NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 1, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 1, 2025.

    Trauma is carried in your DNA. But science reveals a more complicated story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Postdoctoral researcher of transgenerational effects, Monash University Radu Bercan/Shutterstock As war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, there is concern about how the related trauma might be transmitted to future generations of people in those regions. More generally, interest in the idea of transgenerational

    Aamir Khan’s big screen comeback, Sitaare Zameen Par, features an all-star neurodivergent cast – a Bollywood first
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication, Media and Film Studies, University of Adelaide Bharti Dubey/X Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus has been far from ordinary. Sitaare Zameen Par (2025) which translates to “stars on Earth”, is the first major

    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato vadimguzhva/Getty Images No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge. Type 2

    Understanding the ‘Slopocene’: how the failures of AI can reveal its inner workings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Binns, Senior Lecturer, Media & Communication, RMIT University AI-generated with Leonardo Phoenix 1.0. Author supplied Some say it’s em dashes, dodgy apostrophes, or too many emoji. Others suggest that maybe the word “delve” is a chatbot’s calling card. It’s no longer the sight of morphed bodies

    Trump’s worldview is causing a global shift of alliances – what does this mean for nations in the middle?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, Lecturer in Government – National Security College, Australian National University Since US President Donald Trump took office this year, one theme has come up time and again: his rule is a threat to the US-led international order. As the US political scientist John Mearsheimer famously

    We have drugs to manage HIV. So why are we spending millions looking for cures?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Associate Professor, Public Health Ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock Over the past three decades there have been amazing advances in treating and preventing HIV. It’s now a manageable infection. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine consistently, before their immune

    Sexy K-pop demons, a human lie detector and shearers on strike: what to watch in July
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mickel, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Tomorrow marks exactly halfway through 2025. Luckily there’s a suite of streaming options to help get you through the mid-year bump. We’ve got iconic classics celebrating major anniversaries, as well as an animated K-Pop spectacle,

    Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’
    Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the

    Battle of Ideas: Political Lawfare and the Destitution of Pedro Castillo
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage COHA On June 29, Radio Negro Primero, a community-based station in Venezuela, and affiliates, will examine the jailing and prosecution of Peru’s constitutional president, Pedro Castillo. The program, Battle of Ideas, hosted by William Camacaro (Senior Analyst for COHA) and Mary Dugarte (Venezuelan Journalist), will feature distinguished panelists:

    In Struggle and Solidarity: The Enduring Legacy of Joaquín Domínguez Parada
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By Fred Mills and Evelyn Gonzalez Mills Silver Spring, MD Joaquín Domínguez Parada, a renowned Salvadoran attorney and tireless advocate for refugees of war and persecution, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2025, four days after his 77th birthday in El Salvador, leaving a legacy of love, integrity,

    Here’s how First Nations landholders can share the benefits of the NSW energy transition
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Australian and Aboriginal history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff and members with researchers and actuaries from Finity Consulting. UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group The shift

    Warmer seas are fuelling the dangerous ‘weather bomb’ about to hit NSW
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Heavy surf and intense rains hit Sydney beaches during a 2020 East Coast Low. Lee Hulsman/Getty Right now, a severe storm likely to be the first significant east coast low in three years is developing off the coast

    ‘I’m just exhausted’: sexual harassment at work is still rife. These new laws would help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong FG Trade/Getty Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new report on sexual harassment, called Speaking From Experience. It includes the voices of more than 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment from vulnerable communities. In

    My shins hurt after running. Could it be shin splints?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Krissy Kendall, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University lzf/Getty If you’ve started running for the first time, started again after a break, or your workout is more intense, you might have felt it. A dull, nagging ache down your shins after you exercise.

    Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Dodd, PhD Student in Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy, The University of Western Australia The long-eared kultarr (_A. auritus_) is the middle child in terms of body size, but it has by far the biggest ears. Ken Johnson Australia is home to more than 60 species of

    Occupational therapists tackle obstacles in the home, from support to cook a meal, to navigating public transport
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Hitch, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Deakin University Occupational therapists (OTs) have been in the spotlight this month after the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) froze NDIS payments for these services at $193.99 per hour for the sixth year. The NDIA also cut travel payments for

    Do you have Bitcoin? Be aware of the tax consequences of selling your investment
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Allen, Senior lecturer, Curtin University Bitcoin is ubiquitous. It is impossible to open a social media stream or news source without encountering yet another mention of the topic. Many Australians have invested, hoping for a good return. But they may not have considered the tax consequences

    On her new album, Lorde creates pop at its purest – performative, playful and alive to paradox
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Overell, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago “✏️Describe the vibe” goes the demand to commenters underneath the YouTube video for Lorde’s latest single, “Hammer”. Fans form a flow; a “vibe check” in Zillenial parlance: The pure rawness … (@lynmariegm) A more raw true-to-self form

    Men traded wares – but women traded knowledge: what a new archeological study tells us about PNG sea trade
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Skelly, Archaeologist, Monash University Women loading pots on a Motu lakatoi trading vessel, in this photograph published in 1887. J. W. Lindt Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Home to cultures speaking more than 800 languages, this region has

    Unsafe and unethical: bed shortages mean dementia patients with psychiatric symptoms are admitted to medical wards
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cindy Towns, Senior Lecturer in General Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s mental health crisis is well documented in the government’s 2018 inquiry, He Ara Oranga, which shows one in five people experience mental illness or significant mental distress. However, an almost singular

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 1, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 1, 2025.

    Trauma is carried in your DNA. But science reveals a more complicated story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tara-Lyn Camilleri, Postdoctoral researcher of transgenerational effects, Monash University Radu Bercan/Shutterstock As war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, there is concern about how the related trauma might be transmitted to future generations of people in those regions. More generally, interest in the idea of transgenerational

    Aamir Khan’s big screen comeback, Sitaare Zameen Par, features an all-star neurodivergent cast – a Bollywood first
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication, Media and Film Studies, University of Adelaide Bharti Dubey/X Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus has been far from ordinary. Sitaare Zameen Par (2025) which translates to “stars on Earth”, is the first major

    The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato vadimguzhva/Getty Images No longer just a condition of middle age, type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting children, teenagers and young adults in New Zealand. And our health system is nowhere near ready to manage this surge. Type 2

    Understanding the ‘Slopocene’: how the failures of AI can reveal its inner workings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Binns, Senior Lecturer, Media & Communication, RMIT University AI-generated with Leonardo Phoenix 1.0. Author supplied Some say it’s em dashes, dodgy apostrophes, or too many emoji. Others suggest that maybe the word “delve” is a chatbot’s calling card. It’s no longer the sight of morphed bodies

    Trump’s worldview is causing a global shift of alliances – what does this mean for nations in the middle?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, Lecturer in Government – National Security College, Australian National University Since US President Donald Trump took office this year, one theme has come up time and again: his rule is a threat to the US-led international order. As the US political scientist John Mearsheimer famously

    We have drugs to manage HIV. So why are we spending millions looking for cures?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Associate Professor, Public Health Ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock Over the past three decades there have been amazing advances in treating and preventing HIV. It’s now a manageable infection. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine consistently, before their immune

    Sexy K-pop demons, a human lie detector and shearers on strike: what to watch in July
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mickel, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Tomorrow marks exactly halfway through 2025. Luckily there’s a suite of streaming options to help get you through the mid-year bump. We’ve got iconic classics celebrating major anniversaries, as well as an animated K-Pop spectacle,

    Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’
    Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the

    Battle of Ideas: Political Lawfare and the Destitution of Pedro Castillo
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage COHA On June 29, Radio Negro Primero, a community-based station in Venezuela, and affiliates, will examine the jailing and prosecution of Peru’s constitutional president, Pedro Castillo. The program, Battle of Ideas, hosted by William Camacaro (Senior Analyst for COHA) and Mary Dugarte (Venezuelan Journalist), will feature distinguished panelists:

    In Struggle and Solidarity: The Enduring Legacy of Joaquín Domínguez Parada
    Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By Fred Mills and Evelyn Gonzalez Mills Silver Spring, MD Joaquín Domínguez Parada, a renowned Salvadoran attorney and tireless advocate for refugees of war and persecution, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2025, four days after his 77th birthday in El Salvador, leaving a legacy of love, integrity,

    Here’s how First Nations landholders can share the benefits of the NSW energy transition
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Australian and Aboriginal history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff and members with researchers and actuaries from Finity Consulting. UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group The shift

    Warmer seas are fuelling the dangerous ‘weather bomb’ about to hit NSW
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Heavy surf and intense rains hit Sydney beaches during a 2020 East Coast Low. Lee Hulsman/Getty Right now, a severe storm likely to be the first significant east coast low in three years is developing off the coast

    ‘I’m just exhausted’: sexual harassment at work is still rife. These new laws would help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong FG Trade/Getty Last week, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new report on sexual harassment, called Speaking From Experience. It includes the voices of more than 300 victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment from vulnerable communities. In

    My shins hurt after running. Could it be shin splints?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Krissy Kendall, Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University lzf/Getty If you’ve started running for the first time, started again after a break, or your workout is more intense, you might have felt it. A dull, nagging ache down your shins after you exercise.

    Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Dodd, PhD Student in Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy, The University of Western Australia The long-eared kultarr (_A. auritus_) is the middle child in terms of body size, but it has by far the biggest ears. Ken Johnson Australia is home to more than 60 species of

    Occupational therapists tackle obstacles in the home, from support to cook a meal, to navigating public transport
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Hitch, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Deakin University Occupational therapists (OTs) have been in the spotlight this month after the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) froze NDIS payments for these services at $193.99 per hour for the sixth year. The NDIA also cut travel payments for

    Do you have Bitcoin? Be aware of the tax consequences of selling your investment
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Allen, Senior lecturer, Curtin University Bitcoin is ubiquitous. It is impossible to open a social media stream or news source without encountering yet another mention of the topic. Many Australians have invested, hoping for a good return. But they may not have considered the tax consequences

    On her new album, Lorde creates pop at its purest – performative, playful and alive to paradox
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Overell, Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago “✏️Describe the vibe” goes the demand to commenters underneath the YouTube video for Lorde’s latest single, “Hammer”. Fans form a flow; a “vibe check” in Zillenial parlance: The pure rawness … (@lynmariegm) A more raw true-to-self form

    Men traded wares – but women traded knowledge: what a new archeological study tells us about PNG sea trade
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Skelly, Archaeologist, Monash University Women loading pots on a Motu lakatoi trading vessel, in this photograph published in 1887. J. W. Lindt Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Home to cultures speaking more than 800 languages, this region has

    Unsafe and unethical: bed shortages mean dementia patients with psychiatric symptoms are admitted to medical wards
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cindy Towns, Senior Lecturer in General Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s mental health crisis is well documented in the government’s 2018 inquiry, He Ara Oranga, which shows one in five people experience mental illness or significant mental distress. However, an almost singular

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: SCO digital economy forum to be held in China, highlighting cooperation

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

    TIANJIN, June 30 — The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Digital Economy Forum will be held in north China’s Tianjin Municipality from July 10 to 11, its organizers announced on Monday.

