NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rapists and domestic abusers have sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Rapists and domestic abusers have sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes

    Violent offenders who abused women have had their sentences increased after Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP referred their cases to the Court of Appeal.

    Rapists and domestic abusers, as well as other criminals, have had their sentences increased during the first three months of this year under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.  

    Data published by the Attorney General’s Office shows that out of a total 48 cases heard by the Court of Appeal between January and March 2025, 33 sentences were increased.  

    Of these 33 sentences, 15 cases related to violent and sexual offences against women and girls. Nine were drug-related sentences and other offences included robbery, manslaughter, and conspiracy to traffic contraband into prison. 

    The largest sentence increase was for Rico Persechino who saw his jail term extended by six years after it was referred to the Court of Appeal.  

    Rico Persechino was part of an organised criminal group operating in Surrey that carried out multiple burglaries, a violent assault, and stole more than £215,000 of high-value cars.  

    Persechino’s sentence was increased from seven years’ and six months to 13 years’ and six months on 13 March 2025 after it was referred to the Court of Appeal.  

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:  

    The Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme exists to protect victims, and referrals to the Court of Appeal this year show that more perpetrators of violence against women and girls are being kept in jail for longer. 

    As Solicitor General, I will continue to refer cases that are unduly lenient to the courts to ensure that justice is secured, victims in these cases are protected, and that public trust in the criminal justice system can be restored.

    Other cases between January and March that saw significant sentences increase include:  

    • Stuart Worby, 45, from Malthouse Court, Dereham, who had his sentence increased from 12 years to 17 years after giving a woman medication which caused her to have an abortion.  
    • Ryan Sutton, 24, from Worcester, who groomed and raped a 10-year-old he met on social media had his sentence increased by three years to a total of nine years’ imprisonment with a licence extension of 12 months.
    • Jie Zhang, 42, from West London, had her sentence more than doubled from three years to eight years’ imprisonment for leading an international prostitution ring that recruited sex-workers from East Asia and Europe to work in brothels across London.  

    Notes to editors  

    The ULS scheme came into force on 1st February 1989. It was introduced after public outcry over the lenient sentencing of the offenders involved in the 1986 rape of a 21-year-old. The first ever ULS hearing took place in July 1989 for a man who committed incest and had his sentence doubled from three to six years. 

    The scheme was extended in 2017 to include an additional 19 terror-related offences, and again in 2019 to cover more sexual offences as well as coercive control and stalking and harassment involving violence. 

    Only one person needs to ask for a sentence to be reviewed and only certain types of case can be reviewed, such as: murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor awards $3.5M to continue disaster-relief jobs, training for Tennessee residents harmed by Tropical Storm Helene

    Source: US Department of Labor

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded incremental funding of $3.5 million to support disaster-relief jobs and continue employment training for Tennessee residents affected by Tropical Storm Helene. 

    In September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm and quickly moved across the Southeast, weakening to a tropical storm that inundated eastern portions of Tennessee with floodwaters. The flooding led to deaths and damaged and destroyed businesses, homes and critical infrastructure.

    In October 2024, the department’s Employment and Training Administration responded by awarding a National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $5 million, with an initial award of $1 million, to assist with cleanup and recovery activities in 12 Tennessee counties affected by the storm. 

    This Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant allows the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development to provide people with temporary jobs focused on cleanup and recovery efforts, as well as provide employment and training services to storm-impacted individuals.  

    Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants provide a state or local board with funding for direct services and assistance in areas experiencing a major economic dislocation event that leads to workforce needs exceeding available resources. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Continued Temporary Housing Assistance Available

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>LOS ANGELES – If you received rental assistance from FEMA and require further rental assistance while working toward your permanent housing goals, we encourage you to stay in touch with FEMA. Continued Temporary Housing Assistance (CTHA) may be available for those who qualify. 
    Rental Assistance is available as an initial temporary two-month grant for homeowners and renters to pay for somewhere to live if their primary residence suffered damage from the Los Angeles County wildfires. If you were displaced and need assistance covering housing costs you should contact FEMA to determine your eligibility for this program. If temporary housing is still needed after the first two months of receiving rental assistance, survivors can apply for CTHA based on three months of their actual monthly costs for rent and utilities or the Fair Market Rent, for up to 18 months from the date the disaster was declared, January 8, 2025, as long as they remain eligible.
    If you received funds for Additional Living Expenses through your insurance, you may be eligible for initial Rental Assistance once those funds are exhausted.
    To be eligible to apply for CTHA, survivors must meet the following conditions:

    Be awarded initial Rental Assistance and show they used this money to pay for temporary housing,
    Are unable to return to their pre-disaster residence because it is not safe to live in or is no longer available to them, due to the disaster.
    Demonstrate a continued disaster-caused financial need.
    Show that they have established a permanent housing plan and that they are working toward meeting that goal.

    What are eligible expenses: 

    CTHA is intended to cover the monthly rent amount (including lot rent, if applicable)
    Essential utilities (gas, propane, electric, water, oil, trash, sewer due to disaster-caused displacement)

    This does not include telephone, cable TV, or internet service for the housing unit. 

    If you were initially approved for Rental Assistance, an application for CTHA may be mailed to you 15 days after the grant is approved. If you do not receive one, please contact FEMA by calling 800-621-3362. 
    Return the form to FEMA by either:

    Uploading it to your FEMA Disaster Assistance account, available online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
    Mailing the completed form to: FEMA, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
    Faxing it to 800-827-8112.

    For the latest information about California’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4856. Follow FEMA Region 9 @FEMARegion9 on X or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel.
    California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process. Visit CA.gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Encourages Eligible Kentucky Disaster Survivors of April Storms To Apply for Programs Before the Assistance Deadline

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Encourages Eligible Kentucky Disaster Survivors of April Storms To Apply for Programs Before the Assistance Deadline

    FEMA Encourages Eligible Kentucky Disaster Survivors of April Storms To Apply for Programs Before the Assistance Deadline

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    –FEMA is encouraging eligible Kentucky disaster survivors to apply for assistance programs including Child Care, Serious Needs Assistance and Displacement Assistance before the June 25 deadline

    Do not miss out on assistance that may be available to you because of a missed deadline

    Homeowners and renters in Anderson, Butler, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Franklin, Hardin, Hopkins, Jessamine, McCracken, Mercer, Owen and Woodford counties who suffered loss caused by the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides may be eligible for assistance

    Serious Needs AssistanceSerious Needs Assistance is money to pay for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation

    It is available for 30 days from the date of declaration for Individual Assistance in all disasters

    The date of declaration for DR-4864-KY is April 24, 2025, so the deadline for Serious Needs Assistance in Kentucky is May 24

     How much Serious Needs Assistance can I get? FEMA gives Serious Needs Assistance as a one-time payment of $770 per household

    The award amount is adjusted annually

    Child Care AssistanceKentucky survivors of the April storms may be eligible for Child Care Assistance if they did NOT have child care expenses prior to the disaster, but do have child care expenses after, as a result of the disaster, and those expenses are not covered by another source

    How Much Child Care Assistance Can I Get?Child Care Assistance may be available for up to eight weeks per child or per household

    The maximum amount for child care for Kentuckians is $1,260 per child

     Who May Get Child Care Assistance?Kentucky disaster survivors may be eligible for FEMA Child Care Assistance even if they did not have property damage

    FEMA may award payment for Child Care Assistance under its Other Needs Assistance program to those with disaster-caused child care expenses following the April storms

     Displacement AssistanceFEMA helps survivors who can’t return to their home following a disaster by giving them up-front money to help with immediate housing needs

     FEMA may provide a one-time payment of up to two weeks of funds for temporary lodging at a hotel, motel, or the home of friends or family, for displaced applicants who apply during the registration period

    How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceThere are four ways to apply for FEMA assistance:Online at DisasterAssistance

    gov

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, visit fema

    gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)

    Use the FEMA mobile app

    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    It is open 7 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    Eastern Time

    Help is available in many languages

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

    FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis

    Again, for disaster survivors in Kentucky counties approved for Individual Assistance for the April storms, the application deadline is June 25

     For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4860 and www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4864

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

    martyce

    allenjr
    Tue, 05/06/2025 – 17:23

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Georgia Survivors Have Received More Than $549 Million for Helene Recovery

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Georgia Survivors Have Received More Than $549 Million for Helene Recovery

    Georgia Survivors Have Received More Than $549 Million for Helene Recovery

    As of May 5, more than $549 million in federal assistance and low-interest loans has gone out to Hurricane Helene survivors in GeorgiaEight months after the devastating storm, families and individuals have received money for basic repairs to their homes, rental assistance, sheltering in hotels, funds for replacement of essential personal property, money for serious needs, disaster case management, and other assistance

    This assistance has been provided to more than 399,300 households in Georgia

    “We are thankful for the partnership and collaboration with FEMA and the SBA,” stated Director Josh Lamb of GEMA/HS, “which has allowed Georgians adversely impacted by Hurricane Helene, to receive over $549 Million in funding to assist in the rebuilding of their lives

    “Here are some ways that FEMA, SBA and other federal agencies are working with the state of Georgia and local communities to provide support:FEMA approved more than$364 million in grants to survivors tohelp with housing repair or replacement, rental assistance, personal property loss and other needs

    Of that, more than 4,700 families have received over $11

    5 million in rental assistance which gives families funds to rent a new home

    This program also lets families get additional funds for up to 18 months

    he U

    S

     Small Business Administration approved more than 3,200 in low-interest disaster loans for business and homeowners for more than $187 million

    FEMA paid outmore than $26

    3 million in flood insurance claims to more than 460 policyholders

    Additionally, FEMA paid for emergency hotel/motel stays for more than 840 families

    FEMA and the U

    S

     Army Corps of Engineers is working with the state and communities to monitor debris removal

     To date, over 40

    1 million cubic yards of debris has been removed from public rights of way

    FEMA remains committed to helping Georgians on their road to recovery and continues to work with federal, state and local agencies to find survivors affordable housing options by hosting housing resource fairs to connect families with local services and resources

    To date, FEMA has hosted 12 housing resource fairs and helped 1,011 attendees

     “We want survivors to know we are here for them and want to see the best outcome, which is moving into safe, sanitary and functioning housing,” stated FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin Wallace

    “We will walk them through their options to ensure they are aware of the resources that are available to fit their need

    ”As severe storm season continues and hurricane season approaches, FEMA encourages Georgians to prepare by:Getting an insurance check-up

    Your insurance policy may not cover floods or wildfires

    Talk to your agent to make sure you have the right kind and amount of insurance

    You can visit FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program Quoting Tool to find out how much flood insurance may cost and find an insurance agency to purchase a policy

    Having several ways to receive alerts

     Download the free FEMA app to receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide

    Sign up for community alerts in your area and make sure your phone can receive Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)

    Gathering Supplies

     Your supplies should have items you and your family would need to stay safe and comfortable for several days after disaster

    Remember to consider the needs of those you care for, whether they are children, older adults, loved ones who have a disability and pets

    Visit Ready

    gov and learn about disasters, low and no cost preparedness, lists to build kits and create a free family emergency communications plan

    jakia

    randolph
    Tue, 05/06/2025 – 12:45

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HARRISBURG – Growing Tomorrow’s Workforce – Shapiro Administration to Host Area K-8 Students for Hands-On Agriculture Career Inspiration, Exploration

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 07, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    ADVISORY – HARRISBURG – Growing Tomorrow’s Workforce – Shapiro Administration to Host Area K-8 Students for Hands-On Agriculture Career Inspiration, Exploration

    Agriculture Secretary and Acting Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe will join area K-8 students for a highlights tour of Farm City Day – a day of hands-on agriculture career inspiration and exploration at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The event is part of the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for meaningful careers for all Pennsylvania students and growing the skilled workforce ag employers need to keep Pennsylvania a national ag leader in the future.

    Throughout two school days, more than 1,300 students from Carlisle, Central Dauphin, Conewago, Harrisburg, Lower Dauphin, Muhlenberg, Reading, Schuylkill Valley, Susquehanna, Warrior Run, and West Shore School Districts, as well as private, charter, and homeschool students from across southcentral PA will encounter horses, rabbits, lambs, and pigs up close, and learn about careers from dairy farming and beekeeping to sustainable forestry, plant science, and animal care.

    WHAT:
    2025 Farm City Day – media availability and brief highlight tour

    WHO:
    Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding
    Acting Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe
    Educators and students from across southcentral Pennsylvania

    WHEN:
    Wednesday, May 7, 11:30 a.m.

    WHERE:
    PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, 2300 N. Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110
    (Enter Main Hall via Maclay St. Lobby entrance)

    RSVP:
    Media wishing to attend should RSVP to Shannon Powers, shpowers@pa.gov.

    Contact:
    shpowers@pa.gov, 717.603.2056

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Preliminary Injunction in Lawsuit to Protect Vital Education Funding

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, May 6, 2025

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

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the decision by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granting a preliminary injunction to prevent the federal government from rescinding access to hundreds of millions of dollars in vital education funding while litigation proceeds. In California alone, over $200 million in previously awarded and obligated funding is at stake – funding that school districts are already putting to use for programs such as afterschool and summer learning initiatives, the purchase of educational technology, and the provision of mental health services and support.  

    “The Trump Administration continues to break the law, and we continue to hold him accountable,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I’m pleased by the court’s decision today allowing vital education funding to continue to flow into our schools while our case continues. We will not stop fighting to ensure these unlawful, nonsensical funding cuts never see the light of day. Our students deserve nothing less.”

    BACKGROUND 

    On March 28, 2025, Education Secretary Linda McMahon notified state departments of education that the U.S. Department of Education had unilaterally rescinded access to previously awarded and obligated education funding that is currently being used by school districts to support the academic recovery of students following the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs and services address, among other things, the impact of lost instructional time; students’ academic, social, and emotional needs; and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on economically-disadvantaged students,  including homeless children and children in foster care.  

    On April 10, 2025, Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of states challenged the Department of Education’s actions. The states argue that the Department’s decision to rescind access to this funding is arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act, exceeds the Department’s statutory and regulatory authority under the law, and will cause immediate and devastating harm to school districts in California and across the nation.

    A copy of the court’s order is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Man Sentenced to 12 Years’ Imprisonment in Connection with $17M Medicare Fraud Schemes

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A California man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $17 million through sham hospice companies and his home health care company.

    According to court documents, Petros Fichidzhyan, 44, of Granada Hills, schemed with others to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. Fichidzhyan and his co-schemers controlled hospice entities and used foreign nationals’ personal identifying information (PII) to conceal the scheme, using the PII to, among other things, open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. The defendant and his co-schemers also misappropriated the names and PII of several doctors, two of whom were deceased, to fraudulently bill Medicare for purported hospice services. Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million, of which Fichidzhyan received nearly $7 million, with more than $5.3 million laundered through a dozen shell and third-party bank accounts. Fichidzhyan also obtained more than $1 million in false claims paid to his home health care agency, which fraudulently used a doctor’s name and identifying information as having certified Medicare beneficiaries for home health care. When the doctor confronted Fichidzhyan about the fraud, Fichidzhyan attempted to cover up the scheme by paying the doctor $11,000.

    Fichidzhyan pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering in February 2025. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $17,129,060 in restitution, and the court preliminarily ordered the forfeiture of a home bought with fraudulent proceeds. The government has seized $2,920,383 from bank accounts associated with the fraud. The sentence imposed today is the most recent step in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area.

    “For years, the defendant, working with others, ran multiple sham hospice and home health care schemes, fraudulently billing Medicare over $17 million,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s egregious scheme relied on layers of deception and sophisticated money laundering, and wasted millions in taxpayer money. With the help of our law enforcement partners, the Department of Justice is fully committed to stopping these criminal networks and protecting the public fisc.”

    “Health care fraud is not a victimless crime. Defrauding the Medicare program not only wastes valuable taxpayer dollars, it causes significant harm to enrollees,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office. “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who defraud federal health care programs.”

    “Mr. Fichidzhyan lined his pockets at the expense of the American taxpayer,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The level of fraud and exploitation committed by the defendant is astounding and I’m proud of our investigators and prosecutors who were able to detect his schemes and hold him accountable.”

    The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Eric C. Schmale and Sarah E. Edwards of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Largest Fentanyl Bust in DEA History: Authorities Seize Over 400 Kilograms of Fentanyl in Record-Shattering Operation

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Federal authorities have arrested 16 individuals and seized record-breaking quantities of fentanyl, cash, firearms, and vehicles across multiple states, dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in U.S. history.

    “This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, is a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle every cartel network operating illegally in the United States.”

    As part of this operation, law enforcement executed coordinated search warrants across five states, resulting in the following seizures:

    Albuquerque, NM:

    • Approximately $610,000 in U.S. currency
    • 49 firearms, some with switches, and some ghost guns
    • 396 kilograms of fentanyl pills
    • 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder
    • 1.5 kilograms of cocaine
    • 3.5 kilograms of heroin
    • 7 pounds of methamphetamine
    • A Ford Raptor and GMC Denali Two vehicles valued at approximately $140,000
    Guns seized in Albuquerque, New Mexico

    Salem, OR:

    • More than $2.8 million in U.S. currency
    • Jewelry valued at approximately $50,000
    • A Mercedes AMG and Ford F-150 Shelby valued at approximately $150,000
    Cash seized in Salem, Oregon

    Layton, UT:

    • Approximately $780,000 in U.S. currency
    • A Dodge TRX Mammoth valued at approximately $150,000

    Phoenix, AZ:

    • Approximately $390,000 in U.S. currency
    • 72 pounds of methamphetamine
    • 13 kilograms of fentanyl pills
    • 2.4 pounds of heroin
    • 5 kilograms of cocaine.

    Las Vegas, NV:

    • Illegal alien apprehended and removed
    • More than $93,000 in U.S. currency
    • 2.7 kilograms of cocaine
    • 1 pound of methamphetamine

    “Our communities are safer today because of the tireless dedication and coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “By dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous fentanyl trafficking organizations in U.S. history, we have removed millions of lethal doses from our streets and sent a clear message: those who profit from poisoning our citizens will be held accountable. The fight continues, but this operation marks a decisive step in protecting families across the western United States.”

    “Behind the three million fentanyl pills we seized are destructive criminal acts thwarted and American lives saved. This wasn’t just a bust—it was a battlefield victory against a terrorist-backed network pumping death into our cities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “This case represents DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills to date. I commend the men and women of DEA for their extraordinary work, day in and day out, and I remind the cartels that DEA is relentlessly in pursuit and will not stop until we destroy your networks.”

    Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, is the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He, along with Cesar Acuna-Moreno, 27, Bruce Sedillo, 26, Vincent Montoya, 35, Francisco Garcia, 27, David Anesi, 42, George Navarette-Ramirez, 25, Alex Anthony Martinez, Jose Luis Marquez, Nicholas Tanner, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, and David Altamirano Lopez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

    Seven defendants face additional charges of distributing fentanyl: Cesar Acuna-Moreno, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, Bruce Sedillo, Francisco Garcia, and Nicholas Tanner.

    Jose Luis Marquez and Bruce Sedillo are each charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Bruce Sedillo is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Heriberto Salazar Amaya faces three additional immigration-related charges: illegal reentry after deportation, hiring an unauthorized alien, and conspiracy to harbor unauthorized aliens.

    During the operation, three additional individuals were arrested and charged by criminal complaint:

    • Phillip Lovato, 39: On April 29, agents seized approximately 110,000 fentanyl pills from Lovato’s stash house in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
    Cash and Drugs seized in Santa Fe, New Mexico
    • Roberta Herrera, 31; On April 28, agents seized approximately 365,000 pills fentanyl pills, 1,543.5 grams of heroin, 569.9 grams of cocaine, and 24 firearms from Herrera’s apartment. Agents also encountered a minor child at the location. Herrera is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
    • Misael Lopez Rubio, 25; on April 28, agents seized approximately 165.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills from a storage unit rented by Lopez Rubio. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
    Drugs seized in Albuquerque, NM

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico and Special Agent in Charge Omar Arellano of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.

    The DEA’s El Paso Division investigated this case with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation. The following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Lea County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, Isleta Police Department, Laguna Pueblo Police Department, Pojoaque Police Department and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew McGinley, Blake Nichols and Raquel Ruiz-Velez for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    View the Indictment

    View the Motion to Detain

    View Lovato’s Criminal Complaint

    View Herrera’s Criminal Complaint

    View Lopez Rubio’s Criminal Complaint

    An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Court Orders Florida Tax Return Preparer to Shut Down Tax Preparation Business

    Source: US State of California

    Note: View permanent injunction here.

    The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued a permanent injunction today against Cooper City, Florida, tax return preparer Sunil Ramchandani and his business, SR Chandra Inc. doing business as AHS Income Tax Services. The court ordered the closure of AHS Income Tax Services and barred Ramchandani from preparing or assisting in preparing federal income tax returns for others or transferring his customer lists. Ramchandani agreed to the injunction against him and his business. AHS Income Tax Services had already agreed to entry of a preliminary injunction before the start of filing season.

    The complaint alleged that Ramchandani prepared customers’ returns that fraudulently claimed false or inflated residential energy credits, false fuel tax credits, fictious business losses, and other false or inflated deductions and credits, including false education credits and fictitious child and dependent credits.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $10 million in 2022 and 2023 alone from returns prepared by Ramchandani and AHS Income Tax Services.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS warns taxpayers to avoid “ghost preparers” and lists other improper acts that tax preparers engage in to take advantage of their unsuspecting customers.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom proclaims Wildfire Preparedness Week 2025

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 6, 2025

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 4-10, 2025 as “Wildfire Preparedness Week.”

    The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

    PROCLAMATION

    January’s fires in Los Angeles underscored the scale and intensity of the climate impacts we face today. California has long faced a year-round fire season, and so it is more important now than ever that every person in the state be prepared for wildfire. Two of the five most destructive wildfires to ever hit California happened in January – which is a warning sign of what’s to come. The state itself is taking unprecedented action to make our communities more resilient to wildfire and improve forest health.

    Over the past six years, we’ve advanced historic investments to step up forest management and other projects that decrease catastrophic wildfire risk, nearly doubled CAL FIRE’s budget, and built the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world, supplemented by other state-of-the-art firefighting equipment and technology. This year, we have taken further steps to modernize and update California’s nation-leading fire standards, including accelerating the development of “Zone 0” regulations to create ember-resistant zones around structures in the highest fire severity zones in the state.   

    We have dramatically increased work to prevent wildfires, with more than 2,200 fuels reduction projects complete or underway on state land. In recent years, California has treated nearly 2 million acres. This work is vital to slowing and reducing the intensity of wildfires and provides areas from which fire personnel can safely and aggressively suppress fires. Developing and maintaining these vital projects across the state will remain an ongoing focus to protect our communities – and we are ready to strengthen our federal partnerships. The state government manages only 3% of California’s forestland, while 57% of California’s forests are federally managed.

    This year’s Wildfire Preparedness Week theme, “Building a Fire-Ready Future: Strengthening Our Defenses, Together,” emphasizes the importance of both collaborative efforts and individual responsibility in reducing and managing wildfire risk.  Californians can make their neighborhoods safer by creating defensible space around homes, hardening homes, developing wildfire action plans, and teaming up to join Fire Safe Councils and Firewise Communities, which work to regularly assess wildfire risk and prioritize action to address it.

    All of us have an essential role in protecting ourselves, loved ones, and communities from wildfire. During Wildfire Preparedness Week, I encourage all Californians to visit ReadyForWildfire.org to learn about steps we can take to prepare for wildfire season and help prevent loss of life and property. Together, we can create a more fire resilient California.

    NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim  May 4-10, 2025 as “Wildfire Preparedness Week.”

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 4th day of May 2025.

    GAVIN NEWSOM
    Governor of California

    ATTEST:
    SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
    Secretary of State

    Press Releases, Proclamations

    Recent news

    May 5, 2025

    News What you need to know: The Governor honored the contributions of fallen California law enforcement officers at the annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony.  Sacramento, California – Honoring the contributions of fallen California peace officers,…

    May 5, 2025

    News What you need to know: California applied to the federal government today to update the state’s benchmark plan, which would expand coverage requirements for essential health benefits (EHBs) like hearing aids and wheelchairs in the individual and small group…

    May 5, 2025

    News What you need to know: California remains the #1 state for tourism, with record-high tourism spending reaching $157.3 billion in 2024. However, the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric are driving away tourists, killing tourism and hospitality jobs, and…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION Return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred and deported by Russia – B10-0258/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
    pursuant to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure

    Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Michał Dworczyk, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Jaak Madison, Alexandr Vondra, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Bogdan Rzońca, Roberts Zīle, Ivaylo Valchev, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Assita Kanko, Aurelijus Veryga, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Rihards Kols, Maciej Wąsik, Marlena Maląg, Charlie Weimers, Cristian Terheş
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

    B10‑0258/2025

    Motion for a European Parliament resolution on  Return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred and deported by Russia

     

    (2025/2691(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia

    –  having regard to Article II of the UN Genocide Convention (1948)

    –  having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

     

    1. whereas Russia has been forcibly transferring and deporting Ukrainian children since 2014; whereas the first documented case of Ukrainian children being unlawfully taken to Russia dates back to 2014; whereas this practice has significantly accelerated since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine;

     

    1. whereas UN investigators have stated that the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children constitute a war crime under international law; whereas the forcible transfer of children from one national or ethnic group to another constitutes a genocide; whereas Russia is committing genocide;

     

    1. whereas Ukrainian authorities have confirmed the deportation of approximately 20,000 children, while the exact number remains unknown; whereas these deportations continue in Ukrainian territories illegally occupied by Russia;

     

    1. whereas Russian authorities falsely portray these acts as “evacuations” and systematically erase all ties between the children and Ukraine; whereas the children are subjected to identity manipulation, including the alteration of official documents such as birth certificates and passports, the forced acquisition of Russian citizenship, and changes to their names,  all aiming to make them untraceable;

     

    1. whereas the forcibly transferred children are often placed in foster care or adopted by Russian families without the consent of their legal guardians or the Ukrainian state;

     

    1. whereas Russia currently occupies over 20% of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, home to over 1.5 million children, all of whom are at risk of forced deportation and identity erasure;

     

    1. whereas the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, on charges related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.

     

    ***

     

    1. Strongly condemns the systematic forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children carried out by the Russia; declares that these actions meet the legal definition of genocide; calls on all Member States to officially recognize them as such;

     

    1. Denounces all war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Russia in line with the findings of the ICC; calls for the immediate enforcement of the ICC’s arrest warrants against Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova; urges Member States to fully cooperate with all ongoing international investigations and judicial proceedings;

     

    1. Demands the immediate and unconditional return of all Ukrainian children who have been unlawfully transferred or deported to Russia; reiterates its support for Ukraine to locate and reunite children with their families as well as their initiatives to document and prosecute these crimes; calls for the reinstatement and expansion of independent tracking projects;

     

    1. Urges the EU and Member States to expand sanctions to include all individuals and institutions involved in these crimes;

     

    1. Calls on third countries not to recognize illegal adoptions or documentation issued by Russian authorities in this context;

     

    1. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP of the Commission, the parliaments of the Member States, the Ukrainian authorities, and the ICC.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on violations of religious freedom in Tibet – B10-0259/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

    Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Alberico Gambino, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Carlo Fidanza, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Assita Kanko, Michał Dworczyk, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Bogdan Rzońca, Alexandr Vondra, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Maciej Wąsik, Marlena Maląg
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

    B10‑0259/2025

    Motion for a European Parliament resolution on violations of religious freedom in Tibet

    (2025/2692(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

    –  having regard to its previous resolutions on China and Tibet,

     

    A.  whereas on March 29, 2025, Tibetan Buddhist leader Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche reportedly  died under unclear circumstances in Chinese custody in Vietnam following his disappearance;

     

    B. whereas the legitimate 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was abducted by Chinese authorities in 1995 and has been missing ever since;

     

    C. whereas May 17th marks the 30th anniversary of his abduction;

     

    D. whereas on January 2025, several monks from Kirti Monastery in Ngaba were detained for participating in a prayer ceremony commemorating Dalai Lama’s teachings, reportedly held without formal charges and denied access to legal representation;

     

    E. whereas the human rights situation inside Tibet  continues to deteriorate, with  reports of arbitrary detention, surveillance, cultural repression, and restrictions on movement and expression; whereas Tibetan Buddhism is increasingly subject to state interference, including mandatory alignment with the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party, state-controlled religious education, and the imposition of political content into monastic life; whereas religious communities have the right to carry out their essential functions freely, without external coercion;

     

    F. whereas UN experts have underlined that nearly one million Tibetan children are being  forcibly placed in state-run residential schools aimed at cultural and linguistic assimilation, where Tibetan language and traditions are excluded, reflecting a broader policy of forced assimilation;

     

    1. Expresses deep concern over the suspicious disappearance and sudden death of Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche in Chinese custody in Vietnam;

     

    2. Calls on Vietnam and China to determine the circumstances of Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche’s disappearance, death and the hast cremation of his body without his family’s consent;

     

    3. Condemns the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, by the Chinese authorities and demands verifiable information about his fate;

    4. Urges the PRC government to fully respect its obligations under international law in Tibet, particularly with regard to the protection of cultural identity, freedom of religion or belief; condemns ongoing policies and practices that lead to the systematic erosion of Tibetan cultural and religious heritage, including restrictions on religious expression, interference in the selection of religious leaders, and the imposition of state ideology in monastic institutions;

    5. Calls on the EU to impose targeted sanctions under EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Chinese officials responsible for religious repression in Tibet; Encourages EU institutions and Member States to support Central Tibetan Administration’s efforts to preserve Tibetan culture and religion in exile;

    6. Expresses its support for the Tibetan Buddhist community to freely appoint the community’s religious leaders and uphold their cultural, linguistic, and religious freedoms without interference, and the right to preserve their distinct identity; recalls the EU’s firm position that the succession of the Dalai Lama must be determined solely by Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and condemns the PRC’s attempts to manipulate this process

    7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU Institutions, Member States, the government of the People’s Republic of China, and the government of Vietnam

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Managing illegal migration: controls on NGO funding and action – E-001717/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001717/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI)

    Greece, the main gateway for large flows of illegal immigrants to the EU, bears – essentially alone – a disproportionate burden in managing them, (effective) border security and combating illegal immigration. Despite the Commission’s initiative for rapid, streamlined/simplified asylum and return procedures, the new Pact on Migration and Asylum and the Common Implementation Plan, the existing EU legal framework (a mechanism to facilitate arrivals), alongside the lack of cooperation and the non-binding return/readmission agreements with non-EU countries, make it difficult to return and remove illegal immigrants. Significant European funds are allocated, without sufficient controls on their management, for the reception and support of illegal immigrants.[1] NGOs operate with insufficient supervision.

    In view of the above:

    • 1.How, specifically, will the Commission strengthen controls on the management of European funds directed to structures and programmes for illegal immigrants, in order to ensure their transparency and proper use?
    • 2.Will the Commission establish stricter (restrictive) rules for NGO action in the field of migration management, returning management to the competent state authorities in the first instance?
    • 3.Does the Commission intend to promote a substantive revision of the European legal framework in order to address the above?

    Submitted: 29.4.2025

    • [1] Only 23.6 % of the EUR 407 million of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for Greece in 2021-2027 concerns return activities, while the rest concerns asylum and integration actions: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/migrant-integration/migrant-integration-hub/eu-countries-updates-and-facts/migrant-integration-greece_en.
    Last updated: 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Protection of small properties and prevention of land concentration in a few hands – Impact of Presidential Decree 194/2025 on rural and island areas of Greece – E-001697/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001697/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Sakis Arnaoutoglou (S&D)

    According to Presidential Decree 194/2025, which entered into force on 15 April 2025, new building rules were established for settlements with a population of fewer than 2,000 inhabitants in Greece. Specifically, the decree establishes minimum building area limits for plots, ranging from 300 to 2,000 square metres, depending on the development zone and the characteristics of the settlement. This regulation has raised concerns, as it may lead to the depreciation of small and medium-sized property in rural and island areas, limiting the possibility of building on smaller plots that were previously considered to be complete and buildable. Furthermore, there is a fear that the new legislation will favour large investors, who will acquire undervalued properties and, through local urban planning processes, convert them into building plots, leading to further land concentration.

    Taking into account the European policy of protecting property and promoting sustainable development in rural areas:

    • 1.How does the Commission assess the compatibility of Presidential Decree 194/2025 with EU principles on the protection of property and the balanced development of rural areas?
    • 2.Does the Commission intend to examine the implications of this regulation and propose measures to protect small property owners and prevent the concentration of land in a few hands?
    • 3.Are there European programmes or financial tools that can support small property owners in rural areas to maintain and use their properties in a sustainable way?

    Submitted: 28.4.2025

    Last updated: 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Eight killed, 35 wounded, two missing after Indian missile strikes on six Pakistani targets

    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

    ISLAMABAD, May 7 (Xinhua) — At least eight civilians, including a child, were killed, 35 others were injured and two were missing after India fired missiles at six targets in Pakistan, including areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on Wednesday morning, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a video message.

    According to him, India carried out 24 strikes on six civilian targets.

    A.Sh. Choudhry noted that as a result of the Indian strikes, four mosques were destroyed, several residential buildings and a hospital were seriously damaged.

    The missiles were fired at targets in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Shakargarh and Shekhupura districts of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province and Muzaffarabad and Kotli districts in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

    The ISPR chief said Pakistan Air Force fighter jets were in the air and ensured the country’s airspace was safe, adding that the missiles were fired from Indian airspace.

    “Let me be clear: Pakistan will respond to this [attack] at a time and place it deems appropriate. This provocation will not go unanswered,” he said.

    Hospitals in all affected areas have declared a state of emergency. Pakistan has closed its airspace for 48 hours and suspended educational institutions in Punjab.

    A.Sh. Choudhry said Pakistan Air Force and Army are responding effectively to Indian attack.

    The country’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan had shot down five Indian fighter jets and three drones.

    Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned India’s missile strikes early Wednesday morning on civilian targets in the country, including areas in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, calling it an unprovoked and naked act of aggression.

    The Foreign Ministry said the Indian Air Force had targeted civilian areas in Pakistan, killing civilians including women and children.

    The ministry condemned the airstrikes as a “blatant violation of the UN Charter, international law and established norms of interstate relations” and warned that India’s actions posed a serious threat to regional stability and commercial air travel.

    “India’s reckless actions have brought two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said, stressing that Pakistan reserves the right to respond “at a time and place it deems appropriate.”

    Condemning India’s attacks on civilians, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said the country would give a decisive and befitting response to Indian aggression.

    “Indian provocations will be met with full force and unwavering commitment to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the president said.

    Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif strongly condemned the airstrikes, saying: “Pakistan has every right to respond to this act of war imposed by India and a suitable response has already been given.”

    “The entire nation stands behind our armed forces. The morale and spirit of the entire Pakistani nation is high,” the prime minister added, promising that the enemy would never succeed in carrying out its evil designs. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Special Report: From Nanjing to Moscow – The Search for Records of a Fallen Soviet Hero

    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/Nanjing, May 7 (Xinhua) — “Thank you for finally finding me,” Alexey Orekhov wrote in a red contact book for relatives of heroes in the Moscow region on the evening of April 30. The book, from the Anti-Japanese War Pilot Martyrs’ Memorial Museum in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, was delivered to Moscow by Xinhua correspondents from Nanjing.

    In Nanjing and Moscow, there was a simultaneous search for information about the Soviet hero who gave his life while helping the Chinese people fight the Japanese invaders.

    The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Great Patriotic War and the World Anti-Fascist War. Xinhua reporters made great efforts to find information about Soviet veterans who helped the Chinese people resist Japanese aggression. They met Alexey Orekhov, who had been trying for years to find out the story of his great-uncle, Soviet volunteer pilot Alexander Orekhov, who participated in the anti-Japanese war. Xinhua reporters began searching for clues in Nanchang, Nanjing and other places, and then contacted the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Martyrs’ Memorial Museum.

    “We are looking for him too! There are a total of 236 Soviet heroes engraved on the Heroes’ Monument, and Alexey Orekhov is the second relative of one of the heroes that we have found. I have been waiting for this moment for many years,” said Miao Lei, an employee of the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Pilot Martyrs’ Memorial Museum.

    At the end of April, Alexey Orekhov received a call from Miao Lei. “I have been looking for information about my great-uncle for many years, and I am very happy to receive this call from Nanjing!” said Alexey Orekhov. During the conversation, he learned that the memorial museum would be sending him a contact book for the relatives of the heroes so that he could contact the descendants of the martyrs and record more stories about them.

    In the 1930s, to help China fight the Japanese invaders, more than 2,000 Soviet pilots volunteered to fly for China, and more than 200 of them died heroically. Aleksandr Orekhov, Alexei Orekhov’s great-uncle, was one of them. His name is engraved on the monument to fallen heroes in the memorial museum.

    Since last year, the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen’s Martyrs’ Memorial Museum has been making active efforts to find historical materials, and hopes to find more descendants of the soldiers who died bravely for the victory in the war against Japanese aggression by compiling a contact book for the heroes’ relatives, so that more people can understand, cherish and remember the history of the unyielding struggle and friendship forged in blood and fire. The memorial museum and the heroes’ relatives each hold a copy of the contact book and can exchange messages.

    Miao Lei said: “We have looked through the existing Chinese and Russian materials, but we have not found any other records of Alexander Orekhov’s combat experience in China.” In the contact book, the “Combat Experience” page is still empty. “I hope that Alexander Orekhov’s relatives can fill in this page,” Miao Lei said.

    Miao Lei studied in Russia and has been collecting materials about Soviet heroes for 20 years. In the contact book given to Alexey Orekhov, Miao Lei wrote the following sentence in Russian: “I studied Russian many years ago and have already forgotten many words. But I remember one word clearly – “hero”. Miao Lei hopes to find more relatives of Soviet heroes in the future and, through joint efforts, “revive” heroic stories from the dust.

    Alexey Orekhov showed Xinhua a precious wooden box containing family belongings. Among them are several old, yellowed photographs. A handsome, stately young man, either in a military uniform or a pilot’s uniform, sits with his wife, parents, younger brother, and younger sister. This is Alexander Orekhov, Alexey Orekhov’s great-uncle. He studied in Bryansk and then joined the 61st Fighter Squadron in Bryansk. After the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began in China, Alexander Orekhov enlisted in the Soviet Volunteer Aviation Corps and went to China to help in the war.

    Alexey Orekhov initially knew little about his great-uncle’s experiences in China. Over the course of more than a decade of research and reviewing relevant books, he discovered even more historical records of his grandfather’s exploits. Alexander Kalyagin’s book “On Unknown Roads” mentions how Soviet pilot Alexander Orekhov sacrificed himself to help China. Anatoly Demin’s book “Aviation of the Great Neighbor” details the strategic deployment of an air battle over the Chinese city of Nanchang (Jiangxi Province, East China) in which Alexander Orekhov participated.

    According to the information he collected from both sides, on January 9, 1938, 18 Japanese bombers and 21 fighters of the Japanese Air Force carried out an air strike on Nanchang. Fighters with Chinese and Soviet pilots took off to intercept. After fierce fighting, the Chinese side managed to shoot down the Japanese bomber. Alexander Orekhov, unfortunately, died in that battle and was posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Banner by the Soviet military.

    From information received by the Russian side, Alexey Orekhov learned that his great-uncle was buried on the outskirts of Nanchang City. He also learned that the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen’s Memorial Museum might contain “more information.” In connection with this, he made a trip to Nanjing in 2012. At the memorial museum, he took a photo next to a monument to heroes where Alexander Orekhov’s name was engraved, sprinkled soil specially brought from his hometown in front of it, and then brought home a handful of soil from Nanjing.

    Recalling that trip to China, he said: “It’s a pity that I didn’t have the opportunity to meet Miao Lei then and didn’t leave my contact.”

    13 years later, it was possible to make up for lost time. “It is very important for me to know that the memory of my ancestor is preserved in China and there are people who collect information about what happened to Russian Soviet soldiers in China in the 1930s,” said Alexey Orekhov.

    More than 80 years ago, the peoples of the two countries also “went both ways” to achieve victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The Soviet people provided valuable support to the Chinese people in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and during the difficult times of the Great Patriotic War, many Chinese youth resolutely joined the heroic struggle against fascist Germany.

    At the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen’s Memorial Museum, visitors stop from time to time to read and reflect in front of the historical exhibition board “Heroes Side by Side Created Immortality”. In Nanchang, Wuhan and many other memorial museums of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the history of China and the Soviet Union’s joint struggle against Japanese aggression has been preserved forever. The two countries work hand in hand to pass on this friendship forged in blood and life from generation to generation.

    “I never thought I would have such a deep connection with China,” said Alexey Orekhov. He sees the search and memories of this story as emotional bonds that transcend time, space and national boundaries. “It binds my family tightly, as well as two countries — Russia and China.”

    Alexey Orekhov told Xinhua that he decided to donate valuable old photos, books and materials to the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen’s Martyrs Memorial Museum. “We should remember this unforgettable history of shared experience, understand it more deeply, study it and pass on the memories from generation to generation.”

    “I hope that this will be the beginning of a long friendship and cooperation. See you soon,” Alexey Orekhov wrote in the contact book for the heroes’ relatives.

    The contact book will be handed over by Xinhua correspondents to the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Pilot Martyrs Memorial Museum and will be kept on the same ground where the Soviet heroes fought to help China. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Highlights Committee Reconciliation Markups

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Troy Downing (R-Mont.) to discuss the budget reconciliation committee markup process starting this week to pass an America First agenda, as we mark a productive 100 days under President Trump’s leadership. Leader Scalise outlined how budget reconciliation will unleash American energy to lower costs at the pump, stop tax hikes, secure our border, bolster our military, and protect small businesses. Leader Scalise also highlighted how Democrats refuse to partner with Republicans on these commonsense measures, instead prioritizing their anger with President Trump.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On House Committees beginning the reconciliation markup process:“Well, anybody who’s been following since the day President Trump took the oath of office for this second term knows that President Donald Trump has been working nonstop at a feverish pace to deliver results for the American people. I don’t think we’ve seen a president in 100 days get more things accomplished, follow through on more promises to get this country back on track. And we’re only 100 days in. Obviously, the things that we’ve been working with this president on are really going to be starting off in a much bigger way with this one big, beautiful bill.“The budget reconciliation process formally starts today with the reconciliation bill. Seven committees go to work this week. Next week, another four committees will continue doing that important work. And this has been about a year in the making. This is not something that happened overnight. All of our committees have been meeting both individually. We’ve been meeting with the President for about a year to get to this moment and start delivering on those things that we all ran on.”On Democrats’ anger over Republicans’ wins:“These are not just campaign promises that Donald Trump talked about on a campaign trail. This is also something that House Republicans said we would do. We said we would prevent a massive tax increase on American families. If Congress takes no action, there would be a four-and-a-half trillion dollar tax hike on families.“If you listen to Democrats who are all going to vote no on this package, let’s make no mistake about it, they’ve been clear from the beginning, they just want to obstruct everything. You saw it at the State of the Union when President Trump said, look, this 13-year-old boy beat cancer. And they all just sat there on their hands, angry because President Trump was highlighting somebody else’s success. And I think the American people got disgusted when they realized a whole major party in America is just going to oppose anything President Trump does because they hate him as an individual, even when it’s good for America. And believe me, preventing a tax increase on over 90% of American families is good for America. But every Democrat will vote no because they want a tax increase on American families. Every Democrat will vote no on a bill that’s going to secure America’s border.”On House Republicans delivering on an America First agenda: “You’ve seen President Trump deliver through executive action on things he can do. And it’s resulted in amazing results. Over 95% reduction in border crossings illegally, deportation of hardened criminals, violent gang members, murderers, rapists, finally sent back to prisons in their country where they belong, where many of them came from. And what are Democrats doing? Democrats aren’t celebrating that they’re flying to other countries to try to get hardened gang members in prisons released back into the United States. It’s lunacy. But that’s where their party is, because they are void of any ideas. They are a leaderless party. The Democrat Party literally has no leader except AOC and [Jasmine] Crockett, and Bernie Sanders. And that’s what their parties become. They’re just opposed to everything.“They don’t want to produce more American energy. But the good news is we do. That’s also going to be in this bill that we start debating to allow America to produce more energy so that we and our friends don’t have to be dependent on foreign nations like Russia or Iran for oil and natural gas. We can do more of it. We can lower costs for families. We can create more jobs at home. We can ensure that more manufacturing can be done in America. That’s all going to be part of this bill. We’re also going to make our military more competitive. Everybody knows China has been incredibly aggressive, not just their naval fleet developing hypersonic weapons. And America had fallen behind under Joe Biden. And Donald Trump said we are going to address these inadequacies. And if you look at what’s in this bill, again, addressing major problems to make our country competitive again militarily. And every Democrat will vote no on that as well. And the good news is Republicans said, well, if Democrats are just going to block everything, if Democrats want a tax hike, if Democrats do not want secure borders, if Democrats want to make our country more dependent on foreign nations for our energy, that’s why they lost the election. Those days are gone.”On President Trump’s success in his first 100 days back in office:“We can actually fix all of these problems without any Democrat support. We’d welcome their votes, we’d welcome their input. But they’ve chosen to just go the other way because their far-left radical base won’t let them work with Donald Trump on anything that’s good for America. But that hasn’t deterred President Trump. President Trump is resolute in fighting for those hardworking families who have been struggling. Again, the tax increase, when they talk about millionaires and billionaires, it’s over 90% of Americans who would see a tax increase if no action was taken. That’s families making $50,000, $60,000 a year. That’s not the rich. That’s the people who are just barely getting by, who have been struggling under the weight of the failures of Joe Biden’s economy. The waitress who’s maybe working two jobs, barely getting by. And President Trump and this Republican Congress are going to deliver on no tax on tips so that that single mom who’s maybe working two jobs can have a little bit more money in her pocket and be able to take her kids on a vacation or invest in her kids’ college. That’s what we’re doing this week as we watch the Democrats oppose everything just because they have become a party derelict of any ideas. This is a Congress of leadership and action working with a President who’s probably done more in 100 days than any other president we’ve ever seen. And the best is yet to come.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ​​​​​​​Illegal dumpers caught red-handed thanks to new solar-powered CCTV camera

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Evidence image

    Published: Wednesday, 7th May 2025

    Three fly-tippers have been caught out by Stoke-on-Trent’s first solar-powered CCTV camera.

    This is the first solar-powered rapid deployment camera used by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in a remote area, that has historically been a magnet for illegal dumping.

    The CCTV camera is monitored seven days a week, 24 hours a day and was first installed in March on Red Hills Road, Milton – which has been highlighted by residents as an illegal dumping hotspot.

    Success quickly followed, with the camera recording three people blighting the area with illegal waste during April.

    Each has now received a fixed-penalty notice of £1,000.

    Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE – cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability for Stoke-on-Trent City Council – said: “It’s great to see this new technology being put to good use.

    “Flytipping is completely unacceptable. It doesn’t just blight local communities – it can also create fire hazards and public health risks.

    “Our stance remains crystal-clear: dumping waste illegally will lead to a hefty fine.

    “Stoke-on-Trent has two household waste recycling centres and people can also arrange for a home collection – which is roughly £950 cheaper than a fixed-penalty notice.”

    Councillor Dave Evans, ward councillor for Milton and Norton, said: “It’s fantastic to see the camera on Red Hills Road catching and prosecuting people who don’t respect our village. This should send a clear message to those who wish to dump rubbish aren’t welcome in Milton, and they will be fined.” 

    The solar-powered RDC CCTV camera was funded through Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Environmental Crime Unit, with a contribution from ward councillor, Cllr Dave Evans.

    The Environmental Crime Unit is now considering installing further solar-powered CCTV units in other remote areas.

    For info on the best way to dispose of your waste, please visit: www.stoke.gov.uk/illegaldumping

    ant to receive press releases, council news or job vacancies by email? Sign up for our online alerts at www.stoke.gov.uk/stayconnected.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise’s 100 Days of Trump Recap: House Republicans Deliver America First Wins

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we reach the first 100 days under President Trump’s leadership, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement highlighting the progress House Republicans have made in furthering President Trump’s America First agenda:  “Just 100 days into his second term, President Trump has already taken historic action at a whirlwind pace to turn our country around, reversing so much damage done by the Biden Administration and following through on his promise to put America first. Illegal border crossings have drastically declined, criminal aliens are being deported en masse, consumer prices and inflation are dropping, companies are investing trillions of dollars back into America, domestic energy production is being unleashed, gas prices are dropping, and much more. “House Republicans are working hard to do our part to further President Trump’s America First agenda, passing legislation to secure our border, keep families safe, unleash American energy, support American job growth, and increase government efficiency. We passed legislation like the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation signed into law by President Trump, to protect our citizens from criminal illegal aliens. We also passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to prevent men from competing in women’s sports. To ensure only American citizens are voting in federal elections, we passed the SAVE Act, and to safeguard American energy, we passed legislation such as the Protecting American Energy Production Act.”Additionally, House Republicans have passed 10 CRAs overturning costly and unnecessary regulations from the Biden Administration that crush American businesses, raise costs, and take away consumer choice, as well as the Midnight Rules Relief Act to keep the administrative state out of our homes. When partisan judges attempted to hinder President Trump from carrying out the policy agenda he was elected to deliver, we passed the No Rogue Rulings Act to prevent them from issuing nationwide injunctions. “These are just a few things House Republicans have accomplished working with President Trump, but we are far from done. Congress has a critical role to play in helping the President renew the American dream and make our nation great again, particularly through the reconciliation process. We are currently drafting one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in history in one big, beautiful bill that will deliver on President Trump’s full agenda. Republicans won’t stop fighting to take President Trump’s great vision for our nation – an America that is safe, strong, free, and full of opportunity – and make it a reality, for Americans today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.”Make America Safe Again ✅Border 

    H.R. 29 (Collins) – Laken Riley Act: Holds the Biden Administration accountable for their role in these tragedies through their open border policies, requires detention of illegal aliens who commit theft and mandates ICE take them into custody, and allows a state to sue the Federal government on behalf of their citizens for not enforcing the border laws, particularly in the case of parole.

    Passed 264-159

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 48-159

    Senate version became law on 1/29/25

    H.R. 30 (Mace) – Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act: Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make illegal immigrants who are convicted of, who admit having committed, or who admit committing sex offenses or domestic violence inadmissible and deportable from the United States.

    Passed 274-145

    Republicans: 213-0
    Democrats: 61-145

    H.R. 27 (Griffith) – HALT Fentanyl Act: Permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, guarantees law enforcement has the resources to keep these drugs off the street, and allows for further research of FRS.

    Passed 312-108

    Republicans: 214-1
    Democrats: 98-107

    H.R. 35 (Ciscomani) – Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act: Creates new criminal offenses for operating a vehicle within 100 miles of the southern border while fleeing from Border Patrol agents, or any law enforcement officer assisting the U.S. Border Patrol, including serious jail time and prohibition from ever receiving legal status in the United States.

    Passed 264-155

    Republicans: 214-0
    Democrats: 50-155

    Online Safety

    S. 146 (Sen. Cruz) – TAKE IT DOWN Act: Prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.

    Passed 409-2

    Republicans: 207-2
    Democrats: 202-0

    Foreign Relations

    H.R. 23 (Roy) – Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act: Imposes sanctions on the ICC or any foreign actor who supports their effort to arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons of the United States and its allies, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant.

    Passed 243-140-1

    Republicans: 198-0-1
    Democrats: 45-140

    H.R. 1048 (Baumgartner) – DETERRENT Act: Protects our institutions of higher education from foreign interference by strengthening disclosure requirements for foreign gifts and contracts, and in some cases, banning contracts between these schools and certain foreign entities of concern.

    Passed 241-169

    Republicans: 210-1
    Democrats: 31-168

    H.R. 33 (Smith-MO) – United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act: Strengthens the U.S. economic alliance with Taiwan and enhances our competitive position by providing targeted and expedited relief from double taxation on cross-border investment between America and Taiwan through tax code changes and authorizing the President to broker and enter into a tax agreement relative to Taiwan.

    Passed 423-1

    Republicans: 213-1
    Democrats: 210-0

    Women’s Sports

    H.R. 28 (Steube) – Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act: Prevents schools from allowing biological males to compete in school athletic programs for women or girls by stating that sex in an athletic competition must be defined by genetics at birth, and withholding federal funding from schools that facilitate athletic programs where biological men compete against biological women.

    Passed 218-206-1

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 2-206-1

    Life

    H.R. 21 (Wagner) – Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: Secures medical protections for babies that survive an attempted abortion, requiring health care providers to administer the same medical care they would to a fetus born prematurely at the same age, transport the child to the hospital, and report violations to law enforcement.

    Passed 217-204

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 1-204

    Make America Grow Again ✅Energy 

    H.R. 26 (Pfluger) – Protecting American Energy Production Act: Prevents a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to protect American energy production, and expresses that states have primacy over energy production on state and private land.

    Passed 226-188

    Republicans: 210-0
    Democrats: 16-188

    S.J. Res. 11 (Sen. Kennedy) – Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources CRA: Disapproves the Biden BOEM’s rule requiring oil and gas lessees and operators to submit an archaeological report for certain exploration or development activities on the Outer Continental Shelf to protect marine archeological resources like shipwrecks and so-called “cultural resources,” blocking increases in domestic energy production, weakening energy independence, and raising costs for consumers.

    Passed 221-202-1

    Republicans: 212-1-1
    Democrats: 9-201

    Signed into law 3/14/25

    H.J. Res. 35 (Pfluger) – Waste Emissions Charge CRA: Disapproves the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems,” rule that imposes a significant fee (WEC) on methane emissions from oil and natural gas facilities that exceed specific levels, preventing the rule from raising costs for consumers, reducing domestic energy production, and increasing reliance on foreign energy sources.

    Passed 220-206

    Republicans: 214-1
    Democrats: 6-205

    Signed into law 3/14/25

    Budget

    H.Con. Res. 14 (Arrington) – Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034: Establishes a congressional budget for the U.S. Government that delivers for Americans by cutting waste and government spending, reducing burdensome regulations, providing tax cuts that support families and small businesses, supporting domestic energy production and security, and securing the border.

    Passed 217-215

    Republicans: 217-1
    Democrats: 0-214

    Passed in Senate 4/5/25

    Senate Amendment to H.Con. Res. 14 (Arrington) – Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034: Establishes a congressional budget for the U.S. Government that delivers for Americans by cutting waste and government spending, reducing burdensome regulations, providing tax cuts that support families and small businesses, supporting domestic energy production and security, and securing the border.

    Passed 216-214

    Republicans: 216-2
    Democrats: 0-212

    Crypto

    H.J. Res. 25 (Carey) – Digital Asset Sales CRA: Overturns Biden’s rule that would require brokers to report gross proceeds from crypto sales and other digital asset transactions, including data about the taxpayers involved, increasing tax filing burdens, stifling innovation, and raising privacy concerns over the sharing of taxpayers’ personal information.

    Passed 292-132-1

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 76-132-1

    Signed into law 4/10/25

    Consumer Financial Protection

    S.J. Res. 28 (Sen. Ricketts) – Digital Wallets CRA: Reverses the Biden Administration CFPB’s rule “Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications,” that would allow the CFPB more oversight power over non-bank entities that complete 50 million digital transactions a year, providing no benefit to consumers or the market and placing significant burdens on businesses that use digital payments.

    Passed 219-211

    Republicans: 219-0
    Democrats: 0-211

    Passed Senate 3/5/25

    S.J. Res. 18 (Sen. Scott-SC) – Overdraft Price Controls CRA: Nullifies the Biden CFPB’s final rule “Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions,” preventing the price cap limitations on overdraft fees from taking effect, ensuring overdraft services remain accessible for American consumers.

    Passed 217-211

    Republicans: 217-1
    Democrats: 0-210

    Passed Senate 3/27/25 

    Make America Free Again ✅Consumer Choice

    H.J. Res 20 (Palmer) – Gas Water Heaters CRA: Expresses congressional disapproval of the Biden Department of Energy’s  “Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters,” rule that effectively bans certain natural gas water heaters from the market, burdening consumers and threatening their choice.

    Passed 221-198

    Republicans: 210-0
    Democrats: 11-198

    Passed Senate 4/10/25

    H.J. Res. 24 (Bice) – Walk-in Coolers & Freezers CRA: Overturns the Biden Administration’s “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-In Coolers and Walk-In Freezers” rule imposing new or amended energy efficiency standards for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers that are not technologically feasible and economically justified.

    Passed 203-182

    Republicans: 197-0
    Democrats: 6-182

    Passed Senate 4/3/25

    H.J. Res. 75 (Goldman-TX) – Commercial Fridges & Freezers CRA: Overturns the Biden Administration’s “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers” rule imposing new or amended energy efficiency standards for commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers that are not technologically feasible and economically justified.

    Passed 214-193

    Republicans: 209-0
    Democrats: 5-193

    H.J. Res. 61 (Griffith) – Rubber Tire Manufacturing CRA: Overturns the Biden EPA’s harmful “NESHAP for Rubber Tire Manufacturing” rule that establishes new emissions standards for rubber tire manufacturing, preventing it from increasing compliance costs for the industry and placing a heavier financial burden on smaller businesses, which would result in higher prices for consumers.

    Passed 216-202

    Republicans: 209-1
    Democrats: 7-201

    H.J. Res. 42 (Clyde) – Energy Conservation Standards CRA: Disapproves the Biden DOE’s “Energy Conservation-Appliance Standards, Certification and Labeling” rule which expands certification and labeling for the Department of Energy’s conservation standards program and could slow the introduction of products to market, reduce options for consumers, and affect supply chains and inventories.

    Passed 222-203

    Republicans: 215-0
    Democrats: 7-203 

    Make America Efficient Again ✅
    Reining In Executive Actions

    H.R. 77 (Biggs-AZ) – Midnight Rules Relief Act: Amends the Congressional Review Act to allow Congress to disapprove multiple rules through one joint resolution if those rules were issued during the last year of a President’s term in office.

    Passed 212-208

    Republicans: 211-1
    Democrats: 1-207

    Election Security

    H.R. 22 (Roy) – SAVE Act: Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, requiring individuals to provide proof of United States citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.

    Passed 220-208

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 4-208

    Judicial Oversight

    H.R. 1526 (Issa) – NORRA of 2025: Prevents partisan judges from abusing their authority and issuing politically motivated nationwide injunctions that inhibit the President from carrying out the policy agenda the American people elected him to implement by blocking federal judges from issuing injunctions that extend beyond specific parties involved in a case.

    Passed 219-213

    Republicans: 219-1
    Democrats: 0-212

    Fraud

    H.R. 1156 (Smith-MO) – Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act: Extends the statute of limitations to ten years for fraudulent unemployment claims funded by federal pandemic unemployment programs by amending the CARES Act, allowing federal law enforcement to continue prosecuting fraudsters and criminals and recover billions of taxpayer dollars lost to fraud during COVID-19.

    Passed 295-127

    Republicans: 212-0
    Democrats: 83-127

    Public Lands

    H.R. 471 (Westerman) – Fix Our Forests Act: Expedites and improves forest management activities on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands, tribal lands, and National Forest System lands, deters frivolous litigation that delays important projects, promotes collaboration across jurisdictions, prioritizes treatments in the forests with highest risk of wildfire, and encourages active forest management.

    Passed 279-141

    Republicans: 215-0
    Democrats: 64-141

    Appropriations

    H.R. 1968 (Cole) – Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Extends government funding through September 30, 2025, keeping the government open and serving the American people while we fight to reduce wasteful government spending and lower our debt.

    Passed 217-213

    Republicans: 216-1
    Democrats: 1-212

    Signed into law 3/15/25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Couple’s historic wedding day is picture perfect

    Source: City of Leeds

    When happy couple Charlotte and Matthew Harrison tied the knot in Temple Newsam House’s stunning Picture Gallery, it was a love story more than a century in the making.

    The historic ceremony saw the newlyweds become the first people to be married in the gallery’s beautiful surroundings in over a hundred years.

    Originally designed centuries ago to act as an “indoor garden” for the house’s aristocratic residents, the room’s spectacular floral theme instead became the ideal backdrop for what was a dream wedding day.

    The couple, who met five years ago, chose the house as a venue after falling in love with the colourful gallery, which has only recently been made available for ceremonies.

    Charlotte said: “We spend a lot of our time at Temple Newsam both together and with friends and when we heard they did weddings, we thought we’d check it out before making a decision.

    “We love visiting stately homes and historic sites and when we saw the picture gallery we immediately fell in love and immediately knew it was just us. The room is absolutely stunning and steeped in history and was the perfect backdrop for our wedding.”

    She added: “The wedding day was everything I have ever dreamed of and more. All of our guests commented on what a beautiful venue it was and how much they enjoyed the wedding. It was genuinely a dream come true.”

    The couple were joined on their special day by family, friends and 20-month-old son Blake.

    After meeting online during the Covid pandemic, Charlotte and Matthew had their first date at The Red Kite in Wakefield, where Matthew’s difficulties parking his car followed by some takeaway donuts made for an evening that was both sweet and memorable.

    Almost five years later, Matthew, 33, popped the question on Christmas Eve at their home in Apperley Bridge, with a custom-designed ring and specially made scratch card.

    Charlotte said: “It’s our family Christmas tradition to get scratch cards so I didn’t think anything of it- it looked super realistic- and then it had three ring symbols and Matt got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.”

    Now the couple’s romantic story has become part of Leeds history, entering the record books at the 500-year-old mansion as the first couple to be married in the Picture Gallery since the house passed into public ownership in 1922.

    Matthew said: “We’re honoured to be the first couple to be married there in over a century. We didn’t realise what a historic moment it was not just for us, but for Temple Newsam too and to be a part of that just made our day even more special. Temple Newsam has always held a fond place in our lives but the fact we can now be a part of its history is truly humbling.”

    Charlotte added: “On a personal note, as a bit of a history nerd I’m genuinely thrilled that I can be a part of the history of the house.”

    A Grade I listed mansion house, Temple Newsam House is one of the country’s finest examples of its kind, seen as equally significant to Hampton Court, and was a family home for much of its history.

    Owned by Leeds City Council since 1922, Temple Newsam has built one of the most significant decorative art collections in the UK.

    Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have played our part in this special and historic occasion and to have made Charlotte and Matthew’s special day so memorable.

    “Our museums and galleries really are a beautiful setting for a wedding and it’s wonderful to see couples tying the knot there and becoming part of the story of these amazing sites.”

    To find out more about weddings at Temple Newsam, visit: Weddings at Temple Newsam | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

    More details about wedding at other Leeds Museums and Galleries sites can be found at: Weddings | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: RAAC pilot works

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    PILOT WORKS on five council properties affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) could be set to go ahead if councillors approve a tender next week.

    Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood regeneration, housing and estate management committee will be asked to agree that Morrison Construction (trading as Galliford Try) carry out the remedial works.

    The housing service has identified five empty properties of different types across the city affected by RAAC as the test bed for solutions to the issues caused by the material.

    Kevin Cordell, committee convener said: “We want to be able to implement and test a practical, economic solution for each house-type in the council stock that contains RAAC and to establish suitability for possible future roll out across all our affected properties.

    “This tender allows us to move towards that with an experienced contractor who will work with the council’s in-house design team to share knowledge and find the most practical and best value solution.”

    If the committee, which meets on Monday (May 12), green lights the tender, the pilot remediation will involve installing a new roof structure directly below the existing one so that the RAAC is fully supported and therefore at no future structural risk.

    In addition to the pilot project, the RAAC in communal areas of five properties in Menzieshill, currently in a poor condition, will have their redundant roof-mounted water tanks decommissioned and the RAAC permanently remediated using the same method.

    The work, costing a total of £500,000 is expected to start in June, and be completed later in the summer.

    A report on the council’s response to RAAC was considered by the committee last May. It detailed plans for an ongoing inspection regime in properties where RAAC has been identified and agreed that a tender be brought forward to a future committee meeting.

    Where these properties are privately owned responsibility for maintenance lies with owners who have been recommended to seek their own advice regarding the condition of RAAC present within their property.

    Lynne Short, deputy convener of the committee added: “The report last May set out a course of action including further regular detailed inspections to monitor the condition of properties where RACC was found and dealing with those in need as part of capital programmes.

    “This tender delivers on that and in the meantime other properties will continue to be monitored.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Helps Re-introduce Landmark Equality Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and New Hampshire’s first openly gay member of Congress, helped re-introduce the Equality Act in the 119th Congress. Pappas is an original co-sponsor of this legislation, which passed the House in the 117th Congress.

    This legislation amends existing civil rights statutes to provide LGBTQ+ Americans with the same protections all other Americans enjoy in key areas of life, including employment, housing, public accommodations, federally funded programs, education, jury selection, and credit.  The Equality Act strengthens protections not just for LGBTQ+ people but also women, as it ensures nondiscrimination protections on the basis of sex in federally funded programs and public accommodations—two areas of law where sex discrimination is currently not prohibited. The Equality Act has overwhelming public support, with more than seven in ten Americans supporting it.

    “Full equality under the law. Nothing less, nothing more. That’s what the Equality Act means to LGBTQ+ Americans who for far too long have gone without these same legal protections guaranteed to others,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “No one should be discriminated against because of who they are or whom they love. Passing the Equality Act will steer our nation closer to the promise of its founding principles by guaranteeing equality for all under the law. It’s past time to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is protected by our nation’s civil rights statutes and to move our country forward.”

    Pappas serves as Co-Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and is New Hampshire’s first openly gay member of Congress. In his role as Co-Chair of the Equality Caucus, he has helped to introduce and pass the Equality Act through the House of Representatives and enact the Respect for Marriage Act into law. Pappas also leads the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense Prohibition Act, which would ban the use of panic defenses based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in federal courts; the SERVE Act, which would guarantee and protect VA benefits for LGBTQ+ veterans; and led successful calls for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reassess policy that blocked members of the LGBTQ+ community from donating blood. 

    Watch his full remarks here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Election 2026: Only Scottish Greens offer change Scotland needs

    Source: Scottish Greens

    07 May 2025

    Green voices bring positive change for Scotland.

    With one year until the next Holyrood elections, only the Scottish Greens are offering the “real, hopeful” and “transformative” change that Scotland needs, says Greens co-leader Lorna Slater. 

    Ms Slater said:

    “Scotland faces a crucial choice, and it is only the Scottish Greens who are offering the real, hopeful and transformative change that our communities need.

    “The SNP are retreating from climate action and rolling back on promises they have made, while Labour has opted to target pensioners and disabled people with cruel cuts that go further than the Tories.

    “We have shown that we can get results. From free bus travel for young people to the biggest expansion of free school meals and a real living wage for all Scottish Government contractors, we are standing up for workers and families and putting money back in people’s pockets.

    “We have worked for our environment, with record funding for climate action, nature restoration and walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure to make our streets safer and greener for everyone.

    “Without Green voices in the room, this would not have happened. With more Green MSPs we can do far more for people and planet.

    “It will be a crucial election. Our planet is on fire, people are struggling with costs going up and household budgets being stretched to their limit. 

    “Every vote for the Scottish Greens will be a vote for a fairer, greener and independent future for Scotland, and a rejection of the toxic and punishing policies coming from Westminster.

    “Scotland can’t afford five more years of business as usual. The Scottish Greens are the only party offering the change that Scotland needs and deserves.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Speaks Out on Behalf of Veterans At Risk of Losing Their Homes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    During a House Veterans’ Affairs markup, Pappas advocated for veterans left out in the cold by the Trump administration’s cancellation of the VASP program.

    Today in a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee markup, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, spoke out against the ending of Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program and in support of an amendment to provide a foreclosure moratorium for veterans who are at risk of losing their homes following the end of the VASP program, and helped pass bipartisan legislation to establish a new home loan assistance program.

    During the markup, Congressman Pappas said, “We have to recognize that with VASP abruptly ending, that there’s a need to provide a safe landing for veterans today that are at risk of foreclosure. My office has heard from one such veteran who was hopeful that he would be able to enroll in VASP. He was seeking that with his loan servicer prior to VASP ending but wasn’t able to get that help. He’s a 100% disabled veteran from the First Gulf War. His name is Daniel Getchell. He is from Raymond, New Hampshire. His loan is in forbearance and he wanted to enroll in VASP, but again his servicer couldn’t put him in the program a few weeks ago. Without support, now he’s unsure whether he will be able to stay in his home and whether he and his service animals are going to have a safe place to go.”

    “We’re going to continue to assist this veteran to the degree that we can. But we are concerned with what this means. While we see a partial claims program stood up and implemented, we need to be giving veterans like Daniel, who are worried about losing their homes, a little breathing room in the interim. And so I think this moratorium is an important intermediate step we can take as we get to the point of having a bipartisan program that’s implemented.”

    The VASP program was created as a “last-resort” option for veterans and their family members facing foreclosure on VA-backed loans following the expiration of pandemic programs, which when coupled with rising interest rates, increased the risk of default for thousands of veterans. Before its termination, VASP was the only program of last resort that existed for veterans facing immediate foreclosure, and helped over 17,000 veterans since the program launched in 2024. By abruptly ending this program on May 1 with no alternative in place, 80,000 veterans and their families now face the prospect of losing their homes with no relief mechanism in place.

    Background: 

    In January, Pappas joined a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Acting Secretary Todd Hunter demanding answers about how VA is implementing President Trump’s Inaugural Executive Order to freeze hiring across the executive branch and how it is hurting veterans’ access to the health care and benefits they earned.

    In March, Pappas condemned reports that the Trump administration is planning to cut 80,000 staff from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which could have catastrophic consequences for America’s veterans and cause significant delays and disruptions for those seeking medical treatment, as well as support for housing, addiction, mental health, and other lifesaving services. These firings would also result in job losses for thousands of veterans, who make up 25% of VA’s workforce.

    In April, Pappas spoke out forcefully against the administration abruptly ending the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP) during a House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity markup. He joined a bicameral letter pressing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reverse his decision to abruptly end VASP.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to cut interest rates on loans from housing savings fund

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — The People’s Bank of China (PBOC, the central bank) on Wednesday announced it would cut interest rates on loans issued from the housing savings fund by 0.25 percentage points starting from Thursday.

    Interest rates on loans from the housing savings fund for first-time home buyers with a repayment term of up to 5 years, as well as with a repayment term of more than 5 years, will be adjusted to 2.1 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, and for second-time home buyers – no less than 2.525 percent and 3.075 percent, respectively, the NBC said in a statement.

    The measure is expected to save home buyers more than 20 billion yuan (about $2.8 billion) a year in interest payments, People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng told a news conference. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU student Zlata Zolotykh took part in the all-Russian event “Victory Waltz”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    SPbGASU student Zlata Zolotykh took part in the All-Russian event “Victory Waltz”. The event is held with the support of the Association of Student Patriotic Clubs “I am proud”. Paying tribute to the memory and respect of the heroes, students of St. Petersburg universities performed a waltz in military uniforms and dresses of that time. The event took place in several locations in St. Petersburg. Our participant joined it on April 29 in the Picture Hall of the Vitebsk Railway Station, where the event was held with the support of Russian Railways.

    “Victory Day is a very important date for me. Even at school, I actively participated in events dedicated to this memorable day, especially in dance performances. Two of my great-grandfathers were participants in the war. Stepan Dmitrievich Ivanov, a sergeant, was a driver of a motorized brigade of the Leningrad Front. Vasily Sergeevich Pivovarov, a home front worker. The memory of them is carefully preserved in our family and passed down from generation to generation,” Zlata said.

    Having learned that our university could participate in this event, Zlata agreed without hesitation. It was a great honor for a student to honor the memory of those who fought for their homeland in the Great Patriotic War through dance.

    The preparation took place at the Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics for two weeks. Zlata’s partner was SPbUTUE student Georgy Moguchenok. During the preparation and at the performance itself, the dance couple was noted as one of the best.

    “I am not currently involved in dancing, but I have eight years of dance experience behind me, and I am very glad that I was able to immerse myself in this atmosphere again, especially on the occasion of such a great day,” said Zlata.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Museum visits hit record high over China’s May Day holiday

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

    Tourists visit the China Grand Canal Museum in the city of Yangzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, May 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, May 6 — During the five-day May Day holiday, museums across China recorded more than 60.49 million visits, setting a new record and marking a 17 percent increase year on year.

    For many travelers, cultural sites have become must-see destinations during holiday.

    At the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province and a famed ancient Chinese capital, a tourist surnamed Zhou and her family from central China’s Henan Province were already in line for entry at 4 a.m. one morning of the holiday.

    “It took us three days of attempts on our phones just to get tickets,” she said. “No matter how crowded it is, we had to come and see the treasures of our ancestors.”

    To accommodate the surge in visitors, the museum increased its daily ticket supply by 15,000, bringing its total holiday capacity to 80,000, and it extended its opening hours into the evening.

    Throngs of culture and history enthusiasts like Zhou and her family flocked to heritage-rich provinces such as Shaanxi, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, each of which drew over 4.5 million visitors during the holiday from May 1 to 5, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA).

    The NCHA said that over the past decade, the number of museums in China has continued to grow, rising at an average of more than 200 per year.

    Luo Wenli, deputy head of the NCHA, in April said that China had a total of 6,833 museums by the end of 2023, and information on 108 million state-owned movable cultural relics had been digitized with the development of smart museums and cultural relics databases.

    Increasing numbers of Chinese museums have been attracting visitors with their digitization of cultural relics and application of new technologies.

    In Wuhan, the capital of central China’s Hubei Province, the Hubei Provincial Museum launched a special VR show ahead of the May Day holiday, enabling visitors to interact closely with the Bianzhong — meaning “bells” — of Marquis Yi of Zeng, which are known as the world’s first “sound-producing music textbook.”

    The VR show, “Journey Through the Bronze Age,” uses original sound samples from the Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng. With VR headsets, visitors can reach out to strike both the centers and sides of the bells to hear sounds that echo over 2,000 years of Chinese history.

    According to Wang Shiyong, chief director of the show, the project includes more than 30,000 digital assets, with dozens of cultural relics from the museum virtually reconstructed with near-reality precision.

    In addition to museums, national archaeological parks have also emerged as a major attraction during the past May Day holiday, registering over 3.31 million visits across 55 parks in the five days, data from the NCHA showed.

    Visits to these parks rose 2.3 percent compared with the same period last year, with 11 parks each receiving more than 100,000 visits, the administration said.

    During the May Day holiday, the Taosi National Archaeological Site Park in north China’s Shanxi Province officially opened to the public.

    The park features several exhibition areas — including a site museum that opened in November last year, a palace complex, an observation platform and an astronomy pavilion — and aims to reproduce the Taosi relics site, which is the site of a Neolithic settlement in the Yellow River basin dating back about 4,500 to 3,900 years.

    Wandering through the park, visitors can imagine the lives of their ancestors as they pass by the remains of a storage room, kitchen and icehouse, experience the ancient method of observing the sun from the observation platform, and touch digital devices in the astronomy pavilion to take a virtual journey through the vast cosmos.

    “What impressed me most was the observation platform, which vividly illustrated the origins of the 24 solar terms,” said Zhang Shiyue, referring to a time knowledge system developed by Chinese people through the observation of the sun’s periodic movements. Zhang had traveled thousands of kilometers from China’s southwestern Yunnan Province to visit Taosi.

    “This trip has deepened my respect and love for the Chinese civilization,” Zhang said.

    Tourists visit a museum in Daoxian County of Yongzhou City, central China’s Hunan Province, May 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists visit Qinhuangdao Museum in Qinhuangdao, north China’s Hebei Province, May 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors view an exhibit at Handan Museum in Handan, north China’s Hebei Province, May 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s VAT invoice data reflects robust May Day holiday consumption

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

    An aerial drone photo shows tourists visiting Zhongshan Road in Quanzhou, east China’s Fujian Province, May 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s State Taxation Administration released value-added tax (VAT) invoice data on Tuesday, revealing robust consumer spending in the world’s second-largest economy during the just-concluded May Day holiday.

    The five-day holiday, which ended on Monday, saw the sales revenues of consumer-related industries increase 15.2 percent compared to the corresponding period last year, the data showed.

    The taxation authority said the nation’s consumer goods trade-in programs have boosted the sales of home appliances and communication devices. Spending on household goods and jewelry also increased significantly while custom-made travel services attracted a growing number of customers.

    Specifically, retail sales of household appliances including refrigerators and washing machines surged 169.8 percent from last year’s holiday figure, sales of audiovisual products such as TVs grew 153.1 percent, and sales of communication devices such as smartphones jumped 118 percent.

    Boosted by rising gold prices, sales of jewelry products grew 14.4 percent year on year during the holiday, the data showed.

    The holiday also saw a tourism market boom, with the nation’s famous scenic areas seeing a 42.7 percent increase in sales revenues year on year.

    Homestay businesses flourished during the period, with their sales revenues increasing 17.9 percent year on year.

    The May Day holiday is typically one of the busiest travel periods of the year. During this time, the travel boom boosts revenues in tourism and retail sectors. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Frankel Leads Effort to Safeguard Aging Veterans from Dangerous Falls

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Lois Frankel (FL-22) introduced the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act, a bipartisan bill designed to help older Veterans avoid dangerous and costly falls. The legislation would require the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to maintain an Office of Falls Prevention and establish a dedicated falls prevention coordinator. It also launches a pilot program to integrate falls prevention services into VA home modification efforts and mandates risk assessments to identify Veterans most vulnerable to falling.

    “Falls are the number one cause of injury for Americans over 65, and for our aging Veterans—many of whom face additional health challenges—they can be especially dangerous and costly,” said Rep. Frankel. “This bipartisan bill will help the VA take smart, proactive steps to prevent falls before they happen. For the thousands of senior Veterans in South Florida and across the country, it means a better chance to live safely, independently, and with dignity. We owe our Veterans nothing less.”

    Veterans tend to experience more chronic health conditions than non-Veterans, putting them at greater risk for falls that often result in serious injury, hospitalization, or long-term disability. Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among adults over age 65, with approximately 1 million fall-related hospitalizations annually. They cost the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $80 billion per year—a steep increase from $50 billion just a few years ago.

    Common causes of falls include lower body weakness, balance and vision issues, vitamin D deficiency, use of certain medications, hearing loss, and home hazards. Preventing falls requires a comprehensive approach—including routine screenings, coordinated care, community-based prevention programs, and safe home environments.

    The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act would:

    • Maintain an Office of Falls Prevention and establish a falls prevention coordinator within the Veterans Health Administration;
    • Direct the falls prevention coordinator to collaborate with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop evidence-based, Veteran-specific research on falls prevention;
    • Require a comprehensive report on the Department’s Falls Prevention Initiatives;
    • Improve Safe Patient Handling Transfer Techniques to ensure safe movement for injured or paralyzed Veterans;
    • Create a pilot program to integrate falls prevention into VA home modification grant programs; and
    • Establish a Falls Assessment and Fall Prevention Service to identify at-risk Veterans and ensure care plans are tailored to their needs.

    The legislation is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and AARP.

    The full text of the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –