NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Advocate for Passage of Child Care Affordability Bill to Expand High-Quality Child Care Options

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Child care is essential to families, communities, and our economy.  But instead of making federal investments to help bring down the cost of child care, the Trump Administration is raising costs for working families in order to provide a bigger tax windfall for billionaires and special interests.  The Republican tax law also slashed Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provide critical support to children, families, child care centers and the child care workforce.  And the Trump Administration has made deep cuts within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families.

    To help working families afford the rising cost of child care, expand the range of high-quality child care options, and strengthen America’s child care infrastructure and workforce, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to reintroduce the Child Care for Working Families Act (S.2295).

    This comprehensive legislation seeks to alleviate the high cost of child care for working families; provide families with more flexible options for high-quality, affordable child care; and boost wages for early childhood workers.  The bill would cap child care expenses at 7 percent of working families’ incomes, making it affordable for all parents and providing historic investments in the child care workforce, including higher pay, better benefits and improved training opportunities. It would also help increase access to pre-K education while supporting full-day Head Start programs.

    “Right now, the cost of child care and other essentials is weighing millions of families down, but instead of tackling the affordability crisis, President Trump and Republicans have chosen to shower their billionaire donors with trillions of dollars in new tax breaks and kick 17 million Americans off their health care,” said Senator Murray.

    “Working parents need access to high-quality, affordable child care that meets their needs.  But too many parents simply can’t afford it.  This bill would help lower the cost of child care and allow working parents to keep more of their paychecks so they can afford to raise a family.  Making child care more accessible and affordable is critical to families, communities, businesses, and future economic growth.  Studies show that investing in quality child care and early childhood education saves money in the long run and is linked to better graduation rates and lower use of public benefits later in life,” said Senator Reed.  “This is a chance to help lift children out of poverty, save working parents real money, and strengthen our workforce.  We’ve got to prioritize investing in what’s important to us – for Democrats that is expanding access to affordable and high-quality child care.”

    “Making child care more affordable will lower one of the biggest costs in many families’ budgets, and give parents more flexibility to participate in the workforce,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “As President Trump fuels the affordability crisis with his chaotic tariffs and his Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill, our legislation will lower the cost of child care for working Rhode Island families, set kids up for success, and ensure early childhood educators are paid fairly for their hard work.”

    Last month, Ruth J. Friedman, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, testified before Congress on the state of America’s child care crisis, noting: “An approach like the Child Care for Working Families Act takes the necessary steps to adequately build child care supply and reduce parent costs. It would be transformative for American families, eliminating child care as a barrier to the workforce and child care bills as a barrier to economic security and wellbeing.  Ultimately, it would give parents much more freedom to raise their families and be productive members of society.”

    According to the Economic Policy Institute, Rhode Island is ranked as the 18th most expensive state for infant care, with the average annual cost exceeding $16,750 per year, or $1,397 per month.  And according to a WalletHub Child Care Costs by State report released this month, Rhode Island ranked 7th-highest in the nation for child care costs for married couples, with data showing 10.42 percent of married couples’ income was spent on family-based child care and 11.45 percent was spent on center-based child care.

    The cost of child care nationwide continues to rise—and far from helping tackle it, President Trump is exacerbating the affordability crisis. The average cost of child care is now $13,128—a 29% increase since 2020 that outpaces inflation. In 49 states and the District of Columbia, the average annual costs of child care for two children exceeds median rent—and in 41 states and the District of Columbia, the cost of care for one infant exceeds in-state university tuition. The crisis costs the U.S. economy over $100 billion each year. Nonetheless, President Trump has gutted oversight of and support for the federal child care office, held up child care funding to states, held up Head Start funding, and now created massive holes in states budgets with the “Big Beautiful Bill’s” cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—which may well force states to pare back on their own investments in child care. While two-thirds of Americans oppose Republicans’ Big Beautiful Betrayal that President Trump signed into law earlier this month, over three-quarters of Americans support increased investment to help families afford child care.

    The Child Care for Working Families Act would tackle the child care crisis head-on: ensuring families can afford the child care they need, expanding access to more high-quality options, stabilizing the child care sector, and helping ensure child care workers taking care of our nation’s kids are paid livable wages.

    The legislation would also dramatically expand access to pre-K, and support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increased wages for Head Start workers.  Under the legislation, which Murray, Reed and Whitehouse have been pushing since 2017, the typical family in America will pay no more than $10 a day for child care—with many families paying nothing at all—and no eligible family would pay more than 7 percent of their income on child care.

    The Child Care for Working Families Act will:

    • Make child care affordable for working families. 
      • The typical family earning the state median income will pay less than $15 a day for child care.
      • No working family will pay more than seven percent of their income on child care.
      • Families earning below 85% of state median income will pay nothing at all for child care.
      •  If a state does not choose to receive funding under this program, the Secretary can provide funds to localities, such as cities, counties, local governments, districts, or Head Start agencies.
    • Improve the quality and supply of child care for all children and expand families’ child care options by:
      • Addressing child care deserts by providing grants to help open new child care providers in underserved communities.
      • Providing grants to cover start-up and licensing costs to help establish new providers.
      • Increasing child care options for children who receive care during non-traditional hours.
      • Supporting child care for children who are dual-language learners, children who are experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
    • Support higher wages for child care workers.
      • Child care workers would be paid a living wage and achieve parity with elementary school teachers who have similar credentials and experience.
      • Child care subsidies would cover the cost of providing high-quality care. 
    • Dramatically expand access to high-quality pre-K.
      • States would receive funding to establish and expand a mixed-delivery system of high-quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds.
      • States must prioritize establishing and expanding universal local preschool programs within and across high-need communities.
      • If a state does not choose to receive funding under this program, the Secretary can provide funds to localities, such as cities, counties, local governments, districts, or Head Start agencies.
    • Better support Head Start programs by providing the funding necessary to offer full-day, full-year programming and increasing wages for Head Start workers.         

    The Child Care for Working Families Act is endorsed by: AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AFT, All Our Kin, The Center for American Progress, The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Child Care Aware of America, Community Change Action, Council for Professional Recognition, Family Value @ Work, MomsRising, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), National Education Association (NEA), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Oxfam, Save the Children, Save the Children Action Network, SEIU, YWCA, Zero to Three.

    In addition to Murray, Reed, and Whitehouse, the Senate bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-NM), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tammy Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    In the House, the bill is being introduced by U.S. Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: National Defence signs technology partnership arrangement with Australia for Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 17, 2025 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    On June 20, 2025, representatives of the governments of Canada and Australia signed a landmark technology partnership arrangement, a critical milestone in the rapid development and deployment of Canada’s A-OTHR system.

    Through this arrangement, Australian industry partners will work with Canadian companies to build expertise and capacity in Canada, grow our domestic sovereign defence industry, support high-paying Canadian jobs, and help Canada scale up its own radar system and technology.

    Canada’s Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) system is a key component of Canada’s North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) modernization plan and will provide advanced early warning, enable faster detection and decision making by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for airborne threats, and provide long-range surveillance to meet Canada’s domestic and continental security needs.

    After careful consideration, Canada determined that a technology partnership with the Government of Australia, which currently operates one of the most advanced Over-the-Horizon Radar capabilities in the world, would provide the best solution for strengthening CAF domain awareness of Canada’s northern approaches. It will also quickly deliver a crucial capability to the CAF and NORAD commanders.

    The first stage of the A-OTHR program will deliver an initial capability by the end of 2029.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Our performance evolution

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Download Our performance evolution

    You can download a version of Our performance evolution (PDF, 674KB)This link will download a file.

    Commissioner’s foreword

    Since commencing as Commissioner of Taxation on 1 March 2024, I continue to be impressed by the expertise, professionalism and dedication of ATO staff.

    Our performance is strong, but as with any organisation, we need to take opportunities to improve. Accordingly, I am grateful that the ATO has had the opportunity to be reviewed as part of the Australian Public Service Commission’s (APSC) capability review program, particularly so early in my tenure. Independent reviews such as this provide us with honest and frank perspectives on what to improve to set us up for the future.

    I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the review team for their professionalism, rigour, and the depth of insight they brought to this process. Their extensive experience and thoughtful engagement have been invaluable.

    The review found that we are a high-performing organisation, which is a testament to the dedication and capability of our people. At the same time, it has identified areas where we can do better – opportunities to strengthen our systems, sharpen our focus, and deliver even greater value to the Australian community.

    We deliver well on our core purpose of collecting tax so government can deliver services for the Australian community. However, what delivers us success now will not be enough alone to achieve our vision for an Australia where every taxpayer meets their obligations because:

    • complying is easy
    • help is tailored
    • deliberate non-compliance has consequences.

    We need to examine what we do and how we do it, identify opportunities for improvement and make decisive shifts to unlock our full potential.

    Our performance evolution will help us get there. Drawing on key insights from our APSC capability review, it outlines how we – as one ATO – will align our efforts to not only deliver today’s priorities, but also prepare for and tackle tomorrow’s challenges.

    We are fortunate to be building on a strong foundation. The capability review identified many strengths we can be proud of. We’ll use these strengths to propel us forward on our performance evolution, taking practical actions to set a course for the future, where we will:

    • think bigger
    • act bolder
    • deliver together.

    While this plan does not outline every detail of the actions we will take, it establishes the key shifts that will empower us to strengthen what we do best, allowing us to adapt our actions as our environment changes.

    The Executive team and I will play a key role here. We must role model the behaviours needed for the ATO to achieve its vision, drive accountability and ensure we don’t lose momentum. We must also openly and genuinely support employees to act as one to deliver our performance evolution.

    Whilst the staff who support the Tax Practitioner Board (TPB) and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) are ATO staff, our performance evolution relates to those in the Tax Office itself.

    I will leave it to the Chair of the TPB and the ACNC Commissioner to draw on the Capability Review insights that best serve the delivery of their statutory functions.

    I’m grateful to have the opportunity to capitalise on our high performance and look forward to continuing to improve as we implement our performance evolution.

    Rob Heferen

    Commissioner of Taxation

    Registrar of the Australian Business Register

    Australian Business Registry Services

    Register of Foreign Ownership of Australian Assets

    Unlocking the full potential of our high performance

    ‘The ATO is a high performing organisation with a strong reputation for managing Australia’s tax and superannuation systems in a modern and reliable way.

    Its capabilities are good and ATO staff are right to be proud of them.

    The findings [of the capability review] are not judgments on current capability, but rather ways the ATO might evolve to be a ‘great’ organisation.’ Capability Review, Australian Taxation Office, 2025 (PDF, 817KB)This link will download a file

    The Australian Public Service Commission’s capability review affirmed the ATO’s position as a high performing and globally respected tax administration.

    We have a proven track record and have excelled when circumstances have called for us to be at our best. Our role in the government’s response to the pandemic demonstrated what we’re capable of and underscored our potential to be truly exceptional. Learning from this and our many other successes, as well as our mistakes, we should not stand still. We need to continually improve.

    The capability review’s insights inform where to focus our ongoing improvement efforts. This future view highlights the capabilities we need to adapt and respond to the changing demands of government, the community and our own operations.

    Key insights from the review indicate that to continue to serve the Australian community with excellence and integrity, achieve our vision, and proactively address future challenges, we need to:

    • work as one ATO to deliver for the Australian community, including through improved internal collaboration
    • have a leadership group that works as a team and models the right behaviours
    • establish enterprise-wide priorities and shared plans for achieving them
    • make trade-offs for the sake of the organisation, work through impasses and take collective responsibility for decisions
    • accept and reward measured risk taking in the interests of innovation, collaboration and achieving better, faster outcomes.

    Our performance evolution sets us on a path to meet these needs and unlock the full potential of our high performance. It does so by bringing together current initiatives and building on the successes of the past to do some things differently and truly excel.

    This plan is just the beginning. It lays a foundation for the ongoing implementation of a range of connected actions which will unlock our full potential. A future where:

    • We will agree on our priorities, how much we are prepared to invest in achieving them, relevant trade‑offs and what risks those carry. We will align our resourcing and performance measures to them.
    • We will clearly communicate our strategic direction and priorities under it, ensuring they are understood throughout the organisation.
    • We will ensure accountabilities are clear, and advancing our strategic direction is a collective responsibility.
    • We will make decisions far enough in advance to ensure that at both the group and individual level, we can effectively plan our contribution to the delivery of our enterprise priorities and our functional accountabilities.
    • We will work as one ATO, so that improved internal collaboration becomes ‘business as usual’.
    • We will engage sensibly with risk. To do this, we will think carefully about risk appetite, tolerances and sensible mitigations in the context of our strategic direction.
    • At the individual level we will be supported in innovating and taking measured risks, aligning our efforts with our strategic direction and by having irritants taken out of how we work.

    We will do this by thinking beyond function, beyond our teams and comfort zones.

    From

    To

    Team first

    Purpose first

    Cautious action

    Bold action

    Siloed delivery

    Shared delivery

    Avoiding the hard calls trade‑offs

    Courageous trade‑offs

    Key shifts

    Together, we will unlock the full potential of our high performance by moving together as one ATO, and adapting our mindsets and behaviours to:

    Think bigger

    Thinking bigger means seeing the broader picture and understanding where we are headed.

    This requires each of us to:

    • expand our view of what we can do to drive the ATO to succeed
    • consider what is truly possible within our remit
    • challenge assumptions of what is needed for us to achieve our vision.

    If we are to challenge assumptions of what’s needed and expand our view of how we can help the ATO succeed, we first need a common understanding of what success looks like.

    This will come from having a clear understanding of our longer-term direction, and the strategies we will prioritise to deliver on it. Clearly communicating our strategic direction (including our priorities, risk tolerances and areas where we are choosing to reduce our focus) will help:

    • guide our actions
    • sharpen our focus
    • expand our perspective on the role we can each play in realising our vision.

    We also need the means to think bigger. We will commit the right leadership, accountabilities, resources and funding to the work needed to deliver our purpose and achieve our vision.

    Initial actions

    Develop and communicate our strategic direction – We will agree on strategies that will move us forward in delivering our purpose and achieving our vision over the next 5 years and communicate the roadmap for delivery.

    Align investment – We will invest our resources in line with our strategic direction.

    Make clear decisions – We will be clear about our decisions on our priorities, their scope and implications (including for accountabilities, resourcing, performance measures and risks).

    Act bolder

    Being bold takes both individual courage and confident leadership to support our action.

    This requires each of us to:

    • proactively address issues
    • work through impasses and make the call, including trade-offs needed to deliver on priorities
    • use good judgment to make decisions and support those who do the same – regardless of the outcome.

    With our strategic direction, priorities, functional accountabilities and shared responsibilities clear, we are trusted to use good judgment, sensibly engage with risk, and take decisive action within the parameters of our authority.

    Doing this boldly will come from knowing that informed and decisive action is supported at the highest levels of the ATO and encouraged at all levels across the ATO. Acting within our remit, this will help us to:

    • make decisive calls
    • adopt innovative approaches
    • act proactively to resolve impasses and agree trade-offs
    • slow, change or stop work when we need to make room for higher priorities
    • use good judgment to make sound, timely and innovative recommendations that inform decisions beyond our level of delegation.

    Being bolder is also stretching our comfort zone, supporting mobility to expand our perspective and empowering people to take appropriate measured risks.

    Initial actions

    Support and reward decision-making – We will encourage and recognise:

    • measured risk-taking
    • staff who innovate.

    We will support decision-makers with appropriate guidance and tools.

    Reinforce support for mobility – We will increase mobility, including amongst our SES.

    Clarify delegations – We will refresh and reinforce delegations and decision-making authorities.

    Deliver together

    We excel when we are aligned – around purpose, priorities and outcomes. Collaboration is just the starting point.

    This requires each of us to:

    • recognise that our impact goes beyond our function
    • take shared ownership of our strategic direction, respecting any trade-offs
    • move together to deliver our core purpose and advance our vision.

    To deliver our core purpose and achieve our vision, we need to unlock the full potential of our high performance together – as one ATO.

    Delivering as one ATO will come from:

    • understanding both the big picture and the detail of how work flows, how different areas interact, and how it all fits together
    • working collaboratively with those impacted by our work
    • understanding what our part to play is.

    Enhancing our forward planning and ensuring that effective internal collaboration is part of our ‘business as usual’ will help us:

    • understand how our plans deliver our strategic direction
    • take shared ownership of our plans
    • know what we must do
    • move together, to deliver what is needed.

    This does not mean everyone doing everything. Accountabilities and decision-making will still lie with individuals, but understanding who else is responsible for contributing to those outcomes, and interconnecting our many moving parts will help us deliver together, as one ATO.

    Delivering together also requires that we be proactive in reducing frictions that might otherwise divert our focus away from the work that contributes most to our purpose and vision. We’ll take action to reduce irritants in how we work, deliver incremental changes that improve our efficiency and lay a clear pathway to prioritise larger improvements.

    Initial actions

    Plan as one ATO – We will:

    • bring planning discussions forward
    • design and integrate our group and line plans to deliver on our strategic direction.

    Agree on our part – We will ensure everyone understands their contribution, not just to their direct responsibilities and functional accountabilities, but to broader outcomes. We will agree on collective responsibilities for the priorities and outcomes that deliver on our strategic direction and reinforce collaboration expectations.

    Address irritants – We will address some of the more pervasive technology irritants and smaller opportunities as informed by users through Pulse surveys and our Census action plan.

    User insights will also inform and drive longer-term planning for the IT tools and data we need to work efficiently.

    Be the key

    We’re building on the strong foundations of a high-performing organisation that:

    • is trusted by government and the community to get things done
    • has a proven track record.

    From this position of strength, we are making a call to action: Our performance evolution will only happen through positive steps and everyday actions taken by all of us.

    We all need to contribute to unlocking the potential of our high performance. To do this we can ask ourselves some questions to help us get there.

    • Think bigger:
      • Do I know where we are headed?
      • Am I putting myself in the Commissioner’s shoes?
      • What positive change am I creating beyond my team?
    • Act bolder:
      • Have I raised necessary issues and worked through impasses?
      • What’s standing in the way of me making decisions I’m empowered to make?
      • How can I support my team to make the decisions they are empowered to make?
      • Should I be getting outside my comfort zone?
    • Deliver together:
      • How am I contributing to organisational outcomes?
      • Who should I work with to get it done?
      • Do I have solutions for blockers or irritants impeding smooth delivery?

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Huffman Blasts Sec. Burgum, AG Bondi Alcatraz Visit Amid Trump Plan to Reopen Island Prison

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    July 17, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) issued the following statement regarding Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s visit to Alcatraz Island as part of the Trump administration’s bizarre and troubling proposal to reopen the former federal penitentiary – now a treasured national park and historic site – as an active prison for detained immigrants:

    “Today I almost felt sorry for Secretary Doug Burgum. He’s a smart guy, a serious guy, and he knows reopening Alcatraz is batshit crazy. But he has to pretend otherwise to stay in Trump’s good graces, so everyone pretends to love the Emperor’s beautiful new clothes while giggling behind his back,” Huffman said.

    “As for the merits of this proposal, if you thought “Alligator Alcatraz” was dumb, cruel, and wasteful, you’ll run out of adjectives for this idiotic political stunt,” Huffman continued. “I told Secretary Burgum last month that not a single serious person at the National Park Service – from superintendents to janitors – thinks this is a good idea. It would also be a financial boondoggle – not just the massive amount it would cost to reopen Alcatraz as a prison, but all the money and goodwill the Park Service would lose from closing one of America’s most popular tourist destinations.”

    “The bottom line: this is deeply idiotic, transparently political, and ultimately unlikely to happen. The only possible rational explanation for why Pam Bondi was touring Alcatraz today is that she thinks it might be a good place to hide the Epstein files,” Huffman concluded.

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    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • 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 –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Intel Chairs Cotton and Crawford to Gabbard: Review Intelligence Sharing with Spain

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353July 17, 2025
    Intel Chairs Cotton and Crawford to Gabbard: Review Intelligence Sharing with Spain
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Congressman Rick Crawford (Arkansas-01), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today sent a letter to Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence requesting a review on all intelligence sharing with Spain’s intelligence, defense, and law enforcement services. This letter comes after Spain’s Ministry of the Interior reportedly awarded €12.3 million in contracts for Huawei, which has deep ties to the CCP, to provide servers and consulting services for Spain’s wiretap systems.
    In part, Senator Cotton and Congressman Crawford wrote:
    “Since the first Trump administration, the United States has waged a whole of government effort to remove the threat Huawei equipment poses to American networks, infrastructure, and privacy. Until Spain follows suit, the U.S. Government should ensure that any information shared with the Spanish government is redacted of details that should not be shared with the CCP.”
    Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    The Honorable Tulsi GabbardDirector of National IntelligenceOffice of the Director of National Intelligence1500 Tysons McLean DriveMcLean, VA 22102
    Dear Director Gabbard:
    We write to urge you to review intelligence sharing arrangements with the government of Spain to ensure that any information shared with Spanish intelligence, defense, and law enforcement services does not reveal U.S. national security secrets to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).  
    As you are likely aware, Spain’s Ministry of the Interior reportedly awarded €12.3 million in contracts for Huawei to provide servers and consulting services for Spain’s wiretap systems.   Huawei has deep ties to the CCP and is subject to China’s National Intelligence and Data Security laws, which compel Huawei to provide the CCP access to any Huawei information that the CCP deems necessary.  In essence, Huawei and the CCP could have backdoor access to the lawful intercept system of a NATO ally—enabling them to monitor Spanish investigations of CCP spies and innumerable other intelligence activities. 
    Since the first Trump administration, the United States has waged a whole of government effort to remove the threat Huawei equipment poses to American networks, infrastructure, and privacy. Until Spain follows suit, the U.S. Government should ensure that any information shared with the Spanish government is redacted of details that should not be shared with the CCP.  Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. 
    Sincerely,
    Tom Cotton Chairman, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
    Rick CrawfordChairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Slams Smithsonian for Playing Politics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
     WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) called out the Smithsonian Institution Museums for playing political games and pandering to the Left rather than objectively displaying and celebrating great Americans’ contributions that make up the history of the United States. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
    “The 21 museums that make up the Smithsonian Institution have been a treasure for a long time, but unfortunately in recent years, they have strayed from their true mission.”
    “The Smithsonian has lost its way.”
    “Instead of celebrating the contributions of remarkable Americans or educating our children about the animals that once roamed the planet, the Smithsonian Institution museums are telling children they should feel guilty for contributing to climate change and introducing them to topics which are clearly not age appropriate.”
    “But sometimes it’s not what the Smithsonian includes in their exhibits – which is troubling – it’s what they choose to exclude.”
    “Who can forget the snub to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture?”
    “I introduced a resolution at the time asking them to recognize the historical importance of Justice Thomas and his service to the court.”
    “After a groundswell of opposition in the months that followed, the museum finally did include him in an exhibit, but the previous exhibit featuring Anita Hill and not the Justice is a stain on the Smithsonian that I’ll never forget.”
    “Some have argued that the Smithsonian is subject to oversight by Congress and the Executive Branch. Others have said no, it’s purely a private, independent entity.”
    “It’s pretty hard to make the case that an institution that gets the majority of its funding from Congress and is governed by a board of government officials is anything but a government entity.”
    “The Smithsonian Institution itself has argued time and time again in court that they are in fact a government entity.”
     “In a case called Raven v. Sajet, a federal court agreed, ruling that the ‘Smithsonian is a government institution through and through.’’ 
    “As we prepare for the celebration of America’s 250th birthday, I would encourage, strongly encourage, the Smithsonian Institution to reconsider its purpose and to return to the principles and ideals laid out in the founding documents they so proudly display for the benefit of all Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville OP-ED: It’s Time For Republicans To Put Up Or Shut Up When It Comes To Rescissions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed on X touting the Senate’s passage of President Trump’s $9 billion rescissions package early this morning. In the piece, Sen. Tuberville urges Republicans to adhere to the America First mandate 77 million Americans voted for in 2024 by continuing to cut wasteful government spending on programs that don’t benefit the lives of hardworking American families. With $37 trillion in debt, it’s far past time to return to fiscal sanity before it’s too late. 
    Read excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s op-ed below or the full piece here.
    “When you’re coaching football, one of the first things you teach your team is discipline. A team without discipline blows assignments, misses tackles, and lets games slip away. Well, Washington has been blowing assignments and missing tackles for decades, especially when it comes to spending your hard-earned tax dollars. This week, we’ve got a chance to start calling the right plays. The Senate voted on a $9 billion rescissions package—a straightforward, no-nonsense plan to cut wasteful government spending and get our fiscal house back in order. Now it is up to the House to follow through. This isn’t a trick play. It’s not a Hail Mary. This is blocking and tackling—the fundamentals of fiscal responsibility. Frankly, this should be low-hanging fruit for Republicans. We talk a big game on the campaign trail about cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. But now that it’s time to walk the walk, some of my Republican colleagues seem to have forgotten how they got here in the first place.
    Over the past 4 years, Joe Biden treated the American taxpayers like his own personal piggy bank for bad ideas. Now, we’re $37 trillion in debt and have very little to show for it. The American people sent us here to clean house. 77 million Americans voted for President Trump and the America First agenda—an agenda that includes cutting woke foreign aid, left-wing propaganda, and out of control bureaucracy. That’s exactly what this bill does. We are cementing DOGE cuts into law and finally delivering on the President’s mandate to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. First, we’re cutting $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).This woke organization funds NPR and PBS, two outlets that have gone out of their way to push the Democrat Communist Socialist Party’s radical agenda.
    It’s no secret that NPR is the PR arm of the left. Their CEO openly called President Trump a “fascist” and a “deranged racist.” But don’t taking my word for it—just ask Uri Berliner, who was a senior business editor at NPR for more than two decades. In April 2024, he wrote an op-ed called “I’ve Been at NPR for 25 Years. Here’s How We Lost America’s Trust.” In the piece, he wrote that NPR has an “absence of viewpoint diversity.” He acknowledged that NPR has “always had a liberal bent” but now an “open-minded spirit no longer exists at NPR.” To prove his point, he noted that registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 87 to 0 in the newsroom. Not surprisingly, NPR suspended Berliner for having the nerve to call it like it is. I guess NPR only protects freedom of speech as long as it aligns with their progressive ideology. Go figure.
    […]
    Americans are starving on the streets, and yet we’re sending money to educate kids in Uganda on LGBTQI+. It would almost be funny if it wasn’t so sad. This is global social engineering paid for by the American taxpayer. What the hell are we doing?
    It’s time for Republicans to put up or shut up. You can’t campaign on cutting spending and then flake out when someone hands you the scissors. If Republicans can’t make this play, we don’t deserve to be on the field. Let’s pass this rescissions package, tighten our belts, and start governing with some good old-fashioned common sense. President Trump campaigned on reining in spending, and it is incumbent on us to deliver. Let’s get it done.”
    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 –

  • 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 –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Huge boost for UK industry as Government powers ahead with cuts to electricity costs

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Huge boost for UK industry as Government powers ahead with cuts to electricity costs

    The Government has announced a huge boost to UK industry as it powers ahead with its plan to cut electricity costs.

    • Plans to slash electricity network costs for energy-intensive businesses by 90% are set in motion as Government launches new consultation.
    • Around 500 of UK’s most energy-intensive firms set to save up to £420m a year when current 60% discount on network charging costs increases to 90% from 2026.
    • Shows UK getting on with delivering announcements in Modern Industrial Strategy that will level the playing field for British businesses, backed by Plan for Change

    Around 500 of the UK’s most energy-intensive businesses such as British Steel and INEOS are set for a huge boost as the Government powers ahead with a 90% discount for businesses’ network charging costs.

    Delivering on its promise in the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy launched last month to slash energy costs for heavy industry, the Government today (18 July) launches a four-week consultation on its plans to increase the discount on businesses’ electricity network charges from 60% to 90%.

    The landmark new support is expected to save around 500 of Britain’s most energy-intensive firms in key sectors like steel, ceramics, glass and chemicals up to £420m per year from 2026 when in force and bring the UK’s industrial energy prices in line with European competitors, helping secure jobs and attract new investment as part of the Plan for Change.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    This government is on the side of British industry. When we make promises we deliver on them. That’s why we’re wasting no time in powering ahead with our plans to tackle energy costs for great British businesses and level the playing field.

    The cornerstone of our modern Industrial Strategy, this landmark new support will meet a longstanding need from industry which other governments shirked – paving the way for new investment and job creation at the heart of our Plan for Change.

    The launch of the consultation on the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme, part of the Government’s British Industry Supercharger package of measures to tackle industrial electricity costs, will seek industry’s views on the 30% uplift and double the window which businesses have to apply for support through the scheme from one month to two.

    Network charges are the costs paid by electricity network users for access to the service and are already discounted by 60% for some of the UK’s biggest industrial businesses through the NCC scheme since April 2024, saving businesses millions of pounds every month.

    The proposals in the consultation launched today would see their costs fall by around a further £7 per megawatt hour (/MWh) bringing electricity prices more into line with European countries such as France and Germany.

    The news follows Deloitte’s latest survey of finance officers which has found the UK is the joint top location for investment in the world, and new data from Make UK and BDO which finds that manufacturing in the UK has recovered to 2019, pre-pandemic, levels in every region, with 12,000 new jobs created in the year to March 2024.

    The uplift follows other new landmark support for British industry announced in last month’s modern Industrial Strategy, with the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme expected to slash energy costs by up to 25 percent for over 7,000 businesses.

    This scheme, which government will consult on shortly and is due to come into force in 2027, will cut costs for thousands of electricity-intensive businesses in key manufacturing sectors like aerospace, automotive and chemicals, supporting hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs by exempting firms from paying levies like the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market.

    A new Connections Accelerator Service will also come into force by the end of 2025, streamlining access to the UK electricity grid for major investment projects to speed up delivery and bring new high-quality jobs and economic growth.

    New powers in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently before Parliament, could also allow the Government to reserve grid capacity for strategically important projects, cutting waiting times and unlocking growth in key sectors.

    Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel, and Chair of Energy Intensive Users Group, said:

    Increasing network charge compensation under the Government’s Supercharger scheme is a very welcome and much-needed step towards achieving competitive electricity prices for the UK’s steel sector and other foundation industries.

    These reforms reflect solutions that UK Steel has long advocated to address the persistent challenge of uncompetitive industrial electricity costs. While more still needs to be done, this is meaningful progress.

    Truly competitive energy prices are essential to unlocking investment, creating jobs, accelerating decarbonisation, and securing the long-term future of steelmaking in the UK.

    Investment Minister Baroness Gustafsson visited Special Melted Products – an historic British advanced manufacturing firm which currently benefits from the 60% network charging discount – in Sheffield yesterday to welcome the news, as well as a major investment in the company from Taiwanese firm Walsin Lihwa, set to create over 200 skilled jobs by 2028.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Government’s modern Industrial Strategy can be found here.
    • The consultation will be published on Gov.UK later today here.
    • The total estimated value of the network charging compensation component of the Supercharger (at 90%) is £310-420m this year (in 2025 prices).
    • The NCC uplift will provide an estimated additional £7-10/MWh discount to eligible businesses.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • 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

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Creating Schedule G in the Excepted Service

    Source: US Whitehouse

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 3301, 3302, and 7511 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  The Congress has recognized that effective Government administration requires excepting some positions from the competitive service based on their confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character.  Existing excepted service schedules make partial use of this authority.  Schedule C of the excepted service authorizes appointments to noncareer excepted service positions of a confidential or policy-determining character.  Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service authorizes appointments to career positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character.  

    There is, however, no excepted service schedule for noncareer positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character.  Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3302(1), conditions of good administration, including eliminating this gap in excepted service schedules and improving the operations of the Department of Veterans Affairs, make necessary creating a new Schedule G in the excepted service for noncareer positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character.

    Sec. 2.  Definition.  The phrase “normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition” refers to positions whose occupants are, as a matter of practice, expected to resign upon a Presidential transition and includes all positions whose appointment requires the assent of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

    Sec. 3.  Excepted Service.  Appointments of individuals to positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be made under Schedule G of the excepted service, as established by section 4 of this order.

    Sec. 4.  Schedule G.  Civil Service Rule VI is amended as follows:

    (a)  5 CFR 6.2 is amended to read:

    “OPM shall list positions that it excepts from the competitive service in Schedules A, B, C, D, E, Policy/Career, and G, which schedules shall constitute parts of this rule, as follows:

    Schedule A.  Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which it is not practicable to examine shall be listed in Schedule A.

    Schedule B.  Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which it is not practicable to hold a competitive examination shall be listed in Schedule B.  Appointments to these positions shall be subject to such noncompetitive examination as may be prescribed by OPM.

    Schedule C.  Positions of a confidential or policy-determining character normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be listed in Schedule C.

    Schedule D.  Positions other than those of a confidential or policy-determining character for which the competitive service requirements make impracticable the adequate recruitment of sufficient numbers of students attending qualifying educational institutions or individuals who have recently completed qualifying educational programs.  These positions, which are temporarily placed in the excepted service to enable more effective recruitment from all segments of society by using means of recruiting and assessing candidates that diverge from the rules generally applicable to the competitive service, shall be listed in Schedule D.

    Schedule E.  Positions of administrative law judge appointed under 5 U.S.C. 3105 shall be listed in Schedule E.  Conditions of good administration warrant that the position of administrative law judge be placed in the excepted service and that appointment to this position not be subject to the requirements of 5 CFR, part 302, including examination and rating requirements, though each agency shall follow the principle of veteran preference as far as administratively feasible.

    Schedule Policy/Career.  Career positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be listed in Schedule Policy/Career.  In appointing an individual to a position in Schedule Policy/Career, each agency shall follow the principle of veteran preference as far as administratively feasible.

    Schedule G.  Positions of a policy-making or policy-advocating character normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition shall be listed in Schedule G.”

    (b)  5 CFR 6.4 is amended to read:

    “Except as required by statute, the Civil Service Rules and Regulations shall not apply to removals from positions listed in Schedules A, C, D, E, Policy/Career, or G, or from positions excepted from the competitive service by statute.  The Civil Service Rules and Regulations shall apply to removals from positions listed in Schedule B of persons who have competitive status.”

    Sec. 5.  Implementation.  (a)  The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall adopt such regulations as the Director determines may be necessary to implement this order, giving particular attention to appropriate amendments to 5 CFR, part 213.

    (b)  In making appointments to positions in Schedule G of the excepted service, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs:

    (i)   shall consider whether prospective appointees would be suitable exponents of the President’s policies; and

    (ii)  shall not take into account prospective appointees’ political affiliation or political activity.

    Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

         (d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Office of Personnel Management.

    DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,

        July 17, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Valadao Stands Up for American Financial Privacy and Innovation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G. Valadao (California)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement after voting for the CLARITY Act, the GENIUS Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. These bills help regulate digital assets to provide consumers with long-overdue protections while prioritizing the essential right to financial privacy and safeguarding the ability for digital asset developers to innovate within the cryptocurrency space.

    “Americans deserve financial privacy, and it’s long past time we put real guardrails in place to protect that right,” said Congressman Valadao. “As more people invest in digital assets, we need a framework in place that encourages innovation, puts consumers first, and keeps the federal government from overreaching into Americans’ personal finances. These bipartisan bills reaffirm our commitment to free markets and individual freedom, and I was proud to support them.”

    The CLARITY Act helps create a safer, more predictable environment for companies and consumers who use digital assets like cryptocurrency by:

    • Making it easier for businesses that work with digital assets to grow and innovate.
    • Giving clear rules to companies that offer cryptocurrency services to everyday customers.
    • Protecting consumers by requiring more transparency and responsibility from cryptocurrency firms.
    • Defining the roles of crypto regulation for the two major financial regulators—the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)—so they don’t overlap or conflict.
    • Setting up a legal process for cryptocurrency companies to register and operate properly in the U.S. 

    The GENIUS Act prioritizes consumer protection, fosters innovation, and protects U.S. currency interests by:

    • Creating a nationwide system for regulating stablecoins.
    • Requiring stablecoins to be backed by safe, reliable assets—mainly U.S. Treasury bonds and U.S. bills—to protect consumers.
    • Strengthening the U.S. dollar’s role as the world’s leading currency by increasing demand for U.S. Treasury assets.

    The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act stops the federal government from creating a digital version of the dollar that could be used to track or control Americans’ personal finances by:

    • Blocking the Federal Reserve (Fed) from launching a government-controlled digital currency for everyday Americans.
    • Ensuring the Fed can’t act like a big government-run bank that collects your financial data.
    • Preventing the government from sneaking around this rule by using third parties.
    • Stopping the government from using digital currency to influence interest rates or spending behavior.
    • Making clear that Congress—not federal agencies—have the final say on whether a digital dollar is created.

    Read the full CLARITY Act bill here.

    Read the full GENIUS Act bill here.

    Read the full Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Introduces Pesticide Injury Accountability Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, legislation that would ensure that pesticide manufacturers can be held responsible for the harm caused by their toxic products. Specifically, this bill would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972 (FIFRA) to create a federal right of action for anyone who is harmed by a toxic pesticide.

    Despite growing peer-reviewed scientific evidence linking widely used pesticides to a host of health harms including cancers, birth defects, endocrine disruption, Parkinson’s disease, and infertility, a coordinated effort is being led by pesticide manufacturers in state legislatures and in Congress seeking legal immunity – a liability shield – for these big corporations.

    If these largely foreign-owned companies are successful, this liability shield would leave farmers, farmworkers, and other injured individuals without meaningful recourse for the harms caused by these toxic substances. 

    Chemical companies are seeking liability shields because they know the harm their products have already caused. Syngenta, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned company ChemChina, reached a $187.5 million settlement in 2021 for paraquat-related Parkinson’s disease claims. Monsanto, now owned by Germany’s Bayer, has paid billions of dollars to settle lawsuits linking Roundup (glyphosate) to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

    “Rather than providing a liability shield so that foreign corporations are allowed to poison the American people, Congress should instead pass the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act to ensure that these chemical companies can be held accountable in federal court for the harm caused by their toxic products,” said Senator Booker.

    “CHD opposes any liability shield for any industry that has a direct impact on the health of the American people,” said Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defense. “Granting blanket immunity to corporations who have a fiscal responsibility to their shareholders, and not a responsibility to consumer safety, is one of the most dangerous propositions imaginable. CHD sincerely thanks Senator Booker for his leadership in sponsoring this critical piece of legislation to protect the American people over corporations.”

    “No one can dispute that crop pesticides are poisons. They are designed to kill weeds, but they also kill non-target plants and there is sound evidence linking them to human health problems,” said Jim Goodman, president of the National Family Farm Coalition. “To date, Bayer alone has paid out over $11 billion in legal settlements for medical problems caused by their herbicide Roundup. To avoid paying for damages caused by their poisons, agri-chemical companies routinely lobby for federal and state laws that shield them from any liability for the damages they are responsible for. People sickened by their poisons go bankrupt paying for their medical care and sometimes ultimately die. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act of 2025 will hold agri-chemical companies accountable for the irreparable harms they cause.”

    “Moms Across America strongly supports the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, which reaffirms our 7th Amendment right to sue for harm or damage,” said Zen Honeycutt, Founding Executive Director, Moms Across America. “It is unconscionable that corporations are pushing our elected officials to manipulate laws so that they can avoid accountability for safety and protect their profits over the health and safety of Americans. We must protect the American people from harm – especially from products that are proven to cause infertility, cancer, liver disease and many other negative health effects.”

    “People exposed to and suffering from the health effects of toxic chemicals should not be denied their right to seek justice,” said Geoff Horsfield, Policy Director, Environmental Working Group. “We applaud Senator Booker for his efforts to protect the rights of farmers, rural communities, workers, children and families.”

    “Granting legal immunity to pesticide manufacturers would leave farmers and their families with no way to seek justice after suffering health or crop damage from these chemicals,” said Kelly Ryerson, Co-Founder, American Regeneration. “Farmers have a right to hold companies accountable and protect their livelihoods from devastating illness.” 

    Last month, Senator Booker led a group of 20 of his colleagues in calling on Senate leadership to oppose any efforts to limit existing state and local authority to regulate pesticides in the upcoming Farm Bill or any other legislation.  

    To see a full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Renews Effort to Address Bias in Housing Appraisals, Help Families Build Generational Wealth through Homeownership

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock Renews Effort to Address Bias in Housing Appraisals, Help Families Build Generational Wealth through Homeownership

    Senator Reverend Warnock’s legislation would empower Georgians with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values
     For most Americans, the largest driver of wealth is their home. This makes it important to have accurate, unbiased home valuations
    Research from Brookings has found homes in Black neighborhoods are valued roughly 21% to 23% below what their valuations would be in non-Black neighborhoods
    In March, Senator Warnock introduced a comprehensive legislative package of housing bills to address the ongoing housing affordability and availability crisis in the United States
    ICYMI from The Atlanta Voice: Warnock leads Senatorial effort to even the playing field in home appraisals
    Senator Warnock: “This bill is an important next step in helping Georgia families and all Americans realize the full value of their homes, and it empowers them with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and five of his Senate colleagues introduced new legislation to address appraisal bias in the home buying and selling processes. Housing appraisals are supposed to provide an objective estimate of a home’s market value to ensure homebuyers pay a fair price and homeowners receive the full value of their home. Unfortunately, systemic bias in the appraisal process has disadvantaged families of color for far too long. To combat appraisal biases faced by many current and aspiring homeowners, Senator Warnock’s Appraisal Modernization Act empowers Georgians with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values. The legislation would:
    Increase transparency to support oversight and enforcement against bias by requiring the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to publish an online database of property-level appraisal and other home valuation data that lenders collect in connection with a mortgage application.
    Protect and empower consumers by codifying a consumer’s right to appeal a home valuation (also known as a Reconsideration of Value (ROV)) or request a second appraisal and directing the development of standardized policies to ensure consistent treatment of consumers who request an ROV or second appraisal.
    Together, these provisions will empower consumers to realize the full value of their homes. The urgency of this legislation was only further heightened when, last week, the Trump administration announced it was ending the federal task force dedicated to removing racial bias from the appraisal process. 
    “Home valuations are a critical part of the mortgage lending process and ensuring families can build generational wealth through homeownership,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This bill is an important next step in helping Georgia families and all Americans realize the full value of their homes, and it empowers them with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values.”
    “I am very proud to continue the work I started as County Executive to make homeownership more equitable and accessible. As County Executive I signed a law that outlawed appraisal bias in Prince George’s County – and now it’s time we outlaw it across the nation. Home ownership should not be just a dream for the rich but an opportunity for all. Many Marylanders see home ownership as the surest way to build wealth, and they’re right. This legislation will increase transparency, protect consumers, and give Marylanders a true chance to thrive,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
    “Too many families of color suffer from systemic biases in the home appraisal process,” said Senator Booker. “One of the largest drivers of wealth for Americans is their home, and the color of your skin should not be a determinant of your home’s value. This bill is a critical step in ensuring more reliable appraisal methods, and empowering consumers to appeal potentially discriminatory valuations.”
    “For far too long, the American Dream of buying a home has been kept out of reach for families of color by a system that is fundamentally broken,” said Senator Kim. “Every family should be able to achieve that dream, and this bill will take common sense steps to make the changes needed to make those dreams come true.”
    Inconsistency in the appraisal market can disrupt the entire housing ecosystem by improperly inflating or deflating home values, while bias can perpetuate historic disinvestment in communities of color and contribute to the widening racial and ethnic wealth and homeownership gaps. That is why industry stakeholders and fair housing advocates have long supported increasing transparency in appraisal data and why most responsible lenders believe ROV is an important part of maintaining the integrity of the appraisal process. Several studies have also identified a clear relationship between lower valuations and Black neighborhoods and revealed overt references to race in appraisals. On average, today White families hold $1.3 million in wealth, compared to $211,000 for Black and $227,000 for Latino families. For most Americans, the largest driver of wealth is their home. This makes it important to have accurate, unbiased home valuations.
    “An appraisal has the power to determine the value of a consumer’s most important financial asset and can hold the key to determining whether the consumer is able to purchase a permanent home rather than rent, access credit on reasonable terms, and build wealth for generations to come,” said Nikitra Bailey, Executive Vice President of the National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA ). “NFHA commends Senator Warnock and his colleagues for a sensible bill designed to help consumers, appraisers, and lenders obtain the data necessary to ensure home valuations are fair and consistent.”
    “The Housing Policy Council (HPC) has long advocated for extending access to GSE data to all market participants, to enhance risk management models and practices across the housing finance ecosystem. Shared access to all government appraisal data would be a good first step to accomplish this worthy goal. HPC looks forward to working with Senator Warnock on this important policy objective,” said Ed DeMarco, President of the Housing Policy Council.
    “As President of NAMB, I will always support any legislation that ensures the fairness, protection, and privacy of homebuyers, and I applaud Senator Warnock for leading this effort. The reality is that we must be thorough in the quest to protect consumers, and we hope that your colleagues will consider this important bill as it navigates the legislative process,” said James Nabors II, President of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers.
    “The Appraisal Modernization Actis a vital first step toward remedying the decades of discrimination that have been baked into the home valuation system. The public appraisal database will enable researchers to develop more reliable valuation methods that do not rely on old data tainted by unacceptable attitudes and practices. And strengthening the consumer’s right to appeal a defective valuation will help them to protect their home equity going forward,” said Andrew Pizor, Senior Attorney, National Consumer Law Center
    “For most homeowners, their home represents family, stability and their primary financial asset,” says Laura Arce, senior vice president, Economic Initiatives at UnidosUS. “The economic value of that home includes many factors, but the race or ethnicity of its owner should not be one of them. UnidosUS supports the Appraisal Modernization Actand applauds its sponsors, Senators Warnock, Alsobrooks, Blunt Rochester, Kim, Warren, and Booker. The home appraisal industry is overdue modernization, and this bill will bring needed transparency and a common sense right to appeal to the appraisal process. American families should not have to continue to leave equity behind.”
    As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees federal housing policies, Senator Warnock has worked to increase affordable housing and illuminate a path to homeownership, a cornerstone of the American Dream. As one of twelve brothers and sisters growing up in public housing in Savannah, Senator Warnock deeply understands the importance of having a place to call home and homeownership. In March 2025, Senator Warnock introduced a comprehensive legislative package of housing bills to address the ongoing housing affordability and availability crisis in the United States. In the past few years, Senator Warnock voted for government funding legislation that increased America’s housing supply, strengthened housing affordability, and addressed the homelessness crisis, including by: increasing the supply of affordable housing nationwide with funding to build 10,000 new rental and homebuyer units; extending funding for the Yes In My Backyard (“YIMBY”) grant program to support efforts to increase our nation’s housing supply and lower housing costs through state and local zoning changes; and delivering $275 million in new funding for Homeless Assistance Grants to help address homelessness in communities across the country and providing new resources to better connect people experiencing homelessness with health care services. Senator Warnock has also secured nearly $80 million in housing investments to provide affordable housing options for Georgians at all income levels and repair hazardous housing conditions in low-income housing units. 
    In addition to Senator Warnock, the Appraisal Modernization Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). 
    A fact sheet on the legislation can be found HERE.
    Bill text for the Appraisal Modernization Act can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Campaign launched to boost school board participation

    Source: Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (NZSTA)

    Te Whakarōpūtanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa – the New Zealand School Boards Association (NZSBA) has officially launched its national campaign, Get on Board 2025, to mobilise participation in the upcoming triennial school board elections.
    The campaign aims to increase nominations and voter turnout for school boards (formerly boards of trustees) across Aotearoa, encouraging Kiwis to step forward and help shape the future of their local schools.

    Created in-house,  Get on Board 2025 builds on previous campaigns and brings a fresh new look, modernised resources and a digital-first approach designed to reach more prospective board members than ever before.
    “School boards play a critical role in our education system. They make decisions that affect students, teachers and whānau across the country,” says NZSBA President Meredith Kennett.
    “This campaign is about making sure all New Zealanders understand the value of community participation in their children’s education – and feel empowered to take part.”
    With updated messaging, vibrant visuals and a strong focus on video storytelling and social media, the 2025 campaign is designed to highlight the value of school board service and the impact local governance has on student success.
    Key features of the Get on Board 2025 campaign include:

    • A new campaign identity and refreshed resources for schools and boards, including digital and print-ready assets.
    • In collaboration with Foxton-based animator Fraser Munro, a promotional video (also translated into te reo Māori).
    • A redeveloped website – schoolboardelections.org.nz – built by our digital partner Somar featuring improved accessibility, clearer content and easier navigation for prospective candidates and voters.
    • Advertising across print, radio and digital (as well as TV via Whakaata Māori).
    • It sits alongside Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group’s Whakapapa Decisions campaign to increase Māori participation in the elections.
    The triennial elections are scheduled for September 2025. Nominations for most schools are now open, and NZSBA encourages everyone who is passionate about their school community to consider standing or nominating someone they know.
    Visit www.schoolboardelections.org.nz for more information and join one of our community webinars or in-person sessions to see what it’s all about.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Rivalry Announces Revocation of Management Cease Trade Order

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rivalry Corp. (the “Company” or “Rivalry”) (TSXV: RVLY), an internationally regulated sports betting and media company, is pleased to announce that effective July 17, 2025, the Ontario Securities Commission has revoked the management cease trade order (“MCTO”) it had previously granted to the Company on May 2, 2025 under National Policy 12-203 – Management Cease Trade Orders, as the Company successfully completed the filing of its (i) annual audited financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the year ended December 31, 2024, and (ii) unaudited interim financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (collectively, the “Annual and Interim Filings”).

    The revocation of the MCTO means members of management are no longer prevented from trading the Company’s securities. All of the Annual and Interim Filings are available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    About Rivalry

    Rivalry Corp. wholly owns and operates Rivalry Limited, a leading sport betting and media company offering fully regulated online wagering on esports, traditional sports, and casino for the digital generation. Based in Toronto, Rivalry operates a global team in more than 20 countries and growing. Rivalry Limited has held an Isle of Man license since 2018, considered one of the premier online gambling jurisdictions, as well as an internet gaming registration in Ontario, and is currently in the process of obtaining additional country licenses. With world class creative execution and brand positioning in online culture, a native crypto token, and demonstrated market leadership among digital-first users Rivalry is shaping the future of online gambling for a generation born on the internet.

    No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

    Company Contact:
    Steven Salz, Co-founder & CEO
    ss@rivalry.com

    Investor Contact:
    investors@rivalry.com

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

    This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “achieve”, “could”, “believe”, “plan”, “intend”, “objective”, “continuous”, “ongoing”, “estimate”, “outlook”, “expect”, “project” and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. These statements are only predictions.

    Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of the Company at the date the statements are made based on information then available to the Company. Various factors and assumptions are applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to and involve a number of known and unknown, variables, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and results to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations; the ability to obtain and maintain required licenses; the esports and sports betting industry being a heavily regulated industry; the complex and evolving regulatory environment for the online gaming and online gambling industry; the success of esports and other betting products are not guaranteed; changes in public perception of the esports and online gambling industry; failure to retain or add customers; the Company having a limited operating history; negative cash flow from operations and the Company’s ability to operate as a going concern; operational risks; cybersecurity risks; reliance on management; reliance on third parties and third-party networks; exchange rate risks; risks related to cryptocurrency transactions; risk of intellectual property infringement or invalid claims; the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and general economic, market and business conditions. For additional risks, please see the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the 12 months ended December 31, 2024 under the heading “Risk Factors”, and other disclosure documents available on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    No assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

    The MIL Network –

  • 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 –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade – Settlement of Canada dispute welcomed by DCANZ

    Source: Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ)

    Dairy exporters will benefit from the settlement of New Zealand’s CPTPP quota dispute with Canada, as announced by the Government today.
    The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) welcomes the news and congratulates the Government for settling the long-running issue that has been costing New Zealand because of quotas that couldn’t be fully used. DCANZ also acknowledges the work of the previous Government in initiating the dispute process.
    The heart of the issue has been Canada limiting the use of the 16 small quotas that facilitate CPTPP dairy access by allocating the majority of import licenses to its own processors, which mostly don’t use them. This practice, along with quota licence hand-back-and-reallocation happening late in the quota year and no penalties for under-use, has limited other importers with a stronger interest in New Zealand products from using the agreed access. Other administrative processes have also added cost and slowed trade when it does occur.
    In 2023, a panel of trade law experts ruled that Canada’s approach did not comply with the CPTPP agreement requirements to administer the quotas in a manner that provides importers the opportunity to utilise the volumes fully.New Zealand was forced to trigger the mandatory negotiations allowed for under the CPTPP’s rules when Canada didn’t comply with this ruling. While not achieving the preferred immediate move to a simpler on-demand system so that quota licences only go to importers who want to use them, DCANZ agrees that adequate improvements have been made to settle the dispute.
    DCANZ Executive Director Kimberly Crewther says she looks forward to New Zealand exporters enjoying an easier time trading into the 16 CPTPP dairy tariff rate quotas from 1 January 2026.
    “The improved administrative provision that will result from this agreement will make the quotas commercially more usable and valuable for our exporters.
    “Under the agreement, Canada will bring forward the dates for return and reallocation of quota licences that the initial recipients will not use and introduce penalties for recipients who either do not use their allocation or transfer it on to importers who want to use it.
    “This has been a long time coming and we believe it will make a positive difference.
    “We will be watching implementation closely. Significantly, if those changes don’t work, there is also provision that quota allocation could move to our first preference of an on-demand system.”
    In the meantime, Crewther says DCANZ remains concerned that Canadian subsidised exports are continuing to harm New Zealand exporters’ interests in global markets for dairy protein products.
    “Canada needs to be held equally to account for this, via the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
    “Earlier this year, DCANZ joined United States and Australian dairy industry representatives in calling for government action to stop Canada from dumping artificially low-priced dairy protein exports on world markets.
    “Its milk pricing mechanisms are enabling their dairy processors to access milk proteins at below the cost of production and so distort its export of a range of products.
    “This practice is at odds with Canada’s international trade obligations and must be addressed as a matter of urgency under the WTO’s rules.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore cosponsors bipartisan Bridge Investment and Modernization Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington D.C. – Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01) cosponsored the Bridge Investment and Modernization Act of 2025, introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members Representatives Shomari Figures (AL-02) and Mike Ezell (MS-04).

    This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the Bridge Investment Program through 2031 and cuts government red tape that only allowed one large Bridge Investment Program grant per state. Reauthorizing this program will streamline federal funding, ensuring projects like the I-10 Bridge and Bayway Project get the necessary resources needed for completion.

    This legislation will deliver faster, more effective repairs and upgrades to bridges across the nation. The Bridge Investment and Modernization Act was also submitted into the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Portal by Reps. Figures and Ezell for consideration in the reauthorization package, which is expected to come to the floor later this year or early next year.

    “Alabama’s economy depends on strong roads and bridges to transport goods, support businesses, and connect our communities,” said Moore. “I’m proud to support this bill, which makes critical reauthorizations to move federal dollars where they’re needed most while cutting the bureaucratic red tape we see so often in Washington. This bill allows for continued investments in American infrastructure and specifically advances projects like the I-10 Bridge and Bayway Project in Mobile, making travel safer and easier for so many across the Gulf Coast. I will continue working with President Trump and Transportation Secretary Duffy to ensure we deliver on a new I-10 bridge.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Joins Gallego and Colleagues in Condemning Trump Administration for Letting Credit Union Off the Hook for Overcharging Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    July 17, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and six of her colleagues in condemning the Trump Administration for its recent decision to terminate the consent order against Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU). This decision effectively excuses NFCU from accountability for charging millions in illegal surprise overdraft fees to their members—primarily active-duty servicemembers, Veterans, Department of Defense employees and their families.
    “In 2024, the CFPB found that between 2017 and 2022, NFCU charged overdraft fees on ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases – even when accounts showed sufficient funds,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Russell Vought. “In response, the Bureau issued a consent order requiring NFCU to pay $95 million in penalties and restitution: $80.6 million directly to harmed consumers and $15 million to the CFPB’s victims relief fund.”
    That order was rescinded on July 1, 2025.
    “As former CFPB officials have noted, this decision raises serious concerns about whether the Bureau is still capable—or even willing—to fulfill its legal mandate,” the Senators continued. “At a minimum, the public and Congress deserve answers.”
    The letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).
    The full letter is available below and on Senator Duckworth’s website:
    Dear Acting Director Vought,
    We write to express profound alarm over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent decision to terminate the consent order against Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU), effectively excusing them from accountability for charging millions in illegal surprise overdraft fees to their members – primarily active-duty service members, veterans, Department of Defense employees, and their families.1 This decision appears to prioritize financial institutions over the very servicemembers the Bureau is charged with protecting. The restitution funds intended to compensate harmed consumers are now at risk of being withheld. This reversal is particularly troubling given your Bureau’s pledge less than three months ago to prioritize protections for military consumers.
    In 2024, the CFPB found that between 2017 and 2022, NFCU charged overdraft fees on ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases—even when accounts showed sufficient funds. In response, the Bureau issued a consent order requiring NFCU to pay $95 million in penalties and restitution: $80.6 million directly to harmed consumers and $15 million to the CFPB’s victims relief fund. Your recent two-page order terminating that consent order provides no detailed explanation or justification for this reversal.
    On April 16, 2025, under your leadership, the Bureau pledged to “focus its enforcement and supervision resources on pressing threats to consumers, particularly service members and their families and veterans.”3 And yet, your abrupt reversal of this consent order suggests your stated commitment to servicemembers is little more than lip service. The CFPB’s mission is to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and to hold lawbreaking companies accountable. Under your direction, it is doing neither. As former CFPB officials have noted, this decision raises serious concerns about whether the Bureau is still capable—or even willing—to fulfill its legal mandate. At a minimum, the public and Congress deserve answers.
    Accordingly, we respectfully request answers to the following questions no later than July 30, 2025:
    How much of the $80.6 million in restitution remains unpaid to affected consumers?
    What portion of the $15 million originally designated for the Victims Relief Fund was actually deposited? If any amount was withheld or returned, please explain.
    Were affected consumers notified that the consent order was terminated and that restitution obligations may be altered or withdrawn?
    Was the Bureau’s Office of Servicemember Affairs consulted before the consent order was terminated? If not, why not?
    What was the full legal and factual basis for terminating the consent order?
    What communications or meetings occurred between the CFPB and Navy Federal Credit Union from January 1, 2025, to the present? Please include dates, topics, and participants.
    Who at the CFPB authorized the termination of the consent order, and what internal processes were followed to approve it? Please identify all senior staff, attorneys, and political appointees involved.
    Was any analysis conducted on the impact of this decision on affected consumers or on military households more broadly? If so, please provide a copy of that analysis.
    How does this action align with the CFPB’s publicly stated enforcement priorities, particularly your April 16, 2025, memo referencing protections for servicemembers and veterans?
    At a time when families are feeling the strain of higher costs and every dollar is hard-earned, the American people—especially our servicemembers, veterans, and military families—deserve more. They deserve a Bureau that has their backs, not one that shields institutions from accountability.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your prompt and thorough response.
    Sincerely,
    – 30 –

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at Trial

    Source: US State of California

    A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty.

    “The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer.”   

    “The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.”

    Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.

    During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.

    Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.

    At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.

    In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023. 

    Defendants Travis Drain and Mario Patterson accost bank employees on Dec. 22, 2023, while Devin Hinds waits outside in a getaway car.

    Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.

    A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at Trial

    Source: US State of California

    A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty.

    “The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer.”   

    “The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.”

    Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.

    During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.

    Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.

    At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.

    In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023. 

    Defendants Travis Drain and Mario Patterson accost bank employees on Dec. 22, 2023, while Devin Hinds waits outside in a getaway car.

    Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.

    A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury finds Armed Career Offender Guilty of Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – A federal jury recently returned a guilty verdict in the case of an armed career offender accused of a firearm offense. Turante Nunn, 33, faces a minimum of 15 years in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Joseph C. Murphy Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.

    According to court documents, in January 2024, Memphis police observed an unoccupied stolen 2009 Pontiac G6 car with a broken rear window parked outside a BP gas station in Memphis. Officers secured the scene inside the BP gas station and reviewed the store surveillance video to see who got out of the stolen car.  Officers determined that Nunn was one of the individuals who exited the stolen car and went into the store.  The store surveillance video also showed Nunn discarding a gun on a shelf in the store when officers were entering the store.   Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol on a shelf at the exact area where Nunn discarded the object.

    After a two-day trial, federal jurors found Nunn guilty of one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. In the second phase of the trial, jurors determined that Nunn was an Armed Career Criminal, as he had three prior felonies committed on occasions separate from one another.

    As a result of his felony convictions, Nunn will face a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment as an Armed Career Criminal under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, and the Project Safe Neighborhood task force (PSN).

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Assistant United States Attorney Jermal Blanchard prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Pragmatic engagement – what Albanese’s visit reveals about China relations in a turbulent world

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Sing Yue Chan, Postdoctoral Fellow in China Studies, Australian National University

    The Albanese government has faced an increasingly uncertain world since its re-election in May.

    US President Donald Trump has cast a long shadow over the Australia–US alliance, raising fresh questions about Canberra’s long-term regional strategy.

    Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s approach to foreign policy is reflecting a careful recalibration – one that seeks to balance security partnerships with the pursuit of economic opportunities, especially with Australia’s largest trading partner, China.

    Albanese has wrapped up a six-day visit to China which was characterised by a highly pragmatic approach to dealing with the problems and irritants in the bilateral relationship.

    Economic engagement

    Albanese’s visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu – cities emblematic of Australia’s political, economic and cultural connections with China – was more than symbolic.

    It was a high-profile diplomatic venture, with Albanese meeting both the Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

    But it was more than a leaders’ summit. A large team of key business leaders in banking, manufacturing, mining and education were on the trip to meet their Chinese counterparts and seek more cooperation.

    Economic engagement dominated the visit. As Albanese highlighted before his trip, “my priority is jobs”.

    Broader partnerships spanning multiple sectors, including healthcare, education and green energy, were canvassed. The two nations also explored closer cooperation on energy transition and climate change.

    Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian has even floated a collaboration on artificial intelligence.

    However, the suggestion has been met with caution in Canberra due to ongoing concerns around national security and data governance.

    Cooperate where we can

    Beyond trade and investment, the visit also marked an effort to rebuild people-to-people exchanges.

    Since last year, Australian citizens have been able to visit China for up to 30 days without a visa. In turn, Australia will welcome more Chinese visitors under a new Memorandum of Understanding promoting Australia as a premier tourist destination for Chinese travellers.

    Albanese’s meetings with Xi Jinping and Li Qiang also yielded concrete results.

    The official joint statement emphasised economic cooperation, particularly in climate-related areas such as steel decarbonisation, dryland farming and the green economy.

    These outcomes align with the Albanese government’s guiding principle: cooperate where we can.

    The deeper economic cooperation has been noted in China, where there is an expectation collaboration will continue to accelerate on the back of improved relations.

    As James Laurenceson of the Australia–China Relations Institute recently noted, a stronger economic partnership will help foster more resilient ties across the board.

    More independent foreign policy

    Other analysts also see increased mutual benefits in the bilateral relationship.

    China-watcher James Curran suggests the visit may signal a maturing, more independent Australian foreign policy.

    The primary role of Australian statecraft is to do everything we possibly can to avoid a conflict. To avoid ever getting close to a decision about following the Americans into a war of that kind.

    This was best illustrated by Albanese’s refusal to provide Washington with a wide-ranging and largely open-ended commitment to support the US in any conflict with China over Taiwan.

    Indeed, as Curran observes, Albanese has tried to steer the relationship away from disagreement and towards pragmatic engagement.

    Following his meeting with Xi, Albanese was repeatedly asked by Australian journalists if he raised sensitive issues such as Taiwan, China’s military build-up and the South China Sea.

    While he confirmed these topics were addressed, he emphasised a preference for peaceful engagement:

    […] we want peace and security in the region. That is in the interest of both Australia and in the interest of China.

    Unsurprisingly, the joint statement made no reference to these issues, reflecting a mutual decision to sidestep confrontation in favour of stabilising the relationship.

    Quietly managing differences

    This diplomatic posture toward China would appear to be a defining feature of the Albanese government’s second term: strengthening cooperation while quietly managing differences.

    Rather than highlighting points of contention, the government is opting to avoid open disagreement where possible.

    Overt disputes risk destabilising bilateral ties. If issues are raised publicly, it is unlikely to shift entrenched positions on either side. This explains why the ownership of the Port of Darwin, for example, was not mentioned during Albanese’s meeting with Xi.

    Critics, however, argue this risks projecting weakness towards China.

    Justin Bassi, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, warns the government is staying silent in the face of ongoing Chinese coercion:

    Australia is only complying with China’s desires when the government says nothing and leaves the public to trust that the threats posed by China are all being dealt with in the classified realm. This is not viable policy. Australia’s sovereignty must not be contingent on Beijing’s preferences.

    Even within China, analysts are cautious about Albanese’s approach. As one Chinese scholar told us, “a stable relationship does not necessarily mean a friendly one”.

    In fact, while the Chinese media has stressed Australia and China’s shared commitment to regional stability, this was barely mentioned in the official joint statement.

    Mutual interests

    Still, there is recognition on both sides that pragmatism rather than ideological grandstanding is the more sustainable path forward.

    In sum, Albanese’s visit does not mark a dramatic reset or bold new direction in Australia–China relations. Rather, it signals a shift toward greater realism.

    In an increasingly complex and multipolar world, diplomacy grounded in mutual interests, rather than ideology, is not just practical, but may be a growing trend across the globe.

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

    – ref. Pragmatic engagement – what Albanese’s visit reveals about China relations in a turbulent world – https://theconversation.com/pragmatic-engagement-what-albaneses-visit-reveals-about-china-relations-in-a-turbulent-world-260578

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Creates New Classification of Federal Employee to Help Serve the American People

    Source: US Whitehouse

    CREATING NEW NON-CAREER, POLICY-ORIENTED EMPLOYEES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order creating a new classification of non-career federal workers, “Schedule G” employees, to better serve Americans’ needs by focusing on implementing Administration policies.

    • The Order amends Civil Service Rule VI to fill an existing gap in federal employee classifications by creating a new type of hire, Schedule G, for employees who engage in policy-making or policy-advocating work.
    • Schedule G positions will be non-career positions, meaning incumbents will generally be expected to leave when the President who appointed them leaves office. Schedule G will not apply to career positions or career employees.  
    • Schedule G employees will be hired to help faithfully implement the President’s policy agenda.

    ADDRESSING GAPS IN GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: President Trump believes creating non-career Schedule G positions will enhance government efficiency and accountability and improve services provided to taxpayers by increasing the horsepower for agency implementation of Administration policy.

    • Congress has recognized that some Federal positions, due to their confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, should be exempt from the career-employee protections that make it difficult to remove corrupt or poor performing workers.
    • Existing types of employees, like Schedule C and Schedule Policy/Career, do not provide for non-career appointments to policy-making or policy-advocating roles, leaving a gap in Federal hiring categories.
    • Creating Schedule G fills this gap and facilitates appointments of non-career federal employees who will serve temporarily and implement the policy agenda prescribed by the American people through our elections. This will improve operations, particularly in agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs, by streamlining appointments for key policy roles.

    REFORMING THE BUREAUCRACY: President Trump is delivering on his promise to dismantle the deep state and reclaim our government from Washington corruption.

    • In April, President Trump created a new Federal employee category, Schedule Policy/Career, to enhance accountability for career Federal employees in policy-related roles.
    • President Trump is reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies by ensuring Federal agencies prioritize the will of the American people over entrenched interests. 
    • The Administration has taken steps to review and eliminate unnecessary regulations, aligning with the goal of making our government more responsive and effective.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney engages First Nations Rights Holders on the Building Canada Act

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Canada’s new government is ready to get our country building major projects again – and projects built in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples will be at the forefront of this work.

    To that end, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, convened the First Nations Major Projects Summit in Gatineau, Québec, to engage First Nations groups on the Building Canada Act and how to most effectively build major projects in partnership with Indigenous Peoples. Over 250 First Nations leaders, regional organizations, and other Rights Holders’ representatives attended the meeting in person and virtually to share their insights, ideas, and priorities.

    The Prime Minister heard from First Nations and discussed how the Building Canada Act was designed to transform the Canadian economy and contribute to greater prosperity for Indigenous communities, through equity and resource management projects. To ensure that these major projects are built in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, the federal government is moving forward with several new measures, including:

    • Standing up an Indigenous Advisory Council that will closely work with the new Major Federal Projects Office. Comprised of First Nations, Inuit, Métis, as well as Modern Treaty and Self-Government representatives, the Advisory Council will help ensure Indigenous perspectives and priorities are integrated at each stage.
    • Dedicating $40 million in funding for Indigenous participation. From early discussions on which projects to include to ongoing governance and capacity-building, new funding streams will support meaningful participation of Indigenous leadership in nation-building projects.
    • Expanding the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program. The government has doubled the program to $10 billion to help unlock capital for Indigenous communities to gain full equity ownership in major nation-building projects.

    Collaboration will continue with First Nations leadership at all levels through regional dialogue tables. The Prime Minister will soon meet separately with the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee and Métis leadership to further advance these conversations on a distinctions basis.

    Quotes

    “It’s time to build big projects that will transform and connect our economy. Central to this mission is shared leadership with Indigenous Peoples. Working in partnership, we can seize this opportunity and build lasting prosperity for generations.”

    “This Summit marks a turning point. The One Canadian Economy Act is not just about inclusion – it’s about recognizing that prosperity comes when First Nations are full partners in shaping the future. Together, we are building an economy that reflects our shared values, our shared responsibilities, and our shared potential.”

    “Today represents a historic opportunity. Together, we’re beginning the work of building a better future, one in which Indigenous economies and priorities are truly integrated into the national economy. By listening, engaging, and learning in the spirit of true partnership, we are taking the first steps toward that brighter, more equitable future.”

    “The One Canadian Economy Act is designed to build Canada strong – building economic resilience here at home while ensuring that First Nations, and all Canadians, benefit. To achieve our objectives, we will – and must – look to advance the interests of Indigenous communities. That is the only path to shared success. The First Nations Major Projects Summit marks the first step in that process – setting the stage to create lasting economic opportunities for First Nations across Canada.”

    “It’s time to build major energy and resource projects again in Canada to strengthen our economy and secure our sovereignty in the face of threats. A key part of how we will do this successfully is transforming how we think about First Nations partnership. First Nations are not just participants in our economy – they are the original stewards of this land, Rights Holders, governments, and builders. With meaningful collaboration as partners, they enable us to build better. It’s clear: if we are serious about retooling our economy, then reconciliation must be front and centre, not just at today’s Summit, but in perpetuity.”

    Quick facts

    • Central to the Building Canada Act is Indigenous consultation, participation, equity, and partnership. The Act requires meaningful consultation on which projects are deemed in the national interest and on the conditions that projects will have to meet.
    • The Government of Canada will advance nation-building projects while respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized and affirmed by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and the rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the principle of free, prior, and informed consent.
    • The Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation is responsible for managing the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program. Loan guarantees are available to support Indigenous equity participation in projects of various sizes, reflecting the diversity of opportunities and economic development priorities in Indigenous communities across Canada.
    • By advancing national interest projects, the Government of Canada is committed to working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to support economic prosperity, grounded in respect for constitutionally protected rights and modern treaty obligations.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in San Angelo to Help Businesses Impacted by July Storms and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the opening of an SBA Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Tom Green Countyto assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding beginning July 2.

    Beginning Friday, July 18, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center in San Angelo to answer questions and assist with the disaster loan application process. No appointment is necessary, walk-ins are welcome. Those who prefer to schedule an in-person appointment in advance can do so at appointment.sba.gov.

    The center’s hours of operation are as follows:

    TOM GREEN COUNTY
    Business Recovery Center
    Angelo State University
    69 N. Chadbourne St.
    San Angelo, TX  76903

    Opens at 10 a.m., Friday, July 18
    Mondays – Fridays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

    The following location is also open and continues to serve survivors:

    KERR COUNTY
    Business Recovery Center
    The YES Center at First Presbyterian Church
    823 North St.
    Kerrville, TX   78028

    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
    Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

    “SBA’s Business Recovery Centers have consistently proven their value to business owners following a disaster,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “Business owners can visit these centers to meet face‑to‑face with specialists who will guide them through the disaster loan application process and connect them with resources to support their recovery.”

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to these disasters. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    SBA representatives will also provide help to business owners and residents at disaster recovery centers when they are opened in the impacted area.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Sept. 4, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 6, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: WORST OF THE WORST: ICE Arrests Two Pedophiles Who Impregnated Children

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Operations across the U.S. target criminal illegal aliens convicted of heinous crimes

    WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security today announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Houston arrested Pedro Trejo Reyes, a convicted child rapist and criminal illegal alien from Mexico. On July 17, ICE removed Reyes from American communities.

    Reyes, a criminal alien from Mexico, entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident in 1990. While in the United States he was convicted of a DWI in 1995 and convicted again in Texas for repeatedly sexually assaulting his 12-year-old niece resulting in her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage in 2011. Forensic DNA testing confirmed with over 99.9% certainty that Trejo Reyes fathered the unborn child. A U.S. immigration judge approved Trejo Reyes’ order for removal in 2011, and ICE removed him to Mexico on July 17, 2025, after his 16 years of confinement.

    “As the media and politicians continue to carry water for criminal illegal aliens who have committed indescribable acts of evil in our country, the brave men and women of ICE are arresting and removing the worst of the worst from the U.S.,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Just today, ICE deported Pedro Trejo Reyes who raped and impregnated a defenseless child. There is no path forward, no second chances and no place in America for depraved aliens like him. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is continuing to make America safe.”

    ERO agents across the country carried out similar arrests of criminal illegal aliens with serious convictions, including:

    • Edwin Jacobo Hernandez Mateo, a criminal alien from Honduras, who was charged in Waller County, Texas, for raping and impregnating a minor under the age of 14. Hernandez was arrested by ICE June 17 and remains in ICE custody at the Montgomery Processing Center.
    • Juan Gabriel Zamorano-Gutierrez, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of molesting a minor in Ontario, California.
    • Edmundo Vasquez-Gaxiola, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated indecent assault after being accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl over the course of several years in York Springs, Pa. According to a Pennsylvania State Police affidavit, the victim disclosed the abuse began when she was around 5 years old and continued until she was about 11. 
    • Kelvin Civil, an illegal alien from Haiti, convicted of inducing a minor for sex, assault and battery on a police officer, and resisting arrest in Taunton, Massachusetts.
    • Elmer Breve-Sanchez, an illegal alien from Honduras, convicted of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens in Del Rio, Texas.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at Trial

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty.

    “The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer.”   

    “The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.”

    Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.

    During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.

    Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.

    At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.

    In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023. 

    Defendants Travis Drain and Mario Patterson accost bank employees on Dec. 22, 2023, while Devin Hinds waits outside in a getaway car.

    Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.

    A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.

    MIL Security OSI –