    Themed “New Bonds in the Digital Economy, New Horizons for Cooperation,” the forum aims to expand new development space for the SCO and ensure digital dividends benefit people across the region.

    Over 600 participants from China and abroad will discuss data circulation and trade, industrial digitalization, digital infrastructure, AI applications, smart cities, and digital talent development — key areas of common interest to SCO members.

    The event is co-organized by the National Data Administration (NDA) and the Tianjin municipal government.

    Speaking at a press conference, Yu Ying, deputy director of the NDA, said that China places great importance on international cooperation on the digital economy.

    Since the establishment of the NDA in October 2023, China has signed memorandums of understanding on digital economy cooperation with 26 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Hungary, Nigeria and Malaysia.

    China has achieved positive progress in developing the digital economy in recent years, with the added value of its core digital economy industries accounting for about 10 percent of its GDP by the end of 2024, Yu said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: G7 FMs call for resumption of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program

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

    The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers on Monday called for the resumption of negotiations to reach a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran’s nuclear program.

    In a joint statement on Iran and the Middle East issued by Global Affairs Canada, the foreign ministers called on Iran to urgently resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as required by its safeguards obligations and to provide the IAEA with verifiable information about all nuclear material in Iran, including by providing access to IAEA inspectors.

    “We underscore the centrality of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. It is essential that Iran remains party to and fully implements its obligations under the Treaty,” read the statement.

    G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high representative of the European Union, met in The Hague on June 25 and discussed recent events in the Middle East.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Joint Statement: Heads of Multilateral Development Banks commit to strong joint action on development priorities

    Source: New Development Bank

    PARIS (28 June) – The Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) met today in Paris, hosted by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), which currently chairs the Heads of MDBs Group. The meeting focused on advancing their joint efforts to address  development priorities.

    Amid rising global uncertainty, the Heads reaffirmed their commitment to working as a system to deliver greater impact and scale, in line with their Viewpoint Note and the recommendations of the G20 Roadmap towards Better, Bigger, and More Effective MDBs.  The Roadmap outlines an ambitious vision for MDB reform to better address regional and global challenges, support job creation, and help countries achieve their development aspirations.

    The Heads welcomed ongoing efforts to improve the way MDBs work with clients through operational efficiency and enhanced coordination. In 2025 alone, five mutual reliance agreements  have been signed, helping streamline the preparation and implementation of  co-financed projects across institutions.

    Private capital mobilization remains a system-wide priority, with the last joint report of the MDBs reflecting a positive trend in volumes mobilized. To build on this momentum, the Heads reaffirmed their commitment to developing local currency lending and foreign exchange solutions. They also reaffirmed  the importance of adequate risk assessment for private sector investment in emerging markets and developing economies; in this context, the valuable contribution of disaggregated statistics on credit risk published through the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) was recognized.

    The Heads reiterated their continued commitment to implementing the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of Multilateral Development Banks’ Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF).  Further reform efforts by MDBs since mid-2024 have increased the additional lending headroom for development projects in all countries of operation, including high-income ones, over the next decade by more than US$250 billion, thus reaching a total of over US$650 billion.

    The publication in the coming weeks of the Comparison Report by the MDBs’ Global Risk and Finance Forum (GRaFF) will provide metrics and data relating to MDBs’ financial positions, promoting a better understanding of their financial models and supporting both balance sheet optimization and private sector mobilization.

    The Heads also agreed to continue advancing promising initiatives already underway to strengthen system-wide impact. These include: 1) Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030 through public and private collaboration;  2) Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Power Grid, which aims to boost energy security, strengthen resilience, and promote decarbonization for the region’s 670 million people by connecting its electricity systems; and 3) Digital Transformation in Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, which aims to connect 3.5 million students and train over 250,000 teachers.

    In addition, MDBs are exploring joint actions to scale up investments in social infrastructure, including health, education, housing, and water and sanitation. Building on structured dialogue led by the CEB, the Heads welcomed progress made through recent cross-MDB consultations and recognized the key role these sectors play in enabling jobs, productivity, and inclusive growth, while noting persistent financing and delivery challenges that constrain impact.

    Meeting in advance of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which will take place in Sevilla, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July, MDBs remain committed to working better as a system, in alignment with country-led development priorities and strategies to promote jobs and prosperity. In view of water’s role in human development, MDBs committed to significantly increasing collective support for global water security by 2030, and will launch the first “Joint Annual MDB Water Security Financing Report” at FfD4. Heads noted the importance of the upcoming COP30 in Belem, Brazil, in November 2025.

    Today’s meeting in Paris marks a significant step toward effective collaboration and scaled-up collective action for development priorities. MDB reforms are advancing, moving from concept to execution.

    With streamlined operations, better risk tools, and growing financial capacity, MDBs are delivering real impact – from expanding energy access and digital education to scaling investment in water security.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, 18 Senate Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to End Counting of Illegal Immigrants in Determining Electoral College Votes and Congressional District Apportionment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    Counting illegal immigrants’ voting power encourages illegal immigration and destroys equal representation by making some citizens’ votes more powerful than others

    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Rules Committee, led his colleagues in reintroducing the Equal Representation Act, legislation to ensure that only legal citizens are factored into the count for Congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections. The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation serves as a perverse incentive for open borders to boost the relative political power of the states and voters that court it.

    Currently, illegal immigrants are counted for congressional district apportionment and, therefore, Electoral College votes. For example, in a state like California, millions of illegal alien residents result in California taking several more congressional seats and Electoral College votes than the states’ population of citizens would justify. In other words, being a magnet for illegal immigration increases the power of a Californian’s vote relative to an individual in another state with less population boost from illegal immigration. This creates a perverse incentive encouraging illegal immigration and resettlement to increase political power.

    Co-sponsors of the legislation include Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

    “It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map for the presidency, which also heavily skews the seat count in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Senator Hagerty. “While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities, desperate Democrats have back-filled the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress or their electoral votes, hence artificially boosting their political power and in turn diluting the power of other Americans’ votes. I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and will ensure that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting.”

    “Every ten years when the census is conducted, it’s imperative that only U.S. citizens are included in the count to determine the apportionment of congressional seats and allocation of Electoral College votes,” said Senator Britt. “Counting illegal aliens for these critical purposes only rewards reckless jurisdictions for supporting open borders and sanctuary policies. The Equal Representation Act is a straightforward and commonsense measure to uphold fundamental fairness, and I’m proud to cosponsor it.”

    “For years, Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states have used millions of illegal aliens to grow their political influence,” said Senator Budd. “Their actions have stripped power away from American citizens who deserve to have their voices and votes equally accounted for. Illegal aliens have no place dictating the congressional seats or Electoral College votes a state receives.”

    “The Census is the foundation for representation in our political system, and any census that could include non-citizens in the apportionment count is really concerning to me, and it ought to be to all North Dakotans,” said Senator Cramer. “Illegal immigrants and non-citizens cannot vote and should not be used as pawns as the Democrats redistrict in various states. Our Census has to count both Americans and non-Americans but should also distinguish between them.”

    “Only U.S. citizens should be included in Census Bureau counts to apportion congressional and Electoral College representation,” said Senator Crapo. “This vital reform would prevent states like California and New York from padding their population totals with those here illegally to tip the scales and boost their political power in Washington, D.C.”

    “The law is clear- illegal immigrants are not citizens of the United States and should not be counted as such,” said Senator Daines. “This bill is a commonsense measure to prohibit illegal immigrants from being counted in censuses, so that sanctuary cities can’t exploit the electoral college and taxpayer resources.” 

    “The Biden Administration’s open border policies have created the worst border crisis in history,” said Senator Johnson. “This bill ensures that congressional seats are apportioned based solely on U.S. citizens, protecting the integrity of our democratic system. Americans deserve to have their voices fully represented in Congress, not diluted by those who entered the country illegally.”

    “This is just commonsense,” said Senator Justice. “Absolutely no one who is in this country illegally should be counted when it comes to Congressional seats or Electoral College votes. Representation should be decided by American citizens-period. I am proud to support the Equal Representation Act to protect the integrity of our elections and to ensure every legal vote is counted equally.”

    “Only American citizens should count toward the apportionment of congressional seats and Electoral College votes,” said Senator Lummis. “Under current law, states harboring large illegal alien populations get extra representation and power at the expense of law-abiding states like Wyoming. This bill protects a fair electoral process and prevents Democrat-led states from ignoring federal immigration laws.”

    “The Equal Representation Act stands for a simple proposition: Americans should decide American elections,” said Senator Marshall. “States like California and New York should not be able to inflate their votes in the Electoral College—and in Congress—by counting non-citizens in the Census. I’m proud to support this bill to ensure that every vote in the Electoral College and Congress reflects the voices of American citizens only.”

    “Since 1820, the federal government has routinely utilized the Census to ask questions about citizenship status,” said Senator Ricketts. “This current policy rewards sanctuary cities and sanctuary states with outsized population because it’s counting people who came here illegally. Those people broke the law and must not be counted for representation. It’s fundamentally unfair to Nebraskans, or citizens in states who are following the law, to reward folks in states who are breaking the law. Only citizens can vote in elections and that’s the way it needs to remain.”

    “Democrats are undermining the rights of U.S. citizens by encouraging illegal immigrants to enter our country and skew congressional redistricting for political gain,” said Senator Risch. “The Equal Representation Act requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question ensuring American values and voices take priority.”

    “American elections should be determined by American citizens and American citizens alone,” said Senator Schmitt. “Voting is the foundation of our democracy, giving U.S. citizens a voice in shaping our future. I am proud to join this bill to protect Americans’ vote and keep our elections secure.”

    “Illegal aliens shouldn’t be allowed to break the law and be rewarded with taxpayer-funded benefits, and states that shelter them shouldn’t gain increased influence in Washington as a result,” said Senator Rick Scott. “Since illegal aliens are currently counted in the census, states like California receive disproportionate representation in the Electoral College and the House of Representatives. By restoring the census to its pre-2000 standard and including a citizenship question, this bill ensures that states like California don’t gain an unfair advantage over states like Florida, and that every citizen’s vote carries equal weight.”

    “Illegal aliens have no right to congressional representation in this country, and they have no right to determine who our elected leaders are,” said Senator Tuberville. “The balance of power shouldn’t be weighed down by people who aren’t citizens of this country. Counting illegals in the Electoral College and congressional districts can completely alter the outcome of our elections. Thankfully, President Trump and his administration are deporting illegals in droves. I’m proud to join Senator Hagerty in reintroducing the Equal Representation Act so that ONLY Americans determine our elected leaders.”

    The Equal Representation Act:

    • Requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question on any future census to provide a greater understanding of the U.S. population and delineate between citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes;
    • Prohibits non-citizens from being counted for purposes of congressional district and Electoral College apportionment; and
    • Requires that the Census Bureau publicly report on certain demographic data.

    Background:

    • In January 2024, Hagerty led his Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the Equal Representation Act.
    • In March 2024, every single Senate Democrat voted against Hagerty’s legislation as an amendment to appropriations bills, which put them on the record siding with illegal aliens over American citizens.
    • The House of Representatives passed the Equal Representation Act on May 8, 2024.
    • Following House passage, Senate Democrats once again blocked Hagerty’s legislation.
    • In a hearing, former Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo admitted to Hagerty that higher local illegal alien populations equal more Congressional seats and Electoral Votes.

    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Balance of Power on BloombergTV to Discuss Senate Passage of “One, Big Beautiful Bill”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations, Banking, and Foreign Relations Committees and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined Balance of Power on BloombergTV to discuss Senate passage of the budget reconciliation package.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*

    Partial Transcript

    Hagerty on the economic growth that will result from passing the budget reconciliation package: “It’s going to be a very long night and could well go into tomorrow morning. But at the end of the day, what we’re going to do is prevent the largest tax increase that Americans have ever seen. This is a tax relief that Americans need. We’re talking about a four-plus trillion-dollar tax increase. That would be the case if it were allowed to not pass. If you think about it, it’s a generational investment in our national defense. It’s going to put us back on the path for energy independence as a nation. And most important, it’s going to stimulate longer-term capital investment, which will beget growth. That growth will beget more employment, more employment will beget more economic activity, which means we’re going to have higher tax revenues for the government as a result.”

    Hagerty on the inaccurate scoring of the budget reconciliation package: “I don’t agree with their willingness to rely on authorities. I’m putting air quotes around that, like the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO missed the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act revenue by more than a trillion dollars. As a businessperson—I’ve been a businessperson my entire life—the type of capital investment they’re going to stimulate over the long term is definitely going to generate much more economic activity. And I think the models are wrong. I do not agree with the approach that has been taken that suggests this is going to be a big deficit bomb. In fact, I think it’s going to be a growth generator that’s going to put our deficit back on the curve in the right direction to reduce the deficit […] It’s been quite frustrating to see numbers that just as a logical person, as a businessperson, clearly you say that there’s no way these calculations are right. What they leave out, what they don’t include, that the overreliance on tax revenue, so to speak, when you know that companies and individual behaviors will change if taxes go up. The model does not work.”

    Hagerty on future budget reconciliation packages: “I certainly support another one of these packages. We’ll have an opportunity to do it again and again. If you think about the work that was undertaken by Elon Musk and the team at DOGE that’s continuing, every department head, every agency head, has been charged with figuring out how to reduce the dramatic burden of regulations that was imposed just in the last administration. And to quantify that over the past four years of [former President] Joe Biden’s administration, that was an additional $1.4 trillion of compliance costs that were added to the U.S. economy. As that comes out, as these conflicting regulations, these burdensome sclerotic regulations come out of the system, I expect to see that those funds, instead of going toward a compliance, fall to the bottom line and get reinvested in the economy. Again, all very pro-growth.”

    Hagerty on the collaboration between House and Senate Leadership: “Leader [John] Thune is trying to thread a very difficult needle, in terms of navigating through the Senate, with fifty-plus-one votes and having something that will work in the House of Representatives. Make no mistake: the leadership at the House of Representatives and here in the Senate have been working very closely together to make certain that we do thread that needle, that we’re able to turn something over to the House of Representatives that convenes tomorrow at noon, to set up the [Rules Committee] so that they can move this through the House, we can get it to the President’s desk, and get it signed by the 4th of July.”

    Hagerty on potential late-night votes: “It easily could go that way. I’ve been here voting all the way through the night and into the next morning, but we will vote as long as it takes to get here. There’s no time limit on this. It really has to do with how long the Democrats want to continue to fight, to put up their resistance movement again. They keep offering the same type of challenge over and over and over again and certainly dragging out the clock. I think what they want to do is get to primetime tonight. I’ve got to believe that their interest will wane after primetime hours. So, we’ll see how long it goes.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to host SCO Forum on Digital Economy

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    TIANJIN, July 1 (Xinhua) — The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on Digital Economy will be held in north China’s Tianjin City from July 10 to 11.

    The event, entitled “New Ties of the Digital Economy, New Horizons of Cooperation,” will aim to highlight the role of the digital economy as a hub and driving force in creating a new space for the development of the SCO and ensuring the availability of digital dividends for the population of the organization’s member states, the organizers said.

    More than 600 participants from China and abroad are expected to discuss topics of common interest: data circulation and trade, industrial digitalization, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence applications, smart cities and digital talent development.

    The forum was organized by the State Data Administration (SDA) of the People’s Republic of China and the Tianjin Municipal Government.

    China attaches great importance to international cooperation in the digital economy, Yu Ying, deputy head of the department, said at a press conference on Monday. Since the establishment of the GUD in October 2023, China has signed memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the digital economy with 26 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Hungary, Nigeria and Malaysia.

    In recent years, China has made positive progress in developing its digital economy, with the added value created by key digital industries accounting for 10 percent of the country’s GDP by the end of 2024, Yu Ying said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: TdA leader charged with terrorism and nationwide stolen vehicle scheme among those announced as part of Operation Take Back America efforts

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

    HOUSTON – A total of 202 cases have been filed from June 20-26 in border-security and other related matters in the Southern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The filed cases include seven involving human smuggling. A total of 125 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 65 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes, sexual assault and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to immigration crimes, firearms and illegal exportation of stolen vehicles.

    Among those newly charged are two Cuban nationals allegedly involved in a nationwide multimillion-dollar auto theft ring. Sadiel Noa-Aguila and Miguel Baez-Echevarria are allegedly part of a large ring linked to numerous vehicle thefts, primarily from major metropolitan airports and surrounding areas including Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Texas cities including Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. Several vehicles were allegedly exported to Mexico through ports of entry in Hidalgo County and El Paso. The charges allege the organization stole vehicles worth millions of dollars in total.

    Others facing charges include several Mexican nationals who allegedly illegally reentered the country this week, including Juan Lopez who had just been removed June 2. He has a previous conviction of evading arrest and had been sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to the criminal complaint. Charges also allege Hugo Perez-Garza and Ventura De Jesus Sandoval-Torres have previous convictions for trafficking marijuana and alien smuggling, respectively, and had been previously removed, but authorities found them in the Pharr area. Discovered near Hidalgo was Jesus Jaime Saavedra-Orozco, a convicted felon for aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced t0 18 years before his removal, according to the allegations. They all face up to 20 years in prison. 

    Also announced this week was a known Tren de Aragua (TdA) leader added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. Giovanni Vincente Mosquera Serrano aka El Viejo is charged along with Jose Enrique Martinez Flores aka Chuqui with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization – TdA – as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States. Both are Venezuelan nationals and high ranking TdA members, according to the allegations. If convicted, both face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million fine. There is a $3 million reward for information leading to Serrano’s arrest and/or conviction. 

    “Transnational criminal gangs and cartels have preyed upon Americans for far too long,” said Ganjei. “That ends now. The Southern District of Texas is committed to smashing these criminal terror groups and will use every available legal tool to do so. It doesn’t matter if you are hiding a continent away; if you hurt U.S. citizens, we will find you and bring you to justice. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.” 

    In Laredo, a Mexican citizen with a B1/B2 visa was sentenced for transportation of child pornography. Martin Alonso Diaz-Lopez received 180 months. At the hearing, the court held him accountable for 66,489 images and noted that not only was he receiving, but also sharing the photos online and bringing them into the United States. Many of the images and videos he possessed were of very young children and toddlers being raped. Authorities had linked his email from a visa application to that of a known user sharing material online and ultimately apprehended him upon his arrival at the Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo applying for admission into the United States. 

    Mexican national Jesus Hernandez-Herrera received a 66 month-term of imprisonment for unlawfully reentering the country and human smuggling after crashing during a high-speed chase. He had been transporting illegal aliens in a Ford Expedition before fleeing authorities and weaving in and out of heavy traffic with speeds reaching 95 miles per hour. At his sentencing, the court heard additional evidence that described his criminal history, including another evading arrest in which he drove his car towards a federal agent and almost collided with a pedestrian. He also has five previous removals from the United States.  

    Another illegal alien learned his sentence for trafficking over $1 million in cocaine. Miguel Angel Reyes-Sanchez received 57 months in federal prison. During the investigation and operations, authorities seized over 50 kilograms of cocaine. At the sentencing, the court heard additional evidence that described Reyes-Sanchez’s role in the drug trafficking organization and that he was involved in multiple transactions.  

    In Houston, a Honduran national received his sentence for illegally reentering the United States. Denis Hernandez-Cruz was ordered to serve 60 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted he needed a substantial sentence to deter him from illegally reentering again. Hernandez-Cruz has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as two convictions for burglary of a habitation. He has three prior removals from the United States, most recently in April 2020.

    Angel Zavaleta-Rodriguez, an illegal alien from El Trapiche, Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty in Brownsville federal court to illegal reentry into the United States. He had been removed from the United States in August 2000 and had previously returned illegally. Authorities removed him again Nov. 13, 2023, but encountered him March 25 in Harlingen. Zavaleta-Rodriguez had been residing in Sebastian illegally. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. 

    An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Western District of Texas U.S Attorney’s Office Files 253 New Immigration Cases This Week

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

    SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 253 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 20 through 26.

    Among the new cases, U.S. citizen Justin Joel Knight was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 19 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. A criminal complaint alleges Knight underwent an immigration inspection at the Highway 277 Border Patrol checkpoint, during which an illegal alien was found inside the toolbox located in the bed of Knight’s pickup truck. The illegal alien who Knight was allegedly transporting was Honduran national Jose Alfredo Pena-Miranda. Pena-Miranda is charged with illegal re-entry and was previously deported twice, most recently to Honduras in May 2019 through Valley International Airport. In 2014, he was convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to five years confinement.

    Mexican national David Lopez-Bartolo was arrested by U. S. Border Patrol agents near Maverick for being an alien illegally present in the U.S. Immigration records indicate Lopez-Bartolo was previously deported to Mexico on Feb. 4 through Laredo and has multiple prior convictions including criminal mischief, deadly conduct, driving under the influence, evading arrest, and family violence assault causing bodily injury.

    Honduran national Rigoberto Alvarado Escobar was also arrested for illegal re-entry charges near Maverick. He has been deported four times, the last one being to Honduras on July 29, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. Alvarado Escobar’s criminal history includes several convictions in Kentucky for disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, assault and illegal re-entry.

    Mexican nationals Angel Arturo Barbosa-Morales and Miguel Angel Herrera Miranda were arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry. Barbosa-Morales has two prior removals, the last one being to Mexico on Aug. 11, 2022, and has prior convictions for aggravated assault and assaulting/resisting/obstructing. Herrera Miranda was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in July 2003. He was previously convicted for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

    Guatemalan national Juan Bautista Carrillo-Gomez was arrested for illegal re-entry in El Paso after being removed to Guatemala on May 20 through Harlingen. Carrillo-Gomez has an extensive criminal record that includes prior convictions for willful obstruction and battery.

    In San Antonio, a Honduran national was federally charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. A criminal complaint alleges Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega shot and paralyzed a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was working as a security guard at a bar. According to the complaint, the veteran security guard conducted a routine pat-down on Ruiz Ortega at the bar’s entrance when he located a pistol in the defendant’s pocket. A scuffle ensued and Ruiz Ortega allegedly shot the security guard three times, with one of the rounds hitting his neck and causing serious bodily injury. The complaint further alleges that Ruiz Ortega attempted to flee in a vehicle but was detained.

    In Austin, an Iranian national was arrested and charged with one count of failure to deport. Jamil Bahlouli had been ordered to report to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in 2024 following an illegal re-entry conviction. Bahlouli did not follow the order and appear but was found in Austin on June 25.

    Honduran national Abner Javier Torres-Maldonado was encountered in the Travis County Jail on Tuesday following an arrest by the Texas Department of Public Safety. In 2018, Torres-Maldonado was convicted for alien smuggling.

    Jose Luis Hernandez-Salinas, a Mexican national, was also encountered at the Travis County Jail with two prior removals. Additionally, Hernandez-Salinas has been previously convicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm, illegal re-entry, and possession of a controlled substance.

    Mexican national Hermenegildo Prado-Perez was arrested in Waco by a U.S. Marshal and a Homeland Security Investigations special agent during a targeted enforcement action. He was charged with illegal re-entry after being previously removed from the U.S. in April 2024 through Laredo. Prado-Perez has a prior conviction for soliciting prostitution of a minor.

    Also in Waco, Guatemalan national Pablo David Cajti-Tzoy was arrested in Temple on June 21 after being encountered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Waco Fugitive Operations Team. Cajti-Tzoy was not in possession of his I-94 when he was encountered by ICE officers. He also failed to notify the Attorney General in writing of his new address and address change within 10 days. Cajti-Tzoy pleaded guilty in federal court on June 24 and was sentenced to time-served.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TODAY: Governor Newsom to sign historic bills to create more housing and infrastructure – faster than ever before

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 30, 2025

    SACRAMENTO COUNTY — Governor Gavin Newsom will be joined by Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, other legislative leaders, and advocates to sign a landmark budget bill package that cuts red tape, fast-tracks housing and infrastructure, and improves affordability for all Californians.

    WHEN: Monday, June 30, at approximately 6:45 p.m.

    LIVESTREAM:  Governor’s Twitter page, Governor’s Facebook page, and the Governor’s YouTube page. This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under “California Governor.”

    NOTE: This in-person press event will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP by clicking here no later than 6:35 p.m., June 30. Location information will be provided upon confirmation.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Acceleware Announces Non-Brokered Private Placement of Units and Shares for Debt Transactions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), a leading innovator of cutting-edge radio frequency (“RF”) power-to-heat technologies targeting process heat for critical minerals, amine regeneration (for carbon capture and other applications), and enhanced oil production, is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (the “Units”), at a price of $0.10 per Unit (the “Unit Price”), for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000 (the “Private Placement”).

    Details of the Private Placement

    Pursuant to the Private Placement, each Unit will consist of (i) one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (a “Common Share”); and (ii) one (1) Common Share purchase warrant of the Company (a “Warrant”). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one (1) Common Share at $0.20 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance of the Warrant. In the event that the Common Shares trade at a closing price at or greater than $0.30 per Common Share for a period of thirty (30) consecutive trading days, Acceleware may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof, and in such case, the Warrants will expire on the thirtieth (30th) day after the date on which such notice is given by Acceleware.

    Details of the Shares for Debt Transactions

    In addition to the issuance of Units pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company intends to enter into certain shares for debt transactions to settle up to $300,000 in certain trade payables and interest payable on convertible debentures of the Company with Units (the “Shares for Debt Transactions”). The Units issued under the Shares for Debt Transactions are anticipated to be on the same terms as those issued under the Private Placement at a deemed price of $0.10 per Unit. Further details regarding the Shares for Debt Transactions will be provided in a subsequent news release in accordance with TSXV Policy 4.3 – Shares for Debt.

    Acceleware expects the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions to close on or about July 22, 2025 (the “Closing Date”).

    Acceleware intends to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions to fund a portion of the Company’s RF XL 2.0 redeployment plan, to advance commercialization of new RF heating applications, including critical minerals applications and amine regeneration applications including carbon capture, and for general corporate purposes.

    Completion of the Private Placement and Share for Debt Transactions are subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”). The TSXV has not approved the Unit Price and this remains subject to change. The Common Shares, Warrants and Common Shares underlying the Warrants will be subject to a four (4) month plus one day hold period in accordance with securities legislation.

    Acceleware expects certain insiders to participate in the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions, which will make the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). Acceleware intends to rely on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 based on a determination that the fair market value of the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions, insofar as such transactions involve related parties, does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company.

    About Acceleware

    Acceleware is an advanced electromagnetic heating company with cutting-edge RF power-to-heat solutions for large industrial applications. The Company’s technologies provide an opportunity to electrify and decarbonize industrial process heat applications while reducing costs.

    The Company is working to use its patented and field proven Clean Tech Inverter to materially improve the efficiency of amine regeneration, and has partnered with a consortium of world-class potash partners seeking to decarbonize drying of potash ore and other critical minerals. Acceleware is actively developing other process heat applications and partnerships for RF heating.

    Acceleware’s RF XL is a patented low-cost, low-carbon RF thermal enhanced oil production technology for heavy oil that is materially different from any enhanced recovery technique used today.

    Acceleware is a public company listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol “AXE”. 

    Cautionary Statements  
    This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this release, such words as “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions, as they relate to Acceleware, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Acceleware with respect to future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Acceleware’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance or achievement that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, which reflects Acceleware’s current expectations regarding future events, including, but not limited to the closing of the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions, including the Unit Price, Closing Date, gross proceeds to be raised under the Private Placement, the amount of debt to be settled under the Shares for Debt Transactions and the use of proceeds under the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions; the receipt of applicable approvals and exemptions (including the Company’s board of directors, shareholders, and regulatory approvals including approval of the TSXV) relating to the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transaction, the statutory hold periods applicable to the Units and; the anticipated participation by insiders in the Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transactions.  

    Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to:, the availability of investment capital and other funding; receipt of necessary approvals; availability of financing for technology and project development; uncertainties and risks with respect to developing and adopting new technologies; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; change in demand for technologies to be offered by the Company; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities and/or shareholders, as applicable; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. For a more fulsome list of risk factors please see the Company’s December 31, 2024, year-end Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. 

    Management of the Company has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this release to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on the Company’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. 

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 

    This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States. 

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 

    For more information: 

    Geoff Clark 
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099 
    geoff.clark@acceleware.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photo & Video Chronology — June 29, 2025 — Kīlauea Episode 27

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Episode 27 lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea occurred over about 11 hours on Sunday, June 29. In this view, the vibrant red lehua blossoms of the native ʻōhia tree frame the foreground, while the lava fountain from the north vent is visible in the background.  USGS photo by P. Dotray.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Heads of Multilateral Development Banks commit to strong joint action on development priorities

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    The Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) met today in Paris, hosted by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), which currently chairs the Heads of MDBs Group. The meeting focused on advancing their joint efforts to address development priorities.

    Amid rising global uncertainty, the Heads reaffirmed their commitment to working as a system to deliver greater impact and scale, in line with their Viewpoint Note and the recommendations of the G20 Roadmap towards Better, Bigger, and More Effective MDBs. The Roadmap outlines an ambitious vision for MDB reform to better address regional and global challenges, support job creation, and help countries achieve their development aspirations.

    The Heads welcomed ongoing efforts to improve the way MDBs work with clients through operational efficiency and enhanced coordination. In 2025 alone, five mutual reliance agreements have been signed, helping streamline the preparation and implementation of co-financed projects across institutions.

    Private capital mobilization remains a system-wide priority, with the last joint report of the MDBs reflecting a positive trend in volumes mobilized. To build on this momentum, the Heads reaffirmed their commitment to developing local currency lending and foreign exchange solutions. They also reaffirmed the importance of adequate risk assessment for private sector investment in emerging markets and developing economies; in this context, the valuable contribution of disaggregated statistics on credit risk published through the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) was recognized.

    The Heads reiterated their continued commitment to implementing the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of Multilateral Development Banks’ Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF).  Further reform efforts by MDBs since mid-2024 have increased the additional lending headroom for development projects in all countries of operation, including high-income ones, over the next decade by more than US$250 billion, thus reaching a total of over US$650 billion.

    The publication in the coming weeks of the Comparison Report by the MDBs’ Global Risk and Finance Forum (GRaFF) will provide metrics and data relating to MDBs’ financial positions, promoting a better understanding of their financial models and supporting both balance sheet optimization and private sector mobilization. 

    The Heads also agreed to continue advancing promising initiatives already underway to strengthen system-wide impact. These include: 1) Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030 through public and private collaboration; 2) Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Power Grid, which aims to boost energy security, strengthen resilience, and promote decarbonization for the region’s 670 million people by connecting its electricity systems; and 3) Digital Transformation in Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, which aims to connect 3.5 million students and train over 250,000 teachers. 

    In addition, MDBs are exploring joint actions to scale up investments in social infrastructure, including health, education, housing, and water and sanitation. Building on structured dialogue led by the CEB, the Heads welcomed progress made through recent cross-MDB consultations and recognized the key role these sectors play in enabling jobs, productivity, and inclusive growth, while noting persistent financing and delivery challenges that constrain impact.

    Meeting in advance of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which will take place in Sevilla, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July, MDBs remain committed to working better as a system, in alignment with country-led development priorities and strategies to promote jobs and prosperity. In view of water’s role in human development, MDBs committed to significantly increasing collective support for global water security by 2030, and will launch the first “Joint Annual MDB Water Security Financing Report” at FfD4. Heads noted the importance of the upcoming COP30 in Belem, Brazil, in November 2025.

    Today’s meeting in Paris marks a significant step toward effective collaboration and scaled-up collective action for development priorities. MDB reforms are advancing, moving from concept to execution.

    With streamlined operations, better risk tools, and growing financial capacity, MDBs are delivering real impact – from expanding energy access and digital education to scaling investment in water security.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Don Davis Announces a Bill to Help Reopen Martin General Hospital

    Source: US Congressman Don Davis (NC-01)

    WILLIAMSTON, N.C.—Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) announced new legislation to support reopening facilities like Martin General Hospital as Rural Emergency Hospitals.

    The Rural Emergency Hospital Financial Stability Act, announced during a press conference outside Martin General Hospital, would provide support to healthcare facilities that are facing closure or are able to reopen by increasing Medicaid reimbursements for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) to the outpatient hospital, rather than the rural health clinic rate. By categorizing REHs as hospitals with respect to Medicaid, as Congress originally intended, rather than clinics, the legislation categorizes REHs in the same way as Medicare.

    [Congressman Don Davis announces the Rural Emergency Hospital Financial Stability Act in front of Martin General Hospital in Williamston, N.C.]

    Without providing this financial stability, REHs would face long-term insolvency, particularly in communities like Martin County, where Medicaid reimbursements represent the highest share of their total revenue. The legislation will also reduce Medicaid expenditures because patients will no longer have to always travel long distances to seek care at inpatient facilities like ECU Health in Greenville, and could instead receive outpatient services at a reopened Martin General.

    [Congressman Don Davis describes how the Rural Emergency Hospital Financial Stability Act would help rural hospitals like Martin General, prevent closure or reopen.]

    “Supporting the reopening of Martin General by ensuring financial stability for all Rural Emergency Hospitals is essential,” said Congressman Don Davis. “Communities with high Medicaid populations, rural hospitals are often overwhelmed, despite their best efforts to stay open. If we provide a higher Medicaid reimbursement rate for Rural Emergency Hospitals, we can help patients get the care they desperately need while creating healthcare jobs in communities that need it most.”

    [The community takes in the moment when Congressman Davis announces the Rural Emergency Hospital Financial Stability Act.]

    “This bipartisan legislation takes a commonsense step to ensure REHs are treated fairly under Medicaid—just as they are under Medicare—so they can continue providing timely, local care without being financially hamstrung by bureaucratic gaps,” said Congressman Bergman. “Rural healthcare shouldn’t be at the mercy of inconsistent reimbursement rules, and I’m proud to support a fix that brings clarity, stability, and fairness to the REH model.”

    [Congressman Davis talks to the community of Williamston, North Carolina, about the future of Martin General Hospital.]

    “The National Rural Health Association thanks Congressmen Davis and Bergman for their efforts to make a commonsense fix to rural emergency hospital payments,” said Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association. This legislation will ensure that rural emergency hospitals are paid adequately and can maintain local access to care in rural communities. We look forward to working with Congress to strengthen and sustain this important hospital designation.”

    The press conference, with local residents in attendance, was held in front of Martin General Hospital. It highlighted the necessity of long-term solutions to improve the fiscal health of rural healthcare facilities.

    The Rural Emergency Hospital Financial Stability Act is endorsed by the National Rural Health Association and America’s Essential Hospitals, of which East Carolina University Health is a member.

    Congressman Davis’ Support for Martin General Hospital:

    • January 30, 2025: Congressman Davis meets with Martin County Commissioners and ECU Health representatives, who ask you to explore legislative pathways to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for REHs.

    •  May 2, 2025: Congressman Davis resubmits a community project funding request for Washington Regional Medical Center (WRMC) to improve their critical infrastructure and take some of the pressure off nearby health systems.

    • May 22, 2025: Congressman Davis joins a bipartisan coalition in voting against H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would dramatically cut Medicaid revenues via provider taxes that fund rural hospitals.

    • January 30 – June 30, 2025: Congressman Davis agrees to move forward with actionable legislation to address REH financial stability, working with the Town of Williamston, Martin County, and ECU Health.

    Congressman Don Davis serves as a member of the House Agriculture Committee and as Ranking Member on the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee, which has partial jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Agriculture, overseeing several rural development programs supporting rural communities, including rural hospitals.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: If You Support President Trump, You Should Support This Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Fox News to Discuss The Republican Reconciliation Bill
    Washington – On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Lawrence Jones on Fox News’ The Will Cain Show to discuss the current state of the Republican reconciliation bill and how it will strengthen and preserve Medicaid.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks.
    On what the reconciliation bill will do:
    “We just got to get this bill across the floor here. This is the start of a new golden era for Americans. This is President Trump’s agenda being laid out. This is going to fund President Trump’s agenda. If you supported President Trump, you should support this bill. It’s going to secure the border, it’s going to lower your taxes by $1,000 a month – we all need to rally behind it.”
    On how the reconciliation bill will strengthen Medicaid:
    “I disagree with him [Senator Thom Tillis], respectfully disagree. This bill is going to strengthen Medicaid. We’re going to strengthen it for those who need it the most. We protect it for seniors in nursing homes, people with disabilities, pregnant women – those types of folks. So, we protect it for them.
    “And then for rural America, we’re going to have a special stabilization fund as well. There’s going to be work requirements, so as long as you’re willing to work 20 hours a week, and by the way, there are people back home harvesting wheat today that are working 20 hours a day. So, if you lose Medicaid, it’s on you. But we want to help people get jobs. I think this will strengthen Medicaid. I think overall, this is a step back in the right direction to Make America Healthy Again.”
    On how work requirements can strengthen Medicaid:
    “.. A couple of points I just have to make Lawrence – you know, number one is there 7 million healthy American men out there, working age, that are not working, I’d love to help them find a job.
    “Second point is this, we’re actually increasing funding for Medicaid. We’re increasing funding for Medicaid higher than the rate of inflation. We’re going to increase it to the tune of $200 billion a year when this is all said and done. So, when they talk about people not being on Medicaid anymore, half of those people are on it because of fraud or some type of abuse of the system.
    “The other half is because they’re unwilling to work 20 hours a week. And you can volunteer, you can go to school. We want to help you find a job – a job brings dignity. It brings purpose. We’re all about people finding a great way to live that American Dream that President Trump talks about.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Crapo Hold Moment of Silence on Senate Floor to Remember Fallen Idaho Firefighters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) delivered remarks and led a moment of silence on the Senate floor during the debate on the reconciliation bill to remember the victims of Sunday’s ambush attack on Idaho firefighters.

    To view their remarks, click here.

    Text of Senator Risch’s remarks is below:

    “While the Senate continues our important work to provide the American people with the largest tax cut in history today, we would be remiss if we did not pause for a moment and call attention to the tragic events that took place in Coeur d’Alene yesterday.

    “While responding to a fire, two of North Idaho’s brave firefighters were ambushed and murdered.  One is in serious, critical condition.

    “This evil attack on the people who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities is despicable and it’s NOT Idaho.

    “I ask my Senate colleagues to join me, Senator Crapo, and all Idahoans in praying for the victims, their loved ones, and all who have been affected by this reprehensible act.”

    Text of Senator Crapo’s remarks is below:

    “The Senate has important work to accomplish today to prevent a more-than $4 trillion tax hike on American workers and families.

    “We will accomplish that goal.

    “However, while business continues here, life for the north Idaho community of Coeur d’Alene remains at a very painful standstill as we mourn the horrific loss of two firefighters.

    “Yesterday afternoon, firefighters from Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai County were responding to a fire on Canfield Mountain.

    “Upon arrival, they were ambushed by gunfire.

    “Two brave firefighters were murdered.

    “Another has already undergone surgery for gunshot wounds.

    “As we continue our work today, I ask my colleagues to join me sending your prayers for that firefighter’s full recovery, the deceased victims, their families and the entire north Idaho community grieving this heinous act.

    […]

    “There was a huge influx of support from those who put their lives on the line every day, and some lost their lives yesterday. I ask you join us for a moment of silence and prayer.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Risch and 17 Senate Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to End Counting of Illegal Immigrants in Determining Electoral College Votes and Congressional District Apportionment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), a member of the Senate Rules Committee, and sixteen colleagues in reintroducing the Equal Representation Act, legislation to ensure that only legal citizens are factored into the count for congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections.  The current method of counting illegal immigrants for purposes of representation serves as a perverse incentive for open borders to boost the relative political power of the states and voters that court it.

    “Only U.S. citizens should be included in Census Bureau counts to apportion congressional and Electoral College representation,” said Senator Crapo.  “This vital reform would prevent states like California and New York from padding their population totals with those here illegally to tip the scales and boost their political power in Washington, D.C.”

    “Democrats are undermining the rights of U.S. citizens by encouraging illegal immigrants to enter our country and skew congressional redistricting for political gain,” said Senator Risch.  “The Equal Representation Act requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question ensuring American values and voices take priority.”

    “It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and non-citizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map for the presidency, which also heavily skews the seat count in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Senator Hagerty.  “While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities, desperate Democrats have back-filled the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress or their electoral votes, hence artificially boosting their political power and in turn diluting the power of other Americans’ votes.  I’m pleased to lead my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that would require a citizenship question on the census and will ensure that only citizens are counted in congressional redistricting.”

    Currently, illegal immigrants are counted for congressional district apportionment and, therefore, Electoral College votes.  For example, in a state like California, millions of illegal alien residents result in California taking several more congressional seats and Electoral College votes than the state’s population of citizens would justify.  In other words, being a magnet for illegal immigration increases the power of a Californian’s vote relative to an individual in another state with less population boost from illegal immigration.  This creates a perverse incentive encouraging illegal immigration and resettlement to increase political power.

    Co-sponsors of the legislation include Senators Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama).

    The Equal Representation Act:

    • Requires that the Census Bureau include a citizenship question on any future census to provide a greater understanding of the U.S. population and delineate between citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes;
    • Prohibits non-citizens from being counted for purposes of congressional district and Electoral College apportionment; and
    • Requires that the Census Bureau publicly report on certain demographic data.


    Background:

    • In January 2024, Senate Republicans introduced the Equal Representation Act.
    • In March 2024, every single Senate Democrat voted against the legislation as an amendment to appropriations bills, which put them on the record siding with illegal aliens over American citizens.
    • The House of Representatives passed the Equal Representation Act on May 8, 2024.
    • Following House passage, Senate Democrats once again blocked the legislation.
    • In a hearing, former Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo admitted to Senator Hagerty that higher local illegal alien populations equal more congressional seats and electoral votes.

    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reminder: Maine Congressional Delegation Accepting Military Academy Nomination Applications

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Jr., and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden announced that they are accepting nomination applications from Maine high school students for appointments to the United States service academies operated by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Merchant Marine. No nomination is required to apply to the United States Coast Guard Academy.

    Students should apply for a nomination in the spring and summer of their junior year. Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden began accepting nomination applications as of May 15, 2025, from students for admission to the academies in the summer of 2026.

    For more information please contact:

    Senator Susan Collins

    Contact: Karen Staples

    207-784-6969

    collins.senate.gov

    Senator Angus King, Jr.

    Contact: Katie Fellows

    207-352-5216

    king.senate.gov

    Representative Chellie Pingree

    Contact: Dorian Cole

    207-774-5019

    pingree.house.gov

    Representative Jared Golden

    Contact: Kim Rohn

    207-249-7400

    golden.house.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Kansas Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by June Storms and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to Kansas small businesses, private nonprofits and residents to offset physical and economic losses from severe storms, torrential rain and flooding occurring June 3-7. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Laura Kelly on June 26.

    The declaration covers the Kansas counties of Butler, Chase, Cowley, Elk, Greenwood, Harvey, Marion, Sedgwick and Sumner.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.81% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, SBA specialists assist business owners and residents with disaster loan applications and provide information on the full range of recovery programs available.”

    Beginning Tuesday, July 1, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    The DLOC hours of operation are as follows:

    BUTLER COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Butler County Historic Courthouse
    First Floor – former driver’s license room
    205 W. Central Ave.
    El Dorado, KS  67042

    Opens at 12:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 1

    Mondays – Fridays, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    Closed Friday, July 4 for Independence Day

    Permanently closes at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, July 24

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Aug. 26, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 27, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Challenges SNAP Cost Shift to States in the Big Beautiful Betrayal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, raised a Point of Order challenging the unprecedented unfunded mandate imposed by the SNAP cuts in the Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Betrayal.” 

    The bill requires states, for the first time, to cover a portion of SNAP benefits and pay for an additional share of program administration costs. This will shift billions of dollars onto state and local governments, forcing them to cut food assistance or reduce funding for other critical priorities like public safety, education, or infrastructure. All 23 Democratic Governors have spoken out against this proposal, and four Governors joined Klobuchar to call out these unfunded mandates last week.

    Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined all 47 Senate Democrats in voting for this Point of Order.

    A rough transcript of Klobuchar remarks is available below and video can be downloaded here.

    Klobuchar: Mr. President, I make a Point of Order that the pending measure contains an unfunded intergovernmental mandate, and thus it violates section 425(a)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

    In nutrition assistance alone, this bill shifts tens of billions of dollars onto the states, creating chaos for state budgets and hardship for families. CBO score for this bill says this, “the non-tax provisions of the substitute amendment would impose intergovernmental and private sector mandates, as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, and that the snap cost shift provisions would impose the largest intergovernmental mandate.” 

    Seriously, the largest shift in this whole bill, the largest unfunded mandate, is on the backs of kids and veterans and seniors, and people with disabilities. $64 billion over to the states. 44 of them have balanced budget amendments. You know, they can’t pay for this. 

    It’s hurting local grocery stores. It’s hurting our farmers, and it’s all done to pay for tax cuts to the wealthy. I say to our colleagues, vote for families over billionaires. Vote for fiscal sanity over this big beautiful betrayal, and vote yes. This is an unfunded mandate. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Cantwell File Amendment to Strip 5-Year AI Moratorium from GOP Reconciliation Bill as Opposition to Blackburn-Cruz “Compromise” Grows

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (June 30, 2025) – As opposition to the new Blackburn-Cruz five-year AI moratorium “compromise” continues to grow, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation filed an amendment to strip the entire provision from the Republican budget reconciliation bill.
    “The Blackburn-Cruz so-called compromise is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” said Senator Edward J. Markey. “Despite Republican efforts to hide the true impact of the AI moratorium, the language still allows the Trump administration to use federal broadband funding as a weapon against the states and still prevents states from protecting children online from Big Tech’s predatory behavior. Republicans are selling out our kids and local communities — all to line the pockets of Big Tech billionaires. I am proud to partner with Ranking Member Cantwell on an amendment to strip this dangerous language.”
    “The Blackburn-Cruz amendment does nothing to protect kids or consumers,” Sen. Cantwell said earlier today. “It’s just another giveaway to tech companies. This provision gives AI and social media a brand-new shield against litigation and state regulation. This is Section 230 on steroids. And when Howard Lutnick has the authority to force states to take this deal or lose all of their BEAD funding, consumers will find out just how catastrophic this deal is.”
    While the “compromise” language adds child safety and other “generally applicable laws” to its list of purported exemptions, the standard is so vague that Big Tech companies would challenge nearly every consumer protection, kids online safety or privacy protection law in court as “overly burdensome.” It would also impact the thousands of pending lawsuits against social media companies’ harmful algorithms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Rep. Titus Announce Legislation to Advance LGBTQ+ Rights Globally

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (June 30, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Representative Dina Titus (NV-01) to announce the introduction of the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act, legislation that would reaffirm U.S. leadership in advancing the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals around the world.

    “This Pride Month, we must continue to advocate for freedom and equality – regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation – for every person, in the U.S. and around the world,” said Senator Markey. “With bigotry against LGBTQ+ people on the rise, we must push back on discriminatory practices and strive to protect and improve the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals everywhere.”

    “No person should suffer from discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” said Representative Titus. “Under the Trump Administration, the U.S. is failing to protect the rights of LGBTQI people at home and abroad. This bill will help restore our role in promoting LGBTQI rights around the world and punishing regimes that persecute people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Through his executive orders and DEI initiative, President Trump has attacked fundamental human rights and the dignity of the LGBTQI community. The GLOBE Act counters this by outlining a vision for U.S. leadership in the protection of LGBTQI rights globally.”

    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii.).

    Senator Markey previously introduced the GLOBE Act in 2023. Recently, Senator Markey co-sponsored the No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act that would push back against the Trump administration’s attempts to target the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals nationwide.

    Senator Markey also joined his colleagues in delivering a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pressing the Trump administration on their retreat from longstanding efforts to promote human rights and democracy worldwide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Rep. Titus Announce Legislation to Advance LGBTQ+ Rights Globally

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (June 30, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Representative Dina Titus (NV-01) to announce the introduction of the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act, legislation that would reaffirm U.S. leadership in advancing the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals around the world.

    “This Pride Month, we must continue to advocate for freedom and equality – regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation – for every person, in the U.S. and around the world,” said Senator Markey. “With bigotry against LGBTQ+ people on the rise, we must push back on discriminatory practices and strive to protect and improve the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals everywhere.”

    “No person should suffer from discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” said Representative Titus. “Under the Trump Administration, the U.S. is failing to protect the rights of LGBTQI people at home and abroad. This bill will help restore our role in promoting LGBTQI rights around the world and punishing regimes that persecute people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Through his executive orders and DEI initiative, President Trump has attacked fundamental human rights and the dignity of the LGBTQI community. The GLOBE Act counters this by outlining a vision for U.S. leadership in the protection of LGBTQI rights globally.”

    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii.).

    Senator Markey previously introduced the GLOBE Act in 2023. Recently, Senator Markey co-sponsored the No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act that would push back against the Trump administration’s attempts to target the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals nationwide.

    Senator Markey also joined his colleagues in delivering a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pressing the Trump administration on their retreat from longstanding efforts to promote human rights and democracy worldwide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tuesday, July 1, 2025

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Note: All times local

    National Capital Region, Canada

    9:45 a.m. The Prime Minister will have breakfast with members of the community for Canada Day.

    Note for media:

    • Pooled coverage

    12:00 p.m. The Prime Minister will attend the national Canada Day ceremony and deliver remarks.

    LeBreton Flats Park

    Note for media:

    • Open coverage

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Egodi Uchendu, Professor (of History and International Studies), University of Nigeria

    The west Africa–Sahel region has seen a proliferation of militant Islamist groups since the 1990s.

    One of the most vicious groups operating in the region is Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (Support Group for Islam and Muslims). The militant group emerged in 2017 in Algeria and Mali, and has targeted civilian populations.

    The UN listed the group as an al-Qaeda affiliate in 2018. Al-Qaeda is an Islamist organisation founded by Osama bin Laden in the 1980s.

    The 2024 global terrorism index listed Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organisations. Its influence has expanded in most parts of the Sahel. The group emerged to strengthen the jihadist insurgency under al-Qaeda. It combines violence with diplomacy to expand its influence and challenge state authorities.

    Despite growing pressure from counter militancy campaigns spearheaded by local, regional and international militaries, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin continues to survive and adapt by regrouping and reorganising. This was demonstrated in its latest operation in Burkina Faso in 2024. The group exerted significant control by closing schools, setting up taxation checkpoints and abducting locals.

    Its engagement in illicit economies has been key to the group’s successful expansion. This revenue is used to carry out devastating attacks.

    We research jihadi-based insurgencies, and have found that this is a common tactic among terrorist groups in the west Africa-Sahel axis, including Boko Haram militants.

    From our research, we find that Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin funds its activities by relying on

    • artisanal mining

    • kidnapping

    • livestock theft

    • money laundering.

    Dismantling the group’s illicit economies and blocking its financial flows are key to countering its activities.

    Financial resources

    The group needs money for fighting, and to sustain political and social influence in its areas of operation.

    Artisanal gold mining has proven to be a major factor in its expansion and resilience. In areas where the group exerts influence, illicit gold mining generates over US$30 billion annually. According to a report by Swissaid, a development group based in Switzerland, the main destinations for this gold are the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Switzerland.

    The jihadists gain access to gold by controlling mining sites and transport routes to and from mines. They sometimes allow trusted allies, who include local armed groups, bandits and other criminal networks, to mine in exchange for a payout. The extent of gold mining funds is not exactly known, but the artisanal sites in areas controlled by the group have the capacity to produce 725 kilograms of gold per year, valued at US$34 million.



    Read more:
    West Africa could soon have a jihadist state – here’s why

    Another source of income – and political influence – is kidnapping for ransom. Kidnap victims include cattle owners, businessmen, state officials and foreigners. The group received a ₤30 million ransom in 2020 to release one French and two Italian hostages. Between 2017 and 2023, the group and its affiliated units were responsible for 845 out of approximately 1,100 recorded kidnappings in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Burkina Faso and Mali remain the epicentre of the group’s violent activities. In the first quarter of 2023, over 180 cases of kidnapping were recorded in these countries’ war-torn areas.

    Livestock theft has also been a critical source of funds. The practice of livestock theft as economic warfare and a means to generate funds has led to livestock being forcibly taken from herders who fail to pay zakat (a religious fee among Muslims) or subscribe to the group’s ideology. The stolen livestock are sold in Mali, Mauritania or Senegal. The ability to monetise stolen livestock makes their theft a cornerstone of the Sahelian war economy and a source of cash for weapons and vehicles.

    Money laundering is another illicit economy central to the militant group’s financing. It lends money to merchants, invests with banks and funds small shops with the aim of getting profits. This helps ensure a constant flow of money and provisions to support the group’s terrorist acts. It has attached much importance to this illicit economy, to the extent of assassinating those who interfere with its investments.

    Way out

    To cut down Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin’s financial base – and thereby weaken its capacity for militancy – counterinsurgency efforts need to take the following actions.

    • Government security actors should collaborate with local self-defence militias to regulate artisanal mining and thwart kidnappings.

    • Financial intelligence units need to identify merchants who receive money from the militant group to block the flow of illicit funds.



    Read more:
    Jihadism and coups in West Africa’s Sahel region: a complex relationship

    • Specialised courts that deal with money laundering and terrorism financing cases should be established and made operational in Burkina Faso and Mali, the epicentres of the group’s activities.

    • Burkina Faso and Mali should increase security around civilians to minimise civilian casualties from terror operations.

    Since finance is the basis of the militant group’s strength, regional security co-operation should be strengthened. This would help with systematically tracking illicit flows and stopping them.

    Egodi Uchendu receives funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany. She has also received funding from TETFund, Nigeria, the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Senegal, The A. G. Leventis Foundation, Greece, and the Fulbright Commission, USA.

    Muhammed Sani Dangusau does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive – https://theconversation.com/funding-terror-how-west-africas-deadly-jihadists-get-the-money-they-need-to-survive-242306

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Moroccan schools are fuller thanks to cash grants. The problem now is the quality of their education – study

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jules Gazeaud, Chargé de recherche CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)

    Reprinted by permission from VoxDev

    The spread of conditional cash transfer programmes in low- and middle-income countries has been described as perhaps the most remarkable innovation of recent decades in welfare programmes. These programmes provide regular cash transfers to poor families contingent on specific behaviours. These include school enrolment and regular attendance.

    The programmes started in the late 1990s in Mexico and quickly became the public policy of choice to fight poverty and low enrolment. Today, more than 60 countries operate education conditional cash transfer programmes, often at a national scale.

    There is plenty of evidence showing that conditional cash transfers boost enrolment. But evidence on their impacts on children’s learning is mixed. Explanations for the lack of learning gains relate to the short-term nature of the evaluations, which may not provide enough time for the learning effects to materialise.

    In recent research, conducted in Morocco, we show that conditional cash transfers can constrain learning when no accompanying measures are taken by governments to account for increased enrolment. We found that the introduction of a programme can deteriorate school quality and thus constrain learning for children who enrol in school.

    Conditional cash transfers in Morocco

    We looked at a programme implemented at scale in Morocco. Known as Tayssir, it began operating in 2008 and quickly became the flagship education policy of a government strongly committed to reducing school dropout rates.

    Earlier research showed that the pilot version of Tayssir had substantial positive effects on enrolment, but not on learning.

    Following this evaluation, Tayssir was quickly scaled-up to reach annually up to 800,000 children in 434 municipalities. Because the allocation of transfers remained remarkably stable over time, the scaled-up version of Tayssir offers an ideal setup to study how conditional cash transfer programmes affect learning, with enough time for the effects to materialise.

    Tayssir targeted all municipalities with a poverty rate above 30% and all households with children aged 6-15 within these municipalities.

    To study the impacts of the programme, we used data from the information system of Morocco’s ministry of education.

    In the first part of our analysis, we assessed Tayssir’s effects on dropout rates and checked for possible differences with the research done in 2015 on the pilot version of the scheme.

    We confirmed that the grade-specific dropout rate decreased by 1.3 percentage points on average (41% of the sample mean). This is equivalent to an increase in enrolment of about 9 percentage points by the end of grade 6.

    We found a greater decrease for girls: 1.8 percentage points, or 50% of the sample mean.

    Remarkably, these estimates were in line with those on the pilot, despite the nationwide expansion of the programme and the ten-fold increase in the number of beneficiaries.

    The impact on quality

    The reduction of the dropout rates induced by Tayssir may have affected both class size and class composition by retaining lower-ability students. This could potentially lead to negative effects on learning outcomes through peer effects and less effective teaching practices.

    Our estimates show that class size in targeted areas increased by 3.6 students by the end of primary school, equivalent to 12% of the sample mean.

    Variation in class composition increased by 0.30 standard deviations (SD) by the end of primary school.

    Figure 1 shows that these effects are stronger in higher grades. This suggests that the reduction in dropout rates accumulated over time and progressively overburdened school resources. Large effects in grade 1 likely reflect the fact that children in targeted municipalities started school earlier – possibly to benefit from the transfers – and repeated grade 1 more often.

    Figure 1: Effect of Tayssir on class size and heterogeneity

    Notes: Each bar reports the coefficient estimate of the local average treatment effects of Tayssir. The dependent variables are class size (number of students per class) and class heterogeneity (standard deviation of the GPAs within a class). 95% confidence intervals are reported.

    Larger class sizes and increased differences in class composition had negative impacts on children’s test scores.

    In the final part of our analysis, we looked at the effects on test scores at the end of primary school exam. We found that Tayssir had negative effects on test scores. We estimated that the programme reduced test scores by 0.12 standard deviation for the full sample.

    What needs to be done

    Our insights should not be interpreted as evidence that policymakers should not pursue conditional cash transfer programmes. Such programmes, including the one we study, have proven particularly effective at increasing access to education, which is a crucial first step to enhance learning.

    These programmes also have many other benefits. These include delayed marriage and childbearing for adolescent girls.

    However, our results, together with evidence showing alarmingly low literacy and numeracy levels among students in low- and middle-income countries, indicate that the attendance gains from the programmes alone are unlikely to equip students with the foundational skills they need to thrive.

    In fact, our results show that conditional cash transfer programmes can have adverse effects on learning when schools lack the necessary resources to accommodate the influx of new students. Such insights may be particularly relevant for other interventions aiming to increase school attendance without complementary investments in school capacity.

    Recent decades have seen a surge in evaluations focusing on the learning effects of education interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Although there is no silver bullet to raise learning, some “great buys” emerged from the 2023 report of the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel:

    • providing information on the benefits, costs and quality of education;

    • supporting teachers with structured pedagogy;

    • pedagogical interventions that tailor teaching to student learning.

    In Morocco, where our study takes place, other scholars have demonstrated that an intervention combining two of these three “great buys” – targeted instruction based on learning level and structured pedagogy – yields large gains in learning.

    Claire Ricard received funding from Agence Nationale de la Recherche of the French government through the program “Investissements d’avenir” (ANR-10-LABX-14-01).

    Jules Gazeaud does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Moroccan schools are fuller thanks to cash grants. The problem now is the quality of their education – study – https://theconversation.com/moroccan-schools-are-fuller-thanks-to-cash-grants-the-problem-now-is-the-quality-of-their-education-study-243298

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Johnson Releases Statement After Advancing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – On Saturday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) released the following statement after voting in favor of the motion to proceed to Cal. #107, H.R.1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
    “Biden and the Democrats left behind enormous messes that we are trying to clean up – an open border, wars, and massive deficits. After working for weeks with President Trump and his highly capable economic team, I am convinced that he views this as a necessary first step and will support my efforts to help put America on a path to fiscal sustainability.”

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Row over damage to Iran’s nuclear programme raises questions about intelligence

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Dover, Professor of Intelligence and National Security & Dean of Faculty, University of Hull

    The ongoing debate over whether Iranian nuclear sites were “obliterated”, as the US president and his team insist, or merely “damaged”, as much of the intelligence suggest, should make us pause and think about the nature and purpose of intelligence.

    As Donald Rumsfeld famously said “if it was a fact it wouldn’t be called intelligence”.

    The recorded fate of the Iranian nuclear sites will be decided by the collection and assessment of difficult to reach raw intelligence feeds. These will include imagery, technical, communications and human intelligence, among many secret techniques.

    The classified conclusions of these efforts are unlikely to make their way into the public realm, unless there is Congressional or Senate inquiry, like the one held after 9/11.

    So, why does it matter?

    There has been strong public interest in intelligence assessments since 9/11 and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Intelligence is often only seen in public when something has gone wrong – either that something was missed or the public has been misled. Inquiries into 9/11 criticised intelligence agencies for not putting together single strands of intelligence into a whole picture, revealing the plot and the attack.

    Inquiries into the approach to the 2003 Iraq war suggested intelligence agencies had allowed their assessments to become shaped by political need, or had failed to adequately caution about what they did not know.

    Successful intelligence operations nearly always mean that something damaging to the country or the public has been prevented. If agencies celebrated these successes loudly they might reveal something about their techniques and reach that is useful to our adversaries. So, our understanding of intelligence tends to be framed by popular culture – or by the inquiries around intelligence failures.

    From these two sources, intelligence is simultaneously all-seeing and deeply flawed. Add in narratives around the “deep state” – a shorthand that accuses unnamed and publicly unaccountable government officials of frustrating the will of the people – and it should be no surprise that the public and politicians are sometimes confused about security intelligence and published assessmements.

    In the case of the Iranian nuclear facilities, the importance of the intelligence picture is focused around politics, diplomacy and security. Donald Trump would obviously prefer an official narrative that his decision and orders have put back the Iranian nuclear programme by years. This is why he talks about the sites being obliterated. And it’s why his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has affirmed that her intelligence-led assessment agrees. That said, she has opted not to give testimony to the Senate.

    When it comes diplomacy, the judgement of intelligence officials could do one of two things. It could either place Iran in a poorer negotiating position with no nuclear programme to provide it with the ultimate security. Or it could allow Tehran to present the country as an emerging nuclear power, with the added muscle that implies. This judgement will have an impact on Israel’s need to preemptively contain Iran. And in security terms, the classified judgement will also help to shape the next steps of the US president, his diplomats and his armed forces.

    Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of niitonal intellgence, delivers the annual threat assessment. She testifies that Iran is not actively building a nuclear weapon.

    The assessment given to the public may well be different from the one held within the administration. While uncomfortable for us outside of government circles, this is often a perfectly reasonable choice for a government to make. Security diplomacy is best done behind closed doors. Or at least, this used to be the case. Now Trump appears to be remaking the art of statecraft in public with his TruthSocial posts and his earthy and authentic language in press conferences.

    Misinformation and public mistrust

    Having a large gap between the secret intelligence assessment and the publicly acknowledged position can have stark consequences for a government. The 1971 Pentagon Papers are a good example of this.

    These were prepared for the government about the progress of the Vietnam war and leaked to the press. The leaks highlighted the inaccuracy in government reporting to the American public about the progress of the war. The fallout included a number of official inquiries that shone a negative light on intelligence agencies. They also resulted in a strengthening of media freedoms.

    Similarly, the 2003 Iraq war damaged the credibility of the US intelligence community. It became clear to that the unequivocal statements about Iraqi possession of weapons of mass destruction turned out to be overstated and under-evidenced. The loss of trust, limitations on the executive use of intelligence and the losses to the US in blood and treasure in the Iraq campaign are still being felt in American politics.

    Last, the Snowden leaks of 2013 highlighted the mismatch between what was understood about intelligence intrusion into private communications data, including internet browsing activities, and what was happening in the National Security Agency through programmes such as Prism.

    The Snowden leaks had an impact on America’s standing with its allies and resulted in the USA Freedom Act in 2015. This imposed some limits on the data that US intelligence agencies can collect on American citizens and also clarified the use of wiretaps and tracking “lone wolf” terrorists.

    The Snowden affair also fuelled a growing narrative about unaccountable deep state activity that has foregrounded online phenomena such as the conspiracy site QAnon. It has also boosted some populist politics that point to, and feed off the public suspicion on, mass surveillance and hidden government activities.

    The lessons for the current debate are clear. The first is that using intelligence assessments to justify military actions contain enduring hazards for governments, given the propensity among public servants for leaking.

    From that, it naturally follows that when published intelligence is shown to be incorrect, the unintended consequence for governments is a loss of trust and having fewer freedoms to make use of intelligence to protect the nation state.

    Robert Dover has previously received research funding from the AHRC to examine lessons that can be drawn from intelligence and he and Michael Goodman published an edited collection from this project.

    – ref. Row over damage to Iran’s nuclear programme raises questions about intelligence – https://theconversation.com/row-over-damage-to-irans-nuclear-programme-raises-questions-about-intelligence-260021

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Suleman Lazarus, Visiting Fellow, Mannheim Centre for Criminology, London School of Economics and Political Science

    When people discuss online fraud, the focus is often on those who directly deceive victims. Little attention is given to those who enable these crimes by providing the digital infrastructure necessary for deception.

    This digital infrastructure includes reliable access to electricity and the internet, as well as digital tools such as proxy servers, spoofing software, phishing kits and virtual private networks. Those involved must possess technical competencies in areas like web development, social engineering and systems maintenance, skills that are critical for sustaining fraudulent operations behind the scenes.

    Research on cybercrime is expanding in west Africa, particularly studies of Nigeria and Ghana. But Cameroon is understudied. This gap in research has obscured a pervasive problem in Cameroon: website developers who create digital storefronts for fraudsters.

    Pet scams are a particularly common type of online fraud perpetrated by Cameroonian fraudsters. This is a form of non-delivery fraud in which victims are tricked into paying for animals that do not exist. Typically, these fake pet websites target prospective pet buyers in countries like the US, Canada and Australia by advertising nonexistent pedigree puppies and kittens as well as exotic animals such as parrots, macaws and tortoises.

    Rather than focusing on the fraudsters themselves, our study examined the infrastructure that enables this fraud to happen and the hidden networks of actors who make deception possible. Our research sheds light on a little-known group of enablers: website developers in anglophone Cameroon who knowingly build fake shopping websites.

    Through interviews with 14 website developers engaged in this illicit trade, we explored the socio-economic and political forces that drive their participation.

    Our findings showed that a mix of economic hardship, social norms and cultural beliefs drive fraud enablement in Cameroon. Our study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of cybercrime. The website developers in Cameroon do not fit the typical profile of a fraudster. They see themselves as skilled workers navigating a complex socio-political landscape where survival often comes before morality, given that Cameroon, under Paul Biya’s presidency of more than 40 years, has experienced widespread poverty, instability and an uncertain succession struggle.

    To address fraud effectively, interventions must go beyond simply punishing offenders. Instead, efforts should focus on dismantling the structures that allow fraud to thrive, starting with those who enable it.

    Why fraudsters choose this activity

    A central theme emerging from our interviews was the impact of the Ambazonian Crisis, an ongoing separatist conflict in Cameroon’s anglophone regions. The crisis began as peaceful demonstrations in 2016 when trade unionists and lawyers protested against the mandatory use of the French language in schools and law courts. By 2017, these protests had turned violent as armed separatist groups emerged within the anglophone regions, engaging in sporadic conflict with government forces. The separatists called for the secession of the two anglophone regions, referring to them as Ambazonia. The conflict has since escalated. Reports estimate that the violence has led to approximately 6,000 civilian deaths, the displacement of 600,000 people within Cameroon, and the forced migration of over 77,000 people into Nigeria as refugees.

    The website developers we interviewed described how daily gunfire, displacement and political instability had made it difficult to secure stable employment and find clients.

    Interviewees cited frequent power outages and internet blackouts as barriers to working with legitimate clients.

    As one developer put it:

    There are times when we go without electricity or network for days. I might have a legitimate client, but if the power goes out, I lose the job. Fraudsters, on the other hand, don’t care about delays. They are always there with another request.

    Ghost-town protests, where separatists enforce economic shutdowns and force people to stay in their homes, further limit opportunities for legitimate business. In this unstable environment, undertaking website development for fraudsters became one of the few steady income streams.

    A second theme was spiritual beliefs. We found that spiritual beliefs had an impact on decision-making. Developers rationalised their work by distinguishing between fraud and fraud enablement. Directly perpetrating fraud against victims, they believed, carried spiritual consequences, while simply building websites for fraudsters did not. Some fraudsters in west Africa visit a so-called “juju priest”, who may demand animal sacrifice and even murder in return for their blessing. The website developers we spoke to did not want to get involved in this.

    One of the developers shared his fears about spiritual repercussions:

    Scammers who do rituals for money, they don’t last. Most of the time, you see them dying at the age of 20 or 30. I don’t want to be involved in that. But making websites? That’s different. I’m not the one taking the money.

    A third theme in our findings was the Big Boy culture, a subculture that glorifies online fraud as a symbol of success. In some west African communities, fraudsters who display their wealth through expensive cars, clothes and lifestyles are seen as role models rather than criminals.

    Vanesa, a developer, explained:

    Everybody wants to chill with the Big Boys. Fraudsters want to be seen as superstars, and that means spending money like celebrities.

    The normalisation of internet fraud in some circles has created a perception that financial success justifies the means by which it is achieved. While some developers disapproved of fraudsters’ extravagant lifestyles, others saw it as a model of economic survival to aspire to.

    Rethinking fraud prevention

    These findings challenge the simplistic notion that the internet inherently enables fraud. Instead, fraud thrives within a complex ecosystem that includes not just the perpetrators but also the enablers who facilitate deception for economic, political, and cultural reasons.

    A more effective fraud prevention strategy should address the enablers of cybercrime, not just the scammers.

    This means:

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

    – ref. Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters – https://theconversation.com/fake-online-shops-rely-on-tech-skills-what-drives-cameroons-web-developers-to-assist-online-fraudsters-252429

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