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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Israel and the OPTs: Minister for the Middle East Statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Written statement to Parliament

    Israel and the OPTs: Minister for the Middle East Statement

    Minister for the Middle East statement to Parliament on UK sanctions on Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich

    With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    The two-state solution is in peril.

    Catastrophic conflict in Gaza…

    and a shocking deterioration in the West Bank.

    This is an affront to the rights of Palestinians…

    but is also against the interests of Israelis…

    against their long-term security and their democracy.

    Today, I will update the House on new actions we are taking…

    to uphold human rights…

    and defend the vision and viability of two sides living side-by-side in peace.  

    Mr Speaker, 2024 saw the worst settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank in the last two decades.

    2025 is on track to be just as violent.

    Between 1996 and 2023, an average of seven illegal settler outposts were established annually.

    In 2024, settlers erected 59.

    These outposts are illegal under both Israeli and international law.

    Two weeks ago, the Israeli government itself announced 22 new settlements in the West Bank.

    Every outpost…

    every building the settlers erect…

    is a flagrant breach of international law…

    and disregards the views of Israel’s partners.

    There are now in excess of five hundred thousand settlers living in the West Bank…

    and over 100,000 in East Jerusalem…

    the territory that must form the heart of a sovereign, viable and free Palestine.

    Mr Speaker, the sharp growth in settlements alone is dangerous enough.

    But it has been accompanied by a steep rise in settler violence and extremist rhetoric.

    Itamar Ben-Gvir has led seven provocative intrusions into Haram Al Sharif/Temple Mount since 2022.

    In 2023, settlers rampaged through the village of Huwara…

    in what Israel’s own West Bank military commander described as a “pogrom done by outlaws”.

    Last month, the villagers of Mughayyir ad-Deir fled their homes in fear after the construction of an illegal outpost 100m away.

    This month, settlers attacked the town of Deir Dibwan…

    setting fire to houses and injuring residents.

    This violence and rhetoric is deeply concerning.

    An assault not just on Palestinian communities…

    but on the very fundamentals of a two-state solution.

    An attempt to entrench a one-state reality, where there are no equal rights.

    The two-state solution remains the only viable framework for a just and lasting peace…

    I know it is supported on every side of this House.

    Israelis living in secure borders…

    recognised and at peace with their neighbours…

    free from the threat of terrorism.

    Palestinians living in their own state…

    with dignity and security…

    free of occupation.

    Mr Speaker, we are steadfastly committed to defending that vision…

    not just with words, but with action.

    That is why we have pledged £101m in additional support to the Palestinian people this year.

    Why we are working to strengthen and reform the Palestinian Authority…

    Why My Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary signed a landmark agreement with Prime Minister Mustafa…

    and why my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister welcomed him to Downing Street.

    Why we are clear that Hamas must release the hostages immediately and unconditionally, and that Hamas can have no role in Palestinian governance.

    Why we are committed to working with civil society – Israeli and Palestinian – to support those who believe in peace and coexistence.

    However, Mr Speaker, the gravity of the situation demands further action.

    The reality is that these human rights abuses…

    incitement to violence…

    the extremist rhetoric…

    comes not just from an uncontrolled fringe…

    but from individuals who are Ministers in this Israeli government.

    We have to hold them to account and protect the viability of the two-state solution.

    And so today, we are sanctioning Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir…

    acting alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway…

    who have also announced their own measures today.

    These two men are responsible for inciting settler violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank…

    violence which has led to the deaths of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of whole towns and villages.

    This violence constitutes an abuse of Palestinians human rights.

    It is cruel and degrading…

    and completely unacceptable.

    We have told the Israeli Government repeatedly that we would take tougher action if this did not stop.

    It still didn’t.

    The appalling rhetoric has continued unchecked.

    Violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity.

    So let me tell the House now…

    when we say something, we mean it.

    Today, with our partners…

    we have shown the extremists we will not sit by while they wreck the prospects of future peace.

    Mr Speaker, our actions today do not diminish our support for the security of Israel and the Israeli people.

    The agendas of these two men are not even supported by the majority of Israelis…

    Israelis recognise that these individuals are not working in their interest.

    As the Foreign Secretary said to this House last month…

    we want a strong friendship with Israel based on shared values and our many close ties.

    Our condemnation of Hamas, a proscribed organisation…

    and the appalling attacks of October 7th is unequivocal.  

    Our commitment to Israel’s security and future is unwavering.

    We will continue to press for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza…

    the release of the hostages still held so cruelly by Hamas…

    a ramping up of aid to those Gazans in desperate need.

    The repeated threats by Hamas to the lives of the hostages are grotesque…

    and prolongs the agony of their families and loved ones.

    Hamas should release all the hostages immediately and unconditionally.

    Mr Speaker, the situation in the West Bank cannot be seen in isolation from events in Gaza.

    Extremist rhetoric advocating forced displacement of Palestinians…

    denial of essential aid…

    the creation of new Israeli settlements in the Strip…

    is equally appalling and dangerous.

    This Government will never accept the unlawful transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza…

    nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip.

    The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic.

    While Israel’s ground and air operations expand, Gazans have been pushed into less than 20% of the territory.

    Hospitals have been destroyed and damaged.

    Gaza’s entire population is at risk of famine.

    Meanwhile, Israel’s newly introduced measures for aid delivery endanger civilians and foster desperation.

    They are inhumane.

    The Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah reported last week that it has responded to an unprecedented five mass casualty incidents in the two weeks prior…

    in each case, Palestinians have been killed or injured trying to access aid sites in Gaza.

    Desperate civilians who have endured twenty months of war should never face the risk of death or injury simply to feed themselves and their families.

    We need further action from the Israeli government now…

    to lift all restrictions on aid…

    to enable the UN and aid partners to do their work…

    and to ensure food and other critical supplies can reach people safely wherever they are.

    We will continue to support the UN and other trusted NGOs as the most effective and principled partners for aid delivery.

    Our support has meant over 465,000 people have received essential healthcare…

    640,000 have received food…

    and 275,000 people have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

    We support the efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

    And we welcome France and Saudi Arabia’s initiative to chair an international conference later this month to advance a two-state solution.

    Mr Speaker, it is a two-state solution that is the only way to bring the long-lasting peace that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve.

    But it must not remain an empty slogan…

    repeated by generations of diplomats and politicians…

    but increasingly divorced from the reality on the ground.

    Mr Smotrich said there is no such thing as a Palestinian nation.

    Mr Ben Gvir has spoken of his rights in the West Bank…

    a territory his government is occupying…

    as more important than the rights of millions of Palestinians.

    Their own words condemn them, Mr Speaker.

    To defend those Palestinians’ rights…

    to protect the two-state solution…

    to see Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in safety and security…

    this Government is taking action.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand Veterinary Association Award Evening

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good evening,
    It’s a real privilege to be here with you tonight, among people who play such a vital role in the wellbeing of our animals, our communities, and our economy.

    Veterinarians are essential to New Zealand. Upholding our global reputation for world-leading animal welfare standards, something we are known for and proud of.
    Let’s not forget, we are a country with one of the highest rates of companion animal ownership in the world, and large parts of our economy rely on production animals.

    Our food and fibre sector is the backbone of this country, making up 10% of our GDP and supporting around 360,000 jobs. In the year to April 2025, dairy exports brought in $26.8 billion, and meat exports $9.7 billion. None of this would be possible without the work of our veterinarians.

    You are essential to the success of our animal-based industries. You’re not just treating animals; you’re enabling our trade, our economy, and our reputation.

    You make market access possible, protect the health and welfare status of our animals, and serve as trusted advisors on farms—the first line of defence in our surveillance programmes. Those of you working at MPI ensure our compliance with international standards, manage disease control and quarantine, and give markets confidence in our systems.

    Take our biosecurity system, one of the best in the world. This system, which helps us detect threats like Mycoplasma bovis early, relies on your vigilance, expertise, and commitment. Without vets, we don’t maintain those crucial disease-free statuses, and without those, we don’t trade. It’s that simple.

    Looking ahead, climate change and sustainability are rising priorities, not just here but for our trading partners too. Veterinarians, with your deep understanding of the interconnectedness of animals, humans, and the environment, are uniquely placed to be a part of this conversation, and I believe your insights are key.

    As a government, we absolutely recognise your value. That’s why, back in 2009, we established the Veterinary Bonding Scheme. Since then, it has helped 483 graduate vets into rural practice, where they are most needed. Each year, over 30 new graduates join the scheme, and in 2024, we saw the highest intake yet: 35.

    We’re continuing to listen to the profession to hear what you need. Just this April, I announced a change to the regulations allowing trained non-veterinarians, under a vet’s authorisation, to perform subgingival dental procedures on cats and dogs.

    As a farmer, I know how stretched vets are, and I also know how skilled our veterinary nurses are. This change gives them the legal protection to put those skills to use, meaning better dental care for our pets, allowing vets to focus on more complex cases, and overall, providing better service for pet owners.
    I want to sincerely thank the New Zealand Veterinary Association, particularly the Companion Animal Veterinarians Branch, for your work with MPI to develop this regulation. Your advocacy and collaboration, alongside other industry voices, have made a real difference.
    Thank you for everything you do to keep our animals well, safeguard our biosecurity, and protect our food safety systems.
    And finally, a massive congratulations to the eight award winners we’re celebrating tonight. Your excellence lifts the whole profession. And as I know a few of you I am looking forward to congratulating you in person.
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Talking to Canadians: How real-world insights shape monetary policy

    Source: Bank of Canada

    Surveying Canadians

    Now on to another important tool: surveys.

    Like other central banks, the Bank conducts a number of surveys with the financial sector. The results provide us with information on important issues like lending conditions as well as the demand for and supply of credit. We also gain important insights on risks and resiliency in the financial system. And we talk to financial market professionals to hear their views on where the economy and inflation are headed.

    But today, in talking about surveys, I want to focus more on how our regional offices inform our monetary policy deliberations by reaching out to households and businesses.

    Since the late 1990s, the Bank has been expanding its reach into the diverse regions that make up this great country. This work has included opening regional offices, and surveying businesses and consumers about their economic views. Our regional staff are well positioned to strengthen our ties with key local stakeholders such as industry, government, educational institutions and community organizations.

    Currently, the Bank’s regional offices conduct three key macroeconomic surveys: the Business Outlook Survey, the Business Leaders’ Pulse and the Canadian Survey of Consumer Expectations., , 

    I’ll go over each one in greater detail in a moment. But overall, surveys like these accomplish three main goals.

    First, they help inform our outlooks for the economy and inflation. We hear from individuals and businesses about how they’re feeling—a measure of their current levels of confidence. We also ask what they expect to happen to prices and their own spending in the future.

    This gives the Bank forward-looking views on economic activity, demand, capacity pressures and inflation. That makes surveys particularly helpful in providing early indications of how the economy is reacting during times of great uncertainty, like the current trade conflict.

    Surveys also shine a light on trends that may be simmering beneath the surface. They help us understand behavioural changes that don’t always show up in aggregated data reports—at least not immediately.

    Finally, these surveys help us gather a wide range of views on how current economic conditions are playing out in communities across Canada.

    Our national economy is made up of diverse regional economies. Economic conditions may differ across regions, and regions may respond differently to broad-based upswings and downturns. Survey data give us a clearer view of the differences in how households and businesses are experiencing the economy.

    Let me now turn to each of the surveys.

    The Business Outlook Survey—or BOS for short—is a quarterly survey of businesses across the country. It has existed since 1997, which provides us a rich, long dataset for comparisons.

    Staff in our regional offices meet with local business leaders to discuss their views on the economy. We ask about their expectations for sales and demand, as well as their investment intentions. We probe their views about labour shortages, as well as hiring and wages. And we ask for their outlooks on costs and pricing, as well as economy-wide inflation. This gives us a broad range of perspectives about how businesses view the economy.

    For example, the results of the BOS for the fourth quarter of 2021 helped us better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting firms. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, we saw that businesses were planning to pass along cost increases stemming from supply chain pressures. They had concluded that customers understood these pressures and were willing to accept price increases.

    More recently, firms told us that uncertainty about tariffs has been affecting them in multiple ways. These impacts include weaker demand from their business customers that would be directly affected by tariffs.

    Now on to the Business Leaders’ Pulse, or BLP for short. This is our newest survey, created in 2021. It’s a short monthly online questionnaire to assess firms’ expectations for growth in sales and employment. It also asks about perceived risks to their business outlook, and poses other topical questions.

    The BLP provides a flexible and nimble pulse of evolving situations. It complements the BOS with timely feedback from firms about the effects of rapid changes in the economy.

    And the BLP has been very helpful in monitoring effects from the situation south of the border. For example, businesses were reporting an increase in both uncertainty and inflation expectations as early as November 2024. In December, we also began noting a decline in business sentiment—even before the new US administration was sworn in.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Advances Ranching, Grasslands Priorities with USDA Under Secretary Nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    06.06.25
    Senator Urges Nominee to Ensure USFS Works with North Dakota Ranchers on Grazing Access, Wildfire Management & Pest Control
    WASHINGTON – At a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee this week, Senator John Hoeven advanced key priorities for North Dakota ranchers with Michael Boren, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment. In this role, Boren will oversee the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), which includes the national grasslands in North Dakota. Accordingly, Hoeven urged Boren to work with him on:
    Ensuring access to USFS lands for multiple use, including grazing and energy production.
    Hoeven stressed to Boren that section line rights-of-way are critical for enabling ranchers to access their cattle in the Little Missouri National Grasslands.

    Coordinating with local ranchers and rural fire departments on wildfire management, including protecting against impacts from controlled burns on federal lands.
    Better management of pests on USFS lands, such as prairie dogs and noxious weeds.
    Hoeven and Boren discussed the need for adequate buffers on federal lands to help prevent damage to private and state-held lands.
    Hoeven previously worked with USFS Deputy Chief Chris French on efforts to address noxious weeds on the Dakota Prairie Grasslands and urged Boren to maintain these efforts.

    “North Dakota is home to the largest national grasslands in the country, with the USFS managing more than a million acres of land in our state. That creates real challenges that require the federal government to work cooperatively with our local stakeholders, including our ag and energy producers,” said Hoeven. “In both the committee hearing and my meeting with Michael Boren, we drove home the importance of ensuring access to the grasslands for our grazers. Fair grazing agreements are essential, as is access through section lines to ensure ranchers can actually get to their cattle. At the same time, we’ve seen poor land management on federal acreage impacting private and state lands through the spread of noxious weeds, uncontrolled prairie dog colonies and wildfires. I appreciate Mr. Boren’s commitment to work with us on these critical issues.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China to Build National Heritage Route Along Ancient Silk Road

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    LANZHOU, June 10 (Xinhua) — China plans to build its first national heritage route along the historically significant Hexi Corridor in northwest China within the next 10 years, part of its goal to strengthen the protection, preservation and utilization of cultural and natural heritage.

    The plan was announced on Tuesday at a press conference by the people’s government of Gansu Province in northwest China.

    According to He Xiaozu, head of the provincial department of culture and tourism, a series of projects will be implemented in Gansu focusing on heritage protection and utilization, infrastructure construction, tourism facility distribution, and international exchanges and cooperation. They will cover a total of 52 representative cultural and natural heritage sites and 20 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects along the Hexi Corridor, he said.

    The total investment to support the implementation of 120 specific tasks related to the construction of the route will amount to 610 million yuan (US$84.9 million), He Xiaozu said.

    For many years, China has carried out large-scale work to preserve and rationally utilize the cultural heritage in the Hexi Corridor. Thus, the Chinese government has invested a total of 540 million yuan in preserving the cultural heritage of the relevant section of the Great Wall of China and has facilitated the implementation of more than 110 protection and restoration projects.

    The Hexi Corridor, part of the ancient Silk Road and stretching for nearly 1,000 km across Gansu Province, is home to five UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 53 grottoes.

    “The national heritage route will be built in strict accordance with the principle of minimal interference and will become an important platform for China to share cultural achievements with the rest of the world and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations,” said Qiu Jian, head of the Gansu Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: World Bank cuts global growth forecast due to trade barriers and political uncertainty

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    NEW YORK, June 10 (Xinhua) — The World Bank on Tuesday cut its global economic growth forecast, citing rising trade tensions and political uncertainty.

    The economic turmoil has led to lower growth forecasts for nearly 70 percent of economies across all regions and income groups, according to the bank’s latest semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report, released on Tuesday.

    The report cut its global economic growth forecast for 2025 to 2.3 percent from 2.7 percent projected in January, and its growth forecast for 2026 to 2.4 percent from 2.7 percent.

    Advanced economies are expected to grow by 1.2 percent in 2025, down from the previously forecast 1.7 percent, while emerging market and developing economies have seen their growth forecast cut by 0.3 percentage points to 3.8 percent.

    In particular, in 2025, US GDP is expected to grow by 1.4 percent, which is 0.9 percentage points less than the previous forecast and only half of the 2.8 percent growth recorded in 2024.

    Growth in the eurozone and Japan is expected to be 0.7 percent this year, down 0.3 and 0.5 percentage points respectively from previous estimates, while China’s growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026 remain unchanged.

    The report notes that the global economy is once again facing turbulence, although just six months ago it seemed that it was entering a “soft landing” trajectory.

    “Without a rapid course correction, the damage to living standards could be profound,” the report’s authors warn.

    “Outside Asia, the developing world is becoming a development-free zone,” said Indermit Gill, chief economist and senior vice president for development economics at the World Bank Group. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amodei, Goldman Issue Joint Statement in Support of Public Broadcasting

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, the Co-Chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02) and Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10), issued a joint statement urging the Trump Administration to reconsider rescissions in funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  

    “From coast to coast, Americans rely on public broadcasting for lifesaving emergency alerts, trusted news, and coverage on key issues that connects communities across our nation.  

    “We see firsthand the valuable role public media plays across our districts, particularly in rural areas where, in many cases, it is the only available and reliable media service available. Of the 544 radio and television stations that receive federal funding, 245 serve rural communities and collectively support more than 5,950 local jobs. Rural broadcasters face significant challenges in raising private funds, making them particularly vulnerable if government funding is cut.   

    “Our local stations are dedicated to serving their communities, but their ability to continue offering free, high-quality programming would be eliminated if the federal funding is rescinded. Rescinding this funding also would isolate rural communities, jeopardizing their access to vital resources they depend on.  

    “Furthermore, public broadcasting represents less than 0.01% of the federal budget, yet its impact reaches every congressional district. Cutting this funding will not meaningfully reduce the deficit, but it will dismantle a trusted source of information for millions of Americans.    

    “Public media has demonstrated a willingness to listen to the American public and adapt. While we reaffirm that public media must be objective and legitimate concerns about content should be addressed, funding decisions should be objective as well.   

    “As Co-Chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, we feel it is our responsibility to protect the lifeline public media plays in the day-to-day lives of our constituents. Above all, we seek to preserve non-commercial, community-rooted content that informs, protects, and connects all Americans, regardless of zip code or political affiliation.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nobody beats Alberta drilling

    Alberta is home to the best drilling expertise in the world. Decades of oil and gas development has made the province a proven drilling leader, while Alberta-led advancements in geothermal, lithium and other areas continue growing Alberta’s reputation as a powerhouse in energy innovation.

    However, many promising technologies and products have challenges reaching the market due to high costs and limited access to demonstration sites where testing can be done in real-world settings. With the right resources, Alberta’s energy developers can bring drilling technologies to market faster and more affordably.

    Alberta’s government is investing more than $20 million in industry-funded TIER dollars to launch the Alberta Drilling Accelerator program and keep pushing Alberta’s drilling expertise to greater heights. Delivered through Emissions Reduction Alberta, this funding will help Alberta companies advance new and emerging technologies, reduce emissions and, ultimately, increase responsible energy production around the world.

    “Alberta’s drilling expertise is second to none. The world needs energy and Alberta has the experience, geology, expertise and innovative spirit needed to deliver it. This funding is all about getting the next generation of drilling tech out of the lab and into the field, powering the world and Alberta’s economy at the same time.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “Drilling technology is highly relevant to Emissions Reduction Alberta’s mandate, as it offers a potential pathway to direct emissions reduction in the oil and gas sector while also playing a critical role in commercializing technologies in emerging areas like geothermal and critical minerals extraction. We look forward to sharing the scope of this funding in the fall.”

    Justin Riemer, CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta

    This new funding program will help speed up the development of geothermal, helium, critical minerals, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and other technologies and commodities that rely on Alberta’s world-class drilling expertise, further establishing Alberta’s global leadership in providing affordable, reliable, responsibly produced energy.

    More details on the program will be announced when it officially launches this fall.

    This is phase one of the province’s Alberta Drilling Accelerator. Future phases and initiatives will be developed as government continues accelerating new technologies that rely on Alberta’s world-class drilling expertise.

    Quick facts

    • The Alberta Drilling Accelerator program will launch in fall 2025, with planning and engagement taking place this summer.
    • Funding for the program comes from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund.
    • Demand for new and more efficient technologies is rising globally, and Alberta is well-positioned to capitalize. For example, cumulative geothermal investment is poised to reach $1 trillion by 2050, while investment for oil and gas, carbon capture and storage and other sectors continues to grow.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins 32 Colleagues in Amicus Brief Challenging Trump Administration Abuse of Emergency Powers to Impose Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, recently joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 29 of his colleagues in filing an amicus brief in a key case, Oregon v. Department of Homeland Security, challenging the Trump Administration’s abuse of emergency powers to impose tariffs. The brief opposes the Administration’s request for a stay of a recent court decision that struck down these tariffs.  Vermont was a part of the twelve-state coalition that filed this legal challenge.  
    In May, the U.S. Court of International Trade held that the Trump Administration lacked authority to issue the challenged tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—a statute that no president prior to President Trump has ever tried to use to impose tariffs. The Senators’ amicus brief argues that a stay should be rejected.   
    “Granting a stay will cause irreparable harm to constituents of Amici, particularly thousands of small and medium-sized businesses that will continue to be harmed if the President persists in collecting the unlawful IEEPA tariffs,” wrote the Senators. “Small businesses do not have cash-on-hand or capital reserves to pay the increased tariffs, nor can they quickly adapt to them by modifying supply chains. If they cannot pass on the tariff costs to consumers—which would create additional harms for Amici’s constituents—many face letting employees go or filing for bankruptcy. Even a few weeks of additional tariffs means small businesses will suffer irreparable harm.”  
    “The powers to impose tariffs and regulate international trade were given to Congress for a reason,” continued the Senators. “Absent authorization from Congress to impose tariffs and approval to enter binding, durable trade agreements, it is contrary to the public interest for the President to arrogate Congress’s power to himself.”  
    “Further, the broad-based tariffs, which include extensive levies on treaty allies Japan, Canada, and members of the NATO alliance, undermine U.S. national security by weakening U.S. alliances,” concluded the Senators. “Amici regularly interact with U.S.-allied leaders who want to work with the U.S. on security and economic matters; IEEPA tariffs have been raised as one of the foremost irritants and obstacles to maintaining strong partnerships with the U.S. Multiple allied governments, including Canada, Mexico, and the European Union, have threatened retaliation targeting American exports and American companies—further compounding the economic harm to Amici’s constituents. Denying a stay will ensure the Administration cannot continue to usurp powers granted to Congress, and it will promote U.S. national security and economic interests.” 
    In addition to Senators Welch, Shaheen, Wyden, and Schumer, the letter was cosigned by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.). 
    Read and download the full amicus brief. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: PKK’s decision to disband shows the benefit of engaging in politics rather than an armed struggle

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Lucas, Senior Analyst – Defence Economics and Acquisition, RAND Europe

    The recent decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disarm and disband has important lessons for any country facing a seemingly intractable insurgency. On May 12, the group stated that following its 12th Congress it will “dissolve the PKK’s organizational structure and end the armed struggle method”. The organisation has said that it will now pursue its goals “through democratic politics”.

    The PKK’s decision follows talks between the Turkish government and the group’s leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who has been in Turkish custody since 1998. Regional dynamics, Turkish domestic politics, and personal ambition have all played key roles in bringing the conflict to this point.

    Much uncertainty remains. The PKK and Turkey have embarked on peace processes before, only to return to conflict. But the group’s formal announcement of its intention to disband marks an important step towards ending an insurgency that has lasted over 40 years. If so, it will bring to an end a conflict that has cost all sides involved tens of thousands of lives.

    The possibility of ending this insurgency not only raises questions about this specific conflict, but also what we know more broadly about how insurgencies end.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The PKK has a long track record of combining military action with political struggle. As with many other insurgent organisations, the group has worked to gain and maintain public support among ethnic Kurds, despite its use of violence.

    Its strategy has also evolved over the years to adapt to circumstances. It moved away from the its original Marxist beginnings with the end of the cold war and over the years changed its fundamental aim from separatism to increased regional autonomy and local government, through the system of what it calls democratic confederalism. Over the decades the group and its affiliates have also decreased their use of terrorism in Europe and western Turkey.

    This is in keeping with characteristics that researchers have found facilitate the transformation of organisations from armed groups to participants in institutional politics. There are a large number of cases in which insurgencies or terrorist organisations shifted – successfully or unsuccessfully – to either transform into a political party or combine with one.

    There’s no doubt that military pressure has been important in downgrading the PKK as an insurgency. But military victories over the PKK have failed to end the conflict – in fact military oppression against the PKK has often backfired and reinforced public support for the group.

    Many of the factors that have made it possible for the PKK to transform itself have been political, rather than narrowly military. Research by the RAND Corporation thinktank has found that rather than simply aiming to defeat an insurgency, it’s usually more effective to combine military pressure with political reform that aims to remove the reasons for the insurgency.

    Combining armed force with political pressure

    Turkey has taken this mixed approach, something many analysts have attributed to the foreign minister, Hakan Fidan. Ankara has pursued parallel tracks of negotiation and force. This has included improved counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency techniques, investment in drones and other military pressure.

    But Ankara has in parallel cut off financial flows to the organisation, while strengthening economic opportunities for Kurdish citizens – particularly in western Turkey. Many Kurds moved west to escape violence in the traditionally Kurdish regions in Turkey’s southeast: Istanbul is now the city with the largest Kurdish population in Turkey.

    The Turkish government has also strengthened its relationships with other Kurdish groups, primarily the Kurdistan Democratic Party in northern Iraq, to provide both military and political support.

    This case is another example of the importance of blending strictly military tactics with diplomacy, economic policy and strategic communications. The celebrated Prussian military theorist, Carl von Clausewitz said that war is politics by other means – and many insurgencies are fundamentally political in nature. So this requires multiple lines of effort to be pursued in parallel to effectively respond to this – with an emphasis on political solutions rather than just the use of force.

    This has been seen in conflicts with a number of insurgent groups in recent years – including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) or the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (Biaf) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines. In all of these cases, central governments have engaged in constructive political dialogue, providing amnesty and other incentives for fighters to demobilise while offering broader concessions in order to build a more sustainable peace.

    Successfully bringing insurgencies to and through a negotiated settlement requires long-term investment and effort. The issues that caused the insurgency in the first place do not simply disappear when the document is signed. In the case of the PKK, there are a number of ways in which this recent progress could be reversed. Concerns have been raised about whether the Turkish government will deliver on promised constitutional reforms or prisoner releases. There is also the question of whether PKK fighters will be willing and able to demobilise and reintegrate into society.

    Research has indicated that states with flawed democracies have more difficulty ending insurgencies on favourable terms. Freedom House and similar organisations currently rank Turkey as “Not Free”. The country has been backsliding for years under the presidency of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

    Despite these misgivings, the initial success of Turkey’s approach support previous research on how insurgencies end, and how armed groups might turn instead to politics. For the governments of countries facing insurgency, it means taking a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to encourage this to happen. Governments may also need to move away from a binary definition of “winning” or “losing” to a more nuanced understanding of how all parties stand to gain from the end of an insurgency.

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

    – ref. PKK’s decision to disband shows the benefit of engaging in politics rather than an armed struggle – https://theconversation.com/pkks-decision-to-disband-shows-the-benefit-of-engaging-in-politics-rather-than-an-armed-struggle-258221

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Automated Vehicles Act 2024 implementation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Written statement to Parliament

    Automated Vehicles Act 2024 implementation

    An update on the work being done to implement the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act 2024.

    I wish to provide the House with an update on steps the government is taking to implement the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act 2024 and kickstart economic growth, a top priority in the government’s Plan for Change.

    The AV Act delivers one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks of its kind anywhere in the world, with safety at its core, which will give potential operators, tech developers and manufacturers the confidence to invest in the UK. It sets out clear legal responsibilities so businesses know where they stand, establishes a safety framework and creates the necessary regulatory powers.

    The AV Act implementation programme has been designed to maximise innovation, enabling investors and operators to develop and deploy the creative mobility solutions that can drive growth. This comes as part of a government-wide programme of work using artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver the Plan for Change, with AVs being a clear example of how AI will bring tangible benefits to the public.

    Automated passenger services

    Today (10 June 2025) I can announce that the government will accelerate the introduction of automated passenger services (APS) regulations, subject to the outcome of a consultation later this summer. This will provide businesses with the regulatory confidence to invest in testing and deploying these innovative services on our streets, reinforcing the UK’s position among the world leaders in tech deployment. It will help facilitate commercial pilots of services with paying passengers and no safety driver to be deployed from spring 2026.

    The APS permitting regime was created to address complexities of applying current taxi, private hire vehicle, and public service vehicle legislation to passenger services that would operate without a driver.

    Protecting marketing terms for AVs

    Today, I launched a consultation, and an accompanying draft statutory instrument (SI) on protecting marketing terms for AVs; the consultation will run for 12 weeks. The AV Act sets out an authorisation process to determine whether a vehicle can safely drive itself without being controlled or monitored by a human. We want to support the innovators and businesses which are building genuinely groundbreaking tech by protecting certain terms so they can only be used to describe authorised self-driving vehicles, boosting investor confidence, consumer trust and driver certainty.

    This consultation aims to identify the words, expressions, symbols or marks that should only be used to describe authorised AVs. The government expects to bring forward secondary legislation following careful consideration of consultation responses. Our aim is for these regulations to come into effect in early 2026; they will be subject to the negative procedure.

    Statement of safety principles for AVs

    Today, I have published a call for evidence on the statement of safety principles which will consider the safety outcomes that should be sought by self-driving vehicles; the call for evidence will also run for 12 weeks. Public confidence in the safety of these vehicles will be essential to take advantage of the huge economic opportunities they will present.

    The Department for Transport’s monitoring and annual reporting will consider performance against these principles. The AV Act specifies that the safety principles must be framed with a view to securing that authorised AVs achieve a safety level equal to or higher than careful and competent human drivers and that road safety in Great Britain will improve due to the presence of these vehicles.

    I intend to publish a further consultation on the statutory principles in the coming months that will be informed by stakeholder feedback from this call for evidence. The final statutory guidance will be laid in parliament and will be subject to parliamentary approval.

    Transport AI action plan

    The announcements made today are a cornerstone of the Department’s new Transport AI action plan. This publication is a 23-point plan which sets out how the government is using AI to improve transport for everyone in the UK. The plan builds upon the Transport data strategy and the AI opportunities action plan to align the transport sector with the broader AI agenda, drive economic growth and deliver on the Plan for Change.

    A copy of these publications and associated annexes will be placed in the libraries of both Houses and published on GOV.UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to introduce legislation on High Seas Treaty by end of year

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Government to introduce legislation on High Seas Treaty by end of year

    • Bill to be introduced by end of year to enable ratification of the treaty

    A humpback whale emerging from the sea

    • The treaty will protect marine life around the globe
    • Delivering on the Government’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030

    The Government will introduce a bill by the end of the year, to enable ratification of the BBNJ Agreement (sometimes referred to as the High Seas Treaty), the Marine Minister has announced today (Tuesday 10th June 2025).

    Reinvigorating the UK’s international leadership on climate and nature, the ground-breaking Agreement will provide the first legal mechanism for the creation of protected areas in international waters, helping to conserve marine life in parts of the ocean outside national jurisdiction (approximately two-thirds of the world’s ocean).  

    These Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) will help conserve rare, valuable and important marine life of the high seas, enhancing their resilience to stressors such as unsustainable fishing and industrial activities, helping them to recover faster. 

    Sharks, whales, sea turtles and many more important species of our ocean will be better protected, supporting the development of a healthy, thriving ocean from which all of nature can benefit.  

    Marine Minister Emma Hardy said:  

    “Our oceans are dying. Without urgent action, they will be irreversibly destroyed. 

    “That is why the UK will introduce legislation by the end of the year in order to enable ratification of the High Seas Treaty, a landmark in protecting marine life around the globe.”  

    The Agreement is a major victory for marine protection, and will be crucial to restoring our ocean to good health.  

    Elsewhere at the United Nations Ocean Conference, the UK joined over 90 countries in reiterating its commitment to agreeing an ambitious Plastic Pollution Treaty when negotiations resume in Geneva this August.  

    It follows the government’s proposal to ban destructive bottom trawling in more Marine Protected Areas in English Waters, which will help protect rare marine animals and the delicate seabeds on which they rely.  

    Notes to editor:  

    • Marine Protected Ares (MPAs) are areas of the ocean established to protect habitats and species essential for healthy marine ecosystems, allowing vulnerable, rare and important marine life to recover from damaging human activities.  

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom Ask for Immediate Court Order Blocking Unlawful Use of Military, National Guard for Law Enforcement in California Communities

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, June 10, 2025

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

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Governor Gavin Newsom today asked the court to take immediate action to block President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense from using the military and the federalized California National Guard to patrol our communities and engage in other law enforcement activity. They argue that the use of these troops is illegal, creates imminent harm to state sovereignty, deprives the state of its use of the National Guard, escalates tensions, and promotes rather than quells civil unrest.

    “The President is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It’s not just immoral — It’s illegal and dangerous. Local law enforcement, not the military, enforce the law within our borders. The President continues to inflame tensions and antagonize communities. We’re asking the court to immediately block the Trump Administration from ordering the military or federalized national guard from patrolling our communities or otherwise engaging in general law enforcement activities beyond federal property.”  

    “The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens. Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President. We ask the court to immediately block these unlawful actions.” 

    Yesterday, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit against President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth in response to their orders seeking to federalize the California National Guard for 60 days under 10 U.S.C. § 12406. In the early hours of Sunday morning, the U.S. Department of Defense, at the direction of the President, redirected hundreds of National Guard troops from San Diego to Los Angeles, without authorization from the Governor and against the wishes of local law enforcement. In total, the Department deployed 4,000 national guard troops from across the state, as well as an additional 700 Marines, an inflammatory escalation unsupported by conditions on the ground.

    A copy of the motion for temporary restraining order is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CEO of Health Care Software Company Convicted of $1 Billion Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – A federal jury convicted the CEO of Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx) for his role in operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs of more than $1 billion.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Gary Cox, 79, of Maricopa County, Arizona, and his co-conspirators targeted hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who provided their personally identifiable information and agreed to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces, pain creams, and other items through misleading mailers, television advertisements, and calls from offshore call centers. Cox and his co-conspirators owned, controlled, and operated DMERx, an internet-based platform that generated false and fraudulent doctors’ orders for these items. As part of the scheme, Cox connected pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, and marketers with telemedicine companies that would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for signed doctors’ orders transmitted using the DMERx platform. Cox and his co-conspirators received payments for coordinating these illegal kickback transactions and referring the completed doctors’ orders to the DME suppliers, pharmacies, and telemarketers that paid kickbacks and bribes for the orders.

    The fraudulent doctors’ orders generated by DMERx falsely represented that a doctor had examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when in fact purported telemedicine companies paid doctors to sign the orders without regard to medical necessity, based only on a brief telephone call with the beneficiary or no interaction with the beneficiary at all. The DME suppliers and pharmacies that paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for these doctors’ orders billed Medicare and other insurers more than $1 billion. Medicare and the insurers paid more than $360 million based on these claims. According to evidence presented at trial, Cox and his co-conspirators concealed the scheme through sham contracts and by eliminating from doctors’ orders what one co-conspirator described as “dangerous words” that might cause Medicare to audit the scheme’s DME suppliers.

    “Medicare fraud undermines the integrity of our nation’s most critical healthcare programs, which are relied upon by millions of patients, doctors and honest healthcare professionals.” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Fraud of this kind wastes taxpayer dollars and increases the cost of healthcare for all Americans. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who steal from taxpayers and exploit our healthcare system for their own personal gain”

    “The defendant orchestrated a scheme to defraud government health care benefit programs on a massive scale, creating fraudulent doctors’ orders used to bill insurers over $1 billion,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Americans are all too familiar with junk mail and spam calls that target seniors to steal their personal information and promote waste, fraud, and abuse in our economy. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute health care fraud schemes to hold criminals accountable, protect the vulnerable, and recover financial losses.”

    “Fraud schemes perpetrated against veterans are abhorrent and will be thoroughly investigated,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to combat these schemes to ensure the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs for veterans and their families.”   

    “The defendant deliberately exploited the federal health care system by prioritizing personal enrichment over the medical needs of vulnerable patients,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “By fraudulently billing the government for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, the defendant not only violated the law but also assaulted the public’s trust placed in health care providers. There is zero tolerance for those who abuse federal health care programs, and HHS-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to ensure that individuals who engage in such egregious fraud are held fully accountable.”

    “Medicare fraud and other health care related frauds are, unfortunately, nothing new,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormick of the FBI Miami Field Office. “As such, the FBI and our partners devote considerable resources to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those committing this fraud. The victims are U.S. taxpayers – you and me.  Our message to those who commit health care fraud and steal from U.S. taxpayers is clear: you will be caught, and you will face justice.”

    Cox was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements in connection with health care matters. Cox faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud conviction, 10 years for each health care fraud conviction, five years for the conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks conviction, and five years for the conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements in connection with health care matters conviction. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    HHS-OIG, FBI, VA-OIG, and DCIS investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Jennifer E. Burns of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Andrea Savdie and Shane Butland assisted in the prosecution. Trial Attorney Evan N. Schlom with the Fraud Section’s Special Matters Unit provided valuable assistance.

    The charges contained in an information are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20271.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Public Broadcasting Caucus Co-Chairs Goldman and Amodei Defend Critical Role of Public Media

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, the Co-Chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02), issued a joint statement urging the Trump Administration to reconsider rescissions in funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  

    “From coast to coast, Americans rely on public broadcasting for lifesaving emergency alerts, trusted news, and coverage on key issues that connects communities across our nation.  

    “We see firsthand the valuable role public media plays across our districts, particularly in rural areas where, in many cases, it is the only available and reliable media service available. Of the 544 radio and television stations that receive federal funding, 245 serve rural communities and collectively support more than 5,950 local jobs. Rural broadcasters face significant challenges in raising private funds, making them particularly vulnerable if government funding is cut.  

    “Our local stations are dedicated to serving their communities, but their ability to continue offering free, high-quality programming would be eliminated if the federal funding is rescinded. Rescinding this funding also would isolate rural communities, jeopardizing their access to vital resources they depend on.  

    “Furthermore, public broadcasting represents less than 0.01% of the federal budget, yet its impact reaches every congressional district. Cutting this funding will not meaningfully reduce the deficit, but it will dismantle a trusted source of information for millions of Americans.  

    “Public media has demonstrated a willingness to listen to the American public and adapt. While we reaffirm that public media must be objective and legitimate concerns about content should be addressed, funding decisions should be objective as well.   

    “As Co-Chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, we feel it is our responsibility to protect the lifeline public media plays in the day-to-day lives of our constituents. Above all, we seek to preserve non-commercial, community-rooted content that informs, protects, and connects all Americans, regardless of zip code or political affiliation.” 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript and Video: Rep. Dan Goldman Blasts Republicans for Using Boulder Attack to Politicize Antisemitism

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Goldman: “To argue that somehow this is a reflection of our immigration system, uses Jews as a partisan pawn. It is the exact opposite of what we Jews in this country need.” 

     

    Goldman: “Every single Jewish institution has to significantly increase security. We all have to worry when we go into a synagogue whether we will be the next victim.  And here we are dealing with this resolution, that is trying to convert antisemitism and antisemitic violence into some immigration ‘gotcha’ game.” 

     

    Goldman: “What are we thanking ICE agents for? In a resolution commemorating and condemning antisemitism and remembering and honoring the victims when there were no ICE agents there? ICE has nothing to do with it.” 

     

    Goldman: “Mr. Speaker, I urge you and I urge my colleagues on the other side to come to your senses. Stop using antisemitism as a partisan weapon.” 

     

    Watch Goldman’s Floor Remarks Here 
    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today delivered remarks on the floor of the House condemning House Republicans for attempting to politicize the antisemitic firebomb attack in Boulder, CO. 
    Watch the Congressman’s comments on the House Floor here or below: 

    Congressman Dan Goldman: To argue that somehow this is a reflection of our immigration system, uses Jews as a partisan pawn. It is the exact opposite of what we Jews in this country need. And I get that we’re in a political body. I get that you like to put these resolutions. You weren’t here, Mr. Evans, last term, but there were about ten antisemitism resolutions that effectively said the same thing solely to score political points. 

    We Jews are sick and tired of being used as pawns. Antisemitism is rising to such a degree that people are now being murdered because they’re Jewish. We’re not just talking about protests on campus anymore.  

    Every single Jewish institution has to significantly increase security. We all have to worry when we go into a synagogue whether we will be the next victim.  And here we are dealing with this resolution, that is trying to convert antisemitism and antisemitic violence into some immigration gotcha game. 

    What are we thanking ICE  agents for? In a resolution commemorating and condemning antisemitism and remembering and honoring the victims when there were no ICE agents there? ICE has nothing to do with it.  

    It’s because ICE is spending so much time pulling non-violent, non-criminal immigrants out of court, where they’re going through a lawful process to come in here, so that they can be removed in expedited removal,  so that they can have their asylum claims– a lawful pathway– voided, so they can be kicked out of the country with minimal due process. 

    Just so Republicans and President Trump can meet their quota of mass deportations. You promised us you were going to go after convicted criminals. These people are not convicted criminals. 

    This resolution says that there’s cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement. Really? Because as far as I know, the President of the United States ordered the National Guard to go into California over the objection of the governor of California– something that has not happened since 1965. And in 1965, it happened because the governor of the state was not following federal law. 

    Is that the kind of cooperation that we’re looking for here?  

    This resolution should be pulled immediately. Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Neguse, have offered resolutions that properly honor the victims, condemn antisemitism, give the American people the sense that Congress, as a unified body, will not tolerate antisemitic violence. But instead, we’re voting on an immigration ‘gotcha resolution’ that uses antisemitism as a political pawn.  

    Mr. Speaker, I urge you and I urge my colleagues on the other side to come to your senses. Stop using antisemitism as a partisan weapon. Pull this resolution. Allow Mr. Neguse’s resolution to be introduced and voted on, as is the tradition of this body, in parallel  along with Mr. Van Drew’s, which accurately reflects the threat not just in Boulder, Colorado, but in Washington, D.C. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and all around the country. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Introduces Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025; Stands with ICE and Condemns Violent Political Protests

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) introduced the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025 to block federal funding for sanctuary jurisdictions that prohibit or restrict local law enforcement from sharing immigration status information or cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Sanctuary cities are actively undermining federal immigration enforcement by refusing to cooperate with ICE detainer requests and releasing dangerous criminals back onto our streets. It’s time to hold them accountable. 

    “The violence we are seeing happen in LA right now is a cautionary tale for New York, another sanctuary state catering to criminal illegal immigrants and left-wing extremists,” said Congressman Langworthy. “State and local governments MUST comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts, and if they don’t, the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act would withhold federal financial assistance from them. We must stand with our heroic ICE officers, our men and women in blue, and with the American people who cry out for safety and common sense in their local governments.”

     

    Additionally, this legislation clarifies legal authority for local and state law enforcement to honor federal immigration detainer requests by deeming officers who comply to be acting as federal agents. It protects law enforcement by shielding officers and jurisdictions from liability when they cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The bill also encourages compliance with federal immigration law by targeting jurisdictions that defy lawful detainer requests and shield illegal immigrants from removal. 

     

    Read the bill text here. 

     

    Original cosponsors of this legislation in the House include Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Buddy Carter (R-GA), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Dave Taylor (R-OH), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), John McGuire (R-VA), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Mike Collins (R-GA), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), John Rose (R-TN), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Van Orden (R-WI), and William Timmons (R-SC).

     

    “Sanctuary cities in New York State shield criminal illegals while hurting law-abiding citizens,” said Chairwoman Stefanik. “Under the failed Far Left Democrat leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, sanctuary cities incentivize illegal migration into New York State overrunning social services, drive up housing costs, and reduce wages.”

     

    The Senate companion, led by Senator Ted Cruz, has the support of Republican Senators Tim Sheehy (MT), Ron Johnson (WI), James Lankford (OK), Ted Budd (NC), Chuck Grassley (IA), Pete Ricketts (NE), Rick Scott (FL), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Kevin Cramer (ND), Deb Fischer (NE), Bill Hagerty (TN), John Hoeven (ND), Cindy-Hyde Smith (MS), Jim Banks (IN), Eric Schmitt (MO), Bernie Moreno (OH), and Katie Britt (AL).

     

    Read the Fox News exclusive here.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Leads Legislation to Support Water Infrastructure Projects

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), along with Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4), today reintroduced the Financing Lead Out of Water (FLOW) Act to reduce red tape and enable more municipalities to finance water projects focused on replacing lead service lines. The legislation will help shore up Upstate New York’s aging water infrastructure and ensure communities can provide safe, clean drinking water.

    Additional cosponsors of the legislation include Representatives Mike Kelly (PA-3) and Haley Stevens (MI-11). 

    Lead service lines, which are often jointly owned by local governments and private homeowners, are expensive to replace—but they can be financed using tax-exempt bonds. Unfortunately, current law requires water utilities to prove these bonds do not primarily benefit private entities if used on private property—a burdensome and costly process that delays critical infrastructure upgrades.

    The FLOW Act would eliminate this barrier by allowing public water utilities to use tax-exempt bonds to replace privately owned lead service lines without triggering the IRS’s “private business use” restrictions.

    “Replacing hazardous lead pipes in our communities is a costly, time-consuming process burdened by unnecessary federal hurdles,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The FLOW Act cuts red tape and eliminates excessive documentation requirements, making it easier for communities to access affordable financing for critical water infrastructure projects. Reducing ineffective bureaucracy will allow more New Yorkers in NY-24, and Americans nationwide, to replace dangerous lead pipes and gain access to safe, clean water.”

    “As a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, I am focused on ending the lead epidemic so we can protect the potential of every child in Milwaukee. In Congress, I am working to advance proposals that can help our communities remove this toxin. That’s why I am supporting the FLOW Act, which would allow local governments to better leverage tax-exempt municipal bonds, to fund lead service line replacement projects. We need every tool available to tackle this health crisis,” said Congresswoman Moore. 

    “In Michigan, we’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact that led-contaminated water can have on families, from Flint to Benton Harbor and beyond. Communities across our state are working hard to replace aging lead service lines, but federal red tape has made that work slower and more expensive than it needs to be. The FLOW Act will cut unnecessary barriers and unlock affordable financing tools to get these dangerous pipes out of the ground faster. I’m proud to be an original cosponsor of this bipartisan bill to help Michigan and communities across the country deliver safe, clean drinking water to every household,” said Congresswoman Stevens. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Leads CA GOP Delegation in Resolution Condemning LA Riots, Standing with Law Enforcement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – As first reported in Fox News, today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) introduced a resolution with the California Republican delegation to formally condemn the riots in Los Angeles. 

    The resolution expresses that the House of Representatives:  

    • Recognizes the right to assemble and protest peacefully; 
    • Condemns unequivocally the violence perpetrated against Federal, State, and local law enforcement; 
    • Calls on local and State elected leadership to work with the Federal government to end the violent riots and restore peace; and,  
    • Expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers for keeping our communities safe in the face of danger. 

    “Peaceful protests are a constitutional right, but vandalism, looting, violence, and other crimes are not. Protecting public safety shouldn’t be controversial, which is why I am leading the California Republican delegation in a resolution to support law and order as we continue to see unrest,” said Congresswoman Young Kim. “I hope Governor Newsom can come together with President Trump to stop the riots, lower the temperature, and keep our communities safe.”  

    Congresswoman Young Kim added, “Let’s be clear: the riots escalated before the National Guard was sent in and were enabled by California’s soft-on-crime policies – peddled for years by Governor Newsom, Sacramento, and local prosecutors – that have allowed for lawlessness and endangered public safety of hardworking Californians.” 

    California Republican Reps. Ken Calvert (CA-41), Vince Fong (CA-20), Darrell Issa (CA-48), Kevin Kiley (CA-03), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), and David Valadao (CA-22) joined in introducing the resolution.

    Read the full resolution HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: The One Big Beautiful Bill Delivers Much Needed Reinforcements to ICE, Law Enforcement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson condemned the ongoing LA riots and Governor Gavin Newsom’s failed leadership, advocated for swift passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill to provide resources to besieged federal law enforcement officers, and discussed the House’s multi-pronged approach to reducing the deficit.  

    Watch the Speaker’s full remarks here

    On the LA riots:

    While the rioters have been burning police cars and looting storefronts and physically assaulting law enforcement officers, it’s important to remember how we got to this point, to this level of chaos, because this didn’t happen overnight. Four quick points to make us all remember. You know, we’re in a busy news cycle and people sometimes forget the facts, but the Biden Administration welcomed maybe as many as 20 million illegal aliens across that border and into our country in a four-year period. Sanctuary states like California rolled out the welcome mat. They embraced it. They offered aliens protection from federal law, think of it, they’re on the wrong side of the law. And they provided them with healthcare and housing and taxpayer-funded benefits. It’s truly almost unbelievable what these Democrat leaders of these cities and states have done.

    President Trump delivered on an ironclad mandate from the American people, and just as we said, throughout the entire Biden administration disaster, the law always allowed the president to stop it. And President Trump did it. With bold visionary leadership, he stopped the invasion of our country and he engaged in the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. We’re in the midst of that right now. Rioters, acting on the words of politicians like AOC and Hakeem Jeffries, are trying to stop this effort by burning store fronts and endangering the lives of patriotic law enforcement officers. The contrast cannot be more clear.

    On the failed leadership of Democrat leaders like Gavin Newsom:

    Time and time again, innocent hardworking Americans have been harmed by the failed leadership of Democrat governors like Gavin Newsom. President Trump was absolutely right to send in the National Guard and to clean up for the governor’s failures. You know, Gavin Newsom has been in this effort for the last several months to try to reinvent himself, to rebrand himself. It’s pretty difficult to do when your state is a safe haven to violent criminal illegal aliens and you’re the one at the helm. You can’t hide this stuff. The President of the United States has a responsibility to maintain law and order, particularly when the lives and livelihoods of federal law enforcement officers are threatened. What we’re doing there with the federal forces is we are protecting federal buildings and property and personnel, and the President is showing strong leadership in doing so.

    On passing the One Big Beautiful Bill to deliver resources to ICE and border patrol:

    Because, you know, it’s those men and women, the federal law enforcement officers who deserve our support right now. And the One Big Beautiful Bill as Leader Scalise noted, delivers much-needed reinforcements. In this bill, we have funding to hire a minimum of 10,000 new ICE agents. We’re going to provide a $10,000 bonus to Border Patrol and ICE agents on the front lines. We’re going to include $45 billion to expand ICE detention capacity and $14.4 billion for air and ground transport to carry out at least one million deportations every single year. We’ll have to do that for quite some time because they let so many people in. We’re starting with the dangerous illegal aliens and that is exactly who the rioters and the politicians in California are trying to protect, and it’s incredible.

    While Republicans are supporting the men and women of ICE through the One Big Beautiful Bill. Democrats are fighting for those illegal aliens and against law enforcement agents. They’re defending the violent anti-ice protesters in LA. They visited a violent MS-13 gang member and human trafficker in El Salvador. They charged an ICE facility and clashed with ICE officers – that was members of the House of Representatives doing that. They’re advocating for people to dox ICE agents and making them targets for threats from radicals. And they’re calling for the elimination of ICE.

    On reducing the deficit:

    This rescission package is a critical step, and it’s one of many. There will be several of these that will come from the White House, will work together with the administration to cut out all the fraud, waste, and abuse. We’re fighting a multi-front war against the deficit. Don’t get lost in this, okay? This is a multi-step process. I’ve tried to explain on all the interviews I’ve done over the last couple of weeks. The One Big Beautiful Bill is going to reduce spending by over $1.6 trillion, as has been noted this morning. The rescissions package will rescind $9.4 billion in wasteful spending, the first of many of those. The annual appropriations process will allow Republicans to further codify DOGE cuts and spend less money and be careful stewards of each dime. And the revenues found from the President’s tariff agenda will also reduce the deficit by $2.8 trillion over 10 years.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Scores Big Wins in Federal Sector Organizing Effort

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    As part of a strategic initiative to organize workers across National Parks and the Forest Service, the IAM Organizing Department and National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) has secured multiple election victories within the National Parks and Forest Service — all in Colorado. These wins collectively cover an impressive 650 employees, laying the groundwork for stronger worker representation and protections in the federal workforce.

    IAM Assistant Organizing Coordinator Jerry McCarty, with vital support from IAM Organizing Assistant Director Juan Eldridge, Special Representative Art Jackson, and multiple NFFE-IAM representatives, have filed dozens of election petitions since the start of the year.

    “We already knew a lot of these Forest Service folks,” said McCarty. “When the Trump Administration started threatening federal workers, people started reaching out for support. We are the largest union in the Forest Service already, and they knew we had their backs.”

    “We had a meeting on top of Yosemite Mountain,” said IAM Assistant Organizing Director Juan Eldridge. “Park rangers, biologists, firefighters—it was a wide mix of folks who just wanted a voice and some protection in their workplace.”

    Each unit required separate elections for what the forest service deemed professional and non-professional workers, but the energy on the ground among all was overwhelmingly pro-union.

    “We ended up signing them all up—just like dominoes,” said McCarty. “We’ve got at least another 30 or 40 election petitions filed right now. We’re talking about 3,000 more people by the end of this year.”

    This surge of new members will be covered under a master agreement already in place for Forest Service and National Park Service workers.

    A few of the most notable newly-organized locations are Pike San Isabel National Forest, San Juan National Forest, and Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest and Pawnee Grasslands.

    “It’s been 99% yes votes in some places,” said McCarty. “These workers are pumped to have union protection.”

    McCarty now has his sight set on 7,000 currently unrepresented U.S. Geological Survey employees.

    “We don’t plan on losing a single one of these elections,” said McCarty. “It’s been a real team effort, and the IAM Organizing Department has been behind us every step of the way.”

    “We are putting a lot of support from the International on these organizing efforts for workers in the federal sector,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennet. “During a time when federal employees most need support, the IAM is there to stand with them and fight for them. This is all part of a greater effort to bring strong representation to workers in all our industries with large-scale organizing push.”

    As the victories pile up, the IAM’s federal sector campaign is becoming a model of effective organizing, proving that even the most remote workers in the most uncertain times can find power in a union.

    The post IAM Union Scores Big Wins in Federal Sector Organizing Effort appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Applauds House Freshmen for Supporting Fair Trade Policies

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Union International President Brian Bryant recently expressed his appreciation to a coalition of House Freshmen for signing a letter supporting fair trade practices, including a renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the reauthorization of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.

    “On behalf of the 600,000 active and retired members of this very diverse union, I want to thank these House Freshmen who understand the importance of fair trade policy,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “U.S. trade policy has led many news headlines in recent months, and this letter underscores the importance of renegotiating the USMCA to protect domestic manufacturing in areas like aerospace, reauthorizing the U.S. Labor Department’s TAA program, and enacting strategic tariffs that punish bad actors and protect U.S. jobs.”

    Rep. Josh Riley (NY-19) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (CA-12) led 18 of their colleagues in a letter to President Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer calling for a trade policy that strengthens America’s middle class, rebuilds the U.S. industrial base, and safeguards family farms and small businesses.

    “For too long, bad trade deals have been written in Wall Street boardrooms and rubber-stamped in political backrooms—while towns from Endicott to Ellenville got sold out,” said Rep. Josh Riley. “I came to Congress to give blue-collar towns a real voice in trade talks. I’ll work with anyone from any party who wants to rethink trade in a way that supports American farmers, builds American factories for American workers, and strengthens national security.”

    “I’m proud to represent the Port of Oakland, the largest refrigerated cargo export port in the United States,” said Rep. Lateefah Simon. “Tariffs are not inherently bad, but President Trump’s chaotic, self-imposed tariff war has been a disaster for the U.S. economy. That’s why I am leading my freshman colleagues to call on the president to fix U.S. trade policy to support workers, small businesses, and the environment.”

    The members outlined four key areas of proposed collaboration:

    1. Improving the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):

    • Include stronger labor and environmental standards.
    • Close China’s USMCA backdoor into U.S. markets.
    • Fix digital trade provisions.

    2. Investing in American Manufacturing:

    3. Reauthorizing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA):

    • Support and improve TAA for communities impacted by past trade policies.

    4. Pairing Strategic Tariffs with Pro-Worker Laws:

    • Implement tariffs with anti-price gouging and pro-labor reforms.

    Read the full text of the letter here. 

    The IAM continues advocating for trade agreements prioritizing U.S. labor standards, environmental protections, and domestic production.

    The post IAM Union Applauds House Freshmen for Supporting Fair Trade Policies appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to North Carolina Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought and Extreme Heat

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

     ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in North Carolina of the July 7 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought and extreme heat occurring on May 7- Aug. 8, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the North Carolina counties of Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, Perquimans as well as Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach in Virginia.

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. 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 small 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.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA 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 deadline to return economic injury applications is July 7, 2025.

    ###

    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 or 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 Relief Still Available to Tennessee Private Nonprofits Affected by Tropical Storm Helene

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee of the July 9 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Tropical Storm Helene occurring  Sept. 26, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature with financial losses directly related to the disaster. Example of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the 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.

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% and terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA 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 deadline to return economic injury applications is July 9, 2025.

    ###

    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 or 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 Relief Still Available to Ohio Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Ohio of the July 7 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring on Sept. 10, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Ohio counties of Erie, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca and Wood.

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. 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 small 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.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA 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 deadline to return economic injury applications is July 7, 2025.

    ###

    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 or 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 Russia: Representatives from over 130 countries and territories will take part in SPIEF-2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    St. Petersburg, June 10 /Xinhua/ — Representatives from over 130 countries and territories have already confirmed their participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) this year, the forum’s press service reported.

    The foreign participants include heads of major international organizations, companies, government agencies, as well as representatives of the expert community. According to Anton Kobyakov, Advisor to the President of Russia and Executive Secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee, the forum has become a place for developing solutions that can respond to rapidly changing external circumstances.

    In 2025, the SPIEF will be held in St. Petersburg from June 18 to 21. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Nepal: IMF Reaches Staff-level Agreement on Sixth Review Under the Extended Credit Facility

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 10, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • The Nepali authorities and the IMF team have reached staff-level agreement to conclude the sixth review of Nepal’s economic reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement. Once the review is approved by IMF Management and completed by the IMF Executive Board, Nepal will have access to about $42.7 million in financing.
    • The growth recovery is expected to gather pace in FY2025/26 underpinned by policy measures announced in the budget aimed at improving project execution and boosting private sector confidence, while lending rates remain accommodative. However, timely and full execution of budget spending is important to durably strengthen economic growth.
    • Completion of the sixth review by the IMF’s Executive Board will require completing a prior action relating to further progress with the loan portfolio review.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Ms. Sarwat Jahan visited Kathmandu during May 26 to June 10, 2025. After constructive discussions, Ms. Jahan issued the following statement at the end of the mission: “The Nepali authorities and IMF staff reached staff-level agreement on the policies and reforms needed to complete the sixth review under the ECF (see Press Release No. 22/6)[1]. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board. Upon completion of the Executive Board Review Nepal would have access to SDR 31.4 million (about US$42.7 million), bringing the total IMF financial support disbursed under the ECF to SDR 251.1 million (about US$331.8 million), from a total of SDR 282.4 million.

    “Nepal continues to make progress with the implementation of the ECF-supported program. Program performance has been satisfactory, with all quantitative performance metrics for mid‑January 2025 met except for the indicative target on child welfare grants. The implementation of structural benchmarks has gained momentum while reforms in some areas are still ongoing. Key reforms that have been completed or are on-track to be completed soon as part of the sixth review include completion of a tax expenditure report, publication of revised National Project Bank guidelines, and finalization of a post-Loan Portfolio Review (LPR) roadmap. Significant progress was made on bringing key recommendations from the IMF’s 2021 Safeguard Assessment and 2023 Financial Sector Stability Report into draft Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Act amendments in preparation for submission to Parliament. The NRB remains committed to completing the LPR and is finalizing the selection of the independent international consultant to assist with the LPR. The completion of the sixth review by the IMF’s Executive Board is contingent on NRB making further progress with the loan portfolio review.

    “Domestically, economic activity has continued to gradually recover, underpinned by a rebound in construction and manufacturing, continued expansion of hydropower capacity, and a good harvest that helped offset the impact of the September 2024 floods. Growth in FY2024/25 is estimated to exceed 4 percent, although still below potential. Inflation, which spiked temporarily following the floods, decelerated to 3.4 percent y/y in April 2025. The external position continued to strengthen, with robust growth in exports, remittances, and tourism receipts outpacing the recovery in imports.

    “Financial sector vulnerabilities have not yet eased, with non‑performing loans (NPLs) increasing to 5.2 percent in April 2025, impacting bank capital. The financial health of the savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) remains challenging.

    “Looking ahead, growth is projected to strengthen in FY2025/26, while inflation is expected to remain contained within the NRB’s tolerance level. However, the outlook is subject to important downside risks, including under-execution of capital projects, an increase in financial sector vulnerabilities, elevated global trade tensions and uncertainty, and potential disruptions to domestic policy continuity and reform implementation.

    “Against this background, policies and reforms envisaged under the ECF-supported program remain well-placed to help preserve macroeconomic stability and strengthen Nepal’s policymaking framework. The FY2025/26 budget is broadly consistent with the program objective to maintain fiscal and debt sustainability, while initiating reforms to increase capital spending, providing further incentives to encourage private sector investment, and expanding the public school midday meal program.

    “Monetary policy continues to follow a cautious data-driven approach, with maintaining focus on price and external stability a key to supporting growth. Amendments to the NRB Act would strengthen the central bank’s independence and governance and make the bank resolution regime more robust. Rising financial sector vulnerabilities warrant increased vigilance. In this context, it is essential to launch the LPR in a timely manner and prioritize measures to deal with problematic SACCOs. Creation of an Asset Management Company should be approached with extra caution given the risks involved and should be made conditional on improvements to the debt recovery framework, including the insolvency law, and a thorough review of the business case for such an entity. The authorities have continued to make tangible improvements to the anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) legal framework, and are now shifting their focus to effective implementation of Nepal’s AML/CFT Action Plan.

    “The IMF team held meetings with the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Bishnu Prasad Paudel, the National Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Honorable Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, the Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel, and other senior government and central bank officials. The IMF team also met with representatives from the private sector, think tank and development partners.”

    “The IMF team is grateful to the Nepali authorities for their hospitality and for open and constructive discussions.”

    [1] The Extended Credit Facility (ECF) provides financial assistance to countries with protracted balance of payments problems. It supports countries’ economic programs aimed at moving toward a stable and sustainable macroeconomic position consistent with strong and durable poverty reduction and growth. The ECF is expected to help catalyze additional foreign aid.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pemba Sherpa

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/10/pr-25191-nepal-imf-reaches-agreement-on-6th-review-under-the-ecf

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Bernie Police Lieutenant Eddie Mays

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JUNE 10, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered the U.S. and Missouri flags to be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Stoddard County, all police stations, sheriffs’ offices, and Missouri State Highway Patrol general and troop headquarters across Missouri on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, from sunrise to sunset, to honor Bernie Police Department Lieutenant Eddie Mays.

    “Lieutenant Eddie Mays devoted his life to serving others, first in the U.S. Air Force and then as a deputy sheriff and police officer,” Governor Kehoe said. “We owe a tremendous debt to the dedicated heroes like Eddie, who take the oath of office and carry out its ideals each day they put on their uniform and badge to answer the call no matter the danger or risk to themselves. Lieutenant Mays fulfilled his oath to serve and protect, and Missouri will be forever grateful.”

    On June 5, Lieutenant Mays, 58, was on duty with the Bernie Police Department when he responded to a domestic violence call and, after handcuffing a resisting  suspect, suffered a medical emergency and could not be resuscitated.

    Mays served in the Air Force from 1988 to 1993. He attended Southeast Missouri State University Law Enforcement Training Academy, was issued a Missouri Peace Officer License on November 22, 1998, and immediately began serving the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff, where he served until January 1, 2005. He also served with the Bloomfield Police Department. He joined the Bernie Police Department in January 2013 and was promoted to sergeant in July 2013 and to lieutenant in December 2023.  

    The flags will be held at half-staff on the day of Lieutenant Mays’ memorial service. To view the Governor’s proclamation, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Separation Agreement Joint Committee between the UK and EEA EFTA states: joint statement from the sixth meeting

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Separation Agreement Joint Committee between the UK and EEA EFTA states: joint statement from the sixth meeting

    This page shows the statement following the meeting of the Separation Agreement Joint Committee on 10 June 2025.

    The sixth meeting of the Separation Agreement Joint Committee was held in Brussels on 10 June 2025, chaired by officials from Iceland, with representatives from the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway and the United Kingdom participating. The Committee was established by the Separation Agreement to monitor its implementation and application. The Separation Agreement ensures that nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway (‘the EEA EFTA States’) already living in the UK, or UK nationals living in the EEA EFTA States at the end of the transition period, have largely the same rights as before the UK left the EU. In addition to the right of residence, these include entitlements to social security and the recognition of professional qualifications.

    During the meeting, representatives from the EEA EFTA States and the UK updated each other on their implementation and application of the Separation Agreement, focusing on the provisions relating to citizens’ rights. Representatives of the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the Independent Monitoring Authority also presented information on the monitoring of the implementation and application of the Separation Agreement.

    The EEA EFTA States and the UK adopted a Decision amending Part I of Annex I to the Separation Agreement, in order to include a recent relevant Decision of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems.

    The EEA EFTA States and the UK continue to work together to ensure the correct implementation and application of the Separation Agreement, to provide certainty to citizens.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NHS red tape blitz delivers game-changing new cancer treatment

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    NHS red tape blitz delivers game-changing new cancer treatment

    Patients to benefit from new era in cancer treatment, as Government slashes red tape to unleash life-saving innovation

    NHS patients will be the first in Europe to benefit from a ground-breaking, non-invasive liver cancer treatment, as the Government’s Plan for Change slashes burdensome red tape and drives innovation, establishing Britain’s role as a medical technology powerhouse.

    Using ultrasound technology, the device – developed by US-based company HistoSonics – destroys tumours without surgery, scalpels, radiation, with minimal damage to surrounding organs.

    Patients stand to benefit from faster recovery times, potentially greater survival rates, fewer potentially dangerous complications, and less hospital stays – helping to cut waits for others – all marking a new era in cancer treatment.

    Ongoing research is exploring its potential to transform treatment for other hard-to-reach tumours – including kidney and pancreatic cancers – bringing hope to even more NHS patients in the future.

    Treatment is delivered via a single short session – potentially taking no longer than 30 minutes – with limited or no pain, a quick recovery, and can be performed as a day case.

    As the Government busts the bureaucracy holding back public services and stifling innovation, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting granted authorisation for controlled early access to the device via an unmet clinical need authorisation. Available through the UK’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway programme, a government-funded scheme to get cutting-edge health innovations to the market much quicker, NHS patients can benefit from technology years earlier than planned.

     Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    Bureaucracy has become a handbrake on ambition, stopping innovation in its tracks and holding our health service back.

    But through our Plan for Change, we are slashing red tape, so game-changing new treatments reach the NHS front line quicker – transforming healthcare.  

    Regulation is vital to protect patients. However, as the pace of innovation ramps up, our processes must be more agile to help speed the shift from analogue to digital.

    Our common sense approach to regulation will streamline approval processes so countless more patients are liberated from life-limiting conditions.

    The technology, called histotripsy, is being debuted at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, part of Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) with the first NHS patients being treated using the game-changing device this summer. The technology was procured and installed thanks to a generous donation to the University of Cambridge from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, which has been a longstanding supporter of cancer research at the University.

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

    Through his longstanding support of cancer research at Cambridge, Sir Ka-shing Li continues to make a significant impact on outcomes for cancer patients.

    Cutting-edge technology such as this histotripsy machine allows Cambridge to remain at the forefront of understanding and treating cancer, a position we aim to strengthen further with Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

    The Government’s Plan for Change  is focused on securing the UK’s position as a global tech powerhouse – including in healthcare – which fosters innovation to transform the lives of working people and deliver a decade of national renewal.

    The move delivers on the Government’s commitment to tackle bureaucracy blocking investment and regulatory complexity that has previously stifled growth.

    Roland Sinker, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals said:

    Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that will make a huge difference to patients.

    By offering this non-invasive, more targeted treatment we can care for more people as outpatients and free up time for surgeons to treat more complex cases.

    The faster recovery times mean patients will be able to return to their normal lives more quickly, which will also reduce pressure on hospital beds, helping us ensure that patients are able to receive the right treatment at the right time.

    We are delighted to be receiving this new state of the art machine.

    Fiona Carey, Co-chair of the Patient Advisory Group for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and kidney cancer patient with advanced disease, said:

    This is seriously good news. A new, non-invasive option to treat these cancers is very welcome indeed.

    For patients for whom ordinary surgery is no longer an option, this could make all the difference.

    James Pound, Interim Executive Director, Innovation and Compliance at MHRA, said:

    This is a strong example of smart, agile regulation in action. Working closely with partners through the Innovative Devices Access Pathway, we’ve shown we can get promising technologies to patients faster – without compromising safety.

    It’s a major step forward for patients with liver cancer and shows how the UK can be a frontrunner in supporting responsible innovation that meets real clinical need.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –