NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Reintroduces Bill Banning Chinese Ownership of American Land, Homes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Thursday, July 10, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) reintroduced legislation to ban Chinese corporations and individuals associated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from owning American agricultural land and homes. The Senator’s introduction of the Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act comes after the Trump Administration recently unveiled its National Farm Security Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy to respond to this challenge and protect our farmland and food supply chains.
    “China’s ownership of U.S. farmland poses a direct threat to American interests,”said Senator Hawley. “We should never let our nation’s greatest adversary have access to our vital resources, including our housing supply. That’s why I’m reintroducing legislation to protect American assets from the CCP once and for all.”
    According to the USDA, Chinese entities own around 278,000 acres of agricultural land across the country, a total that has spiked 350 percent since 2010. The ownership of so much acreage by our nation’s greatest geopolitical adversary undermines the integrity of our food supply and creates unacceptable national security risks, particularly given the proximity of much of this land to sensitive military installations.
    The Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act would:
    Prohibit Chinese corporations and individuals affiliated with the CCP from acquiring or leasing United States’ agricultural land;
    Prohibit Chinese corporations and individuals associated with the CCP from purchasing residential real estate in the United States for a period of at least two years, with an option for the President to renew the prohibition biennially;
    Require Chinese corporations and individuals affiliated with the CCP to divest ownership of United States’ agricultural land and residential real estate within one year;
    Establish civil fines and criminal penalties for noncompliance, including forfeiture.
    Read the full bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Solitron Devices, Inc. Announces Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Solitron Devices, Inc. (OTC Pink: SODI) (“Solitron” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce fiscal 2026 first quarter results. 

    FISCAL 2026 FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS –

    • Net sales decreased 32% to approximately $2.70 million in the fiscal 2026 first quarter versus $3.97 million in the fiscal 2025 first quarter.
    • Net bookings increased 37% to $2.80 million in the fiscal 2026 first quarter versus $2.04 million in the prior year first quarter.
    • Backlog increased 94% to $18.26 million at the end of the fiscal 2026 first quarter as compared to $9.41 million at the end of the fiscal 2025 first quarter.
    • Net income (loss) was ($0.34) million, or ($0.16) per share, for the fiscal 2026 first quarter versus net income of $0.59 million, or $.28 per share, for the fiscal 2025 first quarter.

    Revenue continued to be down in the first quarter, similar to the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, due to the lag time between receipt of orders and production/fulfillment of those orders. As previously noted in our last press release, we expected lower revenues in this quarter and anticipate sales to pick up at the end of the fiscal second quarter, before reaching a steadier level in the fiscal third quarter.

    On a positive note, the Company’s backlog remains at record levels. Backlog increased from $18.11 million at the beginning of the fiscal year to $18.26 million at the end of fiscal 2026 first quarter.

    During the quarter we invested $1.65 million for 6.4% of the units in CBE LLC (“CBE”). CBE purchased a 25% interest in CrossingBridge Advisors (“CrossingBridge”), a subsidiary of ENDI Corp., for $25.9 million. CBE will be entitled to a royalty equal to approximately 14.9% of the revenue of CrossingBridge, which equated to an initial “cap” rate based on CrossingBridge’s revenue run rate as of December 31, 2024, of approximately 11.7%. Solitron’s royalty share will be just under 6.4% of CBE’s. CrossingBridge reported that its assets under management were $4.0 billion as of June 30, 2025, versus $3.4 billion as of December 31, 2024.

    By law, certain U.S. Department of Defense officials and other executive branch agency officials are required to submit reports to Congress describing defense and intelligence-related priorities that were not included in the President’s annual budget request. These reports, known as unfunded priorities lists (UPLs), identify certain programs, activities, or mission requirements for which appropriations were not requested, along with the funding amounts that may be necessary to resource them. In the recent unfunded priorities list it has been reported that the U.S. Air Force requested an increase in AMRAAM production from 1,200 annually to 2,400 annually by 2028. AMRAAM is the largest defense program that Solitron supplies to. While the request is positive news, any increase requires Congressional approval, and there are no assurances that approval will happen. We continue to see increased interest in new product development, including silicon carbide. We have developed various prototypes for testing by potential customers and continue to be optimistic about creating additional revenue sources.

    We continue to see increased interest in new product development, including silicon carbide. We have developed various prototypes for testing by potential customers and continue to be optimistic about creating additional revenue sources.

     
    SOLITRON DEVICES, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MAY 31, 2025, AND MAY 31, 2024
    (in thousands except for share and per share amounts)
     
        For The Three Months Ended   For The Three Months Ended
        May 31, 2025   May 31, 2024
        unaudited   unaudited
    Net sales   $ 2,700     $ 3,967  
    Cost of sales     2,310       2,292  
             
    Gross profit     390       1,675  
             
    Selling, general and administrative expenses     768       883  
             
    Operating income     (378 )     792  
             
    Other income (loss)        
    Interest income     –       5  
    Interest expense     (74 )     (50 )
    Dividend income     41       16  
    Realized gain (loss) on investments     81       11  
    Unrealized gain (loss) on investments     (127 )     27  
    Total other income (loss)     (79 )     9  
             
    Net income (loss) before income tax     (457 )     801  
    Income tax (expense) benefit     121       (212 )
             
    Net income (loss)   $ (336 )   $ 589  
             
    Net income (loss) per common share – basic and diluted   $ (0.16 )   $ 0.28  
             
    Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted     2,082,553       2,083,436  
     
    SOLITRON DEVICES, INC. 
    CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS 
    AS OF MAY 31, 2025, AND FEBRUARY 28, 2025
    (in thousands, except for share and per share amounts)
     
        May 31,
    2025    		     February 28,
    2025    		  
                     
    ASSETS                
    CURRENT ASSETS                
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 2,570     $ 4,099  
    Marketable securities     659       919  
    Accounts receivable     1,750       2,129  
    Inventories, net     3,591       3,440  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     212       132  
    TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS     8,782       10,719  
                     
    Property, plant and equipment, net     8,532       8,635  
    Intangible assets     2,852       2,905  
    Deferred tax asset     1,743       1,622  
    Long-term investment     1,650       –  
    Other assets     428       555  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 23,987     $ 24,436  
                     
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
    CURRENT LIABILITIES                
    Accounts payable   $ 732     $ 439  
    Customer deposits     119       118  
    Accrued contingent consideration, current     598       570  
    Mortgage loan, current portion     155       152  
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities     857       846  
    TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES     2,461       2,125  
                     
    Accrued contingent consideration, non-current     254       663  
    Mortgage loan, net of current portion     3,725       3,765  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     6,440       6,553  
                     
    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
    Preferred stock, $.01 par value, authorized 500,000 shares, none issued     –       –  
    Common stock, $.01 par value, authorized 10,000,000 shares, 2,082,553 shares outstanding, net of 487,827 treasury shares at May 31, 2025 and 2,082,553 shares outstanding, net of 487,827 treasury shares at February 28, 2025, respectively     21       21  
    Additional paid-in capital     1,834       1,834  
    Retained earnings     17,104       17,440  
    Less treasury stock     (1,412 )     (1,412 )
    TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY     17,547       17,883  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 23,987     $ 24,436  

    The unaudited financial information disclosed in this press release for the three months ended May 31, 2025, is based on management’s review of operations for that period and the information available to the Company as of the date of this press release. The Company’s results included herein have been prepared by, and are the responsibility of, the Company’s management. The Company’s independent auditors have audited the Company’s results for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2025. The financial results presented herein should not be considered a substitute for the information filed or to be filed with the SEC in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the respective periods once such reports become available.

    About Solitron Devices, Inc. 
    Solitron Devices, Inc., a Delaware corporation, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets solid state semiconductor components and related devices primarily for the military and aerospace markets. The Company manufactures a large variety of bipolar and metal oxide semiconductor (“MOS”) power transistors, power and control hybrids, junction and power MOS field effect transistors (“Power MOSFETS”), and other related products. Most of the Company’s products are custom made pursuant to contracts with customers whose end products are sold to the United States government. Other products, such as Joint Army/Navy (“JAN”) transistors, diodes, and Standard Military Drawings voltage regulators, are sold as standard or catalog items.

    Effective September 1, 2023, Solitron closed its acquisition of Micro Engineering Inc. (MEI) based in Apopka, Florida. MEI specializes in solving design layout and manufacturing challenges while maximizing efficiency and keeping flexibility to meet unique customer needs. Since 1980 the MEI team has been dedicated to overcoming obstacles to provide cost efficient and rapid results. MEI specializes in low to mid volume projects that require engineering dedication, quality systems and efficient manufacturing.

    Forward-Looking Statements 
    This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of Solitron Devices, Inc. that involve risks and uncertainties that could materially affect actual results, including statements regarding the Company’s expectations regarding future performance and trends, including production levels, government spending, backlog and delivery timelines, new product development, our efforts and performance following our acquisition of MEI, and potential future revenue and trends with respect thereto from each of the foregoing. Factors that could cause actual results to vary from current expectations and forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties arising from potential adverse developments or changes in government budgetary spending and policy including with respect to the war in Ukraine, which may among other factors be affected by the possibility of reduced government spending on programs in which we participate, inflation, elevated interest rates, adverse trends in the economy and the possibility of a recession the likelihood of which appears to have increased based on recent economic data, the possibility that management’s estimates and assumptions regarding bookings, sales and other metrics prove to be incorrect; the timing and size of orders from our clients, our delivery schedules and our liquidity and cash position; our ability to make the appropriate adjustments to our cost structure; our ability to properly account for inventory in the future; the demand for our products and potential loss of, or reduction of business from, substantial clients our dependence on government contracts, which are subject to termination, price renegotiations and regulatory compliance and which may among other factors be adversely affected by the factors described elsewhere herein, our ability to continue to integrate MEI in an efficient and effective manner, and the possibility that such acquisition or any other acquisition or strategic transaction we may pursue does not yield the results or benefits desired or anticipated. Descriptions of other risk factors and uncertainties are contained in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2025.

    Tim Eriksen 
    Chief Executive Officer 
    (561) 848-4311 
    Corporate@solitrondevices.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ETC Announces Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Environmental Tectonics Corporation (OTC Pink: ETCC) (“ETC” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the thirteen week period ended May 30, 2025 (the “2026 first fiscal quarter”).

    Robert L. Laurent, Jr., ETC’s Chief Executive Officer and President stated, “We are pleased with the 39% increase in ETC operating income vs. prior year driven by an increase in sales of Aircrew Training Systems (“ATS”) and a decrease in operating expenses as compared to the prior year, as well as our 34% gross profit margin excluding the impact of lower margin sales related to construction of an aeromedical center during the 2026 first fiscal quarter. We exit the quarter with a sales backlog of $73 million and a large pipeline of opportunities.”

    Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results of Operations

    Net Income

    Net income was $1.3 million, or $0.07 diluted earnings per share, in the 2026 first fiscal quarter, compared to net income of $1.4 million during the 2025 first fiscal quarter, or $0.08 diluted earnings per share. The $0.1 million decrease is primarily attributable to a $0.4 million, or 385.3% increase in interest expense, net and a $0.4 million, or 1850.0% increase in income tax provision in the 2026 first fiscal quarter as compared to 2025 first fiscal quarter partially offset by the net effect of a $0.9 million increase in ATS net sales, excluding the Aeromedical center building revenue, and a $0.7 million decrease in Commercial/Industrial Systems (“CIS”) net sales, and a $0.5 million decrease in operating expenses.

    Net Sales

    Net sales in the 2026 first fiscal quarter were $17.6 million, an increase of $4.1 million, or 30.5%, compared to 2025 first fiscal quarter net sales of $13.5 million. The increase in net sales was mainly a result of a $4.8 million, or 74.9% increase in ATS sales, $3.9 million of which relates to aeromedical center building revenue, slightly offset by a $0.8 million, or 14.2% decrease in Sterilizer Systems sales in the 2026 first fiscal quarter as compared to 2025 first fiscal quarter.

