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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Deputy President calls for national dialogue to address SA’s challenges

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    South Africa is encountering significant challenges that demand an immediate national dialogue. 

    This is according to the Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who responded to oral questions from Members of Parliament in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Cape Town, on Thursday afternoon. 

    The Deputy President addressed questions regarding issues related to South Africa’s Social Cohesion Index (SASCI) research report, and the planned national dialogue.

    During a question-and-answer session about the 2024 SACSI, the Deputy President highlighted the country’s achievements over 30 years of democracy, while acknowledging significant ongoing challenges.

    The study indicated that the most notable decline was in the cohesion dimension, which pertains to respect for social rules.

    Trust in institutions and perceptions of fairness have weakened, while levels of solidarity and helpfulness have remained stable. 

    However, civic participation and general trust in others have shown slight improvements.

    “SASCI research report offered us a sense of where we stand as a country in our collective journey towards coercion and nation building equally, the index offers valuable insights into the nation’s strength and challenges, highlighting areas of progress and those requiring urgent attention,” he told MPs. 

    Guided by the index, he said, government is now developing targeted strategies and policies that promote inclusivity, equity and tolerance amongst all citizens, thereby enhancing society’s overall wellbeing.

    He also welcomed the report’s observation that South Africa has made significant strides towards building a united, non-racial and non-sexist society and improving the lives of all its people.

    “In this regard, we have worked together to establish a progressive constitutional order, expand access to social infrastructure and services to millions of people and set our economy on a path of reform.” 

    Despite the considerable progress, South Africa has achieved in creating a society that is both non-racial and non-sexist. 

    The Deputy President believes the country is currently at a critical juncture.

    He said the persistent economic challenges, social discontent, and historical inequalities, continue to pose significant obstacles.

    “The political environment is conflictual. The economy is not growing fast enough. Poverty is widespread, and there is a growing sense of social discontent and alienation. It is time to reset and reimagine our country for posterity. This must be done by South African citizens themselves through a process of purpose-directed, [and] courageous conversations.”

    According to the Deputy President, government plans to initiate a comprehensive national dialogue focusing on key areas. 

    “Hence, they envisage a national dialogue that will focus on the following critical areas.”

    The key focus will be economic transformation, inclusion and empowerment, poverty, inequality, and hunger. 

    In addition, the dialogue will zoom in on governance and a capable, ethical developmental state, addressing crime and lawlessness, promoting nation-building and social cohesion, and advancing constitutional rights and principles. 

    The platform will also involve encouraging progressive values, such as moral regeneration, participatory democracy, and active citizenry.

    In addition, addressing land reform and food security is a top priority on the agenda.

    “Honourable Chairperson, in addition to these critical matters, we are also addressing social ills such as gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), racism, crime, and corruption in support of promoting and strengthening social cohesion.”

    Meanwhile, he said government remains committed to implementing transformative legislation, including Black Economic Empowerment policies and land reform initiatives. 

    The Deputy President stressed that any changes to existing laws, must go through proper parliamentary processes.

    The address signals the government’s intention to address social cohesion through targeted strategies, community dialogues, and a renewed focus on constitutional principles and inclusive development. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Employment Services Amendment Bill approved for submission to Parliament

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Thursday, May 29, 2025

    Cabinet has approved the Employment Services Amendment Bill for submission to Parliament, at its meeting held in Cape Town on Wednesday.

    The Bill provides a policy framework and the legal basis to regulate the employment of foreign nationals in businesses while promoting national security and national interests.

    Addressing the media in Cape Town this morning, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the purpose of the Bill is to propose the regulation of labour brokers to prevent worker exploitation, such as the provision of cheap labour through undocumented foreign nationals. 

    “It further creates consistency between the provisions of the Immigration Act, (Act 13 of 2002) and the Refugees Act (Act 130 of 1998),” Ntshavheni said.

    She said the Bill proposes a framework that will enable the Minister of Employment and Labour to set quotas for the employment of foreign nationals. 

    “A quota may apply in respect of a sector of the economy, an occupational category or a geographical area. The Minister will establish a quota in a sector after consulting the Employment Services Board and considering public comments.

    “Cabinet directed the Minister of Employment and Labour to speedily finalise the mapping (through consultations) of what constitutes scarce and critical skills in order to develop a domestic skills base to improve absorption of more unemployed South Africans,” Ntshavheni said.

    The Minister said Cabinet has reiterated the need to fast-track the finalisation of the White Paper on Immigration for the effective administration and management of labour migration. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Reserve Bank cuts repo rate by 25 basis points

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points, with effect from 30 May.

    This reduces the prime lending rate from banks to 10.75 %. 

    Five members favoured this action, while one preferred a cut of 50 basis points.

    “Looking forward, we have revised down our inflation forecasts. This reflects the lower starting point, as well as a stronger exchange rate assumption and lower world oil prices. 

    “These factors offset pressure on fuel costs from the higher fuel levy announced in the Budget. In addition, our previous forecast included VAT increases, which have since been cancelled,” SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago said on Thursday, while delivering the Monetary Policy Committee statement.

    The inflation was below 3% again in April. The undershoot of the target mainly reflects falling fuel costs, but underlying inflation is also well contained. Core inflation came in at 3%, at the bottom of SARB target range.

    “Now that inflation has slowed, we have a chance to lock in lower inflation at low cost. This scenario illustrates that opportunity,” Kganyago said.

    While the inflation outlook appears benign, the MPC considered an adverse scenario, which illustrates the upside risks. 

    “This was based on a global slowdown, triggered by escalating trade tensions, where the rand depreciates sharply. The scenario showed how a country with some fundamental vulnerabilities, like South Africa, risks stagflation, with growth moving lower while inflation rises due to currency weakness. In these conditions, monetary policy tightens to stabilise the macroeconomy.

    “The threat of rand depreciation that we warned of at our last meeting, given both global and domestic factors, manifested last month, with the currency briefly touching a multi-year low against the US dollar. However, the exchange rate has since recovered, and conditions seem more settled than they did in March, even if the global environment remains uncertain,” he said.

    The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projections were trimmed and the growth was currently expected at 1.2% this year, rising to 1.8% by 2027.

    “The global environment remains difficult, which makes domestic reform critical for achieving healthy growth. The SARB’s main contribution is to deliver price stability, and we see scope to lock in low inflation and clear the way for sustainably lower interest rates. 

    “Additional measures that would improve economic conditions include reaching a prudent public debt level, further repairing and strengthening network industries, lowering administered price inflation, and keeping real wage growth in line with productivity gains,” Kganyago said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cabinet approves National Labour Migration Policy 2025 White Paper

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Cabinet has approved the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) White Paper 2025 for implementation, marking a significant step in regulating the movement and employment of foreign nationals in South Africa.

    Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday, Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni explained that the policy seeks to provide a framework to enforce proper and orderly movement and employment of foreign nationals in the country. 

    “It aims to achieve a balance across several areas, including addressing South Africans’ expectations for job prospects, in light of rising unemployment and the perception that foreign nationals restrict labour market access,” the Minister said. 

    The NLMP introduces quotas on the total number of documented foreign nationals with work visas that can be employed in major economic sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and tourism, as well as construction, among others. 

    “The policy complements other interventions such as enforcement of a list of sectors where foreign nationals cannot be allocated business visas and amendments to the National Small Enterprise Act, 1996 (Act 102 of 1996), as amended, to limit foreign nationals establishing small, medium and micro enterprises, and trading in some sectors of the economy,” Cabinet explained.

    What is the policy all about?

    The NLMP is the first comprehensive National Labour Migration Policy aimed at managing labour migration both into and out of the country. 

    The policy is designed to promote a “brain gain” by attracting skilled workers to South Africa, while also addressing the “brain drain” caused by the emigration of skilled professionals.

    The Employment Services Amendment Bill goes hand-in-hand with the NLMP and has been created to make it legal for the government to regulate the employment of immigrants in South African businesses.

    One of the bill’s more contentious features is the potential introduction of employment quotas, which would limit the number of immigrants that businesses can hire and require employers to prioritise the hiring of South African citizens. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President establishes commission of inquiry into delay in TRC cases

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation for the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to determine whether attempts were made to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes.

    In a statement on Thursday, The Presidency said the commission will be chaired by retired Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Khampepe, who will be assisted by retired Northern Cape Judge President Frans Diale Kgomo and Adv Andrea Gabriel SC.

    The establishment of the commission of inquiry is part of an agreement reached in settlement discussions in a court application brought by families of victims of apartheid-era crimes. 

     “For many years, there have been allegations of interference in these cases. This alleged interference is seen as the cause of an unacceptable delay in the investigation and prosecution of brutal crimes committed under apartheid. This has caused the families of victims great anguish and frustration. 

     “All affected families – and indeed all South Africans – deserve closure and justice. A commission of inquiry with broad and comprehensive terms of reference is an opportunity to establish the truth and provide guidance on any further action that needs to be taken,” President Ramaphosa said. 

     The commission must inquire into, make findings, report on and make recommendations on:

    • Whether, why, to what extent and by whom attempts were made to influence members of the South African Police Service or National Prosecuting Authority not to investigate or prosecute cases identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission;
    • Whether any members of the SAPS or the NPA improperly colluded with such attempts to influence or pressure them;
    • Whether any action should be taken by an Organ of State, including possible further investigations or prosecutions, of persons who may have acted unlawfully;
    • Whether the payment of any amount in constitutional damages to any person is appropriate. 

    The Presidency said the commission will cover the period from 2003 to the present.

    Interested parties include victims or families of victims in TRC cases who have a substantial interest in these matters, including parties in the current application proceedings against the President and government.

    The commission will be expected to complete its work within six months from the date of this proclamation and submit its report within 60 days after the completion of its work.

    While the families of victims and government have agreed to the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry, the Presidency said they were not able to reach a settlement on other matters in the application.  

    Government believes that these matters will be addressed through the commission of inquiry while the families want the matters to be determined by a court.

    The Presidency added that the President respects the decision of the families to seek a court order on the violation of their rights and constitutional damages through the courts. 

    However, government is seeking a stay of application on these outstanding matters pending the conclusion and outcomes of the commission of inquiry.

     “As the commission undertakes this important task, we welcome the firm commitment by the NPA and the South African Police Service to investigate and, where appropriate, to prosecute the outstanding TRC cases. In recent years, the NPA has reopened and pursued priority cases. It has assigned dedicated resources to ensure these cases are dealt with effectively.

     “As this government, we are determined that those individuals responsible for apartheid crimes and who were not granted amnesty by the TRC be held to account,” President Ramaphosa said.

    The President added that this commission of inquiry is an opportunity to draw a line under a painful period in the country’s history. 

    “It is an opportunity to establish the truth and take steps, to the extent possible, to put right what may have gone wrong. I thank the Commission chairperson and two assistants for agreeing to take on this responsibility and wish them well in their work,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Bean Announces Launch of Congressional App Challenge to Inspire the Next Generation of Innovators

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) today announced the launch of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for Florida’s Fourth Congressional District. 

    The annual competition challenges students to create an original software application.  The winner will be eligible to have their app displayed in the U.S. Capitol, featured on the U.S. House of Representatives website, and will be invited to attend the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill reception.

    “The Congressional App Challenge is an exciting opportunity for students to explore the world of coding, creativity, and innovation. By participating, young innovators can develop original apps that solve real-world problems, sharpen their STEM skills, and become the tech leaders of tomorrow. I encourage all eligible students to take part in this competition and turn their ideas into reality. The future of innovation starts with you,” said Congressman Bean.

    OVERVIEW

    The Congressional App Challenge is an opportunity for students to test their abilities in coding and computer science, hone their skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines, and begin exploring potential future career paths.

    The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students in the Fourth Congressional District.  Students may begin registering for the event today on the Congressional App Challenge website. The deadline to submit an original app is October 30, 2025.

    For complete details about the rules and requirements, please click HERE.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Since January, 1,080 Indians deported from US; 62% returned on commercial flights, says MEA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that since January 2025, around 1,080 Indians have been deported from the United States, with approximately 62 per cent returning on commercial flights. 

    Speaking at the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues, on the deportation of Indian nationals who are either in illegal status there or who travel illegally. We take them back once we receive details about them.”

    He added, “The update on the numbers is that since January 2025, around 1,080 Indians have returned or been deported from the United States. Of these, about 62 per cent have come on commercial flights.”

    Jaiswal also addressed reports about updated US government guidance on Student and Exchange Visitor visa applicants. The MEA said the welfare of Indian students abroad remains a top priority and that India will continue to monitor developments closely.

    “While the issuance of visas is a sovereign function, we hope Indian students’ applications will be considered on merit and they will be able to join their academic programmes on time,” he said.

    On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consulates to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants. This move is part of the Trump administration’s plan to enforce stricter vetting, including reviewing applicants’ social media profiles, according to a report by Politico.

    The directive, detailed in a cable obtained by Politico, will expand social media screening requirements for foreign student and exchange visitor visa applicants.

    “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days”, the cable states. (“Septel” refers to a separate telegram in State Department terminology.)

    While the cable does not specify the type of social media activity under review, it cites executive orders targeting counterterrorism and antisemitism, the report added.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The NFB at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. An opening-night film, three shorts in official competition, activities at the film market and more.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 28, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is back at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (June 8–14), with a strong presence throughout the event. Three NFB short films have been selected for the official competition, including the eagerly awaited The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by the Oscar-nominated duo of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (Madame Tutli-Putli). It will screen as a world premiere on the festival’s opening night.

    The NFB will also be taking part in the Annecy International Animation Film Market (MIFA).

    The NFB at the 2025 Annecy festival

    • The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (opening-night film, official competition, world premiere)
    • Two other films in official competition: Bread Will Walk (Le pain se lève) by Alex Boya and Hairy Legs (Poil aux jambes) by Andrea Dorfman
    • MIFA: Telefilm Canada / NFB networking event and panel on Canadian animation, with Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the NFB, in attendance

    SHORT FILMS – OFFICIAL COMPETITION

    The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (NFB, 16 min) – OPENING-NIGHT FILM AND WORLD PREMIERE
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-girl-who-cried-pearls
    First screening: Sunday, June 8, 8:30 p.m. (Short Films Official 1)

    • A haunting fable about a girl overwhelmed by sorrow, the boy who loves her, and how greed leads good hearts to wicked deeds. The film was presented at a Work in Progress at Annecy in 2023. With the voice of: Colm Feore. Original Music: Patrick Watson. Sound Designer: Olivier Calvert. Artistic Director: Brigitte Henry.

    Bread Will Walk by Alex Boya (NFB, 11 min 18 s)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/bread-will-walk
    First screening: Friday, June 13, 3:30 p.m. (Short Films Official 6)

    • A devoted sister flees with her brother, a benevolent, bread-turned zombie. A mob pursues, mouths agape. Streets twist into mazes, reason dissolves, hunger reigns. Can love defy appetite? The film was just featured as part of the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. Actor Jay Baruchel voices all the characters in the original English version.

    Hairy Legs (Poil aux jambes) by Andrea Dorfman (NFB, 17 min)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hairy-legs
    First screening: Wednesday, June 11, 3:30 p.m. (Short Films Official 4)

    • Deciding not to shave her legs at 13 led a young Andrea Dorfman to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations. The film received an Honourable Mention for the DGC Award for Best Canadian Animation at the Ottawa International Animation Festival (2024).

    MIFA

    Telefilm Canada / NFB networking event: Canada, Your Next Animation Partner
    Tuesday, June 10, 7 to 9 p.m.

    This soirée will underscore the presence of Canadian animation at Annecy and provide opportunities to develop new partnerships. With Suzanne Guèvremont, NFB Chairperson, and Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada, in attendance. By invitation only.

    Panel – Investing in the Future: Canadian Animation at the Forefront
    Wednesday, June 11, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.

    This panel will bring together leaders from the Canadian animation industry as well as filmmakers presenting their projects. With Suzanne Guèvremont of the NFB and filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, among others, in attendance.

    WOMEN AND ANIMATION, 10 YEARS
    Thursday, June 12, 5:30 p.m.

    • Affairs of the Art (L’art dans le sang) by Joanna Quinn (Beryl Productions International Ltd/NFB, 2021, 16 min 23 s)
    • How to Be at Home (À la maison) by Andrea Dorfman (NFB, 2021, 4 min 51 s)

    HONORARY CRISTAL RECIPIENT JOANNA QUINN

    The NFB congratulates filmmaker Joanna Quinn, who this year is a recipient of the Annecy Festival’s prestigious Honorary Cristal. She will also lead a captivating masterclass during the festival, talking about her passion for drawing and animation, and sharing secrets of how she brings her characters to life.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: NFB.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB X | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Hoyer Opening Remarks at FSGG Hearing on the Federal Communications Commission

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the FSGG hearing on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:

    Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.

    “Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Carr, for being with us. We had a good conversation in my office. This probably won’t be as cordial as we were, but I’m very concerned. When Donald Trump spoke before the Congress in March, he said this: ‘I’ve stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America – it’s back,’ he said. Now, he also said during the campaign, to his supporters, ‘I am your retribution.’ You may remember that quote. That rang in my ears and gave me great concern.

    “The FCC’s actions the past few months make it clear just how relevant those comments were. What was once an independent, impartial agency – not always – devoted to keeping Americans connected has become, in my view, to some degree ‘the speech police,’ another cudgel in the President’s culture war. Since Trump took office, the FCC has gone after private corporations over their DEI practices. Very frankly, in my view is, that may be a practice that he can impose on the federal government, but it is not a practice that he can impose, nor should he impose on the private sector whatever the views we may hold. The agency, in my opinion, has also targeted NPR, PBS, NBC, ABC, and CBS, and other networks, apparently, who are perceived unfavorably to the President and to his policies.

    “The First Amendment, of course, is not intended to protect the president from the press. It is intended to protect the president – excuse me – the press against the government. Nor was the FCC established to act in the president’s interest, but rather in the public’s interest. Now more than ever, the American people are counting on the FCC to focus on its mission under law. Something we discussed in my office, however, was when he removed FTC commissioners, he did it because, quoting – or trying to quote – that the actions of those commissioners were incompatible with the priorities of the administration. Communications technologies that fall under the FCC’s purview are fundamental to everything in modern life. They shape our commerce, our education, our national security, our health care, and our elections.

    “In an increasingly digital world, the FCC needs to ensure that we don’t leave that behind. That means expanding – [referring to dais microphone] oh this is inconvenient – that means expanding affordable, reliable access to the internet and other crucial technology in both rural and urban areas. I represent urban and rural areas. We made a lot of progress toward closing the digital divide when the Affordable Connectivity Program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – legislation I was proud to put on the Floor as Majority Leader. I heard directly from my constituents, Republicans and Democrats and Republican officials. I live in a county with five Republican county commissioners. They all urged me to continue that [program] because of the very positive impact it had on my district and in that rural county in which I live. Regrettably, my colleagues across the aisle allowed that program to expire last year, raising interest costs for the 23 million households that enrolled. I still haven’t seen any plan on how we fill that void. Worse, I’ve heard rumors that the FCC spectrum policy involves auctioning off or reducing bands, including the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, which could make it even harder for Americans to get connected.

    “The FCC has a responsibility not only to help Americans access these opportunities, but also to protect them from potential perils. Every day, Americans experience robocalls and internet scam attempts that become more and more sophisticated. Their personal data falls prey to hackers and scammers. Americans need strong and savvy cops on the beat committed to cybersecurity and privacy. In my view, that is the role of the FCC.

    “Chairman Carr, I thank you for coming in today, as I’ve said, but I want to be clear that I’m worried that the FCC, and so many other elements of government that ought to be independent, are, in the President’s words – not referring to anything that I’ve referred to – but weaponizing government. The FCC’s attacks on the press and the First Amendment are troubling. So, I look forward to hearing your testimony. I will honor the Chairman’s gavel, but it requires a lot of time to make sure the FCC is doing what the American people expect it to do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Congressman Gerry Connolly

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the passing of U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (VA-11):

    “A principled institutionalist, fierce advocate for Virginians, and my dear friend from across the Potomac, Rep. Gerry Connolly was taken from us far too early. I am praying for his family as they grieve this terrible loss – America’s loss.

    “It was an honor to serve alongside Gerry in the Congress the past 16 years. He and I worked together closely to stand up for our region and our people, including our many federal workers. Never has that work been more important than the past few months amid the Trump Administration’s unprecedented purge of the federal civil service. Gerry met the moment.

