Category: Law

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK sanctions notorious people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in global crackdown
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Press release

UK sanctions notorious people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in global crackdown

Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK.
UK sanctions 25 targets at the heart of people-smuggling networks that drive irregular migration to the UK.

Sanctions come on day 1 of the UK’s world-first dedicated sanctions regime targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime.

Action marks latest step in government’s campaign to secure Britain’s borders and reduce irregular migration, delivering on the Plan for Change.

Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK.

Today’s sanctions target individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling and driving irregular migration to the UK, from a small boat supplier in Asia, to informal Hawala money movers in the Middle East, to gang leaders based in the Balkans and North Africa.

They cover a range of different activities from supplying small boats explicitly for smuggling, to sourcing fake passports, middlemen facilitating illicit payments through Hawala, people-smuggling via lorries and small boats, and the gangland leaders themselves.

Sanctions can disrupt the flow of money and materials – including freezing property, bank accounts and other assets – which allow organised criminal gangs to operate this vile trade.

The plans are a key example of the FCDO using innovative foreign policy approaches to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change. The regime will be the world’s first dedicated to targeting people-smuggling and organised immigration crime, with the exploitation of vulnerable people by criminals and their associated networks being one of the key drivers of irregular migration to the UK.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

This is a landmark moment in the government’s work to tackle organised immigration crime, reduce irregular migration to the UK and deliver on the Plan for Change.

From Europe to Asia we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world and making them pay for their actions. 

My message to the gangs who callously risk vulnerable lives for profit is this: we know who you are, and we will work with our partners around the world to hold you to account.

Among those sanctioned today is Bledar Lala, an Albanian who is in control of the ‘Belgium operations’ of an organised criminal group which smuggles migrants from Belgium across the English Channel to the United Kingdom.

Sanctions have also been brought against a company in China which has advertised their small boats on an online marketplace explicitly for the purpose of people-smuggling. The boats advertised are of the type used by criminal gangs in which migrants are packed, before being sent across the Channel at huge risk.

The UK is also sanctioning Alen Basil, a former police translator who went on to lead a large smuggling network in Serbia, terrorising refugees, with the aid of corrupt policemen. Basil was subsequently found to be living in a house in Serbia worth more than one million euros, bought with money extorted from countless desperate migrants.

Also sanctioned is Mohammed Tetwani, the self-styled “King of Horgos”, who brutally oversaw a migrant camp in Horgos, Serbia and led the Tetwani people-smuggling gang. Tetwani and his followers are known for their violent treatment of refugees who decline their services or cannot pay for them.

Today’s package also includes individuals like Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker involved in informal money transfer networks, which people-smugglers use as a way of taking payment from migrants.

All of those sanctioned today are publicly named and barred from engaging with the UK financial system, helping to further undermine their operations.

NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said:

The NCA is determined to use every tool at our disposal to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in people-smuggling, preventing harm to those they exploit for profit and protecting the UK’s border security.

These new sanctions powers will complement that NCA activity. We have worked with the FCDO and partners to progress the designation of these sanctioned persons.

They will give the UK a new way of pursuing, undermining and frustrating the operational capability of a wide range of organised immigration crime networks, including those who facilitate or enable offending.

Today’s designations are the first made under the UK’s new Global Irregular Migration Sanctions Regime. The regime is a world first and empowers the FCDO to impose sanctions not only on individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling to the UK, but also any financiers and companies found to be enabling their activities.

The FCDO has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and other partners to develop its cases and ensure they complement law enforcement activity.

Today’s announcement is part of the FCDO’s three-pronged ‘disrupt, deter, return’ strategy to tackle irregular migration globally. In addition to disrupting organised immigration crime networks through sanctions, the FCDO works with source and transit countries to deter would-be migrants from making a dangerous journey in the first place and works with the Home Office to negotiate the return of people who have no right to be here to their countries of origin, including criminals and failed asylum seekers. Since the election, over 35,000 people have been returned, up 13% on the same period in the year before.

Background

The individuals and entities sanctioned today can be seen below:

Iraqi-linked people-smuggling

Goran Assad Jalal, formed part of an organised crime group which stowed migrants in refrigerated lorries which crossed the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom on at least ten occasions between January and March 2019.

Hemin Ali Salih, helped smuggle migrants into the UK in the backs of lorries.

Dedawan Dazey, a people-smuggler who runs safe houses for migrants in Northern France before they are smuggled to the United Kingdom.

Roman Ranyaye, an Iraqi people-smuggler responsible for the smuggling of migrants from Asia to Europe.

Azad Khoshnaw, for supplying inflatable boats, onboard motors and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling of migrants from France to the UK.

Nuzad Khoshnaw, for equipping gangs in Northern France with outboard motors, inflatable boats, and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling to the UK.

Nihad Mohsin Xoshnaw, for providing inflatable boats, outboard motors and other maritime equipment used by migrants to cross the English Channel from France.

Hawala Network

Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker who controls payments from people being smuggled from the Kurdistan region of Iraq to Europe via Turkey.

Mariwan Jamal, controls money movements through a Hawala banker, which handles payments to people smugglers from migrants in Iraq.

Rafiq Shaqlaway, involved in hawala banking as an advisor to migrants looking to pay smugglers operating routes into Europe via Turkey.

North African gangs operating in the Balkans

Kazawi Gang, a people-smuggling network which controls people-smuggling routes from North Africa into the EU known to deal out harsh punishments to migrants who are unable to pay.

Tetwani Gang, known as one of the Balkan’s most violent people-smuggling gangs, members are reported to hold migrants for ransom and sexually abuse women unable to pay their fees.

Gangland bosses

Bledar Lala, leads a smuggling ring moving people from Belgium across the English Channel to the UK. 

Alen Basil, a former police translator who through violence and intimidation became boss of a large people-smuggling network.

Mohammed Tetwani, the head of the ‘Tetwani’ gang and self-styled “King” of Horgos in Serbia.

Yassine Al Maghribi Al-Kasaoui, the boss of the “Kazawi” gang.

Balkan gangs supplying fake passports

Kavač Gang, a Balkan organised crime organisation known to use fake passports to smuggle its gang members between the Balkans and Turkey.

Škaljari Gang, an organised crime organisation in Montenegro that smuggles criminals between the Balkans and Turkey.

Dalibor Ćurlik, procures fake passports and forged documents for use in the Kavač gang’s people-smuggling.

Almir Jahović, member of the Kavač gang, which is involved in supplying fake passports for smuggling gang members across borders

Marko Petrović, a member of the Kavač gang which sources false identification and passports for use in people-smuggling.

Nikola Vein helps the Škaljari Gang secure fake passports and travel documents for use in people smuggling.

Ratko Živković, a Škaljari Gang associate, which gathers fake passports for the purpose of smuggling gang members across borders.

Dejan Pavlović, a member or close associate of the Škaljari Gang, which supports the manufacture of false identities and passports.

The following company based in China has been designated over the manufacture of inflatable boats being advertised for people smuggling.

Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co

Background to the Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime

Using the powers conferred by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (the Sanctions Act) the Government has laid secondary legislation before Parliament that introduces a new Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime. The Regulations will be debated by both Houses of Parliament when they return from the summer recess in line with the made affirmative procedure.

The UK Sanctions List FCDO – UK Sanctions List Search – GOV.UK

Asset freeze

An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.

Travel ban

A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.

Director disqualifications

Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it will be an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a company or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a UK company.

Media enquiries

Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

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Published 23 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 23, 2025
Trump accuses Obama of treason in escalating attacks over 2016 Russia probe

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

U.S. President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of “treason” on Tuesday, accusing him, without providing evidence, of leading an effort to falsely tie him to Russia and undermine his 2016 presidential campaign.

A spokesperson for Obama denounced Trump’s claims, saying “these bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”

While Trump has frequently attacked Obama by name, the Republican president has not, since returning to office in January, gone this far in pointing the finger at his Democratic predecessor with allegations of criminal action.

During remarks in the Oval Office, Trump leaped on comments from his intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday in which she threatened to refer Obama administration officials to the Justice Department for prosecution over an intelligence assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

She declassified documents and said the information she was releasing showed a “treasonous conspiracy” in 2016 by top Obama administration officials to undermine Trump, claims that Democrats called false and politically motivated.

“It’s there, he’s guilty. This was treason,” Trump said on Tuesday, though he offered no proof of his claims. “They tried to steal the election, they tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody’s ever imagined, even in other countries.”

An assessment by the U.S. intelligence community published in January 2017 concluded that Russia, using social media disinformation, hacking and Russian bot farms, sought to damage Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign and bolster Trump. The assessment determined that the actual impact was likely limited and showed no evidence that Moscow‘s efforts actually changed voting outcomes.

A 2020 bipartisan report by the Senate intelligence committee had found that Russia used Republican political operative Paul Manafort, the WikiLeaks website and others to try to influence the 2016 election to help Trump’s campaign.

“Nothing in the document issued last week (by Gabbard) undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes,” Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said in a statement.

TRUMP UNDER PRESSURE

Trump, who has a history of promoting false conspiracy theories, has frequently denounced the assessments as a “hoax.” In recent days, Trump reposted on his Truth Social account a fake video showing Obama being arrested in handcuffs in the Oval Office.

Trump has been seeking to divert attention to other issues after coming under pressure from his conservative base to release more information about Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Backers of conspiracy theories about Epstein have urged Trump, who socialized with the disgraced financier during the 1990s and early 2000s, to release investigative files related to the case.

Trump, asked in the Oval Office about Epstein, quickly pivoted into an attack on Obama and Clinton.

“The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold,” Trump said.

Trump suggested action would be taken against Obama and his former officials, calling the Russia investigation a treasonous act and the former president guilty of “trying to lead a coup.”

“It’s time to start, after what they did to me, and whether it’s right or wrong, it’s time to go after people. Obama has been caught directly,” he said.

Democratic Representative Jim Himes responded on X: “This is a lie. And if he’s confused, the President should ask @SecRubio, who helped lead the bipartisan Senate investigation that unanimously concluded that there was no evidence of politicization in the intelligence community’s behavior around the 2016 election.”

Former Republican Senator Marco Rubio is now Trump’s secretary of state.

Since returning to office, Trump has castigated his political opponents whom he claims weaponized the federal government against him and his allies for the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters and his handling of classified materials after he left office in 2021.

ATTACKS ON PREDECESSORS

Obama has long been a target of Trump. In 2011 he accused then-President Obama of not being born in the United States, prompting Obama to release a copy of his birth certificate.

In recent months, Trump has rarely held back in his rhetorical broadsides against his two Democratic predecessors in a way all but unprecedented in modern times.

He launched an investigation after accusing former President Joe Biden and his staff, without evidence, of a “conspiracy” to use an autopen, an automated device that replicates a person’s signature, to sign sensitive documents on the president’s behalf. Biden has rejected the claim as false and “ridiculous.”

Gabbard’s charge that Obama conspired to subvert Trump’s 2016 election by manufacturing intelligence on Russia’s interference is contradicted by a CIA review ordered by Director John Ratcliffe and published on July 2, a 2018 bipartisan Senate report and declassified documents that Gabbard herself released last week.

The documents show that Gabbard conflated two separate U.S. intelligence findings in alleging that Obama and his national security aides changed an assessment that Russia probably was not trying to influence the election through cyber means.

One finding was that Russia was not trying to hack U.S. election infrastructure to change vote counts and the second was that Moscow probably was using cyber means to influence the U.S. political environment through information and propaganda operations, including by stealing and leaking data from Democratic Party servers.

The January 2017 U.S. intelligence assessment ordered by Obama built on that second finding: that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized influence operations to sway the 2016 vote to Trump.

The review ordered by Ratcliffe found flaws in the production of that assessment. But it did not contest its conclusion and upheld “the quality and credibility” of a highly classified CIA report on which the assessment’s authors relied.

-REUTERS

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Kim Statement on Trump Administration Firing First Assistant Desiree Grace

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) issued the following statement:

“Trump’s Department of Justice is once again criticizing a court that acted within its authority, continuing a pattern of publicly undermining judicial decisions and showing disregard for the rule of law and the separation of powers.

“The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them and undermine judicial independence.

“This Administration may not like the law, but they are not above it.

“The people of New Jersey deserve a U.S. Attorney who will enforce the law and pursue justice for the people of our state without partisanship or politics.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
Amarnath Yatra: Pilgrim count crosses 3.3 lakh in 20 days

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The total number of pilgrims who have had ‘darshan’ at the Amarnath holy cave shrine has crossed the 3.31 lakh mark in its first 20 days, reflecting a continuous influx of devotees from across India.

“Another batch of 2,837 yatris left Jammu in two escorted convoys comprising 118 vehicles. The first convoy, with 49 vehicles carrying 1,036 pilgrims, departed at 3:25 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy of 69 vehicles, carrying 1,801 yatris to the Pahalgam base camp, left at 3:58 a.m.,” officials said on Wednesday.

The massive rush continues, with a significant number of pilgrims arriving directly—outside the escorted convoys – and opting for on-the-spot registration to reach the shrine.

The Yatra is being conducted amid elaborate multi-tier security arrangements. In addition to the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police, 180 extra companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed. The Army alone has positioned over 8,000 special commandos to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.

The annual pilgrimage, which began on July 3, is scheduled to conclude after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

(With inputs from IANS)

July 23, 2025
Amarnath Yatra: Pilgrim count crosses 3.3 lakh in 20 days

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The total number of pilgrims who have had ‘darshan’ at the Amarnath holy cave shrine has crossed the 3.31 lakh mark in its first 20 days, reflecting a continuous influx of devotees from across India.

“Another batch of 2,837 yatris left Jammu in two escorted convoys comprising 118 vehicles. The first convoy, with 49 vehicles carrying 1,036 pilgrims, departed at 3:25 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy of 69 vehicles, carrying 1,801 yatris to the Pahalgam base camp, left at 3:58 a.m.,” officials said on Wednesday.

The massive rush continues, with a significant number of pilgrims arriving directly—outside the escorted convoys – and opting for on-the-spot registration to reach the shrine.

The Yatra is being conducted amid elaborate multi-tier security arrangements. In addition to the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police, 180 extra companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed. The Army alone has positioned over 8,000 special commandos to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.

The annual pilgrimage, which began on July 3, is scheduled to conclude after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

(With inputs from IANS)

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Coin Collection Programme

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Coin Collection Programme
Since the launch of the Programme in October 2014 up to June 30, 2025, the two Coin Carts had carried out 1 374 000 transactions, collecting 1 052 million coins with a total face value of HK$1,691 million during the period. The collected coins are re-circulated to meet demand.

The Coin Carts provide service at locations that are convenient to the public without affecting the normal flow of traffic and pedestrians. Locations that have suitable power supply facilities, such as the Leisure and Cultural Services Department mobile library service locations, are preferred so as to reduce the need for using the Coin Carts’ own stand-by generators. This makes the Programme more environmentally friendly. In selecting the service locations, the HKMA has taken into consideration comments and suggestions given by district councils and members of public; and has consulted the Transport Department and the Hong Kong Police Force as necessary.

The two Coin Carts collect coins from members of public in the 18 districts of Hong Kong on a rotating basis. Under normal circumstances each Coin Cart will stay at a location for a week, subject to availability of the parking space and the maintenance schedule of the Cart. Service hours are from 10am to 7pm. Each vehicle is equipped with two coin counting machines and operational staff will be present to provide assistance. An electrical wheelchair lift is available for use. Users can choose to exchange coins for banknotes or adding value to their stored value facilities, such as Octopus Cards or e-wallets (including AlipayHK, Octopus Wallet, Tap&Go and WeChat Pay). There is also a Community Chest donation box inside each vehicle. The coin collection service is free of charge.

The HKMA will review the Programme from time to time; and will regularly update the service schedule to give advance notice to the public.
Issued at HKT 11:42

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ19: Combating traffic offences

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

â€‹Following is a question by the Hon Yung Hoi-yan and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

Question:

It has been reported that after the occurrence of traffic accidents recently, many drivers who caused the accidents chose to hit and run or refused to provide the drivers’ personal particulars. There are views that the reason for the drivers who caused the accidents taking such actions is the lighter penalty for the relevant traffic offences, thereby enabling them to circumvent more serious offences such as causing casualties by dangerous driving, which reflected the existence of legal loopholes in the authorities’ efforts to combat traffic offences. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of persons who were (i) arrested, (ii) prosecuted, (iii) convicted after trial and on own plea for being involved in traffic accidents in each of the past five years, together with a breakdown by the offenses involving the drivers concerned (including but not limited to (a) careless driving, (b) causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving, (c) causing death by dangerous driving, (d) failing to stop after a traffic accident, (e) failing to report after a traffic accident, and (f) refusing to provide the driver’s information after a traffic accident);

(2) given that under the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) (the Ordinance), the maximum penalty for refusal to give information on the driver of a vehicle suspected of having committed an offence under the Ordinance is liable to a fine of $10,000 and an imprisonment for six months, whereas the maximum penalty for dangerous driving causing death is a fine of $50,000 and an imprisonment for 10 years; disqualification from driving for not less than five years on first conviction and not less than 10 years or life on subsequent conviction, there are views that the disparity in the penalties between the two offences is significant, which may indirectly encourage drivers who caused accidents to circumvent serious offences by refusing to give personal particulars, whether the Government has plans to increase the penalties and maximum penalty for refusal to give a driver’s personal particulars, so as to enhance the deterrent effect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) it is learnt that if the registered owner of the vehicle concerned is a limited company and the relevant person refused to give the driver’s personal particulars after the traffic accident, the penalty is only limited to a fine and no one has to be imprisoned, whether the Government has plans to review the responsibility of the registrant of the vehicle concerned after a traffic accident, e.g. whether it will hold the responsible individuals of companies of the vehicle involved (including director, general manager or company secretary) responsible for the traffic accident, and whether it will study empowering the Commissioner for Transport to refuse to issue licences to owners of company vehicles who have repeatedly committed offences under section 63(1) of the Ordinance; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) given that Schedule 8 to the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap. 221) sets out the level of fines for offences, but there are views that the Schedule was last revised in 1994 and has failed to adequately reflect the severity of some of the offences (including behaviour in contravention of traffic legislation) taking into account the current social environment and economic changes, whether the Government has plans to review the Schedule and increase the corresponding amounts of fines; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) given that under the Magistrates Ordinance (Cap. 227), the maximum sentence Magistrates’ Courts can impose is generally two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $100,000; and maximum three years’ imprisonment where there are two or more indictable offences being dealt with by the courts at the same time, whether the Government will review the Ordinance and study expanding the Magistrates’ power to impose imprisonment and fine in parallel, so as to ensure that they can impose deterrent penalties when more serious offences (including contravention of traffic legislation) are being adjudicated; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

After consulting the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), the Department of Justice, and the Judiciary Administration, my consolidated reponse to the questions raised by the Hon Yung Hoi-yan on combating traffic offences is as follows:

(1) The numbers of arrests related to the offences mentioned in the question from 2020 to 2024 are listed in the table below. Apart from the initial figures, which may have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers have remained generally stable in recent years.

Offences	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Careless Driving	26	48	25	36	34
Causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving	84	93	102	103	102
Causing death by dangerous driving	51	55	54	56	34
Failing to stop after a traffic accident	7	20	24	23	33
Failing to report a traffic accident	7	18	24	20	31
Failing to give particulars after a traffic accident	0	1	0	1	0

The HKPF does not maintain a breakdown of statistical data for “prosecutions”, “convictions through trial”, or “guilty pleas”.

(2) and (3) In accordnance with sections 63(1), (2) and (3) and 63B(2) and (3) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) (the Ordinance), if the driver of a vehicle is suspected of having committed an offence under the Ordinance, or an accident occurs owing to the presence of a vehicle on a road, a police officer may, within six months after the date of the alleged offence or accident, demand any person to provide the personal particulars of the driver involved and the relationship (if any) of the person to the driver concerned. Sections 63B(5) and (7) of the Ordinance provide that any person who contravenes section 63B(2) or (3) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3 (i.e. $10,000) and to imprisonment for six months, unless the person proves that he did not know, and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained, the personal particulars of the driver involved.

The Government agrees that a registered vehicle owner should have a certain degree of responsibility with regard to who drives the vehicle registered under his name. However, the registered owner may not actually have full control of all operational information of his vehicle. Therefore, the current section 63B of the Ordinance provides a defence provision to exempt registered vehicle owners from the responsibility of providing driver information in respect of the vehicle concerned under certain circumstances to strike a proper balance.

The HKPF has consistently enforced the law strictly and effectively, striving to bring offenders to justice. When investigating traffic accidents, apart from requiring the registered vehicle owner to provide information on the driver who may have been involved in the accident under section 63 of the Ordinance, the HKPF will, depending on the nature of the case, use various methods to gather evidence. These methods include analysing footage from nearby security cameras, dash cameras, or even fingerprints to identify the driver involved. In other words, even if the HKPF cannot obtain information of the driver who may have been involved in the accident from the registered owner, there are still ways for the HKPF to find out the cause of the accident through other means and to prosecute the suspected offender.

The Government will continue to pay heed to stakeholders’ views and review the legislation when appropriate.

(4) Schedule 8 to the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap. 221) sets out different levels of fines applicable to penalty provisions under various ordinances. Bureaux and departments will from time to time review and propose adjustments to penalties under relevant legislation based on their policy considerations to ensure that the penalties reflect the severity of the offences. The Government will review the fine levels table as appropriate.

(5) The scope of charges heard in the Magistrates’ Courts includes summary offences and indictable offences, with the maximum penalty for indictable offences generally being imprisonment for two years and a fine of $100,000. The Government may, in accordance with relevant policies, empower magistrates to impose maximum penalties under specific legislation when enacting or amending such laws to enhance deterrent effect, instead of amending the Magistrates Ordinance (Cap. 227). Currently, certain ordinances already authorise magistrates to impose a maximum penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of $5 million for a single offence. In addition, while all criminal proceedings commence in the Magistrates’ Courts, more serious indictable offences may be transferred to the District Court or the Court of First Instance of the High Court for trial. The District Court has a sentencing limit of up to seven years’ imprisonment, while the Court of First Instance may impose the maximum penalty prescribed by the relevant legislative provisions. This mechanism has been operating effectively.

Currently, different levels of courts (including the Magistrates’ Courts) have distinct judicial jurisdictions, allowing cases to be reasonably allocated based on their nature, severity, and complexity to ensure the efficiency of judicial operations. Any proposals to adjust the judicial jurisdiction of individual court levels (including the Magistrates’ Courts) should go through a comprehensive and prudent review and an extensive consultation with stakeholders, before any decisions are made. Key considerations include the demarcation of judicial jurisdiction among different court levels, ensuring that each level of courts has adequate judicial manpower and legal support to handle relevant cases, as well as the overall resources, facilities, and supporting arrangements of the courts.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Man charged over seditious words

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Police Force’s National Security Department (NSD) has laid a holding charge after arresting an 18-year-old local man over the alleged writing of seditious words in the toilet of a commercial building on three occasions.

The charge involves one count of committing an act or acts with seditious intention and three counts of criminal damage.

The case was due to be mentioned at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this afternoon.

The man was arrested on Monday in Kowloon in relation to acts committed with seditious intention, in contravention of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

The seditious words concerned involve provoking hatred, contempt or disaffection against the constitutional order and the executive, legislative or judicial authority of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as inciting other persons to break the laws of the Hong Kong SAR.

Police reminded members of the public that committing any act with seditious intention is a serious offence, and that offenders are liable to imprisonment for seven years on first conviction. It urged members of the public not to defy the law.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: At least 17 killed in Zimbabwe bus-truck collision

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

HARARE, July 23 (Xinhua) — At least 17 people were killed in Zimbabwe on Tuesday morning when a truck collided head-on with a commuter bus near the town of Chitungwiza, 25 km south of the capital Harare, state-run Herald newspaper reported.

According to her, the truck crashed into the bus and dragged it for some distance, after which it overturned.

Zimbabwe police confirmed the crash but did not disclose the exact number of casualties, saying an investigation was underway.

According to the Zimbabwe Road Safety Council, road accidents kill about 150 people a month in the country. Police say careless driving, including speeding and failure to follow the rules, and faulty vehicles are common causes of accidents. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: July 22nd, 2025 Heinrich Announces Committee Passage of $6.5 Million to Combat Crime, Save Lives, & Keep New Mexicans Safe
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. With Committee approval of this bill, Heinrich secured support for over $6.5 million for nine local projects in New Mexico.

“While this Appropriations bill isn’t perfect, it includes resources and investments I negotiated for New Mexico that will help our law enforcement officers solve and reduce violent crime, keep our communities safe, and save lives,” said Heinrich, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This legislation will allocate additional resources to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities, including funding to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. Additionally, the bill creates a fentanyl tracking system, builds on my work to prevent firearm straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking, and makes opioid use disorder medications more accessible to New Mexicans. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will always fight for investments that put New Mexico communities first.”

Next, the bill will be considered by the full United States Senate.

Congressionally Directed Spending

Heinrich successfully included $6,521,000 in investments for the following 9 local projects in the bill:
- $1,668,000 for the New Mexico Statewide Sexual Assault Program to increase capacity at the Helpline and Work Force Trauma Institute.
- $1,050,000 for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for forensic analysis and crime scene reconstruction equipment.
- $1,000,000 for the Las Cruces Police Department to establish an Evidence Processing Lab for local law enforcement agencies.
- $908,000 for the Albuquerque Police Department to purchase crime scene processing equipment at the Metropolitan Forensic Science Center.
- $629,000 for the City of Farmington to acquire forensic DNA and narcotics identification equipment, training, and personnel.
- $533,000 for Eastern New Mexico University Campus to enhance lighting and safety on campus.
- $350,000 for New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence to expand its youth gun violence prevention programs.
- $268,000 for the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to purchase mobile security trailers.
- $115,000 for Gallup Police Department to purchase crime scene reconstruction equipment.
Additionally, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) successfully included $1,000,000 for the New Mexico Medical Investigator to enhance the DNA Processing Laboratory.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Key Points and Highlights

Combatting Crimes on Tribal Lands: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue to allocate additional resources to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, including providing sufficient funding to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities. Heinrich helped secure $95,000,000 within the Crime Victims Fund specifically for law enforcement efforts on Tribal lands and in order for federal, state, and tribal governments to coordinate on these critical public safety initiatives.

Fentanyl Tracking System: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to develop a comprehensive fentanyl tracking system. That tracking system would include documentation of seizure location, chemical composition, probable or known manufacturing location, and probable or known point of entry into the United States. Currently, fentanyl interdiction is compiled at land ports of entry by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but the DEA does not have readily accessible tracking data on the movement of illicit drugs within the U.S. or their point of origin. Requiring the compilation and organization of that data will complement DHS’ work and improve our country’s work to effectively combat the fentanyl crisis.

Firearm Straw Purchases Prevention: Heinrich successfully included language calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to continue its public awareness campaign to reduce firearm straw purchases at the retail level and to educate would-be straw purchasers of the penalties associated with knowingly participating in an illegal firearm purchase. This language builds on Heinrich’s work to negotiate and author the provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that increased criminal penalties for straw purchases and made it illegal to traffic firearms out of the United States. To date, more than 1,000 defendants have been charged by the Department of Justice because of those provisions, removing hundreds of firearms from the streets.

Removing Barriers to Lifesaving Medication: Heinrich successfully included language directing the DEA to take further action to remove barriers to access for opioid use disorder medications such as buprenorphine. The data clearly shows that prescriptions of medications for opioid use disorder significantly reduce the risk of overdose death, but despite their demonstrated effectiveness, approximately 87% of those suffering from opioid use disorder do not have a prescription for these lifesaving medications. The inclusion of this language will assist local medical and mental health providers and make medications, including buprenorphine, more accessible to New Mexicans.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: July 22nd, 2025 Heinrich Announces Committee Passage of $6.5 Million to Combat Crime, Save Lives, & Keep New Mexicans Safe
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. With Committee approval of this bill, Heinrich secured support for over $6.5 million for nine local projects in New Mexico.

“While this Appropriations bill isn’t perfect, it includes resources and investments I negotiated for New Mexico that will help our law enforcement officers solve and reduce violent crime, keep our communities safe, and save lives,” said Heinrich, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This legislation will allocate additional resources to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities, including funding to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. Additionally, the bill creates a fentanyl tracking system, builds on my work to prevent firearm straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking, and makes opioid use disorder medications more accessible to New Mexicans. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will always fight for investments that put New Mexico communities first.”

Next, the bill will be considered by the full United States Senate.

Congressionally Directed Spending

Heinrich successfully included $6,521,000 in investments for the following 9 local projects in the bill:
- $1,668,000 for the New Mexico Statewide Sexual Assault Program to increase capacity at the Helpline and Work Force Trauma Institute.
- $1,050,000 for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for forensic analysis and crime scene reconstruction equipment.
- $1,000,000 for the Las Cruces Police Department to establish an Evidence Processing Lab for local law enforcement agencies.
- $908,000 for the Albuquerque Police Department to purchase crime scene processing equipment at the Metropolitan Forensic Science Center.
- $629,000 for the City of Farmington to acquire forensic DNA and narcotics identification equipment, training, and personnel.
- $533,000 for Eastern New Mexico University Campus to enhance lighting and safety on campus.
- $350,000 for New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence to expand its youth gun violence prevention programs.
- $268,000 for the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to purchase mobile security trailers.
- $115,000 for Gallup Police Department to purchase crime scene reconstruction equipment.
Additionally, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) successfully included $1,000,000 for the New Mexico Medical Investigator to enhance the DNA Processing Laboratory.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Key Points and Highlights

Combatting Crimes on Tribal Lands: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue to allocate additional resources to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, including providing sufficient funding to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities. Heinrich helped secure $95,000,000 within the Crime Victims Fund specifically for law enforcement efforts on Tribal lands and in order for federal, state, and tribal governments to coordinate on these critical public safety initiatives.

Fentanyl Tracking System: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to develop a comprehensive fentanyl tracking system. That tracking system would include documentation of seizure location, chemical composition, probable or known manufacturing location, and probable or known point of entry into the United States. Currently, fentanyl interdiction is compiled at land ports of entry by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but the DEA does not have readily accessible tracking data on the movement of illicit drugs within the U.S. or their point of origin. Requiring the compilation and organization of that data will complement DHS’ work and improve our country’s work to effectively combat the fentanyl crisis.

Firearm Straw Purchases Prevention: Heinrich successfully included language calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to continue its public awareness campaign to reduce firearm straw purchases at the retail level and to educate would-be straw purchasers of the penalties associated with knowingly participating in an illegal firearm purchase. This language builds on Heinrich’s work to negotiate and author the provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that increased criminal penalties for straw purchases and made it illegal to traffic firearms out of the United States. To date, more than 1,000 defendants have been charged by the Department of Justice because of those provisions, removing hundreds of firearms from the streets.

Removing Barriers to Lifesaving Medication: Heinrich successfully included language directing the DEA to take further action to remove barriers to access for opioid use disorder medications such as buprenorphine. The data clearly shows that prescriptions of medications for opioid use disorder significantly reduce the risk of overdose death, but despite their demonstrated effectiveness, approximately 87% of those suffering from opioid use disorder do not have a prescription for these lifesaving medications. The inclusion of this language will assist local medical and mental health providers and make medications, including buprenorphine, more accessible to New Mexicans.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath’s bat-biting frontman, dies aged 76

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Ozzy Osbourne, frontman of 1970s heavy metal band Black Sabbath, earned his infamy biting the head off a bat on stage and pursuing a drug-fuelled lifestyle before reinventing himself as a loveable if often foul-mouthed reality TV star.

Known to fans as “The Prince of Darkness” and the “Godfather of Heavy Metal,” Osbourne has died at the age of 76, his family said in a statement on Tuesday.

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love,” they said.

Osbourne kicked off his career in the early 1970s as singer on Black Sabbath’s hits, from “Paranoid” to “War Pigs” to “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”. Those plus a string of solo releases saw him sell more than 100 million records worldwide.

The hard riffs and dark subject matter – from depression to war to apocalypse – combined with an instinct for Halloween theatrics. As a performer, Osbourne sprinkled audiences with raw meat and, in 1982, had his encounter with a bat thrown on stage by a fan.

He always insisted he thought it was a toy until he bit into it, realised his mistake and rushed to hospital for a rabies shot. He later sold branded bat soft toys with a removable head.

Osbourne was a regular target for conservative and religious groups concerned about the negative impact of rock music on young people. He acknowledged the excesses of his lifestyle and lyrics – but poured scorn on the wilder reports that he was an actual devil-worshipper.

“I’ve done some bad things in my time. But I ain’t the devil. I’m just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time,” he said in a 2010 biography.

REALITY SHOW STAR

John Michael Osbourne was the fourth of six children. Growing up in Aston, Birmingham, in central England, he struggled with dyslexia, left school at age 15, did a series of menial jobs, and at one point served a brief prison sentence for burglary. Then came Black Sabbath.

“When I was growing up, if you’d have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of 60, with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and California, I wouldn’t have put money on me, no fucking way,” he once said.

Britain’s Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a member of parliament representing a Birmingham constituency, wrote on X that she was devastated to hear the news of his death.

“One of the greatest gifts my city gave the world,” Mahmood said.

In 2002, Osbourne won legions of new fans when he starred in U.S. reality TV show “The Osbournes”.

Cameras followed the aging rock god ambling round his huge house in Beverly Hills, pronouncing on events in his heavy Birmingham accent and looking on bemused at the antics of his family.

Osbourne‘s family included wife and manager Sharon, five children including Jack, Kelly and Aimee, and several grandchildren.

No cause of death was given, but Osbourne revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The illness made him unable to walk.

In his final concert on July 5 in Birmingham, Osbourne performed sitting, at times appearing to have difficulties speaking as he thanked thousands of adoring fans, some of whom were visibly emotional.

Osbourne‘s performance followed a number of tributes on stage and on stadium screens from rock and pop royalty including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Metallica’s James Hetfield and Elton John.

“Thanks for your support over the years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you,” said Osbourne.

-Reuters

July 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 23, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 23, 2025.

Hard labour conditions of online moderators directly affect how well the internet is policed – new study
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tania Chatterjee, Joint PhD Candidate at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, The University of Queensland Getty Images/GCShutter Big tech platforms often present content moderation as a seamless, tech‑driven system. But human labour, often outsourced to countries such as India and the Philippines, plays a pivotal role in

Ghosted by a friend? 4 expert tips on how to handle the hurt
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan Willis, Associate Professor, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University martin-dm/Getty When we talk about “ghosting”, we usually think it relates to dating. But what happens when you’ve been ghosted by someone you’ve known for years – your childhood best friend, a parent, a

Labor’s new bill would cut HELP loans by 20%. But it also risks locking some graduates into a ‘debt treadmill’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University The Albanese government’s 20% cut to student debt is the first bill introduced to the new federal parliament. It is clever politics. In the government’s first term, the 3 million Australians with a student debt turned high indexation

ICJ climate crisis ruling: Will world’s top court back Pacific-led call to hold governments accountable?
By Jamie Tahana in The Hague for RNZ Pacific In 2019, a group of law students at the University of the South Pacific, frustrated at the slow pace with which the world’s governments were moving to address the climate crisis, had an idea — they would take the world’s governments to court. They arranged a

‘Maybe this is the last minutes you are living’: how the war is impacting young Ukrainians
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ashley Humphrey, Lecturer in Social Sciences, Monash University Now into its fourth year, the war that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has taken a devastating toll. An estimated 60,000 to 100,0000 Ukrainian lives have been lost and more than 10 million citizens displaced, and entire cities have

Auckland is NZ’s ‘primate city’ but its potential remains caged in by poor planning and vision
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images The recent report comparing Auckland to nine international peer cities delivered an uncomfortable truth: our largest city is falling behind, hampered by car dependency, low-density housing and “weak economic performance”. The Deloitte

Climate disasters are pushing people into homelessness – but there’s a lot we can do about it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Heffernan, Lecturer in Anthropology, Australian National University Almost half of all Australian properties are at risk of bushfire, while 17,500 face risk of coastal erosion. By 2030, more than 3 million will face riverine flood risk. Meanwhile, housing demand continues to outpace supply. With climate-related disasters

UK bans Gaza protest group – could the same thing happen in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University More than 100 people were arrested in the United Kingdom on the weekend for supporting Palestine Action, a protest group that opposes Britain’s support of Israel. Palestine Action was recently proscribed as a terrorist organisation, placing it in the

The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne, from Black Sabbath to Ozzfest to 30 years of retirement tours
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lachlan Goold, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, University of the Sunshine Coast Ozzy Osbourne photographed in London in 1991. Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for

Could the latest ‘interstellar comet’ be an alien probe? Why spotting cosmic visitors is harder than you think
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Comet 3I/ATLAS International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/K. Meech/Jen Miller/Mahdi Zamani, CC BY On July 1, astronomers spotted an unusual high-speed object zooming towards the Sun. Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the surprising space traveller had one very special quality: its

Should Australia lower the voting age to 16 like the UK? We asked 5 experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University The government in the UK is introducing legislation into parliament to lower the voting age to 16. If passed, the new age rules will be in place for the next general election, expected

Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne HRAUN/Getty A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy

Ultra fast fashion could be taxed to oblivion in France. Could Australia follow suit?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Ryan McVay/Getty For centuries, clothes were hard to produce and expensive. People wore them as long as possible. But manufacturing advances have steadily driven down the cost of production. These days,

Central bank independence and credibility matters. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Simon, Adjunct Fellow in Economics, Macquarie University Olga Kashubin/Shutterstock In the United States, President Donald Trump has been pressuring the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, to slash interest rates. This is partly to ease the interest payments on the ballooning US government debt.

Kneecap’s stance on Gaza extends a long history of the Irish supporting other oppressed peoples
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciara Smart, PhD Graduand in Australasian Irish History, University of Tasmania Love them or hate them, there’s no doubt Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap are having a moment. Their music – delivered in a powerful fusion of English and Irish – is known for its gritty lyrics about

Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion overnight to clarify state obligations related to climate change. It will answer two urgent questions: what are the obligations of states under international

Gaza not a religious issue – it’s a massive violation of international law, say accord critics
Asia Pacific Report Groups that have declined to join the government-sponsored “harmony accord” signed yesterday by some Muslim and Jewish groups, say that the proposed new council is “misaligned” with its aims. The signed accord was presented at Government House in Auckland. About 70 people attended, including representatives of the New Zealand Jewish Council, His

Flying the flags for Palestine – NZ protesters take message to Devonport
The Devonport Flagstaff About 200 people marched in Devonport last Saturday in support of Palestine. Pro-Palestine flags and placards were draped on the band rotunda at Windsor Reserve as speakers, including Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick and the people power manager of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand Margaret Taylor, a Devonport local, encouraged the crowd

View from The Hill: How much can Jim Chalmers get out of the economic reform roundtable?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra We’re now less than a month away from the start of the Albanese government’s “economic reform” (aka “productivity”) roundtable, but it has become quite hard to get a fix on exactly what this gathering will amount to. The guest list

Israeli settlers beat to death 2 Palestinians in latest lynchings
BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied West Bank Two young Palestinians were beaten to death on their land by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Friday. A funeral was held on Sunday for Sayfollah “Saif” Mussalet, 20, and Muhammad Shalabi, 23, who were brutally killed by a large group of settlers in

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 07.22.2025 Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill Targeting NGOs and Adversaries Funding Violent Riots

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and colleagues introduced the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. This bill adds rioting, as defined by the federal anti-riot statute, to the list of RICO predicate offenses, allowing the Department of Justice to use the full suite of RICO tools against entities who fund or coordinate violent interstate riots.
Sen. Cruz said, “Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence. Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans. My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”
The bill is cosponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Josh Hawley (R- Mo.).
Sen. Cornyn said, “Radical, left-wing groups who fund acts of violence, coordinate attacks against law enforcement, and spearhead the destruction of property must be stopped. This legislation would add rioting to the list of racketeering offenses to crack down on this lawless behavior while ensuring the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful protest are protected.”
Sen. Tuberville said, “77 million Americans voted for President Trump and his America First policy agenda – and that includes arresting and deporting illegal aliens. Democrats don’t like that – so they are rioting in the streets and violently attacking law enforcement officers. This cannot stand. My colleagues and I are introducing a bill to make sure the Department of Justice has the tools it needs to go after anti-American terrorist groups and their funders who are protecting illegal rapists, murderers, and criminals. We have to cut these violent riots off at the source. The adults are back in charge, and law and order will prevail.”
Sen. Hagerty said, “From anti-Semitic riots to violent anti-ICE attacks, those who fund and coordinate violent riots across our country must be held accountable. The Stop FUNDERs Act will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to bring those facilitating and financing violence on our campuses and in our streets to account.”
Sen. Tillis said, “Organized riots like those in Los Angeles pose a serious threat to public safety, endanger law enforcement, and undermine the rule of law. The Stop FUNDERs Act gives the Department of Justice the tools to go after the individuals and organizations that fund and orchestrate violent riots across our country. I’m proud to support this legislation to hold these bad actors accountable and restore law and order in our communities.”
Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas-24).
Rep. Van Duyne said, “The standard of treating violent, extremist activists as individual criminals must end. It is time we empower our law enforcement with a commonsense tool to treat these violent mobs, their funding sources, and their organizers as the criminal enterprises they are by passing the Stop FUNDERS Act. Since the days of the George Floyd riots, to the violence we see across American cities and college campuses today, it is obvious there are well funded, well outfitted, and highly coordinated efforts to plan and execute violent and potentially deadly missions of chaos and mayhem. This is organized crime, and we need to attack it as such.”
This bill is supported by Heritage Action and National Right to Work Committee.
Read the full text of the bill here.
BACKGROUND
The Stop FUNDERs Act will:
Amend 18 U.S.C. § 1961(1) to add “rioting,” as defined in the Anti-Riot Act, to the list of racketeering predicate offenses.
Enable the Department of Justice to use RICO tools—including joint liability and group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties—against organizations and individuals who repeatedly fund or coordinate violent interstate riots.
Deter abuse of nonprofit status and expose hidden financial pipelines behind politically motivated violence.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Appropriations Committee Approves Chairman Fleischmann’s FY26 Energy and Water Bill
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)

Washington, DC – The House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, led by Energy and Water Appropriations Chairman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03). The bill was approved by the Committee with a vote of 35 to 27. Approval of Rep. Fleischmann’s FY26 Energy and Water Appropriations bill by the Appropriations Committee is a key step before the bill can be brought to the House Floor for a vote.

Energy and Water Chairman Chuck Fleischmann said, “To achieve America’s new Golden Age, we must safeguard our national security, unleash American energy dominance, and increase economic prosperity for all our citizens. I am proud that, in tight fiscal times where every dollar spent must be scrutinized, the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill makes historic investments in our national security and nuclear deterrent, advances American leadership in deploying new nuclear technologies, provides robust funding for waterways infrastructure projects nationwide, reduces our reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals, unleashes American energy production, and stops wasteful, inflationary spending. This bill is the product of close collaboration with the Trump Administration and my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee, and I thank them for their strong support.”

House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (OK-04) said, “This FY26 Energy and Water bill is focused on lowering energy costs and advancing affordable, reliable, and secure power for the nation. It recognizes that American energy dominance is essential to our economic strength, national security, and global leadership—fueling jobs, innovation, and resilience across every community. Further, we make clear to our adversaries that America will lead with strength built on domestic energy and critical mineral production. We also prioritize essential waterway, flood control, and ports and harbors projects. Chairman Fleischmann’s approach ensures a stronger future reinforced through cutting-edge technology, strategic use of abundant resources, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and I commend its full committee approval.”

Energy and Water Subcommittee Chairman Fleischmann’s opening remarks are available here.
Chairman Cole’s opening remarks are available here.

Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $57.300 billion, which is $766.4 million below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level. The defense portion of the allocation is $33.223 billion, and the non-defense portion of the allocation is $24.077 billion.

The bill prioritizes funding for agencies and programs that safeguard U.S. national security, unleash American energy dominance, and advance economic competitiveness.

Key Takeaways

Champions America’s nuclear deterrent and strengthens national security by:
- Providing $20.662 billion for the continued modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure.
- Providing $2.171 billion to support the U.S. Navy’s nuclear fleet by investing in infrastructure and new technologies to maintain America’s advantage over our adversaries.
- Providing $1.984 billion to reduce the danger of hostile nations or terrorist groups acquiring nuclear weapons.
- Prohibiting the sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the Chinese Communist Party.
- Prohibiting access to U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities by citizens of China and Russia.
- Prohibiting the Department of Energy from providing financial assistance to any foreign entity of concern.
- Prohibiting the purchase of technology and telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries.
Supports the Trump Administration and mandate of the American people by:
- Codifying President Trump’s executive actions by prohibiting funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Critical Race Theory programs and ending federal censorship of free speech.
- Continuing the prohibition on funding for any discriminatory action against individuals advocating for traditional marriage.
- Allowing for the lawful carry of firearms on Corps of Engineers land.
Restores American energy dominance and bolsters the national economy by:
- Supporting one of the largest investments focused on mining production technologies for critical minerals extraction in decades, reducing reliance on foreign sources.
- Robustly funding small modular reactor and advanced reactor demonstration projects, as well as increasing funding for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to expand capacity for the review, licensing, and oversight of new nuclear reactors.
  - These investments are key to regaining international dominance in the nuclear market and achieving the Trump Administration’s goal to expand nuclear energy capacity to 400 gigawatts by 2050.
- Facilitating the efficient transport of goods and commodities through improvements and maintenance of America’s ports and waterways.
- Increasing investments to develop new baseload geothermal energy sources to capitalize on our vast domestic resources.
- Maintaining funding for cybersecurity efforts that enable a resilient, reliable, and secure electric grid.
Safeguards American taxpayer dollars and preserves core functions by:
- Eliminating the Biden-era Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
- Including no funds for the Department of Energy Office of Energy Justice and Equity.
- Refocusing applied energy technology program funding to ensure taxpayer resources are directed to the highest priority research and development efforts.
- Reducing global dependency on the U.S. for foreign nuclear reactor conversions.
During the markup, Committee Republicans also stood with the America First agenda and rejected Democrat amendments that would have:
- Restricted the implementation of the America First agenda.
- Repealed reconciliation efforts that reformed green new scam climate initiatives.
- Sought to hamper enforcement efforts at Alligator Alcatraz.
- Promoted and advanced critical race theory.
- Allowed unapproved flags to be flown over federal facilities.
- Funded polarizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
- Exposed Americans to religious discrimination.
- Prohibited the implementation of certain President Trump executive orders.
- Increased taxpayer spending to unnecessary levels for certain programs.
Adopted Amendments
- Fleischmann #1 (Manager’s Amendment) – Makes technical, bipartisan changes to the bill and report.
  - The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
- Clyde #1 – Addresses the collection and utilization of recreation fees.
  - The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
- Moore #2 – Increases funding for Regional Commissions.
  - The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Introduces BURDEN Act to Force Congress to Complete the Medicaid and SNAP Paperwork They Imposed on Millions
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

The bill requires Members of Congress to comply with the same bureaucratic red tape now mandated for Medicaid and SNAP recipients under the “Large Lousy Law.”
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) introduced the Bringing Unfair Reporting Duties to Electeds Now (BURDEN) Act, a bill that would require Members of Congress to personally comply with the same burdensome work requirement paperwork they imposed on low-income Americans under President Trump’s so-called “Large Lousy Law” budget reconciliation package, which became law earlier this month.

Under the BURDEN Act, Members of Congress would be barred from enrolling in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program unless they submit monthly proof of “community engagement,” the same bureaucratic reporting required of Medicaid recipients. Additionally, the bill requires Members to complete and submit the same paperwork now mandated for SNAP recipients to verify employment, income, and eligibility on a recurring basis.

“President Trump’s reckless ‘Large Lousy Law’ forces millions of vulnerable Americans to jump through hoops just to keep food on the table or get the medical care they need,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “If Congressional Republicans think these burdens are appropriate for struggling families, then Members of Congress should shoulder them too. The BURDEN Act simply says, if you want taxpayer-funded health coverage, prove you meet the same standards you’re imposing on the American people.”

The “Large Lousy Law” slashes Medicaid by over $1 trillion, imposes sweeping work requirements, and adds layers of red tape that threaten access to health care and nutrition assistance for millions of Americans—including working parents, caregivers, and individuals with unstable or part-time employment. According to the Congressional Budget Office, more than 17 million Americans are projected to lose their health care under the new law.

Key provisions of the BURDEN Act include:
- Requiring Members of Congress to submit monthly certifications proving they meet Medicaid work requirement standards for “community engagement” — typically including documented employment, job training, or approved volunteer work.
- Requiring Members to complete and submit recurring SNAP eligibility documentation, including income reporting, employment verification, and other required paperwork, on the same schedule as SNAP recipients.
- Prohibiting enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for Members who fail to comply with these requirements.
By exposing the double standard in how burdensome requirements are applied, the BURDEN Act seeks to restore basic fairness and highlight the real-world consequences of Republican policies that target working families.

The full copy of the bill is available here.

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MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Norton Calls D.C. Appropriations Bill Text “Unreasonable” and “Patronizing” to 700,000+ D.C. Residents
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Appropriations today released the text of its fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill, which Norton said includes an outrageous number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans try to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents. Significantly, the bill would halve funding for DCTAG, a program established by a 1999 Norton bill. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $10,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.

“I am outraged at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the bill released today,” Norton said. “In my long career representing D.C. residents in Congress, I have rarely seen a bill as unreasonable and patronizing to the more than 700,000 people who live in the nation’s capital as this one. I will use every tool at my disposal to stop these riders from becoming law, and I commit to reminding my fellow lawmakers across the aisle that D.C. residents deserve the same consideration as their own constituents at every opportunity.”

The text released today:
- Would permit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.
- Would provide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.
- Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.
- Would repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act, and prohibits enacting any similar act.
- Would require D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
- Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.
- Would repeal the provision of D.C.’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
- Would repeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.
- Would prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.
- Would prohibit the use of funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.
- Would prohibit the use of funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
- Would prohibit funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.
Among the anti-home rule riders are several victories secured by Norton, despite Republican control of the House.

“Even among the long list of anti-home rule riders in the bill text released today, there are a number of victories for residents of the nation’s capital,” Norton said. “I was pleased to secure these wins for the District, including increasing the DCTAG yearly cap from $10,000 to $15,000 and lifetime award cap from $50,000 to $75,000, a change I have requested for years. Even in the face of funding for the overall program being cut by half, these increases are a positive for D.C. residents who are recipients of the program. I will continue to work to secure full funding for DCTAG.”

The bill also maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2026, a provision she has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 26 local budget.

Norton also secured the following victories in the bill:
- Increasing the yearly cap on DCTAG to $15,000 from $10,000 and increasing the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
- Requiring ratably reducing the amount of tuition and fee payment of each eligible DCTAG student who receives more than $10,000 for the award year if there are insufficient funds.
- Exempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2026.
- Providing $5.7 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project.
- Providing $70 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital, and is designed to cover the District’s costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.
- Providing $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.
- Providing $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Norton Says Anti-Home Rule Riders on Subcommittee-Passed D.C. Appropriations Bill are “Appalling” and “Unsurprising”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Appropriations marked up and passed the fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill tonight, which Norton said includes an outrageous and irresponsible number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans try to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents. Significantly, the bill would halve funding for DCTAG, a program established by a 1999 Norton bill. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $10,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.

“It is unsurprising that at a time when there are more frequent Republican attacks on D.C. home rule than any time since the 1990s, the D.C. appropriations bill reported out of a Republican-controlled subcommittee contains numerous and extensive riders that would overrule the expressed will of D.C. residents,” Norton said. “I am particularly appalled by the 50% cut in funding for DCTAG, a program created in 1999 by a bill I authored that simply helps pay for students who are D.C. residents to attend college.

“I will use every tool at my disposal to stop these riders from becoming law, and I commit to reminding my fellow lawmakers across the aisle that D.C. residents deserve consideration equal to that given to as their own constituents.”

As reported out of the subcommittee today, the bill:
- Would provide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.
- Would permit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.
- Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.
- Would repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act and prohibit enacting any similar act.
- Would require D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
- Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.
- Would repeal the provision of D.C.’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.
- Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
- Would repeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.
- Would prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.
- Would prohibit the use of funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.
- Would prohibit the use of funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
- Would prohibit funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.
Despite Republican control of the House, Norton secured several key victories for D.C., including the first increase in the annual and lifetime award caps for DCTAG recipients since the program was created in 1999.

“I was pleased the bill that passed out of subcommittee tonight maintained several wins I secured for D.C., including increasing the DCTAG yearly cap from $10,000 to $15,000 and lifetime award cap from $50,000 to $75,000, a change I have requested for many years. Even in the face of funding for the overall program being cut by half, these increases are a positive for DCTAG recipients. I will continue to work to secure full funding for DCTAG.”

The bill also maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2027, a provision Norton has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 26 local budget.

Norton secured the following victories in the bill:
- Increasing the yearly cap on DCTAG to $15,000 from $10,000 and increasing the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
- Requiring ratably reducing the amount of tuition and fee payment of each eligible DCTAG student who receives more than $10,000 for the award year if there are insufficient funds.
- Exempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.
- Providing $5.7 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project.
- Providing $70 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital, and is designed to cover the District’s costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.
- Providing $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.
- Providing $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Aggravated robberies – Katherine

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

NT Police are calling for information following two separate aggravated robberies that occurred in Katherine on Monday evening.

Around 9:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre (JESCC) received reports of a stolen motor vehicle from a facility on Riverbank Drive.

It is alleged that three male youths approached an employee at the facility and threatened him with a knife. They demanded their keys and subsequently stole the victim’s vehicle. While attempting to exit the location, the offenders crashed into a fence, causing them to abandon the vehicle and flee the scene on foot.

Police attended, and a crime scene was established. The alleged offenders remain outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

Later, in a separate incident, around 11:05pm, the JESCC received a report that a group of youths had entered another business premises in Katherine South.

An employee working at the location was threatened with a knife for their vehicle keys. The employee was able to secure themselves in the staff room with the offenders banging on the door until they heard the victim called police.

Before fleeing the scene, the group allegedly attempted to steal a vehicle that was parked outside but were unsuccessful.

Police attended and a crime scene was established. The group remain outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

It is not known at this stage if the two incidents are linked.

Police urge anyone with information pertaining to either incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25195157. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

MIL OSI News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Lauren Underwood Demands Answers from ICE and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Alleged ICE Activity in Joliet Last Week

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, wrote to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons after receiving no response to previous inquiries regarding alleged ICE activity in Joliet, Illinois last week.

Multiple witnesses report that on Wednesday, July 9^th, an unmarked black truck taking part in alleged ICE enforcement actions rammed a civilian vehicle in a high-traffic public area, trapping it near a youth center, high school, and minor league baseball stadium. Witnesses report that four individuals in military-style fatigues then allegedly exited the vehicle and pointed automatic weapons at the vehicle’s occupants, removing one of them and telling him he would “be removed on the 22^nd.”

“If true,” Underwood wrote, “these allegations are a flagrant violation of law enforcement’s responsibility to prioritize community safety, minimize potential risks to civilians and officers involved in operations, and operate with extreme care and sensitivity for child welfare. The reckless use of vehicle assault and weapons of war on our streets – especially in areas near schools and youth centers where these actions pose heightened risks to children – is completely unacceptable.”

People who need help with federal agencies like ICE and DHS are always encouraged to contact Rep. Underwood’s office for free assistance at (630) 549-2190 or https://underwood.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

July 17, 2025

The Honorable Todd Lyons

Acting Director

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

500 12th Street SW

Washington D.C. 20536

Dear Acting Director Lyons,

I write to urgently request a detailed briefing regarding reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement action last week in Joliet, Illinois that allegedly put the community’s safety at risk. My office reached out to your office via email and phone last week immediately after hearing these reports but has not received any response from ICE despite repeated follow-ups.

Multiple witnesses report that on Wednesday, July 9th, an unmarked black extended cab truck taking part in ICE enforcement actions allegedly rammed the rear of a civilian vehicle and forcibly trapped it near the intersection of Cass and Arch Street in Joliet. This location is adjacent to a youth center, a high school, and a minor league baseball stadium, and is considered a high-traffic public area.

Witnesses further report that four individuals, reportedly dressed in military-style fatigues with black bulletproof vests labeled “Police,” allegedly exited the vehicle and pointed what were described as automatic weapons at the vehicle’s occupants. Witnesses then report seeing one man being removed from the vehicle that was rammed and detained. We have since been informed that the individual was told he would be “removed on the 22nd.”

These allegations, if true, are egregious. They appear to be a flagrant violation of law enforcement’s responsibility to prioritize community safety, minimize potential risks to civilians and officers involved in operations, and operate with extreme care and sensitivity for child welfare. The reckless use of vehicle assault and weapons of war on our streets – especially in areas near schools and youth centers where these actions pose heightened risks to children – is completely unacceptable.

Given the nature, location, and urgency of these allegations, I request a comprehensive briefing from you or senior leadership on your team on this incident no later than July 20, 2025. Please contact my office at 202-570-2381 or il14.scheduling@mail.house.gov as soon as possible to schedule this. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

Lauren Underwood

Member of Congress

CC: The Honorable Kristi Noem, Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Joins Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers, Advocates to Condemn Shutdown of 988 LGBTQ+ Crisis Lifeline

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

Today, in response to the LGBTQ+ subline of the 988 crisis support hotline being shut down as previously ordered by the Trump Administration, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers and national mental health advocates to speak out against the harmful decision and called for its immediate reversal. Today’s event follows an earlier plea to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging his office to “scrap this ill-advised plan.” WATCH HERE.

Since its launch in 2022, the LGBTQ+ subline under the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been a critical, life-saving resource for LGBTQ+ youth and adults facing mental health crises. The line has handled nearly 1.3 million calls, texts, and chats from LGBTQ+ individuals seeking support. Its closure comes at a time of growing need — just last year, nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide, according to national surveys.

“LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. It should not be a political issue, but a matter of basic human decency to restore the 988 hotline’s specialized services that have been proven to save LGBTQ+ children’s lives,” said Rep. Pappas. “We all know someone who struggles with their mental health. We will continue to call on the administration to right this wrong and make them see why they must fund these critical services for LGBTQ+ youth.”

The decision to shut down the LGBTQ+ subline has drawn widespread concern from mental health experts and civil rights organizations, including The Trevor Project, which helped establish the dedicated line in partnership with the federal government. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ own data shows the subline has significantly expanded access to crisis care for LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth in underserved communities.

Today’s press conference included Representatives Sharice Davids (KS-03), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and representatives from The Trevor Project, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The bipartisan group emphasized that the LGBTQ+ subline is not duplicative or political — it is a proven, specialized tool that meets a real and growing public health need.

“The 988 Lifeline’s ‘press 3’ option represents a landmark, bipartisan achievement that has connected more than 1.5 million LGBTQ+ youth in crisis with life-saving care during their darkest moments,” said Jaymes Black, CEO, The Trevor Project. “Ending our country’s suicide crisis is about people, not politics — and we are devastated that the federal government has prioritized a political agenda over saving the lives of at-risk young Americans. Even in the wake of this difficult news, we express our enormous gratitude to the champions in Congress and across the mental health space who have fought to protect these life-saving services — and who continue to fight for a country that supports the health, happiness, and safety of LGBTQ+ young people everywhere. For any LGBTQ+ young person who needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s counselors are still here for you 24/7 — no matter what. Visit TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help.”

“LGBTQ+ youth face unique challenges — including stigma, discrimination, and elevated stress — that contribute to a suicide attempt rate more than four times higher than their non-LGBTQ+ peers,” said Robert Gebbia, Chief Executive Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Recognizing the urgent need for culturally competent support, Congress established a dedicated crisis line for LGBTQ+ youth in 2022. Since then, usage has grown steadily, with over 1.4 million contacts as of June 2025. We are grateful to Representatives Moulton, Krishnamoorthi, Davids, Matsui, Salinas, Tonko, Pappas, Fitzpatrick, and Lawler for championing continued support for this life-saving resource. At a time when youth, including LGBTQ+ youth, are facing a mental health crisis, eliminating specialized services would endanger lives.”

“Since its launch, over 1.3 million individuals have reached out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. The importance of talking to someone who understands your experience or has a shared experience with you is invaluable, and it has saved countless lives,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “NAMI urges the Administration to immediately reverse its decision eliminating these specialized services and to support resources for the mental health of our LGBTQ+ friends and family, who are tragically at a higher risk of suicide.”

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Amo, Huffman Lead 62 Members in New Bill Blocking Trump’s Assault on NOAA Facilities

Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

The Stop NOAA Closures Act prevents Trump from arbitrarily closing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities, keeping communities safe from natural disasters.

WASHINGTON, DC– Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) and House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) led 62 representatives in introducing the Stop NOAA Closures Act, which would block President Trump’s dangerous plans to close NOAA facilities across the country. NOAA facilities predict extreme weather, protect New England fisheries, and help communities understand and adapt to climate change.

“From fishermen to farmers, Rhode Islanders rely on NOAA to respond to severe weather and predict and prepare for climate change,” said Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI). “I introduced the Stop NOAA Closures Act, alongside Ranking Member Huffman, to prevent Trump from shuttering the NOAA facilities that track developing disasters, protect our natural resources, and help communities get ready for the next storm. As Ranking Member of the Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee, I will keep fighting to make sure NOAA and the National Weather Service can continue their vital work protecting the lives, livelihoods, and property of the American people.”

“Let’s call this what it is: a full-blown assault on science and public safety. President Trump’s reckless plans to shutter NOAA facilities are dangerously irresponsible — especially as climate-fueled disasters grow more extreme, more frequent, and more costly,” said Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA). “NOAA is on the frontlines of forecasting hurricanes, tracking wildfires and floods, and issuing life-saving warnings before the next storm hits. Slashing NOAA’s capacity would mean slower warnings, less reliable forecasts, and more American families put in danger. I’m proud to co-lead the Stop NOAA Closures Act to stop this madness in its tracks and protect the science and services millions of Americans rely on every single day.”

This bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Bill Keating (D-MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), John Garamendi (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Lou Correa (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), George Latimer (D-NY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Dina Titus (D-NV), Mark Takano (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Maxine Dexter, MD (D-OR), Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN).

This legislation is endorsed by the Sierra Club, Oceana, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the League of Conservation Voters, Azul, Save the Bay, Climate Action Rhode Island, the Conservation Law Foundation Rhode Island, Clean Water Action Rhode Island, the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, the Turtle Island Restoration Network, Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund, ISciences, L.L.C., and the Woodwell Climate Research Center.

For additional quotes, click HERE.

Background

Congressman Amo, serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Environment on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: In Letter, Murray, Blumenthal, Gallego Call on Secretary Collins Stop Endangering VA Research
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

“Scientific research takes years to build, and it cannot be treated like a spigot – turned on and off at will to serve the Trump Administration’s efforts to balance the budget on the backs of veterans.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) recently expressed their deep concerns with the ongoing setbacks to medical research at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a result of VA Secretary Doug Collins’ cuts and policies at the Department, including his months-long hiring freeze on essential research staff.

“Mr. Secretary, your hiring freeze has brought real-life impacts and pain upon our veterans – and reversing your hiring freeze for these positions months later is not enough to undo this harm,” the senators wrote in their letter to Secretary Collins. “VA researchers often work on 2- or 3-year appointments – “not to exceed” (NTE) contracts – which, as long as the researcher has funding, are typically rolled over into new appointments. Due to your hiring freeze, essential researchers whose terms were ending soon were shown the door and forced to abandon often lifesaving work, and their positions were unable to be backfilled. These actions damaged veterans’ access to cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials.” The senators cited specific examples of how the Trump VA’s hiring freeze impeded veterans’ access to critical clinical trials, including those aimed at preventing dementia and heart disease, better predicting veterans’ stroke risk, studying advanced cancers, and a substance use disorder study.

The senators urged Collins to “rebuild this cornerstone of the United States’ medical research enterprise” by rehiring VA researchers whose terms were not extended due to the hiring freeze; addressing the backlog of research positions that were frozen but are now able to be hired again; coordinating with the National Institutes of Health to restore cancelled grants for VA researchers; and allowing researchers to publish their findings without the unprecedented step of preapproval by political appointees.

The senators also emphasized their concerns around the prospect of politicizing VA research: “We are also concerned by reports that VA research studies may now have to be approved by political appointees before publication in academic journals. Please clarify to Congress, VA research employees, and veterans that no political appointees will be involved in approving or censoring the publication of research studies. Such clarification will support the historically bipartisan nature of VA research and help assure current and future VA researchers that VA will not censor the work of the talented staff it employs.”

The senators concluded: “Scientific research takes years to build, and it cannot be treated like a spigot – turned on and off at will to serve the Trump Administration’s efforts to balance the budget on the backs of veterans. The consequences of your hiring freeze – and the resulting backlog in hiring VA research staff – could be severe and long-lasting. You still have the chance to correct course by immediately rehiring wrongly terminated researchers, working with OPM to quickly address the backlog in research staff hiring, coordinating with other agencies to restore all grants revoked from VA researchers, and assuring current and future VA researchers that their research will not be subject to political review.”

Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for her. In March, Senator Murray and her colleagues sent letters to VA Secretary Doug Collins demanding that the VA swiftly reverse moves to cut VA researchers, as well as multiple letters pressing Secretary Collins to sever DOGE’s access to any VA or other government system with information about veterans, and protect veterans, their families, and VA staff from unprecedented access to sensitive information. Senator Murray grilled Trump’s nominee for VA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Paul Lawrence, on the mass firings of VA employees and VA researchers, and voted against Doug Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary in early February, sounding the alarm over reports of DOGE at the VA and making clear that the Trump administration’s lawlessness was putting our national security and our veterans at risk.

The full letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Collins,

We write today to express our deep concerns with the setbacks to medical research at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under your leadership. Although VA has begun to resolve some of your self-inflicted issues, including your multiple months-long hiring freeze on essential research staff, we call on you to take additional key actions to build back VA research. To rebuild this cornerstone of the United States’ medical research enterprise, you must rehire VA researchers whose terms were not extended due to the hiring freeze, address the backlog of research positions that were frozen but are now able to be hired again, coordinate with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to restore cancelled grants for VA researchers, and allow researchers to publish their findings without the unprecedented step of preapproval by political appointees.

Mr. Secretary, your hiring freeze has brought real-life impacts and pain upon our veterans – and reversing your hiring freeze for these positions months later is not enough to undo this harm. VA researchers often work on 2- or 3-year appointments – “not to exceed” (NTE) contracts – which, as long as the researcher has funding, are typically rolled over into new appointments. Due to your hiring freeze, essential researchers whose terms were ending soon were shown the door and forced to abandon often lifesaving work, and their positions were unable to be backfilled. These actions damaged veterans’ access to cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials. For example:
- A clinical trial aimed at preventing dementia and heart disease was unable to renew a without compensation appointment and had to turn veterans away from enrollment.
- A substance use disorder study was paused due to an employee’s termination, leaving progress stalled on a major public health issue affecting veterans at a rate higher than non-veterans.
- Critical research employees on a study predicting stroke risk were fired, leading this study to be halted.
- Enrollment in clinical trials for advanced cancers was delayed, limiting access to promising therapies.
To ensure there are no further impediments to this vital research, we request a list of all research positions that are still subject to the hiring freeze – including research positions at VA’s Centers of Excellence and Centers of Innovation – and call on you to rehire all researchers who, through no fault of their own, had their NTE contracts expire during the hiring freeze. We also urge you to work with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to quickly address the backlog in research staff hiring that your hiring freeze has engendered. VA research staff nationwide are reporting a significant backlog in the hiring process for critical research employees who are finally, after months of waiting, no longer subject to your hiring freeze. Failure to swiftly address this backlog will put veterans’ health at risk, decimate the morale of an already understaffed research workforce, and undercut one of VA’s best recruiting tools.

Furthermore, timely coordination with the National Institutes of Health – the nation’s leading biomedical research agency – is essential to restore any VA researchers’ canceled NIH grants. Our offices have heard from VA researchers whose studies on topics such as opioid use disorder among veterans have been halted due to NIH grant cancellations. We urge you to work with NIH to restore these grants and all other cancelled grants that funded studies to improve veterans’ health outcomes. We are similarly concerned that additional grants for VA researchers affiliated with academic institutions have been canceled, especially given VA’s refusal to answer repeated requests from our offices regarding the status of VA research at Harvard University. Reporting has noted that VA research projects associated with Harvard University – including studies on veteran suicide prevention, toxic exposure, and prostate cancer screening – have been proposed for termination. Veterans should not have to suffer due to this Administration’s political crusade on research and academia. We urge you to work to restore any such canceled grants without delay.

We are also concerned by reports that VA research studies may now have to be approved by political appointees before publication in academic journals. Please clarify to Congress, VA research employees, and veterans that no political appointees will be involved in approving or censoring the publication of research studies. Such clarification will support the historically bipartisan nature of VA research and help assure current and future VA researchers that VA will not censor the work of the talented staff it employs.

Scientific research takes years to build, and it cannot be treated like a spigot – turned on and off at will to serve the Trump Administration’s efforts to balance the budget on the backs of veterans. The consequences of your hiring freeze – and the resulting backlog in hiring VA research staff – could be severe and long-lasting. You still have the chance to correct course by immediately rehiring wrongly terminated researchers, working with OPM to quickly address the backlog in research staff hiring, coordinating with other agencies to restore all grants revoked from VA researchers, and assuring current and future VA researchers that their research will not be subject to political review.

We appreciate your attention to this critical issue and stand ready to support swift efforts that will allow VA research to thrive once more and continue to improve veteran health outcomes.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne

HRAUN/Getty

A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy nurse at Guantánamo Bay is ordered to force-feed a defiant detainee on hunger strike.

These very different real-life cases have one connecting thread: the question of whether a health professional can conscientiously object to carrying out a patient’s request.

Freedom of conscience is often held up as a purely noble principle. But when it’s used to deny health care, it means a single person’s beliefs are dictating what is best for another person’s physical and mental health – which can have devastating, even fatal, results.

In our recent book, Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Healthcare, colleagues and I conclude doctors should not be free to make medical decisions based on their personal beliefs.

It’s not noble to refuse care

Freedom of conscience is strongly – but not absolutely – protected under international human rights law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This principle has often been used for moral purposes: for example, to resist orders to torture or kill.

But after researching use of conscientious objection by health professionals, I have concluded it is seriously flawed when used to deny patients health services. This is especially so when particular doctors have a monopoly on service provision, as is the case with abortion and assisted dying in many rural and regional areas of Australia.

In Australia, doctors are allowed to conscientiously object to abortion, although nearly all states require referral to other service providers or information about how to access the relevant service.

In practice, these laws are not enforced and sometimes disregarded.

A doctor’s refusal can mean patients can be denied the standard of care they need, or indeed, any care at all.

Health-care professionals are not like pacifists refusing conscription into the military, opposing something forced upon them. They freely choose health-care careers that come with obligations and with ethical stances already established by professional codes of conduct.

People are free to hold whatever beliefs they choose, but those beliefs will inevitably close off some options for them. For example, a vegetarian will not be able to work in an abattoir. That is true for every one of us. But what shouldn’t happen is a doctor’s personal beliefs closing off legitimate options for their patient.

4 guiding questions

Instead of personal values, there are four key secular principles we propose that doctors should rely on when deciding how to advise patients about sensitive procedures:
- is it legal?
- is it a just and fair use of any resources that might be limited?
- is it in the interests of the patient’s wellbeing?
- is it what the patient has themselves decided they want?
Of course, there will be times when some of these principles are in conflict – that is when it is important to apply the most crucial ones, the wellbeing of the patient and the patient’s own wishes.

In Ireland in 2012, a young woman named Savita Halappanavar went to an Irish hospital for treatment for her miscarriage. Doctors knew there was no hope of the pregnancy surviving but refused to evacuate her uterus while there was still a fetal heartbeat, for fear of breaching Ireland’s anti-abortion laws. The result: Savita died of septicaemia at 31.

If doctors had put the patient’s wellbeing first, they would have given her that termination, despite the law, and it would have saved her life.

These are the principles that should have been applied to the examples above: the woman seeking an abortion for career reasons or the nurse refusing to force-feed prisoners.

The doctor (or nurse) should ask: Is it what the patient has autonomously decided they want? Will it lead to the best outcome for both their physical and their mental health?

If abortion will promote a woman’s wellbeing, it is in her interests. Hunger strikers should not be force-fed because it violates their autonomy.

An unfair burden

While doctors’ personal values are important, they should not dictate care at the bedside. Not only can this disadvantage the patient, but it places an unfair burden on colleagues who do accept such work, and must carry a disproportionate load of procedures they might find unpleasant and financially unrewarding.

It also creates injustice. Patients who are educated, wealthy and well-connected already find it easier to access health care. Conscientious objection intensifies that unfairness in large swathes of the country because it further limits options.

Two countries with excellent health-care systems, Sweden and Finland, do not permit conscientious objection by medical professionals.

In Australia, it is time we do the same and strongly limit conscientious objection as a legal right for health professionals. We should also ensure those entering the discipline are prepared to take on all procedures relevant to their specialty.

And lastly, but most importantly, we should educate them that the patient’s interests and values must always come first. An individual doctor’s sense of moral authority should not be permitted to morph into medical and moral authoritarianism.

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

– ref. Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients – https://theconversation.com/doctors-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-object-to-medical-care-if-it-harms-their-patients-260003
MIL OSI –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne

HRAUN/Getty

A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy nurse at Guantánamo Bay is ordered to force-feed a defiant detainee on hunger strike.

These very different real-life cases have one connecting thread: the question of whether a health professional can conscientiously object to carrying out a patient’s request.

Freedom of conscience is often held up as a purely noble principle. But when it’s used to deny health care, it means a single person’s beliefs are dictating what is best for another person’s physical and mental health – which can have devastating, even fatal, results.

In our recent book, Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Healthcare, colleagues and I conclude doctors should not be free to make medical decisions based on their personal beliefs.

It’s not noble to refuse care

Freedom of conscience is strongly – but not absolutely – protected under international human rights law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This principle has often been used for moral purposes: for example, to resist orders to torture or kill.

But after researching use of conscientious objection by health professionals, I have concluded it is seriously flawed when used to deny patients health services. This is especially so when particular doctors have a monopoly on service provision, as is the case with abortion and assisted dying in many rural and regional areas of Australia.

In Australia, doctors are allowed to conscientiously object to abortion, although nearly all states require referral to other service providers or information about how to access the relevant service.

In practice, these laws are not enforced and sometimes disregarded.

A doctor’s refusal can mean patients can be denied the standard of care they need, or indeed, any care at all.

Health-care professionals are not like pacifists refusing conscription into the military, opposing something forced upon them. They freely choose health-care careers that come with obligations and with ethical stances already established by professional codes of conduct.

People are free to hold whatever beliefs they choose, but those beliefs will inevitably close off some options for them. For example, a vegetarian will not be able to work in an abattoir. That is true for every one of us. But what shouldn’t happen is a doctor’s personal beliefs closing off legitimate options for their patient.

4 guiding questions

Instead of personal values, there are four key secular principles we propose that doctors should rely on when deciding how to advise patients about sensitive procedures:
- is it legal?
- is it a just and fair use of any resources that might be limited?
- is it in the interests of the patient’s wellbeing?
- is it what the patient has themselves decided they want?
Of course, there will be times when some of these principles are in conflict – that is when it is important to apply the most crucial ones, the wellbeing of the patient and the patient’s own wishes.

In Ireland in 2012, a young woman named Savita Halappanavar went to an Irish hospital for treatment for her miscarriage. Doctors knew there was no hope of the pregnancy surviving but refused to evacuate her uterus while there was still a fetal heartbeat, for fear of breaching Ireland’s anti-abortion laws. The result: Savita died of septicaemia at 31.

If doctors had put the patient’s wellbeing first, they would have given her that termination, despite the law, and it would have saved her life.

These are the principles that should have been applied to the examples above: the woman seeking an abortion for career reasons or the nurse refusing to force-feed prisoners.

The doctor (or nurse) should ask: Is it what the patient has autonomously decided they want? Will it lead to the best outcome for both their physical and their mental health?

If abortion will promote a woman’s wellbeing, it is in her interests. Hunger strikers should not be force-fed because it violates their autonomy.

An unfair burden

While doctors’ personal values are important, they should not dictate care at the bedside. Not only can this disadvantage the patient, but it places an unfair burden on colleagues who do accept such work, and must carry a disproportionate load of procedures they might find unpleasant and financially unrewarding.

It also creates injustice. Patients who are educated, wealthy and well-connected already find it easier to access health care. Conscientious objection intensifies that unfairness in large swathes of the country because it further limits options.

Two countries with excellent health-care systems, Sweden and Finland, do not permit conscientious objection by medical professionals.

In Australia, it is time we do the same and strongly limit conscientious objection as a legal right for health professionals. We should also ensure those entering the discipline are prepared to take on all procedures relevant to their specialty.

And lastly, but most importantly, we should educate them that the patient’s interests and values must always come first. An individual doctor’s sense of moral authority should not be permitted to morph into medical and moral authoritarianism.

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

– ref. Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients – https://theconversation.com/doctors-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-object-to-medical-care-if-it-harms-their-patients-260003
MIL OSI –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato

Getty Images

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion overnight to clarify state obligations related to climate change.

It will answer two urgent questions: what are the obligations of states under international law to protect the climate and environment from greenhouse gas emissions, and what are the legal consequences for states that have caused significant harm to Earth’s atmosphere and environment?

ICJ advisory opinions are not legally binding. But coming from the world’s highest court, they provide an authoritative opinion on serious issues that can be highly persuasive.

This advisory opinion marks the culmination of a campaign that began in 2019 when students and youth organisations in Vanuatu – one of the most vulnerable nations to climate-related impacts – persuaded their government to seek clarification on what states should be doing to protect them.

Led by Vanuatu and co-sponsored by 132 member states, including New Zealand and Australia, the United Nations General Assembly formally requested the advisory opinion in March 2023.

More than two years of public consultation and deliberation ensued, leading to this week’s announcement.

What to expect

Looking at the specific questions to be addressed, at least three aspects stand out.

First, the sources and areas of international law under scrutiny are not confined to the UN’s climate change framework. This invites the ICJ to consider a broad range of law – including trans-boundary environmental law, human rights law, international investment law, humanitarian law, trade law and beyond – and to draw on both treaty-related obligations and customary international law.

Such an encyclopaedic examination could produce a complex and integrated opinion on states’ obligations to protect the environment and climate system.

Second, the opinion will address what obligations exist, not just to those present today, but to future generations. This follows acknowledgement of the so-called “intertemporal characteristics” of climate change in recent climate-related court decisions and the need to respond effectively to both the current climate crisis and its likely ongoing consequences.

Third, the opinion won’t just address what obligations states have, but also what the consequences should be for nations:

where they, by their acts and omissions have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment.

Addressing consequences as well as obligations should cause states to pay closer attention and make the ICJ’s advisory more relevant to domestic climate litigation and policy discussions.

Representatives from Pacific island nations gathered outside the International Court of Justice during the hearings.
Michel Porro/Getty Images

Global judicial direction

Two recent court findings may offer clues as to the potential scope of the ICJ’s findings.

Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights published its own advisory opinion on state obligations in response to climate change.

Explicitly connecting fundamental human rights with a healthy ecosystem, this opinion affirmed states have an imperative duty to prevent irreversible harm to the climate system. Moreover, the duty to safeguard the common ecosystem must be understood as a fundamental principle of international law to which states must adhere.

Meanwhile last week, an Australian federal court dismissed a landmark climate case, determining that the Australian government does not owe a duty of care to Torres Strait Islanders to protect them from the consequences of climate change.

The court accepted the claimants face significant loss and damage from climate impacts and that previous Australian government policies on greenhouse gas emissions were not aligned with the best science to limit climate change. But it nevertheless determined that “matters of high or core government policy” are not subject to common law duties of care.

Whether the ICJ will complement the Inter-American court’s bold approach or opt for a more constrained and conservative response is not certain. But now is the time for clear and ambitious judicial direction with global scope.

Implications for New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand aspires to climate leadership through its Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019. This set 2050 targets of reducing emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) to net zero, and biogenic methane by 25-47%.

However, actions to date are likely insufficient to meet this target. Transport emissions continue to rise and agriculture – responsible for nearly half of the country’s emissions – is lightly regulated.

Although the government plans to double renewable energy by 2050, it is also in the process of lifting a 2018 ban on offshore gas exploration and has pledged $200 million to co-invest in the development of new fields.

Critics also point out the government has made little progress towards its promise to install 10,000 EV charging stations by 2030 while axing a clean-investment fund.

Although a final decision is yet to be made, the government is also considering to lower the target for cuts to methane emissions from livestock, against advice from the Climate Change Commission.

With the next global climate summit coming up in November, the ICJ opinion may offer timely encouragement for states to reconsider their emissions targets and the ambition of climate policies.

Most countries have yet to submit their latest emissions reduction pledges (known as nationally determined contributions) under the Paris Agreement. New Zealand has made its pledge, but it has been described as “underwhelming”. This may present a chance to adjust ambition upwards.

If the ICJ affirms that states have binding obligations to prevent climate harm, including trans-boundary impacts, New Zealand’s climate change policies and progress to date could face increased legal scrutiny.

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

– ref. Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question – https://theconversation.com/do-countries-have-a-duty-to-prevent-climate-harm-the-worlds-highest-court-is-about-to-answer-this-crucial-question-261396

MIL OSI –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

As originally released by the Committee on Education & Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA.-28), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

Co-leads of the legislation include Representative Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace.  The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures.  Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott.  “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process.  I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress.  Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique.  As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers.  That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,”said SenatorPadilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,”said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States.  The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse.  Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death.  Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000.  The Washington Center for Equitable Growthestimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates.  Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness.  And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03) , Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (D-TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (D-NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (D-CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12).

To read the fact sheet on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is availablehere.

To read the section-by-section summary of the bill is available here.

To read the bill text of the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

WATCH: Rep. Chu’s remarks on pushing for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, following yet another extreme heat wave in California, U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), joined by co-leads Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), stood alongside union leaders, including Yaisy Villalobos of the United Farm Workers (UFW), Dorothy Bryant of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Roy Houseman of the United Steelworkers (USW) to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish an enforceable federal workplace heat protection standard.

To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with common sense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill would also direct employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 in California after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

Ever since the United Farm Workers first shared Asunción Valdivia’s story with her, Rep. Judy Chu has been a tireless advocate to protect workers from dangerous heat exposure. She helped pass into law a state heat standard for outdoor workers when she was in the California state legislature. And she will continue to introduce this federal legislation each session of Congress until workers finally have a federal law protecting them from heat-related illness, injury, or death while on the job.

“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

“Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift. The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”

“From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round. From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, AFSCME, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, National Employment Law Project, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Auto Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, National Resources Defense Council, Service Employees International Union, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

“Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

“Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

“For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers.

“Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

“It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

“Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

“Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

This bill is originally cosponsored by 90 House Members, including Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03)*, Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12)*, Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

Full text of the bill is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ICJ climate crisis ruling: Will world’s top court back Pacific-led call to hold governments accountable?

By Jamie Tahana in The Hague for RNZ Pacific

In 2019, a group of law students at the University of the South Pacific, frustrated at the slow pace with which the world’s governments were moving to address the climate crisis, had an idea — they would take the world’s governments to court.

They arranged a meeting with government ministers in Vanuatu and convinced them to take a case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ top court, where they would seek an opinion to clarify countries’ legal obligations under international law.

Six years after that idea was hatched in a classroom in Port Vila, the court will today (early Thursday morning NZT) deliver its verdict in the Dutch city of The Hague.

More than 100 countries – including New Zealand, Australia and all the countries of the Pacific – have testified before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alongside civil society and intergovernmental organisations. Image: UN Web TV/screengrab

If successful — and those involved are quietly confident they will be — it could have major ramifications for international law, how climate change disputes are litigated, and it could give small Pacific countries greater leverage in arguments around loss and damage.

Most significantly, the claimants argue, it could establish legal consequences for countries that have driven climate change and what they owe to people harmed.

“Six long years of campaigning have led us to this moment,” said Vishal Prasad, the president of Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change, the organisation formed out of those original students.

“For too long, international responses have fallen short. We expect a clear and authoritative declaration,” he said.

“[That] climate inaction is not just a failure of policy, but a breach of international law.”

More than 100 countries — including New Zealand, Australia and all the countries of the Pacific — have testified before the court, alongside civil society and intergovernmental organisations.

And now today they will gather in the brick palace that sits in ornate gardens in this canal-ringed city to hear if the judges of the world’s top court agree.

What is the case?
The ICJ adjudicates disputes between nations and issues advisory opinions on big international legal issues.

In this case, Vanuatu asked the UN General Assembly to request the judges to weigh what exactly international law requires states to do about climate change, and what the consequences should be for states that harm the climate through actions or omissions.

Over its deliberations, the court has heard from more than 100 countries and international organisations hoping to influence its opinion, the highest level of participation in the court’s history.

That has included the governments of low-lying islands and atolls in the Pacific, which say they are paying the steepest price for a crisis they had little role in creating.

These nations have long been frustrated with the current mechanisms for addressing climate change, like the UN COP conferences, and are hoping that, ultimately, the court will provide a yardstick by which to measure other countries’ actions.

Vanuatu’s Minister of Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu . . . “This may well be the most consequential case in the history of humanity.” Image: IISD-ENB

“I choose my words carefully when I say that this may well be the most consequential case in the history of humanity,” Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu said in his statement to the court last year.

“Let us not allow future generations to look back and wonder why the cause of their doom was condoned.”

But major powers and emitters, like the United States and China, have argued in their testimonies that existing UN agreements, such as the Paris climate accord, are sufficient to address climate change.

“We expect this landmark climate ruling, grounded in binding international law, to reflect the critical legal flashpoints raised during the proceedings,” said Joie Chowdhury, a senior attorney at the US-based Centre for International Environmental Law (which has been involved with the case).

“Among them: whether States’ climate obligations are anchored in multiple legal sources, extending far beyond the Paris Agreement; whether there is a right to remedy for climate harm; and how human rights and the precautionary principle define States’ climate obligations.”

Pacific youth climate activist at a demonstration at COP27 in November 2022 . . . “We are not drowning. We are fighting.” Image: Facebook/Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change

What could this mean?
Rulings from the ICJ are non-binding, and there are myriad cases of international law being flouted by countries the world over.

Still, the court’s opinion — if it falls in Vanuatu’s favour — could still have major ramifications, bolstering the case for linking human rights and climate change in legal proceedings — both international and domestic — and potentially opening the floodgates for climate litigation, where individuals, groups, Indigenous Peoples, and even countries, sue governments or private companies for climate harm.

An advisory opinion would also be a powerful precedent for legislators and judges to call on as they tackle questions related to the climate crisis, and give small countries a powerful cudgel in negotiations over future COP agreements and other climate mechanisms.

“This would empower vulnerable nations and communities to demand accountability, strengthen legal arguments and negotiations and litigation and push for policies that prioritise prevention and redress over delay and denial,” Prasad said.

In essence, those who have taken the case have asked the court to issue an opinion on whether governments have “legal obligations” to protect people from climate hazards, but also whether a failure to meet those obligations could bring “legal consequences”.

At the Peace Palace today, they will find out from the court’s 15 judges.

“[The advisory opinion] is not just a legal milestone, it is a defining moment in the global climate justice movement and a beacon of hope for present and future generations,” said Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat in a statement ahead of the decision.

“I am hopeful for a powerful opinion from the ICJ. It could set the world on a meaningful path to accountability and action.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE MARCHING US TOWARD A POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THAT WILL HURT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025

Category: Law

UK sanctions notorious people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in global crackdown

Background

Iraqi-linked people-smuggling

Hawala Network

North African gangs operating in the Balkans

Gangland bosses

Balkan gangs supplying fake passports

The following company based in China has been designated over the manufacture of inflatable boats being advertised for people smuggling.

Background to the Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime

Asset freeze

Travel ban

Director disqualifications

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