    Gross Profit

    Gross profit for the 2026 first fiscal quarter was $4.7 million (26.5% of net sales) compared to $4.5 million in 2025 first fiscal quarter (33.6% of net sales). The decrease in gross profit margin as a percentage of sales was a direct result of the increase in aeromedical center building revenue within the ATS business unit, which is lower margin than ETC’s core businesses as the work is being performed by a sub-contracted construction firm. Excluding the impact of the aeromedical center building revenue, gross profit margin was 34.3% for first fiscal quarter 2026 as compared to 33.9% for first fiscal quarter 2025.

    Operating Expenses

    Operating expenses, including sales and marketing, general and administrative, and research and development, for the 2026 first fiscal quarter were $2.5 million, a decrease of $0.5 million, or 16.0%, compared to $3.0 million for the 2025 first fiscal quarter. The decrease in operating expenses was due primarily to lower research and development expense at ETC-PZL in 2026 first fiscal quarter as compared to 2025 first fiscal quarter. In 2025 first fiscal quarter, ETC-PZL had limited sales which resulted in employees working on non-chargeable research and development projects.

    Operating Income

    Operating income for the 2026 fiscal first quarter was $2.2 million, an increase of $0.6 million, or 39.4%, compared to $1.6 million for the 2025 first fiscal quarter. The increase in operating income is attributable to the net effect of a $0.9 million increase in ATS net sales, excluding the Aeromedical center building revenue, and a $0.7 million decrease in Commercial/Industrial Systems (“CIS”) net sales, and a $0.5 million decrease in operating expenses.

    Interest Expense, Net

    Interest expense, net, for the 2026 first fiscal quarter was $0.6 million compared to $0.1 million in the 2025 first fiscal quarter, an increase of $0.4 million, or 385.3%, reflecting increased borrowing attributable to the leaseback of the demonstration equipment in 2025 fourth fiscal quarter.

    Income Tax Provision

    Income tax provision for the 2026 first fiscal quarter was $0.4 million compared to $0.0 million in the 2025 first fiscal quarter, an increase of $0.4 million, or 1850.0%. The increase is a non-cash tax expense attributable to the utilization of our Net Operating Loss (NOL) carryforward for which a deferred tax asset was established in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.

    Cash Flows from Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities

    During the 2026 first fiscal quarter, cash flows used in operating activities were $2.7 million, a decrease of $5.6 million compared to cash flows provided by operating activities of $2.9 million during 2025 first fiscal quarter. Cash flows during the 2026 first fiscal quarter primarily decreased as a result of an increase in accounts receivable, net, slightly offset by an increase in accounts payable, trade for 2026 first fiscal quarter as compared to 2025 first fiscal quarter.

    Cash used for investing activities primarily relates to funds used for capital expenditures of equipment and software development. The Company’s investing activities used $0.1 million during the 2026 and 2025 first fiscal quarter.

    The Company’s financing activities provided $1.0 million of cash during the 2026 first fiscal quarter from borrowings under the Company’s credit facility as compared to repayments under the Company’s credit facility of $3.1 during the 2025 first fiscal quarter.

    About ETC

    ETC was incorporated in 1969 in Pennsylvania. For over five decades, we have provided our customers with products, services, and support. Innovation, continuous technological improvement and enhancement, and product quality are core values that are critical to our success. We are a significant supplier and innovator in the following areas: (i) software driven products and services used to create and monitor the physiological effects of flight, including high performance jet tactical flight simulation, fixed and rotary wing upset prevention and recovery and spatial disorientation, and both suborbital and orbital commercial human spaceflight, collectively, Aircrew Training Systems (“ATS”); (ii) altitude (hypobaric) chambers; (iii) hyperbaric chambers for multiple persons (multiplace chambers); (iv) Advanced Disaster Management Simulators (“ADMS”); (v) steam and gas (ethylene oxide) sterilizers (“Sterilizer Systems” or “Sterilizers”); and (vi) Environmental Testing and Simulation Systems (“ETSS”).

    We operate in two primary business segments, Aerospace Solutions (“Aerospace”) and Commercial/Industrial Systems (“CIS”). Aerospace encompasses the design, manufacture, and sale of: (i) ATS products; (ii) altitude (hypobaric) chambers; (iii) hyperbaric chambers for multiple persons (multiplace chambers); and (iv) ADMS, as well as integrated logistics support (“ILS”) for customers who purchase these products or similar products manufactured by other parties. These products and services provide customers with an offering of comprehensive solutions for improved readiness and reduced operational costs. Sales of our Aerospace products are made principally to U.S. and foreign government agencies and to civil aviation organizations. CIS encompasses the design, manufacture, and sale of: (i) steam and gas (ethylene oxide) sterilizers; and (ii) ETSS; as well as parts and service support for customers who purchase these products or similar products manufactured by other parties. Sales of our CIS products are made principally to the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries.

    ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries Sp. z o.o. (“ETC-PZL”), our 100%-owned subsidiary in Warsaw, Poland, is currently our only operating subsidiary. ETC-PZL manufactures certain simulators and provides software to support products manufactured domestically within our Aerospace segment.

    The majority of our net sales are generated from long-term contracts with foreign and U.S. governments and agencies (including foreign military sales (“FMS”) contracted through the U.S. Government) for the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of ATS products, including Chambers and the simulators manufactured and sold through ETC-PZL, collectively, ATS as well as long-term contracts with domestic and international customers for the sale of Sterilizer systems. The Company also enters into long-term contracts with domestic customers for the sale of ETSS. Net sales of ADMS are generally much shorter term in nature and vary between domestic and international customers. We generally provide our products and services under fixed-price contracts.

    ETC’s unique ability to offer complete systems, designed and produced to high technical standards, sets it apart from its competition. ETC’s headquarters is located in Southampton, PA. For more information about ETC, visit http://www.etcusa.com/. The information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in this news release.

    Forward-looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on management’s expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Words and expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and these statements may include words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “future”, “predict”, “potential”, “intend”, or “continue”, and similar expressions. We base our forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events or future financial performance. Our forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about ETC and its subsidiaries that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements.

    Contact: Tim Kennedy, CFO
    Phone: (215) 355-9100 x1531
    E-mail: tkennedy@etcusa.com
       

    – Financial Table Follows –

    Table A                
    ENVIRONMENTAL TECTONICS CORPORATION  
    SUMMARY TABLE OF RESULTS  
    (in thousands, except per share information)  
    (unaudited)  
                     
      Thirteen weeks ended   Variance  
    (in thousands, except per share information) May 30, 2025   May 24, 2024   ($)   (%)  
    Net sales $ 17,601     $ 13,492     $ 4,109     30.5    
    Cost of goods sold   12,939       8,965       3,974     44.3    
    Gross Profit   4,662       4,527       135     3.0    
    Gross profit margin %   26.5 %     33.6 %     -7.1 %   -21.1 %  
                     
    Operating expenses   2,498       2,975       (477 )   -16.0    
    Operating income   2,164       1,552       612     39.4    
    Operating margin %   12.3 %     11.5 %     0.8 %   6.9 %  
                     
    Interest expense, net   563       116       447     385.3    
    Other (income) expense, net   (78 )     55       (133 )   -241.8    
    Income before income taxes   1,679       1,381       298     21.6    
    Pre-tax margin %   9.5 %     10.2 %     -0.7 %   -6.9 %  
                     
    Income tax provision   390       20       370     1850.0    
    Net income   1,289       1,361       (72 )   -5.3    
    Preferred Stock dividends   (121 )     (121 )     –     0.0    
    Income attributable to common and                
    participating shareholders $ 1,168     $ 1,240     $ (72 )   -5.8    
                     
    Per share information:                
    Basic earnings per common and participating share:                
    Distributed earnings per share:                
    Common $ –     $ –     $ –        
    Preferred $ 0.02     $ 0.02     $ –     0.0    
    Undistributed earnings per share:                
    Common $ 0.07     $ 0.08     $ (0.01 )   -12.5    
    Preferred $ 0.07     $ 0.08     $ (0.01 )   -12.5    
    Diluted earnings per share $ 0.07     $ 0.08     $ (0.01 )   -12.5    
                     
                     
    Total basic weighted average common and participating shares   15,665       15,569            
                     
    Total diluted weighted average shares   16,998       16,062            
     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Desperate Afghan refugees return to an unfamiliar home

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The agency is calling for calm and cooperation to provide a dignified path forward for millions of displaced Afghans.

    More than 1.6 million Afghans have returned from both neighbouring countries in 2024 alone, according to UNHCR – a figure that has already surpassed earlier forecasts for the entire year.

    ‘From Afghanistan – not of Afghanistan’

    The scale and speed of these returns are placing enormous pressure on border provinces ill-equipped to absorb them, exacerbating poverty, insecurity and humanitarian need in a country still reeling from economic collapse and widespread human rights abuses.

    Complicating the situation further is the fact that many returnees – especially women and children – are coming back to a country they barely know.

    “They are from Afghanistan [but] not of Afghanistan – often born abroad with better education and different cultural norms. Their outlook is different from and often at odds with present day Afghanistan,” says Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in the country.

    Women and girls in particular face a jarring shift: from relative autonomy in host countries to a context where their rights are severely restricted by edicts from Taliban authorities.

    © UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani

    Women’s rights in Afghanistan continue to face severe setbacks, with restrictions deepening across education, employment and public life

    Disorientated and disorganised

    He reported conditions that he had seen for himself recently in Islam Qala, a key border crossing with Iran.

    Daily arrivals have surged to around 50,000 people, many of them disoriented and exhausted after arduous journeys. UN officials described scenes of desperation at reception centres.

    “Many of these returnees have been abruptly uprooted and have undergone arduous, exhausting and degrading journeys – they arrive tired, disoriented, brutalised and often in despair, and they sprawl throughout a crowded centre in often 40°C (104°F) heat,” Mr. Jamal said.

    While some returns are voluntary, he added that many are occurring under duress or without proper protections in place. Those returning include both officially registered refugees and people in “refugee-like” situations who may face serious risks upon arrival.

    Funding crisis

    The UN and humanitarian partners have mounted a broad-based response along the borders, providing food, water, health services, protection and onward transportation.

    However, funding shortfalls are critically hampering operations. UNHCR’s response is just 28 per cent funded as of July, forcing aid agencies to ration supplies and make painful choices.

    “We are living on borrowed funds,” Mr. Jamal said. “Daily, we are asking ourselves – should we give one blanket instead of four? One meal instead of three? These are heartbreaking, soul-destroying decisions.”

    The situation is equally dire for other agencies: the wider, UN-led 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Afghanistan – which seeks $2.4 billion to assist nearly 17 million people across the country – is only 22 per cent funded.

    Poverty and drought

    Recent UN assessments have also warned of deteriorating conditions and deepening poverty within Afghanistan.

    The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued alerts over worsening drought across much of the country, while the UN Development Programme (UNDP) reports that 70 per cent of Afghans already live at subsistence levels, as the collapse of public services and ongoing rights violations leaves millions in despair.

    As returnees cross the border, often without notice or resources, local populations are being stretched to the limit.

    Mr. Jamal noted that this “precarity layered upon poverty” risks fuelling frustration, competition over limited resources and new forms of social tension.

    “Afghanistan may be welcoming, but it is wholly unprepared to receive this volume of returnees,” he said. “The communities who are taking people in are doing so with great generosity, but they are themselves in crisis.”

    Global attention

    The growing emergency comes just days after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution expressing “deep concern” over deteriorating conditions facing Afghans.

    The resolution, passed with 116 votes in favour and only two against, urged the Taliban to reverse repressive policies and called for renewed international cooperation to support Afghan civilians.

    The resolution highlighted the need for “coherent approaches” that bridge humanitarian, development and political efforts. It also called on donor countries to maintain or increase support.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Secures Wins on Right to Repair, Service Member Safety, Military Housing, Transparency at Defense Department in Senate Version of FY 2026 Defense Policy Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 11, 2025

    Executive Summary of Senate FY26 NDAA (Website)

    Washington, D.C. — During the Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA) this week, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, secured key wins, including on right to repair, transparency on the removal of top military officials, troop health and safety, boosting competition among defense contractors, improved housing protections for American troops, and education. All were secured with bipartisan support in the Senate Armed Services Committee. 

