Category: Politics

MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Op-Ed: Congress Must Reimburse Texas for President Biden’s Border Security Malpractice

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) authored the following op-ed on FoxNews.com calling out former President Biden’s failure to secure the southern border and detailing his top reconciliation priority: ensuring the federal government reimburses Texas for the billions it spent on Operation Lone Star when Joe Biden refused to do so.

Congress Must Reimburse Texas for President Biden’s Border Security Malpractice

Senator Cornyn

FoxNews.com

June 5, 2025

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/sen-john-cornyn-congress-must-reimburse-texas-for-bidens-border-security-malpractice

The government’s most basic duty is to keep its citizens safe. President Biden woefully neglected to fulfill this obligation, allowing our borders to be overrun by millions of unvetted illegal immigrants, criminal aliens, and cartels smuggling deadly synthetic opioids. Far from Washington, border states like Texas were left to suffer the consequences. Texas spent billions of dollars on Operation Lone Star in attempt to abate this catastrophe. We all owe Governor Abbott a debt of gratitude for doing what the Biden administration wouldn’t, but we also owe Texas a monetary debt. Now the bill is due: it’s time for the federal government to pay Texas taxpayers back.

From the moment he arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Biden reversed the previous administration’s successful immigration policies: he ended President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy; directed DHS to halt construction of the border wall, instead using federal funds to store wall materials; and ended Title 42, the COVID-era policy that was our last line of defense against the incoming migrant surge.

President Biden oversaw a crisis on our southern border that far surpassed illegal migration numbers from prior decades. In Biden’s four years, CBP encountered over 10 million illegal immigrants. More than 1.7 million known gotaways evaded Border Patrol entirely and are freely roaming somewhere in the interior of our country. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died from overdose of synthetic opioids including fentanyl, a drug manufactured with Chinese precursor chemicals and smuggled through our open border by drug cartels. Innocent Americans such as Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray died at the hands of illegal migrant criminals.

Despite the immigration authorities that were already available to President Biden, he threw up his hands, claiming that there was nothing more he could do – all while his designated Secretary for Homeland Security reassured the public that the border was “secure.” But facts don’t lie. The whole world knew America’s borders were wide open.

This tragic crisis was felt most acutely in Texas. My state shares the longest border with Mexico, and with the President missing in action in the midst of a disaster, Governor Abbott had to intervene. Under Operation Lone Star, Texas law enforcement apprehended over half a million illegal immigrants, including more than 50,000 criminal arrests. They built more than 240 miles of border barriers, seized over half a billion deadly doses of fentanyl, and reduced illegal immigration into Texas by 87%, according to the Governor. However, these efforts cost upwards of $11 billion, a pretty penny for Texans to pay for the basic safety and security that the federal government owes its people.

If there is any lingering question that President Biden’s policies are to blame for the mess we saw at our southern border, consider President Trump’s swift success in reversing the damage. As soon he was elected and even before he took office, the migrant flows began to subside. In the first two weeks of 2025, CBP encounters were nearly 50% lower than they were at the same point in 2021, at the start of the Biden administration. In President Trump’s first 100 days in office, daily border encounters decreased by 95%.

This dramatic sea change resulted from President Trump and U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem’s commonsense policies. On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. He ended President Biden’s “catch and release” policy and reinstated his own tried-and-tested “Remain in Mexico” policy. ICE arrests have increased by more than 600%, while arrests of criminal migrants have doubled.

The Trump administration’s policies are a welcome change from the past four years of disaster under the Biden administration. But the damage Texas experienced and the financial sacrifice we made for the good of the country must be fully repaid.

The federal government under President Biden created this crisis, and Congress must rectify it. Texans have had to bear the brunt of open borders, rampant crime, and deadly fentanyl for four years, costing the state billions of dollars to fill in for our absentee commander in chief.

In late January, Governor Abbott asked Congress to reimburse Texas for the $11.1 billion dollars that Texas taxpayer spent. I immediately began working in partnership with President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Thune, Speaker Johnson, and Texas Republicans in the House, to ensure Congress fulfills this request through the reconciliation bill, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Texas Republicans make up the largest Republican delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives; thus the Speaker could not pass a bill without support from this key voting bloc. It was unacceptable that the initial text of the legislation released by the House did not reimburse Texas. But thanks to coordinating efforts with Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21), language to reimburse states like Texas was added to the legislation during the amendment process, and the House passed these provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

The next hurdle is to shepherd our reimbursement provisions through the Senate. I will continue working with Leader Thune, Governor Abbott, and President Trump to ensure the Senate includes even stronger language in the One Big Beautiful Bill and that Texas specifically will be rightfully repaid for Operation Lone Star. I will continue fighting to ensure this language remains in the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill that will go to the President’s desk.

The road to victory is long, but if there’s one thing us Texans know how to do it’s to stay the course and defy the odds. President Biden abdicated his responsibility as commander in chief at the southern border. It’s now up to Congress to reverse the damage and make Texas taxpayers whole.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Tripartite agreement reached between Tŝilhqot’in Nation, B.C., Taseko Mines Limited

Source: Government of Canada regional news

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation, the Province and Taseko Mines Limited (Taseko) have announced the signing of the Teẑtan Biny Gagaghut’i Agreement to resolve the long-standing conflict over the “New Prosperity” mineral tenures in the Teẑtan Biny (Fish Lake) area of Tŝilhqot’in territory.

Taseko Mines Limited and the Tŝilhqot’in Nation have reached an agreement under which any future mineral exploration and mine development in the New Prosperity mineral tenure area will require consent of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. Additionally, the Province and the Tŝilhqot’in Nation have entered an agreement that requires the consent of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation for any mine in the Teẑtan Area that is a reviewable project under the Environmental Assessment Act to proceed. The Province is seeking orders in council to prescribe this agreement under Section 7 of the act and to authorize negotiations with the Tŝilhqot’in Nation to set out the process for how this requirement for Tŝilhqot’in Nation consent would be addressed in any potential environmental assessment process. The resolution leaves open the potential for the future development of this critical mineral deposit, with the consent of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation.

“Resolution of this long-standing legal and public conflict has been a priority for this government,” said Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals. “These negotiations, which began under the previous mandate, laid important groundwork. The agreement demonstrates B.C.’s commitment to reconciliation and ensuring that the interests of First Nations and mining companies can advance together. I want to recognize all parties to this agreement for their willingness to collaborate to find common ground, build mutual respect, and create a foundation for shared prosperity. We will continue working in partnership to maintain a stable investment climate and future economic benefits for British Columbians.”

Christine Boyle, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, said: “It has taken vision and courage from strong leaders to get us to this significant moment. Together with the Tŝilhqot’in Nation and Taseko Mines Limited, and through this agreement, B.C. is aligning with commitments we’ve made under previous agreements, such as the Gwets’en Nilt’i Pathway Agreement, to support the Tŝilhqot’in path of self-determination. Through collaborative processes and by working in partnership with First Nations and industry, we will continue to advance reconciliation for the benefit of all.”

Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Roger William, Nits’ilʔin of Xeni Gwet’in, said: “This agreement protects our rights of consent in the Teẑtan area. That’s huge. For over three decades, we’ve had conflict in the Teẑtan area. For my oldest son, for many Tŝilhqot’in, that conflict has always been there, for their entire lives. Now we are turning the page. Tŝilhqot’in consent is protected: there is no longer the threat of exploration or mining without our consent. I hold my hands up to everyone that worked hard over the past five years to achieve this historic agreement that reflects true reconciliation, including the Province and Taseko Mines Limited. This is a time to celebrate for our people and honour all those who made this resolution possible.”

As part of the agreement, the Province will make a one-time payment of $75 million to Taseko Mines Limited. This payment supports the resolution of long-standing issues and enables key components of the tripartite agreement among the parties to move forward. Taseko has committed to not be the proponent (operator) of future mineral exploration and development activity at New Prosperity Project, and can divest some or all of its interest at any time, including to other mining companies. The path forward also includes the termination of all litigation related to the New Prosperity Project.

“This agreement resolves a damaging and value-destructive dispute and acknowledges Taseko’s commercial interests in the New Prosperity property and the cultural significance of the Teztan Area to the Tŝilhqot’in Nation,” said Stuart McDonald, president and CEO, Taseko Limited Mines. “Taseko will retain a majority interest (77.5%) in the mineral tenures, while any future development at New Prosperity will benefit the Tŝilhqot’in people and will only occur with their free, prior and informed consent. We thank all the parties for their contributions at the negotiating table and their commitment to the multi-year dialogue that has led to this historic agreement.”

Taseko will contribute a 22.5% equity interest in the New Prosperity mineral tenures to a trust for the future benefit of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. The trust will transfer the equity interest to the Tŝilhqot’in Nation when and if it takes a decision to pursue mineral development in the area.

The Province and Tŝilhqot’in Nation have agreed to initiate a long-term land-use planning process to achieve land use predictability over the area declared by the Tŝilhqot’in Nation as Dasiqox Nexwagwezʔan (“There for Us”) on Oct. 4, 2014. The process will aim to establish clear land-use direction that protects the ecological, cultural and economic sustainability of the area. The planning process for Dasiqox Nexwagwezʔan will invite broad public and stakeholder participation and seek to build on shared values and solutions.

“This is a historic moment for our people and for reconciliation in British Columbia and Canada,” said Nits’ilʔin Lennon Solomon, Nits’ilʔin of Yuneŝit’in. “It shows what is possible when we come together in the right spirit to resolve even the deepest conflict. I am honoured to be part of a resolution that finally respects Tŝilhqot’in rights and jurisdiction in the Teẑtan area after a generation of conflict. I am grateful that we can move forward as Tŝilhqot’in in a positive way and put our energy and attention into our own priorities as a Nation.”

The tripartite agreement provides for a provincial government investment of $10 million to the Tŝilhqot’in Nation to support the implementation of programs that support cultural development and $1.5 million to the Tŝilhqot’in Nation to support its participation in the land-use planning process.

Learn More:

Follow the link to the map of the Teẑtan Area and Dasiqox Nexwagwezʔan Area: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/te%e1%ba%91tan_dasiqox_nexwagwez%ca%94an_area.pdf

Follow the link to access the media B-Roll: https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/G4eEOlCQMx

To learn more about the Land Use Planning in British Columbia, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/crown-land-water/land-use-planning

To learn more about the Environment Assessment Process, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/environmental-assessments/environmental-assessment-process

To learn more about the Tsilhqot’in National Government, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/consulting-with-first-nations/first-nations-negotiations/first-nations-a-z-listing/tsilhqot-in-national-government

Follow the link to the summary of the Teẑtan Biny Gagaghut’i (Teẑtan Biny Agreement): https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/consulting-with-first-nations/agreements/summary_teztan_biny_agreement_29may2025.pdf

Two backgrounders follow.

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: CLARKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN 2.0

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 5, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT:

e:jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s latest travel ban is not a new policy; it’s a dangerous sequel to the same discriminatory playbook he used during his first term with the infamous Muslim Ban.

“That policy tore families apart, sowed fear in immigrant communities, and betrayed America’s values. Now, with a wider list of targeted nations, he is doubling down on the same hateful rhetoric and xenophobic strategy. The ban’s scope and lack of nuanced security assessments reveal its true nature: a political maneuver rooted in prejudice rather than a genuine effort to protect our nation. This renewed travel ban is nothing short of a thinly veiled continuation of his anti-immigrant, anti-Black, and anti-Muslim agenda, and it is rooted in the very foundation set by Project 2025.

“Let me be clear: this latest travel ban is not a matter of national security, but is rather a blatant continuation of Donald Trump’s longstanding war on Black and brown immigrants. From the moment he referred to African nations as ‘shithole countries,’ his agenda has been crystal clear: to demonize and shut out people of color from the promise of America.

“The Ninth Congressional District of New York represents a cultural mosaic of diversity, and I see every day how immigrant families strengthen our neighborhoods, drive our economy, and enrich our culture. My heart breaks for my constituents, because this disturbing decision doesn’t just impact the millions still confined to their home nations. It cuts off the lifeline of their family members who have found a new home in my district and across America who rely on resources from their families here in the states. They all deserve dignity — not discrimination. I stand with them, and I will use every tool at my disposal in Congress to oppose this unjust and un-American ban.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: African Development Bank and IATI hold workshop for Francophone West Africa governments to strengthen development effectiveness

Source: African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank and the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) concluded a workshop on Thursday aimed at enhancing the use of development finance data to support national planning, coordination, and accountability. The workshop was attended by government representatives from Francophone West Africa.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by Prime Minister Carney on World Environment Day

Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

“Canada’s nature is woven into our identity and culture. On World Environment Day, we affirm our commitment to protecting Canada’s natural heritage and defending it for future generations.

“Canada’s new government will create new protected areas and national parks, bolster Indigenous stewardship, protect wildlife in and around our coastal waters, and safeguard our fresh water through the new Canada Water Agency.

“Furthermore, we will strengthen Parks Canada’s disaster response at home and champion nature conservation internationally, including by stopping illegal wildlife trade across our borders with modern technology.

“Together, we will protect the most beautiful country in the world and build a strong and united Canada.”

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Federal Jury Convicts Pakistani Weapons Smuggler of Transporting Iranian Advanced Conventional Weapons Destined for the Houthis in Yemen

Source: US State of California

A federal jury convicted a Pakistani national today on charges related to smuggling Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry destined for the Houthis in Yemen and threatening multiple witnesses.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on the night of Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including the captain, Muhammad Pahlawan, 49.

During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team located and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces during the time of the charged conspiracy against merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to the boarding team, instructed other crewmembers to lie, and eventually threatened the lives of his crewmembers and their families.

Pahlawan’s January 2024 trip was part of a larger operation. From in or around August 2023 through in or around January 2024, Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers, Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle materials from Iran to the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. Pahlawan completed multiple smuggling voyages, coordinated and funded by Shahab and Yunus, by traveling with cargo from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transporting that cargo to another vessel for a nighttime ship-to-ship transfer. Pahlawan worked with Shahab and Yunus to prepare the dhow for these smuggling voyages, received specific coordinates from them for the ship-to-ship transfers, and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation.

Pahlawan was convicted of: conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support and resources to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s weapons of mass destruction program, conspiring to and indeed transporting explosive devices to the Houthis knowing those explosives would be used to cause harm, and threatening his crew. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22 and most statutes of conviction include a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr. and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Danya Atiyeh and former National Security Division Trial Attorney Lesley Woods supported the case.

The following government agencies provided invaluable support to the case: the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Defense, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of State.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI: Crypto Casino Trends 2025: Winna Prioritizes Speed and Privacy Over Flashy Bonuses

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Las Vegas, NV, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Among several new entrants, Winna reflects a growing trend in crypto gambling: fast crypto payouts, privacy-centric onboarding, and a focus on esports betting. Its instant withdrawal time and privacy-first approach have earned it top rankings as the best crypto casino for players seeking speed and discretion.

Winna’s streamlined interface, blockchain-native architecture, and smart bonus structures position it not just as an alternative—but as a frontrunner in the race for the best crypto casino experience.

Platform Overview: Winna – A Crypto Casino for Modern Gamblers

Winna is a lean, high-performance gambling platform tailored for cryptocurrency users. From its clean UI to its turbo-fast transactions, everything is built to match the expectations of today’s crypto-native players.

Platform Highlights:

Launch: 2024
License: Tobique Gaming License
Game Library: 2,000+ titles (slots, tables, live games, esports, sportsbook)
Crypto Accepted: BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDT, SOL, BNB, TRX, LTC, USDC
Average Withdrawal Time: <10 minutes
Verification: No KYC for crypto users

As a top-rated crypto casino, Winna competes directly with longer-established platforms by excelling in three areas: speed, privacy, and personalized rewards.

Why Winna Is the Crypto Casino for Privacy and Payout Speed

Online forums, Telegram groups, and gambling review sites consistently highlight why Winna is emerging as one of the best crypto casinos on the market:

Verified Fast Withdrawals:
Crypto users report consistent sub-10-minute withdrawal speeds. Bitcoin withdrawals often complete in under 12 minutes, placing Winna among the fastest-paying crypto casinos today.
No-KYC Simplicity:
Players register with just an email—no documents, no verification delay. This level of anonymity is rare, even among so-called best crypto casino options.
Game Quality and Focus:
Rather than padding its numbers with low-tier games, Winna offers over 2,000 high-quality titles. Feedback from early users helped shape its game portfolio, emphasizing high-RTP slots and competitive esports betting—features core to any best crypto casino rating.
Crypto-Friendly Promotions:
Bonuses are structured with crypto players in mind. Instead of convoluted fiat-like wagering requirements, Winna’s promos reward play activity, not paperwork.
24/7 Support:
A core expectation of a best bitcoin casino is round-the-clock assistance. Winna meets this standard with live chat, email, and Telegram support in multiple languages.
Enterprise-Grade Security:
With 2FA, SSL, cold wallet crypto storage, and provably fair games, Winna meets all the requirements for being a trusted and secure crypto casino.

Bonuses That Set Winna Apart from Other Crypto Casinos

Where many platforms offer flashy but hollow promotions, Winna focuses on value-driven bonus structures that reward real players:

Welcome Package:
New players receive a 60% rakeback deal and a deposit bonus. This combination makes it one of the best bonus packages among crypto casinos.
Daily/Weekly Tournaments:
Compete for share in $25,000 prize pools, win free spins, and participate in rotating slot events—standard perks among top crypto casinos.
Real Cashback:
Automatic cashback on net losses increases retention and offers consistent value—a key feature of the best crypto gambling sites.
Esports-Focused Offers:
Esports fans get unique bet insurance and odds boosts, positioning Winna as not just the best bitcoin casino, but one of the few built with esports bettors in mind.
Loyalty VIP Club:
Earn faster payouts, exclusive tournaments, and tiered bonuses. The VIP program is a major draw for high-volume players across Reddit crypto casino communities.

Game Library: Why Winna Delivers One of the Best Crypto Casino Experiences

Winna may not have the biggest library, but it’s carefully built for maximum entertainment value, ensuring every title contributes to a high-quality crypto gambling experience.

Top-Tier Slots:
Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, and dozens of bonus-buy, high-RTP options make Winna’s selection one of the most player-friendly in the best crypto casino category.
Live Dealer Games:
Blackjack, roulette, and live game shows hosted by real dealers 24/7—streamed in HD and optimized for mobile.
Table Games:
Multi-version blackjack, poker, and roulette variants allow both casual and expert players to thrive.
Crypto Sportsbook & Esports Betting:
Bet on esports tournaments and real-world sports events with competitive odds and real-time stats. These features elevate Winna into the elite tier of crypto casinos with integrated sportsbooks.
Instant Win and Crash Games:
Perfect for quick-session players who prefer high-volatility, fast-paced experiences.

Crypto Support and Security: Foundation of the Winna Crypto Casino

Accepted Coins:

Bitcoin (BTC)
Ethereum (ETH)
Tether (USDT)
Binance Coin
Solana (SOL)
Dogecoin (DOGE)
Litecoin (LTC)
Tron (TRX)
USDC (USDC)

Fiat-to-Crypto Integration (coming soon):

Visa
Apple Pay
Mastercard
Google Pay

Security Systems:

SSL encryption on all data
Cold wallet storage of crypto funds
Two-factor authentication
Fairness-verified RNG and provably fair systems
GDPR-compliant data privacy protocols

Together, these systems reinforce Winna’s role as one of the safest crypto casinos in 2025.

Pros and Cons: Why Winna is Among the Best Crypto Casinos

Pros	Cons
5-minute average crypto withdrawals	Fiat payment features still in development
No KYC needed for crypto play	Smaller game count than legacy platforms
Excellent esports and sportsbook features
High-value welcome bonus & rakeback
Secure, anonymous crypto transactions
24/7 multilingual customer support

Winna’s mobile-optimized site delivers full access to the platform on any device—iOS or Android. Players can launch slots, watch live dealer games, and place real-time sports bets without losing functionality or speed.

Responsible Gambling Measures

As expected from any best crypto casino, Winna offers built-in player protection tools:

Daily/monthly deposit caps
Session time reminders
Temporary and permanent self-exclusion
“Cool off” features for short-term breaks
Integration with problem gambling helplines and support networks

FAQ – Quick Answers for Players Choosing Winna

Is Winna the best crypto casino for 2025?
Yes. Its speed, privacy, bonuses, and security place it among the absolute top crypto gambling sites this year.

Are withdrawals really under 10 minutes?
Yes. Most crypto withdrawals are processed within 6–8 minutes.

Do I need to verify my identity?
No. Crypto users can register and play completely anonymously.

Can I play on my phone?
Yes. The platform is fully mobile-optimized for browser play.

Does Winna support fiat deposits?
Not yet, but on-platform crypto purchases using Visa/Mastercard are in development.

What makes Winna different from other top crypto casinos?
It prioritizes privacy, esports integration, player-focused rewards, and speed—without bloated extras or delays.

Final Thoughts: Why Winna Is the Best Crypto Casino for Real Players

Winna isn’t just another crypto casino—it’s a purpose-built ecosystem designed for speed, fairness, and real player value. Its withdrawal speed, no-KYC onboarding, competitive esports betting, and rakeback structure all align with what today’s crypto users want.
Unlike platforms that rely heavily on marketing spin, Winna delivers consistent, measurable value where it matters most. While Jackbit was once considered a strong option, its recent wave of negative press, delayed payouts, and inconsistent bonus policies have significantly tarnished its reputation. Many experienced players now consider it unreliable and no longer representative of the crypto-first gambling model.

If you’re looking for the best crypto casino for 2025, Winna is not just a contender—it’s already the choice for thousands of informed players.

Disclaimer:

Gambling entails risks and should be approached with caution. Users must be of legal gambling age in their jurisdiction. This article is for informational and promotional purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

Always gamble responsibly and within your means. The publisher, affiliates, and authors are not liable for losses arising from use of this content. Brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Pakistani Weapons Smuggler of Transporting Iranian Advanced Conventional Weapons Destined for the Houthis in Yemen

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

A federal jury convicted a Pakistani national today on charges related to smuggling Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry destined for the Houthis in Yemen and threatening multiple witnesses.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on the night of Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including the captain, Muhammad Pahlawan, 49.

During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team located and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces during the time of the charged conspiracy against merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to the boarding team, instructed other crewmembers to lie, and eventually threatened the lives of his crewmembers and their families.

Pahlawan’s January 2024 trip was part of a larger operation. From in or around August 2023 through in or around January 2024, Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers, Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle materials from Iran to the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. Pahlawan completed multiple smuggling voyages, coordinated and funded by Shahab and Yunus, by traveling with cargo from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transporting that cargo to another vessel for a nighttime ship-to-ship transfer. Pahlawan worked with Shahab and Yunus to prepare the dhow for these smuggling voyages, received specific coordinates from them for the ship-to-ship transfers, and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation.

Pahlawan was convicted of: conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support and resources to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s weapons of mass destruction program, conspiring to and indeed transporting explosive devices to the Houthis knowing those explosives would be used to cause harm, and threatening his crew. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22 and most statutes of conviction include a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Executive Assistant Director Jodi Cohen of the FBI’s National Security Branch; and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy A. Edwards Jr. and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Danya Atiyeh, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber, and former National Security Division Trial Attorney Lesley Woods supported the case.

The following government agencies provided invaluable support to the case: the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Defense, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of State.

MIL Security OSI –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI: BULGOLD Announces Non-Brokered Private Placement for Gross Proceeds of Up to $1 Million

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

TORONTO, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BULGOLD Inc. (TSXV: ZLTO) (the “Company” or “BULGOLD”) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the “Offering”) for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000 from the sale of common shares of the Company (each, a “Share”) at a price of $0.05 per Share (the “Issue Price”).

The Company has agreed to pay a finder’s fee to arm’s length parties for services rendered in respect of the Offering. The finder’s fee will consist of a cash fee equal to 7.0% of the gross proceeds from the sale of Shares sold to third parties sourced by the finders, and finder’s warrants equal in number to 7.0% of the Shares sold to third parties sourced by the finders (the “Finder’s Warrant”). Each Finder’s Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.07 until the date which is 18 months from the closing date of the Offering.

The Company intends to use the proceeds raised from the Offering for exploration as well as for general corporate purposes. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about June 30, 2025 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Shares will have a hold period ending on the day that is four months and one day following the closing date.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About BULGOLD Inc.

BULGOLD is a gold exploration company focused on the exploration and development of mineral exploration projects in Central and Eastern Europe. The Company controls 100% of three quality quartz-adularia epithermal gold projects located in the Bulgarian and Slovak portions of the Western Tethyan Belt: the Lutila Gold Project, the Kostilkovo Gold Project and the Kutel Gold Project. Management of the Company believes that its assets show potential for high-grade, good-metallurgy, low-sulfidation epithermal gold mineralisation.

On March 31, 2025, BULGOLD’s issued and outstanding shares were 27,597,928 of which approximately 40.3% were held by Founders, Directors and Management. Additional information about the Company is available on BULGOLD’s website (www.BULGOLD.com) and on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance and include statements relating to the use of proceeds of the Offering and the timing for closing of the Offering. The forward‐looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward‐looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct.

Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward‐looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including the inherent uncertainty of mineral exploration; risks related to title to mineral properties; and credit, market, currency, operational, commodity, geopolitical, liquidity and funding risks generally, including changes in economic conditions, interest rates or tax rates and general market and economic conditions. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward‐looking statements and information contained in this press release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward‐looking statements and information contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward‐looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

For further information, please contact:

BULGOLD Inc.
Sean Hasson, President and Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: +359 887 560 545
Email: sean.hasson@BULGOLD.com
Website: www.BULGOLD.com

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI: Navient holds 2025 annual shareholder meeting, appoints Edward Bramson as board chair

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HERNDON, Va., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Navient (Nasdaq: NAVI) today held its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Shareholders voted in accordance with the recommendations of the company’s board of directors to approve three proposals, including the election of seven nominees to the board.

Linda Mills did not stand for reelection at the 2025 annual meeting. Ms. Mills joined the Navient board of directors in 2014 and served as chair since 2019.

“Linda’s leadership and service on the board since Navient’s inception are greatly appreciated,” said Dave Yowan, president and CEO of Navient. “Her valuable perspectives have been integral to Navient’s continued success.”

Also today, Edward Bramson was elected chair of the board of directors. The current directors are Edward Bramson, Frederick Arnold, Anna Escobedo Cabral, Larry Klane, Michael Lawson, Jane Thompson, and David Yowan.

Mr. Bramson is a partner in Sherborne Investors, a turnaround investment firm. He joined Navient’s board in 2022 and became vice chair in 2024. Mr. Bramson has also served as chairman or chief executive officer of several other publicly traded companies in a range of commercial and financial sectors.

Final voting results are available on a Form 8-K filed with the SEC at SEC.gov and on Navient.com/investors.

About Navient
Navient (Nasdaq: NAVI) provides technology-enabled education finance solutions that help millions of people achieve success. Learn more at navient.com.

Contact:
Media: Cate Fitzgerald, 317-806-8775, catherine.fitzgerald@navient.com
Investors: Jen Earyes, 703-984-6801, jen.earyes@navient.com

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI: Firm Capital Property Trust Announces Results of Annual Meeting of Unitholders

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Firm Capital Property Trust (“FCPT” or the “Trust“), (TSX: FCD.UN) is pleased to announce the voting results for its Annual and Special Meeting of unitholders (“Unitholders”) of Trust Units (“Units”) of the Trust held on June 5, 2025 (the “Meeting”).

All the matters put forward before Unitholders for consideration and approval as set out in the Trust’s management information circular dated April 23, 2025 (the “Circular“) were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting. In particular, Unitholders approved the election of all trustee nominees, the approval of MNP LLP as the Trust’s auditors, approving for a period of three years, all unallocated options, rights and other entitlements issuable pursuant to the Trust’s option plan and approving for a period of three years, all unallocated entitlements issuable pursuant to the Trust’s incentive arrangements, all as described in the Circular. The results of the votes on the board of trustees of the Trust is as follows:

Nominee	Votes “For”	% Votes “For”	Votes “Withheld”	% of Votes “Withheld”
Geoffrey Bledin	9,172,015	99.4%	55,306	0.6%
Eli Dadouch	7,857,717	85.2%	1,369,604	14.8%
Stanley Goldfarb	9,120,792	98.8%	106,529	1.2%
Jonathan Mair	7,835,944	84.9%	1,391,377	15.1%
Robert McKee	7,835,844	84.9%	1,391,477	15.1%
Sandy Poklar	7,810,534	84.6%	1,416,787	15.4%
Lawrence Shulman	9,149,407	99.2%	77,914	0.8%
Howard Smuschkowitz	9,151,255	99.2%	76,066	0.8%
Manfred Walt	9,150,997	99.2%	76,324	0.8%
Victoria Granovski	7,812,809	84.7%	1,414,512	15.3%
Jeffrey Goldfarb	9,150,557	99.2%	77,264	0.8%

9,340,241 Units were represented by Unitholders in person or by proxy at the Meeting, representing approximately 25.3% of the total issued and outstanding Units at the record date for the Meeting. Full details of the voting results will be posted under the Trust’s profile on www.sedarplus.ca.

ABOUT FIRM CAPITAL PROPERTY TRUST (TSX : FCD.UN)

Firm Capital Property Trust is focused on creating long-term value for Unitholders, through capital preservation and disciplined investing to achieve stable distributable income. In partnership with management and industry leaders. The Trust’s plan is to own as well as to co-own a diversified property portfolio of multi-residential, flex industrial, and net lease convenience retail. In addition to stand alone accretive acquisitions, the Trust will make joint acquisitions with strong financial partners and acquisitions of partial interests from existing ownership groups, in a manner that provides liquidity to those selling owners and professional management for those remaining as partners. Firm Capital Realty Partners Inc., through a structure focused on an alignment of interests with the Trust sources, syndicates and property and asset manages investments on behalf of the Trust.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, among others, statements associated with the opportunities that may be available to the Trust and statements regarding the business of the Trust. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue”, and by discussions of strategies that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Trust. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and various future events will not occur. Although management of the Trust believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements will occur as anticipated. These statements are not guarantees and are based on our estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Trust’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024 under “Risks and Uncertainties” (a copy of which can be obtained at www.sedarplus.ca). Neither the Trust nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking statements, and no one has any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or such other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Additional information about the Trust is available at www.firmcapital.com or www.sedarplus.ca.

For further information, please contact:

Robert McKee	Sandy Poklar
President & Chief Executive Officer	Chief Financial Officer
(416) 635-0221	(416) 635-0221

For Investor Relations information, please contact:

Victoria Moayedi
Director, Investor Relations
(416) 635-0221

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Speech

We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

Let me start by welcoming the strong commitment of the Syrian government to turn the page of history. We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure once and for all that the Assad era chemical weapons programme is destroyed.

The UK is greatly encouraged by Syria’s operational and logistical support to the deployments carried out by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, including access to sites and people, and by Syria’s commitment to engage with the international community.

We also welcome the OPCW Technical Secretariat’s deployments to Syria in March and April. The persistence and professionalism shown by OPCW staff in Syria has been exceptional. As has the consistently high quality of the Technical Secretariat’s work on this important file in a very challenging technical environment.

Important progress has been made towards setting up OPCW offices in Syria and the collection and analysis of samples.

These are vital steps towards Syria’s full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council resolution 2118, which the Assad regime so flagrantly violated.

There is, however, President, much more work to do in a difficult operational environment.

Due to the secrecy and complexity of Assad’s illegal chemical weapons programme, the precise extent of the challenge ahead is still unknown.

Allow me to make three brief points.

Firstly, both the Syrian government and the OPCW will need to be operationally agile to address any proliferation or health risks found in inspecting sites of concern.

The OPCW’s role is vital. As mandated by the Chemical Weapons Convention and by resolution 2118, the OPCW must verify the Syrian-led declaration and destruction of any remaining elements of Assad’s chemical weapons programme.

Secondly, to achieve this, the OPCW will need technical, financial and logistical assistance from the international community.

The OPCW has provided States Parties with its estimated costs for its work in Syria.

The UK has already provided more than $1 million to the OPCW Syria Missions to support their immediate work and will look to provide further assistance.

We join High Representative Nakamitsu in encouraging others to also provide the necessary resources. In particular, President, we welcome Qatar’s role in representing Syria at the OPCW in The Hague.

Finally, military action by neighbouring states risks delaying OPCW deployments as well as the preservation of evidence at chemical weapons sites. We therefore urge Israel to de-escalate their actions in Syria.

President, we have a historic opportunity to rid Syria of Assad’s chemical weapons.

Let us do our part to support Syria and the OPCW, to enable the new Syrian government to finally close the file on the scourge of chemical weapons use, and on this dark chapter in Syria’s history.

Updates to this page

Published 5 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. protects 220 more affordable homes

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Rob Botterell, BC Green Party house leader; MLA for Saanich North and the Islands –

“These projects show what’s possible when communities and non-profits are given the tools to take housing off the speculative market. When we protect and expand affordable housing, we don’t just solve the housing crisis – we make progress on health, education and economic stability. To create lasting change, we need continued and expanded support for protecting existing affordable homes.”

Julius Bloomfield, mayor of Penticton –

“Today’s announcement highlights the success of our affordable housing pilot funding program. This program, along with our updated permissive tax-exemption policy, reflects our commitment to non-market housing and partnerships to protect affordable rentals so residents can stay in homes they can afford.”

Raymond Kendell, a tenant in Penticton –

“I was worried I wouldn’t find a place. It’s expensive here in Penticton. I’ve lived here 4.5 years. I appreciate that the Penticton and District Society for Community Living improved our building. Most people in the building seem stress-free and much happier now.”

Tarra Kenney, CEO, Penticton and District Society for Community Living (PDSCL) –

“The acquisition of the apartments at 680 Wade Ave. E. in Penticton, made possible through the Rental Proection Fund (RPF), marks a significant step in ensuring affordable housing for our community. Thanks to this funding, PDSCL has been able to maintain lower rental rates, providing stability and accessibility for residents who need it most.”

Stephen Bennett, CEO, Affordable Housing Societies –

“We are grateful for the support of the Province through the Rental Protection Fund (RPF) for our purchase of the Camelot apartments in Chilliwack. Because of this purchase, we have been able to ensure the residents of that building continue to have housing stability at rents they can afford.”

Mark Miller, CEO, Connective –

“Connective thanks the Government of B.C. and the RPF for their investment in sustainable housing solutions. We’re proud to play a role in addressing urgent housing needs in Fort St. John, and know that safe, secure housing is essential to building strong, thriving communities.”

Lindsay Lord, CEO, Connective Kamloops –

“Connective is proud to be the new owner of Riverside Gardens and would like to thank and commend the B.C. government and the RPF for working rapidly and diligently in addressing the housing crisis through innovative programs. Connective remains committed to the development, acquisition and protection of affordable housing for our community.”

Lee-Anne Michayluk, CEO, More Than A Roof Housing Society –

“This acquisition underscores our ongoing commitment to fostering strong, thriving communities by prioritizing sustainable and affordable housing solutions. We extend our appreciation to the RPF team and the provincial government as we work together to create lasting, positive impacts for current and future residents.”

Jeffrey Yu, board president, New Vista Society –

“New Vista wants to thank Minister Kahlon and Katie Maslechko from the Rental Protection Fund for their leadership and contribution allowing us to resume housing services in the city of Vancouver, where our founder started our society back in 1943. Thank you so much.”

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Action Taken by Governor Phil Scott on Legislation – June 5, 2025
Source: US State of Vermont

Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly.

On June 5, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:
- H.105, An act relating to expanding the Youth Substance Awareness Safety Program
- H.222, An act relating to civil orders of protection
- H.231, An act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes
- H.458, An act relating to the Agency of Digital Services
- H.482, An act relating to Green Mountain Care Board authority to adjust a hospital’s reimbursement rates and to appoint a hospital observer
- H.504, An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of Rutland
On June 5, Governor Scott allowed H.1, An act relating to accepting and referring complaints by the State Ethics Commission to become law without his signature and sent a letter to the General Assembly:

Dear Ms. Wrask:

Pursuant to the Vermont Constitution, I’m allowing H.1, An act relating to accepting and referring complaints by the State Ethics Commission, to become law without my signature.

Just last year, in a rare area of consensus in that session, the Legislature agreed to enhance accountability and transparency in State ethics laws, including applying these higher standards to its own branch.

Among the many changes in H.1, it’s my belief this bill softens the Legislature’s commitment to the statutory State Code of Ethics. I’m concerned about how this change will be viewed by Vermonters, who want their state government to set a high standard for the conduct of its officials and the transparency with which issues are addressed.

Nevertheless, considering the balance of the bill and remaining ethical requirements, it does not rise to the level of a veto.

For these reasons, I’m allowing H.1 to become law without my signature and urge the Legislature to take another look at this in the next session. In the meantime, the Executive Branch will continue to adhere to the standards applied to it by both our laws, as well as the self-imposed higher standards of my executive order on this matter.

Sincerely,

/s/

Philip B. Scott

Governor

To view a complete list of action on bills passed during the 2025 legislative session, click here.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Durbin On Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill: The American People Did Not Vote For This Disaster

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

June 05, 2025

In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slammed the Republican reconciliation plan that will kick 16 million Americans off their health care coverage, close rural hospitals

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor exposing the disastrous provisions in the Republicans’ reconciliation plan that will slash health care and eliminate jobs to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that this legislation will harm Americans, as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new estimates showing that 16 million Americans will lose their health insurance under this plan.

“What exactly were people voting for in the last presidential election? Well, many things… but the recurring theme seems to be the cost of living for the average family, the ability of mothers and fathers to make ends meet, and to see a realization of their dreams and aspirations. But we were told, over and over again, that families across this country were being overwhelmed by the cost of living, gas, groceries, housing. And so they gave a majority of the votes to President Trump, who promised he would ‘Make America Great Again.’ Since taking office, I don’t believe that the President has come near to keeping his promise,” Durbin began. “Instead he has hired many of his billionaire buddies and cut deals with the ultra-wealthy that will harm the same Americans who voted for him.”

“Hidden in more than 1,000 pages in the bill that passed the House of Representatives is a plan, a laundry list of things, that I don’t believe Americans even considered voting for in the last November election. They’re going to have a devastating impact on families in states, red and blue alike… Billionaires are going to win, and American families are going to lose,” Durbin said.

Durbin spoke about the impact of the $800 billion cuts to Medicaid included in the reconciliation bill, emphasizing that if those cuts are carried out, rural hospitals will be forced to close because they rely on Medicaid funding to operate. Nationwide, half of all rural hospitals already operate with negative margins, and more than 300 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure, including 26 in Kansas, 22 in Alabama, and nine in Missouri.

“Do you think the voters in last November’s election for President of the United States would actually vote to close down their local hospital? That’s what’s looming,” Durbin continued. “Three weeks ago, 20 hospital administrators from across the state of Illinois, from Chicago down to the southernmost part of our state, all took a special trip to Washington to warn me that the bill that was pending before the House of Representatives threatened the survival of hospitals across our state. These are hospitals which are not only critical for providing professional medical care, delivering babies, saving people’s lives who were in automobile accidents, but also major parts of the local economy.”

“You come to rural, small town Midwest America and ask the impact of the local hospital, and they’ll tell you, ‘we don’t know that we can keep a business or attract a business if we didn’t have it. We count on it every day to be there when we need it.’ And, secondly, it’s a major employer. In fact, in most towns, the biggest employers in downstate,” Durbin said. “Then they warned me, many of these hospitals are hanging on by a thread. The money that they receive from government insurance programs like Medicaid keeps the doors open and the lights on and the doctors in town. And now we have a proposal from Republicans to cut that Medicaid benefit and coverage for 16 million Americans.”

As if those deep cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act were not harmful enough, Republicans have included a $500 billion cut to Medicare, despite promises to protect the program in their reconciliation bill.

“Now you dig deeply into this Republican budget bill that has come over from the House of Representatives, and it turns out… they’re also cutting Medicare,” Durbin said. “Republicans couldn’t help themselves, they slashed Medicare benefits and reduced access to hospitals, nursing homes, and medications for seniors in all 50 states.”

“Why would Republicans in Congress take a wrecking ball to these two major parts of our health care system? To provide money for tax breaks for the wealthiest people in America,” Durbin continued.

“It sounds like Republicans in Congress want to be the ones deciding who is worthy of health care in America. But Americans who depend on Medicaid are not strangers. They’re your neighbors. They’re people at your church, at your school, and at your work. It probably is your family too. If you or your loved one gets sick, will congressional Republicans deem you worthy of seeing a doctor?” Durbin said.

Durbin continued on, arguing that the American people did not vote to lose their health care to pad the pockets of billionaires.

“Is that what this election was all about? Did the American people vote for tax cuts for billionaires? I don’t think so,” Durbin said.

“A party like the Republicans who claim they’re the party of the working class. ‘Working class’ billionaires? They refuse to put their money where their mouth is,” Durbin said. “Republicans in Congress may try to say they’re just trying to lower your taxes, but most of the benefit is going to wealthy people who won’t even notice it.”

“Under the Republican plan, taxpayers in the wealthiest 0.1 percent would get a $300,000 tax cut every year… Why? At the expense of health care for 16 million Americans?” Durbin said.

Durbin also emphasized that the Republican plan would jeopardize thousands of jobs created by the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, which invested in clean energy jobs across the country. Since the passage of the legislation, 85 percent of investment in clean energy technologies has landed in Republican districts.

“In just two years since passing the Inflation Reduction Act, businesses have announced 340 new clean technology projects. One estimate says that this will create 150,000 permanent jobs,”Durbin said. “The Republicans ‘big, ugly bill’ puts these jobs at risk, taking a hatchet to tax policy that make these projects possible. The promise of a Republican repeal has already scared the private sector into withdrawing a $14 billion investment and cancelling 10,000 clean energy manufacturing jobs. Why would the so-called party of the working class want to give their own constituents a pink slip?”

Durbin concluded his remarks by urging his Republican colleagues in the Senate to oppose the legislation that will only benefit billionaires at the expense of their constituents.

“My Republican colleagues must know that this plan does not ‘Make America Great Again.’ It makes our debt the greatest in the history of our nation. It harms families in red and blue states,”Durbin said.

“I urge a handful of my Republican colleagues, and that’s all it takes, show some courage, show some common sense. Tell the folks in the House, and tell the White House as well, this approach is not going to work. Taking health insurance away from 16 million Americans, more than has ever happened in the history of this country, is fundamentally unfair, and we all know it,” Durbin said.

“I urge my Republican colleagues to listen to their constituents. Because I know Americans who voted for Trump in November, did not vote for what I just described,” Durbin concluded his speech.

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Business Meeting

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

June 05, 2025

During his remarks, Durbin condemned the systematic gutting of the Department of Justice under AG Bondi

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting. Durbin’s opening statement outlined the Trump Administration’s systematic gutting of Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI anti-corruption efforts, gutting of independent ethics review at DOJ, Attorney General Bondi’s conflicts of interest, and more.

Key Quotes:

“Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Justice is systematically removing the structure charged with fighting corruption in our government… In one of her first official acts, Attorney General Bondi disbanded the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force and restricted enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, despite the growing threat of foreign influence campaigns by hostile nations. Unfortunately, this was no surprise since the Attorney General herself was formerly a paid foreign agent of the government of Qatar. As a former head of FBI counterintelligence put it, this has created a ‘free for all for foreign intelligence services seeking influence on our government.’”

“In another shocking move, President Trump ordered a halt to the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. This landmark law prohibits companies from bribing foreign officials… After endless, baseless accusations that the Biden Administration weaponized DOJ, it is the Trump Administration that is making it easier to target its enemies, stifle dissent, and seek retribution.”

“The Trump Administration also removed the senior career ethics official at DOJ who advised on conflicts of interest and other ethical issues—and put these duties in the hands of two inexperienced political appointees who are personally beholden to the Attorney General.”

“In the absence of these internal guardrails, it’s not surprising that we’re witnessing outrageous misconduct. Attorney General Bondi did not recuse herself from President Trump’s solicitation of a free jet from the royal family of Qatar, despite the fact that AG Bondi was a registered foreign agent for [Qatar].”

“Attorney General Bondi also appears to be reaping the financial rewards of her loyalty to the President. She has been deeply financially entangled with President Trump for years. Most notably, she earned at least $3 million on the merger that formed Trump Media and has held millions of dollars in Trump Media stock. She sold that stock under suspicious circumstances on a historic day—April 2, 2025. This was the same day President Trump announced his hairbrained tariff scheme that crashed the stock market and destroyed $10 trillion in wealth in three days… The share price of Trump Media plummeted 15 percent, yet Bondi appears to have avoided substantial financial loss.”

“The Justice Department is involved in other activities that bear notice today. During his controversial and disgraceful tenure as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin fired numerous career prosecutors simply because they were assigned to work on January 6 cases. Mr. Martin was rewarded with a plum position at the Justice Department as the very first political appointee to serve as pardon attorney. During his short time in this role, Martin has overseen pardons of numerous Trump donors and supporters.”

“In light of these concerns, we have a responsibility to call Attorney General Bondi under oath soon. So, I ask again, I hope we have that oversight hearing in the soon in the future.”

Durbin also spoke in support of David Waterman, nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa. President Biden nominated Mr. Waterman last February and the Senate Judiciary Committee reported his nomination last April. Mr. Waterman became a victim of then-Senator Vance’s effort to block all U.S. Attorney nominees during under the Biden Administration.

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chagos Deal Sparks Parliamentary Backlash

Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

Statement by TUV MP Jim Allister:

“The hand over the Chagos Islands is a shameful and exorbitantly expensive sell out of sovereignty.

“The UK historically owns the Chagos Islands. Hence its large and strategically important military base there. Yet, under this deal the government is surrendering sovereignty to Mauritius and then leasing back for 99 years its own base! The amount of money is eye-watering, running to well over £20B.

“There is much unease in Parliament about this deal. Yet, the only way there can even be a debate before the deal is implemented is by way of a ‘prayer of opposition’. This is what I have been involved in securing this week. I drafted such a motion and then secured joint submission of the ‘prayer’ under the lead signatures of Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage and myself.

“Several dozen other MPs have now signed the motion with a view to trying to force the government to concede a debate. This is the work now in progress.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Titus Urges Secretary Rubio to Retain CARE Office

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) is urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to comply with federal law and retain the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) Office.

“My CARE Authorization Act is clear,” said Congresswoman Dina Titus. “Secretary Rubio must appoint a Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts. His refusal to do so is a violation of the law, disrespects Congress’s authority, and threatens our relationship with our Afghan allies. How can we expect others to stand by us in the future if we abandon our friends who face considerable danger for having done the same?”

Last week, the Trump Administration released a Congressional Notification outlining the reorganization of the State Department, including the dismantling of the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE).

A copy of Congresswoman Titus’s letter to Sec. Rubio can be found here.

Background

In 2022 the State Department established the CARE Office to streamline and coordinate the ongoing relocation and resettlement process for eligible Afghans from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the United States. CARE serves as the hub of this whole-of-government priority, working closely with various federal departments and agencies, international partners, and NGOs to ensure the safe and efficient relocation of individuals who have earned the right to immigrate to the U.S. as either SIVs or refugees during the twenty-year U.S. mission in Afghanistan.

CARE’s mission is vital to keeping our promise to our Afghan allies and protecting them the way they protected U.S. servicemembers. Last Congress, Rep. Titus’s bipartisan CARE Authorization Act of 2024 was signed into law. It formally authorized the CARE office at the State Department for three years and granted important authorities to advance its mission. These include an extension of authorities to enter personal services contracts—an identified legislative priority for the State Department—as well as measures to streamline the transfer of funds to and from other agencies involved in the Afghan relocation mission.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Milestone in protection of Franz Josef from floods

Source: New Zealand Government

A major step in protecting Franz Josef township on the West Coast has been officially completed.
Stage 1 of the Franz Josef Flood Protection Scheme, a major regional infrastructure project supported by a $9.2 million government grant will boost the resilience and safety of Franz Josef, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.
“The vulnerability of Franz Josef to flooding is well known. The completion of stage 1 works – installing stopbanks on the north side of the Waiho River, is the first step toward protecting the community and local economy against flooding events,” Mr Jones says.
Stage 1 was funded through a 2021 COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund – Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) grant.
Mr Jones was at Franz Josef today to formally mark the end of stage 1 works.
“Last year, I announced a $6m grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to co-fund stage 2 of the flood protection scheme, including construction of new stopbanks and strengthening of existing stopbanks along the southern side of Waiho River.
“This investment will further strengthen Franz Josef’s ability to withstand extreme weather events and provide the community more time for effective long-term planning,” Mr Jones says.
Editors’ note
The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) is a $1.2 billion capital fund with the primary purpose of accelerating infrastructure projects, particularly with a focus on water storage, energy, Māori economic development, growth, and resilience, to make a difference in our regions.
In August 2024, the Government committed $200 million of the RIF to flood resilience and announced $101.1 million of investment into 42 flood resilience projects across New Zealand, which included Stage 2 of the Franz Josef Flood Protection Scheme.
More information about the RIF can be found on the Grow Regions website

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ‘No one knew what was happening’: new research shows how domestic violence harms young people’s schooling
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Roberts, Professor of Education and Social Justice, Monash University

Taiki Ishikawa/ Unsplash, CC BY

Every school around Australia is almost certain to have students who are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.

The 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study found neglect and physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children is widespread. Among Australians aged 16–65 years, 32% experienced physical abuse, 28.5% experienced sexual abuse, 39% experienced emotional abuse and 9% had been neglected during their childhoods.

As the place where children spend the bulk of their time outside home, schools could be an important source of help and support. But are they equipped to do this?

Our research, published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, explores the impact of domestic and family violence on young people’s education. Our findings show just how significant the disruption to a young person’s education can be, including how safe or supported they feel at school.

Our study

Our study draws on data from the Adolescent Family Violence in Australia project. This is a national survey of more than 5,000 young Australians aged 16–20 years old. We focused on a subset of 1,651 respondents who had experienced domestic and family violence, either by experiencing violence between other family members or being directly subjected to it.

The survey asked both structured and open-ended questions to explore the impacts of domestic and family violence.

Family violence disrupts school attendance and participation

Our study showed family violence has a significant impact on school attendance. Young people told us they missed classes or dropped out of school during their experiences of violence.

For some young people, attending school while coping with trauma, fear and instability at home was too overwhelming.

A 19-year-old woman shared how she became so anxious in the presence of teachers and other authority figures she could only manage one day of school per week in a secluded setting.

Another young woman described missing classes regularly to care for her mother after violent episodes, while a 20-year-old man said he stayed home to protect his mother.

Even when young victims did attend school, the emotional toll of family violence often meant they were socially withdrawn. Some spoke about losing friends due to frequent house moves and school shifts, while others withdrew socially because of anxiety and trauma. One 17-year-old explained:

I don’t talk a lot to male teachers and don’t really have close friendships with girls at my school, so I tend to stay home.

Some participants described school as a safe haven away from their abusive home. But even in these cases, learning was often still difficult. One young person commented:

Yes, I wanted to go to school to get away from home, but felt very alone and isolated because no one knew what was happening.

Family violence and homework

The effects of family violence extend beyond the classroom. Many young people told us how the chaos, fear and emotional exhaustion of life at home made it difficult, if not impossible, to complete homework or study for exams. One young woman remarked:

I can’t do any homework at home because it’s not a safe environment for me.

Another young person described being kept up late listening to fighting or because of police visits, leaving them physically and emotionally exhausted in the morning.

In some cases, abusive parents directly prevented their child from attending school or doing homework. Other young people described not having access to the tools they needed, like a working computer or internet connection – sometimes withheld deliberately by a parent.

These accounts show how for some children experiencing family violence, learning at home is not just difficult, it is fundamentally unsafe.

Young people spoke of how domestic violence made it impossible to study at home.
C.T.PHAT/Shutterstock, CC BY

A missed opportunity

It can be difficult for schools to fully understand and appreciate what’s happening for students at home.

Few of the young people we surveyed proactively disclosed their experiences to school staff, including teachers and counsellors. Disclosure rates ranged from just 12% to 17%, depending on the type of violence the young person reported experiencing.

For those young people who did disclose, their experiences varied. Some young people described school staff as a lifeline – listening without judgement, offering helpful information and taking action where needed.

Others described being ignored, dismissed or harmed further by insensitive responses. As one young person said, the “school counsellor told me I needed to understand dad’s behaviour and keep my head down”.

The help students received seemed to depend on the individual teacher or school counsellor, their knowledge and training. This inconsistency represents a major barrier to effective and early intervention.

What needs to change

As well as learning, schools can also provide safety, stability and healing. We need schools to be supported to provide more effective and consistent care for students experiencing family violence.

As other research has similarly found, responses need to be trauma-informed (recognising the impact of trauma on students) and student-centred (focusing on individuals’ needs). This involves:
- providing trauma and domestic violence-informed training to all school staff
- ensuring schools have clear processes to follow if a student disclosures domestic violence, including referrals to appropriate external supports
- adopting flexible attendance and academic policies for young people impacted by domestic violence
- building collaborative partnerships with community-based domestic violence and mental health services.
The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. The Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491) offers advice and counselling to men looking to change their behaviour.

Steven Roberts receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Government and ANROWS, among others. He is a Board Director at Respect Victoria, but this article is written wholly separate from and does not represent that role.

Kate has received funding for research on violence against women and children from a range of federal and state government and non-government sources. Currently, Kate receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the South Australian government, Safe Steps, Australian Childhood Foundation and 54 Reasons. This piece is written by Kate Fitz-Gibbon in her role at Monash University and Sequre Consulting, and is wholly independent of Kate Fitz-Gibbon’s role as chair of Respect Victoria and membership on the Victorian Children’s Council.

Rebecca Stewart is a project officer at No to Violence. The views expressed in this article are her own.

– ref. ‘No one knew what was happening’: new research shows how domestic violence harms young people’s schooling – https://theconversation.com/no-one-knew-what-was-happening-new-research-shows-how-domestic-violence-harms-young-peoples-schooling-256890
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
June 6, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Resident-to-resident aggression is common in nursing homes. Here’s how we can improve residents’ safety

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Ibrahim, Professor, Aged Care Medical Research Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University

Wbmul/Shutterstock

The Coroners Court of Victoria is undertaking an inquest into the deaths of eight aged care residents across six facilities, over a nine-month period in 2021.

Each death occurred after an interaction between residents, known as resident-to-resident aggression.

If your loved one is living in aged care, it’s natural to be distressed and concerned for their safety after hearing about these deaths.

Here’s what we know about when and where it’s more likely to happen, how relatives can safeguard their loved ones, and what’s happening across the system to reduce the risk of it occurring.

What does it look like?

Resident-to-resident aggression refers to aggressive and intrusive interactions between long-term care residents that would likely be unwelcome and potentially cause the recipient physical or psychological distress or harm. It includes physical, sexual and verbal aggression.

However, the term “aggression” is potentially misleading. In most cases, the residents involved are not consciously intending to cause harm.

The prevalence of resident-to-resident aggression in aged care has been estimated at 20%, but is likely under-reported. This means that over a month, 20% of aged care residents are likely to experience an incident of resident-to-resident aggression. This is usually verbal abuse or an invasion of privacy.

The variation in reported prevalence rates makes it hard to know if the rate is increasing.

The consequences of resident-to-resident aggression range in seriousness from functional decline, to psychological or physical injury, to death.

In 2017, we published a national study of deaths from resident-to-resident aggression in nursing home residents in Australia. Over 14 years, we identified 28 deaths.

Almost 90% of residents involved – either as an “exhibitor” (often referred to as the aggressor) or a target – had dementia. Three-quarters of those diagnosed with dementia had a history of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, including wandering and physical aggression.

Exhibitors of aggressive behaviour were mostly male (85.7%), often younger, and more recently admitted to the aged care facility than the target.

Resident-to-resident aggression leading to death was most likely to occur between two male residents.

Half of all incidents leading to death involved a resident pushing and the target falling, leading to injuries such as hip fracture and head injury. This underscores the vulnerabilities posed by physical frailty among aged care residents.

Incidents resulting in death occurred mostly in communal areas, reflecting the ongoing challenges of an aged care system that relies on residents living together.

Learning from past incidents

Resident-to-resident aggression was previously brought to national attention by the death of a resident at the Oakden facility in South Australia. This led to a coronial inquest and the facility closed in 2017.

The case raised issues including the need for residents exhibiting potentially aggressive behaviour to have regular clinical reviews, accurate and detailed documentation, and adequate escalation and reporting of any incidents of aggression.

Since 2021, facilities have been required to report incidents of “unreasonable use of force”. The Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission monitors these events through the Serious Incident Response Scheme.

The last report, from March 2023, provides a series of case studies and highlights the need for better approaches to behaviour support and risk assessment.

However, prevention requires a broader systems-based approach to better understand the problem, and generate and evaluate interventions. This should include reviewing trends at the facility, provider and national level.

Approaching individual situations

Resident-to-resident aggression is expected to become more common as more people are diagnosed with dementia.

Cognitive impairment in both the exhibitor of aggressive behaviour and targets makes this more complex, as a resident could become either one, depending on the precipitating circumstances.

In one-third of the cases we analysed, the exhibitor of aggressive behaviour and the target had been involved in an earlier incident together in the past 12 months. This suggests there are opportunities for intervention.

Are police involved?

When serious injury or death occurs, it is the role of police to investigate the incident and refer to the Office of Public Prosecutions, if appropriate.

Attributing legal responsibility is problematic and criminal charges are rarely filed. This may be because the residents involved are unfit for police interview or unfit to stand trial.

Alternatively, prosecution may not be deemed in the public interest.

Managing symptoms of dementia

Dementia may impair a person’s ability to reason, express their needs and manage their emotions. It can also impair their ability to respond, in a socially acceptable way, to interpersonal conflict.

Behaviour-management strategies to support the person with dementia include having a calm environment with a familiar routine and clear communication.

Over the past decade, more formal services have become available to help manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Dementia Support Australia operates a Severe Behaviour Response Team which is available 24/7, responding to referrals from health professionals within 48 hours.

Specialist dementia care units also operate across Australia, as recommended by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety final report.

Managing dementia symptoms requires multidisciplinary expertise spanning the aged care, disability and mental health sectors. Yet integrating these services remains a challenge.

The federal government has committed to addressing the sub-optimal management of residents living with dementia.

Supporting your loved one

If you’re worried about your loved one, the first step is to express these concerns directly to the facility staff, as you would with any other matter. Open communication helps the facility staff to get to know your loved one and provide more tailored support.

Being better informed about the subject can help you to advocate for your loved one.

The Older Persons Advocacy Network is available to residents for free, independent and confidential support. They can advocate for you if you feel your concerns aren’t being heard or your loved one’s care is compromised.

What happens next with the inquest?

The Coroners Court will investigate this important and distressing issue and aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths.

The coroner will hear the evidence, and may make formal recommendations about how to improve resident safety. Government agencies are required to consider and respond to these recommendations.

It’s clear we have a long way to go to safeguard the rights of older people living in residential care.

Joseph Ibrahim is a medical specialist in geriatrics and an academic with over 30 years of clinical experience. He is a Professor with the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University and an Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. He previously received funding from state and national government for research into the safety and quality of aged care homes and resident-on-resident aggression. He has also been an expert witness for criminal and coroners court cases as well as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Amelia Grossi 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. Resident-to-resident aggression is common in nursing homes. Here’s how we can improve residents’ safety – https://theconversation.com/resident-to-resident-aggression-is-common-in-nursing-homes-heres-how-we-can-improve-residents-safety-257818

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 6, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

RyanJLane/Getty Images

As part of its resource management reforms, the government will soon allow “super-sized granny flats” to be built without consent – potentially adding 13,000 dwellings over the next decade to provide “families with more housing options”.

This represents genuine progress in reducing regulatory barriers. But the scale of the housing crisis means we have to ask whether incremental reforms can deliver meaningful change.

The numbers provide important context. Against current consenting rates of 40,000 to 50,000 new dwellings per year, those projected 70-square-metre granny flats represent a 2.6% increase in housing supply.

In Auckland, where housing pressure is most acute, 300 additional units might be built annually. For some, that’s likely to be useful. But for a country already facing a housing crunch, it’s insignificant.

The costs of a granny flat

The numbers also reveal who can participate in this proposed solution. Building a basic 70-square-metre granny flat will cost between NZ$200,000 and $300,000. Add site works, utility connections and mandatory licensed building practitioner supervision, and total project costs will be closer to the upper end of that range.

At current interest rates, financing $250,000 requires approximately $480 weekly in loan payments. While rents of $500-$600 per week are achievable in urban markets, these thin margins assume optimal conditions.

For property owners with existing equity, this presents a viable investment. For those seeking affordable housing – young families, essential workers, recent immigrants – the benefits remain largely theoretical.

This dynamic illustrates a persistent challenge in market-based housing solutions: policies intended to improve affordability often primarily benefit those with capital to deploy.

Pressure on the pipes

Each granny flat requires full residential infrastructure – water, wastewater and stormwater connections. The development contributions – fees councils charge on new builds to fund infrastructure – will help fund network upgrades. But New Zealand already faces a $120-185 billion water infrastructure deficit over the next 30 years, just to fix existing systems.

The challenge is particularly acute in established suburbs where these units are most likely to appear. Parts of Christchurch serviced by vacuum sewers already operate at capacity. Auckland’s combined sewer areas face overflow risks during heavy rainfall. Wellington’s ageing pipes struggle with current demand.

Adding thousands of dispersed infill units to stressed networks poses genuine engineering challenges that funding alone cannot solve.

Transport infrastructure faces similar pressures. With minimum parking requirements axed across the nation, these new granny flats will likely increase on-street parking demand and local traffic.

While some granny flat residents may rely on public transport or active modes, New Zealand’s car ownership rates – 837 vehicles per 1,000 people – suggest most will own vehicles.

Auckland’s sewer systems are already under pressure. New granny flats will add strain on the infrastructure.
Janice Chen/Getty Images

Approved but not always built

International experience offers instructive parallels. California’s 2017 Accessory Dwelling Unit legislation provides the closest comparison. After removing similar regulatory barriers, California saw permits increase from 1,000 in 2016 to 13,000 in 2019.

However, construction costs and infrastructure constraints limited actual completions to roughly 60% of approved units.

Australian cities report similar patterns. Despite permissive regulations in many areas, only 13-23% of suitable properties actually added secondary dwellings. High construction costs and infrastructure limitations proved more binding than regulatory constraints.

Closer to home, Auckland’s experience with minor dwellings under the Unitary Plan suggests cautious optimism. Since 2016, the city has averaged 300-400 secondary dwelling consents annually where permitted. The number of units actually constructed is unknown.

Allowing one-storey detached 70-square-metre units without building consent may increase this modestly. But they are unlikely to dramatically accelerate production given persistent cost and capacity constraints.

Another form of wealth transfer

The policy’s benefits flow primarily to existing property owners. They will gain new development rights without competitive tender or public process. While perhaps justified by broader housing benefits, it’s worth acknowledging this is a form of wealth transfer.

Granny flats typically add roughly their construction cost to property values, providing capital gains alongside rental income potential.

For renters, benefits depend on how many units actually materialise and at what price point. Secondary units often rent at 20-30% below comparable standalone houses due to their size and backyard location.

This could meaningfully expand options for singles and couples. But families requiring larger accommodation will see limited benefits.

The policy’s design constraints also tell us what kind of urban density is acceptable. Single-storey height limits, two-metre boundary setbacks and standalone requirements essentially mandate the least efficient form of intensification.

Units could share walls and services, and two-storey designs that use less land could be permitted. Instead, the granny flat exemption favours the one configuration that maintains suburban aesthetics while delivering minimal extra housing.

A modest response to the housing crisis

The granny flat exemption exemplifies New Zealand’s approach to housing challenges: acknowledging a crisis while implementing modest responses.

Despite severe shortfalls in housing supply, the medium-density development common in comparable countries remains largely unrealised. An estimated 180,000 households could be accommodated through comprehensive densification.

There are genuine benefits worth acknowledging, of course. The exemption reduces bureaucratic barriers, enables some additional housing and gives property owners new options.

The question isn’t so much whether the new policy should be embraced. But rather whether the government is willing to complement it with larger changes the housing crisis demands.

Timothy Welch 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. Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis – https://theconversation.com/making-it-easier-to-build-a-granny-flat-makes-sense-but-its-no-solution-to-a-housing-crisis-258185

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 6, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ‘Deadly’ sports diplomacy: why Australia’s Indigenous people must be a part of our sports strategy

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stuart Murray, Associate Professor, International Relations and Diplomacy, Bond University

Sean Garnsworthy/ALLSPORT

Since coming to power in 2022, the Albanese government has focused strongly on the Indo-Pacific.

The prime minister’s recent trip to Indonesia was the latest high-level bilateral summit as Australia seeks to recalibrate relationships, enhance security and, where possible, win the battle for hearts and minds in the region.

Read more:
There’s no country more important to Australia than Indonesia. Trouble is, the feeling isn’t mutual

In a world slipping further into “strategic atrophy,” art, music, food, culture, sport and other forms of soft power are no longer peripheral.

In the foreword to the recently launched Australian Sports Diplomacy 2032+ strategy, for example, Labor MP Tim Watts stated:

Sport is an important tool for Australia’s diplomatic engagement at a time when Australia needs to use every dimension of our national power to advance our interests.

The First Nations of Australia are mentioned in this strategy but it fails to reflect the depth, power and influence Indigenous sports diplomats could bring.

Arguably, our sports diplomacy would be more authentic, unique and effective (especially in the Pacific) if First Nations people, perspectives and programs were genuinely integrated from the outset – baked in, not bolted on.

The epic history of First Nations sport

Indigenous Australians were the first people to play sport on this land.

Before colonisation, Australia’s population was around 750,000, divided into about 500 nations.

Though sometimes hostile, these communities shared a common language: sport.

Physical pursuits served, and still serve, many purposes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: fostering communication, preserving lore, teaching youth to be effective providers and most importantly, practising survival skills.

Sport was also a civilising force used for social, cultural and diplomatic ends. Games and carnivals increased contact between clans, easing tension, division, xenophobia and misunderstandings that could spark violence.

Battendi (spear-throwing), Marngrook (football), Koolchee (ball games), and Prun (mock war) are examples of diplomatic games that predate the ancient Greek Olympics by tens of thousands of years.

Sport became central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture, identity and diplomacy.

“Deadly” – a term meaning excellent – sports diplomacy is a more fitting way to describe this unique form of diplomacy. Done well, it offers a more accurate, authentic brand of Australia to the region and beyond.

The battle for the Blue Pacific

The “Blue Pacific” – a term describing a shared Pacific culture, identity and collective diplomatic strategy – offers an opportunity to harness the power of deadly sports diplomacy.

If Australia hopes to win Pacific hearts and minds, it should send more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sports diplomats and teams to countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and New Zealand, because the nations of the Blue Pacific deeply respect the old, wise First Peoples of Australia.

These relationships are built on shared values: culture, family, spirituality and sport.

The Black Swans – Australia’s First Nations netball team, which debuted at the PacificAus Sports netball series in 2024 – are included as a case study in Sports Diplomacy 2032+. However, it’s the government’s A$600 million NRL project in PNG that has dominated headlines.

Read more:
Sports diplomacy: why the Australian government is spending $600 million on a new NRL team in PNG

The Albanese government’s backing of this initiative has sparked criticism among supporters of other codes in Australia with strong ties to Pacific nations – especially rugby union, which until recently was the code of choice in Fiji and throughout Polynesia.

A rise in Pacific Island interest in rugby league may impact rugby union, some argue.

However, rugby league may be a more effective sports diplomacy tool. It enjoys growing popularity in those locations and has undisputed national sport status in PNG, the most populous Pacific nation by far.

It’s also arguably more “deadly,” with its Indigenous All Stars team and an Indigenous Round.

In the NRL, 48% of players have Pasifika heritage, and 12% identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, compared to 3% across the Australian population.

Should rugby union receive similar support? Perhaps, but first, it must address the absence of Indigenous players.

Since Rugby Australia’s founding in 1949, only 15 Aboriginal men have played Test rugby for Australia.

What about similar funding for soccer, the national obsession of strategically important near neighbours Solomon Islands and Vanuatu?

It too has had a relative absence of Indigenous players at Australia’s highest levels, notwithstanding the pioneering careers of Charlie Perkins, John Moriarty, Archie Thompson and recent Matildas Lydia Williams and Mackenzie Arnold.

Extra time

Integrating the world’s oldest living culture in Australia’s sports diplomacy program can only enhance our relationships, diplomacy and national brand.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)’s Share a Yarn initiative is helping lead the way.

Established in 2020, it connects elite First Nations athletes with respected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors.

Throughout the year, athletes and mentors meet online, attend monthly storytelling sessions and attend an annual cultural connection camp at the AIS campus.

As Marissa Williamson Pohlman, the first Aboriginal woman to compete in boxing at the Olympics in 2024, noted:

Mainstream sport can be challenging but having the unwavering support of mob keeps me grounded and focused on my goals.

The fact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have practised sports diplomacy for more than 60,000 years is a powerful story. It is one that should be celebrated at every international sporting event we attend, bid for, or host.

Including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, programs and perspectives would strengthen and innovate our strategies, add vital cultural iconography, inspire like-minded nations and help win hearts and minds from Honiara to Hawaii.

The authors would like to thank Kombumerri woman Emily Pugin (DFAT) and Butchulla/Goreng Goreng Paul Martin for their contribution, teaching and help in commissioning and drafting the report that informs this article.

Stuart Murray receives funding from The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Narelle Bedford 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. ‘Deadly’ sports diplomacy: why Australia’s Indigenous people must be a part of our sports strategy – https://theconversation.com/deadly-sports-diplomacy-why-australias-indigenous-people-must-be-a-part-of-our-sports-strategy-257542

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration and terrorism

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charles Kurzman, Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Taliban fighters guard the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 5, 2025. AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

The Trump administration on June 4, 2025, announced travel restrictions targeting 19 countries in Africa and Asia, including many of the world’s poorest nations. All travel is banned from 12 of these countries, with partial restrictions on travel from the rest.

The presidential proclamation, entitled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” is aimed at “countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the entry or admission of nationals from those countries.”

In a video that accompanied the proclamation, President Donald Trump said: “The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted.”

The latest travel ban reimposes restrictions on many of the countries that were included on travel bans in Trump’s first term, along with several new countries.

But this travel ban, like the earlier ones, will not significantly improve national security and public safety in the United States. That’s because migrants account for a minuscule portion of violence in the U.S. And migrants from the latest travel ban countries account for an even smaller portion, according to data that I have collected. The suspect in Colorado, for example, is from Egypt, which is not on the travel ban list.

As a scholar of political sociology, I don’t believe Trump’s latest travel ban is about national security. Rather, I’d argue, it’s primarily about using national security as an excuse to deny visas to nonwhite applicants.

Terrorism and public safety

In the past five years, the U.S. has witnessed more than 100,000 homicides. Political violence by militias and other ideological movements accounted for 354 fatalities, according to an initiative known as the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, which tracks armed conflict around the world. That’s less than 1% of the country’s homicide victims. And foreign terrorism accounted for less than 1% of this 1%, according to my data.

The Trump administration says the U.S. cannot appropriately vet visa applicants in countries with uncooperative governments or underdeveloped security systems. That claim is false.

The State Department and other government agencies do a thorough job of vetting visa applicants, even in countries where there is no U.S. embassy, according to an analysis by the CATO Institute.

The U.S. government has sophisticated methods for identifying potential threats. They include detailed documentation requirements, interviews with consular officers and clearance by national security agencies. And it rejects more than 1 in 6 visa applications, with ever-increasing procedures for detecting fraud.

Members of the Yemeni community and others wave American and Yemeni flags as they gather on the steps of Brooklyn’s Borough Hall to protest President Donald Trump’s first travel ban on Feb. 2, 2017, in New York.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens

The thoroughness of the visa review process is evident in the numbers.

Authorized foreign-born residents of the U.S. are far less likely than U.S.-born residents to engage in criminal activity. And unauthorized migrants are even less likely to commit crimes. Communities with more migrants – authorized and unauthorized – have similar or slightly lower crime rates than communities with fewer migrants.

If vetting were as deficient as Trump’s executive order claims, we would expect to see a significant number of terrorist plots from countries on the travel ban list. But we don’t.

Of the 4 million U.S. residents from the 2017 travel ban countries, I have documented only four who were involved in violent extremism in the past five years.

Two of them were arrested after plotting with undercover law enforcement agents. One was found to have lied on his asylum application. One was an Afghan man who killed three Pakistani Shiite Muslim immigrants in New Mexico in 2022.

Such a handful of zealots with rifles or homemade explosives can be life-altering for victims and their families, but they do not represent a threat to U.S. national security.

Degrading the concept of national security

Trump has been trying for years to turn immigration into a national security issue.

In his first major speech on national security in 2016, Trump focused on the “dysfunctional immigration system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country.”

His primary example was an act of terrorism by a man who was born in the U.S.

The first Trump administration’s national security strategy, issued in December 2017, prioritized jihadist terrorist organizations that “radicalize isolated individuals” as “the most dangerous threat to the Nation” – not armies, not another 9/11, but isolated individuals.

If the travel ban is not really going to improve national security or public safety, then what is it about?

Protesters wave signs during a demonstration against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban on May 15, 2017, in Seattle.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Linking immigration to national security seems to serve two long-standing Trump priorities. First is his effort to make American more white, in keeping with widespread bias among his supporters against nonwhite immigrants.

Remember Trump’s insults to Mexicans and Muslims in his escalator speech announcing his presidential campaign in 2015. He has also expressed a preference for white immigrants from Norway in 2018 and South Africa in 2025.

Trump has repeatedly associated himself with nationalists who view immigration by nonwhites as a danger to white supremacy.

Second, invoking national security allows Trump to pursue this goal without the need for accountability, since Congress and the courts have traditionally deferred to the executive branch on national security issues.

Trump also claims national security justifications for tariffs and other policies that he has declared national emergencies, in a bid to avoid criticism by the public and oversight by the other branches of government.

But this oversight is necessary in a democratic system to ensure that immigration policy is based on facts.

Charles Kurzman has received funding for research on terrorism from the National Institute of Justice and the National Science Foundation.

– ref. Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration and terrorism – https://theconversation.com/trumps-justifications-for-the-latest-travel-ban-arent-supported-by-the-data-on-immigration-and-terrorism-255471

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Hickenlooper Slams Trump Administration Policies Threatening Colorado Small Businesses, Public Lands, Rural Health Care

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper made stops in Denver, Estes Park, and Evans last week to call out Trump administration attacks on Colorado’s public lands, small businesses, and rural health care.

On Tuesday, Hickenlooper held a press conference with Colorado business owners at Four Noses Brewing Company to highlight how the Trump administration’s erratic tariff policies are harming local businesses.

“Tariffs cramp businesses and provide a level of uncertainty that is almost untenable and ends up meaning that people can’t make the investments in their business to grow,” said Hickenlooper. “…I think we are perilously close to sliding into a recession or maybe even worse, stagflation.”

Then on Wednesday, Hickenlooper joined Congressman Joe Neguse, public lands advocates, and local elected officials to call out the Trump administration’s threats to Colorado’s national parks and public lands – including Rocky Mountain National Park.

Watch the recap HickTok HERE

“Our lands are under siege… But we fight, we’re beaten, we rise and fight again,” Hickenlooper said at the press conference.

He highlighted the damage caused by the DOGE layoffs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service, and warned that proposed budget cuts could hamstring wildland firefighting efforts. He also criticized the Trump administration proposals to sell our public lands and emphasized the importance of continued collective action to fight back.

Afterwards, Hickenlooper visited Sunrise Community Health at the Monfort Family Clinic in Evans to highlight the dangerous cuts to Medicaid proposed in the House-passed Republican budget. Cuts of more than $700 billion from Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage would strip health care from 16 million Americans.

Check out the event coverage below.

WATCH: CBS Denver: Hickenlooper Tours 4 Noses Brewing Company to Highlight Tariffs

WATCH: ABC Denver 7: Senator Hickenlooper Highlights Tariffs at 4 Noses Brewery

WATCH: Fox 31 Denver: Hickenlooper Talks About Tariffs with Area Business Owners

Colorado Public Radio: Hickenlooper Highlights Trump’s Erratic Trade War

Colorado Newsline: Colorado businesses struggle amid uncertainty of fluctuating Trump tariffs (Company leaders tell Sen. Hickenlooper they seek stability)

Colorado small businesses from various sectors have made changes to their operations and even lost customers as a result of uncertainty around Trump administration tariffs.

…Hickenlooper said people well versed in economics tell him that “tariffs have never worked” except in specific situations. He said all tariffs do is create “a level of uncertainty that is almost untenable” and prevents businesses from growing and maintaining supply chain relationships.

“All these tariffs, in one way or another, they’re not bringing manufacturing back to this country,” Hickenlooper said. “What they’re doing is putting an unbearable burden on small businesses like we see here.”

Colorado Times Recorder: Hickenlooper Meets With Small Business Owners Who Face Tariff Uncertainty

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) met with small business owners from across Colorado today, all of whom emphasized that the uncertainty of federal tariff policy has caused market chaos.

…“The fact that we have tariffs at a time when most of the people I know who really understand economics believe that tariffs have never worked except in very surgical situations in the past,” Hickenlooper said. “Tariffs [as they are being implemented] provide a level of uncertainty that is almost untenable and ends up with people being unable to make the investments they need to make for their business to grow. We’ve seen that over the past couple of months. We are perilously close to sliding into a recession or… even stagflation.”

Colorado Public Radio: Hickenlooper highlights the tariff pain inflicted on Colorado companies

President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff policy is whipsawing Colorado’s entrepreneurs.

“Predictability matters,” Sen. John Hickenlooper said Tuesday during a press conference with business owners at 4 Noses Brewing Company in Denver. “Being able to count on your relationships with your supply chain, your wholesalers, your retailers, to build a business. Those are the essential characteristics and we’re losing that literally in the blink of an eye.”

No corner of the state’s business ecosystem is untouched by President Trump’s on-again-off-again approach to levying tariffs. Hickenlooper was joined by representatives from a diverse set of Colorado companies, including a pet food manufacturer, a craft brewery, an environmental equipment manufacturer and a machine part manufacturer.

Axios Denver: Colorado breweries fret about tariffs amid trade war

…Driving the news: U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a former Wynkoop Brewing owner, is raising awareness about the tariffs’ potential to hike the price of ingredients, equipment and packaging.

“Tariffs cramp businesses and provide a level of uncertainty that is almost untenable,” Hickenlooper said during a visit earlier this week to Denver’s 4 Noses Brewing, where he sipped a beer fresh from the canning line and listened to local business owners talk about how the tariffs are hurting their businesses.

WATCH: MSNBC: Long lines, dirty bathrooms, overflowing trash – Trump cuts leave national parks in crisis

WATCH: Denver 7: Hickenlooper hosts press conference in Estes Park

Estes Park Trail Gazette: Sen. John Hickenlooper from Lake Estes: ‘Our lands are under siege’

…With the Rocky Mountains serving as his backdrop, Hickenlooper encouraged backers to take to social media and create a groundswell of support for his bill aimed at establishing a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to preventing the use of proceeds from public land sales, and to reduce the federal deficit, according to the bill.

“What we need to do is use social media like we’ve never used it before. We need to make sure our networks of people, tell their networks of people, what this really means, what this could do when you cripple an outdoor recreation economy that is actually paying for the maintenance, the preservation, and the access to these incredible public lands,” Hickenlooper said.

“Our lands are under siege, between what DOGE has done, the firings, if you add the people at the Forest Service, the National Parks, basically the Department of the Interior, all the different components that it takes to run our parks. That’s 6,000 people that have either been fired or pushed out of their jobs,” Hickenlooper said.

“We’re being attacked in every direction, especially in climate change. But we fight, we’re beaten, we rise and fight again.”

Colorado Newsline: Public lands advocates fear for Colorado’s national parks under Trump budget proposals

After the 2013 Colorado floods devastated communities surrounding Rocky Mountain National Park, locals worked tirelessly to get their businesses back up and running in time for the peak fall season.

The federal government shut down for about two weeks shortly after the flood, but U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who was governor at the time, said Colorado agreed to pay the salaries for every employee in Rocky Mountain National Park so the park could still be open to visitors.

“That’s the way the state government, the federal government used to work together around public lands, and I think it’s worth revisiting that it was a team effort, that everyone was on the same page,” Hickenlooper said. “The businesses desperately needed that retail period to be open to maximize the largest influx of visitors’ to Estes Park, and we got it.”

That spirit of cooperation is a far cry from the threatened cuts to National Park Service staff and funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, Hickenlooper and other public lands advocates said in Estes Park Wednesday. Hickenlooper and U.S. House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse, a Lafayette Democrat, called on Congress and Trump to reverse the cuts and maintain protections for the country’s public lands.

…Hickenlooper said over 6,000 people who work to take care of national parks and national forests across different agencies have either been fired or left their jobs.

“We’re going to see more risk this summer and this spring from wildfires, from extreme weather,” Hickenlooper said. “We’re going to see more risks than we’ve seen before in all … aspects of the droughts we’ve had and the water we have to use, at a time when we’re dramatically diminishing the number of firefighters we’re going to have available to fight fires in the West.”

Outside Magazine: John Hickenlooper: The Fight Over America’s Public Lands Has Become “All Out War”

On Wednesday, May 28, Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper stood alongside state congressman John Neguse near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. The two lawmakers spoke about the ongoing fight to protect public lands and the federal agencies that oversee them.

Greeley Tribune: Sen. Hickenlooper visits Sunrise Community Health to discuss Medicaid cuts

If lawmakers in the U.S. Senate vote to pass new Medicaid requirements recently approved by the House, Sunrise Community Health CEO Mitzi Moran estimates about a quarter of patients in the nonprofit health care system could lose coverage.

“Seven thousand to 14,000 of our patients could fall off Medicaid as a result of these changes,” Moran told U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday. “That’s disastrous for them. While they could still come to us because we offer a sliding fee scale, what happens if they have a hospital visit or if they need to see a specialist?”

Hickenlooper visited the Monfort Family Clinic in Evans on Wednesday to discuss the potential cuts with staff and local members of the health care community.

…Though patients would still be able to utilize that sliding pay scale even without Medicaid, Hickenlooper and Moran expressed concerns about how these cuts would still jeopardize the clinic. If Sunrise receives less pay for the care it provides, Moran said it would need to become a very different organization to remain operational.

…Current estimates from the Congressional Budget Office indicate the changes to Medicaid would result in 8.6 million Americans losing coverage, including more than 1 million in Colorado.

“I can’t believe our House members pushed this budget,” Hickenlooper said.“There are four Republican House members from Colorado, and I know they’ve received calls about Medicaid. If all four of our guys voted together, they could’ve stopped it.”

Hickenlooper believes his tour of the Monfort clinic and discussions about the bill’s impacts will help in his fight to stop the bill from being passed in the Senate. However, he is unsure whether it will be sufficient to convince enough senators to push back.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Bill to Repeal the Gun Industry’s Legal Liability

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) were joined today, during the first week of Gun Violence Awareness Month, by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) in leading a group of 81 members of Congress in introducing the bicameral Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act, legislation to ensure that victims of gun violence have their day in court and that negligent gun companies and gun sellers are not shielded from liability when they disregard public safety. The bill would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), passed by Congress in 2005, which gives the gun industry a unique and unjustifiable legal liability shield that protects gun manufacturers from lawsuits.

Murphy, Blumenthal, Swalwell, Schiff, Evans, and Thompson announced the legislation today during a virtual press conference joined by leading gun violence prevention advocates: Kris Brown, president of Brady; Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action; and Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and vice president of GIFFORDS Law Center. Video of the press conference is available here.

“There’s absolutely no reason why the gun industry should get special treatment when it comes to negligence. Their immunity from lawsuits effectively gives them a license to kill. It’s past time for Congress to repeal PLCAA and allow gun violence victims their day in court,” said Murphy.

“PLCAA is the ultimate sweetheart deal – legal immunity afforded to basically no other industry for a product that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year,” said Blumenthal. “Despite the strength and perseverance of the Sandy Hook, Uvalde, and Highland Park families – and the tenacity of their legal teams – this is a problem that cannot be solved only through the courts. PLCAA must be repealed by Congress.”

“No industry in American has a liability shield like gun manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers,” said Swalwell. “The NRA and their GOP stooges made sure that the gun industry has a unique immunity from accountability. This bill ends that ridiculous carve out. The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act will finally repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) once and for all, allowing victims of gun violence to bring civil suits against gun producers and sellers. The time has long since come for Congress to be clear – if you put the most dangerous weapons in the hands of the most dangerous people, you will be held accountable.”

“More than a 100 Americans are killed by a gun every single day in America. And yet, Congress does nothing to hold the gun industry accountable when the negligence of gun makers and dealers is responsible for the tragic consequences their products have on our kids, our families, and our communities. As long as gun violence continues to take the lives of so many in California and across the nation, I will fight to repeal the liability shield that wrongly protects negligent gun industry actors from liability,” said Schiff.

“Victims and survivors should be able to hold the gun industry accountable in court for negligent behavior. But right now, the gun industry is shielded from any liability when they disregard public safety. That’s wrong,” said Crow. “I’m introducing this bill so we can finally hold the gun industry responsible.”

“As someone who’s advocated for this concept in Pennsylvania’s legislature and now in Congress, I’m proud to be a co-lead on this bill to restore this basic right of victims and survivors – a right that a heavy-handed federal government took away 20 years ago. So many American gun deaths could be avoided if we held companies accountable for things like illegal sales, defective guns and irresponsible marketing. State attorneys general were able to hold Big Tobacco accountable in the 1990s, and they should be able to hold gun manufacturing companies accountable in the 21st century since thousands of lives depend on it. This legislation would be an important tool in the toolbox to protect our citizens from gun violence,” said Evans.

“In the 20 years since PLCAA was passed, it’s become clear that negligent gun manufacturers and dealers have taken advantage of the law. Responsible manufacturers and dealers don’t need this legal protection – and irresponsible ones are hiding behind it. As a hunter, combat veteran and responsible gun owner, I’m proud to work with Senator Blumenthal and Representative Swalwell to introduce this sensible legislation,” said Thompson, Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

When Congress passed PLCAA, its supporters argued that it was necessary to protect the gun industry from frivolous lawsuits, and that victims of gun violence would not be shut out of the courts. In reality, numerous cases around the nation have been dismissed on the basis of PLCAA, even when the gun dealers and manufacturers acted in a fashion that would qualify as negligent if it involved any other product. Victims in these cases were denied the right to even discover or introduce evidence. This legislation allows civil cases to go forward against irresponsible bad actors.

In 2005, the National Rifle Association (NRA) identified PLCAA as their “number one” legislative priority, and the NRA celebrated the passage calling it the “most significant piece of pro-gun legislation in twenty years.” Letting courts hear these cases would provide justice to victims and their families, while creating incentives for responsible business practices that would reduce injuries and deaths. Effectively, the gun industry would once again be subject to the same laws as every other industry, just as it was prior to 2005.

The legislation is endorsed by Brady, GIFFORDS Law Center, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Guns Down America, Newtown Action Alliance, and Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund.

U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the bill.

U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.-01), Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Sean Casten (D-Ill.-06), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.-04), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.-01), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.-17), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas-07), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.-04), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.-25), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.-03), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.-05), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.-10), David Scott (D-Ga.-13), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02) also cosponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Allen Announces 2025 Fall Internship Program

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) announced his office is seeking applicants for the 2025 Fall Internship Program, to be offered in his Washington, D.C. office.

This program is open to college students and young professionals interested in learning about the legislative process and assisting with the responsibilities of a congressional office. Interns will perform a range of tasks including constituent outreach, legislative writing, and more, with the possibility of earning school credit. Fall internships will be offered from August to December 2025, with specific dates to be discussed during the interview process. All applications must be submitted via Congressman Allen’s website by Monday, July 7th, 2025.

Upon the announcement, Congressman Allen issued the following statement:

“Working in a congressional office provides a unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience into how our government operates and network with individuals from all walks of life. In our office, we employ a bottom-up approach to empower others to be the best they can be. Many of our past interns have used the skills gained during their internships to transition into a variety of successful career paths. My staff and I look forward to welcoming these talented young professionals in the coming months.”

Those interested in a fall internship can apply on Congressman Allen’s website.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Builder’s Remedy Legal Alert: Local Governments Must Comply with California Housing Law
Source: US State of California

Alert emphasizes the importance of lawful and consistent processing of Builder’s Remedy applications across California

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a legal alert to help California local officials understand the importance of the consistent statewide interpretation and application of California’s Housing Accountability Act (HAA) — including local governments’ responsibility to timely process Builder’s Remedy applications. In the alert, Attorney General Bonta analyzes two recent court cases involving the cities of La Cañada Flintridge and Goleta to explain these responsibilities and highlight that local governments’ faithful and expedient discharge of their duties is essential to resolving California’s housing shortage crisis and making housing more affordable for all Californians.

“California courts have been very clear about the interpretation of California housing law and the responsibility of local governments to follow the law and swiftly process Builder’s Remedy applications,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The legal alert today is intended to ensure local governments understand their responsibility to facilitate affordable housing: California expects nothing less and is committed to ensuring that all cities and counties are part of the solution — no exceptions.”

Background on Housing Element and the Builders Remedy

Under the state’s Housing Element Law, every city and county in California must periodically update its housing element to meet its share of the regional and statewide housing needs. Among other things, a compliant housing element must include an assessment of housing needs, an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting those needs, and a program to implement the policies, goals, and objectives of the housing element.

Under California’s HAA, failure to adopt a timely and compliant local housing plan triggers the so-called “Builder’s Remedy.” Under the HAA’s Builder’s Remedy provision, local governments subject to the Builder’s Remedy may not deny certain housing projects — in particular, those that include certain thresholds of low- or moderate-income units — for inconsistency with zoning or land use designation. While developers have submitted dozens of Builder’s Remedy applications in the past years, many noncompliant jurisdictions have been failing to process those applications in a timely fashion, leaving the state of California no choice but to step in.

In the legal alert today, Attorney General Bonta highlights the results of two cases that make clear local governments’ responsibility and legal duty to process builders remedy applications.

Cal. Housing Defense Fund v. City of La Cañada Flintridge

In 2023, Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom, and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) filed a request to intervene in Cal. Housing Defense Fund v. City of La Cañada Flintridge, in order to uphold California’s housing laws, and reverse the City of La Cañada Flintridge’s denial of a mixed-use affordable housing project after it failed to comply with Housing Element Law between October 15, 2021 and November 17, 2023 — also the time period in which the project’s application was considered. The affordable housing project, pursuant to the Builder’s Remedy, would bring approximately 80 mixed-income residential dwelling units, 14 hotel units, and 7,791 square feet of office space to the community.

In 2024, the court held that La Cañada Flintridge did not have a housing element in substantial compliance with state law at the time a Builder’s Remedy application was submitted and ordered the City to process the application in accordance with the law. La Cañada Flintridge appealed this decision and was subsequently ordered to either post an appeal bond of $14 million or dismiss its appeal. La Cañada Flintridge dismissed its appeal.

The key takeaways in this case include:
- A Builder’s Remedy application vests at the time of submission of a SB 330 preliminary development application — a city cannot ‘backdate’ its housing element compliance date to an earlier date so as to avoid approving a Builder’s Remedy application.
- The refusal to process a timely Builder’s Remedy application is a violation of the HAA.
Shelby Family Partnership, L.P. v. City of Goleta

In 2024, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief in support of a proposed affordable housing project in Goleta — a city located in Santa Barbara County that is experiencing an acute housing shortage. A housing development project by the Shelby Family Partnership would have created 56 single-family homes, 13 of which would be affordable to lower-income households. In 2023, Goleta unlawfully refused to process an SB 330 preliminary application, seeking to add the aforementioned affordable homes, based on its theory that SB 330 applies only to “new” projects.

On February 26, 2025, the superior court issued an order requiring Goleta to process the at-issue affordable housing project pursuant to state law, finding that:
- SB 330 is not limited only to “new” development projects and does not prevent applicants from amending an existing project — including submitting an application under the Builder’s Remedy; and
- Local governments cannot disapprove qualifying housing development projects, except in narrowly defined circumstances pursuant to the HAA.
The legal alert goes on to explain consequences for the failure to properly implement in the Builder’s Remedy, such as a referral to and intervention by the Attorney General and penalties under the HAA — including a minimum fine of $10,000 per unit of the proposed project. If a local government appeals a court order finding that the local government violated the HAA, the local government must post an appeal bond or dismiss its appeal. The appeal bond guarantees that a project remains financially viable if the city or county loses the appeal. In 2024, La Cañada Flintridge appealed the decision ordering it to process a lawful builder’s remedy application, and was ordered to either post an appeal bond of $14 million or dismiss its appeal. La Cañada Flintridge dismissed its appeal. These consequences emphasize the importance of the HAA and California’s intent to further promote housing development projects.

The full legal alert can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Justice Advance American Energy Dominance, Prioritize Consumer Choice

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in introducing the Energy Choice Act of 2025. The Biden administration and many blue states took energy freedom away from consumers by restricting specific sources of energy—effectively targeting natural gas and fossil fuels. This legislation would bar states and local governments from taking away consumer choice and work toward advancing President Trump’s vision of unleashing American energy.
“For four years, Joe Biden and woke Democrats took a sledgehammer to American energy production,” said Sen. Tuberville. “We need to rein-in blue states who caved to the climate-cult and imposed ridiculous regulations that are deeply unpopular with hardworking Americans. Thankfully, President Trump is working around the clock to unleash America’s energy potential. I’m proud to join my colleagues to support President Trump, restore American energy dominance, and preserve consumer choice.”
“I am an energy guy from an energy-rich state. I know how important freedom of energy production is – which is why I’m proud to introduce Energy Choice Act of 2025. President Trump has stated the need to unleash American energy, and this bill helps facilitate just that. We have too great an energy crisis in this country, and we don’t have the luxury of picking the winners and losers when it comes to energy production. Americans ought to have the right to choose what is best for their energy needs,”said Sen. Justice.
American Exploration and Production Council, American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, Americans for Prosperity, Consumer Energy Alliance, Energy Marketers of America, GPA Midstream Association, GPSA Midstream Suppliers, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Oil and Energy Service Professionals, National Energy and Fuels Institute, National Propane Gas Association, Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors – National Association, Pool & Hot Tub Alliance have endorsed the bill.
U.S. Representative Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23) is leading the effort in the House of Representatives.
Read full text of the bill here.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey Hosts Listening Session on the Impacts of Republican Attacks on Digital Equity

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Senate Republicans recently voted to repeal an FCC rule increasing access to Wi-Fi hotspots for students and educators at home
Washington (June 5, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, hosted a virtual listening session Wednesday to hear from digital equity advocates about the impacts of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut funding for digital equity programs in Massachusetts and across the country. From the administration’s termination of Digital Equity Act funding, to Republican efforts to block E-Rate funding for Wi-Fi hotspots for students and educators at home, these actions have had dire consequences for efforts to close the digital divide. More than 200 digital equity champions from across Massachusetts joined the Senator’s listening session to share their stories.
“Trump’s decision to cancel funding for Digital Equity Act grants is reckless, short-sighted, and illegal,” said Senator Markey. “These grants were promises — real, actionable investments in real communities to bridge the very real gaps in internet access, digital skills, and opportunity. I appreciated listening to and learning from the many digital equity advocates in Massachusetts about the impact these cuts will have on their organizations and the populations they serve. I will carry their stories with me in our fight for a just digital future.”
“Everyone deserves access to the internet. It’s essential for being able to participate in our economy and utilize the resources and services that so many of us rely on,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “It’s terrible that the Trump Administration is blocking our efforts to bring internet access to veterans, rural communities and individuals with disabilities across the state. They need to restore this funding.”
“Massachusetts is committed to empowering our most vulnerable citizens with digital skills training, devices and other resources to thrive in our digital society,” said Michael Baldino, Director of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. “As we work to achieving universal access to reliable broadband service, we are disappointed that the federal government has stripped critical funds that are necessary for us to implement our statewide digital equity plan.”
“Through Ameelio’s work, correctional staff see how connection to the outside world betters everyone behind bars – the incarcerated people and their fellow officers alike,” said April Feng, CEO of Ameelio. “When people are connected to those who they love and those who love them, to the best parts of their lives, they have hope. And that hope will sustain them to serve their time meaningfully, go to school, find a job, build a home, and enable a future. Investing in digital equity behind the walls is not just a matter of improving conditions for incarcerated individuals — it is a public safety and economic imperative.”
Senator Markey is the House author of the E-Rate program, which has invested nearly $62 billion to connect schools and libraries to the internet across the country. Massachusetts schools and libraries have received more than $895 million from the E-Rate program and another $97 million from the Emergency Connectivity Fund, a $7 billion program that Senator Markey created within the American Rescue Plan to provide devices and connectivity for students and educators at home.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025

Category: Politics

We applaud Syria’s determination to ensure Assad’s chemical weapons programme is destroyed: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Updates to this page

In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slammed the Republican reconciliation plan that will kick 16 million Americans off their health care coverage, close rural hospitals

During his remarks, Durbin condemned the systematic gutting of the Department of Justice under AG Bondi

Our study

Family violence disrupts school attendance and participation

Family violence and homework

A missed opportunity

What needs to change

What does it look like?

Learning from past incidents

Approaching individual situations

Are police involved?

Managing symptoms of dementia

Supporting your loved one

What happens next with the inquest?

The costs of a granny flat

Pressure on the pipes

Approved but not always built

Another form of wealth transfer

A modest response to the housing crisis

The epic history of First Nations sport

The battle for the Blue Pacific

Extra time

Terrorism and public safety

Degrading the concept of national security