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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20: SA champions shift in global financial inclusion

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    South Africa is championing a critical shift in global financial inclusion: moving beyond mere access to financial institutions but ensuring meaningful usage of these services.

    This according to National Treasury’s Director of Financial Inclusion, Nontobeko Lubisi, who was speaking during a G20 outreach programme with institutions of higher learning.

    The outreach programme shed light on South Africa’s presidency of the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) which it took the mantle of when the country became G20 President last December.

    “For our presidential priority for 2025, for the GPFI…we wanted to explore how we can move people from access to usage of financial products and services.

    “We chose this particular presidential priority because we felt that it aligned very closely with the G20 theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability. It also then basically demonstrates the Minister of Finance’s commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the financial services ecosystem globally,” Lubisi said.

    She highlighted that although progress has been made to improve access to financial services, “we still have about 1.5 billion people globally that still lack bank accounts”.

    “So, this then highlights the need for ongoing efforts to expand both excess and enhance the usage of financial services particularly in [the] global South countries where substantial gaps exist.

    “We felt that this deliverable is crucial and it advances financial inclusion and aligns with the GPFI mandate of addressing the needs of both G20 and non-G20 countries. This particular presidential priority builds on the work that was started by Brazil in 2024, which actually focussed on…access through digital public infrastructure,” she said.

    Lubisi explained what the focus and role of the GPFI is and how this impact countries.

    “The GPFI efforts include helping countries to put into practise the G20 principles of innovative financial inclusion, strengthening data for measuring financial inclusion, as well as developing methodologies for countries that actually wish to set targets for financial inclusion.

    “So…the work of the GPFI is executed via the Financial Inclusion Action Plan, which was then developed and currently we are on the second year of implementing that action plan as the presidency and it will then end next year with the US. 

    “However, what you see [in] how we’re working in the GPFI is that when a country is the president of the GPFI, you are then given an opportunity to come up with a financial inclusion related priority that you would basically prefer to elevate to during your presidential term,” Lubisi said.

    For Africa, by Africans
    Also speaking during the outreach programme, National Treasury Chief Director and G20 Lead, Marlon Geswint, emphasised government’s position that the impact of the South African Presidency of the G20 goes well beyond the country’s borders.

    “South Africa is the only African country who is a member of the G20. The African Union [AU] was admitted to the G20 during the Indian presidency in 2023…but South Africa is the only African country.

    “So therefore, we found it very important to ensure that our Presidency is not only a South African Presidency, but it’s an African Presidency. So that we can showcase the issues that are pertinent to Africa, and then we help find solutions to issues that Africa is grappling with.

    “It is a very important feature of our Presidency, and it runs through the finance track and the Sherpa track. We are not just taking an inward-looking approach to say, this is all about South Africa, but…we have a responsibility to the continent because we are not operating in a vacuum and it’s important that we also advance the African cause,” Geswint said. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA, Finland launch youth mediators programme

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    An initiative aimed at empowering a new generation of peacebuilders has been launched by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola.

    The Minister launched the South African segment of the South Africa–Finland Youth Peace Mediators Mentoring Programme on Friday. 

    This innovative initiative, jointly implemented by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, aims to empower a new generation of peacebuilders in their efforts to promote global conflict resolution and achieve sustainable peace.  

    The one-year capacity-building initiative will establish a dynamic network of young peace mediators, providing them with practical tools to contribute effectively to peace negotiations, mediation, conflict resolution, and post-conflict reconstruction.

    The programme directly supports the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250, the African Union Agenda 2063, particularly its youth-focused governance, peace, and security pillars, and the inclusion of youth in formal peace processes worldwide.  

    Lamola stressed the importance of launching the programme during South Africa’s Youth Month, which honours the legacy of young activists in the fight against apartheid, particularly the heroes of the 1976 Soweto Uprising.

    “We know too well that ethnic hatred poisons communities, that religious intolerance fractures societies, and that ideological fanaticism suffocates debate. 

    “When violence rises, freedoms crumble and the very light of democracy flickers under the storm of conflict. This is not some distant tragedy; it is the lived reality of women and children in Eastern DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo], Sudan, Gaza, and other places across our wounded world,” the Minister said.  

    By building bridges across continents, Lamola believes the world reaffirms that young people are not merely beneficiaries of peace, “but are essential agents of its creation.”

    The department announced that 15 “exceptional” young peacebuilders were selected through a joint initiative by DIRCO’s Diplomatic Academy and Finland’s Centre for Peace Mediation. 

    These individuals will participate in various programmes, which include in-person workshops held in South Africa and Finland, study visits to the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) headquarters, and online sessions led by experts on specific themes related to peace mediation.

    The participants come from conflict-affected and post-conflict societies, as well as nations that are leaders in global peacebuilding efforts. 

    This diverse group includes representatives from South Africa, Finland, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Qatar, South Sudan, Turkey, and Ukraine.

    Strengthening international partnerships 

    Aligned with the South Africa-Finland Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the programme will advance a strategic peace mediation partnership between the two countries. 

    The department said it will also foster networking and knowledge-sharing among young peace mediators and provide mentorship by seasoned international peace practitioners.  

    The Minister underscored South Africa’s role in shaping inclusive, youth-driven solutions to global challenges, ensuring that the voices of the next generation define the future of peace. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Democratic Republic of Congo Implements the Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS)

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 6, 2025

    With the successful launch of the new data portal—the National Summary Data Page (NSDP) — the Democratic Republic of Congo has implemented a key recommendation of the IMF’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS) to publish essential macroeconomic and financial data. The e-GDDS is the first tier of the IMF Data Standards Initiative that promotes transparency as a global public good and encourages countries to voluntarily publish timely data that is essential for monitoring and analyzing economic performance.

    The launch of the NSDP is a testament to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s commitment to data transparency. It serves as a one-stop portal for disseminating various macroeconomic data compiled by multiple statistical agencies. The published data includes statistics on national accounts, prices, government operations, debt, the monetary and financial sector, and the external sector.

    The launch of the NSDP was supported by an IMF technical assistance mission, financed by the Government of Japan through the Japan Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities, and conducted in collaboration with the African Development Bank from June 2 to 6, 2025. The mission was hosted by the Ministry of Finance – Comité de Pilotage et d’Orientation de la Réforme de Finances,” in close collaboration with the Banque Centrale du Congo and the Institut National de la Statistique.

    With this reform, the Democratic Republic of Congo will join 76 countries worldwide and 34 countries in Africa that are using the e-GDDS to disseminate standardized data.  

    Mr. Bert Kroese, Chief Statistician and Data Officer, and Director of the IMF’s Statistics Department, welcomed this as a major milestone in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s statistical development. “I am positive that the Democratic Republic of Congo will gain substantial advantages from deploying the e-GDDS as a framework to enhance its statistical system.” Mr. Kroese stated.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Boris Balabanov

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/06/pr-25185-democratic-republic-of-congo-dem-repub-of-congo-implements-the-e-gdds

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Globalink Investment Inc. Announces Extension of the Deadline to Complete a Business Combination to July 9, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY , June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Globalink Investment Inc. (OTC Pink: GLLI, GLLIW, GLLIR, GLLIU) (“Globalink” or the “Company”), a special purpose acquisition company, announced today that on June 5, 2025, it caused to be deposited $0.15 per public share, totaling $10,890.15 (the “Extension Payment”) into its trust account (the “Trust Account”) with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company (“Continental”) to extend the deadline to complete its initial business combination from June 9, 2025 to July 9, 2025. The extension is the twenty-fourth extension since the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering on December 9, 2021, and the first of up to six extensions permitted under the Company’s governing documents currently in effect.

    About Globalink Investment Inc.

    Globalink is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Although there is no restriction or limitation on what industry or geographic region, Globalink intends to pursue targets in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Asia (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau) in the medical technology and green energy industry.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “outlook,” “guidance” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause future events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, many of which are outside of the Company’s control. These factors include, but are not limited to, a variety of risk factors affecting the Company’s business and prospects, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on March 25, 2025 and the prospectus filed with the SEC on December 6, 2021 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC, as amended from time to time. Any forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Globalink Contact:

    Say Leong Lim
    Globalink Investment Inc.
    Telephone: +6012 405 0015
    Email: limsayleong@hotmail.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick and Congresswoman Hinson Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand PACT Act Benefits for Vietnam Veterans with Glioblastoma

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA) introduced the Specialist Fourth Class Keith Smith Glioblastoma Parity Act, bipartisan legislation that would amend the Honoring our PACT Act to include glioblastoma as a presumptive condition for Agent Orange exposure for Vietnam veterans. 

    The bill, named in honor of Specialist Fourth Class (SP4) Keith Smith, was inspired by a letter Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Congresswoman Hinson (R-IA) received from his widow, Linda Smith, an Iowa resident. SP4 Smith, a Vietnam veteran exposed to Agent Orange, died from glioblastoma—a condition not currently recognized under the PACT Act for Agent Orange exposure. As a result, he was denied critical benefits. Linda Smith now advocates to ensure no other veteran or family faces the same injustice. 

    “This was Keith’s wish ─ to help other Vietnam veterans affected by Agent Orange,” said Linda Smith. “Adding glioblastoma to the list of presumptive conditions as part of the PACT Act would help fulfill that wish.” 

    “When our veterans serve, we make a promise to stand by them—not just in war, but long after they return home,” said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). “Specialist Fourth Class Keith Smith answered that call in Vietnam. This bipartisan bill is about keeping our promise and honoring his legacy.  