    Senator Warren secured the following provisions in SASC’s version of the FY26 NDAA: 

    Right to Repair

    “It’s common sense for members of the military to be able to fix their own weapons. Senator Sheehy and I fought hard to secure this provision that will improve military readiness and save taxpayers billions of dollars. It’s about time we stand up to Pentagon contractors that are squeezing every last cent from us at the expense of our national security,” said Senator Warren.

    • A provision, which includes portions of Senator Warren’s bipartisan Warrior Right to Repair Act, to guarantee all branches of the military the right to repair their equipment and requires contractors to provide any information needed to repair the equipment.

    In January, Senator Warren secured Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s support for taking on costly right to repair restrictions. She has also questioned defense contractors directly for their opposition to right to repair reform and introduced separate bicameral legislation to require contractors to provide repair materials in a timely and reasonable manner. 

    Promoting Transparency

    “Secretary Hegseth’s attack on independent legal advisors doesn’t make anyone safer. I’m fighting to rein in this abuse of power and ensure transparency from this administration,” said Senator Warren.

    • A provision requiring DoD to notify Congress five days before the removal of a Judge Advocate General (JAG), top legal officers for the military services, and provide a justification.

    Senator Warren, along with several of her SASC colleagues, sent a letter to Secretary Hegseth earlier this year raising concerns about how his firings of these top military lawyers would damage public trust and the apolitical foundation of the military legal system. In a March 2025 hearing, Senator Warren also highlighted, and a Trump defense nominee agreed with, the importance of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, whom American troops rely on for legal advice and Senator Lindsey Graham has praised as “the conscience of the military.”

    Service Member Health and Safety

    “I’ve heard so many stories of service members suffering from the devastating effects of blast overpressure – cases of depression, suicide, and seizures. I led historic, bipartisan reforms in last year’s NDAA and will keep pushing DoD to do more,” said Senator Warren. “I’ve been fighting on this issue for years, and a long-term study on exposure would help us better ensure troops get the care and support they deserve.”

    • A provision providing an additional $5 million for blast overpressure analysis and mitigation beyond the Trump administration’s request; 
    • A provision requiring DoD to provide a Congressional briefing on the feasibility of conducting a study on the long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure in partnership with a non-profit medical center specializing in Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and with experience working with Special Operators; 
    • A provision requiring the Government Accountability Office to study DoD’s compliance with blast overpressure reforms passed in last year’s NDAA, as well as DoD’s efforts to use cognitive assessments to track brain health, to document service member exposure, and to address the potential link between exposure and risks of suicide; and 
    • A provision requiring the Joint Safety Council to provide Congress the executive summaries of Safety Investigation Boards (SIBs) conducted for the past three years and any corrective actions that were taken. 

    For over seven years, Senator Warren has led efforts to measure blast exposure and develop protocols that protect our military. She’s introduced bipartisan legislation to track service members’ exposure to and mitigate the effects of blast overpressure. She’s also hosted a hearing and a forum to highlight service members’ and veterans’ experiences with getting care for these injuries. In last year’s NDAA, Senator Warren secured historic reforms to improve access to care after exposure to blast overpressure and mitigate exposure risks. 

    Senator Warren has also highlighted the need for transparency around military accidents, the crash that killed Staff Sergeant Jacob Galliher– a young father from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. 

    Increasing Competition 

    “Increasing competition for our military’s AI and cloud computing programs creates better tools, saves money, and protects our national security. I’ll keep fighting to protect our military from being ripped off while keeping our markets fair and our information secure,” said Senator Warren. 

    • Based on Senator Warren’s bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition Act, the bill requires DoD to produce a report on competition dynamics between AI and commercial cloud providers, the impacts of competition on overall innovation in AI, barriers to entry for small and new performers, and the impact of potential or perceived concentrations of market power or market share on competition; 
    • A provision requiring the DoD Inspector General to review sole source cloud computing contracts awarded under the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability program, including justifications, approvals, and systemic challenges to competition. 
    • A provision requiring DoD to provide its strategy to monitor and mitigate the risks of future mergers and acquisitions; 
    • A provision requiring DoD to maintain multiple sources as soon as possible, and no later than fiscal year 2031, for products in critical sectors; and
    • A provision tackling consolidation in the defense contracting industry by requiring that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a review of mergers in the previous 10 years to determine if changes to defense merger review laws and policies are necessary. 

    Senator Warren has urged the Defense Department to ensure its AI contracting processes will protect government data, save taxpayer funds, and promote competition. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to help rein in Big Tech companies and prevent them from cutting out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets when it comes to defense contracting. 

    Drug Supply Chains and Health Care

    “The DoD’s overreliance on overseas manufacturers gives our adversaries the power to restrict our access to the critical drugs we need to treat our men and women in uniform,” said Senator Warren. “Congress can save lives and save money by strengthening our domestic pharmaceutical supply to ensure we have access to the medicines necessary to treat service members in the field.” 

    “One of the nation’s biggest drug middlemen may be ripping off our military to boost its profits–and trying to hide this information from Congress. My provision ensures Congress has the information we need to hold contractors accountable for price-gouging on the backs of our servicemembers and taxpayers,” said Senator Warren.

    • A provision requiring DoD to report on how shortages and supply challenges for drugs and medical countermeasures have impacted military readiness and the ability for DoD to obtain the pharmaceuticals it needs for its personnel; and 
    • A provision requiring DoD to provide a confidential briefing to the Armed Services Committee every six months on the differences in reimbursement rates or practices, direct and indirect remuneration fees or other price concessions, and clawbacks between pharmacies that are affiliates of TRICARE’s contracted Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) and pharmacies that are not affiliates of TRICARE’s contracted PBM. 

    Senator Warren has long sounded the alarm on the danger of overly relying on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers, for both the military and civilians. She has led bipartisan oversight and urged the Defense Department to reform acquisition rules to give preference to American-made products. She has also filed legislation to end the country’s reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs and a bipartisan bill to study the impacts of foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Senator Warren has also called for audits into pharmacy benefit managers that price gouge the military. 

    Military Housing and Childcare

    “Military families deserve safe, affordable housing. Congress must investigate the potential use of rent-setting algorithms used to price gouge military families and ban abusive landlords’ use of NDAs meant to keep military tenants quiet,” said Senator Warren. 

    • A provision requiring DoD to provide a report and briefing to SASC on the extent to which privatized military housing companies are using algorithmic software, including RealPage, to set apartment rents for service members paid by basic allowance for housing (BAH); 
    • A provision banning landlords from requesting that tenants sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in privatized military housing; 
    • A provision to establish a pilot program for increasing child development center employee wages on at least three military installations; and
    • A provision increasing the transparency of landlord financial practices by requiring privatized military housing companies to report their liability insurance coverage and the amounts of payments to tenants to resolve dispute resolutions. 

    Senator Warren has been a leader in raising concerns about problems with privatized military housing and led the push to protect military families. She has led oversight into landlords’ use of algorithmic pricing tools like RealPage to hike rents on servicemembers. She has also introduced legislation to address private military housing landlords’ use of NDAs and unsafe housing conditions. At an April 2025 hearing, Senator Warren secured a commitment from a Trump defense nominee to hold military housing contractors accountable, if needed.  

    Education

    “Service members put their lives on the line for this country, so there’s no excuse for our government to fall short of its promises to them. Helping service members afford quality education is how our country recruits and maintains a fighting force,” said Senator Warren.

    • A provision requiring DoD to issue a report on the status of a data match to ensure service members can automatically receive Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF); and  
    • A provision directing GAO to issue a report on challenges service members face in student loan repayment, including scams, repayment procedures, and servicer misconduct.

    Senator Warren has been a leading voice in fighting for strong education benefits for service members and families, fighting to restore benefits to veterans cheated by for-profit colleges and pushing the Defense Department to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in tuition assistance programs. At an April 2025 hearing, she pressed military leaders on the impact of the Defense Department’s shortcomings on education benefits.  

    The House Armed Services Committee will convene to mark up its version of the NDAA next week. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Desperate Afghan refugees return to an unfamiliar home

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The agency is calling for calm and cooperation to provide a dignified path forward for millions of displaced Afghans.

    More than 1.6 million Afghans have returned from both neighbouring countries in 2024 alone, according to UNHCR – a figure that has already surpassed earlier forecasts for the entire year.

    ‘From Afghanistan – not of Afghanistan’

    The scale and speed of these returns are placing enormous pressure on border provinces ill-equipped to absorb them, exacerbating poverty, insecurity and humanitarian need in a country still reeling from economic collapse and widespread human rights abuses.

    Complicating the situation further is the fact that many returnees – especially women and children – are coming back to a country they barely know.

    “They are from Afghanistan [but] not of Afghanistan – often born abroad with better education and different cultural norms. Their outlook is different from and often at odds with present day Afghanistan,” says Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in the country.

    Women and girls in particular face a jarring shift: from relative autonomy in host countries to a context where their rights are severely restricted by edicts from Taliban authorities.

    © UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani

    Women’s rights in Afghanistan continue to face severe setbacks, with restrictions deepening across education, employment and public life

    Disorientated and disorganised

    He reported conditions that he had seen for himself recently in Islam Qala, a key border crossing with Iran.

    Daily arrivals have surged to around 50,000 people, many of them disoriented and exhausted after arduous journeys. UN officials described scenes of desperation at reception centres.

    “Many of these returnees have been abruptly uprooted and have undergone arduous, exhausting and degrading journeys – they arrive tired, disoriented, brutalised and often in despair, and they sprawl throughout a crowded centre in often 40°C (104°F) heat,” Mr. Jamal said.

    While some returns are voluntary, he added that many are occurring under duress or without proper protections in place. Those returning include both officially registered refugees and people in “refugee-like” situations who may face serious risks upon arrival.

    Funding crisis

    The UN and humanitarian partners have mounted a broad-based response along the borders, providing food, water, health services, protection and onward transportation.

    However, funding shortfalls are critically hampering operations. UNHCR’s response is just 28 per cent funded as of July, forcing aid agencies to ration supplies and make painful choices.

    “We are living on borrowed funds,” Mr. Jamal said. “Daily, we are asking ourselves – should we give one blanket instead of four? One meal instead of three? These are heartbreaking, soul-destroying decisions.”

    The situation is equally dire for other agencies: the wider, UN-led 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Afghanistan – which seeks $2.4 billion to assist nearly 17 million people across the country – is only 22 per cent funded.

    Poverty and drought

    Recent UN assessments have also warned of deteriorating conditions and deepening poverty within Afghanistan.

    The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued alerts over worsening drought across much of the country, while the UN Development Programme (UNDP) reports that 70 per cent of Afghans already live at subsistence levels, as the collapse of public services and ongoing rights violations leaves millions in despair.

    As returnees cross the border, often without notice or resources, local populations are being stretched to the limit.

    Mr. Jamal noted that this “precarity layered upon poverty” risks fuelling frustration, competition over limited resources and new forms of social tension.

    “Afghanistan may be welcoming, but it is wholly unprepared to receive this volume of returnees,” he said. “The communities who are taking people in are doing so with great generosity, but they are themselves in crisis.”

    Global attention

    The growing emergency comes just days after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution expressing “deep concern” over deteriorating conditions facing Afghans.

    The resolution, passed with 116 votes in favour and only two against, urged the Taliban to reverse repressive policies and called for renewed international cooperation to support Afghan civilians.

    The resolution highlighted the need for “coherent approaches” that bridge humanitarian, development and political efforts. It also called on donor countries to maintain or increase support.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: In Joint CBS Interview, Warren, Sheehy Highlight Bipartisan Fight For Military’s Right to Repair Its Own Equipment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 11, 2025

    Warren: “The choice will belong to our military to make the right economic decision to purchase and then the right economic decisions down the line on how to repair it.”

    Sheehy: “We’re at a point where we’ll have systems that are not ready for missions overseas in war zones, on ships, at forward-deployed bases, and we can’t conduct basic repairs to those systems.”

    Full Interview (YouTube)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), who are both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sat down with CBS’s Caitlin Huey-Burns to highlight their Warrior Right to Repair Act of 2025, which would require contractors to provide the Department of Defense access to technical data and materials the military needs to repair and maintain its own equipment. This legislation aims to reduce government spending, promote competition, and improve military readiness. Portions of the bill are included in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act of 2026.

    Watch the interview here and read the full transcript below: 

    CBS News: Why Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tim Sheehy are teaming up to tame Pentagon spending
    July 10, 2025

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: Why can’t the military fix its own equipment? 

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: You want to go first, Tim? 

    Senator Tim Sheehy: Well, we’ve had decades of bureaucratic sclerosis that have created a really broken system that’s rife with perverse incentives. It’s also rife with requirements that aren’t always grounded in what the warfighter actually needs, and a huge focus on process over outcome. We’re at a point where we’ll have systems that are not ready for missions overseas in war zones, on ships, at forward-deployed bases, and we can’t conduct basic repairs to those systems. And I think we’re at a point now where we’ve seen multiple theaters of war, from Iraq to Afghanistan to Israel to Ukraine. We’re understanding the limits of this current defense acquisition paradigm, and it’s about time we fix it. So, it’s not one thing that happened. It’s an accumulation of 30 years of bureaucracy that’s kind of led to where we’re at now.

    Senator Warren: And I would just add to what Senator Sheehy says here by pointing out that the defense contractors have figured out they get two bites at every apple this way. So, they sell you the initial product, whether it’s an oven on a submarine or it’s a fancy piece of warfighting equipment—that’s one—and they negotiate a price for that, but they hold back in the fine print. You can’t fix it yourself. So, when the safety clip breaks, when you get sand down in the equipment, and you need to mess with it some more, the answer is, too often, because of what’s in that contract that the military says to our service member, don’t touch that thing. You’ve got to retire, in effect, the piece of equipment, hold it over there, call a contractor, have the contractor fly in from a long, long way away, charge us for flying in, take the delay and charge us whatever they want to charge us to come in and fix that thing. That has turned out to be a very profitable model for some of the defense contractors. And what our bill says is no more, no more. The Defense Department, going forward, if our bill is signed into law, it basically says, here’s the deal: you negotiate the price to buy the thing, and if the thing breaks, we may fix it ourselves. We may go to another small business, a startup, some guy who set up shop to be able to fix just that kind of thing. Or we may come back to the manufacturer. But the choice will belong to our military to make the right economic decision to purchase and then the right economic decisions down the line on how to repair it.

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: What about the argument, though, that the contractor knows the equipment better than anyone else has the ability to fix it better than anyone? Why shouldn’t they be allowed to be the ones?

    Senator Warren: Let them compete. They want to offer. They want to say, “Hey, we can fix that.” You know what? I’ll bet if that happened, that the price of fixing it would go down, if there were competition—that is, if other little guys were in there saying, “Hey, we can fix this.” Or, let’s face it, the servicemember, himself or herself, who actually also knows this stuff. Let’s have that open competition. That’s what we need here on the military side, and frankly, it’s what we need throughout the country, whether we’re talking about cars or tractors or telephones, or anything else. But we’re starting here. 

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: So, you’re saying—you’re not saying that the contractor won’t be able to fix the equipment, they just can’t have a monopoly in it?

    Senator Warren: That’s right, that they negotiated up front in fine print when nobody was looking and nobody was pricing it in. That’s where they’re making off like bandits.

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: And Senator Sheehy, you approach this issue as a former seal officer. What kind of impact—Senator Warren talked about the financial aspects of this. What kind of impact has this had on the battlefield, on training, on our soldiers out there? What does it mean for military readiness?

    Senator Sheehy: Less. Less readiness, to put it bluntly. We’ve had less readiness as a result of this. Now, our acquisition paradigm was really designed in the 1950s and 60s and hasn’t really changed since then. And in fairness to the Pentagon individuals and the contractors together, much of that’s been on us. We have not forced an upgrade to our DFARS, defense acquisition regulations, that govern the entire federal acquisition environment. We have not forced them to upgrade those, and it’s about time we do, because the systems simply were not as complicated. Software. Software is becoming one of the core pieces of functional equipment that we have.

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: You two come from very different parties. You’re a very conservative Republican. You’re a very progressive Democrat. How is it that you two found this common ground? How is it that you guys came together on this piece of legislation? 

    Senator Sheehy: Well, I was making the rounds as a freshman who’s never served in any political office before, when I got here, I said, the first thing I do is I’m trying to meet with every single member I can, on both parties, and just introduce myself and get some advice and wisdom. And in our first meeting, you know, we just—she said, “Well, what do you want to do when you’re here?” And I listed the handful of things I wanted to focus on. One of them was defense acquisition reform. And I kind of went on my riff about how frustrated I was.

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: Your eyes light up.

    Senator Warren: I did. 

    Senator Sheehy: She popped up like an aerobics video, like, “That, we’re going to do it.” And we dug into it.

    Caitlin Huey-Burns: “That’s my language.” 

    Senator Warren: Exactly, I said, “Another nerd, we can do this. We can do this.” But it is, there are these places that this isn’t political. This is about doing what is right.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Three Individuals for Alleged Covid-Relief Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted three individuals for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.

    TANIKA ECHOLS, ANTONIO ECHOLS, and TAMIA THOMPSON DAVIS engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL)–two sources of relief under the CARES Act, according to an indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois.  The indictment charges Tanika Echols, 45, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, Ill., with 13 counts of wire fraud and seven counts of money laundering. Antonio Echols, 50, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of South Holland, Ill., who is Tanika Echols’s husband, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, while Davis, 27, of Austin, Texas, who is Tanika Echols’s daughter, is charged with four counts of wire fraud.

    The indictment alleges that the defendants defrauded lenders of approximately $1.7 million in PPP loans and defrauded the SBA of approximately $307,000 in EIDL funds.  Much of the money was used for the defendants’ personal benefit, including the purchase of mink coats from Andriana Furs in Chicago, the indictment states.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during their arraignments last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert.  A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 13, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin.

    The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Basil Demczak, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, and Mark Reeves, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board’s Office of Inspector General.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.

    Pursuant to the CARES Act, a PPP loan allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll, rent, and utilities, while the EIDL program provided loan assistance or grants to cover working capital and other operating expenses.

    According to the indictment, the defendants from 2020 to 2022 submitted more than 100 fraudulent applications to lenders, loan service providers, and the Small Business Administration, on behalf of themselves, seven other individuals, and two businesses owned by Tanika Echols and Antonio Echols.  The applications and supporting documents contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the defendants’ companies, including the number of purported employees, revenue and payroll amounts, and other expenses, the indictment states.

    The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  Each wire fraud charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while the maximum penalty for each count of money laundering is ten years.  If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

    Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Pushes Trump Admin For Answers on FEMA Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
    Senator Reverend Warnock first pressed DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for answers on major cuts to FEMA over a month ago. Secretary Noem has yet to respond to critical questions, even in the midst of hurricane season.
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Know that I will not sit idly by while Georgia lives and livelihoods are endangered. This is about our safety, and we deserve answers.”
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is escalating his fight to get answers from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on FEMA’s ability to respond to hurricanes in Georgia this storm season. Senator Warnock renewed his call for answers on social media after Noem failed to respond to his inquiry at the beginning of hurricane season in June. 
    Senator Warnock first pressed Secretary Noem for answers after leaked internal assessments revealed that FEMA is unprepared for the current storm season that began on June 1. The Senator’s calls also follow Secretary Noem’s recent statement in which she doubled down on the administration’s plan to eliminate the agency all together.
    Senator Warnock asked Secretary Noem to commit to ensuring that FEMA’s Region IV office in Atlanta, which oversees disaster response for all of Georgia and much of the southeast, remains fully staffed and resourced for the 2025 hurricane season. 
    “We have seen the devastation and the impact of hurricanes and big storms in Georgia, time and time again,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “We need to know if the administration is taking this seriously. We do know based on internal reports that much of the agency has been hollowed out. The evidence suggests that we do not have the personnel to respond at the beginning of hurricane season” 
    This is Senator Warnock’s latest effort to ensure that FEMA has the resources needed to protect Georgians from natural disasters and assist with recovery. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan, bicameral effort to secure billions of dollars in federal funding for disaster recovery efforts in Georgia. The Senator also introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the tax deadline for Georgians impacted by Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters. Senator Warnock also joined a bipartisan effort to demand that the Trump Administration reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which supports local disaster mitigation projects including a $30 million award to Savannah for flood reduction measures that was canceled earlier this year. 
    Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary Noem,
    As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season begins this week, and following Acting Administrator Richardson’s stunning and disturbing reported admission that he was unaware the United States has a hurricane season, I write with deep concern about the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the potentially devastating consequences for Georgia communities.
    Nearly a year ago, in September 2024, Georgia and the entire southeast were bombarded by Hurricane Helene – a multi-state major disaster and the deadliest storm to strike the mainland United States in 20 years. At its peak, Hurricane Helene left more than 1 million Georgians without power, demanded 300 boil water advisories across the state, damaged over 200,000 homes, and left thousands of families displaced.
    Fortunately, thanks to an early presence in Georgia and a “great” working relationship with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and state leadership, FEMA was prepared to quickly mobilize assistance teams, deliver meals and water to the hardest-hit areas, and coordinate response and recovery efforts with state, local, and nonprofit leaders. Most importantly, FEMA remained in Georgia long after the national cameras left, helping Georgians along their road to recovery and hosting resource fairs for impacted communities on everything from applications for individual assistance to small business loans to housing needs. To date, FEMA has provided over $360 million to survivors and more than $400 million to local governments and communities in Georgia. Though not perfect, this effort required a level of coordination across state lines, rapid mobilization of personnel and supplies, and deep experience that only the federal government and FEMA can provide.
    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will likely be “above normal” and feature up to ten hurricanes, including five major storms that will threaten Georgia and much of the southeast. However, instead of working with state and local governments, nonprofits, and federal partners to prepare for the 2025 hurricane season, the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have haphazardly and irresponsibly worked to dismantle the nation’s lead disaster response agency without any workable alternative or sense of direction.
    These reckless actions include:
    Proposing a $646 million budget cut to FEMA in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, along with the cancellation of billions in disaster relief and mitigation grants that help states prepare for future disasters;
    Gutting FEMA’s workforce by nearly 30 percent, including more than 1,800 voluntary buyouts, 200 terminations, a hiring freeze, the departure of 16 senior officials, as well as the abject firing of FEMA’s administrator who warned against eliminating the agency;
    Pursuing ill-conceived, shortsighted, and abrupt changes to longstanding FEMA policy, including quadrupling the damage threshold for Georgia communities to receive federal assistance from roughly $21 million to more than $84 million;
    Canceling hurricane readiness trainings for state and local emergency managers in Georgia and across the country; and,
    Eliminating the disaster resiliency-focused Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, including a $30 million award to reduce flooding in Savannah, Georgia.
    I am always open to considering thoughtful, transparent reforms developed in close partnership with Congress, states, and local officials, but these unilateral actions are gambling with the lives and livelihoods of millions of Georgians. As DHS’s own internal agency review states, “FEMA is not ready” for the upcoming hurricane season – a frightening assessment that I fear will soon have severe consequences in Georgia and southeastern coastal states.
    To that end, I request answers to the following questions by June 26, 2025, so that Georgians may better understand how your actions will affect their safety during the 2025 hurricane season:
    How would a budget cut of $646 million, as proposed in your FY26 budget request, help FEMA better prepare for and respond to future disasters in Georgia?
    What analyses did DHS conduct to ensure that these budget cuts will not diminish the safety of Americans during hurricane season?

    Please provide any policy justification or budget analysis supporting the cancellation of hurricane readiness trainings for state and local officials, including how such cancellations better prepare local communities for hurricane season.[1] In the absence of such trainings, how does DHS intend to ensure that local officials are prepared for hurricane season?
    Of the FEMA employees who were terminated or accepted voluntary buyouts, how many performed a hurricane preparedness, logistic, or safety function, including those who collaborated with state and local governments before, during, and after a disaster?
    What analyses, if any, has DHS conducted to assess the impact of implemented and proposed workforce reductions on FEMA’s ability to perform its emergency management functions? Please provide copies of any written communications, analyses, and other documentation concerning how workforce reductions will limit FEMA’s ability to carry out its core functions.
    How many counties in Georgia that received federal assistance in the aftermath of previous disasters would have been denied that assistance if FEMA’s proposal to quadruple the damage threshold had been implemented prior to those disasters? Please provide a list of affected disasters and Georgia counties, including how much federal disaster assistance would have been lost by each county under FEMA’s new proposed threshold.
    What public process or consultation, if any, did FEMA conduct before proposing an increase to the per capita impact indicator threshold?
    Please provide a cost-benefit analysis supporting the cancellation of the BRIC program and awarded projects like Savannah, Georgia’s flood reduction measures, including how such cancellations make communities like Savannah more resilient and safer in the event of a severe storm.
    What contingency plans are in place if FEMA staff and resources are overwhelmed during the 2025 hurricane season?
    Are there plans to further adjust or reduce staffing at FEMA’s Region IV office in Atlanta, Georgia, which oversees disaster response for all of Georgia and much of the southeast?
    Will you commit to ensuring this office remains fully staffed and resourced for the duration of the 2025 hurricane season?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Risch Introduce Bill to Codify Trump EO on Defunding Radical Gender Ideology in Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to codify President Trump’s executive order preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical gender ideology in K-12 schools.
     “Our children go to school to be educated, not indoctrinated,” said Sen. Tuberville. “I’ve always said that education is the key to unlocking opportunity. But under Joe Biden, Democrats turned our children’s classrooms into woke propaganda HQ. Schools should focus on teaching kids to read, write, and do math. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to get woke politics out of the classroom.”
    “Schools should prepare our children for the future, not promote radical gender ideology,” said Sen. Risch.“The Say No to Indoctrination Act puts an end to woke education practices in K-12 schools and makes President Trump’s common-sense policy permanent.”
    Sens. Tuberville and Risch were joined by Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in cosponsoring this legislation. 
    Concerned Women for American and the American Principles Project endorsed this legislation.
    Read full text of the bill here.
    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: Tuberville, Risch Introduce Bill to Codify Trump EO on Defunding Radical Gender Ideology in Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to codify President Trump’s executive order preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical gender ideology in K-12 schools.
     “Our children go to school to be educated, not indoctrinated,” said Sen. Tuberville. “I’ve always said that education is the key to unlocking opportunity. But under Joe Biden, Democrats turned our children’s classrooms into woke propaganda HQ. Schools should focus on teaching kids to read, write, and do math. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to get woke politics out of the classroom.”
    “Schools should prepare our children for the future, not promote radical gender ideology,” said Sen. Risch.“The Say No to Indoctrination Act puts an end to woke education practices in K-12 schools and makes President Trump’s common-sense policy permanent.”
    Sens. Tuberville and Risch were joined by Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in cosponsoring this legislation. 
    Concerned Women for American and the American Principles Project endorsed this legislation.
    Read full text of the bill here.
    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: Tuberville, Risch Introduce Bill to Codify Trump EO on Defunding Radical Gender Ideology in Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to codify President Trump’s executive order preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical gender ideology in K-12 schools.
     “Our children go to school to be educated, not indoctrinated,” said Sen. Tuberville. “I’ve always said that education is the key to unlocking opportunity. But under Joe Biden, Democrats turned our children’s classrooms into woke propaganda HQ. Schools should focus on teaching kids to read, write, and do math. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to get woke politics out of the classroom.”
    “Schools should prepare our children for the future, not promote radical gender ideology,” said Sen. Risch.“The Say No to Indoctrination Act puts an end to woke education practices in K-12 schools and makes President Trump’s common-sense policy permanent.”
    Sens. Tuberville and Risch were joined by Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in cosponsoring this legislation. 
    Concerned Women for American and the American Principles Project endorsed this legislation.
    Read full text of the bill here.
    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: Tuberville, Risch Introduce Bill to Codify Trump EO on Defunding Radical Gender Ideology in Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to codify President Trump’s executive order preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical gender ideology in K-12 schools.
     “Our children go to school to be educated, not indoctrinated,” said Sen. Tuberville. “I’ve always said that education is the key to unlocking opportunity. But under Joe Biden, Democrats turned our children’s classrooms into woke propaganda HQ. Schools should focus on teaching kids to read, write, and do math. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to get woke politics out of the classroom.”
    “Schools should prepare our children for the future, not promote radical gender ideology,” said Sen. Risch.“The Say No to Indoctrination Act puts an end to woke education practices in K-12 schools and makes President Trump’s common-sense policy permanent.”
    Sens. Tuberville and Risch were joined by Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in cosponsoring this legislation. 
    Concerned Women for American and the American Principles Project endorsed this legislation.
    Read full text of the bill here.
    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: Idaho Statesman: Crapo: One Big Beautiful Bill Won’t ‘Explode the National Debt’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Claiming that the One Big Beautiful Bill will “explode the national debt” is plain wrong.
    According to a more accurate estimate by the Congressional Budget Office, it cuts federal spending by over $1.5 trillion and reduces the deficit by $400 billion. That doesn’t include the bill’s pro-growth elements, which the Council of Economic Advisers estimates will increase federal revenues by more than $4 trillion, adding up to nearly $4.5 trillion in deficit reduction.
    Contrary to the “politics of fear” that Democrats employ, it strengthens and improves spending programs, like Medicaid, by targeting waste, fraud and abuse. And despite false narratives about “tax cuts for billionaires,” the reality is this legislation not only prevents massive across-the-board tax hikes, but provides additional tax relief that overwhelmingly benefits low- and middle-class families and workers. Through policies like a boosted standard deduction, expanded benefits for child care, no taxes on tips or overtime, and tax relief for seniors, working class Americans are the biggest winners under this bill.
    In addition to historic mandatory spending reductions, deficit reduction and tax relief, the bill invests in our border, modernizes our military and restores American energy dominance. I’d call that a win for Idahoans and all Americans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New habitat-protection measures support caribou in northeastern B.C.

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The B.C. government, Fort Nelson First Nation and the B.C. Energy Regulator (BCER) are working collaboratively to implement new protection measures to support boreal caribou recovery in northeastern B.C.

    “Helping caribou populations recover is a complex challenge requiring multiple approaches to stabilize and reverse the decline of herds in B.C.,” said Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “The Boreal Caribou Protection and Recovery Plan and the implementation of the new measures are crucial for caribou-recovery efforts in these four northeast ranges. The Fort Nelson First Nation community continues to be an integral partner in this important work.”

    The new measures are consistent with the Boreal Caribou Protection and Recovery Plan that was endorsed by the B.C. government in 2023. The Boreal Caribou Protection and Recovery Plan was co-developed by the B.C. government and Fort Nelson First Nation, with contributions from the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. The plan is designed to meet federal and provincial targets for species-at-risk recovery, while supporting opportunities to strengthen the natural-resource economy in the region.

    “Finalizing the Boreal Caribou Protection and Recovery Plan is a vital step in our shared responsibility to steward the land,” said Chief Archie Harrold, Fort Nelson First Nation. “By working together with the provincial government, we are proving that true collaboration, rooted in respect for Indigenous knowledge and western science, leads to real action. This plan reflects our commitment to protecting boreal caribou and ensuring a healthy land for future generations.”

    The new protection measures applied to selected boreal caribou habitat areas include:

    • the establishment of six new Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA) through a Government Actions Regulation (GAR) order approved by the delegated decision-maker;
    • the establishment of Resource Review Areas (RRA), where new requests to grant the right to explore for and produce petroleum or natural gas have been temporarily suspended; and
    • interim permitting measures for energy-resource activities.  

    The GAR order to establish the new WHAs targets areas of highest habitat value to boreal caribou, while avoiding areas of highest timber value as much as possible. The management measures laid out in the order apply to primary forestry activities, such as timber harvesting and the construction of associated resource roads in specified areas of the Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area.

    The BCER is implementing interim permitting measures in 1.4 million hectares of habitat that is important for boreal caribou protection. These measures prohibit the issuance of new or amended permits for energy-resource activities or authorizations in Boreal Caribou Management Type 1 areas (core areas) in the affected region, except for:

    • activities necessary to protect health and safety;
    • restoration activities; or
    • technical or administrative activities, with appropriate mitigations to protect boreal caribou habitat and support habitat restoration.

    The Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions is establishing RRAs within Boreal Caribou Management Type 1 areas where new requests for petroleum and natural gas rights (postings) in the affected region are temporarily suspended. These measures align with the BCER’s interim permitting restrictions and are expected to remain in place for at least three years.

    Collectively, these actions target the specific threats to caribou habitat and support caribou-population recovery objectives, while leaving room for sustainable, inclusive economic opportunities and public access and recreational uses that are compatible with shared recovery goals. The conservation measures will not affect recreation or public access to these areas.

    In July 2024, the B.C. government consulted First Nation governments and potentially affected forestry licensees about the establishment of WHAs. These discussions were completed in February 2025.

    The Province has also engaged with and notified other parties who are not legally affected by habitat-protection measures, such as registered trappers, guide outfitters or local governments, but have interests overlapping the WHAs. The consultation and engagement process provided an opportunity to review the socio-economic assessment and refine boundaries or regulatory actions if needed.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about Boreal Caribou Protection and Recovery Plan, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/download/7701D375C38E4E29ACB37046EC9FAF8F

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Kerrville 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 Kerr County to assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding beginning July 2.

    Beginning Friday, July 11, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center in Kerrville 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:

    KERR COUNTY

    Business Recovery Center

    The YES Center at First Presbyterian Church

    823 North St.

    Kerrville, TX  78028

    Opens at 11 a.m. Friday, July 11

    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 USA: SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Kerrville 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 Kerr County to assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding beginning July 2.

    Beginning Friday, July 11, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center in Kerrville 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:

    KERR COUNTY

    Business Recovery Center

    The YES Center at First Presbyterian Church

    823 North St.

    Kerrville, TX  78028

    Opens at 11 a.m. Friday, July 11

    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 USA: Governor Newsom restructures state government to combat homelessness, boost housing and affordability

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jul 11, 2025

    What you need to know: As part of California’s strategy to combat homelessness and expand housing, Governor Gavin Newsom is reorganizing state agencies to institutionalize housing, homelessness, and affordability as long-term priorities. The reorganization creates a new California Housing and Homelessness Agency and a separate Business and Consumer Services Agency to enhance focus and accountability across these critical areas.

    SACRAMENTO – Building on the Administration’s efforts to reverse decades of inaction on housing and homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the reorganization proposal went into effect last week, authorizing the state to move forward and create the California Housing and Homelessness Agency and the Business and Consumer Services Agency. As a result, the state will move forward with the formation of the two new agencies to institutionalize these policy priorities for years to come: The California Housing and Homelessness Agency (CHHA) focused on housing, homelessness, and civil rights, and the Business and Consumer Services Agency (BCSA) is dedicated to business regulation and consumer protection.  

    “Housing and homelessness are complex and multifaceted issues — deserving of full and prioritized attention — something we have established within this administration. I am grateful that the legislature recognized the need for a new standalone agency dedicated to addressing these vexing issues that continue to face our state and nation, so that these issues will never fall into the shadows again. We have a moral imperative to continue this work and to ensure every Californian has a safe place to call home.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Since taking office in 2019, Governor Newsom has created unprecedented policy and structural changes in state government to help California better address its housing and homelessness crises, including additional and unprecedented support for local governments, stronger accountability and enforcement, transformational changes to mental health services, and groundbreaking reforms — including a recently signed housing and infrastructure package that delivers foundational reforms to break down systemic barriers and help ensure California can meet the housing needs of current and future generations. These changes have helped connect hundreds of thousands of people at risk of or experiencing homelessness with vital supports.

    Today’s announcement continues the administration’s ongoing work to increase housing, reduce homelessness, and improve affordability. Establishing a standalone agency provides the alignment needed to speed up the construction and financing of housing under California’s affordable housing programs. This approach aims to reduce, prevent, and ultimately end homelessness, while safeguarding civil rights and reinforcing California’s leadership in consumer protections. The new structure will also create a new housing continuum system to better align housing programs and financing and provide a more streamlined process with an all-of-government approach.

    Creating long-term solutions

    By creating a dedicated housing agency and streamlining consumer oversight, the Newsom Administration is ensuring California remains focused on long-term, scalable solutions that serve current and future generations.

    “This bold plan shows we are being more aggressive in prioritizing change for the better,” said Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. “This will enable us to better reach our goal of 2.5 million new homes by 2030, with one million of them being affordable housing. I’m extremely pleased the Governor is cementing his legacy by taking the Administration’s accomplishments to the next level, providing the structure to make lasting and sustainable change.”

    The California Housing and Homelessness Agency (CHHA) will concentrate on coordinating efforts across government to tackle housing and homelessness challenges, as well as protecting Californians’ civil rights. In this all-of-government approach, CHHA will utilize resources and expertise within government to address these important issues. It includes the following departments:

    • The Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC)
    • Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) 
    • California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) 
    • California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
    • Civil Rights Department (CRD) 

    The Business and Consumer Services Agency (BCSA) will strengthen the state’s ability to protect consumers by providing focused leadership and oversight across a wide range of industries, such as occupational licensing, alcohol regulation, cannabis regulation, and financial protection, fostering a proactive approach to addressing emerging risks and needs. It includes the following departments:

    • Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) 
    • Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board (ABC AB) 
    • Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) 
    • Cannabis Control Appeals Panel (CCAP) 
    • California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) 
    • Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) 
    • Department of Real Estate (DRE) 
    • Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) 

    The new California Housing and Homelessness Agency and the Business Consumer Services Agency will become effective July 1, 2026, at which time the current Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency will be dissolved. 

    Reversing decades of inaction

    The Newsom administration is making significant progress in reversing decades of inaction on homelessness. Between 2014 and 2019—before Governor Newsom took office—unsheltered homelessness in California rose by approximately 37,000 people. Since then, under this Administration, California has significantly slowed that growth, even as many other states have seen worsening trends

    In 2024, while homelessness increased nationally by over 18%, California limited its overall increase to just 3%—a lower rate than in 40 other states. The state also held the growth of unsheltered homelessness to just 0.45%, compared to a national increase of nearly 7%. States like Florida, Texas, New York, and Illinois saw larger increases both in percentage and absolute numbers. California also achieved the nation’s largest reduction in veteran homelessness and made meaningful progress in reducing youth homelessness.

    Recent news

    Jul 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: To help mark Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the First Partner visits an apprenticeship program that is helping opportunity youth—including women of color—break into careers in Hollywood’s below-the-line workforce. LOS ANGELES—First Partner…

    Jul 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: In the second quarter of 2025, the state’s cross-agency enforcement efforts – including UCETF’s largest operation to date – resulted in the seizure of 185,873 pounds of illicit cannabis product valued at $476 million. Sacramento, California…

    Jul 10, 2025

    News What you need to know: New data shows California’s power grid has run on 100% clean energy for some part of the day nearly every day this year – thanks to the state’s commitment to investing in new resources. SACRAMENTO – More than 9 out of 10 days so far this…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Georgia: Jailing of teenage protester raises fair trial concerns  

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Reacting to the sentencing yesterday of 19-year-old protester Saba Jikia, to more than four years in prison for allegedly kicking a police officer during ongoing protests in Georgia, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said: 

    “Saba Jikia’s trial was marred by fair trial concerns and a failure to apply youth justice procedures, usually available under Georgian law for defendants aged 18 to 21. The evidence against him includes video footage challenged by his defence and conclusions by the prosecution’s expert whom his defence was unable to cross-examine.

    This selective approach to justice is of deep concern. Georgian authorities must immediately end this impunity and injustice

    “There is a wider pattern of protesters being dealt lengthy jail sentences following unfair trials. At the same time, Georgian authorities have proved unwilling to investigate grave violations by police, with no law enforcement officials held to account for widespread ill-treatment of protesters during arrest and allegations of torture in custody. This selective approach to justice is of deep concern. Georgian authorities must immediately end this impunity and injustice.” 

    Background 

    Saba Jikia was arrested on 5 December 2024, a week after mass pro-European protests broke out. He was prosecuted for allegedly kicking a fallen riot police officer. The officer in question – who had not been uniformed during the incident – testified in court saying he had not suffered any injuries.  

    Georgian youth justice legislation requires consideration of the least restrictive measures for defendants under 21 and of restorative justice alternatives. When applying youth justice procedures to defendants aged 18 to 21, deprivation of liberty is to be permissible only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest possible period. However, in spite of the wide application of the youth justice provisions in Georgia’s courts for 18 to 21 year olds, they were not applied in Saba Jikia’s case. Initially, he was remanded in detention in a swift hearing, similar to other remanded Georgian protesters, without due consideration of either the grounds for his pretrial detention or of alternative restraining measures. Following his trial, the judge imposed a prison sentence closer to the maximum penalty. 

    Amnesty International has reported extensively on human rights violations of anti-government protesters in Georgia, including denial of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, violence by pro-government groups or undercover police targeting opposition activists, and unfair trials. The organization has recently launched a global campaign to Demand accountability and justice for protesters in Georgia!  – Amnesty International   

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: ConocoPhillips’ Frederic Phipps Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 Amid Equatorial Guinea Expansion

    Source: APO

    Frederic Phipps, President: Equatorial Guinea at global exploration and production company ConocoPhillips, has joined the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference as a speaker. Taking place September 29 to October 3, 2025, in Cape Town, the event is the premier meeting place for the continent’s oil, gas and broader energy sectors. With various stages of oil and gas exploration, development and production activities in Equatorial Guinea, ConocoPhillips is an instrumental player in the country. As such, Phipps is well-positioned to discuss strategies for enhancing LNG production and exports at a time when Equatorial Guinea is consolidating its position as a major gas hub. 

    Aligned with a goal to expand its global portfolio, ConocoPhillips has committed to positioning itself as a key player in Equatorial Guinea’s gas market. The company transported its inaugural LNG cargo from the country in June 2025. The ConocoPhillips-marketed cargo was loaded from the country’s EG LNG terminal at the Punta Europa facility on June 9, forming part of the broader Gas Mega Hub initiative – which seeks to leverage existing infrastructure to create a regional gas industry. During AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025, Phipps is expected to share insights into ConocoPhillips’ strategy in Equatorial Guinea, from LNG production to exploration plans to future exports and investments.

    AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    ConocoPhillips plays an instrumental part in developing and producing oil and gas resources in Equatorial Guinea. The country operates in both the Alba and Block D production sharing contracts that form the Alba Unit, located offshore Equatorial Guinea. In 2024, the company further enhanced its presence in Equatorial Guinea with the acquisition of independent oil and gas company Marathon Oil. The acquisition – which saw Marathon Oil become a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips – adds to the company’s deep, durable and diverse portfolio. Marathon Oil supports the development of the country’s Gas Mega Hub, with a five-year agreement in place with natural resource company Glencore for its equity natural gas from the Alba field. The agreement optimizes gas operations by redirecting partial volumes from the methanol plant to the LNG facility. The first LNG cargo represents a key step forward in this agreement.

    ConocoPhillips operations in Equatorial Guinea form part of a global strategy which seeks to position the company as a key player in Africa’s energy landscape. Beyond West Africa, the company is strengthening its presence in North Africa, with key investments in Libya. As a long-term partner in the country, ConocoPhillips is targeting increased production through upgrades to existing facilities and investments in underdeveloped reserves. Currently, the company has been gradually increasing production at the Waha concession, which presently produces around 375,000 barrels per day (bpd). Targeting between 600,000 and 700,000 bpd, ConocoPhillips is leveraging collaborations, new workover programs and pipeline integrity to bolster output.

    As the company seeks to strengthen its footprint in North and West Africa, AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 offers a vital platform for enhanced collaboration and industry engagement. Uniting stakeholders from both the global and African energy landscapes, the event seeks to drive investment into African energy by providing a platform for engagement and dealmaking. Phipps’ participation underscores ConocoPhillips’ commitment to investing in oil and gas production in Africa and is poised to unlock new opportunities for industry growth in Africa.

    “ConocoPhillips continues to play a major role in increasing African oil and gas production. Through strategic investments in Libya and an expanded presence in Equatorial Guinea, the company is creating greater value from the continent’s oil and gas resources. Looking ahead, these investments are expected to fuel the next era of industry development as Africa seeks to make energy poverty history through accelerated hydrocarbon production,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Gabon’s Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 Amid Power Expansion

    Source: APO


    .

    Philippe Tonangoye, Minister of Universal Access to Water and Energy of Gabon, will participate at the African energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference – taking place September 29 to October 3, 2025. His participation comes as Gabon implements an aggressive strategy to enhance access to water and energy, with strategic investments and partnerships in infrastructure, power and local businesses. His insights will support future investments as project developers, financiers and global partners convene in Cape Town to discuss strategies for making energy poverty history.

    For Gabon, natural gas has emerged as a cornerstone of the country’s petroleum and power development. The country aims to utilize its offshore resources to drive economic growth, leveraging investments in gas-to-power and floating power generation solutions to enhance energy access country-wide. The country’s long-awaited Orinko gas-to-power plant is on track to start construction soon, with a Shareholders’ Agreement signed in May 2025 to advance the project. The project is expected to play a vital role in expanding Gabonese power access, as it will boost the country’s generation capacity by 50%. Developed by Orinko SPV – comprising the state-owned Gabon Power Company in partnership with Wärtsilä, Africa 50, FGIS and Melec PowerGen – the project will be constructed under a build-own-operate-transfer IPP model. Otinko will utilize offshore gas resources as feedstock to produce electricity, laying the foundation for greater generating capacity in Gabon. At present, gas power plants operated by independent oil and gas company Perenco account for 70% of the power in Libreville and 100% of the power in Port-Gentil. With the Orinko facility, Gabon will be well-positioned to significantly enhance access.

    Beyond natural gas, Gabon is spearheading a pipeline of renewable energy developments, seeking to enhance access to both grid-connected and off-grid power in pursuit of universal access by 2030. The Orinko milestone follows the start of operations at energy company Karpowership’s floating power plants in Gabon in February 2025. The plants provide electricity to the capital city of Libreville and other regions, thereby boosting the power grid while offering a clean source of power to underserves communities. Karpowership signed a contract in 2024 with Gabon to provide 250 MW of electricity to the country for a period of five years. The company has been supplying 25% of the country’s total electricity via two powership situated at different locations. These solutions represent a flexible and scalable option for Gabon as it strives to enhance access to electricity through modernized infrastructure solutions. Meanwhile, Gabon is investing in new hydropower projects. Currently approximately half of the power consumed in the country is derived from hydro, largely from the Grand Poubara Hydroelectric Dam (160 MW) and Kinguele Aval Hydroelectric Dam (70 MW). However, to achieve its energy goals, much more investment is needed across the power market.

    To further support project development, Gabon established a National Fund for Energy and Water (FNEE) in 2025, aimed at mobilizing capital for energy and water projects. The FNEE will address power outages by implementing short-term measures, driving key infrastructure investments and boosting regional energy cooperation. The fund also seeks to revive delayed power projects, including the 125 MW Owendo thermal power station – planned for 2027 -, the Ngoulmendjim and L’impératrice Eugénie hydroelectric plants. The fund falls under the country’s broader National Development Plan for Transition, with the three projects alone requiring an estimated $453 million to develop. This highlights a strategic opportunity for investors and projects developers seeking to make impactful investments in Africa.

    “Gabon’s strategy to achieve universal access to electricity is expected to unlock a wealth of economic and development opportunities for the country. By utilizing a variety of different power generation solutions – from gas-to-power to floating facilities to hydroelectric projects and renewables – the country is diversifying and strengthening its portfolio of power facilities. This approach not only creates greater opportunities for energy access but opens up the market to a variety of investors and project developers,” states Ore Onagbesan, Program Director, AEW: Invest in African Energies.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    About AEW: Invest in African Energies:
    AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit https://AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Announces Expedited Assistance for Vermont Farmers Impacted by Natural Disasters 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    BURLINGTON, VT – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced that Vermont farmers and producers affected by crop losses from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now submit applications for assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Disaster Relief Program. More than $16 billion in aid, made possible by the American Relief Act, 2025, will support farmers across the U.S., including in Vermont, who suffered agricultural and revenue losses due to natural disasters. This funding for farmers was a priority championed by Senator Welch. 
    Vermont producers impacted by natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can learn more about applying for USDA disaster relief payments here. 
    “After brutal flooding wreaked havoc across Vermont in 2023 and again in 2024, I promised our farmers the federal government would be there to help. This funding will provide more than $16 billion to producers across the country who were victim to natural disasters—including those hit hard by flooding in the Green Mountain State. I’ll keep working with USDA to get more disaster aid to Vermont’s impacted farms,” said Senator Welch. 
    This funding is currently only open to those who received assistance through crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance program in 2023 and 2024. Sign-ups are happening in-person at the county offices of the Farm Service Agency, and pre-filled applications were mailed out to eligible producers earlier this week. USDA will share additional information on how producers that suffered shallow or uncovered losses can apply for assistance later this year. 
    Further USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, Loan Assistance Tool, and the FarmRaise online FSA education hub. Payment details will be updated here weekly. For more information, Vermont farmers can contact their local USDA Service Center. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Democratic Republic of the Congo formally accepts WTO Agreements on Fisheries Subsidies, Trade Facilitation

    Source: World Trade Organization

    DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I am very grateful to the Democratic Republic of the Congo for joining so many other WTO members in taking this step to protect the global commons. We are now just seven ratifications away from the entry into force of this landmark Agreement to curb harmful fisheries subsidies and better preserve our oceans!” 

    Minister Kahongya said: “By ratifying the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reaffirms its commitment to the principles of multilateralism and to ensuring sustainable management of the world’s marine resources. The ratification reflects our country’s determination to contribute actively to preserving the environment, combating overfishing and promoting international trade based on equity, sustainability and solidarity. We also hope that the implementation of this crucial international legal instrument will allow the Democratic Republic of the Congo to participate more actively in world trade.”

    The Director-General also received from the Democratic Republic of Congo its acceptance of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).  Concluded in 2013, the TFA contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods which will enhance regional trade integration and connectivity.

    Formal acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are required for the Agreement to enter into force — representing 111 members. The list of the 104 WTO members which have deposited their instruments of acceptance with the WTO is available here.

    At the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva in June 2022, ministers adopted by consensus the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, setting new, binding, multilateral rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The Agreement prohibits subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, for fishing overfished stocks, and for fishing on the unregulated high seas.

    Ministers also recognized the needs of developing economies and least-developed countries by establishing a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to help governments that have formally accepted the Agreement to implement the new obligations.

    The Fish Fund launched a Call for Proposals on 6 June, inviting developing economies and LDCs that have ratified the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to submit requests for project grants aimed at helping them implement the Agreement. The WTO Fish Fund portal can be found here.

    WTO members also agreed at MC12 to continue negotiating on remaining fisheries subsidies issues. The objective is to find consensus on additional provisions to further strengthen the disciplines on fisheries subsidies.

    Information for members on how to accept the Protocol of Amendment is available here.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Public procurement as key tool to tackle health issues discussed at WHO-WIPO-WTO webinar

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Public procurement as key tool to tackle health issues discussed at WHO-WIPO-WTO webinar

    The event also presented procurement as a mechanism for fostering innovation, technology transfer and local manufacturing.
    Clive Ondari from the WHO Secretariat noted that in many countries, access to medical technologies is driven by public procurement as pharmaceuticals are often made available through public funding or subsidies.To ensure efficient procurement, systems must rely on quality medical products obtained in a timely manner in the required quantities and at affordable prices. These elements are particularly important in the health sector given the large expenditures, with some programmes paying considerably more than necessary for medicines.
    Amy Dietterich from the WIPO Secretariat emphasized the role of collaboration and tailored strategies to ensure procurement serves as an effective tool for innovation and access. Learning how governments develop laws and policies, how different initiatives determine strategies and priorities to support procurement practices, and how this tool benefits from an integrated view of public health, intellectual property (IP), and trade is important.
    Roger Kampf from the WTO Secretariat highlighted the importance of a cross-disciplinary approach, including IP, procurement and competition frameworks to effectively address global health challenges. He noted that beyond obtaining best value for money, sound procurement can foster technology transfer, boost local manufacturing capacities and strengthen research and development (R&D) capacities as well as supply chain resilience.
    The webinar featured presentations examining the health, IP and trade dimensions of public procurement alongside case studies from experts representing various regional and local mechanisms, who highlighted their respective approaches to public procurement.
    Lisa Hedman from the WHO Secretariat highlighted procurement as a lever in the context of the WHO Roadmap on Access to Medicines 2025 – 2030 to improve affordability, availability, accessibility and acceptability for health products and technologies.
    Giovanni Napolitano from the WIPO Secretariat explained the role of public procurement as a key driver of innovation in the healthcare area. IP may influence access, pricing and innovation by informing who holds rights to key technologies (patent landscapes), delimiting freedom to operate and avoiding IP infringement, encouraging voluntary licensing for broader access, and assessing the impact of data exclusivity on competition. Well-designed, pro-competitive tenders are essential for rewarding R&D, preventing monopolies and improving access. He emphasized the importance of IP due diligence early in procurement processes, building capacity for IP management within agencies and fostering public-private partnerships around IP.
    Astghik Solomonyan from the WTO Secretariat addressed the benefits of combining pooled public procurement with international trade. At the country level, pooled procurement with its implied larger orders and trade agreements (e.g. the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement 2012) with their market access and good governance guarantees can attract international suppliers offering competitive prices or superior quality. At the international level, recent experience has highlighted the importance of global supply chain resilience. Trade agreements provide international suppliers with the market access needed to establish additional production and distribution facilities while pooled procurement helps to generate the level of demand necessary to keep such facilities operational.
    Lucia Rizka Andalucia, Ministry of Health Indonesia representative, shared how the country has strategically positioned public procurement as a key instrument to drive national innovation and industrial development by boosting local production, ensuring market access for domestic products and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders.
    The representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Santiago Cornejo, explained the Revolving Fund mechanism, which enables countries across the Americas to access quality vaccines, essential medicines and health products, including diagnostics, using pooled procurement, which consolidates reliable and predictable demand from member states. He also mentioned the reorientation of the Fund in response to COVID-19 toward supporting innovation, technology transfer and local manufacturing.
    The EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) representative, Katarzyna Motyka, presented the EU joint procurement mechanism based on the lessons learned from COVID-19. She highlighted how the mechanism ensures equitable access to essential health products among member states, complements national initiatives and strengthens public procurement systems across Europe on a voluntary basis.
    The representative of the Gulf Health Council, Fathi Alkathiry, clarified how the Gulf Joint Procurement Program has, through the years, developed efficient decision-making processes for a multi-country pooled procurement tendering to facilitate the procurement of medicines and medical supplies. The Gulf Cooperation Council has also taken measures to promote local manufacturing, including the use of procurement to develop local industries. These efforts have contributed to regional growth in the industrial sector. In 2024, the Gulf region counted 74 pharmaceutical factories and 140 medical supply factories.
    Lastly, the representative from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Regional Economic Communities, Wesley Ronoh, shared Africa’s experience with public procurement, highlighting the role of the East African Community, Southern African Development Community, and Economic Community of West African States in fostering collaboration. He further noted that public procurement plays a critical role in national health strategies in Africa as an estimated 40% of health spending in many African countries occurs through it. The African Pooled Procurement Mechanism, established in 2024, was also presented.
    The video recording of the webinar is available here.
    Trilateral collaboration of WHO, WIPO and WTO
    The secretariats of the WHO, WIPO and the WTO organize capacity building and technical assistance activities on current issues to enhance the flow of updated and technical information related to innovation and access to health technologies. The objective of the Trilateral Cooperation workshops and webinars is to strengthen the capacity of law and policymakers and experts in member governments by facilitating access to expertise, data and evidence and deepen discussions of critical issues at the intersection of public health, IP and trade.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Members address trade concerns, current trade tensions at Goods Council meeting

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Trade concerns

    The CTG reviewed 36 trade concerns, with a new concern raised by Australia regarding India’s certification process for cotton bales (Quality Control Order) 2023. It also considered, under other business, a request by the Republic of Korea to discuss the United Kingdom’s safeguard measure on certain steel products.  

    Trade concerns previously raised in the CTG have covered a wide range of measures relating to trade in goods across the WTO membership, including non-tariff barriers, environmental policies, import taxes, import/export restrictions, national security measures, halal certification, subsidy schemes, export controls, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, discriminatory domestic taxes, administrative procedures and reciprocal tariffs.

    They have also encompassed a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, semi-conductors and semi-conductor-manufacturing equipment, shipbuilding and food products as well as specific products, such as critical minerals, electric vehicles, electric batteries, liquors, air conditioners, apples and pears, cheese, pulses, cosmetics and tyres.

    Current trade tensions

    The United States made a statement in response to the notifications by the European Union, India, Japan and the United Kingdom proposing to suspend concessions under Article 8.2 of the WTO’s Agreement on Safeguards in response to US tariff measures (G/C/W/863, G/C/W/864, G/C/W/865, G/C/W/866).

    The United States said the tariffs imposed by President Trump were taken under Section 232, a national security statute, and the US was maintaining these actions pursuant to the essential security exception in Article XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994. As these actions are not safeguard measures, the US said, the suspension of concessions under the Agreement on Safeguards was not applicable.

    The EU, India, Japan and the United Kingdom took the floor to explain that they considered the characteristics of the measures as those of safeguards and thus had reserved their rights to suspend concessions under the Safeguards Agreement, without prejudice to ongoing negotiations.

    Canada, the European Union and Norway made statements regarding the fragmentation of global trade through tariffs and the resulting global costs. They said the recent tariffs announced or implemented by the United States continued to severely disrupt global trade and undermine predictability in the international trading system, with rising economic costs across the globe for consumers and companies. They also voiced their support for the multilateral trading system, with the WTO at its core, but also recognized the need for reform of the organization and its rules to reflect today’s economic realities.

    Thirteen other WTO members took the floor to comment on the item, including the United States, which considered that the trading system had been unable to address trade imbalances and non-market policies and practices.  The US called for WTO reform, based on fairness and reciprocity.

    Improving the functioning of the Council for Trade in Goods

    The Chair of the CTG, Ambassador Gustavo Nerio Lunazzi (Argentina), reported on his consultations with members on improving the functioning of the CTG. Recommendations from members included enhancing the value of trade concerns discussions by focusing on their political aspects, avoiding repetition on technical issues raised at subsidiary bodies, and encouraging bilateral engagement. Members also proposed improving transparency through better use of digital tools, more effective notification processes and regular reporting on thematic sessions.

    The Chair recommended continuing discussions in an informal meeting in September to further explore these ideas and foster inclusive, member-driven engagement. Ten members made statements under this agenda item, supporting the Chair’s report and suggestions.

    Following on from discussions that took place earlier in the year, the CTG adopted a decision on the recording of the resolution of trade concerns, which takes into account the practices of the WTO’s Committees on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Three members took the floor to express their support for the draft as a positive symbol and move towards the Council’s further efficiency. 

    Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act

    Members considered a request from the United States for a waiver from WTO rules for trade preferences provided under the Caribbean Basin Recovery Act.  The United States noted the waiver is similar to the one the CTG approved in 2019, except for programmes related to Haiti that have yet to receive the necessary legislative re-authorization. The initiative creates opportunities to expand trade between the United States and the Caribbean, thus promoting economic opportunity and growth in the region, the US added.

    Several Caribbean members took the floor, encouraging members to favourably consider the request.  The CTG agreed to forward the draft decision to the General Council so it can be considered at its upcoming meeting.

    Next meeting

    The next formal meeting of the Council for Trade in Goods will take place on 27-28 November, and the next informal meeting is scheduled for 24 September.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Geothermal Radar Releases Global Interactive Maps and Model

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TULSA, Okla., July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Geothermal Radar, an early-stage startup that expedites the development of geothermal energy, today announced an exclusive global thermal model that enables users to exploit geothermal gradients across areas of interest. The global model pinpoints existing geothermal project locations to reveal the vast untapped potential for the clean, abundant, and reliable energy the energy source offers globally. Geothermal Radar is part of the EIC Rose Rock platform.

    “The next energy revolution isn’t in the air or on the water; it’s underfoot. We’re excited to make geothermal energy more accessible,” said Philip J. Ball, Co-Founder and Partner at Geothermal Radar. “Our aggressive development plan allows us to continuously iterate Geothermal Radar’s capabilities to align with the evolving needs of all geothermal project stakeholders.”

    Geothermal Radar’s platform empowers governments to build national geothermal strategies, providing a reliable standard for awarding new geothermal licensing rounds. It also offers a single platform that energy companies, geothermal developers, and industrial partners can use to decarbonize facilities and buildings including data centers and oil and gas production facilities as well as LNG, ammonia, hydrogen, coal, steel, cement and carbon capture operations. It’s the only platform that supports the exploration of economic decarbonization on a global scale.

    Geothermal Radar features over 40 geospatial models to guide the presented geothermal maps and gradients. It supports engineered “closed loop” geothermal (CLG), engineered “open loop” (EGS), natural hydrothermal systems (NHS) and superhot rock (SHR) geothermal projects with temperatures starting at 374 degrees Celsius.

    Users can leverage the thermal meta-model aggregating information from all integrated isotherm models and data, and use Geothermal Radar’s global lithostatic pressure module to further rank locations. Geothermal Radar’s global thermal and pressure model connects to a techno-economic engine that allows users to assess and compare engineered open loop (FERVO-style) and closed loop (EAVOR-style) projects over the lifetime of a proposed project.

    The platform’s freeware offers a low-resolution global model while high-resolution models, maps, and region-specific data from wells to stacked financial and regulatory incentives are available in premium and enterprise versions. Additionally, the enterprise option allows workflow customization, proprietary data integration and the ability to be installed behind firewalls for ultimate data security.

    For more information, visit www.geothermalradar.com.

    About Geothermal Radar

    Tulsa-based Geothermal Radar offers the first B2B SaaS end-to-end geothermal modelling platform. It connects subsurface and industry data with interactive modelling and simulation. Geothermal Radar offers seamless, comprehensive functionality for all stakeholders — geothermal operators, oil and gas companies, investors and public authorities. It enables real-time simulation, prospecting, valuation, feasibility and reserves assessment.  The platform is provided free of charge to non-profit, academic and selected public organizations.

    For more information, visit www.geothermalradar.com.

    About EIC Rose Rock

    EIC Rose Rock is a unique long-term partnership between George Kaiser Family Foundation’s tech-focused development arm, multiple Fortune 500 energy leaders, and the premier venture capital fund, Energy Innovation Capital (EIC). EIC Rose Rock provides early-stage funding for visionary entrepreneurs developing energy technologies that advance energy diversification, improve sustainability and enhance the operational efficiency of existing oil and gas assets. To learn more, visit www.eicroserock.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Geothermal Radar Releases Global Interactive Maps and Model

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TULSA, Okla., July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Geothermal Radar, an early-stage startup that expedites the development of geothermal energy, today announced an exclusive global thermal model that enables users to exploit geothermal gradients across areas of interest. The global model pinpoints existing geothermal project locations to reveal the vast untapped potential for the clean, abundant, and reliable energy the energy source offers globally. Geothermal Radar is part of the EIC Rose Rock platform.

    “The next energy revolution isn’t in the air or on the water; it’s underfoot. We’re excited to make geothermal energy more accessible,” said Philip J. Ball, Co-Founder and Partner at Geothermal Radar. “Our aggressive development plan allows us to continuously iterate Geothermal Radar’s capabilities to align with the evolving needs of all geothermal project stakeholders.”

    Geothermal Radar’s platform empowers governments to build national geothermal strategies, providing a reliable standard for awarding new geothermal licensing rounds. It also offers a single platform that energy companies, geothermal developers, and industrial partners can use to decarbonize facilities and buildings including data centers and oil and gas production facilities as well as LNG, ammonia, hydrogen, coal, steel, cement and carbon capture operations. It’s the only platform that supports the exploration of economic decarbonization on a global scale.

    Geothermal Radar features over 40 geospatial models to guide the presented geothermal maps and gradients. It supports engineered “closed loop” geothermal (CLG), engineered “open loop” (EGS), natural hydrothermal systems (NHS) and superhot rock (SHR) geothermal projects with temperatures starting at 374 degrees Celsius.

    Users can leverage the thermal meta-model aggregating information from all integrated isotherm models and data, and use Geothermal Radar’s global lithostatic pressure module to further rank locations. Geothermal Radar’s global thermal and pressure model connects to a techno-economic engine that allows users to assess and compare engineered open loop (FERVO-style) and closed loop (EAVOR-style) projects over the lifetime of a proposed project.

    The platform’s freeware offers a low-resolution global model while high-resolution models, maps, and region-specific data from wells to stacked financial and regulatory incentives are available in premium and enterprise versions. Additionally, the enterprise option allows workflow customization, proprietary data integration and the ability to be installed behind firewalls for ultimate data security.

    For more information, visit www.geothermalradar.com.

    About Geothermal Radar

    Tulsa-based Geothermal Radar offers the first B2B SaaS end-to-end geothermal modelling platform. It connects subsurface and industry data with interactive modelling and simulation. Geothermal Radar offers seamless, comprehensive functionality for all stakeholders — geothermal operators, oil and gas companies, investors and public authorities. It enables real-time simulation, prospecting, valuation, feasibility and reserves assessment.  The platform is provided free of charge to non-profit, academic and selected public organizations.

    For more information, visit www.geothermalradar.com.

    About EIC Rose Rock

    EIC Rose Rock is a unique long-term partnership between George Kaiser Family Foundation’s tech-focused development arm, multiple Fortune 500 energy leaders, and the premier venture capital fund, Energy Innovation Capital (EIC). EIC Rose Rock provides early-stage funding for visionary entrepreneurs developing energy technologies that advance energy diversification, improve sustainability and enhance the operational efficiency of existing oil and gas assets. To learn more, visit www.eicroserock.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA to Provide Coverage of Axiom Mission 4 Departure from Station

    Source: NASA

    NASA will provide live coverage of the undocking and departure of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission from the International Space Station.
    The four-member astronaut crew is scheduled to undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT Monday, July 14, pending weather, to begin their return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.
    Coverage of departure operations will begin with hatch closing at 4:30 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary, will have spent about two weeks in space at the conclusion of their mission.
    The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.
    NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
    Monday, July 14
    4:30 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+.
    4:55 a.m. – Crew enters spacecraft followed by hatch closing.
    6:45 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels.
    7:05 a.m. – Undocking
    NASA’s coverage ends approximately 30 minutes after undocking when space station joint operations with Axiom Space and SpaceX conclude. Axiom Space will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown on the company’s website.
    A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.
    The private mission also carried the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.
    The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
    Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space
    -end-
    Claire O’SheaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
    Anna SchneiderJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Members Schatz and Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Prevent Lifesaving U.S. Aid from Going to Waste

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Foreign Operation Appropriations, introduced the “Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act,” legislation to prevent the unnecessary destruction and waste of foreign assistance commodities—including food, medicine and medical devices—by ensuring that they are delivered to intended recipients before they spoil or expire. The bill would prohibit the destruction of any such commodities unless all efforts to sell or donate them have been exhausted and requires reporting to Congress on any destroyed goods. 
    Specifically, the “Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act” seeks to prevent the State Department’s planned destruction of $9.7 million in family planning commodities instead of donating them to intended beneficiaries. It would also impose requirements to prevent the imminent spoilage of emergency food commodities in warehouses, including a USAID warehouse in Houston, Texas. 
    “This bill will save lives and prevent the wasting of taxpayer dollars by ensuring that already paid-for life-saving commodities, like food and medicine, are delivered to people in need instead of being pointlessly trashed,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “At a moment when the Trump Administration has made devastating cuts to foreign assistance it is disappointing that the State Department would sign off on spending money to actually destroy paid-for commodities that would save lives and are waiting to be deployed. Food and family planning commodities are desperately needed in conflict affected countries, like Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo where famine is taking hold. Women are at high risk for sexual violence in conflict settings. This is sadly yet another example of how Elon Musk and the DOGE boys have simultaneously managed to cost lives and undercut America’s influence abroad without saving the taxpayer a single cent.” 
    “Intentionally destroying health care products or letting food and medication that the United States government has already paid for as part of our foreign assistance efforts rot and expire in warehouses is absurd. It’s a total waste of taxpayer dollars and is needlessly costing lives around the world,” said Ranking Member Schatz. “Our bill requires the administration to follow common-sense and distribute foreign assistance commodities before they expire.” 
    Last week, Ranking Member Shaheen sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to reverse the State Department’s decision to destroy more than $9 million dollars in family planning commodities intended to support women in crisis settings globally. U.S. family planning assistance reaches 47.6 million women and couples every year, preventing 8.1 million unintended pregnancies, 5.2 million unsafe abortions and 34,000 maternal deaths. 
    Full text of the bill can be found HERE. 
    The “Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act” would:  
    Require that foreign assistance commodities, including food, medicine, and medical devices be made available to intended beneficiaries before the commodities spoil or expire.   
    Prevent the destruction of any commodity procured or held by the United States unless every effort has been made to sell or donate the commodity before the applicable spoilage or expiration date.   
    Require reporting to Congress on any destroyed commodities, including the market value of any product or commodity destroyed; and the cost incurred to destroy the commodity. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on combating the establishment of transnational Islamist networks in Europe – B10-0279/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    12.6.2025 

    pursuant to Rule 149 of the Rules of Procedure

    Jordan Bardella, Jean Paul Garraud, Afroditi Latinopoulou, Aleksandar Nikolic, Alexandre Varaut, András Gyürk, András László, Angéline Furet, Anna Bryłka, Anna Maria Cisint, Anne Sophie Frigout, António Tânger Corrêa, Barbara Bonte, Catherine Griset, Christophe Bay, Csaba Dömötör, Enikő Győri, Ernő Schaller Baross, Fabrice Leggeri, Filip Turek, Gerald Hauser, Gerolf Annemans, Gilles Pennelle, György Hölvényi, Hermann Tertsch, Isabella Tovaglieri, Jaroslava Pokorná Jermanová, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Jorge Martín Frías, Julie Rechagneux, Julien Leonardelli, Julien Sanchez, Kinga Gál, Marie Dauchy, Marieke Ehlers, Marie Luce Brasier Clain, Mathilde Androuët, Matthieu Valet, Mélanie Disdier, Mireia Borrás Pabón, Nikola Bartůšek, Ondřej Knotek, Pál Szekeres, Paolo Borchia, Pascale Piera, Philippe Olivier, Pierre Pimpie, Pierre Romain Thionnet, Roberto Vannacci, Rody Tolassy, Roman Haider, Séverine Werbrouck, Silvia Sardone, Susanna Ceccardi, Thierry Mariani, Tiago Moreira de Sá, Valérie Deloge, Viktória Ferenc, Vilis Krištopans, Virginie Joron, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión

    B10‑0279/2025

    Motion for a European Parliament resolution on combating the establishment of transnational Islamist networks in Europe

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the information available on the pan-European structure of the Muslim Brotherhood,

    – having regard to Rule 149 of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas the Muslim Brotherhood has set up an associative, educational and religious network to promote political Islam in Europe;

    B. whereas this organisation uses EU instruments to establish its influence in certain territories and in various local institutions;

    C. whereas several Member States have identified risks of radicalisation linked to these networks;

    D. whereas there is evidence that certain structures close to this movement benefit from public or EU subsidies, with no checks on how these funds are used;

    1. Calls on the Commission to draw up an action plan to combat Islamist infiltration into Europe;

    2. Calls for increased cooperation and exchange of information between Member States on Islamist networks;

    3. Demands that all EU funding for structures close to the Muslim Brotherhood be cut;

    4. Calls for EU funds to only be granted on condition of respect for the principles of neutrality, transparency and religious non-interference;

    5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –