtaken by partisan activists,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insisting there is no need for government to fund what he regards as biased media. “If you want to watch the left-wing propaganda, turn on MSNBC,” Cruz said.

    Accusing the media of liberal bias has been a consistent conservative complaint since the civil rights era, when white Southerners insisted news outlets were slanting their stories against segregation. During his presidential campaign in 1964, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona complained that the media was against him, an accusation that has been repeated by every Republican presidential candidate since.

    But those charges of bias rarely survive empirical scrutiny.

    As chair of a public policy institute devoted to strengthening deliberative democracy, I have written two books about the media and the presidency, and another about media ethics. My research traces how news institutions shape civic life and why healthy democracies rely on journalism that is independent of both market pressure and partisan talking points.

    That independence in the United States – enshrined in the press freedom clause of the First Amendment – gives journalists the ability to hold government accountable, expose abuses of power and thereby support democracy.

    GOP Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump’s request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending on July 16, 2025.
    AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Trusting independence

    Ad Fontes Media, a self-described “public benefit company” whose mission is to rate media for credibility and bias, have placed the reporting of “PBS NewsHour” under 10 points left of the ideological center. They label it as both “reliable” and based in “analysis/fact.” “Fox and Friends,” by contrast, the popular morning show on Fox News, is nearly 20 points to the right. The scale starts at zero and runs 42 points to the left to measure progressive bias and 42 points to the right to measure conservative bias. Ratings are provided by three-person panels comprising left-, right- and center-leaning reviewers.

    A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science Advances that tracked more than 6,000 political reporters likewise found “no evidence of liberal media bias” in the stories they chose to cover, even though most journalists are more left-leaning than the rest of the population.

    A similar 2016 study published in Public Opinion Quarterly said that media are more similar than dissimilar and, excepting political scandals, “major
    news organizations present topics in a largely nonpartisan manner,
    casting neither Democrats nor Republicans in a particularly favorable
    or unfavorable light    .”

    Surveys show public media’s audiences do not see it as biased. A national poll of likely voters released July 14, 2025, found that 53% of respondents trust public media to report news “fully, accurately and fairly,” while only 35% extend that trust to “the media in general.” A majority also opposed eliminating federal support.

    Contrast these numbers with attitudes about public broadcasters such as MTVA in Hungary or the TVP in Poland, where the state controls most content. Protests in Budapest October 2024 drew thousands demanding an end to “propaganda.” Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports that TVP is the least trusted news outlet in the country.

    While critics sometimes conflate American public broadcasting with state-run outlets, the structures are very different.

    Safeguards for editorial freedom

    In state-run media systems, a government agency hires editors, dictates coverage and provides full funding from the treasury. Public officials determine – or make up – what is newsworthy. Individual media operations survive only so long as the party in power is happy.

    Public broadcasting in the U.S. works in almost exactly the opposite way: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private nonprofit with a statutory “firewall” that forbids political interference.

    More than 70% of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal appropriation for 2025 of US$1.1 billion flows through to roughly 1,500 independently governed local stations, most of which are NPR or PBS affiliates but some of which are unaffiliated community broadcasters. CPB headquarters retains only about 5% of that federal funding.

    Stations survive by combining this modest federal grant money with listener donations, underwriting and foundation support. That creates a diversified revenue mix that further safeguards their editorial freedom.

    And while stations share content, each also has latitude when it comes to programming and news coverage, especially at the local level.

    As a public-private partnership, individual communities mostly own the public broadcasting system and its affiliate stations. Congress allocates funds, while community nonprofits, university boards, state authorities or other local license holders actually own and run the stations. Individual monthly donors are often called “members” and sometimes have voting rights in station-governance matters. Membership contributions make up the largest share of revenue for most stations, providing another safeguard for editorial independence.

    A host and guest in July 2024 sit inside a recording studio at KMXT, the public radio station on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
    Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal

    Broadly shared civic commons

    And then there are public media’s critical benefits to democracy itself.

    A 2021 report from the European Broadcasting Union links public broadcasting with higher voter turnout, better factual knowledge and lower susceptibility to extremist rhetoric.

    Experts warn that even small cuts will exacerbate an already pernicious problem with political disinformation in the U.S., as citizens lose access to free information that fosters media literacy and encourages trust across demographics.

    In many ways, public media remains the last broadly shared civic commons. It is both commercial-free and independently edited.

    Another study, by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School in 2022, affirmed that “countries with independent and well-funded public broadcasting systems also consistently have stronger democracies.”

    The study highlighted how public media works to bridge divides and foster understanding across polarized groups. Unlike commercial media, where the profit motive often creates incentives to emphasize conflict and sensationalism, public media generally seeks to provide balanced perspectives that encourage dialogue and mutual respect. Reports are often longer and more in-depth than those by other news outlets.

    Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. And this skillful, more balanced treatment helps to ameliorate political polarization and misinformation.

    In all, public media’s unique structure and mission make democracy healthier in the U.S. and across the world. Public media prioritizes education and civic enlightenment. It gives citizens important tools for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions – whether those decisions are about whom to vote for or about public policy itself. Maintaining and strengthening public broadcasting preserves media diversity and advances important principles of self-government.

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. Ronald Reagan once described a free press as vital for the United States to succeed in its “noble experiment in self-government.” From that perspective, more independent reporting – not less – will prove the best remedy for any worry about partisan spin.

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

    – ref. PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy – https://theconversation.com/pbs-and-npr-are-generally-unbiased-independent-of-government-propaganda-and-provide-key-benefits-to-us-democracy-261512

    MIL OSI –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Idaho to Receive $42.9 Million in PILT Funding for Community Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) announced 44 local governments in Idaho will receive a total of $42.9 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2025. Since local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT payments help cover the costs associated with maintaining community services.

    “Where the federal government owns large plots of land and does not pay local property taxes in rural communities, it has a responsibility to provide resources for vital services such as firefighting, police protection, construction of public schools and roads, and search-and-rescue operations,” said Crapo. “PILT payments give Idaho’s 44 counties much-needed stability for essential services.”

    “Each of Idaho’s 44 counties rely on PILT payments to maintain and provide essential community services,” said Risch. “I remain fully committed to funding PILT to ensure local governments can offset the nontaxable, federal land within their borders.”

    Crapo and Risch have been long-term proponents of ensuring the long-term viability of the PILT program.

    The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) collects more than $20.7 billion in revenue annually from commercial activities on public lands. A portion of those revenues is shared with states and counties. The balance is deposited into the U.S. Treasury, which, in turn, pays for a broad array of federal activities, including PILT funding.

    Payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county or jurisdiction and the population of that county or jurisdiction.

    A full list of funding by state and county is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Luján Pens Joint Op-Ed on 80th Anniversary of the Trinity Test and Extension and Expansion of RECA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – In Case You Missed It: U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Tina Cordova, co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, published an opinion piece in the Albuquerque Journal reflecting on the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test and highlighting decades-long work that led to the recent expansion and extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) program by Congress.

    Since being elected to Congress, Senator Luján has played a leading role in advancing legislation to strengthen the RECA program, introducing RECA legislation in every Congress and twice passing it through the Senate.

    Read the full op-ed here or below:

    Albuquerque Journal: 80 years later, we’re still fighting for justice

    Ben Ray Luján and Tina Cordova | July 20, 2025

    On July 16, 1945 — 80 years ago — the federal government detonated the first atomic bomb in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico. That test, known as the Trinity Test, changed the world — and it changed our home forever.

    We write this together, as two New Mexicans who have fought side-by-side for justice over a decade, because the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test calls for both recognition and reckoning.

    We both know families who lived near the Trinity site. Families who were never warned, never evacuated and never told what happened. They kept drinking the water, eating the produce and breathing the air, not knowing it had been poisoned, until it was too late.

    They raised children and grandchildren in these communities. And in the years that followed, they watched loved ones suffer and die of rare and aggressive cancers. They buried neighbors and loved ones. They kept asking questions. And for decades, they were denied answers. They were ignored by the government that created this crisis.

    We’ve spent years listening to these stories around kitchen tables, at church, in congressional offices and in communities all across New Mexico. For far too long, Washington turned a blind eye to them, and it’s why we’ve worked together to deliver justice to the people of New Mexico.

    Together with other advocates, survivors and bipartisan allies in Congress, we finally succeeded. Earlier this month, legislation to extend and expand Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was signed into law. For the first time, New Mexico’s Downwinders and the post 1971 uranium workers are eligible for federal compensation and support.

    This was a historic first step, following years of advocacy and bipartisan momentum that we started in the U.S. Senate, but it is only the beginning.

    Now our attention is focused on ensuring RECA is implemented urgently. Impacted families must be given clear, accurate guidance on how to apply for compensation. The federal government must move quickly to implement a program that meets the needs of the people it was designed to serve.

    For those who have been waiting — some for a lifetime — time is of the essence. We cannot let delays, lack of outreach, or misinformation deny families the compensation they deserve.

    RECA isn’t just about financial compensation. No dollar amount can ever repay the sacrifice. It’s about acknowledging that what happened to New Mexicans after the Trinity Test was wrong, and that the federal government has a responsibility to make it right.

    We know this work is not easy. But we also know what’s possible when New Mexicans organize and speak with one loud voice. The passage of RECA was made possible because survivors told their stories, and because lawmakers on both sides of the aisle finally listened and acted. We’re grateful to every person who made their voice heard.

    On this solemn anniversary, we recommit ourselves to the work ahead. To honor the lives lost. To amplify the stories of those still living. And to ensure this country never forgets the cost to the people of New Mexico.

    The road to justice has been 80 years too long. But we are finally moving forward together.

    More information for New Mexico Downwinders can be found here.

    More information for New Mexico uranium workers & on-site participants can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Budapest Pride Parade as a pretext for a ‘moralist Commission’ to overstep its powers and disregard national child protection laws for ideologically motivated reasons – E-002845/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002845/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Mary Khan (ESN), Petra Steger (PfE)

    On 18 March 2025 the Hungarian Parliament passed a law prohibiting gatherings that violate the Hungarian Child Protection Act. Breaking this law exposes participants to fines of up to EUR 500 and organisers to prison sentences of up to one year. Subsequently, on 14 April 2025, a constitutional amendment was passed by a two-thirds majority that places child protection above all fundamental rights except the right to life and stipulates that there are only two genders. Flying in the face of this legitimate expression of national sovereignty, on 25 June 2025 Commission President von der Leyen ordered Hungary to uphold fundamental rights and demanded that the Budapest Pride parade, which had been staged as propaganda despite being banned, be allowed to take place with impunity.[1] In so doing, the Commission once again overstepped its authority and interfered in internal affairs – a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of a democratically legitimate Member State. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s unambiguous response that what happens on Hungary’s streets is not to be decided in Brussels therefore deserves recognition and broad European support.

    • 1.On what legal basis is the Commission President calling for events that are banned in Member States to be allowed to take place with impunity?
    • 2.Does the Commission not see a contradiction in promoting diversity while at the same time wilfully delegitimising the culturally established values and democratic constitutional decisions of individual Member States?
    • 3.What measures is the Commission taking to protect national child protection laws from ideological influence by EU institutions, bodies, agencies and other entities?

    Submitted: 11.7.2025

    • [1] https://orf.at/stories/3397824/
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Actions to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and the production and distribution of counterfeit products – E-002869/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002869/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE)

    Products with geographical indications such as olive oil, meat, cheese, dairy products and beverages such as beer and wine are particularly vulnerable to counterfeiting. For example, alcoholic beverages have one of the highest counterfeiting rates compared to other products, with annual losses of EUR 2 289 million in sales and almost 5 700 jobs in the EU. In Greece alone, EUR 49 million in sales and over 200 jobs are lost in this sector every year. According to Europol,[1] criminals forge labels and packaging and adapt production processes, while counterfeit products containing dangerous substances have also been seized. These phenomena cause irreparable harm to producers and pose a significant risk to consumer health.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.How does the Commission intend to tackle imports of such products while ensuring a level playing field for European producers?
    • 2.What measures does the Commission intend to put in place to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and to strengthen cross-border cooperation and enforcement of anti-counterfeiting legislation?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] Report by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) on the Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment in the European Union for 2025 (SOCTA).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Pollution in the River Ul – municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis (Portugal) – E-002856/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002856/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ana Miguel Pedro (PPE)

    The source of the River Ul is in Fajões, in São Mamede, in Portugal. It flows through the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis and is an important watercourse for the local ecosystem and the quality of life of those who live nearby.

    In recent weeks, residents have raised numerous complaints, citing obvious signs of pollution in the river, including persistent white foam and an intense, unpleasant odour that even reaches neighbouring homes.

    This evidence indicates the presence of polluting discharges that are potentially industrial or domestic in origin and pose a risk to the environment, public health and local biodiversity. The situation could be a breach of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000).

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of this situation?
    • 2.Does the Commission believe that the situation could breach the obligations laid down in Directive 2000/60/EC, in particular as regards the protection of the quality of surface water bodies?
    • 3.Is the Commission in a position to urge the relevant municipal authorities to investigate and, where appropriate, take immediate corrective action to ensure EU environmental legislation is followed?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Food additives approval system – E-002863/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002863/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Biljana Borzan (S&D)

    Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008[1] requires food additives to be safe, technologically justified, non-misleading and beneficial to consumers. The re-evaluation of additives approved before 2009 was due by 2020, yet 30 % remain unassessed in 2025. Additives such as aspartame, last reviewed in 2013, fall outside this process. Most evaluations rely heavily on industry data and lack deadlines for future reviews.

    • 1.Can the Commission explain how outdated reviews still ensure consumer safety in the light of new scientific understanding?
    • 2.Does it have plans to rely more on independent academic studies?
    • 3.Can it explain how it will accelerate evaluations and re-evaluations and introduce time limits for authorisation decisions, as seen in other regulatory frameworks, such as for pesticide approvals?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj.
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Geographical balance in the institutions – E-002854/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002854/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Erik Kaliňák (NI)

    According to the Staff Regulations, EU officials should be recruited on the ‘broadest possible geographical basis’ from among the nationals of EU Member States. However, geographical balance has long been a subject of debate, and opinions on how to achieve it remain divided.

    In light of the above, I would like to ask the Commission:

    • 1.Does it consider geographical balance and adherence to it to be a problem, or has the Commission resolved the issue of its implementation and consistently upheld geographical balance?
    • 2.What measures has it taken to ensure that geographical balance is consistently upheld when filling positions within the Commission at all AST and AD levels?
    • 3.Does the Commission coordinate its actions with other institutions to ensure geographical balance, and do the institutions communicate with each other to exchange experiences on ensuring geographical balance?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Implications and contingency planning in case of glyphosate withdrawal – E-002862/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002862/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Biljana Borzan (S&D)

    Glyphosate is a world’s most widely used weedkiller. It was previously classified by the World Health Organization as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. However, there is a consensus among health institutions that it is not harmful and, in 2023, the European Chemicals Agency (EHCA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that there was no justification for a glyphosate ban and extended its approval for 10 years. Now, a new study published on 10 June 2025 shows that long-term exposure to glyphosate caused cancer in rats. The study lacked transparency and is currently being reviewed by the EHCA and the EFSA.

    • 1.What are the next steps for the Commission if the study proves valid and glyphosate approval is withdrawn?
    • 2.What measures will the Commission take to protect human health and the environment during the transition period if glyphosate approval is withdrawn, particularly regarding existing stocks, alternative substances and support for farmers?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Additional financial support to address the migration problem affecting Greece – E-002860/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002860/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Georgios Aftias (PPE)

    Flows of migrants from Libya have recently shot up. Southern Greece – in particular Crete – is under severe pressure every day as a result of people arriving on boats, often under dangerous conditions. According to all forecasts, the waves of migrants from Libya are set to continue, owing to the Libyan government’s failure or even inability to contain them. The European Union has an obligation to stand with Greece, a frontline country which is once again being disproportionately burdened.

    Given the above, can the Commission say:

    • 1.What additional financial measures does it intend to take to tackle this new problem, which is getting worse every day?
    • 2.How will the process of curbing flows and supporting areas directly affected, such as Crete and Gavdos, be financed?
    • 3.When are the new, increased funds expected to be approved so that the situation can be dealt with effectively before all control is lost?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission measures to protect Greece’s sovereign rights following the Libyan Note Verbale – E-002866/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002866/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Yannis Maniatis (S&D)

    At a time when the EU is trying to assert its geopolitical ‘stature’, there are still countries that blatantly disregard the sovereign rights of its Member States and – by extension – the interests of the Union.

    As from 2011-2014, Greece has adopted legislation (Law 4001/2011) and mapped the outer boundaries of the Greek continental shelf and EEZ on the basis of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Nonetheless, not only do Türkiye and Libya not respect this international treaty, but they are in flagrant violation of it by signing the illegal and invalid Turkish-Libyan memorandum of understanding, which has not even been ratified by the Libyan Parliament.

    In response to the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (12 June) of a Greek tender for hydrocarbon exploration, the Libyan Government sent a Note Verbale to the UN in which – in breach of international law – it challenges the principle of the median line for defining the EEZs of Greece and Libya, threatening research that contributes to the EU’s energy autonomy. The Turkish-Libyan memorandum was condemned at a recent European Council meeting, which deemed that it violated the sovereign rights of Member States, was incompatible with the law of the sea and could not produce legal consequences for non-EU countries.

    What practical measures does the Commission intend to take against Libya to turn the European Council’s condemnatory decision into real action?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Advancing women’s health – E-002864/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002864/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Michalis Hadjipantela (PPE)

    The promotion of women’s health and fertility rights across the European Union is undoubtedly a core aspect of public health policy and gender equality. The Commission’s 2025 report entitled ‘EU research on advancing women’s health’[1] highlights that over EUR 2 billion has been invested in research related to women’s health under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. Despite this promising investment, chronic conditions such as endometriosis, which affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, remain undiagnosed and underfunded in many Member States, including Cyprus.

    In Cyprus, women continue to face significant barriers in accessing timely diagnoses and effective treatment for gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, both of which are linked to fertility issues. Also, public health data collection, awareness campaigns and fertility support services remain limited.

    Can the Commission therefore clarify:

    • 1.What specific EU funding sources are currently available or planned to support women’s health and fertility, particularly in Cyprus?
    • 2.What proportion of this funding targets endometriosis research, treatment and awareness?
    • 3.What steps is the Commission taking to ensure that EU-level research and funding are translated into tangible improvements in healthcare provision for women in Cyprus?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/43771686-4a5c-11f0-85ba-01aa75ed71a1/language-en.
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Classification of poultry by-products and obstacles to biogas use – E-002843/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002843/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Asger Christensen (Renew)

    Each year, millions of spent hens in Denmark, Sweden and Finland pose a logistical and sustainability challenge because of insufficient slaughterhouse capacity. The only specialised facility in the region operates well below the scale needed to process the volume of end-of-lay hens.

    Mobile slaughter systems, such as the Danish BioChick solution, offer a practical and animal welfare-friendly alternative. The process involves the hens being stunned, inspected by a veterinary surgeon, and acidified to a pH of 2 to yield a product suitable for biogas generation. However, under Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009[1], this material is classified as Category 2, whereas it would be Category 3 if processed in a traditional slaughterhouse. This classification prevents its use in renewable energy, despite similar hygiene and safety standards and better animal welfare standards.

    In parallel, new EU transport rules may further restrict long-distance movement of spent hens, increasing the relevance of mobile slaughter and biogas conversion as one of the few sustainable solutions.

    • 1.Does the Commission consider this classification proportionate when equivalent standards are met?
    • 2.Will the Commission revise the rules to allow Category 3 classification in such cases?
    • 3.How does the Commission plan to support biogas use of spent hens in areas without adequate slaughter capacity?

    Submitted: 11.7.2025

    • [1] Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (Animal by-products Regulation) (OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1069/oj).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Guterres condemns killing of people seeking food as humanitarian conditions deteriorate

    Source: United Nations 2

    Stéphane Dujarric was speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed seeking food aid.

    He said the Secretary-General deplored the growing reports of both children and adults suffering from malnutrition and strongly condemned the ongoing violence, including the shooting, killing and injuring of people attempting to get food.

    Not a target

    “Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted,” said Mr. Dujarric, noting that the population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.

    He stressed that “Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.” 

    Mr. Dujarric said the Secretary-General noted that the recent intensification of hostilities comes as the humanitarian system in Gaza is being impeded, undermined and endangered.

    New evacuation orders

    He pointed to a new evacuation order issued for parts of Deir Al-Balah, which is pushing people into more desperate conditions and sparking further displacement, while restricting the UN’s ability to deliver aid.

    He reported that two UN guesthouses in Deir Al-Balah were struck, despite the parties being informed about their locations. 

    “They suffered damage,” he said, responding a reporter’s question. “The UN staff inside was, to say the least, rattled.”

    Mr. Dujarric underscored that the UN intends to remain in Deir Al-Balah.

     Ceasefire now

    The Secretary-General reiterated his urgent call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and for the provision of essential resources to ensure their survival.

    He once again called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    Mr. Dujarric said the UN stands ready to significantly scale up its humanitarian operations in Gaza, adding “the time for a ceasefire is now.” 

    More to follow…

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Issues Statement on Chairman Green’s Retirement

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast issued the following statement upon House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green’s retirement from Congress.

    “Chairman Green dedicated his life to serving our great nation on the battlefields and in the halls of Congress.

    As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he played instrumental roles in shaping our foreign policy to protect our interests at home and abroad.

    We thank him for his many years of service and wish him continued success for many years to come.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to CBO’s January 2025 Baseline

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    CBO estimates that Public Law 119-21 will result in a net increase in the unified budget deficit totaling $3.4 trillion over the 2025-2034 period, relative to CBO’s January 2025 baseline updated to reflect enacted legislation. That increase in the deficit is estimated to result from a decrease in direct spending of $1.1 trillion and an decrease in revenues of $4.5 trillion.

    Some of those budgetary effects are associated with programs that are classified as off-budget. The increase in the on-budget deficit over that period is estimated at $3.4 trillion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Sues Trump Administration Over Cruel Directive Unlawfully Restricting Access to Head Start, Other Public Benefit Programs

    Source: US State of California

    Statute and longstanding federal policy have allowed access, regardless of immigration status, to specific community programs, including those deemed necessary for protection of life or safety 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today sued the Trump Administration over its abrupt decision to restrict access to more than a dozen public benefit programs based on immigration status. This decision is contrary to law and a reversal of nearly three decades of federal practice allowing access, regardless of immigration status, to certain public benefits programs that have historically been determined to protect life or safety and contribute to the overall welfare of communities. In doing so, the Trump Administration has thrown programs across California into chaos and cruelly jeopardized the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable families. At risk is access to Head Start, childcare services for low-income people, adult education, mental health and substance use disorder programs, and shelters for at-risk youth and domestic violence survivors, among many other safety-net programs. Attorney General Bonta, alongside a coalition of 20 other attorneys general, asks the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing this devastating change, arguing that these new polices threaten the outright collapse of the states’ social safety nets.

    “Let’s be clear: This latest salvo in the President’s inhumane anti-immigration campaign primarily goes after working moms and their young children. We’re not talking about waste, fraud, and abuse, we’re talking about programs that deliver essential childcare, healthcare, nutrition, and education assistance, programs that have for decades been open to all because we understand that we are better off when everyone has the chance to succeed.” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration’s abrupt reversal of nearly three decades of precedent – and decision to put at risk not just support for undocumented families, but ultimately families who rely on these programs nationwide – is cruel, but unfortunately unsurprising. So is its lack of regard for the law. Six months into the second Trump Administration, I’ll repeat a familiar refrain: We’ll see President Trump in court.” 

    Since 1997, the federal government has interpreted The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) to permit states’ use of federal funds for certain programs that serve communities based on need regardless of immigration status. These programs work precisely because there are few barriers to access and include: 

    • Short-term shelter or housing assistance for people who are unhoused, for survivors of domestic violence, or for at-risk youth.
    • Programs, services, or assistance to help individuals during periods of heat, cold, or other adverse weather conditions (e.g., cooling centers).
    • Soup kitchens, community food banks, senior nutrition programs such as meals on wheels, and other such community nutritional services for persons requiring special assistance.
    • Medical and public health services (including treatment and prevention of diseases and injuries) and mental health, disability, or substance use treatment. 
    • Early childhood education, childcare services for low-income people, and adult education programs.

    Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of Education issued notices related to the interpretation of “federal public benefit” under PRWORA restricting numerous “noncitizens” from receiving benefits under federally funded programs. Around the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its own notice revoking every one of the “life or safety” exemptions that DOJ had put in place 29 years earlier. 

    In California, the effects of these actions will be devastating – and immediate. The Head Start Program, founded in 1965, was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing young children from families with low incomes a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and educational needs. In 2023-24, California’s 100 direct Head Start regional recipients served over 80,345 children and families at 1,842 individual site locations. The Trump Administration’s new polices, which will require programs to verify immigration status, are expected to have a chilling effect, leading to decreased enrollment from participants, and an administrative and financial burden for recipients. Moreover, if regional recipients do not hit mandatory 97% enrollment targets, they will lose federal funding and these programs will shut down, harming all the children they serve, as well as the more than 25,000 staff members these programs employ, including in rural communities where Head Start is often a large employer.  

    Examples like this are countless across the public benefits programs at risk through the Trump Administration’s actions. Survivors of domestic violence and at-risk youth may be fearful of seeking services at shelters. Mixed status families may forgo access to public benefit services all together. Requiring citizenship or immigration status verification of any kind fundamentally creates a barrier to access. People will be reluctant to reach out to access needed services or to call for help for others who might benefit from such services. And requiring programs to expend resources to implement systems and train staff to verify citizenship or immigration status will impose a time and resource burden on programs already struggling to operate on narrow financial margins.

    In today’s filings, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the Trump Administration’s abrupt announcement further limiting access to public benefit programs for undocumented individuals fails to provide notice and an opportunity to comment, is arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, and fails to give the states “fair notice” as required under the Spending Clause. They highlight that instead of saving money, the new verification requirements will lead to an overall cost to their states’ economies in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars each year and will endanger the ability of these programs to continue providing services to all of the residents of their states, not just noncitizens. They urge the court to preliminary enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing the order to prevent programs from shuttering, uncertainty, and tremendous impacts on the public health, education, and welfare of their states.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New York, Washington, Rhode Island, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Wisconsin in filing the lawsuit.  

    A copy of the lawsuit is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025
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