    “Ensuring our veterans receive the benefits they have earned remains a top priority for me. I was proud to support the PACT Act to expand access to care for those exposed to toxic substances, but more work remains,” said Congresswoman Hinson (R-IA). Glioblastoma is not recognized as a presumptive condition under the PACT Act for Agent Orange exposure, despite mounting evidence. I had the honor of speaking with Linda Smith of Independence, Iowa—the widow of Specialist Fourth Class Keith Smith, who tragically passed away from Glioblastoma. SP4 Smith served our country with pride and honor, but under the current PACT Act, he was still unable to receive the benefits he deserved. I’m humbled to co-lead this bipartisan effort to update the law and ensure all veterans have access to the highest quality care. Naming this bill in SP4 Smith’s honor is a deserving tribute to his life and service, and an opportunity for Iowans and all Americans to help save lives while honoring one of our own.” 

    “The Military Aviator Coalition for Health (MACH) is proud to endorse this critical piece of legislation,” said COL. Vincent Alcazar, USAF (ret.),Founder and Director of MACH. Glioblastoma claims far too many veteran lives annually. This bill is a huge step in rectifying past disparities and honoring the tremendous legacy of SP4 Smith.” 

    “The Invisible Enemy proudly supports the Specialist Fourth Class Keith Smith Glioblastoma Parity Act introduced by Congresswomen Cherfilus-McCormick and Hinson,” said David Tilem, Executive Director of the Invisible Enemy. Glioblastoma has affected many servicemembers, whether due to Agent Orange on the battlefield or radiation at the Nevada Test and Training Range (HB 1400).  We are deeply grateful to the Members of Congress who continue to support veterans by recognizing glioblastoma as a presumptive condition related to their service.  These efforts bring hope and long-overdue recognition to those who have sacrificed in silence.” 

    The full text of the bill can be found here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 5th, 2025 Heinrich Slams DOGE Attacks on USGS Scientists and Budget Cuts in Letter to Interior Department Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member on the Senate Committee of Energy and Natural Resources sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum expressing his grave concern surrounding the Trump Administration’s assault on the Department’s science agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The letter highlights President Trump’s proposed budget cuts on the USGS, and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) reported planned terminations of hundreds of scientists and potential termination of USGS centers’ leases across the country as threats to our nation’s scientists, public safety responsibilities and operational continuity of the agency.
    In addition to Heinrich, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) signed the letter.
    The senators opened the letter, “We write to express concern over recent and proposed actions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and broader administrative decisions that together threaten the integrity and continuity of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).” The senators continued, “Specifically, the potential termination of General Services Administration (GSA) leases supporting USGS centers across the country— alongside USGS’s proposed FY2026 budget cut of $564 million and the reported planned terminations of hundreds of scientists—represents a multi-front assault on the nation’s scientific infrastructure.”
    Emphasizing the critical role USGS plays in monitoring and analyzing the nation’s resources, the senators highlighted, “USGS’s work underpins the ability of federal, state, and local governments, Tribal nations, industry, and communities tomake informed decisions—particularly in areas such as disaster preparedness, climate adaptation, water resource management, andecosystem protection,” the senators wrote.
    Stressing the impacts of cuts to USGS, “These proposed budgetcuts could mean abandoning research and monitoring that helps farmers guard against wildlife diseases like avian flu, delaying when real-time water and hazard data is provided for disaster response, and ending collaborations that monitor invasive species, harmful algal blooms and wildfire risks,” the senators wrote.
    “The scientific integrity, public safety responsibilities, andoperational continuity of the USGS must not be compromised by administration actions taken without proper oversight or consultation,” stated the senators.
    The senators highlighted the threat that the potential termination of USGS leases pose, many of which house Water Science Centers, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, and Ecosystems Research Centers, “These facilities provide critical support to states, local communities, and Tribal Nations as they confront unprecedented drought, wildfires, habitat loss, and other climate-related disruptions”
    “While DOGE’s actions are framed as efficiency measures, the potential impact of terminating these leases – without transparent criteria or coordination – as well as slashing $564 million from the budget and crippling of the scientific workforce raises serious questions about continuity of operations. If implemented, these changes to USGS would directly impair the federal government’s ability to assess and respond to threats in real time,” stressed the senators.
    The senators concluded the letter by asking the Department of the Interior to respond to questions outlining the far-reaching implications of these actions by June 19, 2025.
    Read the full text of the letter here and below:
     Dear Secretary Burgum,
    We write to express concern over recent and proposed actions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and broader administrative decisions that together threaten the integrity andcontinuity of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Specifically, the potential termination of General Services Administration (GSA) leases supporting USGS centers across the country— alongsideUSGS’s proposed FY2026 budget cut of $564 million and the reported planned terminations of hundreds of scientists—represents a multi-front assault on the nation’s scientific infrastructure.
    The USGS is a premier science agency with a critical role inmonitoring and analyzing the nation’s resources, including water, ecosystems, natural hazards, minerals, and energy. Its scientific expertise and robust data collection efforts support public safety, environmental stewardship, and national economic resilience. USGS’s work underpins the ability of federal, state, and local governments, Tribal nations, industry, and communities to make informed decisions—particularly in areas such as disaster preparedness, climate adaptation, water resource management, and ecosystem protection.
    The proposed budget cuts are not about “efficiency”— they represent a retreat from federal responsibility and a dismantling of the scientific infrastructure that communities, industries, andgovernments depend on every day. USGS supports work that directly protects public health, strengthens our economy, andinforms disaster preparedness and response. These proposed budget cuts could mean abandoning research and monitoring that helps farmers guard against wildlife diseases like avian flu, delaying when real-time water and hazard data is provided for disaster response, and ending collaborations that monitor invasive species, harmful algal blooms and wildfire risks. While these impacts are not yet certain, they represent serious risks for communities, Tribes, state and local governments, and natural resource managers who depend on USGS science to make informed, often life-saving decisions. As demonstrated throughout its nearly 150 years of existence, USGS science is not optional; it is essential.
    The potential termination of USGS leases, many of which house Water Science Centers, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, andEcosystems Research Centers, threatens regional scientific capacity at a time when local expertise and place-based science are most needed. These facilities provide critical support to states, local communities, and Tribal Nations as they confront unprecedented drought, wildfires, habitat loss, and other climate-related disruptions. Reliable Page 2 scientific information is essential toboth our national economy and the safety of communities across the country.
    While DOGE’s actions are framed as efficiency measures, the potential impact of terminating these leases – without transparent criteria or coordination – as well as slashing $564 million from the budget and crippling of the scientific workforce raises serious questions about continuity of operations. If implemented, these changes to USGS would directly impair the federal government’s ability to assess and respond to threats in real time.
    Given this uncertainty and the far-reaching implications of these actions, we request immediate clarity on the following by June 19, 2025:
    1. What is the current status of all USGS leases and what facilities are at risk of lease termination?
    2. What criteria were used to select these leases for potential termination, and how was USGS consulted in this process?
    3. What plans are in place to ensure uninterrupted mission support—particularly for key activities under the Water Resources, Natural Hazards, and Ecosystems Mission Areas— if these facilities are closed?
    4. Where will affected employees be relocated, and how will critical field and lab operations be maintained in the interim?
    5. How will USGS ensure that existing commitments to state andlocal governments, tribal partners, and other stakeholders are honored, particularly for time-sensitive water data and hazard alerts?
    6. What USGS staff positions are on the list for termination (please include title and location)? When will the terminations be implemented?
    7. Do any of the USGS employees on the list for termination have salaries funded by reimbursable contracts with external partners? If so, how many such employees are affected, and what is the amount of federal savings that would be generated from their termination?
    8. Given the planned reduction in force, how will existing staff fill the gaps in order to fulfill the USGS mission?
    9. What programs will be eliminated by the $564 million proposed budget cut?
    The scientific integrity, public safety responsibilities, andoperational continuity of the USGS must not be compromised by administrative actions taken without proper oversight or consultation. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 6th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Slam Trump’s Plan to Illegally Rescind Funding for New Mexico’s Local Public Radio & TV Stations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    Losing this funding would force many public stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the rural communities they serve
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, joined 29 Senate Democrats to slam Trump and Republicans’ attempt to illegally rescind $1 billion in funding appropriated by Congress and signed into law to fund local public broadcasting stations in New Mexico and nationwide — particularly in rural communities. This move follows President Trump’s executive order directing cuts to federal funding for PBS and NPR. 
    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports over 1,500 local public television and radio stations nationwide that provide free, high-quality programming to American households, including in New Mexico. Local public television and radio stations provides young children who don’t get the chance to attend preschool with educational content that helps them learn to read; airs highly trusted nightly news programming; and shares critical public safety information during emergencies. Local public television stations also provide extensive coverage of local government and elections and host candidate debates, helping Americans stay connected with their elected leaders. 
    Because local public television and radio relies heavily on federal funding to operate, losing this funding would force many of these stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the communities they serve.
    “Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio,” the senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). “This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country. Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.” 
    As Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, Senator Luján has long supported strengthening and protecting public media. In February, Senator Luján wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington condemning actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes. In March, Senator Luján introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast.
    The letter is led by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    The full text of the letter is available here or below:  
    Dear Majority Leader Thune,
    Federal investment in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports over 1,500 local and regional public television and radio stations that provide free, high-quality programming to millions of households across the country. Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio, as outlined in the Executive Order titled, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media” released on May 1, 2025. This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country.
    Our public broadcasting system is a unique American institution that is deeply embedded in our communities and a critical source of lifesaving public safety services, accurate information, and educational programming. The vast majority of the federal funding CPB receives is allocated to local radio and television stations across the country. These cuts will have an immediate and significant impact for stations in rural communities that heavily rely on CPB funding to provide critical services and could likely result in the elimination of programming or outright closure of stations in areas already faced with limited connectivity.
    According to Northwestern University, 55 million people in the United States have no or only one source of local news, and rural counties are far more likely to lose their local news outlets. This number could increase if the two-year advance appropriation for public media is not upheld, resulting in the drastic reduction or complete elimination of free, high-quality local programming. This is especially concerning given the importance of public broadcasting during public emergencies, such as natural disasters, transportation accidents, national security threats, or public safety matters. CPB funds are essential to ensuring that the broadcast infrastructure remains robust and operational in disaster situations, especially scenarios in which local public broadcasters serve as the only source of information for those who need a lifeline. Any cuts in funding will have drastic consequences for communities in need.
    And there is much more to their public safety services in addition to the critical local information they broadcast. Public television’s interconnection technology, which connects local public television stations to PBS, is also one of the backbone pathways for the delivery of our nation’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) services – enabling cell phone subscribers to receive geotargeted emergency text alerts no matter where they are in the country. A cut to public broadcasting funding would put this lifesaving service and its nationwide footprint at risk.
    Public television has also pioneered cutting edge technology that helps first responders communicate with each other over the broadcast spectrum without the need for mobile service or broadband. This datacasting technology and public television’s public safety partnerships is already helping with early earthquake warning and has been proven effective in a wide range of scenarios where broadband or cellular service are limited, including rural search and rescue, overwater communications, large event crowd control and more. But this is only possible if stations serving rural and remote areas with limited broadband are healthy and continue operating as they are today.
    On the education front, public television’s early childhood education services ensure that every family has access to high-quality, non-commercial educational content regardless of their ability to pay for such services. This is essential for over 50 percent of three and four-year old children who do not attend formal preschool.
    If funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is eliminated or rescinded, the impact would be devastating. Millions of people across the country whose stations rely on CPB funding for a significant percentage of their budget would be at risk of losing access to public television’s services. These are services that nobody else in the media world is providing, but it’s exactly the work for which public broadcasting was created, and they are delivering to our communities every day. 
    Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.
    We appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Slam Trump’s Plan to Illegally Rescind Funding for New Mexico’s Local Public Radio & TV Stations

    US Senate News:

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

    Losing this funding would force many public stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the rural communities they serve

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media,joined 29 Senate Democrats to slam Trump and Republicans’ attempt to illegally rescind $1 billion in funding appropriated by Congress and signed into law to fund local public broadcasting stations in New Mexico and nationwide — particularly in rural communities. This move follows President Trump’s executive order directing cuts to federal funding for PBS and NPR. 

    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports over 1,500 local public television and radio stations nationwide that provide free, high-quality programming to American households, including in New Mexico. Local public television and radio stations provides young children who don’t get the chance to attend preschool with educational content that helps them learn to read; airs highly trusted nightly news programming; and shares critical public safety information during emergencies. Local public television stations also provide extensive coverage of local government and elections and host candidate debates, helping Americans stay connected with their elected leaders. 

    Because local public television and radio relies heavily on federal funding to operate, losing this funding would force many of these stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the communities they serve.

    “Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio,” the senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). “This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country. Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.” 

    As Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, Senator Luján has long supported strengthening and protecting public media. In February, Senator Luján wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington condemning actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes. In March, Senator Luján introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast.

    The letter is led by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The full text of the letter is available here or below:  

    Dear Majority Leader Thune,

    Federal investment in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports over 1,500 local and regional public television and radio stations that provide free, high-quality programming to millions of households across the country. Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio, as outlined in the Executive Order titled, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media” released on May 1, 2025. This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country.

    Our public broadcasting system is a unique American institution that is deeply embedded in our communities and a critical source of lifesaving public safety services, accurate information, and educational programming. The vast majority of the federal funding CPB receives is allocated to local radio and television stations across the country. These cuts will have an immediate and significant impact for stations in rural communities that heavily rely on CPB funding to provide critical services and could likely result in the elimination of programming or outright closure of stations in areas already faced with limited connectivity.

    According to Northwestern University, 55 million people in the United States have no or only one source of local news, and rural counties are far more likely to lose their local news outlets. This number could increase if the two-year advance appropriation for public media is not upheld, resulting in the drastic reduction or complete elimination of free, high-quality local programming. This is especially concerning given the importance of public broadcasting during public emergencies, such as natural disasters, transportation accidents, national security threats, or public safety matters. CPB funds are essential to ensuring that the broadcast infrastructure remains robust and operational in disaster situations, especially scenarios in which local public broadcasters serve as the only source of information for those who need a lifeline. Any cuts in funding will have drastic consequences for communities in need.

    And there is much more to their public safety services in addition to the critical local information they broadcast. Public television’s interconnection technology, which connects local public television stations to PBS, is also one of the backbone pathways for the delivery of our nation’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) services – enabling cell phone subscribers to receive geotargeted emergency text alerts no matter where they are in the country. A cut to public broadcasting funding would put this lifesaving service and its nationwide footprint at risk.

    Public television has also pioneered cutting edge technology that helps first responders communicate with each other over the broadcast spectrum without the need for mobile service or broadband. This datacasting technology and public television’s public safety partnerships is already helping with early earthquake warning and has been proven effective in a wide range of scenarios where broadband or cellular service are limited, including rural search and rescue, overwater communications, large event crowd control and more. But this is only possible if stations serving rural and remote areas with limited broadband are healthy and continue operating as they are today.

    On the education front, public television’s early childhood education services ensure that every family has access to high-quality, non-commercial educational content regardless of their ability to pay for such services. This is essential for over 50 percent of three and four-year old children who do not attend formal preschool.

    If funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is eliminated or rescinded, the impact would be devastating. Millions of people across the country whose stations rely on CPB funding for a significant percentage of their budget would be at risk of losing access to public television’s services. These are services that nobody else in the media world is providing, but it’s exactly the work for which public broadcasting was created, and they are delivering to our communities every day. 

    Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.

    We appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Fight Trump Administration’s Cuts to the Job Corps Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – After the Trump administration attempted to shutter the nation’s largest jobs training program for low-income and at-risk young people, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 37 Senate colleagues in a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging her to reverse the illegal and unconstitutional cuts to the Job Corps program that are harming students and communities in every state in the country.
    “The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch,” wrote the senators. “The sudden ‘pause’ of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods.”
    For more than 60 years, Job Corps has helped millions of young people in rural communities and cities alike to finish high school, learn technical skills and get good-paying jobs while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services. Through Job Corps programs, young people receive the training they need to start in good-paying jobs that support their communities after graduation – including as wildland firefighters, nurses, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, and welders. Last month, however, the Trump administration indefinitely ‘paused’ operations at Job Corps sites across the country.
    “We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations,”concluded the senators. 
    Joining Heinrich, Luján, and Sanders on the letter are U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
    The text of the letter can be found HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer:
    We write to express our grave concern with the “pause” of operations that began at Job Corps centers on May 29, 2025, which will harm students and local economies in every state across the country. The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch. The sudden “pause” of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods. While a recent court order instituted a temporary restraining order on the “pause” at Job Corps, the damage of attempting to displace thousands of students has already been felt across the country.
    We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations. Congress passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps and ensures that Job Corps Centers are funded for the new program year that begins on July 1, 2025. We write to remind you of your obligation to faithfully implement the law.
    Since 1964, Job Corps has helped millions of low-income or at-risk young people develop the skills and resilience needed to succeed in work and life. As the largest free residential education and job training program for young adults ages 16-24, Job Corps programs help students complete their high school education, learn high-value technical skills, and connect to employment through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services to ensure their success. At a time when more than 72 percent of jobs will require training beyond a high school diploma, Job Corps provides students with the opportunity to become wildland firefighters to keep our communities safe, nurses to help care for our families, electricians needed to build and maintain clean energy systems, and machinists, pipefitters, and welders to manufacture the next generation of submarines.
    Job Corps centers operate in rural and metropolitan regions nationwide and contribute to their local communities and economies.  Many centers have partnered with employers, local workforce development boards, government agencies, and community-based organizations to develop the future workforce and meet the needs of local employers. 
    Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. Rather than gutting this valuable program, we urge you to work with Congress to strengthen accountability and program quality for the betterment of young workers, employers needing skilled labor, and communities nationwide, such as reforms included in the bipartisan, bicameral Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization bill from last Congress.
    We request that you provide written answers to the following questions as soon as possible, but not later than June 20, 2025.
    Please provide a list of onboard strength (enrollment) at each center before January 20, 2025 and before the operations pause on May 28, 2025. 
    With Job Corps operations on “pause”, how does the department plan to fulfill its obligations to implement the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps serving students?
    Please provide information on the number of students experiencing homelessness prior to enrollment at a Job Corps center based on enrollment at each center on May 28, 2025. 
    Please provide a list of every contract that has been terminated or modified since January 20, 2025, including the total amount of funds to each operator, the amount of funds that each operator has spent up to the date of the contract’s termination or modification, and the amount of remaining unspent funds for each contract. 
    What authority is the Department using to “pause” operations? Please provide a citation in law or regulation.
    The concept of a “pause” does not exist in Job Corps authorizing statute and appears to be an attempt to illegally shut down Job Corps operations without following requirements in law. Section 159 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) includes clear requirements and processes for the closure of Job Corps Centers that were not followed in this “pause”. How does the Department define a “pause” and how is it different than a “termination”? 
    On April 25, 2025, the Department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) released the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, which is used throughout the DOL press release to pause operations at centers.
    Centers have returned funding to DOL when enrollments were lower than expected (but that’s not reflected in this report.) Please provide an updated cost per enrollee that accounts for money returned to DOL.
    The report also provides cost per enrollee based on enrollment from program year 2023. DOL has much more up-to-date enrollment numbers. Please provide an updated cost per enrollee with the enrollments on campuses as of May 28, 2025, incorporating onboard strength at each campus.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NDB signs 1.2 bln yuan loan agreement to finance environmental projects in China

    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

    SHANGHAI, June 6 (Xinhua) — The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) on Friday announced the signing of a 1.2 billion yuan (about 167 million U.S. dollars) syndicated loan agreement to support environmental projects in China.

    As noted by the NBR, the agreement, concluded jointly with the Bank of China and the Chinese company Haitong Unitrust International Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., is aimed at financing green leasing sub-projects focused on environmental goals and climate commitments of the PRC.

    Under the agreement, the NDB will provide more than 713.32 million yuan, while the Bank of China will provide an additional 500 million yuan. Haitong Unitrust, in turn, will use the funds to purchase and lease equipment for projects in areas such as wastewater treatment, solid waste management and power generation from iron and steel exhaust gases.

    To promote balanced regional development, eligible sub-projects will be implemented outside China’s first-tier cities, bringing investment to less developed areas of the country.

    “This initiative meets the needs for climate resilience and environmental protection, and also helps increase investment in less developed regions of China,” said Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the NDB.

    The NDB was established in 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It is a multilateral development bank that aims to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS region and other emerging market and developing economies. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Romania to Host 2027 Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction for Europe and Central Asia

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Geneva, 6 June 2025 – The Government of Romania and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) are pleased to announce that Romania will host the next Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction for Europe and Central Asia (RP2027). The announcement was made during the ministerial session on Safe Schools at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025) in Geneva.

    “We look forward to welcoming you to Romania in 2027 for the Regional Platform – a space for collaboration, regional leadership, and shared resilience” said Daniel Gheorghita, Head of Analysis and Strategic Development Office for Civil Protection, Romania.

    Romania brings strong national leadership to the role, having adopted a comprehensive National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2024-2035) and prioritized child safety through education and infrastructure. In 2024 alone, more than 1.7 million students and preschoolers participated in preparedness drills. Moreover, hundreds of schools are being modernized under Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and a new seismic design code is under development to further strengthen risk-informed infrastructure.

    Building on the outcomes of the 2023 Action-Oriented Dialogue on School Safety, RP2027 will offer a key moment for governments, civil society, and stakeholders across Europe and Central Asia to accelerate their disaster risk reduction efforts as the 2030 deadline approaches.

    “Romania has demonstrated real leadership in integrating disaster risk reduction into its national planning, especially through its work with children, on school safety and public awareness” said Natalia Alonso Cano, Chief of UNDRR’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. “We are looking forward to working together on the platform and accelerating the implementation of the Sendai Framework.”

    Further details, including dates and venue, will be announced in due time.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: WTO members focus on TFA implementation, transit issues and capacity-building

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WTO members focus on TFA implementation, transit issues and capacity-building

    The TFA — which contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit — is the first WTO agreement in which developing and LDC members can determine their own implementation schedules, in accordance with their national priorities and capacities, and seek to acquire implementation capacity through the provision of related assistance and support.
    The WTO Secretariat reported that 80 per cent of implementation commitments by developing and LDC members have been reached, with 65 members committed to implementing Category C measures requiring technical assistance and capacity-building over the next two years. Developed members were required to implement all provisions of the TFA from its entry into force. More information is available in the TFA database.
    Developing greater transparency on TFA implementation
    The WTO Secretariat reported on member notifications related to TFA implementation efforts and requests for extensions of implementation schedules. While member notifications on donor arrangements and their progress currently contain limited information and may not reflect the present situation, the TFA Facility (TFAF) is collecting survey data on capacity-building partners and assistance gaps at the member level. Members also supported several tools the WTO Secretariat has deployed through the TFA Database to enable them to track deadlines and to request extensions for implementation dates, where needed.
    The Committee also took note of the WTO Secretariat report “Notification Status of Regular/Period and One-Time Only Notifications in the Goods Area (1995-2024)” (G/C/W/859 ). The document found that while the overall membership had a submission rate of TFA transparency notifications of over 80 per cent, this figure was less than 60 per cent for LDCs. The Chair signalled his availability for consultations on this matter.
    Improving transit corridors and technical assistance coordination
    The Committee held a dedicated session on transit, with the WTO Secretariat presenting preliminary findings from a study on transit corridors serving landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). Coordinated by Botswana as the LLDC coordinator, the study examines how corridors efficiently implement TFA measures to lower trade costs in landlocked countries which face trade costs 1.4 times higher than coastal economies.
    The study covers 19 corridors across Africa, Asia, Eurasia and South America, showing transit time reductions of 20-40 per cent through digital tools and coordination mechanisms. As an example, the Northern Corridor connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan through Mombasa reduced transit times from 11 to 5 days. The updated report will be circulated before the October Committee meeting, with the WTO Secretariat organizing a side event at the UN LLDC-3 Conference in Turkmenistan (5-8 August 2025).
    The African Group also issued a call for strengthened coordination mechanisms to address technical assistance and capacity-building challenges in implementing Category C measures (measures for which members have identified the need for assistance and capacity building), particularly amidst reduced development aid budgets. The Chair signalled a willingness to hold consultations ahead of the October 2025 dedicated session on technical assistance and capacity building to prepare for comprehensive discussions on strengthening coordination mechanisms.
    Experience sharing showcases digital innovations
    Members conducted productive experience-sharing sessions covering digitalization and Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs). China shared a presentation on “Cross-Border E-Commerce,” while the European Union highlighted the importance of digital trust-building through customs “single windows” and electronic identification systems. The United States and the OECD made a presentation on “The digitalization of trade documents and processes: going paperless today, going paperless tomorrow”.
    Japan, Moldova, Mongolia and Paraguay shared national and regional AEO experiences, and Bangladesh shared a presentation on Time Release Study effectiveness, while the United Kingdom and UNCTAD discussed forthcoming publications on National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs).
    During the dedicated transit session, Mozambique shared its experience on transit issues while the European Union explained how corridor and transit issues are integrated into a strategy to support developing and least developed members strengthen connectivity and trade facilitation.
    All presentations are available here.
    Other Committee work
    The Committee continued its exchanges on customs procedures, with several members maintaining engagement with Indonesia on two measures regarding customs procedures for intangible products. The United States also raised a new specific trade concern regarding Indonesia’s customs penalty regime.
    Capacity building and learning sessions
    Several learning sessions also took place alongside the Committee meeting. The World Bank and the World Customs Organization, in collaboration with TFAF, organized a Time Release Study methodology session on 4 June, covering measurement techniques and resource requirements.
    The TFAF and certain Annex D+ organisations (consisting of ITC, OECD, UNCTAD, the World Bank, and the WCO) held an in-person training session on 2-3 June on mobilizing technical assistance and capacity building for TFA implementation. The training activity brought together 15 capital-based delegates from LDC and developing members to discuss how to better coordinate resource mobilization and to be more effective when engaging with development partners. Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF)/German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and TradeMark Africa also participated in the training session on 3 June.
    If you would like to receive news on trade facilitation, subscribe to the TFA Newsbytes here.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: WTO Fish Fund launches Call for Proposals for implementing Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WTO Fish Fund launches Call for Proposals for implementing Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

    Developing and LDC members that have ratified the Agreement are eligible to submit proposals for technical assistance and capacity-building activities to support their implementation of the Agreement. These fall into two categories: project preparation grants of up to USD 50,000 for activities such as studies and needs assessments to prepare for implementation of the Agreement, and project grants of up to USD 300,000 for specific projects to implement the Agreement.
    WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “A vital feature of this historic Agreement is that it provides funding for developing and least-developed country members  to receive technical assistance and capacity building support to implement the new disciplines and improve fisheries management. Delivering this support is essential to realizing the Agreement’s benefits for people, oceans, and the planet. This Call for Proposals represents a first but significant step towards turning the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies into lasting, transformative change for livelihoods and marine fisheries. I am deeply grateful to our current and future donors to the Fish Fund!”
    WTO members can access the application portal here. Proposals must be submitted by 9 September. However, if the Agreement enters into force before this date, the deadline will be extended by one month. The Steering Committee of the Fish Fund will review and evaluate all submissions.
    So far, 101 WTO members have formally accepted the Agreement. Funds may be disbursed once the WTO receives the 111 instruments of acceptance needed for the Agreement to enter into force.
    The contributions and pledges received by the Fund thus far amount to approximately CHF 14.5 million (just over USD 17.5 million), with commitments made by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
    The Fish Fund was established under Article 7 of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, which ministers adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference in 2022. Housed at the WTO, the Fund operates in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank.
    For more information, please visit the WTO Fish Fund website here and download the fact sheet titled “How to Access Funding — Opening the Call for Proposals” available here.
    The list of all WTO members that have submitted their instrument of acceptance is available here.
    More information on the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism is available here.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski, King Reintroduce Legislation to Help Coastal Workforce, Fisheries, and Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    06.06.25

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME), reintroduced the Working Waterfronts Act, legislation which includes more than a dozen provisions aimed at boosting the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities in Alaska and across the country. The bill will also support efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and strengthen federal conservation research projects.

    In October 2022, Senator Murkowski began soliciting feedback from Alaskans to help draft the Working Waterfronts legislation. After a two-year period of close collaboration with stakeholders and colleagues in the Senate, she introduced the legislation for the first time in February of 2024.

    “One of my priorities this Congress was reintroducing the Working Waterfronts Act, a comprehensive and collective effort to harness the potential of the blue economy for Alaska’s coastal communities,” said Senator Murkowski. “With 66,000 miles of coastline, it is vital Alaska strengthens our shoreside infrastructure and supports workforce development to ensure the sustainability and growth of our fisheries, tourism, and mariculture sectors. This legislation will provide essential resources for alternative energy initiatives, improve community processing facilities, and promote safety and wellness in the maritime workforce. Together, we can build a resilient future for our coastal communities while addressing climate change and preserving our precious marine ecosystems.”

    “Maine’s coastal communities are changing. From a warming climate to an evolving economy, the Gulf of Maine faces both historic opportunities and challenges that will define our state’s success for generations,” said Senator King. “The Working Waterfronts Act would provide Maine’s working waterfronts up and down the coast with the necessary financial, energy and infrastructure resources to adapt to the rapidly shifting dynamics of natural disasters affecting economic and tourism operations. It would also help support the necessary workforce to sustain our coastal businesses. Thanks to my colleagues for working with me to ensure our waterfronts have the necessary tools and resources to thrive for years to come.”

    “The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) thanks Senator Murkowski for her continued efforts to support Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, which provides tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact across the state. The Working Waterfronts Act would make impactful changes that are needed now, such as expanding access for fishermen and processors to USDA loans, grants for improving waterfront infrastructure that benefit commercial fishermen, and creating a new program to improve maritime workforce development. These changes, along with many others in the Act, provide needed help the Alaska seafood industry, a critical pillar of Alaska’s economy,” said Greg Smith, Communications Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI).

    “Senator Murkowski’s Working Waterfronts Act highlights the key priorities vital to the future of Alaska’s seafood industry. From modernizing infrastructure to building a resilient workforce and supporting innovation, this bill addresses the real challenges facing our coastal communities. We’re proud to support this effort and stand with Senator Murkowski in securing a strong future for Alaska’s working waterfronts,” said Kristy Clement, CEO of Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation.

    “Senator Murkowski’s Working Waterfronts Act is a comprehensive bill that invests in the modernization of our vital working waterfronts and the resiliency and success of our fishing and seafood industries,” said Robert Vandermark, executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network. “This bill champions crucial improvements to shoreside facilities and infrastructure that support thriving coastal economies and promotes the development of a stronger future workforce to ensure American fishing traditions can continue for generations. This legislation also supports research and stewardship of economically important ocean ecosystems and fisheries to help them endure in a changing climate. The Network supports the Working Waterfronts Act and thanks Senator Murkowski for listening to the needs of our fishing communities and providing a foresighted path to support their businesses and ways of life.”

    “The seafood industry has always been a critical part of the Blue Economy, even before the phrase was coined.  Alaska’s seafood industry produces an economic impact of $15 billion in the U.S. annually.  Senator Murkowski’s wholistic approach to a thriving waterfront is visionary.  The Working Waterfront Act supports and expands access to critical infrastructure and resources upon which the seafood industry relies.  Specific to seafood harvesting and processing, the Working Waterfront Act incentives co-investment by providing access to USDA loan programs which will help American fishermen and processors compete with other countries – an excellent example of good domestic economic policy,” Julie Decker, President, Pacific Seafood Processors Association.

    Bill Highlights:

    Investing in Energy and Shoreside Infrastructure

    • Tax Credits for Marine Energy Projects supports projects that produce electricity from waves, tides, and ocean currents.
    • Fishing Vessel Alternative Fuels Pilot Program provides resources to help transition fishing vessels from diesel to alternative fuel sources such as electric or hybrid, and funds research and development of alternative fuel technologies for fishing vessels.
    • Rural Coastal Community Processing and Cold Storage Grant increases support for community infrastructure such as cold storage, cooperative processing facilities, and mariculture/seaweed processing facilities by establishing a competitive grant program through the Department of Commerce for rural and small-scale projects.
    • Working Waterfronts Development Act establishes a grant program for infrastructure improvements for facilities benefitting commercial and recreational fishermen, mariculturists, and the boatbuilding industry.

    Boosting Maritime Workforce Development and Blue Economy

    • Maritime Workforce Grant Program establishes a Maritime Workforce Grant Program, directing the Maritime Administrator to award competitive grants supporting entities engaged in recruiting, educating, or training the maritime workforce.
    • Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act expands the Coast Guard and CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fishing Safety Research and Training (FRST) Grant Program to include projects supporting behavioral health in addition to the projects currently supported dedicated to occupational safety research and training.
    • Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act establishes at least one ocean innovation cluster in each of the five domestic NOAA Fisheries regions, as well as the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico regions. The ocean cluster model fosters collaboration between different sectors – including public, private, and academic – within a geographic region to promote economic growth and sustainability in the Blue Economy.

    Supporting Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems

    • Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act enhances collaboration on ocean acidification research and monitoring through ongoing mechanisms for stakeholder engagement on necessary research and monitoring. This provision would also establish two Advisory Board seats for representatives from Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
    • Vegetated Coastal Ecosystem Inventory establishes an interagency working group for the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive national map and inventory detailing vegetated coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. This inventory encompasses habitat types, species, ecosystem conditions, ownership, protected status, size, salinity and tidal boundaries, carbon sequestration potential, and impacts of climate change.
    • Marine Invasive Species Research and Monitoring provides resources and tools to mitigate the impact of invasive species and help limit their spread by authorizing research and monitoring grants for local, Tribal, and regional marine invasive prevention work. This includes training, outreach, and equipment for early detection and response to invasions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Ready-to-Use Dataset Details Land Motion Across North America

    Source: NASA

    An online tool maps measurements and enables non-experts to understand earthquakes, subsidence, landslides, and other types of land motion.
    NASA is collaborating with the Alaska Satellite Facility in Fairbanks to create a powerful web-based tool that will show the movement of land across North America down to less than an inch. The online portal and its underlying dataset unlock a trove of satellite radar measurements that can help anyone identify where and by how much the land beneath their feet may be moving — whether from earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, or the extraction of underground natural resources such as groundwater.
    Spearheaded by NASA’s Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis (OPERA) project at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the effort equips users with information that would otherwise take years of training to produce. The project builds on measurements from spaceborne synthetic aperture radars, or SARs, to generate high-resolution data on how Earth’s surface is moving.

    Formally called the North America Surface Displacement Product Suite, the new dataset comes ready to use with measurements dating to 2016, and the portal allows users to view those measurements at a local, state, and regional scales in a few seconds. For someone not using the dataset or website, it could take days or longer to do a similar analysis.
    “You can zoom in to your country, your state, your city block, and look at how the land there is moving over time,” said David Bekaert, the OPERA project manager and a JPL radar scientist. “You can see that by a simple mouse click.”
    The portal currently includes measurements for millions of pixels across the U.S. Southwest, northern Mexico, and the New York metropolitan region, each representing a 200-foot-by-200-foot (60-meter-by-60-meter) area on the ground. By the end of 2025, OPERA will add data to cover the rest of the United States, Central America, and Canada within 120 miles (200 kilometers) of the U.S. border. When a user clicks on a pixel, the system pulls measurements from hundreds of files to create a graph visualizing the land surface’s cumulative movement over time.

    “The OPERA project automated the end-to-end SAR data processing system such that users and decision-makers can focus on discovering where the land surface may be moving in their areas of interest,” said Gerald Bawden, program scientist responsible for OPERA at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This will provide a significant advancement in identifying and understanding potential threats to the end users, while providing cost and time savings for agencies.” 
    For example, water-management bureaus and state geological surveys will be able to directly use the OPERA products without needing to make big investments in data storage, software engineering expertise, and computing muscle.
    How It Works
    To create the displacement product, the OPERA team continuously draws data from the ESA (European Space Agency) Sentinel-1 radar satellites, the first of which launched in 2014. Data from NISAR, the NASA-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) Synthetic Aperture Radar mission, will be added to the mix after that spacecraft launches later this year.

    Satellite-borne radars work by emitting microwave pulses at Earth’s surface. The signals scatter when they hit land and water surfaces, buildings, and other objects. Raw data consists of the strength and time delay of the signals that echo back to the sensor. 
    To understand how land in a given area is moving, OPERA algorithms automate steps in an otherwise painstaking process. Without OPERA, a researcher would first download hundreds or thousands of data files, each representing a pass of the radar over the point of interest, then make sure the data aligned geographically over time and had precise coordinates.
    Then they would use a computationally intensive technique called radar interferometry to gauge how much the land moved, if at all, and in which direction — towards the satellite, which would indicate the land rose, or away from the satellite, which would mean it sank.
    “The OPERA project has helped bring that capability to the masses, making it more accessible to state and federal agencies, and also users wondering, ‘What’s going on around my house?’” said Franz Meyer, chief scientist of the Alaska Satellite Facility, a part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.
    Monitoring Groundwater
    Sinking land is a top priority to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. From the 1950s through the 1980s, it was the main form of ground movement officials saw, as groundwater pumping increased alongside growth in the state’s population and agricultural industry. In 1980, the state enacted the Groundwater Management Act, which reduced its reliance on groundwater in highly populated areas and included requirements to monitor its use.
    The department began to measure this sinking, called subsidence, with radar data from various satellites in the early 2000s, using a combination of SAR, GPS-based monitoring, and traditional surveying to inform groundwater-management decisions.
    Now, the OPERA dataset and portal will help the agency share subsidence information with officials and community members, said Brian Conway, the department’s principal hydrogeologist and supervisor of its geophysics unit. They won’t replace the SAR analysis he performs, but they will offer points of comparison for his calculations. Because the dataset and portal will cover the entire state, they also could identify areas not yet known to be subsiding.
    “It’s a great tool to say, ‘Let’s look at those areas more intensely with our own SAR processing,’” Conway said.
    The displacement product is part of a series of data products OPERA has released since 2023. The project began in 2020 with a multidisciplinary team of scientists at JPL working to address satellite data needs across different federal agencies. Through the Satellite Needs Working Group, those agencies submitted their requests, and the OPERA team worked to improve access to information to aid a range of efforts such as disaster response, deforestation tracking, and wildfire monitoring.

    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-076

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Hong Kong: New charges against Joshua Wong designed to prolong his stay behind bars

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to jailed Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong being newly charged with “conspiring to collude with foreign forces” under the city’s National Security Law, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:

    “Hong Kong’s National Security Law is turning five years old at the end of the month, and these new charges against Joshua Wong show that its capacity to be used by the Hong Kong authorities to threaten human rights in the city is as potent and present as ever.

    “Once again, the vague and sweeping offence of ‘collusion with foreign forces’ is being weaponized to justify an attack on the freedoms of expression and association.

    “Wong, already jailed for his participation in informal primaries, would have been released in a year and a half. But if this case goes forward, he could face as much as a life sentence.

    “This latest charge against him underscores the authorities’ fear of prominent dissidents and shows the lengths they will go to keep them behind bars for as long as possible – in so doing, continuing a chilling effect on civic activism in the city. The Hong Kong government must drop these charges and cease enforcing the National Security Law immediately, as called for by UN bodies. All people jailed simply for exercising their human rights must be set free.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The President of the Republic of Korea held a telephone conversation with D. Trump

    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

    SEOUL, June 6 (Xinhua) — President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae-myung held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump at 10 p.m. local time on Friday, the South Korean leader’s office said.

    As noted by the presidential office, the call lasted about 20 minutes, during which the leaders discussed a number of issues, including ways to develop the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

    In addition, D. Trump invited Lee Jae-myung to visit the United States, the presidential administration said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talk with French Foreign Minister

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron recently held a telephone conversation during which an important consensus was reached on strengthening strategic coordination between the two countries.

    The two sides should make proper preparations for further exchanges at all levels, and China invites senior French officials to attend the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Shanghai in 2025, the Chinese Foreign Minister said.

    Noting that the two sides have reached consensus on resolving trade and economic issues through dialogue and consultation, Wang Yi stressed the need to expand cultural, humanitarian and educational exchanges to promote the healthy development of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and China-EU ties.

    Wang Yi noted that China and France, adhering to the traditions of independence and self-reliance, should strengthen strategic mutual trust and respect each other’s core interests.

    He stressed that the Taiwan issue is an internal matter of China, which affects the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and is fundamentally different from the Ukrainian problem. China attaches great importance to France’s commitment to the one-China policy, the diplomat noted, adding that China believes that France will implement this commitment.

    Wang expressed hope that France will take a correct stance and oppose NATO’s interference in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing that the two countries should jointly adhere to multilateralism and safeguard free trade, and oppose the practice of unilateral bullying.

    J.-N. Barrot, for his part, said that Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng has been invited to attend the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in France, noting that in the context of growing global uncertainty, French-Chinese relations are taking on particular importance.

    France always regards China as a friend and partner, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and hopes to maintain high-level exchanges and enhance strategic communication with China, the French diplomat assured.

    Strengthening bilateral cultural and humanitarian exchanges will send a strong signal of openness, which is particularly relevant in the current circumstances, continued Jean-Nicolas Barrot, adding that France is against trade and tariff wars and is ready to continue to properly resolve trade and economic frictions through consultations.

    The parties also exchanged views on issues related to Ukraine, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the Iranian nuclear program. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Suspected use of fraudulent life-saving attendants certificates at swimming pool of San Francisco Towers, Happy Valley

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Suspected use of fraudulent life-saving attendants certificates at swimming pool of San Francisco Towers, Happy ValleyIssued at HKT 22:40

    ​The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (June 6) that a life-saving attendant at the swimming pool of San Francisco Towers, located at 29-35 Ventris Road, Happy Valley, is suspected of using a fraudulent life-saving attendant certificate. As the qualification of the life-saving attendant is in doubt and the swimming pool has allegedly failed to provide a sufficient number of qualified life-saving attendants as required by law, the department has ordered the immediate closure of the pool and is considering prosecuting its licensee. The incident has been reported to the Police, and the FEHD has also notified the Property Management Services Authority to take parallel follow-up action.

    Officers from the FEHD today verified a batch of lifeguard records with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society, and discovered that the credentials of a life-saving attendant on duty at the aforementioned swimming pool on June 4 did not match the records of the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society. The FEHD immediately took action regarding the pool.

    The FEHD has implemented a series of enhancement measures from May 19 to further prevent the employment of unqualified life-saving attendants at private swimming pools. During May, the FEHD officers conducted inspections at 713 licensed swimming pools and verified the qualifications of 1 041 life-saving attendants with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society. Apart from the suspected case of fraudulent certification discovered today, no other irregularities regarding suspected employment of unqualified life-saving attendants have been identified by the FEHD.

    The FEHD will continue to implement the relevant measures straightly to enhance the safety standards of licensed swimming pools and safeguard the safety of swimming pool users. Members of the public are called on to take part in the monitoring and report suspected cases of irregularities to the department.

    Ends/Friday, June 6, 2025
    Issued at HKT 22:40

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    June 7, 2025

  • PM Modi meets Central Asian Foreign Ministers, calls for deeper regional cooperation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in New Delhi today, following the conclusion of the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue.

    During the joint meeting, the visiting ministers briefed PM Modi on the positive outcomes of the day’s deliberations, which focused on enhancing multilateral ties between India and the Central Asian region. The dialogue emphasized cooperation in trade, energy, security, and emerging technologies.

    Highlighting India’s longstanding historical and cultural ties with Central Asia, PM Modi underscored that the region remains a vital priority in India’s foreign policy. He laid out a comprehensive vision for deeper economic interconnections, expanded connectivity, enhanced defence and security cooperation, and collaboration in emerging areas such as digital technology and climate resilience.

    “A strong India-Central Asia partnership acts as a force multiplier in tackling regional and global challenges,” Prime Minister Modi said, reaffirming India’s commitment to a stable and prosperous Central Asia.

    In a show of solidarity, the Central Asian ministers strongly condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, and voiced their firm support for India’s ongoing efforts to combat cross-border terrorism.

    Looking ahead, PM Modi extended formal invitations to the leaders of all five Central Asian nations for the Second India-Central Asia Summit, to be hosted by India.

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Salt Lake City Remarks at Press Conference on Search for Sa’Wade Birdinground

    Source: US FBI

    Prepared for delivery by Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed

    Good morning.  Thank you all for being here today. My name is Mehtab Syed, and I’m the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office, which covers Montana, Utah, and Idaho. 

    We are grateful to Little Big Horn College for allowing us the use of this beautiful space to hold today’s important event. 

    We are also grateful to the Crow Tribe Executive Branch and the Tribe’s Search and Rescue for their support and dedication to bringing Sa’Wade home. Thank you, Chairman Frank White Clay, for being with us today.  

    I’m pleased to be joined by our partner law enforcement agencies: the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.

    I also want to acknowledge Sa’Wade Birdinground’s family, including her father, Wade Birdinground, and her grandparents, Wilford and Lorna Birdinground, her siblings, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins, who are here today in support of our collective efforts to bring Sa’Wade home to them, and to this community. They have remained steadfast through this difficult time. Please know, we are here with you. 

    Eight months ago today, on October 6, 2024, Sa’Wade disappeared from her family home in Garryowen. This was the last time those of you who know and love Sa’Wade saw her.  

    Eight months is an incomprehensible amount of time for any family to be without their child. For eight months, Sa’Wade’s family have had to know life without her. For eight months, they’ve been waiting for answers.  

    Sa’Wade is only 13 years old, and we are concerned for her safety. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are doing everything we can to bring her home. 

    I’ve never met Sa’Wade but I’ve learned a lot about what kind of teen she is. Quiet with strangers but outgoing with family and friends, kind, artistic – often drawing in her notebook. She is well-liked by her friends and teachers, many of whom talked about her sense of humor and how Sa’Wade makes them laugh. Sa’Wade loves to go to Subway; it is her favorite restaurant. Sa’Wade enjoyed spending time with her siblings, and they miss her dearly. 

    After learning of Sa’Wade’s disappearance from BIA, members of the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team traveled to Montana to provide their specialized expertise in missing children cases.  

    Since that time, the FBI has been and remains fully committed to leveraging our resources to find Sa’Wade and bring her home safely. Our agents and staff in our Billings, Resident Agency, are investigating every lead and running down every tip. To date, we have conducted dozens of interviews, searched hundreds of acres of land, and brought every technical resource to bear. 

    You may have heard; the FBI is surging resources to tribal areas for Operation Not Forgotten for the third consecutive year.  

    As part of this year’s initiative, the FBI has more than doubled the number of special agents working Indian Country in the Billings Resident Agency. These agents were placed where they are most needed and will focus on Sa’Wade’s disappearance and other important cases.  
    We take all cases seriously and continue to make strides in identifying, acknowledging, and addressing the needs that exist in Indian Country. We are deeply aware of the responsibility that we carry in seeking justice for loved ones and will utilize our strong tribal and federal partnerships to investigate these cases. 

    We want our Native American communities to know, you are not forgotten. We hear you; you matter. 

    Sa’Wade is not forgotten, she matters, and we are doing everything in our power to bring her home. 

    Today, we are renewing the call for the public’s help and announcing additional efforts to bring Sa’Wade home to her family and her community. 

    The FBI is offering a five-thousand-dollar reward for information that leads to her recovery.  

    We have established a new tip line, solely dedicated to Sa’Wade’s case. 

    That number is 801-579-6195. Again, that number is 801-579-6195. 

    We know someone out there knows something and we urge them to come forward with information that can help bring Sa’Wade home. No tip is too small or insignificant. 

    We are confident that with the community’s help, we can reunite Sa’Wade with her family. Please reach out to the tip line, 801-579-6195. 
    I will now turn over the time to Chairman White Clay for his remarks.  

    Thank you. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint statement on attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Joint statement on attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan

    Joint statement from the UK and 29 other donor countries on attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan.

    Joint donor statement condemning attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan by the European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

    “We condemn in the strongest terms the attack on a humanitarian convoy of 15 trucks from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Al Koma, North Darfur, on the night of 2 June, which resulted in the death of five members of the convoy and injuring several others. Four of the 15 trucks in the convoy were destroyed in the attack and five more sustained partial damage. These trucks were carrying about 100 metric tons of essential nutrition, health, education, and WASH supplies, intended to support children and families in El Fasher town. 

    The deliberate targeting of humanitarian personnel is a violation of international law. Civilians and humanitarian workers must not be targeted by parties to the armed conflict. We urge all parties to allow civilians to safely exit areas with ongoing hostilities, and to guarantee immediate, unconditional, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver assistance to those in urgent need throughout Sudan.

    We repeat our call to the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces and their militias to immediately cease hostilities and uphold their obligations towards international humanitarian law, which includes the obligation to protect civilians and civilian objects – as also reiterated in the UN Security Council resolution 2730 (2024). Once again, we stress the civilian character of humanitarian agencies, the neutral and impartial nature of their life-saving operations, and the need for them to operate across all of Sudan, regardless of area of control. 

    This attack represents yet another deadly and unacceptable attack on civilians and humanitarian workers since the beginning of this armed conflict two years ago, in blatant disregard of international humanitarian law. We remind the parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and their assets.

    Last April, the international community strongly condemned the attacks on Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps which resulted in the killing of hundreds of civilians and at least 12 aid workers. Just last week, a hospital was targeted in El Obeid, North Kordofan. On several occasions, UN and NGOs offices throughout the country have been directly hit, including WFP’s office in El Fasher only last week. These are just some of the many attacks over the past two years targeting civilians, aid workers and facilities, hospitals, and critical civilian infrastructure, which constitute direct violations of international humanitarian law.

    We deplore all loss of civilian life resulting from acts of war throughout this conflict. The continuous attacks on humanitarian aid workers cannot be normalised. These serious and continued violations of international humanitarian law committed by the warring parties are unacceptable and must cease immediately. 

    We support the UN Secretary General’s call for an immediate and independent investigation into this attack and accountability of the perpetrators. 

    We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and colleagues of those killed and those who have been injured while working to deliver humanitarian assistance under extremely dangerous conditions.”

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

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    Published 6 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Manawatū Tararua Highway open for business

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A more efficient, reliable and safer journey through the Ruahine Ranges will open to traffic from the week of 9 June, with the completion of the Manawatū Tararua Highway, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop.

    The new 11.5-kilometre highway between Ashhurst and Woodville replaces State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge, which was permanently closed in April 2017 due to landslides. 

    “This is more than just a new road. It provides a vital link for freight operators and businesses throughout the lower and central North Island, which will encourage travel and support economic growth for the region”, Mr Bishop says. 

    “The four-lane highway, divided by a safe flexible median barrier, is expected to carry up to around 9,000 vehicles each day, with 10 per cent of those being heavy vehicles. General traffic will take between 10 – 12 minutes to drive the road, which is a significant improvement on the current 20 – 25 minute detour route in place.

    “Constructing this new road required remarkable engineering. The road features six bridges, two of which are more than 300-metres in length, and features to minimise the risk of erosion and slips. The expected cost to complete the project now stands at $824.1 million.

    “As this huge project comes to an end, I want to thank the truckies, motorists and local residents who’ve been so patient through these works, and the NZTA contractors who’ve worked hard to get this project completed. 

    “I’m looking forward to this road opening in the coming days and I know communities are too.”

    Notes to Editor: 

    Key features of the project include:  

    • 11.5 kilometres of new highway between Ashhurst and Woodville two lanes each way with a dividing barrier
    • more than six and a half million cubic metres of earthworks
    • six structures, including two bridges of more than 300 metres’ length
    • cuts of up to 55 metres in depth
    • embankments up to 28 metres high 
    • roundabouts at the eastern and western entrances
    • viewing areas over Ashhurst, Woodville and Te Āpiti Wind Farm 

    a shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Coral reefs face an uncertain recovery from the 4th global mass bleaching event – can climate refuges help?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Noam Vogt-Vincent, Postdoctoral Fellow in Marine Biology, University of Hawaii

    The Great Barrier Reef stretches for 1,429 miles just off Australia’s northeastern coast. Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Image

    Although tropical reefs might look like inanimate rock, these colorful seascapes are built by tiny jellyfish-like animals called corals. While adult corals build solid structures that are firmly attached to the sea floor, baby corals are not confined to their reefs. They can drift with ocean currents over great distances to new locations that might give them a better chance of survival.

    The underwater cities that corals construct are home to about a quarter of all known marine species. They are incredibly important for humans, too, contributing at least a trillion dollars per year in ecosystem services, such as protecting coastlines from wave damage and supporting fisheries and tourism.

    Unfortunately, coral reefs are among the most vulnerable environments on the planet to climate change.

    Since 2023, exceptionally warm ocean water has been fueling the planet’s fourth mass coral bleaching event on record, causing widespread mortality in corals around the world. This kind of harm is projected to worsen considerably over the coming decades as ocean temperatures rise.

    A healthy coral reef in American Samoa, left, experiencing coral bleaching due to a severe marine heatwave, center, and eventually dying, right.
    The Ocean Agency and Ocean Image Bank., CC BY-NC

    I am a marine scientist in Hawaii. My colleagues and I are trying to understand how coral reefs might change in the future, and whether new coral reefs might form at higher latitudes as the tropics become too warm and temperate regions become more hospitable. The results lead us to both good and bad news.

    Corals can grow in new areas, but will they thrive?

    Baby corals can drift freely with ocean currents, potentially traveling hundreds of miles before settling in new locations. That allows the distribution of corals to shift over time.

    Major ocean currents can carry baby corals to temperate seas. If new coral reefs form there as the waters warm, these areas might act as refuges for tropical corals, reducing the corals’ risk of extinction.

    A close-up of double star corals (Diploastrea heliopora) off Indonesia.
    Bernard DuPont/Flickr, CC BY-SA

    Scientists know from the fossil record that coral reef expansions have occurred before. However, a big question remains: Can corals migrate fast enough to keep pace with climate change caused by humans? We developed a cutting-edge simulation to find the answer.

    Field and laboratory studies have measured how coral growth depends on temperature, acidity and light intensity. We combined this information with data on ocean currents to create a global simulation that represents how corals respond to a changing environment – including their ability to adapt through evolution and shift their ranges.

    Then, we used future climate projections to predict how coral reefs may respond to climate change.

    We found that it will take centuries for coral reefs to shift away from the tropics. This is far too slow for temperate seas to save tropical coral species – they are facing severe threats right now and in the coming decades.

    How coral reefs form.

    Underwater cities in motion?

    Under countries’ current greenhouse gas emissions policies, our simulations suggest that coral reefs will decline globally by a further 70% this century as ocean temperatures continue to rise. As bad as that sounds, it’s actually slightly more optimistic than previous studies that predicted losses as high as 99%.

    Our simulations suggest that coral populations could expand in a few locations this century, primarily southern Australia, but these expansions may only amount to around 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares). While that might sound a lot, we expect to lose around 10 million acres (4 million hectares) of coral over the same period.

    In other words, we are unlikely to see significant new tropical-style coral reefs forming in temperate waters within our lifetimes, so most tropical corals will not find refuge in higher latitude seas.

    Even though the suitable water temperatures for corals are forecast to expand poleward by about 25 miles (40 kilometers) per decade, corals would face other challenges in new environments.

    Our research suggests that coral range expansion is mainly limited by slower coral growth at higher latitudes, not by dispersal. Away from the equator, light intensity falls and temperature becomes more variable, reducing growth, and therefore the rate of range expansion, for many coral species.

    It is likely that new coral reefs will eventually form beyond their current range, as history shows, but our results suggest this may take centuries.

    Fish hide out in the safety of Kingman Reef, in the Pacific Ocean between the Hawaiian Islands and American Samoa. Coral reefs provide protection for many species, particularly young fish.
    USFWS, Pacific Islands

    Some coral species are adapted to the more challenging environmental conditions at higher latitudes, and these corals are increasing in abundance, but they are much less diverse and structurally complex than their tropical counterparts.

    Scientists have used human-assisted migration to try to restore damaged coral reefs by transplanting live corals. However, coral restoration is controversial, as it is expensive and cannot be scaled up globally. Since coral range expansion appears to be limited by challenging environmental conditions at higher latitudes rather than by dispersal, human-assisted migration is also unlikely to help them expand more quickly.

    Importantly, these potential higher latitude refuges already have rich, distinct ecosystems. Establishing tropical corals within those ecosystems might disrupt existing species, so rapid expansions might not be a good thing in the first place.

    A temperate reef near southern Australia, which could be threatened by expansions of tropical coral species.
    Stefan Andrews/Ocean Image Bank, CC BY-NC

    No known alternative to cutting emissions

    Despite enthusiasm for coral restoration, there is little evidence to suggest that methods like this can mitigate the global decline of coral reefs.

    As our study shows, migration would take centuries, while the most severe climate change harm for corals will occur within decades, making it unlikely that subtropical and temperate seas can act as coral refuges.

    What can help corals is reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are driving global warming. Our study suggests that reducing emissions at a faster pace, in accordance with the Paris climate agreement, could cut the coral loss by half compared with current policies. That could boost reef health for centuries to come.

    This means that there is still hope for these irreplaceable coral ecosystems, but time is running out.

    Noam Vogt-Vincent receives funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

    – ref. Coral reefs face an uncertain recovery from the 4th global mass bleaching event – can climate refuges help? – https://theconversation.com/coral-reefs-face-an-uncertain-recovery-from-the-4th-global-mass-bleaching-event-can-climate-refuges-help-255804

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Full speed ahead for Fast-track projects

    Source: New Zealand Government

    • Today marks four months since the Fast-track Approvals Act opened for project applications.
    • The projects which have applied for Fast-track approvals could contribute 12,208 new homes and 1,136 new retirement units, if approved.
    • On Friday, 6 June, associate panel convener Helen Atkins appointed the fourth expert panel to oversee the Milldale project.

    It’s been four months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business and the statistics show strong progress toward making it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. 

    “The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year. The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,” Mr Bishop says.

    “The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals.

    “In the four months since the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we’ve seen good progress on a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will grow New Zealand’s economy and sort out our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time.

    “As of this week, 15 substantive applications for listed projects have been lodged and found complete and within scope by the EPA. Of these, twelve applications have no competing applications or existing resource consents; two applications are undergoing checks for competing applications or existing resource consents; and one application was found to have an existing resource consent and can therefore not proceed any further through Fast-track.

    “Eight of the 12 complete applications that are complete, within scope and with no competing applications or existing resource consents are being considered by the panel convenor who will soon establish expert panels for each project. 

    “Three are currently before expert panels for consideration, with a fourth expert panel being appointed on 6 June. These four projects are Delmore (residential subdivision and roading interchange in Orewa), (Maitahi Village (residential development including commercial centre and a retirement village in Nelson), Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension (new and extended wharf facilities at Port of Auckland), Milldale (earthworks and site work for approximately 1,100 residential allotments).

    “The first expert panels’ final decisions are expected in mid-September this year.

    “Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral to an expert panel through the same Fast-track website. Their applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before the deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track.

    “To date I have referred three projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA. These three projects are the Ayrburn Screen Hub (a film and television production facility) in Otago; Ashbourne (a development of 530 homes and 250 retirement units) in Waikato; and the Grampians Solar Project (a solar farm expected to generate 300 megawatts) in Canterbury.”

    “As well as delivering a strong pipeline of projects into the future, Fast-track is well on track to deliver a much boost to the economy now, with up to 17 projects whose applications are underway expected to commence this year, if approved. This will be welcome news for the construction sector,” Mr Jones says. 

    “The projects that have applied for Fast-track approvals to date would contribute an additional 12,208 new homes across the Auckland, Nelson and Otago regions, and an additional 1,136 new retirement units in Auckland and Nelson.”

    Note to editor:

    In Fast-track’s first four months there have been:

    Referral Applications

    • 3 projects referred by the Minister for Infrastructure – (can now apply for a substantive application):
    • Ashbourne
    • Ayrburn Screen Hub
    • Grampians Solar Project
    • 1 application found to have an existing resource consent – can no longer proceed

    • 2 applications currently undergoing checks for competing applications / existing resource consents

      12 projects found to be complete without competing applications or existing resource consents (all those that have gone to the Panel Convener prior to expert panel)

    • Kings Quarry

    • Rangitoopuni.

      8 are with the panel convener to establish an expert panel

      4 projects currently before expert panels, or have an expert panel appointed (have gone from the panel convener to the expert panel)

    • Taranaki VTM
    • Ryans Road
    • Stella Passage
    • Tekapo Power Scheme
    • Waihi North
    • Drury
    • Sunfield
    • Drury Quarry
    • Delmore
    • Maitahi
    • Bledisloe

    Substantive Applications

    15 substantive applications found to be complete, of those:

    With EPA for completeness, competing applications or existing resource consent checks:

    12 applications have gone to the Panel Convener, of those:

    With Panel Convener:

    Expert Panels appointed for:

    Milldale

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    June 7, 2025

  • India assumes chair of 12th BRICS parliamentary forum as member nations unite against terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum concluded in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 5, with participating parliaments from all 10 BRICS member countries unanimously condemning the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. The forum also saw India assume the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, to be hosted next year.

    Led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the Indian delegation played a key role in shaping the joint declaration. The expanded BRICS parliamentary forum now includes India, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.

    A major outcome of the two-day event was the collective agreement among member nations to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. India’s firm stance on countering terrorism—through enhanced intelligence sharing, curbing financial support to terror groups, and preventing the misuse of emerging technologies—received widespread support.

    During his address, Birla strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and emphasized India’s long-standing commitment to a “strong and befitting response” to terrorism. He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a united global front against terror and underlined the need for a balanced international order, technological cooperation, and democratic dialogue among nations.

    Apart from terrorism, the BRICS delegates discussed key issues such as the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, inter-parliamentary cooperation, global trade, economic development, and peace and security. India’s approach to these matters was lauded and incorporated into the final declaration.

    At the closing ceremony, India was officially handed over the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, scheduled to be held in 2026. Shri Birla said India would work to deepen collaboration between BRICS parliaments and build consensus on addressing global challenges.

    The Indian delegation also included Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Members of Parliament Surendra Singh Nagar, Vijay Baghel, Shri Vivek Thakur, Dr. Shabari Byreddy, and senior parliamentary officials including Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary General P.C. Mody.

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, 39 Senators Fight Trump’s Cuts to the Job Corps Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, June 6 – After the Trump administration attempted to shutter the nation’s largest jobs training program for low-income and at-risk young people, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 39 Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging her to reverse the illegal and unconstitutional cuts to the Job Corps program that are harming students and communities in every state in the country. 
    “The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch,” wrote Sanders and the senators. “The sudden ‘pause’ of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods.” 
    For more than 60 years, Job Corps has helped millions of young people in rural communities and cities alike to finish high school, learn technical skills and get good-paying jobs while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services. Through Job Corps programs, young people receive the training they need to start in good-paying jobs that support their communities after graduation – including as wildland firefighters, nurses, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, and welders. Last month, however, the Trump administration indefinitely ‘paused’ operations at Job Corps sites across the country. 
    “We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations,” concluded Sanders and the senators. 
    Joining Sanders on the letter are Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Angus King (I-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.). 
    Read the letter here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indiana Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    SAN ANTONIO – An Indiana woman was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 300 months in prison for sexually exploiting a six-year-old child.

    According to court documents, Veronica Solis, 35, of Valparaiso, produced child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in August and September 2019 with codefendant Gerald Talman Brann. An investigation showed that Solis and Brann sexually assaulted the child victim, recorded the sexual assaults using their cell phones, and then shared the CSAM with each other, as well as others. The two were arrested on March 14, 2023.

    Solis pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2023 and, on June 3, 2025, was sentenced by Judge Fred Biery.

    Brann, who pleaded guilty to the same charge on Nov. 28, 2023, was sentenced in May 2024 to 360 months in federal prison by Judge Jason K. Pulliam.

    U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI’s San Antonio and Indianapolis divisions investigated the case with assistance from the Indiana State Police.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Offers Reward for Information About Missing Montana Teen

    Source: US FBI

    The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Sa’Wade Birdinground. There have been no known contacts with family or friends since Sa’Wade was last seen at her family’s residence in Garryowen, Montana, on October 6, 2024.

    Sa’Wade is 13 years old. She is 5’4″ to 5’5″ tall, weighs 130-140 pounds, and has brown eyes and brown, curly hair.

    Birdinground was last seen wearing a black hoodie with mushrooms on it, an anime t-shirt, basketball shorts, and purple slip-on Skechers-brand shoes. She may have a black and purple Adidas backpack with her and is known to wear an elk tooth necklace.

    “Eight months is an incomprehensible amount of time for a family to be without their child,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI is fully committed to finding Sa’Wade and bringing her home. No tip is too small or insignificant.”

    The FBI is working this case jointly with Crow BIA law enforcement and the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.

    The FBI, BIA, and tribal partners work together to search for and investigate missing persons cases. Such efforts include FBI’s Operation Not Forgotten, launched in 2023, and BIA’s Murdered and Missing Unit, which dedicates additional federal resources specifically to address missing persons on American Indian reservations.

    As part of this year’s Operation Not Forgotten, the FBI has doubled the number of special agents working Indian Country cases in the Billings Resident Agency, who will assist with the Birdinground case, among other important investigations.

    If you have any information about Sa’Wade’s disappearance, go to tips.fbi.gov, or call the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office at (801) 579-6195.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 7, 2025

  • PM Modi receives call from Canadian PM Mark Carney, invited to G7 Summit in Kananaskis

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a congratulatory call from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday, during which the leaders discussed strengthening bilateral ties and confirmed India’s participation in the upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.

    In their first direct interaction since Carney’s recent electoral victory, Prime Minister Modi congratulated his Canadian counterpart and expressed appreciation for the formal invitation to attend the G7 Summit scheduled for later this month. The conversation marked a key step in revitalizing high-level engagement between the two nations.

    The two leaders acknowledged the strong people-to-people bonds that connect India and Canada, emphasizing their shared democratic values and longstanding cultural and economic linkages. Both reaffirmed their commitment to work together with renewed energy, guided by mutual respect and shared strategic interests.

    PM Modi expressed optimism about deepening cooperation across various sectors and said he looked forward to meeting Prime Minister Carney at the Kananaskis Summit.

    PM Modi wrote in a post on X, “Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada will work together with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests. Look forward to our meeting at the Summit.”

    The upcoming G7 Summit is expected to focus on pressing global challenges including climate action, economic resilience, and geopolitical security.

    June 7, 2025
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