NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – German budget deficit – E-002965/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002965/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Moritz Körner (Renew)

    Germany recently reformed its national debt brake. The reform comprises three key elements. The federal states will have their own net borrowing capacity of 0.35 % of GDP per year. The Federal Government adopted a new special investment fund for infrastructure and climate protection worth EUR 500 billion, in addition to the existing special defence fund of EUR 100 billion. Defence and security expenditure will in future be explicitly exempted from the debt brake. According to the Federal Ministry of Defence, the following defence budgets are planned for the coming years:

    2025: EUR 62.43 billion

    2026: EUR 82.69 billion

    2027: EUR 93.35 billion

    2028: EUR 136.48 billion

    2029: EUR 152.83 billion

    • 1.What annual government deficits does the Commission expect for Germany from 2025 to 2029, as a percentage of GDP and in absolute terms?
    • 2.How high can Germany’s annual deficit be between 2025 and 2029 if it applies the national escape clause in full?
    • 3.In such a case, what would the maximum annual expenditure volume available to Germany be without infringing the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Impacts of SAFE – E-002960/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002960/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Moritz Körner (Renew)

    According to the Commission, what positive military or defence implications will the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) financial instrument have for Germany by 2030?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Violations of the Animal Transport Regulation – E-002984/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002984/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Maria Noichl (S&D), Thomas Waitz (Verts/ALE), Sebastian Everding (The Left), Sirpa Pietikäinen (PPE), Annalisa Corrado (S&D), Michal Wiezik (Renew), Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Krzysztof Śmiszek (S&D)

    In spring 2025, the non-governmental organisations Soko Tierschutz and The Marker documented systematic violations of the EU Animal Transport Regulation[1]. One specific case is the transport of more than 34 000 calves, which were just a few weeks old, from Austria and Germany to Spain. Here, they were fattened in some cases in serious violation of their rights, and were later slaughtered without stunning in North Africa and the Middle East. It is particularly barbaric that the calves’ documented travel time was over 22 hours without sufficient rest breaks or care, which is a clear violation of the applicable EU regulations. Criminal charges have been filed with the Augsburg Public Prosecutor’s Office.

    • 1.Does the Commission recognise a violation of the EU Animal Transport Regulation in the documented case, and what concrete steps is the Commission taking, in cooperation with the Member States concerned, (Germany, Austria and Spain) to clarify the case?
    • 2.Does the Commission have information on comparable cases of systematic infringements in other Member States?
    • 3.What measures does the Commission propose to prevent such structural abuse in the future – in particular with regard to controls, transparency and sanctioning mechanisms?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    • [1] Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 93/119/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 (OJ L 3, 5.1.2005, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2005/1/oj).
    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Closure of a State aid procedure without a final decision regarding the HHLA-MSC case – E-002992/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002992/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Fabio De Masi (NI)

    • 1.Which provision of the procedural rules regarding state aid (Regulation (EU) 2015/1589) enables the Commission to close the state aid procedure concerning the sale of shares in Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA) to the shipping company MSC ‘without a final decision at this stage’ (written submission to the Commission of 21 May 2025 – reference EASE 2025/2487)?
    • 2.What circumstances might lead the Commission to reopen the procedure?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Pension funds – E-002976/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002976/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Moritz Körner (Renew)

    Can the Commission answer the three following questions, addressing each one of them individually:

    • 1.Approximately what proportion of EU citizens’ pension funds (including both private pension schemes and public pension plans) is currently being invested in the US?
    • 2.How much higher would the EU’s GDP be if the money from these pension funds was invested in the EU?
    • 3.How much is the fragmented nature not only of European capital markets, but also of private pension schemes and public pension plans to blame for the fact that pension funds are being invested in the US, and what is the Commission doing about this fragmentation?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Extending mandatory filling of gas storage facilities and impact on national energy sovereignty – E-003021/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-003021/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Georg Mayer (PfE), Harald Vilimsky (PfE)

    The planned amendment to Regulation (EU) 2017/1938 provides for the obligation to fill gas storage facilities to be extended beyond 2025 until the end of 2027 and for the Commission to be given additional implementing and control powers.

    • 1.What specific criteria are to be used to determine whether there are unfavourable market conditions that warrant deviating from the filling target, and who will decide on approving such deviations?
    • 2.What does the Commission think about what is a contradictory situation in that, on the one hand, security of supply is used as an argument for mandatory filling quantities, but, on the other, fixed filling rates are a constraint on market operators’ flexibility?
    • 3.How will the Commission make sure that decision-making power on strategic energy issues and on specific storage filling arrangements remains with Member States and that specific national circumstances are taken into account?

    Submitted: 21.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Costs of ETS and ETS2 – E-002980/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002980/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Jacek Ozdoba (ECR)

    Member States are struggling with rising electricity costs. Rising energy costs are causing the EU to lose competitiveness to other countries, particularly China. Please answer the following questions:

    • 1.According to the Commission’s experts, what percentage of the cost of electricity bills in individual European countries is accounted for by EU charges and taxes, particularly ETS?
    • 2.According to the Commission’s calculations, how much will households pay after the introduction of ETS2? Please provide a detailed breakdown by Member State, together with the projected costs.

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Proliferation of media and digital platform regulators – E-003076/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-003076/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Catherine Griset (PfE), Séverine Werbrouck (PfE), André Rougé (PfE), Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Fabrice Leggeri (PfE)

    The number of EU agencies and offices involved in monitoring media and digital platforms has increased: there is the European Board for Media Services, European Audiovisual Observatory, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications and European Digital Media Observatory.

    These European regulators are in addition to the national regulators, which are also growing in number.

    • 1.Does the Commission agree that this proliferation of regulators makes it difficult for Europeans to understand precisely what they do?
    • 2.Within the Commission itself, the DSA compliance monitoring team is set to expand from 100 to 200 members. Does the Commission acknowledge that the rise in the number of authorities and staff involved in media and digital platform regulation has an escalating financial impact on EU taxpayers?
    • 3.Given that it is seeking to simplify EU regulation, does it plan to reduce the number of agencies and offices, especially those dedicated to media and digital platform oversight?

    Submitted: 24.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB supports €100 million initiative to improve Cyprus’s road network

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB funds Cypriot government €100 million to make road travel easier and safer
    • The financial agreement is second tranche of €200m total funding to co-finance network upgrades and extensions
    • Works to include environmental management systems such as better water collection and drainage systems.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is funding Cyprus a further €100 million for a range of road improvements in the country. The EIB credit will cover 50% of the costs of planned renovations and extensions to make road travel in Cyprus easier and safer.

    The agreement is part of a €200 million approved EIB financing package for Cypriot road infrastructure. The first tranche of €100 million was signed in December 2024. The works, which will cover road networks and infrastructure improvement in various areas across the country, are due to be completed by 2029.

    “Investing in essential infrastructure like road networks is vital for strengthening social cohesion and driving economic growth in Cyprus” said EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris. “This project will have a real and lasting impact on the daily lives of Cypriots — improving mobility, enhancing safety, and boosting climate resilience”.

    The EIB’s agreement supports a multiyear national plan by the Cypriot Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works. The plan includes a wide range of works, from upgrading motorways, regional and rural roads, and building new bridges, tunnels and walking and cycling lanes, to upgraded traffic management systems and drainage systems.

    “This new financing agreement with the EIB reflects our strong and long-standing partnership. It will allow us to implement essential infrastructure projects that enhance road safety, connectivity, and sustainable mobility across Cyprus. We are grateful for the EIB’s continued support and its role as a key partner in our development efforts”, said Cypriot Minister of Finance Makis Keravnos.

    “The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, with the support of the European Investment Bank, promotes strategic land transport projects in urban and interurban areas, with the aim of improving accessibility in less privileged-isolated areas of Cyprus, enhancing road safety, addressing the impacts of climate change, promote alternative – sustainable travel options, as well as to improve the socio-economic cohesion of our island”, said Eleftherios Eleftheriou, Director of Public Works Department in his speech on behalf of the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeadis.

    EIB road financing in Cyprus

    With this new financing, total EIB’s investment in critical road projects in Cyprus has exceeded €670 million since 1998. Before the two recent €100m accords, the most recent EIB financing for this area in Cyprus was a 112 million loan in 2021 to support four projects in Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos as well as the Vasilikos Energy Centre road.

    Background information  

    EIB 

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.  

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.  

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.  

    Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    EIB supports €100 million initiative to improve Cyprus’s road network
    EIB supports €100 million initiative to improve Cyprus’s road network
    ©EIB
    Download original

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Renewed opportunity for partnership with Panama – E-002949/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002949/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Sebastian Kruis (PfE)

    In October 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) removed Panama from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, acknowledging comprehensive reforms of its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regimes. Panama has since overhauled its financial supervision, enhanced institutional capacity and demonstrated tangible enforcement progress. On 9 July 2025, the European Parliament adopted a resolution supporting Panama’s removal from the EU’s high-risk third countries list.

    Given these developments and the opportunity to improve relations with a cooperative partner country, the Commission is urged to expedite its reassessment of Panama’s listing.

    • 1.What is the Commission’s current timeline for reassessing Panama’s status on the EU grey list?
    • 2.How does the Commission incorporate FATF decisions and parliamentary resolutions into its assessment process?
    • 3.Will the Commission commit to aligning Panama’s status with its current AML/CTF performance and international recognition?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Soy leghemoglobin – E-002948/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002948/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Martin Häusling (Verts/ALE)

    Following the Commission reply that ‘the data submitted concerned the actual strain used for producing this soy leghemoglobin (MXY0541)’[1], I have further questions.

    • 1.The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) explicitly states that it evaluated 14- and 28-day rat feeding studies on LegHPrep derived from the GM yeast strain MXY0291 – not the strain intended for commercialisation (MXY0541). Why did the EFSA’s Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) and GMO Panel analyse studies from an irrelevant strain and derive favourable safety conclusions?
    • 2.The findings in Impossible Foods’ peer-reviewed 90-day study[2], which used the strains MXY0291 and NRRL Y-11430 rather than MXY0541, appear to be the same as the findings in the study analysed by the FAF Panel. Therefore, it seems that they are the same study and that the 90-day study that EFSA evaluated used an irrelevant strain. Will the Commission release the full details of the 90-day study that EFSA evaluated, including details of the GM yeast strain that was used, and if it is a different study from the 90-day peer-reviewed one, will it state that and explain how two different studies on LegHPrep that found similar adverse effects are not an indication of food safety risk?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    • [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2025-001090-ASW_EN.html.
    • [2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10581837/.
    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Closure of State aid proceedings relating to Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in light of the judgment in Case C-40/23 P – E-002993/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002993/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Fabio De Masi (NI)

    In light of the Court of Justice’s judgment in Case C-40/23 P[1], according to which the Commission is required to definitively determine the existence of aid as part of its decisional practice, how does the Commission justify the non-conclusion and closure of the State aid proceedings relating to the HHLA-MSC case (see written request to the Commission under reference EASE 2025/2487)?

    Submitted: 17.7.2025

    • [1] https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=5658369B2D133B24CE434EA79641CF71?text=&docid=287069&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=4147156
    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Van Hollen, Castro, Jacobs Demand U.S. Security Companies Answer for Deadly Actions in Gaza 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Bicameral lawmakers warn Safe Reach Solutions (SRS) and UG Solutions (UG) that they have put American veterans at risk of criminal and civil liability for de facto “military operations” in Gaza  
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) in leading an effort to demand answers from U.S.-based security companies, Safe Reach Solutions, LLC (SRS) and UG Solutions, LLC (UG) about their activities in Gaza, which according to press reports, include using lethal force against unarmed and starving Palestinian civilians at aid distribution sites.  
    The lawmakers warned SRS and UG that the companies and personnel—many of them American military veterans hired as private security contractors—may be subject to future criminal and civil liability under U.S. laws prohibiting torture, war crimes, and forced deportation. The lawmakers also requested the preservation of all documents and communication related to the security companies’ contracts and work with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). 
    “We were horrified by reporting this week on your companies’ deadly security operations in Gaza. Your operations have exposed hundreds of brave American veterans to future criminal and civil liability under U.S. laws criminalizing war crimes, torture, and forced deportation,” wrote the lawmakers. “Reports and firsthand witnesses have indicated to us that your personnel —American veterans hired as private security contractors—were brought into Israel on tourist visas inappropriate for the intended purpose of their travel, sent to Gaza armed for combat, and ordered by Israeli officials to use lethal force against unarmed and starving Palestinian civilians. We have also learned that under Israeli orders, your personnel are conducting crowd control at food distribution sites by firing live rounds over the heads of civilians and using stun grenades and pepper spray—all in an active military zone under direct supervision by Israeli military officers.” 
    The lawmakers continued: “As a result, we are deeply concerned that you may have failed to alert your personnel —or investors—of the immense legal risks they face for conducting what amounts to military operations on behalf of the Israeli government on land outside of the State of Israel.” 
    Read and download the letter here and below:  
    Mr. Govoni, Mr. Reilly,  
    We were horrified by reporting this week on your companies’ deadly security operations in Gaza. Your operations have exposed hundreds of brave American veterans to future criminal and civil liability under U.S. laws criminalizing war crimes, torture, and forced deportation.  
    Reports and firsthand witnesses have indicated to us that your personnel —American veterans hired as private security contractors—were brought into Israel on tourist visas inappropriate for the intended purpose of their travel, sent to Gaza armed for combat, and ordered by Israeli officials to use lethal force against unarmed and starving Palestinian civilians. We have also learned that under Israeli orders, your personnel are conducting crowd control at food distribution sites by firing live rounds over the heads of civilians and using stun grenades and pepper spray—all in an active military zone under direct supervision by Israeli military officers.  
    As a result, we are deeply concerned that you may have failed to alert your personnel —or investors—of the immense legal risks they face for conducting what amounts to military operations on behalf of the Israeli government on land outside of the State of Israel.   
    Even before the latest revelations, press had reported on Israeli military actions that include the wanton destruction of civilian homes, the use of human shields, rules of engagement resulting in disproportionate civilian casualties, and blockage of medicine and food. More than 50,000 children have already been killed or injured in Gaza, and as we write, infant boys and girls are starving to death. Prime Minister Netanyahu, in response to a question concerning remaining legitimate targets to strike, is reported to have said “I don’t care about the targets” and ordered military officials to “destroy the homes, bomb everything in Gaza. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is reported to have said, “Gaza will be totally destroyed… They will be totally despairing… and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places.” As a result of these actions, U.S. allies have already cut off the supply of offensive weapons to Israel. 
    We, therefore, ask that you urgently respond to the following questions: 

    What are the Rules of Engagement currently in effect for your staff in Gaza and what is the nature of their command-and-control relationship with Israeli military officers and government officials? 

    Did you inform your investors and staff prior to their departure from the United States that they are subject to U.S. criminal law prohibiting torture, war crimes, and forced deportation, including under the War Crimes Act? And further, that they could be held legally responsible for crimes by Israeli forces when those actions were enabled or facilitated by your operations? 

    Did you inform prospective staff and investors that they could face civil suits upon return to the United States under the Torture Prevention Act by Americans and the families of Americans harmed in Gaza? 

    Did you inform your staff that the International Criminal Court and third states may exercise jurisdiction over war crimes in Gaza and that they could consider your American staff as combatants for purposes of liability, potentially limiting future freedom of travel to other countries?  

    How is your organization documenting activities in Gaza and what happens to that data? We request that you preserve all documents and communications related to your contracts and work with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. 

    We respectfully request a response withing two weeks.  
    Sincerely, 
     CC: 

    Charles J. Africano (“Chuck”/“Joe”), Safe Reach Solutions (SRS) 

    Kevin Sullivan, UG Solutions 

    Jennifer C, UG Solutions 

    Lou Rassey, Chief Executive Officer, McNally Capital, Chicago IL 

    Ward McNally, Founder, Co-CEO, and Managing Partner, McNally Capital, Chicago IL 

    Brian Grogan, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer, McNally Capital, Chicago IL 

    Ravi Shah, Partner, McNally Capital, Chicago IL 

    Joel Revill, Chief Executive Officer, Two Ocean Trust, Jackson Hole WY  

    Albert Forkner, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Two Ocean Trust, Jackson Hole WY 

    Dustin Sventy, Chief Investment Officer, Two Ocean Trust, Jackson Hole WY  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Russian attack on Ukrainian capital kills at least 11 civilians

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Among the confirmed dead is a six-year-old boy. At least 10 of the injured were children, the mission said, and news reports indicate that figure is rising.

    City-wide damage

    Russia reportedly launched 309 drones and eight cruise missiles during the night,  and despite air defences managing to destroy many of them, the damage across the capital was severe.  

    At least 27 locations across Kyiv were hit by the attack, with the heaviest damage seen in the Solomianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts, where UN rescue efforts are ongoing.  

    In the Sviatoshynskyi district, a missile destroyed a section of a nine-story apartment building.

    In the Solomianskyi district, a five-story apartment building was severely damaged, and at least two people were killed.

    UN Ukraine reported that witnesses described shock at the strike, which happened so quickly that they did not have time to seek shelter.

    “Homes, businesses and public buildings are being destroyed, and it may take years to rebuild them. And each new attack compounds the psychological toll on people who have to spend night after night in shelters,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.

    More than 100 buildings were reportedly damaged in the capital, including homes, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities and universities, according to news reports.  

    Unprecedented civilian toll

    This attack follows a wave of violence close and far from the frontline, including weekend assaults that killed at least 20 civilians and injured over 120, a prison attack on Monday that killed 16 inmates, a hospital strike that killed three and the death of five civilians in the east on Tuesday.

    This violent pattern continues from June, when HRMMU reported that Russia launched 10 times more missile and loitering munitions attacks against Ukraine compared with June 2024, killing 232 and injuring 1,343.

    The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, stressed on social media that “international humanitarian law must be respected. All efforts must be taken to protect civilians. They are not a target.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces Actions to Get Americans the Best Prices in the World for Prescription Drugs

    Source: US Whitehouse

    REDUCING DRUG PRICES FOR AMERICANS AND TAXPAYERS: Today, President Donald J. Trump sent letters to leading pharmaceutical manufacturers outlining the steps they must take to bring down the prices of prescription drugs in the United States to match the lowest price offered in other developed nations (known as the most-favored-nation, or MFN, price). The steps include:

    • Calling on manufacturers to provide MFN prices to every single Medicaid patient.
    • Requiring manufacturers to stipulate that they will not offer other developed nations better prices for new drugs than prices offered in the United States.
    • Providing manufacturers with an avenue to cut out middlemen and sell medicines directly to patients, provided they do so at a price no higher than the best price available in developed nations.
    • Using trade policy to support manufacturers in raising prices internationally provided that increased revenues abroad are reinvested directly into lowering prices for American patients and taxpayers.

    The letters inform manufacturers that if they “refuse to step up,” the federal government “will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices.”

    Letters were sent to AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Regeneron, and Sanofi.

    ENDING GLOBAL FREELOADING ON AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL INNOVATION:  President Trump is taking decisive action to rebalance a system that allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to offer low prices to other wealthy nations while charging Americans significantly higher prices. 

    • According to recent data, the prices Americans pay for brand-name drugs are more than three times the price other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development nations pay, even after accounting for discounts manufacturers provide in the U.S.
    • The United States has less than five percent of the world’s population, yet roughly 75% of global pharmaceutical profits come from American taxpayers.
    • Drug manufacturers benefit from generous research subsidies and enormous healthcare spending by the U.S. Government. Instead of passing that benefit through to American consumers, drug manufacturers then discount their products abroad to gain access to foreign markets and subsidize those discounts through high prices charged in America. Americans are subsidizing drug-manufacturer profits and foreign health systems, both in development and once the drugs are sold.

    ONCE AGAIN DELIVERING ON PROMISES TO PUT AMERICAN PATIENTS FIRST: Today’s letters are an important step in President Trump’s work to get Americans the best deal in the world on prescription drugs.

    • On May 12, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled: “Delivering Most-Favored-Nation Prescription Drug Pricing to American Patients” directing the Administration to take numerous actions to bring American drug prices in line with those paid by similar nations.
    • Following the Order, the Administration engaged pharmaceutical manufacturers in discussions to achieve MFN pricing in the United States. Today’s letters indicate that industry proposals have fallen short, and from this point forward, President Trump will only accept from drug manufacturers a commitment that provides American families immediate relief from vastly inflated drug prices and an end to the freeriding by European and other developed nations on American innovations.
    • President Trump has been relentless in his effort to address the unfair and outrageous prices Americans pay for prescription drugs:
      • President Trump: “In case after case, our citizens pay massively higher prices than other nations pay for the same exact pill, from the same factory, effectively subsidizing socialism aboard [abroad] with skyrocketing prices at home. So we would spend tremendous amounts of money in order to provide inexpensive drugs to another country. And when I say the price is different, you can see some examples where the price is beyond anything — four times, five times different.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: The White House Announces White House Ballroom Construction to Begin

    Source: US Whitehouse

    Washington, D.C. — For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed. President Donald J. Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people.
     
    The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance. The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed and carefully crafted space, with a seated capacity of 650 people — a significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House.
     
    In recent weeks, President Trump has held several meetings with members of the White House Staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the United States Secret Service to discuss design features and planning. 
     
    President Trump has chosen McCrery Architects as lead architect, which is well-known for their classical architectural design and based in our nation’s capital. CEO Jim McCrery said: “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”
     
    The construction team will be headed by Clark Construction, and the engineering team will be led by AECOM. 
     
    The project will begin in September 2025, and it is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term. 
     
    President Trump, and other patriot donors, have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million dollar structure. The United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications. 
     
    The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, it’s theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical. The site of the new ballroom will be where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and has been renovated and changed many times, with a second story added in 1942. 
     
    The White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said the following: “President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail. The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come.” 
     
    The White House will continue to provide the American public with updates on this project at whitehouse.gov/visit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz Condemns Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Palm Desert, CA – Today Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) issued the following statement:

    “The extreme hunger and starvation unfolding in Gaza is a dire humanitarian emergency. Reports of Palestinians—including children—dying from hunger and malnutrition are heartbreaking and unacceptable. This is a man-made crisis, and urgent action is needed. Time is of the essence. Every day that food, water, and life-saving medical care are blocked from reaching civilians, more lives will be lost, especially children.

    “That’s why I sent letters to President Trump and Secretary Rubio demanding that they increase humanitarian resources to Gaza, and urge Israel and Hamas to end the war, and release all hostages. 

    “They must guarantee safe and unfettered access for international humanitarian organizations and the United Nations that abide by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence to provide food, clean water, sanitation, and urgent medical care. 

    “We need immediate, coordinated action. Lives are on the line. We need this now.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Installs Key ‘Sunblock’ Shield on Roman Space Telescope

    Source: NASA

    Technicians have successfully installed two sunshields onto NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s inner segment. Along with the observatory’s Solar Array Sun Shield and Deployable Aperture Cover, the panels (together called the Lower Instrument Sun Shade), will play a critical role in keeping Roman’s instruments cool and stable as the mission explores the infrared universe.

    The team is on track to join Roman’s outer and inner assemblies this fall to complete the full observatory, which can then undergo further prelaunch testing.
    “This shield is like an extremely strong sunblock for Roman’s sensitive instruments, protecting them from heat and light from the Sun that would otherwise overwhelm our ability to detect faint signals from space,” said Matthew Stephens, an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
    The sunshade, which was designed and engineered at NASA Goddard, is essentially an extension of Roman’s solar panels, except without solar cells. Each sunshade flap is roughly the size of a garage door — about 7 by 7 feet (2.1 by 2.1 meters) — and 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) thick.
    “They’re basically giant aluminum sandwiches, with metal sheets as thin as a credit card on the top and bottom and the central portion made up of a honeycomb structure,” said Conrad Mason, an aerospace engineer at NASA Goddard.
    This design makes the panels lightweight yet stiff, and the material helps limit heat transfer from the side facing the Sun to the back—no small feat considering the front will be hot enough to boil water (up to 216 degrees Fahrenheit, or 102 degrees Celsius) while the back will be much colder than Antarctica’s harshest winter (minus 211 Fahrenheit, or minus 135 Celsius). A specialized polymer film blanket will wrap around each panel to temper the heat, with 17 layers on the Sun side and one on the shaded side.
    The sunshade will be stowed and gently deploy around an hour after launch.

    “The deploying mechanisms have dampers that work like soft-close hinges for drawers or cabinets, so the panels won’t slam open and rattle the observatory,” Stephens said. “They each take about two minutes to move into their final positions. This is the very first system that Roman will deploy in space after the spacecraft separates from the launch vehicle.”
    Now completely assembled, Roman’s inner segment is slated to undergo a 70-day thermal vacuum test next. Engineers and scientists will test the full functionality of the spacecraft, telescope, and instruments under simulated space conditions. Following the test, the sunshade will be temporarily removed while the team joins Roman’s outer and inner assemblies, and then reattached to complete the observatory. The mission remains on track for launch no later than May 2027 with the team aiming for as early as fall 2026.

    Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
    The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
    By Ashley BalzerNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crockett, Henderson, Humphreys, Lewis, Montgomery and Shelby Counties Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Crockett, Henderson, Humphreys, Lewis, Montgomery and Shelby Counties Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

    Crockett, Henderson, Humphreys, Lewis, Montgomery and Shelby Counties Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

    Local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in Crockett, Henderson, Humphreys, Lewis, Montgomery and Shelby counties are now eligible for FEMA Public Assistance grants for debris removal, emergency protective measures and permanent work to repair public facilities that were damaged by the April 2-24 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding

     These counties join Carroll, Cheatham, Davidson, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Stewart, Wayne and Tipton counties which were all previously approved for FEMA Public Assistance

     FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides reimbursement to local and state government agencies for the costs of emergency response, debris removal and restoration of disaster damaged public facilities and infrastructure

    Houses of worship and other nonprofit organizations may also be eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

    kwei

    nwaogu
    Thu, 07/31/2025 – 12:12

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Invites Proposals to Lease Aircraft Hangar in Cleveland

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is seeking proposals for the use of its historic aircraft hangar, along with a parking lot, tarmac, and a small neighboring office building. Proposals are due by 1 p.m. EDT on Nov. 28.  
    The hangar, formally known as the Flight Research Building, is available for lease by signing a National Historic Preservation Act agreement for a 10-year base period and two optional five-year extensions.
    NASA first announced plans to lease the Flight Research Building and other facilities in May 2024 under the government’s Enhanced Use Lease authority. These lease agreements allow space, aeronautics, and other related industries to use agency land and facilities, reducing NASA’s maintenance costs while fostering strategic partnerships that spur innovation.
    “Glenn is making great progress as we modernize our Cleveland and Sandusky campuses to support NASA’s future missions,” said Dr. Jimmy Kenyon, Glenn’s center director. “Through Enhanced Use Leases, we’re ensuring full use of land and facilities while preserving an iconic, historic building and creating regional economic opportunities.”
    The property available for lease includes up to 6.7 acres of land, which contains the heated aircraft hangar, Operations and Integration Building, parking lot, and tarmac. The hangar is 160 feet by 280 feet, and the Operations and Integration Building is 5,947 square feet. Proceeds from this lease will be used to maintain Glenn facilities and infrastructure. 
    Visible from Brookpark Road and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Glenn’s hangar was the first building completed after the center was established in 1941. It has sheltered many unique aircraft used to perform vital research. From studying ice accumulation on aircraft wings to the first use of laser communications to stream 4K video from an aircraft to the International Space Station, Glenn flight research has contributed to aviation safety, atmospheric studies, and cutting-edge technology development.
    Interested parties should contact both Carlos Flores at carlos.a.flores-1@nasa.gov and Diana Munro at diana.c.munro@nasa.gov to sign up for a walk-through from Monday, Sept. 8, to Friday, Sept. 12, or the week of Oct. 6.  
    For a 360-degree virtual tour of the Flight Research Building, visit:
    https://www3.nasa.gov/specials/hangar360/
    -end-
    Jan WittryGlenn Research Center, Cleveland216-433-5466jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Ends Unfair “De Minimis” Tariff Exemption, A Major Victory in Securing the Homeland

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Trump Ends Unfair “De Minimis” Tariff Exemption, A Major Victory in Securing the Homeland

    President Trump’s Executive Order empowers DHS to continue cracking down on smuggling and unfair trade practices
    WASHINGTON – President Trump signed an Executive Order suspending duty-free de minimis tariff exemptions for low-value shipments from all countries
    His order empowers Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to close this loophole which was used to avoid tariffs and smuggle deadly synthetic opioids like fentanyl into the United States

    “For decades, bad actors have taken advantage of America’s de minimis process by smuggling in deadly narcotics, harmful products, and other contraband in hidden products,” said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
    “This loophole led to the death of thousands of Americans, fueled the opioid crisis, and harmed US
    consumers
    This decision to end de minimis will save American lives, increase revenue, and protect the American consumer and entrepreneur”
    Under the de minimis treatment, imported goods that are valued at or under $800 were exempt from tariff duties
    Countries exploited this system to flood the American market with cheap goods that undercut American manufacturers and cost American jobs
    This exemption also allowed drug cartels and other criminal organizations to smuggle drugs and other contraband into our country

    Over the past decade the volume of de minimis shipments to the United States exploded, growing from 134 million shipments in 2015 to over 1
    36 billion shipments in 2024
    De minimis shipments accounted for 90% of all cargo seizures in FY 24
    These shipments often broke the law with 98% of narcotics seized from cargo falling under the de minimis exemption, as well as 97% of counterfeit items seized

    Now, thanks to President Trump’s Executive Order, this loophole is closed
    US Customs and Border Protection is empowered to enforce tariffs on these goods and can continue to protect the homeland from the smuggling of deadly synthetic opioids like fentanyl and counterfeit goods
    This will save American lives, protect American jobs, and restore billions in lost revenue

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nearly all National Guard soldiers in Los Angeles are demobilizing, Governor Newsom demands those remaining be released

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jul 31, 2025

    What you need to know: With nearly all National Guard soldiers demobilizing, Governor Gavin Newsom is calling on the President to allow the 300 remaining National Guard soldiers to go home now. 

    Los Angeles, California – Nearly two months after the unlawful federalization of units of the California National Guard, and deployment of almost 5,000 soldiers in the Los Angeles area, all but 300 National Guard members are able to go home. So far, 4,700 soldiers have begun demobilizing. The President should allow the remaining soldiers to go back to their families, communities, and civilian professions as doctors, law enforcement and teachers.

    President Trump is realizing that his political theater backfired. This militarization was always unnecessary and deeply unpopular. The President must do the right thing to end this illegal militarization now because the economic and societal impacts are dire. The women and men of our military deserve more than to be used as props in the federal government’s propaganda machine.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Although it is unclear whether the National Guard has received formalized orders to begin additional demobilizations, an estimated 300 guardsmembers will continue to be stationed at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos without a clear mission, direction, or a timeline for returning to their communities. California urges Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theatrical deployment and send all remaining guardsmembers home immediately.

    Earlier this month, 2,000 federalized National Guard members and 700 Marines were called off their mission in Los Angeles. However, nearly 2,000 soldiers remained at Los Alamitos. 

    Economic impact of this political theater 

    After the federal government deployed the military unlawfully and began ramping up immigration raids statewide, the number of people reporting to work in the private sector in California decreased by 3.1% — a downturn only recently matched by the period when people stayed home from work during the COVID-19 lockdown.

    Governor Newsom recently met with local restaurant owners in the City of Bell and faith leaders in Downey to discuss the economic impact these indiscriminate immigration actions have had on their small business.

    Trump’s actions have a ripple effect – the state’s economy is likely to contract later this year due to fallout from global tariffs and immigration raids in Los Angeles and other cities that have rattled key sectors, including construction, hospitality, and agriculture, according to a UCLA Anderson forecast. 

    Mass arrests, detentions and deportations in California could slash $275 billion from the state’s economy and eliminate $23 billion in annual tax revenue. The loss of immigrant workers, undocumented and those losing lawful status under the Trump administration, would delay projects (including rebuilding Los Angeles after the wildfires), reduce food supply, and drive up costs. Undocumented immigrants contributed $8.5 billion in state and local taxes in 2022 — a number that would rise to $10.3 billion if these taxpayers could apply to work lawfully.

    Drugs arriving at the border, fewer soldiers to stop them

    Typically, under the Governor’s command, nearly 450 servicemembers are deployed statewide, including at ports of entry, to combat transnational criminal organizations and seize illegal narcotics. CalGuard’s servicemembers dedicated to the state’s Counterdrug Task Force have been reassigned by President Trump to militarize Los Angeles. The consequences are dire – CalGuard’s efforts help ensure the public safety of communities statewide.

    Police off the streets, teachers out of classrooms

    Of the 4,000 National Guard members sent to Los Angeles under Trump’s order, their servicemembers have been pulled from essential civilian duties such as medical and first responders, service workers, building trades contractors, law enforcement personnel, corrections officers, civil service and government workers, technology specialists, educators and teachers, and agriculture workers.

    End the power grab now

    Community leaders, public officials, veterans and others agree – the federal government’s actions in California not only have a chilling effect on the state’s society and economy, but also continue to undermine the valuable contributions from members of the military while in and out of uniform. 

    Republican and Democratic former governors agree—Trump’s federalization violates the critical balance between state and federal government. Recently, a bipartisan group of 25 former governors filed a brief in support of Newsom v. Trump, urging the court to enforce state sovereignty and block the unprecedented federalization of the National Guard. 

    Retired four-star admirals and generals and former secretaries of the Army and Navy filed another amicus brief outlining the grave risks of Trump’s illegal takeover of the CalGuard. Several veterans and veteran rights’ groups came together to decry Trump’s militarization of California.

    Recent news

    Jul 30, 2025

    News What you need to know: In response to concerns from local elected leaders and community members about the potential for widespread SB 9 development concentrated in areas rebuilding from destructive fires and crowding evacuation routes, the Governor today issued…

    Jul 30, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills:AB 17 by Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) – Elections: precinct maps.AB 377 by Assemblymember David Tangipa (R-Clovis) – High-Speed Rail Authority: business plan:…

    Jul 30, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is standing up for all Americans by challenging Trump’s unlawful tariff policy, which is slowing the national economy and raising prices for consumers.  SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today filed an amicus brief in support of…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MECHANICSBURG – Shapiro Administration Encourages Pennsylvanians to Become Organ Donors on PA Donor Day

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    August 01, 2025 – Mechanicsburg, PA

    ADVISORY – MECHANICSBURG – Shapiro Administration Encourages Pennsylvanians to Become Organ Donors on PA Donor Day

    Officials from the Departments of Health and Transportation will join area health care providers, organ donation and tissue donation groups, and those impacted by organ donation at UPMC West Shore in Mechanicsburg to encourage all Pennsylvanians to register as organ donors, as part of PA Donor Day.

    PA Donor Day is celebrated on August 1, or 8/1, because one organ donor can save up to eight lives. At any given time, more than 6,000 Pennsylvanians are on the state’s transplant list awaiting an organ donation.

    Regrettably, thousands of Americans die every year waiting for a donated organ. One organ and tissue donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, and enhance the lives of 75 others through tissue donation. Tissue donation helps patients recover from spinal injuries, burns, vision loss, and more.

    In Pennsylvania, nearly half of current driver’s license and identification card holders are registered as organ donors, or about five million residents. However, increasing the number of residents who are organ donors is key to saving and improving lives throughout the Commonwealth.

    WHO:
    Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen
    Department of Transportation Executive Deputy Secretary Larry Shifflet
    UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC Community Osteopathic, and UPMC West Shore President Elizabeth Ritter
    UPMC Kidney Transplant Program Surgical Director Dr. Manish Gupta
    Rev. Brenda Alton, Governor’s Organ Donation Advisory Committee
    CJ Adams, organ recipient
    Marilyn Michelle Reynolds, organ donor

    WHEN:
    Friday, August 1, 1:00 PM

    WHERE:
    UPMC Outpatient Services
    2015 Technology Parkway
    Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
    (Entrance #5)

    MEDIA RSVP: Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of the reporter and photojournalist to ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gunrunner Who Illegally Trafficked More than 200 Firearms to DC Area Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Michael Pittman, 30, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison in connection with trafficking more than 200 illegal firearms from Georgia and North Carolina to the Washington D.C. area where he sold many of them to convicted felons, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Pittman pleaded guilty on April 14, 2025, to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking.

                In addition to the 84-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Pittman to serve three years of supervised release.

                Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                According to court documents, from at least April 2023 through May 2024, Pittman rented cars and drove to Georgia and North Carolina where he purchased guns from illegal firearm suppliers. Pittman re-sold the firearms in the D.C. area, advertising them through different means. He took photos of the firearms displayed on his bed with prices.

                Between April 2023 through May 2024, Pittman obtained, advertised, or sold 200 or more firearms.

                On May 30, 2024, Virginia State Police arrested Pittman in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, as he was returning to D.C. from a buying trip. Pittman fled from a traffic stop before he crashed and ran into the nearby woods. Police recovered Pittman’s backpack which contained 16 firearms, an additional firearm he had dropped, and two firearms he had left in his vehicle.

                Law enforcement subsequently obtained a warrant and searched Pittman’s residence. In Pittman’s home, law enforcement recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition, firearm cleaning and repair tools, firearm magazines, and three additional firearms. Law enforcement also observed the same red-and-black patterned bed spread observed in the images from Pittman’s phone.

                Pittman has one prior felony conviction for second degree assault in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison suspended as to all but 30 days.

                This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division with valuable assistance from the Virginia State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Tepfer and Sarah Martin.

    24cr296

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Armed Robber and Rapist Sentenced for “Nightmarish” Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Today, Deandre Martece Williams was sentenced to 327 months in prison on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and kidnapping, in connection with a series of armed robberies, non-fatal shootings, and rapes he committed in 2023, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. In sentencing Williams, United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith stated that Williams’s “utter disregard for human dignity is breathtaking in the worst sense of the word” and referred to his conduct as “nightmarish.” During a three month stretch in 2023, Williams victimized fifteen people in eight separate incidents, seriously injuring four people, and raping three at gunpoint.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Detroit Field Division, Chief Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Department (DPD), and Kym Worthy, Wayne County Prosecutor.

    During the investigation, DPD collected fired cartridge casings from the scene of multiple shootings. With the help of the ATF and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), they identified a pattern of targeting sex workers and their customers. The ATF and DPD methodically pieced together other evidence from the crime scenes and identified Williams as a suspect. On October 20, 2023, ATF agents executed a federal search warrant at Williams’s house, arrested him, and found the gun used in the robberies.

    Williams frequently found his victims in parked cars along neighborhood streets. Williams commonly approached on foot, placed his handgun through an open window or door, and robbed his victims. After the robberies, Williams shot at several of the victims as they tried to flee. Several of the victims were injured by gunfire. Williams raped two of his victims during the robberies.

    Through their investigation of the robberies, the ATF and DPD uncovered evidence linking Williams to a rape and adult kidnapping. Williams and that victim had agreed to meet over a dating app. When Williams arrived at the victim’s hotel room, he pulled out a handgun and held the victim at gunpoint for several hours while repeatedly raping the victim.

    Williams’s arrest for the robberies also led to DNA evidence linking him to an unsolved Criminal Sexual Conduct from 2012. Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Circuit Court in Detroit for those offenses and was sentenced in March to 10 years 6 months up to 20 years prison in the Wayne County Third Circuit Court.

    “We should all hate robbery and cruelty. And this sinister man did plenty of both. For years, he was prowling around our streets. But through ingenuity and hard work, the ATF and DPD made our city safer,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.

    “Deandre Williams is a ruthless predator who used firearms to dominate, violate, and destroy lives,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “He didn’t just break the law — he shattered families, preyed on the vulnerable, instilled fear, and left a trail of mayhem wherever he went. ATF’s unique firearm expertise will continue to be the bedrock of gun violence reduction efforts in Detroit.  This expertise enables ATF and our law enforcement partners to identify AND target the most prolific shooters across the Detroit metropolitan community for federal prosecution.  Mr. Williams is a poster child for what this partnership does: removing violent thugs from the community. Williams will now need to pack a suitcase because he will be behind bars.  Exactly, where he deserves to be.”

    “The investigation of Deandre Williams yielded an unexpected dividend.  WCPO was able to successfully prosecute Williams on a 2012 sexual assault case as a direct result of evidence collected in his federal cases.  We are pleased that all of his victims will see him receive the justice he deserves,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in conjunction with the Detroit Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CEO and Medical Director Charged in $500M COVID-19 Test Billing Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Two individuals were charged for their involvement in a $500 million, nationwide scheme that involved billing Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and other health insurance programs for COVID-19 testing services that were never rendered, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today.

    Cemhan “Jimmy” Biricik (age 46) of Boca Raton Florida, and Dr. Martin Perlin (age 74) of Fairfield, Connecticut were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and more than 50 substantive counts of health care fraud. Biricik was the sole member and Chief Executive Officer of Fast Lab Technologies, LLC (Fast Lab).  Dr. Perlin was Fast Lab’s Medical Director and provider responsible for ordering the majority of the tests. Both defendants were arrested this morning.

    According to the Indictment, during the Covid-19 pandemic, New York-based Fast Lab operated a website offering “free” covid tests.  When individuals went to the website to order tests, they were asked to provide their insurance information.  Fast Lab then used this insurance information to fraudulently bill Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and numerous private insurances for both antigen (“rapid”) and PCR (“laboratory) tests, across multiple dates for each beneficiary. Specifically, Fast Lab’s claims represented that (1) the antigen tests had been observed by medical professionals, (2) saliva samples were collected by medical professionals, and (3) PCR testing was performed on those samples.  In reality, the vast majority of antigen tests—if taken at all—were taken at home and not observed by medical professionals; saliva samples were never collected nor returned to Fast Lab; and PCR testing was never performed. Dr. Perlin was the ordering physician for these tests, despite not having a treating relationship with the beneficiaries.  Further, Fast Lab would regularly submit insurance claims before the test kits were even delivered to the beneficiaries.  In total, Biricik billed or caused to be billed more than $500 million in claims and was paid more than $50 million.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division; Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General; Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration Janet Dhillon (DOL-EBSA); Detroit Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Silvestro, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Special Agent in Charge Megan Howell, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU).

    The public is reminded that an Indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is being investigated by Special Agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, OPM-OIG, DOL-EBSA, DCIS, MFCU, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, USPIS, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina R. McCullough and Ryan A. Particka.  Assistant United States Attorney Ryan T. Nees of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York also provided assistance. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Coming Aug. 5: Special edition of Visual Studio Toolbox Live

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Coming Aug. 5: Special edition of Visual Studio Toolbox Live

    Join Robert Green and Leslie Richardson for a full day of live sessions, demos, and interviews.

    Live from Microsoft HQ – Stream Tuesday’s Sessions with Visual Studio Toolbox!

    On Tuesday, August 5, join us for a special edition of Visual Studio Toolbox Live—broadcast from VS LIVE! Redmond and hosted by Leslie Richardson and Robert Green. You’ll get a full day of Microsoft-led sessions, live studio commentary, behind-the-scenes interviews, and exclusive insights straight from campus.

    Click here to set a YouTube reminder so you don’t miss a moment.

    What You’ll See on Tuesday

    We’re streaming five sessions led by Microsoft product teams across Visual Studio, Azure, GitHub Copilot, and .NET. Whether you’re looking to boost your daily productivity or build your next-gen AI app, this day is packed with learning.

    • 8:00 AM – Getting the Most out of the Latest in Visual Studio Harshada Hole & Jessie Houghton, Microsoft See the newest productivity boosts, AI-assisted debugging, and smarter Git tools—plus how to make them work for your day-to-day workflow.
    • 9:30 AM – Build Next-Gen AI Apps with .NET and Azure Jon Galloway, Microsoft Discover the latest SDKs, patterns, and frameworks for building intelligent cloud-native applications.
    • 11:15 AM – Keynote: The Future of Visual Studio Mads Kristensen, Microsoft Get inspired as Mads shows off what’s new and what’s coming next for developers building with Visual Studio.
    • 1:30 PM – Getting the Most Out of .NET Development with Visual Studio Allie Barry & Wendy Breiding, Microsoft Tips, tricks, and GitHub Copilot techniques to boost your .NET development efficiency and code quality.
    • 3:00 PM – Building Mobile & Desktop Apps with .NET MAUIDavid Ortinau, Microsoft Explore how to build stunning cross-platform apps with .NET MAUI using Visual Studio’s latest live tooling and project templates.

    Hosted Live from the Studio

    Between each session, we’ll cut to the Visual Studio Toolbox studio with Robert and Leslie, featuring:

    • Live Q&A from the YouTube chat
    • Guest drop-ins from our Microsoft speakers
    • Commentary and context to help you apply what you just saw
    • And maybe a few surprises…

    Have a question during the stream? Drop it in the chat—Robert and Leslie might feature it live!

    How to Watch

    Watch the Full Livestream on YouTube Catch all five Microsoft-led sessions, plus live studio hosting from Robert Green and Leslie Richardson.

    Watch Live on YouTube (Streaming begins Tuesday, August 5 at 8:00 AM PT)

    Get the Backstage Pass with Krezzia & Lydia

    Want to see what it’s like behind the scenes at VS LIVE! Redmond? Follow Krezzia Basilio and Lydia Yong, Microsoft FTEs from the Aspire Undergrad Program, as they bring you backstage interviews, speaker walk-and-talks, reaction clips, and stories from the event floor.

    This is your unofficial, unscripted, attendee-level view of the action—from greenroom to keynote to closing time.

    Follow on TikTok Follow on LinkedIn

    Catch the Sessions On-Demand (After August 11)

    Can’t join live? No problem—on-demand recordings of many Microsoft-led sessions will be available a few days after the event.

    Want More Toolbox?

    Visual Studio Toolbox is your go-to show for weekly tips, tools, and demos straight from the product team and engineering experts. From debugging hacks to Copilot walkthroughs, it’s where devs stay current without falling behind.

    Explore Visual Studio Toolbox Episodes

    We’ll See You on August 5

    This is more than just a livestream—it’s a chance to learn directly from the people who build the tools you use every day. We hope you’ll tune in, join the chat, and spend a day with us at Microsoft HQ.

    —Jim

    PandaSharp 2 days ago

    Would be nice to have a classic “add to calendar” or “ics file” to set a reminder, instead of only setting a youtube reminder … or couldn’t I find it?

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with President El-Sisi of Egypt: 31 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with President El-Sisi of Egypt: 31 July 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi this evening.

    The Prime Minister spoke to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi this evening to discuss the situation in Gaza.

    The leaders agreed the situation on the ground was a humanitarian catastrophe, and all possible efforts needed to be made to get more aid into Gaza at a greater pace and scale.

    The Prime Minister outlined his peace plan and pathway to recognition and thanked the President for his leadership in the region to secure a lasting and durable two state solution.

    It was vital there was an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, the Prime Minister added.

    The leaders also discussed the relationship between the UK and Egypt, including how both countries could work closer together to support regional security.

    The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 161, She DRIVES Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 161 would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct additional crash tests for motor vehicles using devices that represent female drivers. The agency does not currently use such devices for all test types. The bill also would require NHTSA to issue rules requiring the use of newer, more advanced crash test devices by both the agency and vehicle manufacturers. Finally, S. 161 would require NHTSA to report to the Congress twice on its plans to incorporate additional advanced crash test devices—once within a year of enactment and again in 2031.

    Based on information from the agency, CBO expects that NHTSA would spend about $3 million annually, beginning in 2027, for additional test vehicles and about $500,000 annually for additional staff and equipment. On that basis, and accounting for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $14 million over the 2025-2030 period. CBO expects the bill’s rulemaking requirements would largely codify NHTSA’s planned rulemaking processes and would have an insignificant cost. Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that the two reports would cost less than $500,000. Any increase in spending to implement the bill would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 400 (transportation).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 161
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		  
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2025-2030

    Estimated Authorization

    *

    *

    2

    4

    4

    4

    14

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    *

    2

    4

    4

    4

    14

    * = between zero and $500,000.

    S. 161 would impose private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by requiring vehicle manufacturers to use advanced crash test devices and to conduct additional tests using devices that represent females in the driver’s seat.

    The cost of compliance for manufacturers would stem from two, one-time expenditures as manufacturers replace their inventories of testing devices. Based on information from the automotive industry, CBO estimates that each device would cost about $1 million. Because manufacturers own some of the devices required for front-impact testing, CBO estimates the cost to replace existing testing devices with advanced devices would total between $50 million and $60 million. When standards for side-impact testing devices are finalized, we estimate the cost to replace existing side impact testing devices would be between $150 million and $160 million. CBO estimates that the cost of additional testing would incrementally increase the annual cost of testing by a small amount. Because those costs would occur over multiple years, CBO estimates that the total cost of the mandates in a single year would fall below the threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill would not impose intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Willow Latham-Proença (for federal costs) and Lucy Marret (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Travel Advisory: Overnight Closures Planned for Route 102 in Burrillville

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    On Sunday night, August 3, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will temporarily close a section of Route 102 (Broncos Highway) in the Glendale section of Burrillville as part of ongoing rehabilitation of the structurally deficient Joslin Road Bridge, which carries Route 102 over Joslin Road and the Branch River.

    The closure will be repeated periodically, during evening and overnight hours when traffic volumes are lowest, through the end of the summer. RIDOT will post closure notices on its website as they are scheduled, at www.ridot.net/TravelAdvisories#NorthernRI.

    During the closure, motorists on Route 102 will use Glendale Bypass, Victory Highway and East Avenue to detour. Local traffic will be permitted between East Avenue and the bridge.

    Rehabilitation of this bridge is part of a $18.8 million, multibridge project in Burrillville. The Joslin Road Bridge carries approximately 16,000 vehicles per day. The entire project will be finished in spring 2026.

    All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings and weather.

    The rehabilitation of the Joslin Road Bridge is made possible by RhodeWorks. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.

    MIL OSI USA News –