    “Many politicians today say they want to make government function more efficiently, transparently, and effectively. Gerry actually did it – from championing the historic Federal Information Technology Reform Act to holding Democratic and Republican administrations alike accountable as an influential leader on the House Oversight Committee.

    “Gerry’s legacy as a pragmatic, intelligent, and honest leader and legislator is interwoven with our region but extends far beyond. Drawing on his past experience as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he was an important voice on foreign affairs and a staunch advocate for human rights, foreign aid, and America’s alliances with democracies around the world. As President of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly, he reaffirmed America’s commitment to the alliance and to our mutual security obligations under Article V. In the face of Vladimir Putin’s criminal, unprovoked invasion, Gerry helped ensure that NATO moved in lockstep to support Ukraine in its fight against fascism.

    “Gerry lived a remarkable life of service. That it was cut short after his courageous battle with cancer ought to sadden every American. I grieve for him, as will so many others across the country and around the world. I wish strength to his wife, Smitty, and the rest of their family. May they take comfort in knowing that Gerry lives on in all that he accomplished to improve the lives of our people.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer: This Bill is One Big Backbreaking Burden on Working Americans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement this morning after voting against House Republicans’ budget proposal, which passed out of the House of Representatives early Thursday morning:

    “Yesterday, the Trump Administration put out a statement that said that voting against his ‘one big, beautiful bill’ would be the ‘ultimate betrayal’ of the president. Republicans obeyed, committing the ultimate betrayal of the American people instead.
     
    “Indeed, this bill betrays 13.7 million Americans who will lose their health insurance because of its cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. It abandons 11 million people – including 4 million children – who will go hungry because of Republicans’ assault on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And, crucially, this disastrous piece of legislation sells out future generations of Americans, saddling them with trillions of dollars in debt. 
     
    “Today, Republicans have voted to make the most vulnerable Americans even poorer so that the wealthiest among us can get even further ahead. I hope my colleagues in the Senate vote against this abhorrent legislation, just as I did today. This is not ‘one big beautiful bill.’ This is one big backbreaking burden on working Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on the Trump Administration’s Acceptance of a Luxury Jet from Qatar

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after reports that the Trump Administration has formally accepted a Boeing 747 airliner from the government of Qatar:

    “It’s a sad day in America when, reportedly at the President’s request, a small but very rich Middle Eastern nation gives him a $400 million jet. Experts say that it will take two years and cost the government more than the value of the plane to bring the jet up to the standard necessary for Trump to use it.
     
    “This ‘gift’ is among the most flagrant abuses of power in American history – an act that violates our Constitution, defies our laws, and undermines our national security. The Founding Fathers are turning over in their graves.
     
    “Once again, Donald Trump shows us how he views the Office of the President of the United States of America. He sees it merely as a tool to enrich himself, his family, and his friends.
     
    “Nothing is ever free. This plane may not come with a price tag, but the person receiving it is making America and its reputation pay a deep cost. This is a sad day.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on Memorial Day

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today in recognition of Memorial Day:

    “Across the country and around the world, American military cemeteries serve as reminders of the tremendous price paid for the lives and liberties we enjoy today. This Memorial Day, I join in honoring the courageous service members who gave their lives to protect their fellow Americans and preserve the Republic.

    “Their sacrifice was ultimate; we must ensure that it was not in vain. Although we can never repay our fallen heroes in full, we must try by working to uphold the democracy and principles of freedom, justice, and equality for which they fought. We must also tend to those veterans who made it home – especially those who bear the physical and mental scars of war. I was pleased to bring Democrats and Republicans together to that end in the 117th Congress, helping pass the Honoring Our PACT Act to secure enhances VA benefits for millions of Veterans exposed to harmful toxins over the course of their service.

    “Our work is never finished. We must continue to stand up for our democracy, our veterans, and our military families with the same devotion displayed by the heroes we honor today. May God watch over them as they rest, and over us as we care for the country to which they gave everything.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2024

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    This report highlights notable trends in energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States in 2024, based on preliminary data.

    U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions declined overall by less than 1%, or 23 million metric tons (MMmt), in 2024. Among end-use sectors, the most notable decreases occurred in the residential and industrial sectors. Lower residential sector emissions were mostly due to decreases in consumption of natural gas and petroleum products primarily associated with space heating—mainly propane and distillate fuel oil. Decreases in industrial-sector emissions were associated with reduced manufacturing.

    Emissions from the commercial, transportation, and electric power sectors remained relatively unchanged but are discussed in greater detail in later sections.

    Table 1. Total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions by sector, 2020–2024
    million metric tons of carbon dioxide
    Sector 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
    Residential 303 313 340 325 319
    Commercial 247 249 260 245 233
    Industrial 947 962 960 977 953
    Transportation 1,848 1,851 1,842 1,807 1,630
    Electric power 1,427 1,421 1,539 1,553 1,450
    Total 4,772 4,795 4,940 4,906 4,585
    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review, March 2025, Tables 11.1–11.6
    Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.

    Figure data

    Electric power emissions remained flat as decreasing CO2 from coal generation offset increasing CO2 from natural gas

    CO2 emissions from the electric power sector remained mostly flat in 2024, increasing by less than 1% (6 MMmt). Although overall electricity generation increased by 3%, or 122 terawatthours (TWh), in 2024, changes in generation sources resulted in sectoral CO2 emissions remaining near 2023 levels. Specifically:

    • CO2 emissions from coal-fired generation decreased by 3% (24 MMmt), but:
      • CO2 emissions from natural gas-fired generation increased by 4% (31 MMmt)
    • Coal-fired electricity generation fell by 3% (22 TWh), but:
      • Natural gas generation increased by 3% (59 TWh)
      • Solar generation increased by 32% (53 TWh)
      • Wind generation increased by 8% (32 TWh)

    Although growth in natural gas-fired generation exceeded reductions in coal-fired generation, CO2 emissions did not increase as much because natural gas emits less CO2 per kilowatthour than coal when combusted.

    Figure data

    Warmer late-winter and early-spring weather led to lower residential sector emissions

    Residential sector CO2 emissions declined 3% (10 MMmt) in 2024, as demand for heating decreased with relatively warm weather during late-winter and early-spring months. U.S. population-weighted heating degree days (HDDs), a measure of how cold a location is, decreased by 3% last year. Consequently, consumption of natural gas, propane, and distillate fuel oil declined, which are all key fuels in residential space heating.

    Warmer weather also led to increased demand for space cooling during warmer months. Cooling degree days (CDDs), a measure of how hot a location is, increased by 10% in 2024. However, unlike space heating, space cooling relies on electricity rather than direct use of fuels. As summer temperatures increased relative to 2023, residential sector electricity use rose. Annual purchases of electricity increased by 3%, and emissions associated with residential electricity consumption increased by 1% (5 MMmt). Overall, total residential sector emissions were lower because the decline in CO2 emissions from lower heating fuel consumption outweighed increases associated with cooling demand.

    Weather-related impacts on energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the commercial sector mirrored the residential sector but to a lesser extent. Commercial sector emissions remained effectively flat in 2024, decreasing by only 2 MMmt, as a result of lower natural gas and petroleum consumption.

    Figure data

    Industrial CO2 emissions decreased in 2024 as industrial production growth slowed

    CO2 emissions from the U.S. industrial sector decreased by 1% (14 MMmt) in 2024. Decreased emissions were mostly related to a 15% (7 MMmt) decrease in petroleum coke consumption and a 6% (5 MMmt) decrease in coal consumption. Declining emissions from these fuels is associated with minor declines in industrial activity, such as manufacturing of primary metals.

    Figure data

    Transportation sector emissions remain unchanged as increased consumption of some petroleum products offset decreases in others

    U.S. transportation sector emissions remained virtually unchanged in 2024. CO2 emissions from motor gasoline and jet fuel increased slightly, following the trend from 2023, but were more than offset by decreases in CO2 emissions from distillate fuel oil.

    CO2 emissions from motor gasoline increased by less than 1% (3 MMmt) in 2024. Despite steady increases in vehicle miles traveled, motor gasoline emissions have generally declined modestly over the last 20 years (Figure 5). These decreases in motor gasoline emissions are mostly due to higher vehicle fuel economy standards and, to a lesser extent, increased deployment of electric vehicles. Jet fuel emissions increased by 3% (7 MMmt) in 2024, mostly associated with increased air travel.

    Higher motor gasoline and jet fuel emissions were more than offset by declining emissions from distillate fuel oil, which fell by 3% (15 MMmt) in 2024. Distillate consumption declined because on-road diesel vehicles consumed less and, to a lesser extent, conventional diesel fuel was substituted for renewable diesel.

    Figure data

    We based our analysis of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in this report on data published in our Monthly Energy Review (MER). This initial analysis is based on preliminary 2024 data first published in the March 2025 edition of the MER. These values are subject to change as final data are published from underlying sources, according to source data revision policies and publication schedules. We expect relatively minor differences between the preliminary and revised estimates based on past years (Table 2). Supplemental analysis, figures from past reports, and a discussion of the methodology and terminology used in this report are available in the Appendix.

    Table 2. Preliminary and revised U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions estimates, 2018–2023
    Year Preliminary CO2 estimates
    (million metric tons)    		 Revised CO2 estimates
    (million metric tons)    		 Difference
    (million metric tons)    		 Percentage difference
    2018 5,274 5,269 -5 -0.1%
    2019 5,138 5,149 11 0.2%
    2020 4,571 4,575 4 0.1%
    2021 4,870 4,904 34 0.7%
    2022 4,970 4,941 -29 -0.6%
    2023 4,807 4,791 -16 -0.3%
    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review, Tables 11.1–11.6, March and September editions, 2019–2024

    Emissions values and analysis presented in this report pertain only to U.S. CO2 emissions associated with fossil-fuel combustion and non-combustion applications of energy products (for example, as industrial feedstocks). We do not include estimates of CO2 emissions outside this scope or other greenhouse gas emissions burned or released in production, extraction, or distribution of energy products. Our approach may result in discrepancies between our emissions estimates and those of other organizations, including other U.S. government agencies.

    In addition to historical estimates, we also offer short-term forecasts and long-term projections of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in several other data products. You can find a short-term forecast of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions and key drivers in our monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook, which includes monthly forecasts by fuel source currently through the end of 2026 and the latest estimates of the effects of recent events on energy markets and energy-related CO2 emissions. We publish long-term U.S. emissions projections in our Annual Energy Outlook, which provides annual projections of energy-related CO2 emissions by fuel source, sector, and end use through 2050. Projections of international energy-related CO2 emissions through 2050 are available in our International Energy Outlook.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Adds 43 Unregistered Foreign Entities to RED List

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s ongoing efforts to help protect Americans from fraud, today the CFTC added 43 unregistered foreign entities to its Red List, a tool that provides information to U.S. market participants about foreign entities that are acting in an unregistered capacity and to help them make more informed decisions about trading. The Red List, which stands for Registration Deficient List, launched in 2015 [See CFTC Press Release No. 7224-15], and now contains almost 300 entities.
    A firm is added to the RED List when the CFTC determines, from investigative leads and questions from the public, that it is not registered with the Commission and appears to be acting in a capacity that requires registration, such as trading binary options, foreign currency (forex), or other products. The Commodity Exchange Act generally requires intermediaries in the derivatives industry to register with the CFTC. An “intermediary” is a person or firm that acts on behalf of another person in connection with trading futures, swaps, or options. Depending on the nature of its activities, an intermediary may also be subject to various financial, disclosure, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. There are some exceptions or exemptions where an intermediary does not require registration.
    The RED List is circulated to financial industry partners, including other regulators, consumer groups, industry participants, self-regulatory organizations, exchanges, and industry associations. It complements registration information provided by the National Futures Association. 

    Abnas Global Corp.
    Abnas Global Securities Co. Ltd. 
    Abnas Global PLC
    abnasglobal.cc
     

    OX Securities Pty LtdOX Securities Limited (SV) 
    oxsecurities.com
     

    Apex Number 
    apexnumber.com

    PO Trade Ltd
    m.po.life
     

    BF Traders
    G-P Ltd.
    bftraders.com
     
     

    Prowins Binary
    www.prowins.live

    Binary Golden Options 
    bnrygoldenopts.com
     

    Smart Magnetic Ltd.
    smartmagnetic.net [email protected]
     

    Blueberry Markets 
    blueberrymarkets.com
     

    Stealth Finex
    stealthfinex.com [email protected]
     

    ElixirVest Ltd. 
    elixirvest.com

    StocktrademarketX
    Stocktrademarketx.com
     

    Equity Price Ltd. 
    equityprice.live
     

    SublimeFX
    sublimefx.comsublimefx.ca
     

    Firephoenix.com 
    [email protected]
     

    SunFX Investment Company 
    sunfx.org

    Forex4Money Trading Ltd.Forex International Gain
    forex4money.com
     

    Sway Markets
    swaymarkets.com

    ForexcellForexcellsForeXcells MKT LimitedForexcells M Group LLCForexcells Markets Ltd.AbileXAG
    forcexcells.com
     

    SwipeCoin
    swipecoin.live

    Global Buck Invest 
    globalbuckinvest.com
     

    Trade Xtix Coins Ltd. 
    tradextixcoins.com

    Global Official Trade 
    Globalofficialtrade.com

    TradeplugxTradeplugx Capital Group 
    trustplusfx.com
     

    Hotbglobal Finance Limited
    www.hotbgl.io
     

    TruBlueFX
    TruBlue FX
    Ares Global Ltd.  
    trubluefx.biz
     

    NASDAQK Limited
    nasdaqkfx.com
     

    trustplusfx.net  
    trustplusfx.net

    Optimaltradeinfo
    optimaltradeinfo

    UltimateStock
    ultimatestock.org

    See the complete list at https://www.cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect.
    The following CFTC staff members are responsible for the RED List: the Office of Customer Education and Outreach staff, and Division of Enforcement staff Michelle Bougas, and Rick Glaser, as well as former staff Erica Bodin.
    *  *  * *  *  *  *
    See CFTC’s Binary Options Customer Fraud Advisory
    The CFTC has issued a Consumer Alert to warn about fraudulent schemes involving binary options and their trading platforms.  The Alert warns customers that the perpetrators of these unlawful schemes typically refuse to credit customer accounts, deny fund reimbursement, commit identity theft, and manipulate software to generate losing trades.
    Customers can report suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, to the CFTC Division of Enforcement via a Toll-Free Hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382) or file a tip or complaint online.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025 Dickson Prize in Medicine Goes to Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin of UConn

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Dickson Prize in Medicine is awarded annually to a leading American investigator engaged in innovative and paradigm-shifting biomedical research. It is an esteemed annual award presented by the University of Pittsburgh. Many recipients of the Dickson Prize have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin is the founder and pioneer of the field of regenerative engineering.

    His lecture, “Regenerative Engineering: Breakthroughs in Medicine,” will be given at 2:30 p.m. on July 11 at the University of Pittsburgh, Alan Magee Scaife Hall West Wing Auditorium. It will be followed by a panel discussion and reception at 5 p.m.

    Laurencin is a University Professor (one of two at UConn) and professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering. He is the chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university Institute created in his honor. At UConn School of Medicine he is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery.

    He is the leading international figure in polymer science and engineering as applied to musculoskeletal biology. Renowned for his work in areas including biomaterials science and materials chemistry, his broad background and insight have allowed him to move research from fundamental science to applied research, to research translation and clinical treatment.

    Laurencin earned his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, his M.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the Harvard Medical School, and earned his Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at Harvard, where he was named Chief Resident at the Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School. A specialist in shoulder surgery and sports medicine, he completed fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

    Laurencin is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an elected member of the American Surgical Association and an elected member of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. In orthopaedic surgery, he received the Nicolas Andry Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, the Kappa Delta Award, the highest research honor from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Marshall R. Urist Award, honoring an investigator who has a sustained ongoing body of research in tissue regeneration as it relates to the musculoskeletal system, from the Orthopaedic Research Society, and the American Orthopaedic Association’s (AOA) Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedics Award with induction into the AOA Awards Hall of Fame. He is the first individual to receive these four awards.

    He is the first surgeon in history elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors.

    In 2025, he received Knighthood under the auspices of King Charles III of England by the Governor General of St. Lucia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Oklahoma City Men Plead Guilty to Firearms Offenses as Part of Partnership Between Oklahoma City and the U.S. Attorney’s Office

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

    OKLAHOMA CITY – Two defendants have pled guilty to firearms charges in unrelated cases prosecuted, in part, through a partnership between the City of Oklahoma City and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma to enhance efforts to address violent crime in Oklahoma City.

    On March 4, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged DAVY EUGENE KING, 52, of Oklahoma City, with illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction. King pled guilty on April 19, 2025, and admitted he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony convictions. Public record reflects that King has numerous previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including, second-degree murder in case number CF-1990-5376, possession of a stolen vehicle in case number CF-2014-4630, attempted grand larceny in case number CF-2014-5432, and domestic abuse (assault and battery) in case number CF-2014-2946. King faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at sentencing.

    On February 20, 2025, a separate federal Grand Jury charged ROBERT DEWAYNE MAYFIELD, 23, of Oklahoma City, with unlawful possession of a machinegun. Mayfield pled guilty on April 19, 2025, and admitted he possessed a firearm which had been modified with a machinegun conversion device (MCD). When attached, MCDs convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns, and possession of the devices violates federal law. Mayfield faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at sentencing.

    These cases are the result of investigations by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis (SAUSA).  SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime.

    “This collaboration with Oklahoma City will strengthen public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Our close partnership with the Oklahoma City Police Department is further strengthened with an additional prosecutor to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes under federal law in Oklahoma City.”

    “These prosecutions demonstrate the power of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to disrupt violent offenders and take dangerous weapons off our streets,” said Oklahoma City Police Chief Ron Bacy. “Together, we’re sending a clear message that we will not tolerate gun crime in our city.”

    These cases are also part of “Shots Fired” and “Project Switch Off,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal MCDs to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Intoxicated driver guilty of being alien illegally in possession of firearm

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

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 20-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Corpus Christi has been convicted of being an alien who unlawfully possessed a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. 

    Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found Ulloa-Pavon pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. No other cars were in the vicinity. Ulloa-Pavon had red bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of alcohol and appeared unsteady on his feet, swaying as he stood. They removed him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. 

    A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket. Ulloa-Pavon admitted he had a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car which law enforcement located and seized.

    Ulloa-Pavon had admitted during a previous interaction with law enforcement to being from Honduras and not lawfully in the United States.

    U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Aug. 27. At that time, Ulloa-Pavon faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien and Prolific Drug Trafficker Convicted Following Thwarted Robbery of Rival Cocaine Supplier

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

    ATLANTA – Adan Macedo-Rios, 52, of Mexico, who is an alien unlawfully present in the United States, has been convicted of charges related to trafficking in illegal drugs, money laundering, robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms.

    “Macedo-Rios, an illegal alien, distributed large amounts of dangerous drugs and laundered his ill-gotten gains through the purchase of a Georgia horse ranch. His callous and dangerous behavior—highlighted by his involvement in a plot to rob a rival cocaine supplier—was disrupted by the tireless work of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Through our combined efforts, we foiled the robbery plan and dismantled the drug trafficking and money laundering organization that Macedo-Rios supplied, thereby eliminating a significant threat of violent crime in our community.”

    “DEA strives every day to keep the American public safe from transnational criminal organizations,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates DEA’s commitment to destroying these drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”

    “For all the innocent residents who are trying to raise families in safe communities, the FBI wants you to know that we are here for you through arrests like this,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Macedo-Rios repeatedly disregarded the law to enrich himself. The FBI and our partners are firmly committed to ensuring that our communities are protected from the extreme violence and lawlessness displayed by individuals like him.”

    “The conviction of Adan Macedo-Rios, an illegal alien from Mexico and prolific drug trafficker, highlights our unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the hard work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we’ve turned his ‘stable’ of crime into a one-way ticket to accountability!”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, public record, and other information presented in court: Macedo-Rios, a large-scale drug trafficker, supplied other Atlanta-based drug distributors with at least 123 kilograms of cocaine destined for distribution throughout multiple states. In 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agents obtained federal court authorization to intercept communications over cellphones used by Macedo-Rios and others. These intercepts led to the seizure of multiple kilograms of cocaine and other narcotics, and drug proceeds, from drug transporters working for Macedo-Rios and his conspirators. 

    Macedo-Rios remitted drug payments to his narcotics suppliers in Mexico and used proceeds of his criminal activity to fraudulently purchase an eight-acre ranch with a 24-horse stable and farmhouse in Loganville, Georgia. With his conspirators, Macedo-Rios planned the robbery of another drug supplier who was storing 65 kilograms of cocaine in his residence. Macedo-Rios and his conspirators even conducted their own surveillance of the target, including by placing a tracker on the rival’s car, and plotted to use firearms to facilitate the robbery. But their plan was timely thwarted by DEA agents, who intercepted communications about the robbery.

    When agents arrested Macedo-Rios at the horse ranch, they discovered a loaded Colt .38 pistol and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his bedroom, even though he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his unlawful presence in the United States and status as a convicted felon. Macedo-Rios, a Mexican citizen, has a history of multiple deportations from the United States.

    Adan Macedo-Rios appeared before United States District Judge J. P. Boulee on May 28, 2025, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally present in the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    As to his drug trafficking conviction, Macedo-Rios faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a maximum $10,000,000 fine, and a minimum of five years of supervised release. For the Hobbs Act Robbery conviction, he faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. For the firearm conviction, Macedo-Rios faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. The money laundering conviction carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a $500,000 fine, and forfeiture of property involved in the offense. 

    In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025, at 1 pm before Judge Boulee.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from Georgia State Patrol and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Rebeca M. Ojeda are prosecuting the case.

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

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi¬ jurisdictional operations to eliminate the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates.  The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The UK government is considering mandatory chemical castration for sex offenders – it’s an ethical and legal minefield

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lisa Forsberg, Senior Research Fellow, Uehiro Oxford Institute, University of Oxford

    Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood is looking into a potential “national rollout” of chemical castration for sex offenders. This is a process of lowering testosterone levels with the intention of reducing libido.

    The proposal is one recommendation outlined in the recent independent sentencing review that was commissioned to investigate prison overcrowding and consider alternatives to imprisonment. The review found that 21% of adults serving immediate custodial sentences had been convicted of sexual offences – making them a significant proportion of the prison population. The idea appears to be that chemical castration would make offenders’ release from prison less dangerous for the public.

    A pilot scheme of voluntary chemical castration is already running and is about to be extended to 20 British prisons. But while the review emphasised that consent is a key tenet of medical law, Mahmood is reportedly investigating whether chemical castration could be made mandatory. This raises important ethical and legal questions.

    Is chemical castration ethical?

    Chemical castration is a dual-purpose intervention. It can be used both to benefit those who receive testosterone-reducing substances – sex offenders may themselves find their sexual desires to be a problem and so wish to have their intensity reduced by medical means – and to protect the public.

    One key question, therefore, is what we are aiming to achieve in a programme of chemical castration in the prison population. Chemical castration may reduce the risk of reoffending but fail to improve a sex offender’s life. It may do the opposite – improving their wellbeing without protecting the public from their actions. Which goal are we aiming for?

    This matters because the ethical permissibility of chemical castration is directly related to its purpose. Standard medical interventions are typically ethically permissible when and because they are expected to benefit recipients who validly consent.

    If the goal is not to benefit the recipient but to protect the public, this question is more complicated. We don’t normally get to consent to being incarcerated or quarantined, for example. These are situations imposed on us by the state. So do we get to bypass consent in the case of chemical castration for people who are incarcerated?

    And while some offenders may prefer to have their problematic sexual desires suppressed, chemical castration can have significant side-effects, including weight gain and mood changes.

    If chemical castration does reduce problematic desires, sex offenders may benefit from it, side-effects notwithstanding. But it is unclear exactly how this potential “benefit” should be understood. Is it beneficial for sex offenders to have their sexual desires attenuated? Does avoiding future punishment itself count as a benefit? Can it also be beneficial to offenders who do not consent to the intervention? And is it ever ethically permissible to provide chemical castration without benefit to the recipient? We need a more clearly articulated understanding of benefit, and its interaction with consent, to determine when chemical castration is ethically permissible.

    Is it legal?

    Purpose also matters for legal justification. Interventions that use medical means – as chemical castration does – are usually lawful, again, because they are expected to benefit recipients. So, again, the lack of clarity over who “benefits” and how benefit should be understood is a problem.

    My analysis of the legal framework in England and Wales shows that providing chemical castration to sex offenders may be consistent with obligations imposed on UK public authorities under the European Convention on Human Rights (via the Human Rights Act 1998). This may be the case even without recipients’ consent, especially when the purpose is public protection. But here too, it is necessary to clarify how the benefit or harm interacts with consent.

    A dilemma for doctors

    A rollout of chemical castration to sex offenders – whether voluntary or mandatory – also raises ethical and legal dilemmas for the people administering the programme.

    Forensic psychiatrist Professor Don Grubin has said that the administration of chemical castration is “about doctors treating patients, rather than doctors doing a job for criminal justice agencies, but a side effect is that reoffending is likely to be reduced”. However, it’s not clear that chemical castration should always be understood primarily as “doctors treating patients” in the way we normally expect for therapeutic interventions. The idea that doctors, in administering chemical castration, are always acting primarily to benefit the recipient, and that public protection in the form of reduced recidivism risk is a mere side-effect obscures the ethical and legal issues at play. A better approach is to clarify the different values and duties at stake and how doctors and others involved in provision should weigh them against one another.

    Chemical castration will often generate conflicting duties, which we must find ways to navigate. Can it be compatible with professional obligations to provide interventions that aren’t in recipients’ clinical interests if it benefits others? Do professional obligations vary according to an intervention’s purpose? Chemical castration exposes tensions in the ethical and legal obligations that individual and institutional providers owe to recipients and to society.

    I’m exploring these questions in research investigating how we ought to understand, evaluate, and regulate dual-purpose interventions. These are questions the government, and those involved in chemically castrating sex offenders must also confront.

    Lisa Forsberg has received funding from the British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme (award pf170028), the Journal of Moral Education Trust through the British Academy /Leverhulme Small Research Grants scheme (award SRG2324241695), the European Research Council (grant number 819757), and the Uehiro Foundation for Ethics and Education.

    – ref. The UK government is considering mandatory chemical castration for sex offenders – it’s an ethical and legal minefield – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-government-is-considering-mandatory-chemical-castration-for-sex-offenders-its-an-ethical-and-legal-minefield-257795

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Climate change: no reprieve from heat this decade as globally agreed 1.5°C limit looms

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    Temperature limits the world agreed to avoid are looming into view.

    The global temperature has been 1.5°C hotter than the pre-industrial average for almost two years now. The reason, overwhelmingly, is that greenhouse gas emissions are at record highs from the burning of fossil fuels and forests.

    In a new analysis, the World Meteorological Organization has predicted that global average warming will remain above 1.5°C for the rest of this decade. By some measure, this would place the world nearly halfway to the lower limit of the Paris agreement, which urged countries to avoid warming of 1.5°C as a 20-year average.

    Exceeding a globally agreed temperature limit is scary. Perhaps scarier is the speed at which we appear to be breaking our promises.

    This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.

    Half a year of record heat

    After 2024 was confirmed as the hottest in 175 years of temperature-keeping, some climate scientists expected 2025 to be cooler. El Niño, the warm phase in a natural cycle of Earth’s climate, was subsiding and the cooler La Niña was set to kick in.

    This climate fluctuation, centred on the Pacific Ocean, slowly sloshes water and heat between ocean basins every few years and disrupts weather patterns worldwide.

    “Typically, La Niña will lower the global temperature by a couple of tenths of a degree Celsius,” explains Richard P Allan, a professor of climate science at the University of Reading. “However, this time around, it’s apparently not enough to stop the world warming – even temporarily.”



    Read more:
    Record January heat suggests La Niña may be losing its ability to keep global warming in check

    January 2025 was the hottest on record – a whole 1.7°C hotter than an average January before the mass burning of coal, oil and gas. Allan argues that “human-driven ocean warming is increasingly overwhelming these natural climate patterns”.

    The ocean has absorbed most of the excess heat generated by our emissions, but this blue buffer between us and a hotter atmosphere shows signs of fraying. A research station that has been taking the temperature of the western English Channel for more than 120 years now reports “almost continuous marine heatwave” conditions according to oceanographer Tim Smyth of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.



    Read more:
    What a 120-year-old research station is telling us about the warming of the sea around the UK

    A record-hot Atlantic Ocean is bad news for people living in the Caribbean and the south-east of North America. In its latest forecast for the 2025 hurricane season, which begins on June 1, the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an “above average” number of cyclonic storms.

    Much of this elevated risk is due to warmer seawater at the ocean surface fuelling stronger storms. But there’s only so much that meteorologists can do to stay ahead of the warming climate, as the rapid rate of global heating stretches long-range forecasting to its breaking point.



    Read more:
    The climate is changing so fast that we haven’t seen how bad extreme weather could get

    “The rapidly changing climate means we have not necessarily experienced the extremes that modern-day atmospheric and oceanic warmth can produce,” say atmospheric scientist Simon H Lee (University of St Andrews), climate scientist Hayley J Fowler and meteorologist Paul Davies (both of Newcastle University).

    “In a stable climate, scientists would have multiple decades for the atmosphere to get into its various configurations and drive extreme events, such as heatwaves, floods or droughts,” they say. Scientists typically use weather observations gathered over 30-year periods to characterise the climate.

    “But in our rapidly changing climate, we effectively have only a few years – not enough to experience everything the climate has to offer.”

    How hot will it get?

    Compared with its average temperature in the latter half of the 19th century, which is what scientists typically refer to as the climate’s pre-industrial baseline, Earth is on track to be 2.7°C hotter by 2100, according to an annual report by leading experts of Earth system science, published in October 2024.

    This conclusion is based on governments meeting their emissions goals (a big if) and it may already be out of date, given the unexpectedly hot first half of 2025.

    Fossil fuel emissions have yet to reach a plateau.
    Sunshine Seeds/Shutterstock

    On its own, this charitable estimate projects nearly double the level of warming attained so far. It’s unclear if civilisation could survive climate conditions like these, which are radically more hostile than anything our ancestors have experienced.

    What’s behind the accelerating rate of global warming? Here are two of the report authors, ecologists Thomas Newsome of the University of Sydney and William Ripple of Oregon State University.

    “Each year, we track 35 of the Earth’s vital signs, from sea ice extent to forests. [In 2024], 25 are now at record levels, all trending in the wrong directions,” they say.



    Read more:
    Unprecedented peril: disaster lies ahead as we track towards 2.7°C of warming this century

    While renewable energy sources like wind and solar have grown rapidly, fossil fuel use remains 14 times greater. What’s more, aerosols that are effective at reflecting the Sun’s energy back into space and cooling the Earth (soot is one example) are thought to be falling in the atmosphere.

    “Other environmental issues are now feeding into climate change,” Newsome and Ripple continue. Deforestation is shrinking the amount of carbon stored on land while rising temperatures and extreme weather are drying out and burning other carbon-rich habitats, like marshes and peatlands.

    Sea ice is melting too, ensuring the ocean absorbs yet more of the heat being trapped by an increasingly thick blanket of greenhouse gas.

    Bleak. But how much the planet warms this century is a moving target: everything we do today, and in coming years, will lower it. On this front, Sven Teske has, if not good news, then less bad news to share.



    Read more:
    Earth is heading for 2.7°C warming this century. We may avoid the worst climate scenarios – but the outlook is still dire

    “Humanity has shifted track enough to avert the worst climate future,” he says.

    “Renewables, energy efficiency and other measures have shifted the dial. The worst case scenario of expanded coal use, soaring emissions and a much hotter world is vanishingly unlikely.”

    – ref. Climate change: no reprieve from heat this decade as globally agreed 1.5°C limit looms – https://theconversation.com/climate-change-no-reprieve-from-heat-this-decade-as-globally-agreed-1-5-c-limit-looms-257263

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A gonorrhoea vaccine will soon be available in the UK – here’s how it works to protect against the STI

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bharat Pankhania, Senior Clinical Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter

    Gonorrhoea, which is caused by the bacterium _Neisseria gonorrhoeae_, is the second most common STI in the UK. Tatiana Shepeleva/ Shutterstock

    A vaccine targeting gonorrhoea will soon be rolled out on the NHS. This will make England and Wales the first two countries in the world to offer such a programme.

    This move comes amid a sharp rise in gonorrhoea cases in England and increasing concern about antibiotic resistance. In 2023 alone, there were over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses in England. Compared to 2012, where 25,525 cases were reported, this represents a 234% increase over the 11-year period.

    Gonorrhoea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK. It’s caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae and is spread via unprotected sex with an infected person.

    Around 10% of men and nearly half of women who test positive for gonorrhoea exhibit no symptoms. This is why this STI is so transmissible, as people without symptoms may not seek testing or treatment – meaning they may unknowingly transmit the infection to their sexual partners.

    For those that do experience symptoms, the most common signs of a gonorrhoea infection include unusual vaginal or penile discharge (which is usually yellow or green in colour), pain when urinating as well as pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen. In severe cases, the infection can spread throughout the body. In rare cases it can also lead to sepsis.



    Read more:
    Gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses are at their highest in decades – here’s what you need to know about these STIs

    Untreated gonorrhoea infections can lead to many complications, including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection in the reproductive organs) in women and epididymitis (inflammation of the testicles) in men.

    The only way to treat gonorrhoea is using antibiotics. But an increase in antibiotic resistance is making treatment difficult.

    Gonorrhoea prevention

    Currently, the only way to prevent a gonorrhoea infection is by practising safe sex, such as using condoms during intercourse and limiting the number of sexual partners.

    This new vaccine programme will offer an added layer of protection, especially for groups at high risk of acquiring the infection.

    The vaccine that will be offered on the NHS is actually an existing childhood vaccine called 4CMenB (also sold under the brand name Bexsero). This vaccine is used to protect against meningococcal group B disease, which can cause life-threatening bacterial meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) and sepsis.

    The bacterium that causes gonorrhoea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is genetically closely related to Neisseria meningitidis – the bacterium that causes meningococcal disease. Their genome is between 80-90% similar.

    The 4CMenB vaccine contains four antigens that are deployed against Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. An antigen is usually a small molecule that the body recognises as a foreign invader. This triggers the body to mount an immune response against the antigen by producing antibodies which neutralise the bacteria and eliminate the infection.

    The vaccine protects against gonorrhoea between 32-42% of the time.
    Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

    Two of the antigens found in the 4CMenB vaccine are found on the surface of both N gonorrhoeae and N meningitidis bacteria.

    This is why using the 4CMenB vaccine for protection against gonorrhoea has progressed from theory to reality, with several studies showing it has a cross-protective effect.

    Research has shown that the 4CMenB vaccine provides some protection against an infection from the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria. On average, the vaccine is effective in preventing gonorrhoea between 32% and 42% of the time.

    So while vaccination may reduce the chance of becoming infected with gonorrhoea, it’s not an absolute protection. Nevertheless, this new vaccine programme means those who are vaccinated will have a lower risk of contracting gonorrhoea and experiencing any complications that may arise from an infection. Most importantly, it also means they are less likely to transmit the infection to others.

    Vaccine programme

    The main benefit of a vaccination programme will be a significant reduction in the number of gonorrhoea cases overall. This is especially important given the rise of antibiotic resistance is making it increasingly difficult to treat gonorrhoea infections.

    It’s also worth noting that a previous gonorrhoea infection offers no protection against future infection and reinfection. This is why the vaccine is beneficial, even if it is only moderately effective.

    Eligible recipients, which includes gay and bisexual men who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a sexually transmitted infection, will be offered the vaccine through local NHS services from early August 2025.

    Eligible patients will be identified via their local sexual health service, as well as through a general information campaign via the NHS. Patients will also be offered the mpox, hepitatis A and B and human papillomavirus vaccinations at the same time.

    Vaccinating those at risk of contracting gonorrhoea will be more cost-effective and beneficial in the long run compared to vaccinating only those who have been diagnosed with gonorrhoea. Analysis led by Imperial College London has suggested the 4CMenB vaccine could prevent up to 100,000 cases of gonorrhoea and save the NHS over £7.9 million over the next decade if a high uptake is achieved.

    Bharat Pankhania is affiliated with the Liberal Democrat Party. He is an elected councillor in the city of Bath and will be the Mayor of Bath on June 7 2025.

    – ref. A gonorrhoea vaccine will soon be available in the UK – here’s how it works to protect against the STI – https://theconversation.com/a-gonorrhoea-vaccine-will-soon-be-available-in-the-uk-heres-how-it-works-to-protect-against-the-sti-257283

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five things new parents should know about their baby’s sleep

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helen L. Ball, Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Durham Inancy & Sleep Centre (DISC), Durham University

    Nilanka Sampath/Shutterstock

    Why won’t my baby sleep at night? It’s one of the most common – and exhausting – questions new parents ask. You’ve fed them, changed them, rocked them, cuddled them but still, they wake again. And again. And again.

    Baby humans are born utterly helpless – unable to walk, grip, or regulate their own systems. From the very beginning, they are biologically wired to stay close to a caregiver, relying on your body for warmth, safety, food and reassurance. Their sleep, feeding and waking patterns aren’t disordered – they’re designed for survival.

    My latest book tells you everything you need to know about your baby’s sleep during their first year, but here’s a brief explainer on what’s really going on with baby sleep, why “sleeping through the night” is often a myth, and how working with your baby’s natural biology – not against it – can help you both get more rest and feel less stressed.

    Let’s take a look at what science (and evolution) tells us about newborn sleep.

    1. Comfort and calm

    Unlike other baby mammals who are born able to see, hear, and call, baby humans have no muscle tone and no control over their limbs. They cannot cling to or follow you, and are completely reliant on their parents to keep them safe, warm, and fed. In fact, most babies crave being in physical contact with your body for comfort, warmth and safety. Letting them snuggle into you is a good way to calm them, and on your chest is where many newborns most want to sleep from the immediate postnatal period.

    Spending time with your baby snuggled on your chest is common in the first few weeks or months of new parenthood, and there are some important things to be aware of. Make sure you are sitting upright or leaning back in a reclined position, so your baby’s head is higher than their bottom. Do not lie flat on your back with your baby horizontal. This position can make babies work harder to breathe. Make sure their head is turned to one side and their chin is tilted upwards. This is important to keep their windpipe open – it can kink if their chin is down on their chest and the air cannot get through to their lungs.

    Be sure to hold them in place on your body – don’t assume they won’t slip off – gravity affects babies too. Lastly, but most importantly, stay awake. Do not let yourself fall asleep in this position. Young babies are very fragile and when they are lying on you, you must monitor their safety. If you think you might fall asleep, move them to somewhere safe – a clear flat safe surface, on their back, or the arms of someone who can stay awake.

    2. Safe bed-sharing

    If your baby is breastfed they will feed frequently day and night, often every two hours or so. This can be difficult to cope with if you have to get in and out of bed for every feed. Many breastfeeding mothers find that safe way to share your bed for some or all of the night helps reduce the disruption of night feeds as you can feed lying down and both you and your baby can return to sleep quickly.

    If you decide to bed-share learn how to make your bed as safe as possible for your baby. The Lullaby Trust, Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative and La Leche League all have good information on bed-sharing safety. If you are not able to do this safely (for instance if your baby was born prematurely, or you are a smoker) then a bedside bassinet is a good option.

    3. Circadian rhythm

    Newborn babies have no day-night rhythm. In the uterus they are under the influence of their mother’s circadian cycle.



    Read more:
    Babies don’t need sleep coaches – but sometimes their parents do

    After birth, their own day-night rhythm takes several months to appear, and to begin with they sleep equally across day and night. Because it responds to external triggers such as daylight, noise and activity, you can support the development of your baby’s circadian rhythm by starting daytime activities around them at a regular time (opening curtains, making noise etc) every morning. Taking babies outside in the daylight in the first half of the day also helps their body-clock to become attuned to daylight and nighttime.

    4. Sleeping for longer

    Over time all babies begin to spend a bit more time sleeping at night. This is called “consolidation of sleep into night-time”, and babies will begin sleeping for longer periods between feeds as they get older. But babies often still wake in the night well into the second half of their first year – sometimes this is because they are still night-feeding, but in other cases they just need to know you are nearby. A third of babies who were studied in a New Zealand research study had never slept through the night by the time they were 12 months old.

    5. Sleep consolidation

    As babies consolidate more of their sleep into the nighttime they will begin to sleep less during the day. You can support this process by avoiding daytime naps in silent darkened rooms, keeping sleeping babies in the daylight and in midst of household noise and activity for daytime naps, or napping on the go. This prevents babies from taking prolonged naps and keeps their sleep pressure rising until the nighttime, which also helps with sleep consolidation.



    Read more:
    What’s really going on when a child is ‘overtired’ – and how to help them go to sleep

    When you understand and work with your baby’s sleep biology it is unnecessary to try to train your baby how to sleep at night. Just be aware that throughout the first year and beyond, baby humans remain helpless baby mammals who need you for physical contact, comfort and safety. Their need to be close to you is vital for their survival.

    Helen L. Ball has received funding from NIHR, ESRC, Lullaby Trust, Scottish Government, Northern Accelerator, Durham County Council, Northumberland County Council, and Durham University. She is currently affiliated with Lullaby Trust and Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative in voluntary roles.

    – ref. Five things new parents should know about their baby’s sleep – https://theconversation.com/five-things-new-parents-should-know-about-their-babys-sleep-256282

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and Société Internationale des Hydrocarbures de Djibouti (SIHD) Strengthen Djibouti’s Hydrocarbon Sector through Capacity-Building Training Workshops

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti, May 29, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), the trade finance arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, in collaboration with its longstanding partner, the Société Internationale des Hydrocarbures de Djibouti (SIHD), has successfully conducted two back-to-back training workshops aimed at strengthening operational efficiency within Djibouti’s hydrocarbon sector. In total, 20 participants benefited from this initiative, demonstrating a commitment to both technical excellence and gender inclusion

    The first workshop, themed “Sales and Supply Chain Management”, took place from 8th to 10th April 2025 and addressed key issues including the optimization of procurement strategies and the development of competitive pricing models. The second workshop, held from 15th to 17th April 2025, focused on “Profitability Study and Risk Analysis of Downstream Oil Projects”, covering investment evaluation and corporate purchasing processes. These sessions were conducted by IFP Training, experts in the provision of professional development and capacity-building in energy and process industries. 

    Through this partnership, ITFC and SIHD aim to empower professionals with the essential skills and tools to strengthen procurement strategies in the petroleum sector, implement competitive export pricing, effectively evaluate investments and manage large-scale projects, enhance leadership and team supervision, and improve compliance and efficiency within public procurement processes. These training workshops form part of broader efforts to align with Djibouti Vision 2035, the nation’s long-term development strategy aimed at positioning Djibouti as Africa’s leading trade and logistics hub. 

    Over the years, ITFC has maintained a strong and prevailing partnership with the Republic of Djibouti, approving a total of US$1.6 billion across 33 operations, primarily focused on the energy and health sectors. This program is in line with ITFC’s integrated approach to Trade Finance and Development which reaffirms ITFC’s vision of a leading trade solutions provider for its member countries. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Russian government will allocate 1.5 billion rubles to support small and medium-sized exporting enterprises

    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

    Moscow, May 29 /Xinhua/ — The Russian government, on the instructions of the president, will allocate 1.5 billion rubles to support beginning and existing exporters among small and medium-sized enterprises in 2025. This was reported on Wednesday by the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

    The funds will be allocated through export support centers. It is planned to provide support to more than 12.5 thousand export-oriented small and medium enterprises, of which more than 1.2 thousand will conclude new export contracts worth at least 0.5 billion US dollars /more than 40 billion rubles/.

    According to Veronika Nikishina, Director General of the Russian Export Center, over the past six years, the efficiency of Russian export support centers has grown from 34.5 rubles of supported exports per 1 ruble of allocated subsidy in 2019 to 70.5 rubles in 2024.

    Today, there are 82 export support centers operating in Russia. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: President of Uzbekistan and Prime Minister of Italy held talks in Samarkand

    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

    Tashkent, May 29 (Xinhua) — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni held talks in the city of Samarkand, the Uzbek president’s press service reported on Thursday.

    “The negotiations between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic Giorgio Meloni took place in the Congress Center of the city of Samarkand in a tête-à-tête format and with the participation of official delegations,” the statement said.

    It is noted that issues of further development of bilateral strategic partnership relations and expansion of multifaceted cooperation were discussed.

    “Trade turnover has grown almost threefold in recent years, including due to the expansion of the range of mutual deliveries. The number of joint ventures and projects has doubled. Mutually beneficial cooperation has been established with leading Italian companies in the sectors of metallurgy, electrical engineering, agriculture, livestock farming, tourism and other areas,” the report states.

    The parties spoke in favor of continuing active political exchanges.

    “Active interaction with the institutions of the European Union will be continued, taking into account the fruitful summit in Samarkand in April this year. The importance of holding the Central Asia-Italy summit with a focus on practical results was emphasized,” the press service added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Crop Report for the Period May 20 to May 26, 2025

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 29, 2025

    Producers made significant progress again this week, with seeding now 88 per cent complete in Saskatchewan. This is ahead of the five-year average of 82 per cent and the 10-year average of 85 per cent. Topsoil moisture is showing some slight decline due to warm windy conditions.

    The southwest is the furthest advanced in seeding progress at 95 per cent complete. This is followed closely by the west-central region at 94 per cent, the northwest region at 93 per cent and the northeast region at 92 per cent. The east-central and southeast regions are the furthest behind at 81 per cent and 80 per cent respectively. 

    Provincially, seeding progress is the furthest ahead for field peas and lentils at 98 per cent and 95 per cent complete, respectively. Chickpeas are reported at 91 per cent, while soybeans are only at 48 per cent. For cereal crops, triticale is the furthest ahead at 94 per cent. Durum and spring wheat are both 93 per cent. Barley is at 89 per cent followed by oats at 79 per cent and canary seed is at 75 per cent. For oilseeds, mustard is 92 per cent followed by canola at 83 per cent and flax at 73 per cent. Perennial forages are at 55 per cent complete.

    Rainfall was variable across the province with some producers in the southeast regions experiencing increased amounts. The highest reported rainfall was in the Weyburn area at 66 millimetres (mm). The Griffin and Indian Head areas received 20 mm, and the Browning area received 18 mm.

    Overall, topsoil moisture is showing some slight reductions over the past week due to dry and windy conditions. Cropland topsoil moisture is four per cent surplus, 65 per cent adequate and 27 per cent short. Hayland topsoil moisture is two per cent surplus, 59 per cent adequate and 31 per cent short. Pasture topsoil moisture is very similar with one per cent surplus, 56 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and two per cent very short.

    Most producers are reporting normal crop development across the province. Fall cereals are currently rated at 89 per cent normal crop development for this time of year with seven per cent ahead and four per cent behind normal. Spring cereals are estimated to be 73 per cent normal with 13 per cent ahead and 14 per cent behind. Pulse crops are rated at 76 per cent normal crop development with 10 per cent ahead and 14 per cent behind. Oilseeds are at 73 per cent normal with seven per cent ahead and 20 per cent behind normal development. Perennial forage is 79 per cent normal crop development with six per cent ahead and 15 per cent behind. Annual forage is indicated at 77 per cent normal crop development while 10 per cent is ahead and 13 per cent is behind.

    Crop damage was minor with a few producers reporting some damage due to heat, wind and dry conditions. Flooding and frost were also noted as causing minor damage in some areas of the province. Flea beetle, wireworm and cutworm activity has been noted, with some producers taking control measures. Some regions have observed grasshoppers hatching but current reports of crop damage are few.

    Most producers anticipate that seeding will wrap up within the next week if weather permits. Producers are also busy moving cattle to pasture, spraying and land rolling.

    As producers continue with seeding and field work operations, they are encouraged to take safety precautions in all the work that they do. The Farm Stress Line can help by providing support for producers toll free at 1-800-667-4442.

    A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online – Download Crop Report.

    Follow the 2025 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.

    For more information, contact:

    Kim Stonehouse
    Agriculture
    Tisdale
    Phone: 306-878-8807
    Email: kim.stonehouse@gov.sk.ca

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Innovation Saskatchewan Unveils New Research Strategy and Unified Brand

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 29, 2025

    Today, Innovation Saskatchewan released Accelerating Innovation, Advancing Industry: Saskatchewan’s Research Strategy. A new plan to position the province as a global leader in research and innovation. The strategy includes enhancements to two Innovation Saskatchewan programs, the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) and the Saskatchewan Technology Startup Incentive (STSI), to promote economic growth through research and innovation.  

    The announcement also introduced Innovation Saskatchewan’s unified brand, which brings the agency’s programs and supports under one identity and includes the renaming of Innovation Place to Innovation Saskatchewan Research and Technology (R+T) Parks in Regina and Saskatoon.  

    Together, these efforts reinforce the province’s commitment to research, innovation and economic advancement for key sectors in support of Saskatchewan’s 2030 Growth Plan Goals. 

    “Saskatchewan has a world-class research community that continues to build upon our reputation as a global innovation hub,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Warren Kaeding said. “This new research strategy and unified brand align provincial supports and programs to unlock future opportunities, enhance creative impacts and excel Saskatchewan’s ambitious growth plan target to triple the technology sector by 2030.” 

    Saskatchewan’s research strategy is built on three pillars of the innovation life cycle: Invent, Commercialize and Connect. By focusing support on these stages, the province aims to maximize impact through stronger access to talent, infrastructure, funding and global networks, while reducing barriers and risks. 

    The strategy targets sectors where Saskatchewan has established strengths or high growth potential, ensuring public investment delivers strong returns and tangible benefits for citizens. The four Research Priority Areas are Agriculture, Life Sciences, Energy and Mining and Critical Minerals. 

    “Saskatchewan’s innovation ecosystem has provided unparalleled opportunities critical to LiORA’s growth from training at top research universities to collaborations with unique research institutions to access to funding and global networks and partnerships,” LiORA Co-Founder and CEO Steven Siciliano said. “Deepening this support will have a profound impact on our province and the world, pushing Saskatchewan even further to the forefront of innovation.” 

    As part of the research strategy, Innovation Saskatchewan announced upcoming enhancements to Innovation and Science Fund (ISF) and Saskatchewan Technology Startup Incentive (STSI). 

    ISF will receive a $2.4 million annual increase, nearly doubling total funding to $5.2 million and will expand to support four key streams: research infrastructure, research projects, the broader research ecosystem and international collaboration.  

    STSI will extend eligibility status to life sciences startups, broadening investor access to the program’s non-refundable 45 per cent tax credit for more Saskatchewan ventures. 

    “These joint, milestone announcements are a signal to the world that Saskatchewan is ready to lead in research, innovation and industry collaboration,” Innovation Saskatchewan CEO Kari Harvey said. “By expanding key programs in a government-wide strategy and uniting our supports under a clear, cohesive brand, we are making it easier for researchers, entrepreneurs and investors to work together and deliver solutions with real impact – right here in Saskatchewan.”  

    Saskatchewan’s Research Strategy was announced during an event at the newly renamed Innovation Saskatchewan R+T Park Saskatoon, a symbolic backdrop for the province’s renewed focus on collaboration, commercialization and global research leadership.  

    Explore the full strategy at researchSK.ca and discover Innovation Saskatchewan’s new brand and digital experience at www.innovationsask.ca. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Investing in New York’s Canal System

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced New York State is continuing to invest in the New York State Canal system through a $50 million allocation in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget as the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial navigation season begins. The capital funding secured through the state, the second in two years, builds upon the annual investment into the waterway’s core operation and maintenance by the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation, and supports the vision put forth by the Canal Recreationway Commission in the recently published Canal Recreationway 2050 Plan.

    “Governor DeWitt Clinton may have been the one to take credit for bringing the Erie Canal to life, but I’d like to take credit for keeping it thriving 200 years later by providing unprecedented funding to ensure the Canal system remains safe, operable, and a driver of tourism and economic activity,” Governor Hochul said. “By supporting the Canal system’s essential infrastructure, some of which dates back to the 19th century, we’re ensuring this network of waterways and trails will continue to positively support those who come to recreate and do business here, and the more than 200 upstate New York communities that thrive within the Canal corridor.”

    The $50 million appropriation in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget includes funding to support the rehabilitation of 19th century reservoir dams, a high-hazard earthen embankment dam that retains water above an adjacent community, and aging steel gates and other water control structures along the Canal system that are designed to protect downstream life and property. This investment in the canal’s principal infrastructure ensures the waterway is resilient, supports the diverse needs of the communities it passes through, and continues to be a driver of economic development as it begins its third century of operation.

    New York Power Authority Board of Trustees Chairman John Koelmel said, “We have been making historic investments in the Canal system to ensure its infrastructure is resilient; its programming is innovative and engaging; and that all of our efforts allow this waterway to remain in continuous operation for the next two centuries. We are working toward having a Canal System that is a vibrant, sustainable resource for New Yorkers and beyond.”

    New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “We are committed to transforming the Erie Canal into a model of sustainable infrastructure that honors its rich history and secures its place in a thriving, resilient, and inclusive future for its next two centuries of use.”

    2025 marks the 201st consecutive season of navigation along the Canal system and the bicentennial of the opening of the original Erie Canal on October 26, 1825. Supported by the Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission, the canal corridor from Albany to Buffalo will be bustling with events this year ranging from concerts to festivals to theater performances and more. As communities and organizations come together to commemorate this milestone, information on all of these happenings can be found on an interactive calendar hosted by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The link to the calendar can be found here.

    Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission Co-Chair and First Gentleman William J. Hochul Jr. said, “I have spent countless hours traversing the New York State Canal system and have enjoyed every minute. It has been a high honor to work on commemorative activities celebrating the remarkable history of the Canals, while also preparing the way for the future. As we kick off the 2025 navigation season, I can’t wait to see all our efforts, which have been many months in the making, come to life across the many cities and towns that share access to the Canals.”

    New York State Canal Corporation Director and Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission Co-Chair Brian U. Stratton said, “We have been hard at work since 2017, the beginning of this bicentennial period, to ensure we honor this occasion appropriately. Our efforts have ranged from event support to creating a robust blueprint for the next 25 years of Canal operations to putting herculean effort into ensuring our infrastructure is in good, safe working order. The end goal is a thriving Erie Canal that is open for through-navigation, for all of the communities it passes through, and for all of the people who come to recreate here.”

    This July, the two-time GRAMMY award-winning Albany Symphony, in partnership with the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, will perform a free five-part concert series along the Canal system. This musical experience, entitled “Water Music NY,” will be offered in Medina, Seneca Falls, Utica, Fort Plain, and Schuylerville with each concert composed specifically for the host canalside communities. The music series will explore themes of nature, the environment and contemporary communities on the Erie Canal; the food and stories of people from around the world who now call Utica, a premier Erie Canal community, home; music that honors the multi-layered stories of women on the Waterways; Indigenous heritage; and the experience of enslaved people who fought for freedom on the Underground Railroad. This year’s concerts build upon the “Water Music NY: More Voices” program offered last year that focused on exploring underrepresented voices, including those of women, immigrants, people of color and Indigenous peoples.

    Albany Symphony Music Director David Alan Miller said, “As the Erie Canal nears its third century of operation, we are so excited to embark on a grand new adventure with our wonderful partners at the New York State Canal Corporation. In anticipation of the Erie Canal’s momentous bicentennial season, we have engaged five brilliant composers who have immersed themselves in five gorgeous canalside communities and have created visionary new works for our orchestra and community collaborators exploring the vibrant history and culture of our great state. We cannot wait to celebrate with thousands of residents and visitors at free daylong festivals that include delicious food, fun outdoor activities, historical explorations, and family-friendly arts, culminating in fabulous orchestra concerts featuring these dazzling new works. It is our hope that our music will spark dialogue, expand perspectives, and inspire everyone to experience and cherish the beautiful canal system that flows through our state and is so much a part of New York State’s past, present and future.”

    In September, the 2025 World Canals Conference will occur in Buffalo as part of the bicentennial commemoration. This yearly event, held in locations around the world, brings together an international audience of hundreds of canal and inland waterway enthusiasts, professionals and scholars to learn about a variety of topics related to canals. The New York Power Authority, New York State Canal Corporation, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Visit Buffalo Niagara, are the joint sponsors this year and are coordinating all aspects of the conference.

    As the World Canals Conference concludes, the Seneca Chief, a replica of the original Erie Canal boat New York State Governor DeWitt Clinton sailed from Buffalo to New York Harbor in 1825, will begin its journey to recreate that inaugural voyage. The Seneca Chief is scheduled to arrive in New York Harbor on October 26, the official anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal. Created and built by the Buffalo Maritime Center, the project has been heralded as one of the largest community-based boatbuilding endeavors in the world. The Seneca Chief will make stops in communities across the Erie Canal and Hudson River, with commemorative events at each stop.

    To ensure a more complete narrative on the Erie Canal’s history and its enduring legacy is told this bicentennial year, the New York Power Authority, New York State Canal Corporation, and WMHT Public Media partnered to create a multi-platform, multi-media initiative, called “Reflections on the Erie Canal,” which launched this spring with the airing of a 10-part weekly documentary series. The series will conclude with an hourlong original documentary, to premier this September at the World Canals Conference in Buffalo. In addition to the documentary series, new content was created for classrooms across New York.

    Last, in honor of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial, the New York State Canal Corporation commissioned artist Dr. Tyler Nordgren to create a poster that captures 200 years of this remarkable waterway, and its future. The image can be found here. Information on how to obtain copies of the full-sized poster will be made available to the public in the coming weeks.

    In addition to the abovementioned efforts, several New York State agencies and businesses are offering Erie Canal Bicentennial themed products, including:

    • New York State Department of Motor Vehicles – Erie Canal Bicentennial License Plate
    • New York State Office of General Services – An Erie Canal themed photo exhibit at the Empire State Plaza in Albany
    • New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets – Erie Canal themed displays at the 2025 Great New York State Fair
    • New York State Division of the Lottery – Plans are in the works for something special, to be announced this summer
    • Saratoga Springs based Stewart’s Shops – “Minted in 1825” ice cream available at participating locations throughout the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley and Syracuse area
    • Buffalo based Big Ditch Brewing Company – An Erie Canal themed beer will be available soon at select locations in Western NY where Big Ditch is sold

    New York State Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “Throughout its history, the Erie Canal generated and grew canal-based cities, and opened our state and nation to endless economic possibilities. As we mark the 201st consecutive navigation season of the Erie Canal and prepare for bicentennial celebrations coming this fall, I’m excited to see how our Canal communities will continue to use their unique heritage and history as a catalyst for future growth and redevelopment.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Two hundred years after its opening, the Erie Canal is still a driver of tourism and economic activity. As we commemorate the Bicentennial this summer, there are many opportunities for visitors to learn about the canal, whether experiencing the exciting ‘Waterway of Change’ exhibit at Canalside in Buffalo, following the Seneca Chief’s journey across New York State or listening to community concerts set to historically inspired scores. Thanks to Governor Hochul and to investments in the Erie Canal’s infrastructure, this iconic waterway will be celebrated for the next 200 years.”

    Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “As we celebrate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, we honor a legacy that transformed New York State and the nation. Exploring the Canal offers a unique journey through America’s early history and innovation as the Canal continues to connect people through its scenic trails, vibrant waterways, and historic towns. The 200th anniversary serves as a reminder of the enduring value of preserving our heritage while embracing the recreational, cultural, and historic destination the Canal provides for future generations to come.”

    New York State Historian Devin Lander said, “The building of the Erie Canal was a complex and momentous undertaking. It involved thousands of laborers and dozens of engineers and resulted in a public works project beyond anything the nation had seen at the time. It opened New York State to the west and opened the west to America. When it was all said and done, it can be said that the Empire State was born on the back of a canal boat.”

    Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Executive Director Bob Radliff said, “The Erie Canal transformed New York State and had a profound impact on the nation. We hope this auspicious anniversary year invites everyone to explore New York’s extraordinary canal heritage and enjoy all that the waterway has to offer today.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “200 years on the Erie Canal! This bicentennial celebration is an opportunity to reflect on the history of the canal, the role it played in the building of our community, and the impact it still has every day on tourism and navigation. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment towards promoting the canal’s history and recreation throughout canal communities.”

    Assemblymember Bill Magnarelli said, “The Erie Canal is an iconic historical feature of the Central New York region. The Governor’s investment in the Erie Canal will help it continue to be a factor in our state’s tourism, economic development and future history.”

    The New York State Canal system will operate daily this navigation season through Monday, November 3, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Third Amicus Brief in Support of Challenge to Refugee Ban and Refugee Funding Suspension

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, May 27, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, as part of a multistate coalition, filed an amicus brief in Pacito v. Trump in support of a challenge to the Trump Administration’s unlawful suspension of refugee admissions and funding under the United States Refugee Assistance Program. In the brief, the coalition urges the U.S. Court of Appeals to affirm the preliminary injunctions issued by the District Court in Washington. This is the States’ third amicus brief in the case. 

    A copy of the brief is available here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –