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Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA sincerely thanks Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA sincerely thanks Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    • Date：2025-07-13
    • Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

    July 13, 2025 

    No.241 

    In the evening of July 12, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba posted a message on social media platform X extending sympathies to Taiwan over the losses caused by Typhoon Danas and expressing the hope that all those affected would be able to resume their normal lives as soon as possible. 

     

    Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan immediately extended appreciation to the government of Japan for the thoughtful message. 

     

    Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama; Mrs. Akie Abe, widow of late Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe; and many Japanese parliamentarians friendly to Taiwan from across the political spectrum also openly and promptly expressed empathy. These gestures fully demonstrate the mutual concern and genuine friendship between Taiwan and Japan. 

     

    Taiwan and Japan are both situated in areas that frequently experience typhoons and earthquakes. Whenever a natural disaster strikes, Taiwan and Japan can count on each other for assistance to overcome related impacts. Indeed, the cordial and cooperative relations between Taiwan and Japan serve as an important asset and model for the international community. Immediately after the occurrence of the typhoon, the people and government of Taiwan fully embarked on disaster relief. Taiwan will continue to maintain close contact with Japan on these efforts. 

     

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung once again sincerely thanks the people and government of Japan for their warm sentiments and assistance. He hopes that in the future Taiwan and Japan will continue to engage in extensive and substantive collaboration and exchanges in all areas, including natural disaster prevention and mitigation, so as to bolster the resilience of their societies and develop an even stronger, closer, and more robust bilateral partnership. (E) 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA sincerely thanks Pope Leo XIV for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA sincerely thanks Pope Leo XIV for publicly extending sympathies to Taiwan over losses caused by Typhoon Danas

    • Date：2025-07-17
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    July 17, 2025
    No. 247

    On July 16, Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni stated that after learning about the casualties and severe damage caused by Typhoon Danas in Taiwan, Pope Leo XIV had been praying for those affected by the disaster and had instructed the Office of Papal Charities to provide concrete aid to the people of Taiwan.

    On behalf of President Lai Ching-te, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely thanks Pope Leo XIV for expressing concern over losses caused by Typhoon Danas and offering prayers for those affected in the spirit of God’s love for all people. Moving forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to cooperate with Pope Leo XIV to promote related humanitarian assistance and charity work, thereby jointly advancing the universal values shared by all humankind. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • India successfully tests Prithvi-II and Agni-I ballistic missiles in Odisha

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India on Thursday successfully test-fired two key strategic ballistic missiles – the short-range Prithvi-II and Agni-I – from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha, the Ministry of Defence announced.

    According to the Ministry, the launches were conducted by the Strategic Forces Command as part of routine training and validation exercises. Both missiles met all mission objectives and technical parameters, reaffirming their accuracy and operational readiness.

    “These tests validate key capabilities of India’s nuclear-capable delivery systems and demonstrate the robustness of its indigenous missile arsenal,” the Ministry said in a statement.

    The Prithvi-II and Agni-I are part of India’s domestically developed strategic missile systems and play a crucial role in maintaining the country’s defence preparedness.

    The successful trials come just a day after the Indian Army conducted a high-altitude test of the indigenous Akash Prime air defence system in Ladakh, at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet.

    Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Akash Prime system scored direct hits on two high-speed aerial targets during the trial, showcasing its precision in extreme terrain and atmospheric conditions.

    The test was observed by senior officials from the Army’s Air Defence wing and DRDO. Defence officials confirmed that Akash Prime will be deployed in the Army’s third and fourth Akash Regiments, further enhancing India’s air defence capabilities.

    The Akash air defence system has previously demonstrated its operational value, notably during Operation Sindoor, where it successfully intercepted aerial threats involving Chinese fighter aircraft and Turkish drones used by Pakistani forces.

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Case Opposes Housing And Transportation, Energy And Water Funding Measures That Fail To Support Americans Facing Rising Housing, Energy And Transportation Costs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, today voted in full Committee against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Appropriations and FY 2026 Energy and Water Appropriations measures.

    The FY 2026 housing and transportation bill proposes to spend $89.9 billion for HUD, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Department of Transportation, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is a decrease of $4.5 billion from the FY 2025 enacted level.

    The $57.3 billion Energy and Water Appropriations bill funds the Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) civil works programs and various energy programs. This is a decrease of nearly $776 million from the FY 2025 enacted level.

    “While these measures fund many critical Hawai‘i priorities I requested, I regrettably had to vote against both bills because of massive cuts to federal program that help everyday Americans with rising housing, transportation and energy costs,” explained Case.

    The Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill included some important wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case including $5.5 million for Case’s Community Funding Projects (described below), as well as $18.3 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant and $28 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund (for both of which programs the President’s budget has proposed $0). It also included Case’s request to continue funding for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which plays a crucial role in enhancing the safety of the helicopter and small aircraft industry through accident investigation, analysis and recommendations to prevent future incidents, including several fatal accidents throughout Hawai‘i.

    Despite these positives, Case said the bill poses significant risks to vulnerable communities by exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis and undercutting critical housing support systems. The bill eliminates the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the only federal program dedicated to developing new affordable rental and homeownership options. It also defunds the PRO Housing Program, which empowers local governments to address housing shortages. Together, these actions remove essential tools for expanding the affordable housing supply.

    The bill further harms Americans aspiring to homeownership by stripping funding from housing counseling assistance. The net effect of the bill threatens nearly 415,000 households that rely on HUD assistance, putting them at risk of eviction and housing instability.

    The Energy and Water Appropriations bill also included numerous wins for Hawai‘i requested by Case, including funding for USACE programs that aid in the preservation of Hawaii’s coastlines across all seven inhabited islands. Specifically, the bill includes $2 million to study avenues of protection for public infrastructure on small beaches from erosion and damage caused by storms and natural wave currents; $18 million for regional sediment management, construction, operations and regulatory functions in the coastal zone; and $38 million for programs which manage aquatic weeds in public waters.

    Notably, one of Case’s highest priorities, an instruction to the USACE to complete a major update study for Honolulu Harbor, was included in the bill. This provision directs the USACE to investigate modifications to Honolulu Harbor to better handle the impacts of military operations in the state and throughout the Indo-Pacific as a whole, which can open up additional federal resources for the planned improvements of Honolulu Harbor. Also included in the bill is $9.5 million for USACE program that aids in the planning, designing and construction of small projects for commercial navigation purposes such as channels, breakwaters and jetties. This funding will aid in the investigation of best practices for Honolulu Harbor modifications.

    Despite these positives, Case opposed the measure in light of the widespread elimination of funding to advance clean, affordable and secure energy for Americans. The bill slashes vital clean energy funding nationwide, with Hawai‘i set to experience a cut of 31% on federal funding for clean energy projects and investments.

    “While the Energy and Water Appropriations measures fund many critical Hawai‘i and priorities I requested, regrettably the bill will increase energy costs for American families by revoking more than $5 billion in clean energy investments.

    “Without these federally funded programs and incentives, we risk falling dangerously behind our clean energy goals,” said Case. 

    Through his assignment on the Committee, Case secured the following seven Member-designated Community Project Funding (CPF) projects across the two bills that specifically focused on local needs in Hawai‘i:

    ·      $2 million for the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation to repair Aloha Tower, including replacing its 40-foot mast, repairing the crown of the tower and replacing its windows to weatherproof the landmark. This funding is essential to maintain Aloha Tower’s structural integrity, enhance public access and ensure that it remains a celebrated symbol of Honolulu’s history for generations to come.

    ·      $1 million for the City and County of Honolulu for its Waikīkī Vista Project. This project converts former Tokai University and Hawai‘i Pacific University classrooms into a consolidated, family-friendly emergency shelter and additional affordable housing units for low-income families. This investment will directly enhance the City’s ability to reduce family homelessness and expand affordable housing inventory in one of Hawaii’s most housing-challenged areas.

    ·      $850,000 for the City and County of Honolulu to support its Safe Harbor Support for Housing Survivors of Domestic Violence project. This funding will expand the Domestic Violence Action Center’s successful housing program by supporting property acquisition and staffing to increase safe and stable housing options for survivors and their children.

    ·      $850,000 for Kalihi Waena Elementary School to construct a new single-span pedestrian bridge with American with Disabilities Act-compliant access between Kūhiō Park Terrace and the school. The new bridge will replace dangerously deteriorating infrastructure and ensure safe and equitable access for students and community members.

    ·      $300,000 for Highlands Intermediate School to modernize and expand its media center infrastructure. The renovation will create a collaborative, technology-driven learning environment that fosters student creativity, innovation and digital literacy.

    ·      $250,000 for the Hawai‘i State Parks System and Hawai‘i Nature Center to upgrade educational and operational facilities, including classroom expansion and replacement of a sustainable wetland wastewater system supporting environmental education for thousands of Title I students annually.

    ·      $250,000 for the Hawai‘i State Broadband Office for broadband infrastructure development in our local community centers. Funding will be used toward essential network enhancements, including rewiring, electrical system upgrades and the installation of Wi-Fi access points to ensure reliable, high-speed connectivity.

    The House’s CPF rules require that each project must have demonstrated community support, must be fully disclosed by the requesting Member and must be subject to audit by the independent Government Accountability Office. Case’s disclosures are here: https://case.house.gov/services/funding-disclosures.htm.  


    Transportation-HUD Funding Bill

    More specifically, the bill includes the following funding requested by Case for programs to improve access to affordable housing in Hawai‘i and nationwide:

    ·      $18.3 million for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Program, which supports the building, acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable homes.

    ·      $5 million for core housing research partnerships with Native Hawaiian serving institutions among other minority serving institutions.

    ·      $56 million for the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program.

    ·      $17 billion for project-based rental assistance.

    ·      $5.6 billion for the Community Development Fund, which includes $3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant formula program.

    ·      $4 billion for the Homeless Assistance Grants.

    Transportation and infrastructure programs requested and secured by Case include:

    ·      $380 million for the Maritime Security Program, $123 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program and $30 million for assistance to small shipyards like Kalaeloa/Barbers Point.

    ·      $64 billion for the Federal Highway Administration to improve the safety and long-term viability of our highways.

    ·      $23 billion for the FAA, including $10 billion to fully fund air traffic control operations and allow the FAA to hire 2,500 air traffic controllers to replace the retiring workforce.

    ·      $15 billion for the Federal Transit Administration.

    A summary of the Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill is available here.

    Energy and Water Funding Bill

    More specifically, the bill includes the following energy and water-related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case and of specific benefit to Hawai‘i: 

    ·      Language directing the USACE to investigate modifications to Honolulu Harbor to better accommodate the impacts of military operations in the state and throughout the Indo-Pacific as a whole.

    ·      $2 million for the USACE’s beach erosion and hurricane and storm damage reduction activities.

    ·      $40 million for flood control and coastal emergencies efforts.

    ·      $18 million for the USACE’s National Coastal Mapping Program, which provides high-resolution elevation and imagery data along the U.S. shorelines on a recurring basis which can provide a better understanding of human uses, issues and constraints in coastal regions.

    ·      $12 million for the USACE’s Aquatic Plant Control Program, which conducts research and development of biological, chemical, cultural and ecological capabilities for controlling invasive aquatic plants.

    ·      Language modifying a clean energy program under DOE that has been widely beneficial for Hawai‘i. The newly named Energy Technology Innovation Office, previously known as the Energy Transitions Initiative, supports island and remote communities by providing personalized technical and financial assistance. Case recently introduced legislation make to make this program permanent. (See here for more details.)

    ·      Language directing the DOE to investigate potential benefits of having small-modular nuclear reactors as a source of clean, domestically sourced electricity for remote, noncontiguous U.S. areas such as Hawai‘i.

    A summary of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill is available here. 

    These two bills are the 6th and 7th of twelve separate bills developed and approved by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1st of this year. The bills now move on to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.   

    ###

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese envoy condemns Israeli military strikes on Syria

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

    A Chinese envoy on Thursday condemned Israeli military strikes on Syria and demanded an immediate end to them.

    At a time when the situation in southern Syria is turbulent, Israel has recently launched multiple airstrikes on Sweida, Daraa and Damascus. China unequivocally condemns the Israeli actions, which gravely violate international law, infringe on Syria’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and bring new complications to Syria’s peace, stability, and political transition, said Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

    “We call on Israel to immediately cease its military strikes on Syria and withdraw from Syrian territory as soon as possible,” he told an emergency meeting of the Security Council.

    The international community recognizes the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. The sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria should be respected. The relevant Security Council resolutions should be implemented. And the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria should be observed, he said.

    Ethnic tensions and the ensuing violence in Sweida, once again, show that the current situation in Syria remains complex and fragile. Achieving peace and stability still faces daunting challenges, said Geng.

    It is imperative to stabilize the security situation and restore social order as soon as possible. China has noted reports that the Syrian interim authorities have reached a ceasefire with the parties concerned. China calls on all parties to abide by the ceasefire agreement, remain calm and exercise restraint, cease hostilities, and promote an early de-escalation of the situation, he said.

    The Syrian interim authorities should continue to promote the political process with broad participation from all walks of life, address the concerns of all parties through inclusive dialogue, and effectively promote internal unity and reconciliation, said Geng.

    Counterterrorism is an important aspect of restoring peace and stability in Syria. The Syrian interim authorities should fulfill their counterterrorism obligations and take effective measures to combat all terrorist groups listed by the Security Council, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, he added.

    At present, hot-spot issues in the Middle East are emerging one after another, with new and old antagonisms intertwined and overlapping. The situation is complex and volatile. The state of affairs is neither in the interests of any country in the Middle East, nor the international community, said Geng.

    The Security Council, as the body with the primary responsibility for international peace and security, should resolutely fulfill its responsibilities under the UN Charter and use all the tools in its toolbox to try to bring the conflicts to an early end, restore peace and stability in those areas, and achieve lasting peace and stability in the entire Middle East, he said.

    China is ready to work with the international community to play a constructive role in this regard, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: US firms harness ‘China speed’ to boost supply chains

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

    A visitor watches a robot holding a bottle at the booth of Nvidia during the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, capital of China, July 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Amid Beijing’s summer heat, a Chinese-made robot powered by chips from U.S. tech giant Nvidia gracefully delivered chilled bottled water to fascinated onlookers.

    The scene, unfolding at the Nvidia booth during the ongoing third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), offered a glimpse into the sustained enthusiasm of U.S. companies for the Chinese market and its world-leading supply chain ecosystem.

    Despite mounting challenges in the global supply chain, U.S. companies like Nvidia, Apple and Tesla used the expo stage to reaffirm their commitment to China, showcasing deep integration and ambitious plans for future investment. For many, success here means aligning with the world’s most comprehensive supply chain while keeping pace with its rapid development.

    “China’s supply chain is a miracle,” said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the expo’s opening ceremony on Wednesday. During his visit to Beijing, he also spoke with reporters, took part in a fireside chat, and held a press conference where he reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to China.

    While Huang’s high-profile presence sent a powerful signal, he also revealed that Nvidia’s H20 chips will soon be available in the Chinese market.

    “I hope to get more advanced chips into China than H20. And the reason is that technology is always moving on,” he said during a press conference Wednesday.

    From tech giants like Nvidia and Apple to consumer brands such as Starbucks and Walmart, U.S. companies are attracted to the CISCE not only by China’s vast 1.4-billion-strong consumer market but also by the world’s most comprehensive supply chain that drives the “China speed” essential to global innovation.

    According to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the event’s organizer, the number of U.S. exhibitors topped all overseas participants, increasing by 15 percent compared to the previous edition, and their combined exhibition area increased by 10 percent.

    A few steps from Nvidia’s booth, Apple’s store-like setup shared a similar story of co-innovation. Instead of showcasing finished products like iPhones, the displays focused on the intelligent, green manufacturing processes used by its Chinese suppliers.

    “Over the past three years at CISCE, we’ve showcased progress alongside our suppliers in smart manufacturing, green manufacturing and talent development,” Isabel Ge Mahe, Apple’s vice president and managing director of Greater China, told Xinhua.

    Highlighting a massive 20 billion U.S. dollar investment in China over the past five years focused on these areas, she praised China’s dynamic innovation landscape and advanced smart supply chains while noting that Apple remains committed to this market. “We are deeply rooted here, incredibly proud of the supply chain we helped build, and will continue to invest and innovate with our local partners.”

    Unlike traditional trade fairs focusing on goods or services, CISCE pioneers a unique “chain-centric” model that visualizes end-to-end industrial collaboration. In each exhibition hall, upstream, midstream and downstream companies cluster in adjacent booths, visually demonstrating their interdependence and synergy.

    In the hall showcasing integration of the auto sector, crowds gathered around Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles (EVs).

    Here, supply chain integration and “China speed” were once again in the spotlight. These vehicles use more than 95 percent local parts, and a new car rolls off the Shanghai gigafactory line almost every 37 seconds.

    “China possesses the world’s most complete EV industry chain,” said Tao Lin, vice president of Tesla. “The strength of local suppliers, combined with China’s vast talent pool and consumer embrace of smart EVs, provides unparalleled support and opportunity. We will continue to deepen our investment here,” Tao said.

    “The Chinese market isn’t just scaling; it’s leaping in value,” said Lin Chunmei, president and general manager of Corning Greater China, in an interview with Xinhua. The U.S. materials science company is celebrating its 45 years in China with an ambitious “time travel”-themed booth underscoring its deep roots.

    Noting that rapid AI development in China is driving growing demand for optical communication infrastructure, Lin said the company has pledged a 500 million dollar investment this year to develop cutting-edge technologies, localize critical production, and strengthen supply chain partnerships in China.

    “The vast talent pool in China will help us accelerate cycles through market proximity, using ‘China speed’ to power global innovation,” she added.

    For most U.S. companies, the critical question isn’t whether to invest in China, but how rapidly they can move. For companies present at the CISCE, collaboration with Chinese suppliers is giving them a head start.

    “If you want to maintain, you have to invest,” Huang said. “The market is moving so fast and it’s so competitive. We have to continue to advance ourselves.” 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China expects bumper grain harvest

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

    An aerial drone photo shows harvesters working in a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s grain production is on solid footing this year, with nearly 60 percent of early-season rice already harvested and projections indicating a bumper crop, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday.

    The acreage of autumn grain is expected to rise slightly this year, with crops generally in good condition, said the ministry, attributing the good crop conditions of autumn grain to the adoption of more advanced farming practices and favorable weather.

    Autumn grain accounts for around 75 percent of China’s annual grain output, making it the key to achieving this year’s production target of around 700 million tonnes, said the ministry.

    China achieved a bumper summer grain harvest this year despite severe droughts in some regions. The national output reached about 149.74 million tonnes, marking the second-highest yield on record after last year and providing a solid foundation for stable annual grain production. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Liuyang: Fireworks show during summer holidays

    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

    On the evening of July 12, a creative fireworks show was held in Liuyang City, Hunan Province, which attracted a large number of tourists.

    As is well known, Liuyang City is famous as the “homeland of Chinese fireworks”. In the first half of this year, the city held 26 creative fireworks shows, which attracted more than 1.5 million tourists, of which more than 90% were out-of-towners, bringing in revenue of nearly 4 billion yuan. Photo by Xinhua News Agency journalist.

    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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Volunteers recognised for training contribution

    Source:

    Volunteers Di Billingsley and Phil Graham have been recognised with an Executive Director’s Citation for Service by Bushfires Northern Territory (NT).

    The award recognises their role in delivering critical bushfire training to 60 new NT volunteers and Park Rangers in 2023 during a time when NT instructors were actively deployed to the firefront. This filled a critical gap and helped urgently build capability.

    While Phil received his citation last year upon returning to the NT, Di was recently presented with the award by DCO Operational Doctrine and Capability Rohan Luke.  

    “I was deeply honoured to be able to present Di her Citation on behalf of Bushfire NT for her work in 2023,” Rohan said.

    “She was humbled and surprised, but it was a moment well deserved for her dedication and service.”

    The Executive Director’s Citation for Service recognises individuals who have performed a direct service of a meritorious nature or an outstanding action in response to wildfire.

    Submitted by CFA News

    MIL OSI News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 17th, 2025 Heinrich Leads Legislation to Protect Dreamers’ Data, Prevent DHS from Referring Dreamers to ICE & CBP

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led the introduction of the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act, legislation to provide a statutory guarantee to current and prospective Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program applicants, also known as Dreamers, that the private information they provide in their applications will not be weaponized against them as the Trump Administration increases information sharing to advance their draconian mass deportation agenda.

    Last month, the Trump Administration gave Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personal data, including immigration status, on millions of Medicaid enrollees and announced it would require some undocumented immigrants to register with DHS. The Administration also finalized an agreement giving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to taxpayer data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, the Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently gained access to key immigration databases, including the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) Courts and Appeals System (ECAS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) Data Business Intelligence Services, which contains information on noncitizens who have applied for DACA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Unaccompanied Alien Children portal.

    The Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act will prohibit the DHS Secretary from disclosing information included in an individual’s application for the DACA program to law enforcement agencies, including ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), for any purpose other than the implementation of the DACA program, with limited exceptions.

    “Dreamers in New Mexico and across the country are frontline health care workers, teachers, firefighters, police officers, and scientists. These inspiring young people are Americans in every sense of the word except on paper, and they want nothing more than to be productive members of their communities. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration doesn’t care about any of that and is indiscriminately sharing the private information of Dreamers. We need to ensure that Dreamers’ private information is not weaponized against them and is protected — full stop,” said Heinrich. “That’s why, for years, I’ve championed the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act to safeguard Dreamers’ DACA application information and provide DACA applicants with a sense of security as they continue on their paths to citizenship. I call on Congress to quickly take up and pass my legislation to make sure Dreamers are able to stay in school, keep working and contribute to our economy, and remain in their homes and neighborhoods.”

    Since 2012, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA, contributing an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power and paying $40 billion in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    In 2021, a federal district court judge paused the DACA program and prevented USCIS from approving any new DACA applications. Since then, USCIS has continued to accept and hold initial applications and more than 100,000 initial DACA applications are currently pending. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a decision limiting that 2021 injunction to just Texas, allowing USCIS to begin processing those pending applications from the other 49 states. However, USCIS has not done so, nor have they provided the public with a timeline for when those applications will begin to be processed. And many individuals who could be eligible for DACA fear that applying for the protections afforded by DACA will allow the Trump Administration to weaponize the information they provide against them or their family members.

    The Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act sends a clear message of support to the hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and prospective applicants. Increased protections for their personal information are essential to make sure that they are not unfairly targeted for immigration enforcement and ensure that they can utilize the DACA program and continue to contribute to our communities in New Mexico and across the country without the fear of retribution.

    Specifically, the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act will:

    • Direct the DHS Secretary to protect the information included in an individual’s application to the DACA program from disclosure to ICE, CBP, and any other law enforcement agency for any purpose other than the implementation of the DACA program;
    • Prohibit the DHS Secretary from referring anyone with deferred enforcement protections pursuant to the DACA program to ICE, CBP, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and any other law enforcement agency; and
    • Provide limited exceptions for when an individual’s application information may be shared with national security and law enforcement agencies, namely:
      • To identify or prevent fraudulent claims;
      • For particularized national security concerns; and
      • For the investigation or prosecution of a felony, provided that the felony in question is not related to the applicant’s immigration status.

    The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D- Hawaii), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

    A one-page summary of the bill is here.

    The text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Death toll nears 600 in Syria’s Sweida

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

    People of Druze community are seen in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, on July 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The death toll from this week’s deadly clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida province has risen to nearly 600, as tensions continued Thursday amid an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of the provincial capital of Sweida, state-run media and a war monitor reported.

    According to Syria’s official news agency SANA, an Israeli warplane launched a new air raid targeting the vicinity of Sweida city, a day after Israeli strikes hit military and symbolic state sites in Damascus. No immediate casualties were reported from Thursday’s strike.

    The escalation comes as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 597 people had been killed since July 13, when fighting erupted between local Druze armed groups and Syrian government forces, sparking what the watchdog described as one of the deadliest episodes of intra-Syrian conflict in years.

    The observatory also warned of a growing humanitarian crisis as Arab Bedouin families continue to flee areas across Sweida amid reports of intimidation, sectarian reprisals, and siege-like conditions.

    Syrian security forces are seen upon entering Sweida city, southern Syria, on July 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Meanwhile, in a statement on Thursday night, the Syrian interim authorities said the military had withdrawn from Sweida in response to a U.S.-Arab mediation effort aimed at de-escalating the deadly violence, but accused local armed factions of violating the ceasefire and committing “horrific crimes” against civilians.

    What followed the withdrawal constituted “a blatant breach of these understandings,” the statement said, alleging that the factions carried out “a horrific campaign of violence” threatening civil peace and pushing the country toward chaos and security collapse.

    The interim authorities did not specify the violations. The remarks came hours after the observatory reported a series of summary executions and sectarian reprisals in Sweida, especially against members of Bedouin tribes.

    The statement also reaffirmed the pledge to protect all Syrians and called on the international community to support efforts to restore stability.

    Despite the withdrawal of interim government forces by dawn Thursday, conditions on the ground remain volatile, with mass displacement and fears of renewed Israeli airstrikes compounding the already dire humanitarian situation.

    Additionally, Arab tribes from Deir al-Zour province and northern Syria, as well as interim government loyalists from Idlib, were said to have been mobilizing to aid the Bedouins in Sweida, adding to the intensity of the situation in southern Syria.

    An escalation in Sweida began Sunday after armed members of a Bedouin tribe in the countryside of Sweida, a predominantly Druze province, reportedly assaulted and robbed a young Druze man near the town of al-Masmiyah, along the Damascus-Sweida highway. The brutal attack sparked retaliatory kidnappings, spiraling into full-scale clashes between local Druze fighters, government troops, and Bedouin militias.

    On Monday and Wednesday, Israel launched waves of strikes on Damascus and Sweida, claiming to prevent the Druze minority from being harmed. The attacks have met with strong condemnation from the international community.

    Hours after the Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday, a fragile ceasefire between Syria’s interim government and Druze spiritual leaders entered into effect.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photo & Video Chronology — July 17, 2025 — UAS mission at Kīlauea summit

    Source: US Geological Survey

    This near-vertical view into the north vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) flight on July 17, 2025. The aircraft was about 150 m (500 ft) above the vent, with north oriented to the upper left in this view. No incandescence or lava was visible within the vent. These UAS flights were conducted with the permission of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, owing to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s mission to monitor active volcanoes in Hawaii, assess their hazards, issue warnings, and advance scientific understanding to reduce the impacts of eruptions. Unauthorized launching, landing, or operating of a UAS from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service is prohibited under 36 CFR Closures & Public Use. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.

    Crater Rim Drive within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was damaged during the earthquakes and collapse events in 2018. Tephra has been deposited parts of the damaged road during recent lava fountaining episodes in Halemaʻumaʻu, underscoring the hazardous nature of this area that has remained closed to the public since 2008. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: $6.5 Million for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $6.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to support the necessary design and reconfiguration work to construct a new security facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.? The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    “Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the gold standard for repairing, retrofitting, and refueling our nation’s nuclear submarines. Its talented workforce helps maintain our Navy’s fleet and our national security, while the Shipyard’s fire department and first responders work long hours to ensure their safety,” said Senator Collins.? “This new, consolidated facility would help to improve response times, mitigate hazards, and provide the PNSY fire department with an adequate space to work, train, and live. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”??????

    “The members of the Shipyard Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local F-123 are incredibly grateful and fully support Senator Collins and her hard work on our behalf to advance funding for a new firehouse,” said Kyle Mosher, President Shipyard Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local F-123. “This project is long overdue as our current quarters, though historic, no longer meet the day-to-day needs of a modern fire department. Federal Firefighters work a grueling 72-hour work week and, specifically here at the Shipyard, we work in 48 continuous hour shifts, so the firehouse, like all firefighters, is our home away from home.”

    Constructed in the 1800s, the current facility that houses the PNSY fire department is poorly configured and is at maximum capacity. The Shipyard fire department responds to an average of 2,000 calls a year and assists the surrounding communities. This funding would support the planning and design of a renovated and expanded facility to consolidate the Shipyard’s security, police, NCIS, and fire departments.

    This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.

    In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending.? Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024.? As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.??

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Announces Hold on National Guard Bureau Nominee Until Trump Demilitarizes Los Angeles

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Announces Hold on National Guard Bureau Nominee Until Trump Demilitarizes Los Angeles

    WATCH: Padilla: “Stop militarizing our cities and using our service members as political pawns.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, announced on the Senate floor that he placed a hold on President Trump’s nominee to serve as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, Lieutenant General Thomas Carden, until the Trump Administration releases all remaining U.S. military forces from their unjustified deployment to Los Angeles. Lieutenant General Carden currently serves as second-in-command of Northern Command — the combatant command that has enforced Trump’s orders to militarize Los Angeles. Padilla blasted President Trump for manufacturing a crisis and escalating tensions in the region by deploying 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 active-duty Marines without Governor Newsom’s consent.

    After intense and successful political pressure from Democrats, the Trump Administration finally announced earlier this week that they would release 2,000 National Guard troops from their deployment to Los Angeles; however, approximately 2,000 National Guardsmen and all 700 Marines still remain. In response to the ongoing militarization of Los Angeles, Padilla will oppose any expedited consideration of Carden’s nomination until the Administration:

    • Releases every Guardsman and Marine from their federalized deployment to Los Angeles and
    • Commits to not sending any Guardsmen from other states to enforce the President’s political demands on California.

    Trump’s deployment of the California National Guard went against the wishes of the Governor for the first time since 1965. The Cal Guard serves honorably in overseas deployments in support of our allies and partners, disaster response efforts, and counter-drug missions. Padilla urged Trump to return these troops to their core missions, including wildfire mitigation efforts during peak fire season. He cited that the head of the U.S. Northern Command requested in late June that Secretary Hegseth return 200 troops from the National Guard’s wildfire unit who were stuck in Los Angeles to enact Trump’s political agenda.

    Key Excerpts:

    • “I rise today to both publicly and clearly explain my hold on this nomination, and to demand that the Trump Administration release all remaining U.S. military forces from the unnecessary and political deployment to Los Angeles.”
    • “In order to change the news cycle, which he does so often — to shift the headlines away from his many, many failures — President Trump chose to ramp up ICE raids in California. And when Californians took to the streets to exercise their First Amendment rights by peacefully protesting, Trump responded by federalizing the California National Guard and then later, the U.S. Marines were ordered in to intimidate the people of Los Angeles.”
    • “None of these service members signed up to become a political prop. But Trump has put them in this impossible position that he knew would escalate tensions in the region and take them away from their critical missions elsewhere.”
    • “Every day that those troops were unnecessarily deployed to Los Angeles was another day that their primary mission went unmet. We’re talking about undermining firefighting and fire mitigation efforts as we are approaching peak wildfire season. This is dangerous and unnecessary.”
    • “I want to be very clear about something: my objection is about more than Lieutenant General Carden. None of what we are seeing in Los Angeles through this militarization is business as usual. Deploying the Guard against the wishes of the Governor, against the wishes of the Mayor, and against even the wishes of local law enforcement — the sheriff, the police chief — none of that is normal.”
    • “Stop militarizing our cities and using our service members as political pawns.”

    Video of Senator Padilla’s full remarks is available here.

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in criticizing Trump’s mass deportations and unprecedented militarization and escalation of tensions by deploying National Guard troops and active-duty U.S. Marines to respond to overwhelmingly peaceful protests in Los Angeles. Padilla recently led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty service members to American cities. Padilla spoke on the Senate floor following his forcible removal from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s press conference, where he was thrown to the ground and handcuffed after attempting to ask a question. He has spoken at a spotlight hearing and on the Senate floor multiple other times to blast President Trump for manufacturing a crisis by launching indiscriminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles and using that crisis to dramatically expand executive power.

    Last week, Padilla and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the VISIBLE Act to require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions. Padilla also led 13 Democratic Senators in a letter criticizing ICE for engaging in counterproductive, theatrical enforcement activities — including raids on courthouses and restaurants — and requesting information from the agency on its mask and uniform policies. Additionally, Padilla is leading legislation to restrict the President’s authority under the 217-year-old Insurrection Act and limit the domestic deployment of military troops for law enforcement purposes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Urge Trump Administration to Reverse Staffing Cuts at the National Weather Service, Warn of Devastating Impacts in California

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff Urge Trump Administration to Reverse Staffing Cuts at the National Weather Service, Warn of Devastating Impacts in California

    Senators: “The safety and lives of millions of Americans as well as the economic success of California depend on weather forecasts from the state’s NWS offices.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) demanded the Trump Administration reverse the staffing cuts at California National Weather Service (NWS) offices, which jeopardize critical weather services that people rely on during disasters, especially during an active fire season — where more than 2.3 million acres in California face significant fire risk. 
    “The safety and lives of millions of Americans as well as the economic success of California depend on weather forecasts from the state’s National Weather Service offices. Protecting human lives from severe weather events is not a partisan issue, and it is important that the NWS has the workforce required to meet its core mandate to protect human life,” wrote the Senators. 
    Two of the six NWS offices in California — Sacramento and Hanford, which are responsible for providing more than 7 million Californians with extreme weather warnings and information that helps the state’s agriculture industry — were most impacted by these staffing cuts. In their letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Acting Administrator Laura Grimm, the Senators also highlighted that reliable and high-quality weather forecasts are crucial to protecting Californians who face a year-round fire season from deadly consequences. 
    The Senators also emphasized that with the agricultural industry relying on NWS’ services, these staffing shortages may result in direct harm to farmers and economic losses for the state and country. 
    To date, NOAA has failed to be responsive to congressional inquiries on these issues and failed to provide a briefing on NWS staffing cuts in California as requested by Senator Schiff’s office.   
    Full text of the letter here is available here and below: 
    Dear Secretary Howard Lutnick and Administrator Laura Grimm:  
    We write to express deep concern regarding staffing reductions at the National Weather Service (NWS) and plans for Temporary Duty assignments (TDYs) in California, especially considering the already active fire season. On June 2, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a statement outlining steps the agency will take to attempt to sustain mission-critical operations at NWS offices. This plan includes the use of TDYs to help fill workforce vacancies caused by the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) efforts to push federal employees out of the workforce. This reduction in the NWS workforce has left regional offices across California critically understaffed, endangering lives and threatening California’s economy.   
    There are six NWS offices across California—Eureka, Sacramento, San Francisco, Hanford, Los Angeles, and San Diego —and four other offices located in neighboring states which cover portions of California. The Sacramento and Hanford offices were most impacted by DOGE staffing reductions; the Sacramento office currently has a 50 percent vacancy rate, and the Hanford office has a 61.5 percent vacancy rate, one of the worst in the country. These two offices are responsible for providing more than 7 million Californians with extreme weather warnings. Understaffing has forced these offices to cut their hours of operation and limit forecasting and weather warnings. 
    The NWS provides warnings and forecasts for wildfires and burned areas, including issuing fire weather warnings, red flag warnings, burned area debris flow warnings, and other public weather-related preparedness information. In addition to providing information regarding severe weather to the surrounding populace, NWS meteorologists can also be assigned to specific fire incidents.3 NWS meteorologists provide the Incident Management Team (IMT) with real-time weather information such as thunderstorm activity (a high hazard due to lightning strikes) and fire weather (wind direction, wind speed, humidity, temperature, and other information). They also provide specialized information to helicopter and plane crews fighting incipient and ongoing fires, which is critical to the safe and effective management of fires. The significant staffing cuts to these NWS offices will affect standard fire weather forecasting and warnings and the safe execution of firefighting efforts, which can have fatal consequences.   
    More than 2.3 million acres in California face significant fire risk. There have been multiple dangerous fires so far this summer in California, including, the Ranch Fire near Los Angeles which burned 4,293 acres and forced evacuations of Apple Valley; a second near Mono Lake, which closed Highway 395 and forced evacuations of Mono City and Lundy Canyon; and a third, the Bonanza Fire, which forced evacuations near Shingle Springs, CA. Wind speed is strongly and consistently associated with the number of acres burned. This was definitely the case for the Eaton, Palisade, and Ranch Fires in Southern California where the strong Santa Ana winds drove fire spread. In California, fire is a year-round risk, and this reality requires consistent, high-quality, and reliable weather forecasting data to protect Californians 
    Critically, the Sacramento and Hanford offices provide forecasts specifically tailored to the needs of California’s $50 billion agriculture industry. These forecasts provide information that helps farmers plan their planting and harvesting cycles, which is especially important in California, where the climate fluctuates between wet and dry years. Staffing shortages at these NWS offices may result in direct harm to farmers, economic losses for the state and country, and a less stable food supply.   
    Even with the agency’s TDY plan, which will take time to implement and train relocated employees, NWS will suffer from hundreds of personnel shortages. We have serious concerns regarding this plan, which appears to be a temporary and inadequate fix, and its impact on California NWS offices. Consequently, we request answers to the following questions by July 31, 2025:  
    Please provide a breakdown of vacancies at California NWS offices by specialized roles. Please include information on vacancies prior to January 20, 2025, as well.  
    What is the minimum staffing level at the Sacramento and Hanford offices required to maintain 24/7 weather forecasts and weather balloon launches?  
    How many TDYs and new permanent employees will be added to California NWS offices? How long will these positions take to fill?  
    What is the anticipated impact to fire weather-related work? Will there be sufficient staffing to provide for incident-specific meteorologists?  
    What is the expected impact of these staffing shortages on farmers and the food supply chain?  
    The safety and lives of millions of Americans as well as the economic success of California depend on weather forecasts from the state’s NWS offices. Protecting human lives from severe weather events is not a partisan issue, and it is important that the NWS has the workforce required to meet its core mandate to protect human life. Thank you, and we look forward to your response. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: BNZ Growth Academy to help Manawatū-Whanganui businesses drive greater growth

    Source: BNZ Statements

    Nine local businesses from the Manawatū-Whanganui region are set to benefit from an expanded nationwide programme designed to help them grow faster and compete more effectively.

    BNZ is scaling up its BNZ Growth Academy programme to help businesses across Aotearoa kickstart growth as the country emerges from its deepest per-capita recession since the Global Financial Crisis.

    Delivered in partnership with growth navigation software company, D/srupt, the businesses will take part in hands-on workshops and use sophisticated AI tools to refine their strategy, enhance performance, and create new pathways for growth.

    Brian Gardner, BNZ Head of Commercial, Agri, & Business for Wellington and Top of the South, says it’s a solution to the challenge many owners face – moving from working ‘in’ their business to working ‘on’ their business.

    “As New Zealand’s largest business bank, we’ve seen time and again how successful businesses thrive when owners can step back from daily firefighting to focus on strategy,” Gardner says.

    Applicable no matter where you are in you journey

    BNZ’s local Growth Academy workshop will run on July 22. Some of the Manawatū-Whanganui businesses taking part include:

    • Air Dynamics
    • Central Environmental Limited
    • Freedom Plus Limited
    • Jones Brothers Limited
    • Law Corner
    • Roadrunner Manufacturing

    The Growth Academy has already delivered valuable learnings for Feilding based business, Advanced Accounting.

    Director Aaran McLeod attended a pilot workshop in Wellington last year and says the biggest learning he took away was the importance of ensuring your business is always sale ready – structuring things so it’s efficient, attractive and resilient, regardless of whether a sale is imminent.

    “We’re always about constant improvement, and this was another layer of refinement – further improving how we operate and make decisions.

    “The Impact Return Model stood out as a powerful framework to evaluate where to focus our efforts for the greatest return and impact. It’s something we’ve already started applying internally.”

    Asked whether he would recommend the programme to other local businesses, Aaran says, “definitely.”

    “It’s a great chance to work on the business rather than just in it. The content is applicable no matter where you are in your journey.”

    Leveraging AI

    D/srupt uses AI to make strategic planning faster and more accessible for small to medium businesses.

    “Our platform cuts through the complexity that often makes strategic planning feel overwhelming,” says D/srupt founder Debbie Humphrey.

    “We combine practical guidance with technology to help turn big picture thinking into concrete action plans you can actually implement, and what might have taken a full day can now be done in minutes. For time-poor business owners constantly juggling priorities, this means strategic planning actually happens instead of being perpetually pushed to the bottom of the to-do list.”

    The programme launched on 31 March with workshops in 16 locations from Whangārei to Invercargill, plus online options ensuring accessibility for businesses throughout New Zealand. It runs for 12 months and includes workshops reaching 1,400 businesses nationwide, access to D/srupt’s platform, funding guidance, and direct connection to BNZ’s banking expertise.

    Supporting the regions

    Gardner says the workshops are just one example of how BNZ is investing in its communities and being there for customers.

    “We recognise that regional businesses are the lifeblood of our local economies, so we have dialled up our specialist support with our small business partners and agribusiness teams available to meet customers in branch.

    “Since April this year, all our branches have been open at least five days a week, as we heard from our customers that they wanted more opportunities to talk to us face-to-face.

    “We’re also investing in branches as part of our nation-wide upgrade project to improve the branch experience for our customers. Our refurbished branch at The Plaza Palmerston North reopened at the end of May, with our Fielding branch refurbishment kicking off this week (25 July), using New Zealand suppliers and materials to support local economies.”

    The post BNZ Growth Academy to help Manawatū-Whanganui businesses drive greater growth appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur Statement at the Full Committee Markup of the 2026 Energy and Water Development Funding Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Washington, DC — Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the full committee’s markup of its fiscal year 2026 bill:

    Thank you very much, Chairman Cole. Ranking Member DeLauro, my dear friend, Chair Fleischmann and all the members as we gather today to mark up this Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development Bill. I have to restate, Chairman Fleischmann, I have truly appreciated working with you. You are always open to suggestions and, to all of our colleagues on this subcommittee that is a very, bipartisan subcommittee to develop and pass these bills, and our committee has long had this practice. We affect every single Congressional District in this country.

    I’m truly saddened that this vital subcommittee is, being steered yet again to return to a partisan process not caused by our subcommittee, but as we move forward with this Fiscal Year 2026 House bill.

    I would like to begin by thanking our diligent staff for all their hard work on this bill from the minority staff Scott McKee, Anisha Singh, and Adam Wilson, and on our personal staff, Kaitlin Ulin, TJ Lowdermilk, and Margaret McInnis. Truly thank you to you all.

    Engineered energy and water systems undergird America’s way of life. They are not optional, but essential to sustaining life. Of late, we have been piercingly reminded about our subcommittee’s purpose, especially as related to water management by the extreme flash flooding and tragic loss of over 132 lives, and with over 101 missing, in the Guadalupe River catchment area in Texas.

    The deadly West Virginia flash flooding this past month significantly damaged over 100 homes. Unfortunately, taking the lives of at least nine people, including a three year old, in Valley Grove, West Virginia. And we’ve seen flooding events in central North Carolina and New Mexico. All our hearts go out to the families of the victims and their communities. These tragedies inform us of the power of water and wild energy in our atmosphere. Not because of cloud seeding, but because of nature’s awesome power generated inside the thin seven layer atmosphere surrounding our spinning and rotating earth. Let me be clear. No matter how much members on the other side of the aisle want to pretend that the climate isn’t changing, for the record, the last ten years are the ten hottest in recorded history.

    So many have been held up on their plane flights back here. It’s an unusual change in the weather across this country, and members are personally experiencing these delays, as are the American people. These recent floods are made worse by the heating atmosphere. We had four 1,000 year floods last week alone. That is a record.

    So far in July, our country has seen over 1,200 flooding events, more than double the normal for an average July, and we’re just halfway through the month. Constitutionally, it is our sworn duty to prepare and protect the people in our communities, and it is hard to accept that no warning sirens had been installed along the Guadalupe River, despite prior tragedies along that very treacherous corridor. Our nation needs to install warning systems and build resilient infrastructure, and we are behind.

    For example, in a district like mine, we had to bring funding for tornado sirens many years ago. I was shocked that they didn’t exist. And in Ohio, we do zone to prevent flooding from threatening human life. But many places in our country do not, and we cannot keep bailing out places that are irresponsible in their behavior. My home in the City of Toledo has gone into Billions of dollars of debt to build new sewers, along with gigantic underground catchment basins, some as large as two football fields in size, in order to handle increasing water loads.

    We are making investments all over our district to protect Lake Erie shoreline and its tributaries. But in places where infrastructure investments aren’t cost effective, how does our nation make sure that families will be protected with adequate local planning and disaster warning systems? America needs more rigor in land and water planning systems, and my friends, quite frankly, we as a nation don’t get a grade A on that.

    It is our awesome responsibility as public servants to address the structural shortcomings at the federal, state, and local level that contributed to the recent loss of life. Sadly, this Republican energy and water bill does not meet our nation’s imperative for the future. It’s over $700 Million below last year. We must invest faster in modern infrastructure, and become energy independent in perpetuity. That is our responsibility. In a nation of 350 million people headed to 500 million people, we must make energy cost less and invest in grid resilience, which is sadly behind what this country needs.

    I find it interesting that Russell Vought, the chief architect of the budget cuts that we are being asked to endure in this bill, claims that he’s so savvy. But how is it possible? He’s supposed to be known as a budget cutter, right? But how is it possible that he has added $3.4 Trillion, despite our cuts to the national debt over the next ten years? Over 20 years, he’s adding $9.5 Trillion, and $18.7 Trillion by 30 years out. So that’s a total of $32 Trillion, if temporary measures are extended permanently. Think about that one. So if they’re doing such a good job over there at the Executive Branch and OMB, how come the national debt is rising when we’re cutting every single bill that we are discussing today, and those that will follow?

    This bill fails to address the cost of living crisis. The price of electricity has risen 5.8% over the last year. Every family in this country knows that, and even higher energy bills lie ahead for families and businesses. China is investing record levels in energy, my friends. But this bill retreats from US global leadership in the future in the form of a diversified and clean energy economy. This energy and water bill cuts $1.6 Billion, or 47%, from the Department of Energy’s energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The adage analysis prevention is worth a pound of cure applies to our nation’s imperative to deliver clean, affordable, and secure energy to the American people and to ensure our nation leads, not lags, in the global race toward energy independence in perpetuity, including an abundant clean energy future.

    Our mom and dad taught us how to be thrifty and not wasteful. Dad would say, “it’s not how much you make, it’s how much you save,” and that applies to energy and fresh water. Conservation are good goals for the future of our children and grandchildren, and we’ve made some strides toward those horizons. The United States on the oil front is producing more than ever before, record high levels of production, but we are still tethered to a volatile global energy market dominated by cartels and petroleum dictators like OPEC. We must advance an all of the above energy strategy to be successful long term. Europe learned the hard way about being too reliant on one source of energy, Russian gas. In their case when Russia invaded Ukraine. Let us heed that chilling warning.

    China aims to be the OPEC for the next century, and gain dominance in clean energy, and they are well on their way. Their investments dwarf the rest of the world’s. A Chinese company has developed an EV battery. Are you ready for this? That can travel 1,800 miles in a single charge and recharge in just five minutes. Think about that. What sense does it make for this Energy and Water Bill to slash the Department of Energy’s vital research and development programs?

    The Republican plan cripples America’s energy future by awarding giant tax breaks to Millionaires and Billionaires in the Big Billionaire Bonanza Bill that’s creating the big, huge additions to the debt. America must focus on building an economy that works for everyone, especially our working families and retirees, not just the wealthy few. The bill this bill eliminates funding for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and worse, it revokes $5.1 Billion of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources from the Department of Energy that will cede the US global lead in hydrogen, direct air capture, battery recycling, and energy savings in every public and private structure. Already, US businesses have canceled. This is shocking number. More than $15 Billion in investments in new factories and electricity production projects this year, as a result of the Republican Bonanza for Billionaires Bill. Those canceled projects were expected to create nearly 12,000 new jobs, all now gone.

    I can remember when we brought back the heavy Ford heavy truck line from Mexico to the region that I represent, and I stood next to the CEO of the company at that time, and I said, what can I do to keep these jobs anchored here in Northern Ohio? And he looked at me and he didn’t waste a moment. He said, cut my energy bills by a third. Well, think about that one.

    Thus I strongly oppose the Republican cuts to vital energy production and conservation and our future through the US Department of Energy. Shortchanging these advances pushes our nation backwards and raises already high energy prices for consumers. Why drive America backwards by slow walking energy innovation and failing to modernize our nation’s electric grids, which are old.

    In other areas, this bill dangerously short changes our national security, and this is really critical. The bill slashes $412 Million from the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account. This effectively guts our efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, detect covert nuclear threats, and uphold arms control agreements that keep us safe. All a big gift for Iran, Russia, China, Belarus, and North Korea. Think about that Spiderweb of Tyranny.

    Additionally, this bill turns its back on communities still living with the toxic legacy of America’s atomic past. Zeroing out the Army Corps program to clean up radioactive waste at early nuclear sites. It slashes $779 Million from the Department of Energy’s nuclear cleanup efforts. Delaying the cleanup of these communities have been promised for decades. I’ll note for the committee that one of these sites is in the village of Luckey, Ohio, not so far from my district, and believe me, you don’t want to breathe in or ingest atomic waste anywhere in the world. Finally, this bill includes numerous controversial poison pill riders that sadly show some extremists among us are not interested in real bills that can gain bipartisan support and become law.

    In closing, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. America can, and must meet the new age frontiers of energy and water. We owe it to the future. Nature is signaling, times are changing. And it’s good to remind ourselves, 200 years after Daniel Webster stated this, that is up on the wall in the House of Representatives chamber. “Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether also we in our time and generation may not perform something worthy to be remembered.” That is our mandate today.

    Thank you, and I yield back.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Multi-agency effort rescues woman buried in silage

    Source:

    Image: Fire Rescue Victoria

    A woman who became trapped under a large volume of silage was successfully rescued following a multi-agency operation at a property in Darnum on Sunday, 13 July.

    The woman had been standing on a concrete pad near the base of a silage pit when a four-metre-high sheer wall of fodder collapsed on top of her.   

    Despite being almost completely submerged, she managed to hold onto her phone and call for assistance. 

    CFA crews from Warragul and Nilma North were among the first on scene, arriving shortly after 4:30pm alongside SES, Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria.  

    CFA Incident Controller Brian Brewer said the woman’s upper body had already been uncovered by the time crews arrived, but her lower body remained buried. 

    “It was a time-critical situation, light was fading fast, and there was a storm approaching. Those factors influenced how we approached the rescue,” Brian said. 

    It took crews just over an hour to successfully extricate the woman, who was carried by stretcher to a waiting ambulance and transferred to a helicopter for transport to hospital.  

    “In more than 40 years with CFA, this was certainly one of the more unusual rescues I’ve attended.  

    Brian, who is member of Warragul Fire Brigade, said crews faced several logistical hurdles.  

    “Conditions on the property were challenging. The yard was extremely wet, vehicle access was limited, and we had to carry in gear by hand. We relied on lighting and hand tools to free her,” Brian said. 

    “We also had spotters monitoring the remaining silage wall throughout the operation for any signs of movement. We knew if rain set in, the conditions could quickly worsen and put everyone at greater risk.” 

    Brian praised the cooperation between agencies throughout the incident. 

    “It was very much a team effort. CFA, SES, FRV, Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria all worked together seamlessly under pressure.”

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: There Are Better Uses for $9 Billion Than Socialist Radio Stations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Fox Business to Talk About The Rescissions Package
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined David Webb and Dagen McDowell on Fox Business’ The Bottom Line to discuss the Senate passing the President’s rescissions package and the partisan bias of NPR and PBS.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On why it was important to cut funding for NPR and PBS:
    “That’s just fine with me, David. The backdrop of this is $37 trillion of national debt. We’re spending $7 trillion here, only taking in $5 trillion. We’ve got a budget issue amongst us. And here we’re spending a billion dollars on public television. Look, I don’t wish them any ill will. They certainly are a left-leaning organization to be polite about it, but here you’re using taxpayer money to run an advertisement against a politician, right?
    “So anyway, we just thought… It’s not the best use of money, let’s put it that way. If I had the choice between spending a billion dollars on public radio, public television, versus rural hospitals, I’m going to pick rural hospitals.”
    On what America should do with the savings instead:
    “So I think the big picture, I would ask Americans is, if the President identifies waste, fraud, or abuse, what [do] you expect him to do with it? Well, I think we would expect him to be frugal and get rid of that. So, that’s exactly what we did here. We trimmed back. It’s only $9 billion, it’s only $9 billion, but again, that could help keep rural hospitals open. Maybe we could have more food. There’s lots of other things, better things to do with $9 billion, including paying off the national debt, which is the biggest long-term threat our grandchildren will ever face.”
    On the fake news narrative around severe weather and public broadcasting:
    “Yeah, once upon a time, there was probably a place for government funding. But when you’re in Kansas, we’re in Tornado Alley. And when there’s a tornado system coming towards you, heavy, severe thunderstorms, you’re going to tune to a local TV station with the local meteorologist with the radar. And then if you’re asleep, you have a special warning system. I don’t know anyone that turns to public broadcasting during these types of emergencies. That’s just a fallacy out there. I think there are plenty of other alternatives to your point. We would probably go to a radio station, but most likely, we want a local television with a locally trained meteorologist.”
    On how public broadcasting has been turned into an arm of the Democrat party:
    “So, they’re getting out a leftist message; these public broadcasts have been turned into another tool of the leftist socialists. That’s all they become significantly left. Yes, they’ve got some good programs, but we don’t want to use government funding for such a program as this; there are better things to do with the money.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand And Espaillat Reintroduce Resilient Transit Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Legislation Would Authorize Additional Funding for Resilience Improvement Projects for Public Transportation Systems, Making Them More Reliable in the Event of Extreme Weather

    Today, United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, and Representative Adriano Espaillat announced the Resilient Transit Act of 2025. The legislation would provide a dedicated stream of federal funding to strengthen the resilience of the United States’ public transportation systems as extreme weather events become more common.

    This legislation would authorize an additional $300 million from the mass transit account of the Highway Trust Fund for Fiscal Year 2026 for resilience improvement grants and apportion those funds in accordance with the existing State of Good Repair Grants Program formula. Recipients of the grant would be able to use the funds to finance standalone resilience improvement projects or resilience improvement components of larger projects carried out under the State of Good Repair Grants Program. Resilience improvement projects include the use of structural and nonstructural techniques to better anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to extreme weather events precipitated by climate change, including earthquakes, sea level rise, heat waves, and floods.

    “Public transportation systems already lack sufficient resilience funding, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events precipitated by climate change will disrupt and damage future public transit function,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Public transit ridership continues to increase year over year, thereby increasing the necessity of functioning public transit systems. I am committed to improving the reliability of public transit for the millions of Americans who rely on it each and every year.”

    “The Resilient Transit Act of 2025 establishes the first-ever dedicated funding stream to proactively strengthen our transit systems, while working to make them more durable in the face of extreme weather and climate-driven threats,” said Representative Espaillat. “I’m proud to join Senator Gillibrand to introduce this critical piece of legislation once again, ensuring our infrastructure not only withstands storms today but continues to serve communities tomorrow. Together, we are committed to investing in public transit and safeguarding the lifeblood of cities around the nation.”

    Senator Gillibrand and Representative Espaillat first introduced the Resilient Transit Act in 2022 and reintroduced the bill in 2023. Additionally, Senator Gillibrand passed portions of her Resilient Highways Act as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, including provisions to relocate and raise roads out of zones at risk of floods or slides and construct protective infrastructure to mitigate flood risk.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Slams Trump DOJ for Seeking One-Day Sentence for Officer Convicted in Breonna Taylor Case

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement slamming the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for seeking a one-day jail sentence for the officer convicted in the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor.

    “Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Instead, she was shot and killed while sleeping when officers fired into her home.

    “By seeking a one-day sentence, in the rare instance where a police officer is actually convicted for murdering a Black woman, Trump’s DOJ is sending a cruel and disrespectful message: that they do not value Breonna’s life, nor the pain and loss endured by her loved ones.

    “This is an affront to justice, to accountability, and to every person who calls this country home. We should all be outraged.”

    Congresswoman Pressley has introduced over a dozen pieces of precise legislation to improve police accountability and fundamentally redefine what justice looks like in America, including the People’s Justice Guarantee, Ending Qualified Immunity Act and Andrew Kearse Accountability for the Denial of Medical Care Act.

    • In June 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)unveiled the Housing for Formerly Incarcerated Reentry and Stable Tenancy (Housing FIRST) Act, bold legislation to help people who are formerly incarcerated and those with criminal histories access safe and stable housing.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley reintroduced her Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act to improve maternal health care and support for pregnant individuals who are incarcerated. It was originally introduced in March 2020 and reintroduced in February 2021 as part of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Package—a suite of 12 bills aimed at addressing the Black maternal health crisis.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Co-Chair of the Mental Health Caucus, requested the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to research post-traumatic prison disorder and share findings related to prevention and treatment for people returning from behind the wall.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) re-introduced their Ending Qualified Immunity Act, legislation that would eliminate the unjust and court-invented doctrine of qualified immunity and restore the ability for people to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. Rep. Pressley originally introduced the bill in June 2020 with Rep. Justin Amash (L-MI) and reintroduced it with Sen. Markey in March 2021.
    • On April 6, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Hank Johnson led 25 of their colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in calling on Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley, in partnership with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Ilhan Omar (MN-05), re-introduced the Ending PUSHOUT Act, their legislation to end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. It was originally introduced in December 2019 and reintroduced in March 2021.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and 27 Members of Congress, alongside more than 300 advocacy organizations and community leaders, reintroduced the New Way Forward Act, a landmark piece of legislation that addresses some of the most harmful provisions of immigration law that drive racist enforcement practices, expanded incarceration in immigration detention centers, and unjust deportations. It was originally introduced in December 2019 Reps. Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Karen Bass (CA-37) and was reintroduced in January 2021.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues re-introduced the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act to stop federal entities’ use of facial recognition tools and prohibit federal support for state and local law enforcement entities that use biometric technology. They reintroduced the bill in June 2021.
    • In December 2022, the House passed Congresswoman Pressley’s amendment to strengthen maternal health care for people who are incarcerated.
    • In December 2021, Rep. Pressley unveiled the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s clemency system and address the mass incarceration crisis.
    • In March 2021, Rep. Pressley sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to consider H. Res. 266, the People’s Justice Guarantee, as a framework for embedding justice in our criminal legal system and building integrity in the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
    • In February 2021, October 2020, Congresswoman Pressley reintroduced the Mental Health Justice Act with Reps. Katie Porter (CA-45), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), to support the creation of mental health first responder units that would be deployed in lieu of law enforcement when 911 is called due to a mental health crisis. The lawmakers originally introduced the legislation in October 2020.
    • In January 2021, she reintroduced the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act of 2021 with Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) to prohibit the use of the death penalty at the federal level, and require re-sentencing of those currently on death row. The lawmakers originally introduced the bill in July 2019.
    • In August 2020, she introduced the COVID-19 in Corrections Data Transparency Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and others, requires federal, state, and local prisons and jails to collect and publicly report COVID-19 data. The legislation was reintroduced last month.
    • In July 2020, she introduced the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), to prohibit federal funds to support the increased presence of police in K-12 schools and supports school districts that invests in counselors.
    • In June 2020, she introduced the Dismantle Mass Incarceration for Public Health Act with Reps. Tlaib (MI-13) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to require decarceration to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails.
    • In June 2020, she introduced the Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ed Markey (D-MA), to hold police officers criminally liable for denying care to those in medical distress.
    • In May 2020, she introduced a resolution with Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Karen Bass (CA-37) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) to condemn any and all acts of police brutality, racial profiling, and militarization and over-policing of Black and brown communities.  
    • In July 2019, she introduced the No Biometric Barriers Housing Act with Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in most public and assisted housing units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protecting tenants from biased surveillance technology. 
    • In June 2019, in conjunction with Gun Violence Awareness Month and the 5th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, she introduced a resolution to honor survivors of homicide victims by establishing National Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Nabs at Least 11 Illegal Aliens Including Serial Criminal with 67 Arrests in Sacramento Operation

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    CBP nabs career criminal, drug dealer and ten other illegal aliens in targeted operation

    WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested numerous illegal aliens, including a dangerous serial drug abuser and dealer with 67 charges, during a July 17 operation in Sacramento, California.  

    CBP’s targeted operation resulted in the heroic arrest of Javier Dimas-Alcantara, a serial criminal with convictions and charges spanning decades, including the following: 

    • Multiple instances of transport and sale of a narcotic or controlled substance
    • Felony burglary
    • Illegal entry
    • Carrying a loaded firearm in public
    • Multiple instances of providing false identification to a law enforcement officer
    • Multiple instances of felony possession of marijuana for sale
    • Revocation of probation due to re-offense of possession of marijuana for sale
    • Being under the influence of a controlled substance
    • Multiple instances of possession of a narcotic or controlled substance
    • Possession of a controlled narcotic with intent to sell 

    “On July 17, CBP conducted an operation in Sacramento, California, resulting in the arrest of at least 11 criminal illegal aliens. Among the illegal aliens captured in this heroic effort was Javier Dimas-Alcantara, a serial criminal illegal alien who has been booked into jail 67 times,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Dimas has been CONVICTED of a myriad of offenses—you would not want this man to be your neighbor. And yet, politicians like Gavin Newsom defend criminals who terrorize American communities and demonize law enforcement who defend those same communities. He and every other sanctuary politician should be thanking CBP for getting this scum out of American communities instead of obstructing federal law enforcement at every possible turn.” 

    President Trump and Secretary Noem have been given a clear mandate from the American people: get violent illegal aliens OFF our streets and OUT of our country.  

    Illegal aliens can take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right, legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return. 

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe urged to diversify trade markets over US tariff coercion, supply chains disruption

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

    As Washington presses ahead with additional tariffs on products from the European Union (EU) and beyond, European officials and experts are urging the diversification of trade markets to mitigate the damage that such coercive financial statecraft is inflicting on global supply chains.

    TARIFF GAME SETTING OFF CHAIN REACTION

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that his administration would impose 30 percent tariffs on EU and Mexican exports, arguing that bilateral trade had long been unbalanced and lacked reciprocity.

    Trucks wait to enter the Container Terminal Tollerort in Hamburg, Germany, May 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

    The Irish Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald described the tariff threat as “volatile” and “not helpful at all.” “That poses a challenge for Ireland, for Europe, for the world,” she told Xinhua at a press conference in London.

    Countries across Europe have been warning about the impact of the seemingly unrelenting tariff assaults on their economies.

    The Bank of Slovenia estimated that U.S. tariffs could indirectly disrupt the broader European value chain and impact about 15,000 jobs in Slovenia, a significant number in a country of just 2.1 million people.

    The Bank of England also said in its latest Financial Stability Report that the global economy faces rising downside risks, citing U.S. tariffs, and despite a new trade agreement between Britain and the United States in May, a further escalation in trade disputes globally could amplify financial stress and drag on economic growth in Britain.

    Companies of all sizes, from those exporting to the U.S. to manufacturers heavily reliant on global supply chains, are feeling the strain that the tariffs are placing on their operations.

    Neb Chupin, founder of Croatia’s Hermes International, a successful fig jam producer in the U.S. market, said, “With 10 percent tariffs, we are losing about 20,000 U.S. dollars a week. What would happen with 30 or even 50 percent tariffs? I cannot even sleep at night as the situation is very unstable.”

    With 40 percent of exports going to the U.S., Finland’s pharmaceutical industry could also be severely affected by potential U.S. tariffs. Johanna Sipola, deputy CEO of Keskuskauppakamari, or the Finnish Chamber of Commerce, called the tariffs “unrealistic” and warned that the greater risk is the uncertainty they create.

    “If the tariffs were implemented, the repercussions for international pharmaceutical production would be significant. The industry’s delivery chains are unusually global, and even minor disruptions can trigger substantial changes in medicine prices and demand,” Sipola said.

    Beyond the immediate effects, the high-stakes tariff game is setting off a chain reaction across global supply chains and geopolitical dynamics.

    Gavran Igor, an economic analyst from Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that the longer-term impact of the tariffs could prove even more damaging for Balkan manufacturers that are integrated into EU-based industries, particularly automotive supply chains.

    Czech Republic’s Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura said that exports to the United States account for less than 3 percent of the country’s total exports. However, the country would also be indirectly affected through its European partners who purchase Czech goods and components.

    STRENGTHENING COOPERATION WITH MULTI-PARTNERS URGED

    Inevitably, even countries with modest trade ties to the world’s largest economy can still feel the ripple effects of Washington’s unpredictability. In response, experts recommend that European nations broaden their trade partnerships, especially with China, Southeast Asia and other regions.

    “Europe must, in the long term, become more independent from the American market. A joint free trade zone with the ASEAN countries and the rapid ratification of the agreement with Mercosur are urgently needed,” Dirk Jandura, president of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services, said in a statement after Trump’s new tariff announcement.

    Mario Boselli, chairman of the Italy China Council Foundation, said that the shifting dynamics might prompt Europe to reconsider its external economic strategy. In his view, strengthening cooperation with China is a “highly strategic choice.”

    “If economies, like the EU, China, the United Kingdom, Brazil and India, keep global trade open, the U.S. tariffs’ impact on global supply chains will be lower. That’s the opportunity,” said Carlo Altomonte, associate professor of the Department of Social and Political Sciences of Bocconi University in Milan.

    Martin Geissler, Partner at the management consultancy Advyce & Company, echoed the suggestions by sharing Germany’s auto industry as an example. “German automakers have often not yet recognized the growth prospects that exist in Africa and many emerging countries,” Geissler said, contrasting this with China’s strategic engagement with multi-partners.

    Bernardo Mendia, Secretary General of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is leading a Portuguese delegation to the ongoing China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing.

    A key factor driving Portugal’s participation this year, in his words, is the rise of protectionism, logistical disruptions and geopolitical shifts. In the face of these challenges, China offers a distinctive platform to develop innovative solutions, business models, and collaborative partnerships, he said.

    Looking ahead, experts believe that Washington’s trade policies could ultimately backfire on the U.S. economy itself.

    “The U.S. needs many of our industrial products, which cannot be easily replaced in the short term. This allows German manufacturers of these goods to largely pass on the tariffs in their prices to the detriment of the U.S. economy,” said Juergen Matthes, head of International Economic Policy, Financial and Real Estate Markets Research Unit at the German Economic Institute. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, partner agencies respond to sunken vessel near Santa Cruz, Calif.

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 07/17/2025 07:30 PM EDT

     

    07/17/2025 07:09 PM EDT

    PHOTOS AVAILABLE: The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a sunken vessel following a boat fire approximately one mile offshore Santa Cruz, California, Wednesday morning. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville OP-ED: The Fed Has Gone Rogue—Fire Jerome Powell

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned a scathing op-ed in the Daily Caller calling for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to be fired. In the piece, Sen. Tuberville addresses his concern with Powell’s refusal to lower interest rates during a time of economic growth in the Golden Age of America. Chair Powell’s decision to play politics is hurting hardworking American families.

    Read excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s op-ed below or the full piece here.

    “President Donald J. Trump and his America First policies are back, and the American people can feel the momentum. After four years of disastrous open-border policies, skyrocketing inflation, and woke bureaucrats running wild, the tide is finally turning. Thanks to the President’s tariffs and tax cuts, the Trump economic engine is revving back up. Prices are low. The stock market is up. Employment numbers are on the rise. America is returning to energy dominance. Families are finally starting to feel like they’re keeping more of their paycheck. But there’s still one major obstacle standing in the way of unleashing America’s full economic potential — and that’s Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

    Let’s cut the bull, Jerome Powell has gone rogue. He’s acting like a coach whose team is down by 2 at the end of the 4th quarter – but instead of kicking a field goal to win the game, they punt the ball. Inflation is at the lowest point in four years under President Trump – but Jerome Powell is still using the old Biden Democrat Socialist playbook. As a result, interest rates are through the roof, borrowing costs are squeezing families, and small businesses are getting crushed. Americans are ready to build, buy, hire, and grow — but the Fed is playing games instead of cutting rates and letting the economy breathe. That’s not just bad policy. That’s sabotage.

    This isn’t his first offense either. Powell’s track record is a mess. Back in 2021, as Biden and the Radical Left were pumping the economy with trillions of dollars in reckless spending, Powell stood in front of the American people and told them inflation was “transitory.” He basically told American consumers to not believe their own lying eyes. But the American people aren’t stupid. They saw prices rising at the pump, at the grocery store, and on every utility bill. What Powell called “transitory” turned out to be full-blown, historic inflation that was here to stay as long as Biden and Powell were the ones calling the shots.

    […]

    Let’s not pretend this wasn’t political. Powell has aligned himself with the D.C. Swamp, the same corrupt system that’s tried everything to stop Donald Trump from putting America First. The Fed is supposed to be independent, but under Powell, it’s acting like the economic arm of the Democrat Socialist Communist Party. Powell isn’t just a bad economist. He’s a symbol of the woke elites that look down on farmers, truckers, teachers, and welders — the backbone of this nation — and thinks they should just sit down and be quiet while the “experts” in D.C. run things.

    In the United States of America, we believe in freedom, faith, hard work, and putting the American taxpayer first. We don’t take orders from the World Economic Forum. We don’t answer to Davos. And we sure don’t let Ivy League elites in glass towers decide whether families in Alabama can afford to buy a house or start a business.

    If your quarterback is fumbling the ball, missing reads, and throwing picks, you bench him. You don’t give him another season; you send him packing. President Trump knows how to win. We need a Federal Reserve that supports that mission, not one that tries to undermine it. This isn’t just about monetary policy, it’s about our future. 

    It’s time to fire Jerome Powell and bring in a Fed Chair who understands the America First vision — someone who will fight inflation by empowering American workers, not punishing them. Someone who understands that prosperity starts with cutting taxes, slashing regulation, and letting a free people create, build, and thrive. Jerome Powell had his shot. He blew it. It’s time for a new leader at the Fed.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leading lights of UK research spearhead search for world’s best talent

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Leading lights of UK research spearhead search for world’s best talent

    12 leading universities and research institutions selected to deliver government’s £54 million fund to recruit world’s top researchers.

    • 12 leading universities and research institutions selected to deliver government’s £54 million fund to recruit world’s top researchers
    • From AI to medicine, cutting-edge research is delivering the new breakthroughs and products that are key to economic growth, the core mission of the Plan for Change   
    • Global Talent Fund is just one part of over £115 million in funding dedicated to attracting top talent to the UK

    12 of the UK’s leading universities and research institutions, across all 4 nations, will deliver the Global Talent Fund: a £54 million investment in Britain’s future prosperity and economic growth.

    The new £54 million Global Talent Fund is designed to attract a total of 60-80 top researchers (both lead researchers and their teams) to the UK, working in the 8 high priority sectors critical to our modern Industrial Strategy like life sciences and digital technologies.  By bringing the very best minds in fields that will be critical to the future of life and work to the UK, we can pave the way for the products, jobs and even industries that define tomorrow’s economy, to be made and grow in Britain.

    From Argentine César Milstein’s work on antibodies, to Hong Kong-born Sir Charles Kao who led the development of fibre optics, through to German Ernst Chain’s efforts to make penicillin usable in medicine, there is a long pedigree of overseas researchers making great breakthroughs whilst working in the UK. We want the UK to continue to be the natural home of the very best science and research, the world over. 

    Driving new tech innovations and scientific breakthroughs will fire up the UK economy and put rocket boosters on the government’s Plan for Change. The IMF estimates that breakthroughs in AI alone could boost productivity by as much as 1.5 percentage points a year, which could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade. Other technologies could be gamechangers too: quantum computing could add over £11 billion to the UK’s GDP by 2045, while engineering biology could drive anywhere between £1.6-£3.1 trillion in global impact by 2040. 

    Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

    Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to incubate brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. Bringing these innovations to life, here in Britain, will be critical to delivering this government’s Plan for Change.

    My message to the bold and the brave who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is: our doors are open to you. We want to work with you, support you, and give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    The UK is home to some of the world’s best universities which are vital for attracting international top talent. Supported by our new Global Talent Taskforce, the Global Talent Fund will cement our position as a leading choice for the world’s top researchers to make their home here, supercharging growth and delivering on our Plan for Change.

    The institutions selected to deliver the Global Talent Fund are:

    • University of Bath 
    • Queen’s University Belfast 
    • University of Birmingham 
    • University of Cambridge 
    • Cardiff University 
    • Imperial College London 
    • John Innes Centre 
    • MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology 
    • University of Oxford 
    • University of Southampton 
    • University of Strathclyde
    • University of Warwick 

    These organisations will each get an equal share of the £54 million Fund, to use bringing some of the world’s foremost researchers and their teams to the UK. Each of them has a track record of recruiting and supporting top international R&D talent, as well as securing international competitive research funding to the UK. They are empowered to develop their own approaches and plans to spend their share of the Global Talent Fund to attract research talent from the around the globe in their choice of Industrial Strategy areas, including covering visa and relocation costs for researchers and their family members.

    The Global Talent Fund, administered by UKRI, is just one part of over £115 million funding that is being dedicated to attracting the very best scientific and research talent to the UK. In addition to this fund, 2 fellowships have been launched, aimed at bringing groundbreaking AI research teams to UK organisations and labs: the £25 million Turing AI ‘Global’ Fellowships, as well as a UK-based expansion of the Encode: AI for Science Fellowship.

    Alongside this, 2 new fast-track research grant routes have been announced by the National Academies – including £30 million from the Royal Society for a Faraday Discovery Fellowship accelerated international route, part-funded by their £250 million DSIT endowment. The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced a similar fast track international route, as part of its £150 million Green Future Fellowships endowment from DSIT – this funding will ensure the UK competes for the best global talent in science and research. While researchers looking to relocate to the UK can also benefit from the Choose Europe scheme, thanks to the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.

    All of these efforts will be supported by the Global Talent Taskforce. Launched as part of the Industrial Strategy, the taskforce will report directly to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, and support researchers, scientists and engineers as well as top-tier investors, entrepreneurs and managerial talent to bring their skills to Britain.

    Work to cultivate top AI research talent in the UK is further bolstered through the Spärck AI scholarships, which will provide full funding for master’s degrees at 9 leading UK universities specialising in artificial intelligence and STEM subjects. These scholarships will open for applications in Spring 2026. We also support postgraduate research broadly, with £500 million UKRI funding supporting over 4.700 students at 45 higher education institutions to study projects in biological, engineering and physical, and natural and environmental sciences.

    Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bath, said: 

    Our university was founded with a mission to work closely with industry, and partnership working has been in our DNA ever since. We are truly delighted to play our part in attracting outstanding global academics to help power research in the UK’s industrial strategy priority areas. 

    This major investment recognises the vital role universities play in driving innovation and growth across the UK. We look forward to working with DSIT and UKRI to attract more bright minds to play their part in our innovation-fuelled and impact-focussed research.

    Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s University Belfast said:

    We are proud that Queen’s has been selected as one of the 12 institutions to deliver the Global Talent Fund. This funding will allow us to bring world-leading researchers to Northern Ireland in priority areas such as advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, fields that are vital to our economy and to the UK’s global competitiveness.

    By attracting exceptional talent from outside the UK, we are strengthening our research base, and helping to drive innovation within the local economy. This is a clear endorsement of the excellence and impact of research at Queen’s, and of our role in helping to deliver the UK government’s Industrial Strategy.

    Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Birmingham said:

    I am delighted that the University of Birmingham has been selected to support the government’s vision to attract exceptional international researchers to the UK. In celebration of our 125 anniversary this year, our University is committed to investing in the recruitment of 125 leading researchers. The Global Talent Fund investment means that we will now go even further – drawing a diverse community of world-leading researchers to Birmingham. They will join a thriving and ambitious research environment, where the potential for discovery, collaboration, and impact has never been greater. We look forward to welcoming a new generation of global research leaders to our University and city and to seeing the positive impact their work will have on the UK economy and on the health and wellbeing of society.

    Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge, said:

    The University is grateful for this award of funding. The Fund will bolster emerging and accelerating research areas, in line with the goals of the government’s Industrial Strategy. This investment will be pivotal in securing and supporting international academic expertise and strengthening the strategic opportunities the University is seeking to catalyse for both the University and the UK more widely.  We look forward to the opportunities this will unlock.

    Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner said:

    We are delighted to have secured this funding to help us attract the world’s best minds to Cardiff and Wales.

    It is a clear endorsement of our standing and place in the UK research community and sends a clear message that we are well-positioned to attract global talent. It will enable us to support more of the world’s leading academics in Wales – helping to further boost our research capacity and global reputation in key research areas.

    Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London said:

    Imperial College London is a global university and international researchers are central to our success. They bring fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a spirit of discovery that enriches our community and drives breakthroughs that benefit all of society – from tackling malaria to breakthroughs in quantum computing.

    The Global Talent Fund will support our efforts to attract the brightest minds from around the world. We look forward to welcoming them and continuing to push the boundaries of knowledge together.

    Professor Cristobal Uauy, Director designate, John Innes Centre said:

    This funding is a major boost to our efforts at the John Innes Centre to attract ambitious world-leading researchers to join our Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet vision.

    By bringing outstanding talent to the Norwich Research Park, we are strengthening the UK’s global leadership in bio-based innovation, data-driven biology, and sustainable, high-value agri-tech, key pillars of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

    As a Chilean researcher who relocated to the UK, I’ve experienced first-hand the friendly, open and collaborative academic environment here. The world-class facilities, technology platforms and institutional support provided at the John Innes Centre are unrivalled. It’s the kind of environment where scientists can take bold ideas forward, build meaningful collaborations, and create lasting global impact.

    Jan Löwe, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Director, said:

    We welcome the government’s drive to attract global talent which addresses key barriers faced by researchers wishing to relocate to the UK.

    The LMB’s scientific breakthroughs and technological advances have been driven by talented scientists of all nationalities since our origins in the 1940s. Science is a creative pursuit, and creativity thrives on diverse input from people of different backgrounds.

    Research has no borders, and this funding will enable the LMB and fellow UK institutions to be competitive in the global scientific talent market and attract gifted scientists from around the world to drive UK innovations for the benefit of all.

    Professor Irene Tracey CBE, FRS, FMedSci, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, said:

    Oxford University has a long history of attracting exceptional global talent, enabling world-leading research, teaching, and innovation with wide-reaching social and economic impact. In 2021–2022, our science parks, knowledge exchange, and the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine contributed to a £6.6 billion boost to the UK economy, with our spinouts supporting over 31,600 UK jobs. Globally, the AZ vaccine is estimated to have saved over 6 million lives in its first year, resulting in a worldwide health economic impact of £2 trillion. The Global Talent Fund will draw internationally recognised experts to Oxford, building capability for future innovation and growth in the Industrial Strategy areas we have prioritised.

    Professor Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, said:

    We are proud that the University of Southampton has been chosen as one of the small number of organisations for this exciting and important initiative.

    Attracting world-leading researchers to work in the United Kingdom will help to lead innovation in the technologies of the future, supporting industry and driving economic growth.

    Southampton is a global University with a wealth of research talent and this funding will help us to build further on our existing strengths and partnerships.

    Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, said:

    We welcome this important investment in global talent that UKRI has committed to and the alignment it creates between the new Industrial Strategy and the research and innovation leadership that is critical to its success. 

    Strathclyde is proud of its position as a leading international technological university. We deliver impact collaboratively by bringing together the excellent talented people we have at Strathclyde and through working closely with partners in other universities, industrial partners, innovation centres and National Laboratories through research that addresses market opportunities and national priorities – from climate resilience and sustainable energy to health innovation, and security and resilience.

    This new funding from UKRI and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology reflects confidence in our ability to translate cutting-edge discovery into real-world applications and solutions, working collaboratively with industry, government and global partners. It will enhance our research environment, widen our talent pipeline and further enable our mission as a place of useful learning.

    Professor Stuart Croft, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick said:

    The University of Warwick is known for our world-leading expertise in Advanced Manufacturing and the Arts and this £4.35 million investment will accelerate the development of innovative insights, solutions, products, and services in an inter-disciplinary way. It will also help drive inclusive regional and national growth in the Creative Industries.

    Through our strong partnerships with SMEs, industry, and local councils, this initiative will play a key role in advancing UK innovation and delivering meaningful benefits to communities across the West Midlands and the wider UK. 

    In our 60th anniversary year we are reaffirming our commitment to making a better world together and this funding will further strengthen our determination to deliver our vision.

    Professor Christopher Smith, International Champion at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said:

    Global challenges from climate change to energy security, food systems to antimicrobial resistance do not respect borders, and neither should the research and innovation required to address them. Time and again, international collaboration has driven transformative breakthroughs: from the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN, to the global effort to decode the complex wheat genome, enabling the development of high-yield, climate-resilient crops that support food security worldwide. The impact of global partnerships is clear.

    The Global Talent Fund is a vital part of UKRI’s mission to support an open, dynamic, and diverse research and innovation system. By supporting our brilliant research institutes to attract outstanding individuals from across the world and foster collaboration between nations, we are strengthening the UK’s position at the heart of the global knowledge economy. This fund aligns with our enduring commitment to international engagement, and to working together to shape a better future for all.

    Notes to editors

    The £54 million Global Talent Fund comes over 5 years, starting in 2025/2026. The fund, administered by UKRI and delivered by universities and research organisations, will cover 100% of eligible costs, including both relocation and research expenses, with no requirement for match funding from research organisations. The initiative also includes full visa costs for researchers and their dependants, removing significant financial and administrative barriers to relocation.

    Funding will be distributed evenly amongst the 12 research organisations.

    The small number of world-class researchers, and their teams, who go on to be supported by these funds, will come to live and work in the UK via existing routes such as the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, and the Innovator Founder visas.

    There are no plans to change existing visa routes – and the Immigration White Paper sets out the government’s broad approach to restoring order to the immigration system through the Plan for Change.  

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

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    Updates to this page

    Published 18 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Regulatory Relief for Certain Stationary Sources to Further Promote American Energy

    Source: US Whitehouse

    class=”has-text-align-center”>By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    1.  Coal-fired electricity generation is essential to ensuring that our Nation’s grid is reliable and that electricity is affordable to the American people, and to promoting our Nation’s energy security.  The Federal Government plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the Nation’s power supply remains secure and reliable.  Forcing energy producers to comply with unattainable emissions controls jeopardizes this mission.
    2.  On May 7, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule, pursuant to section 112 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7412, titled National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants:  Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units Review of the Residual Risk and Technology Review, 89 FR 38508 (Rule), which amended the preexisting Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule to make it more stringent.  The Rule’s effective date was July 8, 2024.  Id.  Its compliance date is July 8, 2027, 3 years after its effective date.  See 89 FR 38519.
    3.  The Rule places severe burdens on coal-fired power plants and, through its indirect effects, on the viability of our Nation’s coal sector.  Specifically, the Rule requires compliance with standards premised on the application of emissions-control technologies that do not yet exist in a commercially viable form.  The current compliance timeline of the Rule therefore raises the unacceptable risk of the shutdown of many coal-fired power plants, eliminating thousands of jobs, placing our electrical grid at risk, and threatening broader, harmful economic and energy security effects.  This in turn would undermine our national security, as these effects would leave America vulnerable to electricity demand shortages, increased dependence on foreign energy sources, and potential disruptions of our electricity and energy supplies, particularly in times of crisis.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7412(i)(4), do hereby proclaim that certain stationary sources subject to the Rule, as identified in Annex I of this proclamation, are exempt from compliance with the Rule for a period of 2 years beyond the Rule’s compliance date — i.e., for the period beginning July 8, 2027, and concluding July 8, 2029 (Exemption).  The effect of this Exemption is that, during this 2-year period, these stationary sources are subject to the compliance obligations that they are currently subject to under the MATS as the MATS existed prior to the Rule.  In support of this Exemption, I hereby make the following determinations:
    a.  The technology to implement the Rule is not available.  Such technology does not exist in a commercially viable form sufficient to allow implementation of and compliance with the Rule by its compliance date of July 8, 2027.
    b.  It is in the national security interests of the United States to issue this Exemption for the reasons stated in paragraphs 1 and 3 of this proclamation.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
    seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

    DONALD J. TRUMP

    ANNEX I

    Affected Facility/Source: Cardinal Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3, Ohio

    Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association

    Affected Facility/Source: Craig Generating Station Unit 2 and Unit 3, Colorado

    City Water, Light and Power

    Affected Facility/Source: Dallman Unit 4, Illinois

    Cardinal Operating Company

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pettersen Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Leverage Commercial Weather Data Tools to Mitigate Extreme Weather Risks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)

    Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) introduced bipartisan legislation with Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-04) so Colorado farmers, ranchers, and rural communities can better respond to extreme weather events. The legislation ensures that commercial weather data and tools – using satellites and other space-based technologies – are eligible for funding under the priority research areas for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), boosting investments to mitigate risks for farmers and foresters during extreme weather events. 

    As major weather events become more severe and more frequent, commercial tools like satellite technology can better detect weather to predict and monitor life-threatening conditions in real time, helping communities anticipate floods, monitor droughts, and detect wildfire risk earlier. However, these tools can be expensive and difficult to access, especially in rural areas.

    Pettersen’s legislation ensures that USDA research funding can support the adoption and development of these technologies so that farmers, ranchers, and rural communities can use these advanced forecasting tools.

    “Rural Colorado is on the frontlines of severe weather events like wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters,” said Pettersen. “As we continue to see more natural disasters each year, it’s critical that we leverage the best available technology to keep people and property safe. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are better prepared for when the next disaster strikes.”

    “Michigan farmers work tirelessly to provide quality produce for our communities,” said Moolenaar. “Unfortunately, unforeseen severe weather can ruin an entire year of crops unless it is properly prepared for. The Space-Based Agricultural Data Act is a common-sense proposal which will give American farmers and ranchers the tools they need to mitigate the risks of unpredictable weather, so they can continue to grow and raise the food we rely on.”

    “The bill will help innovative small businesses like ours here in CO provide mission critical extreme weather forecasting to farmers and others across rural America,” Thomas Cavett, VP Government Affairs and Strategy, who works and resides in Colorado. “Tomorrow.io applauds Representatives Pettersen and Moolenaar for introducing it.”

    The legislation builds on the innovation already happening in Colorado. Tomorrow.io, a global weather intelligence company with a growing presence in Golden, CO, is deploying commercial weather satellites to improve forecasting capabilities and help communities make data-driven decisions before disaster strikes. These technologies can help local communities plan evacuations, protect crops and livestock, and ensure Coloradans are equipped for extreme weather.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pettersen Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Leverage Commercial Weather Data Tools to Mitigate Extreme Weather Risks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)

    Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) introduced bipartisan legislation with Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-04) so Colorado farmers, ranchers, and rural communities can better respond to extreme weather events. The legislation ensures that commercial weather data and tools – using satellites and other space-based technologies – are eligible for funding under the priority research areas for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), boosting investments to mitigate risks for farmers and foresters during extreme weather events. 

    As major weather events become more severe and more frequent, commercial tools like satellite technology can better detect weather to predict and monitor life-threatening conditions in real time, helping communities anticipate floods, monitor droughts, and detect wildfire risk earlier. However, these tools can be expensive and difficult to access, especially in rural areas.

    Pettersen’s legislation ensures that USDA research funding can support the adoption and development of these technologies so that farmers, ranchers, and rural communities can use these advanced forecasting tools.

    “Rural Colorado is on the frontlines of severe weather events like wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters,” said Pettersen. “As we continue to see more natural disasters each year, it’s critical that we leverage the best available technology to keep people and property safe. This bipartisan legislation will help ensure farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are better prepared for when the next disaster strikes.”

    “Michigan farmers work tirelessly to provide quality produce for our communities,” said Moolenaar. “Unfortunately, unforeseen severe weather can ruin an entire year of crops unless it is properly prepared for. The Space-Based Agricultural Data Act is a common-sense proposal which will give American farmers and ranchers the tools they need to mitigate the risks of unpredictable weather, so they can continue to grow and raise the food we rely on.”

    “The bill will help innovative small businesses like ours here in CO provide mission critical extreme weather forecasting to farmers and others across rural America,” Thomas Cavett, VP Government Affairs and Strategy, who works and resides in Colorado. “Tomorrow.io applauds Representatives Pettersen and Moolenaar for introducing it.”

    The legislation builds on the innovation already happening in Colorado. Tomorrow.io, a global weather intelligence company with a growing presence in Golden, CO, is deploying commercial weather satellites to improve forecasting capabilities and help communities make data-driven decisions before disaster strikes. These technologies can help local communities plan evacuations, protect crops and livestock, and ensure Coloradans are equipped for extreme weather.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Florida House Democrats Call for Closure and Demand More Access, Oversight in No Cages in the Everglades Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “Trump and Ron DeSantis have exploited legal ambiguity around this Everglades internment camp to avoid any scrutiny of abuses there,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Our bill would shut down this atrocity, strengthen oversight of detention facilities nationwide, and mandate public reporting on costs, conditions, and the treatment of detainees at this detention site, as well as report on any harms to the environment and nearby tribal lands. The public deserves the full truth about what’s happening in and around this facility and they deserve accountability for any laws broken.”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Florida’s Congressional Democratic delegation introduced the No Cages in the Everglades Act to defund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) lawless, inhumane immigration detention site within South Florida’s ecologically sensitive tribal lands, and to ensure more robust access, public data, and Congressional oversight there and in all similar facilities. It was introduced by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), along with her fellow Florida Reps. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Frederica Wilson, (FL-24) Lois Frankel (FL-22), Darren Soto (FL-9), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Jared Moskowitz (FL-23).

    “Trump and Ron DeSantis have exploited legal ambiguity around this Everglades internment camp to avoid any scrutiny of abuses there,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Our bill would shut down this atrocity, strengthen oversight of detention facilities nationwide, and mandate public reporting on costs, conditions, and the treatment of detainees at this detention site, as well as report on any harms to the environment and nearby tribal lands. The public deserves the full truth about what’s happening in and around this facility and  they deserve accountability for any laws broken.”

    “The reports coming out of Trump’s so-called ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ are deeply disturbing,” said Frankel. “Detained immigrants—many of whom have no criminal record—are being denied water, medicine, legal counsel, and other basic human rights. Turning our beloved Everglades—an environmentally protected area that provides drinking water to millions and is home to a treasured national park—into a prison camp is outrageous and un-American. This bill puts a stop to the madness. It bars ICE from using this dangerous and inappropriate facility, ensures Members of Congress have access to detention sites for proper oversight, and demands accountability through an Inspector General review. We need serious immigration reform, not cruel political stunts that waste taxpayer dollars and violate our values.”

    “The Everglades Detention Center is a danger to federal agents, the Florida National Guard, ICE detainees, and others, as it is built on a flood plain and can only withstand a Category 2 hurricane,” said Soto. “ On top of that, ICE detaines are held in inhumane, crowded, hot, and unsanitary conditions—32 to a cage, 83-degree temperatures, non-functioning toilets, and mosquito-infested conditions. This facility should be shut down immediately.”

    “I’m proud to be an original co-sponsor of the No Cages in the Everglades Act and to stand with those courageously exposing the inhumane conditions at this detention facility,” said Cherfilus-McCormick. “No one should be subjected to unsafe, degrading treatment, and we cannot meet these injustices with silence or symbolic gestures. We have a moral responsibility to act decisively. Every person in our custody deserves dignity, safety, and basic human rights.”

    “What’s happening in the Everglades is nothing short of a modern-day immigrant internment camp,” said Frost. “We will not sit back while the State of Florida and the Department of Homeland Security spend hundreds of millions of dollars and partner up to turn protected wetlands into a place of imaginable horror – a hell-on-Earth where hundreds of men are held in cages in tents under the scorching sun under the guide of public safety. This is not security. This is cruelty. This is not immigration policy. This is dehumanization.”

    The No Cages in the Everglades Act bill would: 

    • Prohibit DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from contracting with, funding, or operating any immigration detention facility located in or adjacent to the Everglades.
    • Prevent harm to sacred tribal lands, endangered wildlife, and the Everglades’ ecological balance — which are already under immense pressure. 
    • Explicitly affirm Members of Congress’ right to inspect any facility holding federal immigration detainees, whether it’s owned or operated by the federal government, a state, or a private contractor. This ensures accountability and compliance with federal law.
    • Require the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General to investigate and report on the conditions, costs, and impacts of this facility including its effect on detainees, the environment, and nearby tribal lands, so Congress and the public get the full truth about what’s happening and whether any laws have been broken. 

    This bill is also supported by:

    • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
    • Detention Watch Network
    • Church World Service (CWS)
    • National Immigration Law Center (NILC)

    Read the full text of the legislation here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 18, 2025
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