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
NEW YORK, July 12 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday morning that a 30 percent tariff will be imposed on goods from the European Union and Mexico starting August 1.
The new duties were announced in letters addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. The messages were published on Trump’s Truth Social page.
D. Trump criticized Mexico for “failing to stop drug cartels” from smuggling drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States and accused the country of not cooperating enough with Washington to curb illegal immigration.
As for the European Union, the US President criticised it for its tariff and non-tariff barriers, accusing them of creating “long-term, large and persistent trade deficits”.
“Our relations, unfortunately, are far from reciprocal,” the president wrote in his letter.
Trump used much of the same language in his letter as he did in messages sent earlier this week to other leaders, warning them against retaliation, urging them to move companies to the United States and hinting at the possibility of adjusting tariffs if they cooperate.
Over the past week, the US president has sent more than 20 similar letters to other US trading partners, including Canada, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Brazil, imposing uniform tariff rates on goods from these countries, ranging from 20 to 50 percent. –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.
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 12 (Xinhua) — The inclusion of the Xi Xia Imperial Tombs in the UNESCO World Heritage list marks a significant achievement in China’s efforts to implement and promote the Global Civilization Initiative, said Rao Quan, vice minister of culture and tourism and director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Friday inscribed the Xi Xia Imperial Tombs on its World Heritage list, bringing the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 60.
“The application efforts for inclusion in this list have systematically demonstrated to the international community China’s continued commitment to strengthening the holistic and systematic protection, conservation and sustainable use of its cultural and natural heritage,” Rao Quan said in an interview with Xinhua.
It was also an opportunity to showcase to the world the historical and cultural values of Chinese civilization, as well as its outstanding features, Zhao Quan added.
The Xi Xia Tombs, located at the foot of Mount Helan in Yinchuan, capital of Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, were built by the Tanguts, an ethnic group that lived in northwest China during the 11th to 13th centuries.
According to Zhao Quan, the Xi Xia Imperial Tombs are the largest, most significant in status, and best-preserved archaeological site that has survived to this day from the Western Xia period (Xi Xia, 1038-1227).
The survival of these tombs to this day is an important testimony to the cultural fusion and interaction between numerous traditions, serves as vital evidence of the diverse but unified architecture of Chinese civilization and the process of forming a single multinational state, and occupies an irreplaceable place in the history of world civilizations, he added.
Speaking about the follow-up work related to the Xi Xia Imperial Tombs, the official promised to steadily strengthen the protection of cultural heritage, promote academic research on cultural relics and archaeological finds, strengthen the capacity of heritage management institutions, and improve the systems for displaying and interpreting the cultural value of the site.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s accession to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Zhao Quan assured that the National Administration for Cultural Heritage will launch a special campaign to strengthen the protection of China’s World Heritage sites and nominate more sites for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
The deputy minister called for a more thorough and complete display of Chinese civilization, and for making greater contributions to promoting inter-civilization exchanges and mutual learning, and to the prosperity of world civilizations. –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.
In a statement on Monday, the UN agency said it is supporting Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) – not deportation – for those who decide to leave the US.
At the request of the US Government, IOM is helping people who register to go back to their countries of origin voluntarily.
“AVR is a well-established, rights-based approach that helps migrants navigate complex global migration systems, regain control over their lives, and make informed choices,” the agency said.
Safe, dignified returns
“Our role is to ensure that those who lack the means to return on their own can do so in a safe, dignified, and informed way,” IOM added.
The agency made it clear that the US determines its own policies on migration. “IOM does not facilitate or implement deportations. Our involvement begins only after an individual gives informed consent to receive assistance.”
In these instances, “IOM ensures that people have access to accurate information and essential services, in line with international standards.”
The announcement comes as the US seeks to expand deportation of undocumented migrants in continuation of a policy President Donald Trump began nearly 10 years ago under his first administration.
He returned to office in January for a second term and has been cracking down on illegal immigration through raids, detentions and deportations.
In a video posted to social media on Friday, President Trump said that he had signed an Executive Order “to launch the first-ever self-deportation programme for illegal aliens,” offering free flights from the US and payment of an “exit bonus.”
Support for a life-changing decision
IOM was established in 1951 and promotes humane and orderly migration.
For decades the agency has supported AVR programmes in more than 100 countries, “helping people without resources, legal options, or support return to their countries of origin safely and with dignity,” it said.
IOM noted that in the US, “many migrants face a challenging reality – navigating complex systems with limited options and resources,” and “this initiative provides support to those who choose to return, helping them make a life-changing decision with care and clarity.”
The Smurfs are back – and this time they are smurfing up a global storm. Teaming up with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Paramount Pictures, the iconic blue characters are leading a campaign that encourages children and grownups everywhere to “Speak Up” for a better world.
ECOWAS Commission has launched a four-day technical meeting on the 8th of July,2025 in Cotonou, Benin. This meeting brings together experts from Member States to examine six draft classification standards for tourist accommodation establishments. The standards, drawn up on the basis of various workshops organised as part of the ECOWAS tourism policy (ECOTOUR), concern hotels, motels, inns, ecolodges, aparthotels and holiday villages. The event is jointly organised by the private sector and industry directorates.
In her opening speech, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandje Toure-Litse, represented by the Director of the Private Sector, Dr Tony Luka Elumelu, recalled ECOWAS’s ambition to make tourism a major lever for economic development and regional integration. She affirmed that the region is striving to build a flourishing tourism industry, drawing on international best practice adapted to the West African context, with the aim of making it a world tourist destination of choice.
She emphasised that this strategy is based on five closely linked pillars: strengthening infrastructure, including investment in transport, accommodation and tourist attractions; relaxing regional visa policies for third-country nationals to improve accessibility, streamline procedures and foster greater people-to-people diplomacy; the harmonisation of sectoral standards and regulations to facilitate travel, trade and enhance the overall tourism experience; the promotion of sustainable tourism practices that ensure an environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically viable industry; and collaboration and partnerships between stakeholders in the sector to pool expertise, share knowledge and develop effective solutions to common challenges.
She stressed the importance of implementing a coherent, collaborative and sustainable approach to tourism in order to stimulate national economies, strengthen cultural exchanges and ensure the sustainability of the sector. In reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to responsible tourism practices, she emphasised the need to minimise the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, local cultures and host communities, and stressed the importance of implementing a coherent, collaborative and sustainable approach to tourism in order to stimulate national economies, strengthen cultural exchanges and ensure the sustainability of the sector. In reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to responsible tourism practices, she emphasised the need to minimise the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, local cultures and host communities.
The Director General of the Standards Agency of the Republic of Benin, Mohamed Nazif El-Hadji Alassane, representing Benin’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Mrs Alimatou Shadiya Assouman, welcomed ECOWAS’ efforts to harmonise standards and regulations in the tourism sector. He stressed that this will help to transform the region into a single tourism market, while boosting tourism, employment and public revenue, with positive spin-offs for the economies of Member States.
– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is renewing calls for accountability after receiving information that builds on independent reports of widespread Obamacare fraud. In 2024, taxpayers reportedly footed the bill for approximately $20 billion in improper Obamacare subsidies. This number could exceed $27 billion in 2025. Based on information provided to Grassley’s office, insurance agents are also using targeted internet advertisements to fraudulently enroll consumers with false income verification extension requests.
Last year, Grassley pushed for answers from top leaders in the Biden administration regarding their efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the ACA marketplace. The Biden administration failed to respond to Grassley’s request.
“The Biden administration’s failure to adequately oversee these subsidies has had expensive consequences … The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2024 five million consumers may have inappropriately received health insurance coverage through subsidized Affordable Care Act (ACA) federal marketplace plans based on falsified income information, which may have cost the taxpayer an estimated $20 billion,” Grassley wrote.
Background:
In 2021, the Biden administration increased premium tax credits (PTCs) for higher-income earners and reduced cost sharing through 2025. As a result, individuals whose income is within 100 and 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) are eligible for fully subsidized health insurance plans. This policy change has compromised program integrity, particularly in states that have not expanded Medicaid.
According to CMS and other reporting, fraudulent enrollments occurred because insurance agents and brokers exploited vulnerabilities in the ACA’s design.
In his letter, Grassley cites the Trump Department of Justice’s (DOJ) February 19th indictment of Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong for engaging in a $161 million ACA enrollment fraud scheme.
Grassley applauds the Trump administration’s program integrity measures through the marketplace integrity and affordability rule. The One Big Beautiful Bill also established some additional premium tax credit program integrity measures.
Text of the letter can be found HERE or below.
July 7, 2025
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
The Honorable Mehmet OzAdministratorCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services
On June 20, 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2024 five million consumers may have inappropriately received health insurance coverage through subsidized Affordable Care Act (ACA) federal marketplace plans based on falsified income information, which may have cost the taxpayer an estimated $20 billion.[1] According to CMS, as well as other reporting, these fraudulent enrollments occurred because insurance agents and brokers exploited vulnerabilities in the program’s design.[2] On July 8, 2024, I wrote to CMS with concerns regarding fraudulent enrollments and requested information on how the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS had taken steps to combat fraud, waste, and abuse related to these enrollments and associated subsidies.[3] Unfortunately, the previous administration failed to provide a response.
The Biden administration’s failure to adequately oversee these subsidies has had expensive consequences. For instance, on February 19, 2025, the Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong for engaging in a $161 million ACA enrollment fraud scheme.[4] According to the DOJ, “Lloyd and Strong targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through ‘street marketers’ working on their behalf, sometimes offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans.”[5] Further, the two individuals used “misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumer initially projected having no income.”[6]
Based on information provided to my office, I’ve been made aware of a similar type of fraud scheme used within the ACA marketplace.[7] This scheme involved targeted internet advertisements for free health insurance. These advertisements were used to entice consumers to fill out a webform with personal information which was then used by insurance agents to sign consumers up for healthcare in targeted zip codes. Those zip codes were in states that use the federally-facilitated marketplace (FFM), rather than state-based exchanges, and where preferred insurance companies had $0 premium plans.[8] Using information from the webforms, agents used HealthSherpa, one of the ten federally-approved private sector ACA federal marketplace enrollment websites, to sign consumers up. During open enrollment periods, agents entered hundreds of applications per day and if the consumer noted on the webform that their income wasn’t between 100-150% of the federal poverty level (FPL), agents would fraudulently swap it out for a number to obtain maximum ACA federal marketplace plan premium subsidies and special enrollment period (SEP) eligibility. To keep fraudulent enrollments on the books for as long as possible, agents allegedly submitted false income verification extension requests and prepopulated income explanation forms rather than submitting actual proof of income.
So that Congress may conduct independent oversight of the ACA federal marketplace program, please provide the following information no later than July 21, 2025:
Explain in detail the steps CMS has taken to detect, combat and deter the fraud scheme described above.
What is CMS’s estimate of:
the number of fraudulent enrollments in subsidized ACA federal marketplace plans occurring from 2019-2025;
the number of months fraudulently enrolled customers spent in subsidized ACA federal marketplace plans; and
the cost of these fraudulent enrollments. Provide this information at the insurance agent, insurance agency, and health insurance company level.
What efforts has CMS taken in coordination with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to recoup excess advanced premium tax credit payments? How much money has been recovered annually from 2019 to 2025?
What steps does CMS take after it terminates an agent’s ACA federal marketplace registration? Who does CMS communicate termination information to and does CMS provide those entities with any guidance in relation to managing the termination? Provide all records.
Do insurance agencies face any consequences from CMS when their affiliated agents are terminated for improper activities or when they have disproportionately high rates of potentially fraudulent ACA federal marketplace plan enrollments? If yes, describe the consequences and any associated investigative processes.
How many agents did CMS terminate for improper enrollment behaviors from 2019 to 2025? How many of those terminations has CMS rescinded? List the data by year and state.
Thank you for your prompt review and response. If you have any questions, please contact Tucker Akin with Committee staff at (202) 224-5225.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley
Chairman
Committee on the Judiciary
-30-
[1] Brian Blase, The $20 Billion ObamaCare Subsidy Fraud, WSJ (June 19, 2024), https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-20-billion-obamacare-subsidy-fraud-abd89b0d; Brian Blase and Drew Gonshorowski, The Great Obamacare Enrollment Fraud, Paragon Health Inst. (June 2024), https://paragoninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-Great-Obamacare-Enrollment-Fraud_FOR_RELEASE_V2.pdf.
[2] Id.; 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule (CMS-9884-P), Cntrs. for Medicare & Medicaid Srvcs. (Mar. 10, 2025), at 4 & 86, https://www.cms.gov/files/document/MarketplacePIRule2025.pdf, (183,553 complaints were related to enrollments without consent and 90,863 were related to switches without consent); Julie Appleby, ACA Plans Are Being Switched Without Enrollees’ OK, KFF Health News (Apr. 2, 2024), https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/aca-obamacare-plans-switched-without-enrollee-permission-investigation/; Julie Appleby, Rising Complaints of Unauthorized Obamacare Plan-Switching and Sign-Ups Trigger Concern, KFF Health News (Apr. 8, 2024), https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/aca-unauthorized-obamacare-plan-switching-concern/; Julie Appleby, After Public Push, CMS Curbs Health Insurance Agents’ Access to Consumer SSNs, KFF Health News (Apr. 9, 2024), https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/aca-marketplace-ssn-social-security-numbers-agents/; Julie Appleby, When Rogue Brokers Switch People’s ACA Policies, Tax Surprises Can Follow, KFF Health News (April 15, 2024), https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/aca-obamacare-plans-unauthorized-enrollment-tax-problems/.
[3] Letter from Senator Charles E. Grassley to Secretary Xavier Becerra, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Servs., and Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Cntrs. for Medicare & Medicaid Servs. (July 8, 2024), https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_hhs_and_cms_-_aca.pdf.
[4] Press Release, Department of Justice, President of Insurance Brokerage Firm and CEO of Marketing Company Charged in $161M Affordable Care Act Enrollment Fraud Scheme (Feb. 19, 2025), https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/president-insurance-brokerage-firm-and-ceo-marketing-company-charged-161m-affordable-care.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Documents on file with Committee Staff.
[8] Notes and Documents on file with Committee Staff.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Clean energy advocates are applauding Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) leadership to support the wind and solar energy industries in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Grassley successfully got the wind energy industry off the ground by instituting America’s first-ever federal wind energy tax credit in 1993, earning him recognition as the “father” of wind energy production.
In the One Big Beautiful Bill, Grassley fought hard to improve the transition period for planned wind and solar projects by providing a 12-month runway after the bill’s enactment for projects to begin construction, allowing them to qualify for years-worth of tax credits by meeting this one requirement within a calendar year. This will supercharge near-term growth for the industry and protect workable standards for projects.
Grassley secured another significant victory for the wind and solar industries by striking a punitive new tax on wind and solar from the final version of the bill. Renewable energy is critical to Iowa, which generates 60 percent of its energy from wind power alone.
Here’s what they’re saying:
Alliant Energy:
“Senator Grassley’s leadership in advancing the legislation reflects a strong, principled commitment to securing America’s energy future by securing a financially viable phase out for the clean energy tax credits over the next few years. The provisions secured by Senator Grassley demonstrates his commitment to supporting customer affordability and [are] critical in preventing electric rate increases. His leadership also provides energy companies with electric generation resource planning certainty – a critical requirement to meet the growing energy demands of Iowa, and the nation.
“As the law moves toward its implementation’s phase, we look forward to working with Senator Grassley and the Administration on the customer benefits of this law. His focus on practical, pro-growth energy solutions honors the intent of President Trump’s executive actions—prioritizing energy independence, reliability, and affordability for American families and businesses. We applaud Senator Grassley for championing policies that strengthen our energy infrastructure while supporting job creation and long-term investment in the heartland and across the country.”
MidAmerican Energy:
“Improvements made to the final budget reconciliation bill will give MidAmerican a pathway to execute on clean energy projects in our development pipeline for the benefit of our customers – and those improvements simply would not have happened without the leadership of Senator Grassley working in strong partnership with Senator Ernst. Planning certainty is critical for a business like ours, and their collective efforts will help us maintain safe, reliable and affordable service in Iowa and across our entire service area.”
American Clean Power:
“Senator Grassley has once again shown leadership protecting jobs and ensuring a cost-effective, reliable, and diverse power mix for Iowa. His leadership remains more important than ever to ensure that the administration implements the legislation fairly, and in a manner consistent with congressional intent.”
The Business Council for Sustainable Energy:
“The Business Council for Sustainable Energy thanks Senator Chuck Grassley for his leadership and support of the energy tax credits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Thanks to his actions, the law adopts a more workable transition for many energy tax credits, enabling businesses to plan, invest and create jobs.”
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Biodiesel producers, farmers and renewable fuel stakeholders say the One Big Beautiful Bill will revitalize and strengthen Iowa’s renewable fuels industry and deliver for Iowa farmers.
On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law. It improves and extends the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit through 2029, including the small agri-biodiesel tax credit – which provides transition relief to small biodiesel producers. After the Biden administration failed to release functional guidance to implement the credit, many small producers, including four in Iowa, shut down operations.
The legislation also protects Iowa farmers by eliminating tax subsidies for renewable fuels produced from imported feedstocks, such as used cooking oil from China or tallow and sugar cane from Brazil. Without this change, the tax code would subsidize foreign farmers at the expense of corn and soybean farmers in Iowa. ?
Here’s what they’re saying:
Iowa Biodiesel Board/Iowa Soybean Association
“Senator Grassley’s leadership on ensuring the incorporation of biomass-based diesel in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reinforces his decades-long commitment to Iowa agriculture and renewable fuels. In particular, by extending and enhancing the Small Agri-Biodiesel Producer Credit led by the senator, this bill provides much-needed certainty for Iowa’s small biodiesel producers—many of which are farmer-owned. That stability directly supports rural jobs, strengthens soybean oil demand and keeps biodiesel production thriving across our state.”
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association
“Led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, the final bill includes a restoration of the small biodiesel producer tax credit for 2025 and 2026. We are hopeful this provision, along with the robust RFS blending levels proposed by President Trump’s EPA, will be enough to get our biodiesel plants running again.”
Clean Fuels Alliance America
“Clean Fuels thanks Congress for working overtime to provide certainty for biodiesel and renewable diesel producers – especially small companies – so they can resume production and industry growth. Clean Fuels especially thanks Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for securing an enhancement to the Small Agri-Biodiesel Producer Credit to help small producers as they make the transition to the §45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit.”
National Oilseed Processors Association
“We applaud Senator Grassley for his tireless efforts to improve 45Z to ensure it is effective for U.S. farmers, oilseed processors, and biofuel producers. This is a meaningful win for Iowa’s farmers and the broader ag economy. Coupled with strong RVOs, this new tax policy positions the industry for continued growth by prioritizing feedstocks grown and produced here in the U.S.”
American Soybean Association
“ASA is pleased that the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit has been extended and strengthened in the budget reconciliation legislation. The improvements to 45Z will provide critical support to U.S. soybean farmers and bolster the biofuel industry by supporting domestic energy production using domestic resources. The addition of the North American feedstock ringfence and removal of indirect land use change penalties on farmers ensure that the credit will support American agriculture rather than foreign countries. We commend the lawmakers who prioritized this important policy and look forward to its successful enactment.”
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report compiled at his request in the wake of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
The Grassley-requested report states senior-level U.S. Secret Service (USSS) officials received classified intelligence regarding a threat to President Trump’s life ten days before the rally in Butler, but failed to relay the information to federal and local law enforcement personnel responsible for securing and staffing the event.
Per the GAO, “the Secret Service had no process to share classified threat information with partners when the information was not considered an imminent threat to life.” GAO offered eight recommendations to improve USSS functionality; chief among them is a recommendation for USSS to proactively share threat information among USSS personnel and its law enforcement partners.
The report further exposes a litany of USSS procedural and planning errors, including misallocation of resources, lack of training and pervasive communication failures, all of which contributed to an unsecure environment and ultimately allowed for Thomas Matthew Crooks to fire a near-fatal shot at President Trump and take the life of a spectator.
The GAO is the U.S. government’s primary auditor and is a nonpartisan, wholly independent legislative branch agency. GAO’s audit, conducted over the course of nearly a year – from August 2024 to July 2025 – is the longest review of the attempted assassination in Butler that has been completed to date.
Grassley said the following regarding the report’s release:
“One year ago, a series of bad decisions and bureaucratic handicaps led to one of the most shocking moments in political history. The Secret Service’s failure on July 13th was the culmination of years of mismanagement and came after the Biden administration denied requests for enhanced security to protect President Trump. Americans should be grateful that President Trump survived that day and was ultimately reelected to restore common sense to our country.
“Naturally, the American people wanted answers and accountability in the aftermath of this tragedy, and so I worked hard to provide that. The information I’m releasing today is a comprehensive overview of the failures that occurred prior to and on July 13th. More importantly, this report offers a clear path forward for the Secret Service to improve, so it can prevent another Butler from ever happening again. This information would not have been possible without congressional oversight, and my work will continue.
“As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdictional oversight over the Secret Service, I’m committed to working closely with the agency to ensure they’re properly equipped to repair what’s broken. As an important step, I allocated $1.17 billion in the One Big Beautiful Bill to provide the Secret Service with additional funding. I’m hopeful this significant injection of resources will go a long way in bringing the agency up to speed.”
Grassley is additionally making public a letter from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General (IG) Joseph Cuffari to then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas discussing credible whistleblower accounts that USSS personnel frequently rely on their personal cell phones for official communication, which creates serious security and legal risks. According to these allegations, USSS in 2021 instituted “functional limitations on government phones” that prevent USSS personnel from participating in groups texts or sending or receiving photos via text.
Read the DHS IG letter HERE.Read the GAO report HERE.
KEY FINDINGS OF THE GAO REPORT
Threat Information Sharing On July 3, 2024, one day after the USSS Pittsburgh field office was notified of the scheduled Butler rally, high-level USSS officials were briefed on a classified threat to President Trump. Per GAO, “once those officials reviewed the intelligence, they could have then requested that personnel within their chain of command be briefed on the specific information.” USSS had multiple opportunities to share this information over the course of the following ten days, but repeatedly failed to do so.
As a result of USSS’s siloed information-sharing, federal and local law enforcement entities planning and staffing the event were unaware of the active threat, including members of the Donald Trump Protective Division. Local law enforcement interviewed by GAO attested that, if they had received threat information, they “would have requested additional assets” for the Butler rally.
Timeline of when Secret Service Personnel Obtained but did not Appropriately Share Threat Information
Roles and Responsibilities The USSS’s Office of Protective Operations (OPO), which is responsible for issuing documents outlining USSS personnel’s respective roles, prescribed overly-broad policies that failed to clearly communicate USSS personnel’s responsibilities. As a result, five of the 14 USSS agents GAO interviewed, who “performed key roles on July 13th,” stated they relied on their own varying-levels of protective experience in executing this event.
At the time of the Butler rally, OPO did not require the USSS advance team to review local law enforcement partners’ operational plans or participate in USSS’s central command center at the event.
Further, the assigned site agent on July 13th, who was responsible for “identif[ying] site vulnerabilities,” was new to her role. The Butler event was “her first time planning and securing a large outdoor event as the site agent.”
On-Site Decision-MakingAt the time of the Butler event, USSS also lacked a formal policy for communicating protectee staff’s requested changes to on-site security plans.
Ahead of July 13th, a Trump campaign staffer asked the USSS advance team, who was unaware of the active threat to Trump, “not to use large farm equipment to address line-of-sight concerns near one of the buildings – the AGR building” so as not to interfere with campaign press photos. In response to the request and without consulting senior-level USSS officials who could have changed the decision, the USSS advance team independently made the decision to use a “jumbotron and a large flag to address the line-of-sight vulnerability,” rather than the large farm equipment.
Per the GAO, “not using the farm equipment possibly created an opportunity for the gunman to use the AGR’s elevated rooftop to fire several shots at then former President Trump and kill and injure other rally participants.”
AssetsThe USSS’s “War Room” is responsible for allocating resources for protectees and protectees’ events. The War Room makes these decisions “primarily based on availability and efficiency assessments” without knowledge or input of current risk assessments.
Due to limited resources, the War Room denied the Donald Trump Protective Division’s request for enhanced counter Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (cUAS) equipment at the Butler event, as “these resources had already been allocated for the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.”
However, senior OPO officials with knowledge of the threat against Trump stepped in to approve counter sniper assets for the Butler rally, a decision which was described as “inconsistent with and separate from War Room practices for making resource decisions.” Per GAO, “[a]bsent OPO senior executives’” action, President Trump “would likely not have received the counter sniper assets that ultimately took out [Crooks].”
TechnologyThe USSS’s limited cUAS technology used on July 13th malfunctioned, and while repairs were being made, Crooks flew a drone – undetected – over over the event site hours before the rally. The USSS agent assigned to operate the cUAS was severely inexperienced; this agent reported receiving just one hour of training on cUAS capabilities and noted, “in retrospect, [he] did not have enough training to confidently operate the equipment.”
Additionally, many USSS agents and local law enforcement who relied on cell phones to communicate the day of the event encountered limited service, hampering their ability to share information in real-time. Despite knowing the event would garner significant attendance, the USSS had no policy in place to proactively troubleshoot “potential audio and data communication challenges.” The agency has yet to require agents to perform such an assessment.
Background: Grassley’s oversight provided the “most detailed picture” of USSS security failures in the immediate aftermath of the Butler assassination attempt. Grassley contacted the USSS, DHS, DHS IG, Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation within days of the rally to begin investigating. He was the first to release bodycam footage and text messages from local law enforcement who responded to Crooks at the event.
As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee this Congress, Grassley allocated $1.17 billion in funding for USSS as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Sec. 100057).
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: How did you leverage your leadership for alternative energy?
A: More than three decades ago, I helped launch Iowa’s rise to dominance in alternative energy with the first-ever federal wind energy tax credit. Wind energy supports more than 9,000 jobs in Iowa and generates more than 60% of our state’s electricity, making it the largest source of electricity in Iowa. During negotiations on the One Big Beautiful Bill, I fought tooth and nail to secure a 12-month runway that allows planned wind and solar projects to begin construction after the law’s enactment. This victory prevented a devastating blow to alternative energy that would have stunted investment, innovation and production when there’s growing demand for clean, affordable electricity. My efforts will help accelerate near-term growth in these projects to get them from the drawing board to installation and production while also providing the industry a sensible pathway to self-sustainability. It puts wind and solar on a level playing field with other technologies with respect to imported materials and components. Specifically, I led efforts to strike a punitive new tax on wind and solar projects that would have sunk domestic production and investment, as well as job creation here at home.
Q: What new measures will boost Iowa’s renewable fuels industry?
A: Iowa’s farm economy drives the state economy, employing nearly one in five Iowans in agriculture or ag-related industries. Family farmers across the state take pride in growing crops that feed and fuel the world. As a lifelong family farmer and tireless champion for the livelihoods and way of life for farm families, I brought the concerns of Iowa farmers to the policymaking tables during negotiations on the One Big Beautiful Bill. That includes expanding domestic markets for feedstock. The renewable fuels industry adds value to homegrown corn and soybean crops. I successfully fought to eliminate tax subsidies for renewable fuels produced from imported feedstocks, such as used cooking oil from China or tallow and sugar cane from Brazil. In 2023, the U.S. imported three billion pounds of used cooking oil that exploited tax incentives and clean fuel policies. The U.S. taxpayer should not foot the bill for subsidies that benefit foreign farmers at the expense of corn and soybean farmers from Iowa. Ensuring our nation’s renewable fuel policies benefit American farmers was my top priority as I fought to improve and extend the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit through 2029. I also successfully secured transition relief for small biodiesel producers who shut down operations during the previous administration due to a lack of workable guidance implementing this credit. Taken together, this is a victory for Iowa farmers and Iowa renewable fuel producers.
Q: What’s in the new law for Iowa farmers?
A: Iowa farmers waited two years for Congress to update the five-year Farm Bill. High input costs for seed, fertilizer, fuel, machinery and rent were cutting into the bottom line, making it difficult for farming operations to make ends meet, let alone turn a profit. The farm safety net needed to reflect the double-digit increase to farm production costs. With President Trump’s signature on July 4, the new law increases reference prices and boosts the effective reference price escalator for the 2025 through 2031 crop years. That raises the benchmark for farm payments, such as the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) programs, to help ensure the farm safety net reflects higher input costs. The law also improves crop insurance for beginning farmers for the first decade of their operations, increasing the coverage level and affordability of certain crop insurance policies. Iowa’s agrarian heritage is not only the backbone of our state’s economy, it’s a way of life. Iowans should not be punished for wanting to keep a family farm in the family. For nearly two centuries, Iowa families have handed the reins of their farming operation to their kids and grandkids. An unfair, punitive death tax would force sons and daughters to sell the family land to pay the federal estate tax liability. I’ve long championed efforts to repeal the death tax and was glad to support provisions in the new law that permanently boost the death tax exemption, raising it to $15 million for individuals and $30 million for couples. In addition, the new law provides critical investments in conservation, ag research, trade promotion and animal health to help fight disease outbreaks, such as New World screwworm (NWS), Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and African swine fever (ASF), to support livestock producers and protect the food supply.
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
Moscow, July 12 /Xinhua/ — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hee in the city of Wonsan in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Saturday as part of the second round of strategic dialogue, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
“The heads of the foreign policy departments thoroughly discussed current issues of developing bilateral relations, including the schedule of upcoming political contacts. Particular attention was paid to the prospects for further cooperation in practical areas,” the statement published on the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.
As stated in the report, a keen exchange of views took place on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia (NEA). Mutual commitment to a political and diplomatic solution to the problems existing there was confirmed. The parties emphasized their determination to jointly counter the hegemonic aspirations of extra-regional players, which are leading to escalating tensions in NEA and the entire Asia-Pacific region.
Following the negotiations, a Plan for Inter-Ministerial Exchanges between Russia and the DPRK for 2026-2027 was signed.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, S. Lavrov arrived at Wonsan airport on Friday night, beginning his visit to the DPRK. His visit will last from July 11 to 13. –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.
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
KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 (Xinhua) — China hopes to work with Sri Lanka to further develop strategic cooperative partnership based on sincere mutual assistance and lasting friendship, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, noted that China and Sri Lanka enjoy traditional friendship, and recalled that in January this year, the two heads of state held fruitful talks and reached an important consensus on deepening the China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership and jointly building a community with a shared future for China and Sri Lanka, indicating the direction and providing guidance for the development of bilateral ties.
The Chinese Foreign Minister noted that China is a reliable partner of Sri Lanka, and the two sides should deepen high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road and practical cooperation in various fields.
The two sides should jointly and effectively implement the two flagship projects of Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port, accelerate negotiations on the China-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, and create new growth points for cooperation in areas such as green energy, digital economy, modern agriculture and marine economy, Wang said.
The Chinese Foreign Minister noted that maritime cooperation between China and Sri Lanka is mutually beneficial, is not directed against third parties and should not be subject to their influence.
China hopes to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka on platforms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum to jointly maintain stability and development in the region, he said, adding that the so-called “Indo-Pacific Strategy” provokes bloc confrontation and forces parties to take one position or another, which is not in line with the trend of the times and will not be supported by countries in the region.
V. Herath, for his part, assured that Sri Lanka attaches great importance to relations with China and firmly adheres to the one-China principle. Sri Lanka is grateful to China for its firm support in protecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for its timely assistance during times of difficulty, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister added.
Sri Lanka-China cooperation has brought great benefits to the people of Sri Lanka and effectively promoted the overall development of the region and regional connectivity, V. Herath continued. The Minister added that Sri Lanka is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, strengthen practical cooperation in various fields including economy and trade, investment, infrastructure and maritime affairs, so as to further deepen the Sri Lanka-China strategic cooperative partnership. –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.
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
Baku, July 12 /Xinhua/ — Interim President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Azerbaijan on Saturday on a working visit, the main focus of which was the development of energy cooperation and the implementation of a project to export Azerbaijani gas to Syria through Turkey.
As reported by the press service of the President of Azerbaijan, during the meeting with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the parties noted the importance of Azerbaijani gas supplies for solving Syria’s acute energy problem and strengthening its energy security. The discussion focused on specific steps to implement this project.
During the visit, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan /SOCAR/ and the Syrian government.
The presidents also discussed cooperation in the political, trade and economic, humanitarian, cultural and educational spheres, including the provision of scholarships to Syrian students and the restoration of cultural monuments. –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.
The United Nations warns that the fuel shortage in Gaza has reached critical levels.
Fuel is the backbone of survival in Gaza. It powers hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks, ambulances, and every aspect of humanitarian operations. Fuel supplies are needed to move the fleet used for transporting essential goods across the Strip and to operate a network of bakeries producing fresh bread for the affected population. Without fuel, these lifelines will vanish for 2.1 million people.
After almost two years of war, people in Gaza are facing extreme hardships, including widespread food insecurity. When fuel runs out, it places an unbearable new burden on a population teetering on the edge of starvation.
Without adequate fuel, UN agencies responding to this crisis will likely be forced to stop their operations entirely, directly impacting all essential services in Gaza. This means no health services, no clean water, and no capacity to deliver aid.
Without adequate fuel, Gaza faces a collapse of humanitarian efforts. Hospitals are already going dark, maternity, neonatal and intensive care units are failing, and ambulances can no longer move. Roads and transport will remain blocked, trapping those in need. Telecommunications will shut down, crippling lifesaving coordination and cutting families off from critical information, and from one another.
Without fuel, bakeries and community kitchens cannot operate. Water production and sanitation systems will shut down, leaving families without safe drinking water, while solid waste and sewage pile up in the streets. These conditions expose families to deadly disease outbreaks and push Gaza’s most vulnerable even closer to death.
For the first time in 130 days, a small amount of fuel entered Gaza this week. This is a welcome development, but it is a small fraction of what is needed each day to keep daily life and critical aid operations running.
The United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners cannot overstate the urgency of this moment: fuel must be allowed into Gaza in sufficient quantities and consistently to sustain life-saving operations.
Headline: Secretary Noem to Expose “Worst of the Worst” Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested by ICE
Secretary Noem to Expose “Worst of the Worst” Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested by ICE aunica.brockel
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gives remarks and hosts a press conference in Tampa, Florida exposing the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens arrested by the Department of Homeland Security under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership.
Headline: Secretary Noem to Expose “Worst of the Worst” Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested by ICE
Secretary Noem to Expose “Worst of the Worst” Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested by ICE aunica.brockel
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gives remarks and hosts a press conference in Tampa, Florida exposing the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens arrested by the Department of Homeland Security under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
“Fuel is the backbone of survival in Gaza,” said the statement. “Without fuel, these lifelines will vanish for 2.1 million people.”
UN humanitarian workers stressed that fuel powers everything from hospitals and water systems to bakeries and ambulances.
Without a steady supply, “maternity, neonatal and intensive care units are failing, and ambulances can no longer move.” The fuel shortage, they said, has left Gaza’s population – already facing severe food insecurity and the constant threat of violence – on the edge of catastrophe.
They warned that “without adequate fuel, UN agencies responding to this crisis will likely be forced to stop their operations entirely,” meaning “no health services, no clean water, and no capacity to deliver aid.”
Inadequate fuel injection
The agencies noted that for the first time in 130 days, a small quantity of fuel was allowed into Gaza this week. While welcome, the amount – just 75,000 litres over two days – is far from enough to meet the daily needs of the population and vital civilian aid operations.
Speaking at UN Headquarters in New York late Friday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the overall situation as “dire and worsening by the day.”
“Every day without a ceasefire brings more preventable deaths – children dying in pain, and hungry people shot while trying to reach the trickle of aid that is allowed in,” he said.
Life-threatening
Mr. Dujarric also expressed deep concern over continued Israeli restrictions on aid access. “Yesterday, our teams could provide hospitals with some of the fuel that came in – but only in the south. That’s because Israeli authorities denied our attempt to bring fuel to the north,” he said. “Such denials are life-threatening.”
He added that the fuel shortage also affects water treatment, ambulances and waste management. “All of these services are at risk of collapsing,” he said.
Out of 15 humanitarian missions that required coordination with Israeli authorities on Thursday, only six were fully facilitated. Five were denied outright, while four faced obstacles that delayed or prevented delivery.
One mission, to rescue injured people trapped under rubble in Gaza City, was only approved two days after the initial request – too late to save lives. “By the time the mission was finally allowed through yesterday, no one was found alive,” Dujarric said.
On top of this, essential items like tents and shelter materials have been blocked from entering Gaza for over four months, leaving thousands exposed to the elements.
Close call
Aid workers are also at risk. “Five strikes landed just a few hundred metres from where aid workers were operating this week, including UN staff,” Mr. Dujarric said. No injuries were reported, but several Red Crescent workers were shot while attempting to assist an injured colleague.
UN agencies are calling for the immediate and consistent delivery of fuel at scale, and for full, safe access to all parts of Gaza. “The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated,” they said. “Without fuel, Gaza faces a complete collapse of humanitarian efforts.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed about a purported drone attack on the city hall in Enerhodar, where most staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) live, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During a visit to Enerhodar today, the IAEA team members based at the ZNPP were taken to the city hall and could see some damage at the top of the building, which they were told was caused by a drone strike at around 1am on Friday morning. There were no reports of casualties. Enerhodar is located about 5 km from the ZNPP.
If confirmed, it would be the latest in a series of drone incidents near the ZNPP and other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, further endangering nuclear safety during the conflict.
“As drone attacks have become increasingly common during the war, so have the risks they pose to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. I’m deeply concerned about the increased frequency of such incidents. In the case of Enerhodar, they also add to the psychological stress for plant staff, which can also impact nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.
Less than two weeks ago, the IAEA team at the ZNPP was informed of a drone attack that reportedly damaged several vehicles near the site’s cooling pond.
In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.
Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.
The United States Embassy in Yaoundé welcomes the official announcement of the date for Cameroon’s presidential elections on October 12, 2025. As a longstanding partner and friend of Cameroon, the United States underscores the importance of free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive elections as a cornerstone of democratic governance and stability in Cameroon and Central Africa.
We commend the efforts of Cameroonian institutions, civil society, political parties, and all stakeholders working to prepare for these elections. We urge everyone concerned to engage in the electoral process in a manner that promotes peace, respects the rule of law, and upholds democratic norms and the rights of all citizens to participate freely and to vote their consciences without fear of repercussions.
It is critical that the Cameroonian people have full confidence in their democratic institutions—not only on election day, but throughout the entire electoral period. This includes protecting the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly, and association as guaranteed in the Cameroonian constitution, electoral code, and other relevant statutes. Journalists, political parties, civil society organizations, and religious institutions must be allowed to operate without harassment or undue restrictions.
We stand with the Cameroonian people as they take this important step along their country’s democratic journey.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Cameroon.
The Standing Committee on Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) conferred with the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah on the 10th of July 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria.
Discussions centred on ways of consolidating the existing collaboration between the PRC and the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security as well as the enhancement of strategic information flow and implementation of decisions by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Led by His Excellency Musa Sani Nuhu, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS, the Ambassadors expressed great appreciation to the Commissioner and the Department for the strong and close partnership in working together over the last three years on matters of peace and stability in West Africa.
On his part, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah congratulated the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner, His Excellency Julius Sandy on his country’s ascension to Chairmanship of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and noted that the need for constant interactions with the ambassadors cannot be overemphasised.
The Commissioner who was flanked by the Director, Peace Keeping and Regional Security (DPKRS) Dr. Cyriaque Agnekethom, Gen. Mactar Diop, Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force and staff of the Department stressed that high-pitched attention will continue to be paid to the work of the Department owing to its strategic role in providing responses to core issues of sustainable peace, security, stability and regional integration.
He further harped on the need to have an organic and structured way of feeding into the decision-making processes that are also binding on stakeholders, similar to the arrangements at the United Nations and the African Union.
“There is a need to think regionally. We need that two-way communication between the Department and Member States. How do we contribute as a Department to make sure that the PRC achieves its goals. The forum is therefore something to embrace as it creates an avenue to exchange ideas for the benefit of our region” The Commissioner added.
Members of the Permanent Representatives assured the Department and ECOWAS of their continuous cooperation to move the region forward
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Burned ground can become hydrophobic and almost waxlike, allowing rainfall to quickly wash contaminants downslope.Carli Brucker
A wildfire rages across a forested mountainside. The smoke billows and the flames rise. An aircraft drops vibrant red flame retardant. It’s a dramatic, often dangerous scene. But the threat is only just beginning for downstream communtiies and the water they rely on.
After the smoke clears, the soil, which was once nestled beneath a canopy of trees and a spongy layer of leaves, is now exposed. Often, that soil is charred and sterile, with the heat making the ground almost water-repellent, like a freshly waxed car.
When the first rain arrives, the water rushes downhill. It carries with it a slurry of ash, soil and contaminants from the burned landscape. This torrent flows directly into streams and then rivers that provide drinking water for communities downstream.
As a new research paper my colleagues and I just published shows, this isn’t a short-term problem. The ghost of the fire can haunt these waterways for years.
Scientists explain how wildfires can contaminate water supplies and the ways they measure the effects, summarized in their 2024 publication. University of Colorado-Boulder.
This matters because forested watersheds are the primary water source for nearly two-thirds of municipalities in the United States. As wildfires in the western U.S. become larger and more frequent, the long-term security and safety of water supplies for downstream communities is increasingly at risk.
Charting the long tail of wildfire pollution
Scientists have long known that wildfires can affect water quality, but two key questions remained: Exactly how bad is the impact? And how long does it last?
To find out, my colleagues and I led a study, coordinated by engineer Carli Brucker. We undertook one of the most extensive analyses of post-wildfire water quality to date. The results were published June 23, 2025, in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment.
We gathered decades of water quality data from 245 burned watersheds across the western U.S. and compared them to nearly 300 similar, unburned watersheds.
A map of the basins studied shows the outlines of fires in red and burned basins in black. The blue basins did not burn and were used for comparisons. Carli Brucker, et al., 2025, Nature Communications Earth & Environment
By creating a computer model for each basin that accounted for its normal water quality variability, based on factors such as rainfall and temperature, we were able to isolate the impact of the wildfire. This allowed us to see how much the water quality deviated after the fire, year after year.
The results were stark. In the first year after a fire, the concentrations of some contaminants skyrocketed. We found that levels of sediment and turbidity – the cloudiness of the water – were 19 to 286 times higher than prefire levels. That much sediment can clog filters at water treatment plants and require expensive treatment and maintenance. Think of trying to use a coffee filter with muddy water – the water just won’t flow through.
Concentrations of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were three to 103 times greater in the burned basins. These dissolved remnants of burned plants and soil are particularly problematic. When they mix with the chlorine used to disinfect drinking water, they can form harmful chemicals called disinfection byproducts, some of which are linked to cancer.
More surprisingly, we found the impacts to be really persistent. While the most dramatic spikes in phosphorous, nitrate, organic carbon and sediment generally occurred in the first one to three years, some contaminants lingered for much longer.
Contaminants including phosphorus, organic carbon and nitrates lingered in water supplies for years after wildfires. The charts show the average among all burned basins eight years before fires (light blue) and all burned basins after fires (orange). The gray bars show levels in the year immediately after the fire. The horizontal purple line shows levels that would be expected without a fire, based on the prefire years. Carli Brucker, et al., 2025, Nature Communications Earth & Environment
We saw significantly elevated levels of nitrogen and sediment for up to eight years following a fire. Nitrogen and phosphorus act like fertilizer for algae. A surge of these nutrients can trigger algal blooms in reservoirs, which can produce toxins and create foul odors.
This extended timeline suggests that wildfires are fundamentally altering the landscape in ways that take a long time to heal. In our previous laboratory-based research, including a 2024 study, we simulated this process by burning soil and vegetation and then running water over them.
After mountain slopes burn, the rain that falls on them washes ash, charred soil and debris downstream. Carli Brucker
The stuff that leaches out is a cocktail of carbon, nutrients and other compounds that can exacerbate flood risks and degrade water quality in ways that require more expensive treatment at water treatment facilities. In extreme cases, the water quality may be so poor that communities can’t withdraw river water at all, and that can create water shortages.
After the Buffalo Creek Fire in 1996 and then the Hayman Fire in 2002, Denver’s water utility spent more than US$27 million over several years to treat the water, remove more than 1 million cubic yards of sediment and debris from a reservoir, and fix infrastructure. State Forest Service crews planted thousands of trees to help restore the surrounding forest’s water filtering capabilities.
A growing challenge for water treatment
This long-lasting impact poses a major challenge for water treatment plants that make river water safe to drink. Our study highlights that utilities can’t just plan for a few bad months after a fire. They need to be prepared for potentially eight or more years of degraded water quality.
We also found that where a fire burns matters. Watersheds with thicker forests or more urban areas that burned tended to have even worse water quality after a fire.
Since many municipalities draw water from more than one source, understanding which watersheds are likely to have the largest water quality problems after fires can help communities locate the most vulnerable parts of their water supply systems.
As temperatures rise and more people move into wildland areas in the American West, the risk of wildfires increases, and it is becoming clear that preparing for longer-term consequences is crucial. The health of forests and our communities’ drinking water are inseparably linked, with wildfires casting a shadow that lasts long after the smoke clears.
Ben Livneh receives funding from the Western Water Assessment NOAA grant #NA21OAR4310309, ‘Western Water Assessment: Building Resilience to Compound Hazards in the Inter-Mountain West’.
