NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mozambique bridges disaster risk reduction and internal displacement strategies to strengthen inclusive risk governance

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In Mozambique, the National Policy and Strategy for Internal Displacement Management was developed through a government-led, multisstakeholder process that addressed all major drivers of displacement-including disasters, climate change and conflict. Recognizing the country’s high exposure to climate hazards such as cyclones, floods and droughts, and the rising trend of disaster-induced displacement, the policy is closely aligned with Mozambique’s national disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategy. This reflects a shared commitment to minimizing the human impact of disasters through integrated, inclusive approaches.

    The policy directly supports Target B of the Sendai Framework, which aims to substantially reduce the number of people affected by disasters. It also contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (no poverty), 3 (good health and well-being), 10 (reduced inequalities) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities) by protecting vulnerable populations and mainstreaming resilience into development strategies.

    To ensure strategic alignment, the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management was designated as the lead coordinating body for policy implementation. This coordination ensures that displacement risks are addressed across ministries-including health, education and social protection-through integration into annual budgets and sectoral plans. This demonstrates effective institutionalization of DRR principles across government systems.

    The policy development process was guided by inclusive and participatory principles, consistent with Mozambique’s broader DRR strategy. A transdisciplinary national drafting team engaged displaced communities, local officials and civil society actors, ensuring that the strategy responded to real needs. Public consultations were widely covered in national media, bringing attention to displacement challenges and catalyzing high-level political support, which accelerated the policy’s approval. Mozambique is now focused on local capacity-building to operationalize the policy effectively.

    Key impacts

    • Policy innovation and integration: Mozambique is among the first African countries to adopt a national displacement policy that integrates DRR, climate adaptation and conflict sensitivity. This positions Mozambique as a regional leader in aligning DRR and displacement policy with the Sendai Framework.
    • Stronger institutional coordination: The policy clarified roles across government, assigning a coordinating role to the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Ministries such as health, education and social protection now embed displacement-focused DRR actions into their planning and budgeting cycles, fostering cross-sectoral ownership.
    • Community-centred design: Direct engagement with displaced populations and local DRR actors ensured the policy was grounded in lived realities, enhancing relevance and the potential for effective implementation.
    • Political momentum through media engagement: National media coverage of displacement camps helped raise public awareness and generated high-levelpolitical commitment, expediting the policy’s adoption and implementation.

    Lessons learned for replication and adaptation

    1. Integrate displacement explicitly into DRR strategies: While Mozambique’s displacement policy includes DRR, its national DRR strategy lacks a dedicated focus on displacement. Future policy updates should ensure two-way integration for greater coherence.
    2. Multisectoral collaboration enhances impact: Cross-sectoral teams and consultations with displaced populations contribute to more inclusive, legitimate and implementable policies.
    3. Clear leadership prevents fragmentation: Assigning leadership to the National Institute for DRR and Management helped avoid siloed approaches and ensured policy coherence.
    4. Budget alignment is essential for sustainability: Mandating ministries to integrate displacement-related DRR actions into budgets and programming promotes lasting, institutionalized solutions and sustainability.
    5. Media can drive political will: Strategic media engagement can raise visibility and catalyze high-level commitment, demonstrating the power of communications in advancing policy agendas.
    6. Local implementation remains a challenge: While national frameworks are advancing, local capacity gaps persist. Investments in decentralized planning, training and resources are vital for translating policy into impact on the ground.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 2025 Global Status of National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Target E of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which called for all countries to develop and implement national and local disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies by 2020, represented a critical milestone. It however was not an end in itself and, rather, marked the beginning of a continuous process aimed at strengthening disaster risk governance and building adaptive resilience over time.

    While many countries achieved Target E by adopting national DRR strategies by 2020 and have since pursued effective implementation with concrete impacts and deliveries on the ground, the evolving and increasingly complex, interconnected, and systemic nature of risks —driven by climate change, biological hazards, water-related threats, and displacement— demands that these strategies remain dynamic, forward-looking, anticipatory, and adaptive.

    Recognizing this, many countries are now taking proactive steps to review and enhance their strategies. A growing and effective practice in this context is the use of peer review mechanisms, such as those facilitated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). These participatory and collaborative approaches enable countries to assess the coherence and robustness of their strategies against the guiding principles of the Sendai Framework and the evolving global risk landscape. They also promote mutual learning, knowledge exchange, cross-country learning and capacity-strengthening across institutions and countries.

    The sustained relevance and effectiveness of DRR strategies rely on a regular review, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and alignment with the rapidly evolving risk environment. These strategies must be undermined by a strong political commitment and leadership to prioritize DRR as part of national development planning, boost dedicated, predictable and sustainable budgetary allocations, and associated with robust capacity building efforts, monitoring, evaluation and learning mechanisms to keep DRR efforts adaptative and effective.

    By promoting coherence across sectors and engaging a broad range of actors, national DRR strategies are becoming more holistic, inclusive, and future-oriented. This evolution underscores a fundamental understanding that resilience can only be built through collaboration, shared responsibility, and integrated governance at all levels.

    The global community, along with national governments, are pursuing efforts towards achieving the targets of the Sendai Framework through to 2030. Achieving these goals will require accelerated efforts to overcome remaining challenges and ensure that national and local DRR strategies are effectively implemented, ultimately contributing to enhanced resilience across all regions and communities.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tunisia: Inclusive, multi-hazard and multi-sectoral disaster risk reduction strategies triggering funding for resilience

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In 2019, Tunisia formally endorsed its National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategy, developed through an inclusive, participatory process. With support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the UNDP Country Office, the strategy integrates biological hazards and prioritizes post-COVID-19 recovery through a ‘build back better’ approach. This forward-looking framework aligns with national strategies on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development, and now forms a cornerstone of Tunisia’s Comprehensive Strategy for Ecological Transformation, endorsed by the Council of Ministers in February 2023.

    One of the strategy’s most significant outcomes has been the launch of a six-year (2021-2027) Comprehensive Programme for Disaster Risk Management and Resilience, which has attracted US$ 125 million in investment from the World Bank and the French Development Agency . This programme aims to enhance Tunisia’s preparedness and response capacities for disasters and climate shocks.

    The programme was shaped through extensive national consultations, particularly with the Ministry of Environment, which serves as the National Sendai Framework Focal Point. It resulted in the “Blended Programme for Resilience to Natural Disasters”, built around four interlinked pillars aimed at strengthening institutional, legislative and financial systems, fostering a robust culture of preparedness and recovery.:

    1. Flood risk management in urban areas: A US$ 42 million initiative led by the Ministry of Equipment and Housing focuses on strategic flood mitigation to protect urban populations and infrastructure.
    2. Enhanced early warning systems: With a US$ 24 million investment, the National Meteorological Institute is upgrading its meteorological and hydrological capabilities to deliver timely and reliable disaster alerts.
    3. Innovative disaster risk financing: Under the Ministry of Finance, a US$ 30 million project is developing disaster insurance mechanisms to provide financial protection to families and businesses impacted by natural hazards.
    4. Institutional and legislative strengthening: A US$ 2.5 million initiative is advancing legal and institutional frameworks to enhance coordination and capacity-building for DRR.

    Key impacts

    • Mainstreaming DRR into development planning: Tunisia embedded DRR into its national ecological transformation strategy, elevating resilience as a cross-cutting development priority and aligning it with climate action goals.
    • Mobilizing high-level political and financial support: The integration of DRR into national development planning helped mobilize US$ 125 million in external funding for the implementation of the Comprehensive Programme for Disaster Risk Management and Resilience (2021-2027) .
    • Fostering whole-of-government collaboration: The inclusive development process ensured inter-ministerial cooperation, securing buy-in from all sectors and levels of government.
    • Strengthening financial governance for DRR: A newly established Resilience Unit within the Ministry of Finance has improved the mobilization and management of financial resources for resilience. Legislative updates have empowered local authorities with greater roles in disaster risk management.
    • Leveraging a joint UN approach and international partnerships: Collaboration between UNDRR, UNDP and international partners has enabled the use of global expertise and cost-sharing to support local resilience-building efforts.

    Lessons learned for replication or adaptation

    1. Structured DRR strategies attract investment: Tunisia’s US$ 125 million funding success illustrates how well-crafted DRR strategies can unlock substantial international support when integrated into broader development frameworks.
    2. Participatory approaches ensure relevance and sustainability: Inclusive, multi-stakeholder consultation processes enhance the effectiveness of national strategies, ensure local ownership and address the needs of vulnerable groups.
    3. Policy coherence enhances impact: Linking DRR strategies with climate change, biodiversity, and post-COVID recovery policies creates a more resilient and adaptable framework for managing current and emerging risks.
    4. Financial protection reduces economic vulnerability: Tunisia’s disaster risk insurance initiative underscores the value of pre-arranged financial mechanisms to buffer families and businesses against disaster-related economic shocks.

    Institutional innovation supports resilience financing: Creating dedicated resilience units within ministries-such as Tunisia’s Resilience Unit in the Ministry of Finance-helps integrate DRR into national budgeting and development planning. Tailoring governance mechanisms to local needs also empowers municipalities to play a proactive role in DRR.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Barbados: Prioritizing early warning systems in the national DRR strategy

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Integrating Early Warning Systems (EWS) has been a core national priority within Barbados’ National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategy / country’s work programme (CWP). This commitment is firmly embedded in the Barbados Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Policy 2022, which identifies, as a key strategic priority, the need to create an enabling environment for a Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) policy and to improve related communications at both national and community levels.

    In alignment with this priority, a Technical Multi-Hazard Early Warning Committee was established bringing all sectors and stakeholders together to develop and implement the MHEWS policy, thereby embracing a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to preparedness and response. The EW4All initiative, launched in 2023, provided significant impetus to this process, boosting the relevant political commitment and resource allocation and catalyzing its approval and formal establishment in 2024.

    To further amplify the impact of the MHEWS, the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) launched a public education campaign focusing on communities and vulnerable groups, with particular emphasis on the elderly and youth to increase their understanding of early warnings and how to act on them effectively. The campaign also extended to the fisheries sector, prompting an adaptation of the language used in alerts and warnings to ensure a full understanding from all last-mile communities.

    Key impacts

    • Barbados’ success in institutionalizing MHEWS governance, securing resources, and prioritizing inclusive communication has significantly enhanced national resilience and disaster preparedness. The country serves as a model for integrating early warning into national DRR strategies, ensuring a sustainable, people-centered approach to disaster risk reduction.
    • The establishment of Barbados’ Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) policy (2024) has contributed to significantly strengthen governance and policy framework by solidifying political commitment and resource allocation for disaster preparedness.
    • The Technical Multi-Hazard Early Warning Committee ensures that all sectors are integrated into national preparedness and response efforts, thereby fostering a whole-of-society approach.
    • The formalization of Barbados’ MHEWS policy improved national coordination and communication, reduced disaster impact and strengthened response mechanisms.
    • A targeted public education campaign launched by the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) contributed to enhancing vulnerable groups’ understanding (elderly, youth, and the fisheries sector). Adapting the alerts language also improved accessibility and comprehension of warnings for last-mile communities.
    • The integration of MHEWS as a priority in Barbados’ Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Policy 2022 and the Country Work Programme (CWP) guarantees sustained investment and commitment to DRR.

    Lessons learned for replication or adaptation

    1. Governance and institutional frameworks are key to sustainability: A formalized MHEWS policy and governance structure ensures long-term political and financial commitment to early warning and disaster preparedness. Developing a dedicated multi-sectoral coordination mechanism (Technical Multi-Hazard Early Warning Committee) enables better integration across sectors.
    2. Embedding the policy as part of international initiatives can accelerate national progress: the EW4All initiative acted as a catalyst for accelerating the approval and operationalization of Barbados’ MHEWS. Aligning national efforts with global frameworks (Sendai Framework, CDM Policy 2022) enhances credibility, funding, and technical support.
    3. Governance and financial commitment must go hand-in-hand: a policy alone is insufficient – securing financial and resource commitments is essential for effective early warning and disaster preparedness. Embedding MHEWS in national strategies ensures it remains a priority in budget allocations and development planning.
    4. Early Warning systems must be backed by actionable plans: Simply having an early warning system is not enough – its operationalization and integration into national DRR strategies, associated with a fully participatory, well-coordinated and well-implemented early warning response system, is what ensures impact.
    5. Adapting alert language and tailoring communication to vulnerable groups improves last-mile accessibility and ensures early warnings translate into action. A strong public education campaign backed up by government fosters a culture of preparedness, reducing risks at the community level.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Montenegro’s inclusive, expert-led approach boosts quality, coherence and alignment with global frameworks

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In April 2024, Montenegro requested support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to conduct an external evaluation of its zero-draft Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction with the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Period 2025-2030. This successor strategy builds upon Montenegro’s previous DRR framework for 2018-2023.

    A drafting committee was established using a whole-of-society approach, involving governmental institutions, academic entities and civil society organizations to ensure inclusive participation. This approach significantly strengthened national disaster risk governance and resilience-building at the policy level.

    UNDRR’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ROECA) coordinated the initial assessment, which involved 11 external experts from diverse technical backgrounds. Using the DRR Strategy Qualitative Assessment Tool, this peer review identified gaps and opportunities for strengthening the zero draft.

    By September 2024, a second round of evaluation reflected clear improvements. The revised strategy incorporated key elements of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, including measurable targets, hazard and sector-specific risk assessments, and timelines. It demonstrated a commitment to inclusivity, integrating gender equality, the needs of at-risk groups, alongside innovative nature-based solutions (NbS) to enhance sustainability. ). It also aligned with national development priorities and global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The accompanying Action Plan translated these strategic goals into operational action-empowering municipalities and organizations to tackle localized vulnerabilities. It also linked DRR interventions to broader development objectives such as poverty reduction, climate adaptation, and ecosystem conservation, while incorporating monitoring mechanisms for accountability and continuous improvement.

    Key impacts

    • Elevated strategy quality and coherence: The structured peer review led by 11 external experts significantly enhanced the quality, relevance and strategic coherence of Montenegro’s 2025-2030 DRR framework.. The process grounded the strategy in national realities while ensuring global alignment.
    • Improved strategic maturity: Feedback from the first review allowed Montenegro’s drafting committee to make targeted revisions. The improved draft featured clearer goals, indicators, and stronger sectoral risk analysis. It also established institutional clarity through defined governance structures and multistakeholder coordination.
    • Global alignment and policy coherence: The strategy now closely mirrors the Sendai Framework, reinforcing Montenegro’s international DRR commitments and its understanding of cross-sectoral risk.
    • Inclusivity and innovation: Peer contributions helped embed gender equality, support for at-risk populations, and nature-based solutions into the strategy, underscoring Montenegro’s commitment to an inclusive and sustainable DRR approach.
    • Strengthened stakeholder engagement: The review process deepened national ownership by involving local authorities, academia, and civil society in shaping a DRR strategy with broad legitimacy and relevance.
    • Operational clarity and monitoring: The revised Action Plan clarified roles, responsibilities, timelines and budgets, while introducing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure the strategy’s accountability and long-term impact.

    Lessons learned for replication and adaptation

    1. Structured external feedback enhances quality: A peer reviewusing tools like UNDRR’s DRR Strategy Qualitative Assessment Tool provides objective, comparative insights often overlooked in internal reviews.
    2. Multi-stakeholder engagement is essential: Inclusive participation from local and national institutions, civil society and academia fosters strategy ownership and enhance relevance through diverse perspectives.
    3. Staged reviews ensure measurable improvements: Conducting at least two rounds of review allows time for meaningful revisions and enhances strategic outcomes.
    4. Ensure coherence with global frameworks: Peer reviews can serve as checkpoints to align national strategies with the Sendai Framework, SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
    5. Promote innovation and inclusivity: Engaging external experts from varied backgrounds encourages the adoption of emerging practices tailored to national contexts.
    6. Link to monitoring and accountability mechanisms: Peer reviewers emphasized the need for a detailed action plan with clear timelines responsible entitiesand M&E systems.to ensure implementation is feasible and trackable.
    7. Neutral coordination by a trusted third party is key: UNDRR’s facilitation ensured neutrality, consistency and quality control throughout the review. Engaging an experienced third party with the right tools and expertise is essential to a credible peer review process.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House and Senate Democrats Send Letter Calling on GAO to Investigate Federal Worker Firings

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC –  In response to the Trump Administration’s unprecedented purge of tens of thousands of federal workers without cause, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on FSGG Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Acting Ranking Member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Delivering On Government Efficiency (DOGE) Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) led more than 30 Democrats in sending a letter to Comptroller General of the United States Gene L. Dodaro calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide Congress with regular updates on how the Trump Administration’s personnel actions are affecting the federal workforce.

    “Over the past several months, the civil service has undergone an unprecedented level of change as tens of thousands of federal employees have been terminated, resigned, or placed on administrative leave,” the Members wrote. “Americans are already feeling the consequences – longer wait times for Social Security assistance, delayed veterans’ benefits, and disrupted disaster response are just a few examples of how these personnel actions are impacting people across the country. We are deeply concerned about the impact these actions will have on our government’s capacity to design, develop and deliver efficient services that connect agencies with the people they serve and meet the needs of the public.”

    Signatories include: Senator Angela D. Alsobrooks; Rep. Yassamin Ansari; Rep. Wesley Bell; Rep. Donald Beyer; Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.; Senator Richard Blumenthal; Rep. Shontel Brown; Rep. Greg Casar; Rep. Jasmine Crockett; Rep. Sarah Elfreth; Rep. Maxwell Frost; Rep. Robert Garcia; Rep. Glenn Ivey; Senator Timothy Kaine; Rep. Ro Khanna; Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi; Rep. Summer Lee; Rep. April McClain Delaney; Rep. Jennifer McClellan; Rep. Dave Min; Senator Patty Murray; Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton; Senator Alex Padilla; Rep. Emily Randall; Rep. Jamie Raskin; Senator Bernard Sanders; Senator Brian Schatz; Rep. Lateefah Simon; Rep. Suhas Subramanyam; Rep. Rashida Tlaib; Rep. Eugene Vindman; and Senator Mark R. Warner.

    The full text of the letter is included below:
     

    May 29, 2025
     

    The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro
    Comptroller General of the United States
    Government Accountability Office
    441 G Street, N.W.
    Washington D.C. 20548

    Dear Comptroller General Dodaro:

    The 2 million federal employees who work across our country are the backbone of our federal government and are responsible for delivering vital services to the American people. These individuals dedicate their lives to public service and ensure our government fulfills its mission to make our country safer, healthier and more prosperous.

    Over the past several months, the civil service has undergone an unprecedented level of change as tens of thousands of federal employees have been terminated, resigned, or placed on administrative leave. Americans are already feeling the consequences – longer wait times for Social Security assistance, delayed veterans’ benefits, and disrupted disaster response are just a few examples of how these personnel actions are impacting people across the country. We are deeply concerned about the impact these actions will have on our government’s capacity to design, develop and deliver efficient services that connect agencies with the people they serve and meet the needs of the public.

    To assist our oversight of the federal government’s personnel actions, we request that the Government Accountability Office provide us with regular briefings to ensure Congress has timely data and information on the status of the federal workforce. Specifically, we request that GAO begin providing the information following each quarter through the end of fiscal year 2028 to be scheduled in coordination with applicable staff. Information on the total number of the following groups of federal employees in the 24 CFO agencies categorized by agency of employment, location, occupation and tenure by quarter –

    a. All terminated federal employees who are separated for any reason;

    b. Federal employees who took the deferred resignation program offer;

    c. Federal employees in their probationary period;

    d. Federal employees in their probationary period who were terminated;

    e. Federal employees on administrative leave.

    f. Federal employees hired.

    Any difficulties experienced by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in its collection, analysis, and publication of human capital data.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Continues to Receive Historically High Emergency Assistance Under President Trump

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: North Carolina Continues to Receive Historically High Emergency Assistance Under President Trump

    North Carolina Continues to Receive Historically High Emergency Assistance Under President Trump

    President Trump turbocharged the emergency aid process to provide a 100% federal cost share in North Carolina for Public Assistance from the declaration date of September 29, 2024, to March 24, 2025

    WASHINGTON — In light of false reporting and charges from politicians, FEMA is setting the record straight

    North Carolina received one of the longest 100% cost share periods in FEMA’s history — 6 full months of full federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures

    Today, the state is still receiving a 90% cost share

    Due to the severity of the disaster with Hurricane Helene, exacerbated by the previous administrations’ mismanagement and neglect, FEMA is currently providing North Carolina a 90% federal cost share, far exceeding the normal 75% and the same amount the state of North Carolina requested on December 6, 2024

       Through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which provides funds for state and local governments’ response and recovery work, the state received more than $484 million at a 100% federal cost share for 180 days, funding projects for road repair, debris removal, critical infrastructure repair and more

    Since January 20, 2025, more than $172 million in Public Assistance reimbursements has been approved to support the recovery efforts in North Carolina

    In addition to the higher threshold federal cost share, federal emergency management support to North Carolina has accelerated under President Trump’s administration

    More than 785 staff remain deployed on North Carolina, assisting with recertification of Direct Housing and Temporary Housing Units, supporting 2,700 Public Assistance projects, coordinating debris removal and survivor casework

    Over 45 of FEMA’s North Carolina staff are locally hired, joining the agency after Helene and bringing valuable local knowledge to the recovery efforts

    More than $455 million has been approved for North Carolina survivors to help pay for food, medicine, housing assistance and home repairs

    More than $22

    4 million has been provided to nearly 7,900 North Carolinians to repair or replace private roads and bridges damaged by Helene

    Nearly 12

    8 million cubic yards (CY) of debris have been removed from waterways, roads, homes and business, with more than 4

    7 million CY removed since President Trump took office

    amy

    ashbridge
    Fri, 05/30/2025 – 14:12

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: Visitor Industry Grows Again in April 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: Visitor Industry Grows Again in April 2025

    Posted on May 29, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

     

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

    KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

     

    RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

     

    JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    1. EUGENE TIAN

    CHIEF STATE ECONOMIST

     

     

    VISITOR INDUSTRY GROWS AGAIN IN APRIL 2025

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    May 29, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), total visitor arrivals and total visitor spending in April 2025 increased compared to the same month last year. There were 833,219 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in April 2025, up 7.9 percent from April 2024. Total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.69 billion, which was growth of 9.4 percent from April 2024. When compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, April 2025 total visitor arrivals represent a 98.1 percent recovery from April 2019 and total visitor spending was higher than April 2019 ($1.32 billion, +28.3%).

    In April 2025, 810,276 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 22,943 visitors came via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 740,720 visitors (+9.4%) arrived by air and 31,695 visitors (-27.6%) came by cruise ships in April 2024, and 824,610 visitors (-1.7%) arrived by air and 24,787 visitors (-7.4%) came by cruise ships in April 2019. The average length of stay by all visitors in April 2025 was 8.36 days, compared to 8.28 days (+1.1%) in April 2024 and 8.25 days (+1.4%) in April 2019. The statewide average daily census was 232,323 visitors in April 2025, compared to 213,080 visitors (+9.0%) in April 2024 and 233,616 visitors (-0.6%) in April 2019.

    In April 2025, 457,248 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, which was an increase compared to April 2024 (400,070 visitors, +14.3%) and April 2019 (388,573 visitors, +17.7%). U.S. West visitor spending of $855.0 million rose from April 2024 ($765.2 million, +11.7%), and was much higher than April 2019 ($547.0 million, +56.3%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in April 2025 ($234 per person) decreased slightly from April 2024 ($236 per person, -0.8%) but was up considerably from April 2019 ($171 per person, +36.7%).

    In April 2025, arrivals from the U.S. East of 180,383 visitors increased from April 2024 (176,339 visitors, +2.3%) and April 2019 (159,115 visitors, +13.4%). U.S. East visitor spending of $449.1 million rose from April 2024 ($436.8 million, +2.8%) and was significantly more than April 2019 ($286.8 million, +56.6%). Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in April 2025 ($277 per person) increased from April 2024 ($273 per person, +1.4%) and was much more than April 2019 ($200 per person, +38.4%).

    There were 52,358 visitors from Japan in April 2025, an increase from April 2024 (50,626 visitors, +3.4%) but continued to be much lower than April 2019 (119,487 visitors, -56.2%). Visitors from Japan spent $77.4 million in April 2025, compared to $75.1 million (+3.0%) in April 2024 and $164.0 million (-52.8%) in April 2019. Daily spending by Japanese visitors in April 2025 ($245 per person) was higher than April 2024 ($238 per person, +3.2%) and April 2019 ($234 per person, +5.0%).

    In April 2025, 36,381 visitors arrived from Canada, down from April 2024 (38,936 visitors, -6.6%) and April 2019 (56,749 visitors, -35.9%). Visitors from Canada spent $91.0 million in April 2025 compared to $88.3 million (+3.0%) in April 2024 and $100.2 million (-9.2%) in April 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in April 2025 ($224 per person) increased from April 2024 ($221 per person, +1.6%) and was much higher than April 2019 ($154 per person, +45.8%).

    There were 83,905 visitors from all other international markets in April 2025, which included visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands. In comparison, there were 74,749 visitors (+12.2%) from all other international markets in April 2024 and 100,686 visitors (-16.7%) in April 2019.

    In April 2025, a total of 4,885 transpacific flights with 1,085,113 seats serviced the Hawaiian Islands. Total air capacity was similar to April 2024 (4,890 flights, -0.1% with 1,080,344 seats +0.4%) but less than April 2019 (5,031 flights, -2.9% with 1,112,200 seats, -2.4%).

    Year-to-Date 2025

     

    A total of 3,288,966 visitors arrived in the first four months of 2025, up 3.2 percent from 3,186,223 visitors in the first four months of 2024. Total arrivals decreased 2.6 percent when compared to 3,376,675 visitors in the first four months of 2019.

    In the first four months of 2025, total visitor spending was $7.30 billion, an increase compared to the first four months of 2024 ($6.82 billion, +7.2%) and the first four months of 2019 ($5.81 billion, +25.7%).

    VIEW FULL NEWS RELEASE AND TABLES

     

    Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka

     

    April was a solid month for the visitor industry. The industry has performed well during the first four months of 2025, mainly driven by continued growth in the U.S. markets (U.S. West and U.S. East). U.S. arrivals grew by 5.5 percent, offsetting the decline in arrivals from international markets.

     

    We expect a modest slowdown in tourism during the summer season caused by uncertainties in the political and economic environment both nationally and internationally. We believe the situation will be temporary and anticipate the state’s tourism industry to rebound in 2026.

    # # #

     

     

    Media Contacts:

     

    Laci Goshi 

    Communications Officer

    Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

    Cell: 808-518-5480

    Email: [email protected]

     

    Jennifer Chun

    Director of Tourism Research

    Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

    Phone: 808-973-9446

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DOA News release on specialty crop grant program

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DOA News release on specialty crop grant program

    Posted on May 29, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

        

         

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

    ʻOIHANA MAHIʻAI

     

    SHARON HURD
    CHAIRPERSON

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    DEAN M. MATSUKAWA
    DEPUTY TO THE CHAIRPERSON

    KA HOPE LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

     

    HDOA SPECIALTY CROP GRANT PROGRAM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

    Grant Funding Totals More than $500,000

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

    May 29, 2025

    NR25-12

     

    HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA), Market Development Branch (MDB), is accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) for Fiscal Year 2025. The funding for this year’s program totals $512,663 and seeks project proposals that increase the competitiveness of Hawai‘i’s specialty crops. Award amounts range from $20,000 to $50,000.

    Under the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) allocated funding to each state based on the value of the specialty crops produced. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Much of Hawai‘i’s diversified agriculture falls under this specialty crop designation.

     

    Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, local, state and federal government entities, for-profit organizations, universities and individuals for projects that enhance the competitiveness of Hawai‘i’s specialty crops. Applicants must reside in, or their business or educational affiliation must be registered in Hawai‘i.

     

    The primary goal of this grant program is to support projects that could provide the highest measurable benefits or return-on-investment to the specialty crop segment in Hawai‘i. Projects must enhance the competitiveness of Hawai‘i-grown specialty crops, in either domestic or foreign markets. Preference will be given to projects that measurably increase the production and/or consumption of specialty crops, and/or foster the development of fledging crops and organic operations.

    Application information for the Request for Proposals (RFP25-03-MDB) is available on the State Procurement Office website at: https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/opportunities

     

    The application deadline is noon on June 20, 2025. 

    To assist applicants, an instructional video will be posted on the SCBGP website at: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/add/scbgp/

     

    Inquiries may be addressed to 808-973-9594 or email: [email protected]

    # # #

    Media Contact:
    Janelle Saneishi
    Public Information Officer
    Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
    Phone: 808-973-9560
    Cell: 808-341-5528
    Email:     [email protected]
    Website:     http://hdoa.hawaii.gov

     

     

    HDOA is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination, retaliation, or harassment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability, or any other class as protected under federal or state law, with respect to any program or activity.

                                                             

    For more information, including language accessibility and filing a complaint, please contact HDOA Non-Discrimination Coordinator at 808-973-9591, or visit HDOA’s website at http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/.

     

    To request translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, or other auxiliary aids or services for this document, contact the HDOA at 808-973-9591 or email [email protected].

    Aloha,

    Janelle Saneishi

    Public Information Officer

    Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture
    ph: (808) 973-9560
    email: [email protected]

    Website: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/

    Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged information.  Any review, use, disclosure, or distribution by unintended recipients is prohibited.  If you are not the intended recipient(s), please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump cuts U.S. Forest Service, California deploys an extra $72 million to reduce wildfire risk and ‘rake the forest,’ fast-tracks critical projects

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 30, 2025

    What you need to know: CAL FIRE is awarding $72 million to projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk across California. Governor Newsom also announced 13 vegetation management projects spanning nearly 7,000 acres have already been approved for fast-tracking under his emergency proclamation.

    SACRAMENTO – As the Trump administration cuts the U.S. Forest Service and creates rampant uncertainty ahead of peak wildfire season, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the state is continuing to ramp up its efforts to reduce wildfire risk and increase forest health. 

    CAL FIRE awarded nearly $72 million today to support large-scale, regionally based land management projects aimed at restoring forest health and resilience throughout California, while enhancing long-term carbon storage.

    Additionally, Governor Newsom announced that under his wildfire prevention emergency proclamation, which became operational on April 17, the state has already fast-tracked approval for 13 projects totaling nearly 7,000 acres, on top of the 2 million acres treated in recent years. These projects involve tribes and other partners, natural resource managers and fire districts. This is part of statewide efforts to advance projects in key locations to help protect communities from catastrophic wildfires. One week after applications opened to fast-track critical wildfire safety projects in mid-April, the state began issuing fast-track approvals for wildfire safety projects.

    “California is ‘raking the forests’ at a faster pace than ever before. Where’s the federal government?”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    While 57% of California’s forests are federally managed, the state government manages only 3% of the forestland. The other 40% is privately owned and this work relies on partnership with private forestland owners. 

    More than 2,200 vegetation management projects are complete or underway, and in recent years, California has treated nearly 2 million acres – made possible by scaling up investments to 10 times the amount from when the Governor took office in 2019. California has funded over $350 million worth of projects on federal lands in the same time. CAL FIRE estimates that 83% of all tree mortality in California, which poses a significant wildfire risk, is on national forest lands. 

    ‘Raking the forest’ 

    Through its Forest Health Program, CAL FIRE is awarding 12 grants to local and regional partners carrying out projects on state, local, tribal, federal, and private lands. Designed to address critical forest health needs, these initiatives will reduce wildfire risk, improve ecosystem resilience, and enhance carbon sequestration across California’s diverse landscapes.

    Forest health grant projects focus on large, landscape-scale forestlands – no less than 800 acres in size – that are composed of one or more landowners and may cover multiple jurisdictions. 

    “CAL FIRE is proud to award Forest Health grants that will increase the wildfire resilience of California’s landscapes and communities and help restore ecosystems following wildfire,” said Alan Talhelm, Assistant Deputy Director of Climate and Energy at CAL FIRE. “These grants will provide our partners around the state with funds to complete projects that support local economies, protect watersheds, increase public safety, and sequester carbon.”

    The projects will employ a wide array of forest management strategies, with goals of wildfire resilience, watershed protection, habitat conservation for endangered species, recovery of fire-scarred and drought-impacted forests, and the reintroduction of fire as a natural ecological process. Projects include:

    • The Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority will conduct fuels reduction on 1,288 acres in El Dorado National Forest using mastication and hand thinning. This aims to lower wildfire risk, protect communities, improve forest resilience, and enhance wildlife habitat.
    • The Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. will treat 867 acres of forest fuel in a rural, low-income area in Northern Mendocino County. This will create over 80 forestry jobs and additional jobs/learning for young adults via California Conservation Corps trail work.

    The majority of CAL FIRE’s Forest Health grants are funded through the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund (TRFRF), with additional support provided by California Climate Investments (CCI), a statewide initiative that directs billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars toward achieving the state’s climate goals.

    Fast-tracking critical wildfire prevention projects

    The approved projects for fast-tracking are focused on removing flammable dead or dying trees, creating strategic fuel breaks, creating safe egress along roadways, manual and mechanical removal of ladder fuels and beneficial fire use. Some of the approved projects include:  

    • The Prosper Ridge Community Wildfire Resilience Project in Humboldt County is the first approved project under the Governor’s emergency proclamation on wildfire. This collaborative state, federal, and tribal project will treat nearly 450 acres with a combination of mechanical thinning, manual treatments, and prescribed fire.
    • The Tonner Canyon South Vegetation Management Project aims to reduce wildfire risk on 354 acres south of Diamond Bar in Los Angeles County through hazardous vegetation removal, fuel break creation, and defensible space improvement.
    • The Scott Valley/Callahan Fuels Reduction and Forest Resiliency Project located on 2,917 acres in the Scott River watershed in Siskiyou County will use mechanical and manual treatments to increase vigor of the residual stands of timber for improved carbon sequestration, fire resiliency and individual tree health.
    • The Weed Community Forest Restoration and Enhancement Project located on 1,923 acres near the 2022 Mill Fire and is designed to protect the surrounding the community of Weed in Siskiyou County and provide safe ingress/egress to emergency responders.
    • The Sycuan Wildfire Resiliency Project covers over 240 acres in San Diego County and aims to protect the Sycuan Reservation from wildfire by reducing fire hazard, ensuring defensible space, and providing safe egress with the use of 300 grazing goats. 

    To move faster without compromising important environmental protections, the state developed a new Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan. State agencies will monitor and oversee these projects from initiation to completion to provide support and ensure environmental protections and best management practices are followed.

    Accelerating investments in fuels reduction and wildfire resilience

    Following action by Governor Newsom and the Legislature last month, state conservancies are moving to deploy $170 million in voter-approved funding for wildfire resilience projects. The accelerated funding is part of the “early action” 2025 budget package. Governor Newsom signed the funding bill along with an executive order to ensure the wildfire safety projects benefit from the streamlining process created under the March 1 State of Emergency proclamation.

    Building on unprecedented progress 

    This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state. Additionally, to bolster the state’s ability to respond to fires, Governor Newsom announced last week that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate. A full list of California’s progress on wildfire resilience is available here.

    Highlights of achievements to date include:

    • Historic investments — Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion to be allocated from the 2024 Climate Bond.
    • On-the-ground progress — More than 2,200 landscape health and fire prevention projects are complete or underway, and from 2021-2023, the State and its partners treated nearly 1.9 million acres, including nearly 730,000 acres in 2023.
    • Increasing transparency — The Governor’s Task Force launched an Interagency Treatment Dashboard to display wildfire resilience work across federal, state, local, and privately managed lands across the State. The Dashboard, launched in 2023, provides transparency, tracks progress, facilitates planning, and informs firefighting efforts.
    • Hardening communities — Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety  standards, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. Since 2019, CAL FIRE has awarded more than $450 million for 450 wildfire prevention projects across the state and conducts Defensible Space Inspections on more than 250,000 homes each year.
    • Leveraging cutting-edge technology — On top of expanding the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet, CAL FIRE has doubled its use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and the state is utilizing AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 29, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is launching CalHeatScore – a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves. The state’s new tool provides localized warnings and resources for extreme heat events. Governor Newsom is also…

    May 29, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to more than 6…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:LaCandice Ochoa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Independent Living and Community Access Division at the Department of Rehabilitation. Ochoa has been Dean of…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Secures the Extraditions of Individuals Accused of Violent and Other Serious Crimes from Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius,

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    United States Also Returned International Fugitives Wanted for Terrorism, Murder, Attempted Murder and Child Sexual Abuse to Canada, India, and Mexico

    Note: The defendants whose names are underlined hyperlink to press releases.

    WASHINGTON — Extensive coordination between the Justice Department and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Panama, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Kingdom (UK) resulted in the extraditions in April and May of dozens of individuals. The defendants returned to the United States are alleged to have committed crimes — including child sexual abuse and rape, murder, hate crimes, assault, narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, cybercrime, money laundering, fraud, aggravated robbery and extortion — in a number of U.S. states and federal districts, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Michail Chkhikvishvili, also known as Mishka, Michael, Commander Butcher, and Butcher, 21, a Georgian national and alleged leader of a white supremacist group, was extradited from Moldova to face charges in the Eastern District of New York for soliciting hate crimes and planning a mass casualty attack in New York City. As the alleged leader of the white supremacist group “Maniac Murder Cult,” an international, racially motivated violent extremist group that adheres to a neo-Nazi ideology and promotes violence against racial minorities, the Jewish community, and other groups that it deems “undesirables,” Chkhikvishvili allegedly traveled to Brooklyn in 2022 and actively solicited acts of mass violence with a person who was, unbeknownst to Chkhikvishvili, an undercover FBI employee. In November 2023, Chkhikvishvili allegedly began planning a mass casualty attack to take place on New Year’s Eve, which would involve an individual dressing up as Santa Claus and handing out candy laced with poison to racial minorities. In January 2024, as alleged, the scheme evolved and Chkhikvishvili specifically directed the undercover FBI employee to target the Jewish community, Jewish schools, and Jewish children in Brooklyn.

    • Liridon Masurica, also known as @blackdb, 33, a national of Kosovo and alleged administrator of an online criminal marketplace, was extradited from Kosovo to face charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and fraudulent use of 15 or more unauthorized access devices in the Middle District of Florida.

    • Adrian Alberto Cano Gomez, also known as Andrea, 45, a national of Colombia and an alleged member of the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a designated foreign terrorist organization, was extradited from Colombia to face charges in the Southern District of Texas of narco-terrorism and distributing kilogram quantities of cocaine from Colombia.

    • Aler Baldomero Samayoa-Recinos, also known as Chicharra, 58, a national of Guatemala and alleged leader of a prolific Guatemalan drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Guatemala to face charges in the District of Columbia of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms of cocaine for importation to the United States.

    • Daniel Flores, 49, a national of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face charges of first-degree murder for the 1995 killing of two brothers, both U.S. Marines, ages 22 and 19, in Cook County, Illinois.

    • Manuel Alejandro Vasquez, 47, a citizen of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face a charge of murder in Ventura County, California. Vasquez’s two co-defendants were convicted in 1999 and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the 1998 murder of a man in his home over an alleged unpaid debt. Vasquez fled to Mexico before charges could be filed against him.

    • Tyler Buchanan, 23, a UK national, was extradited from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in the Central District of California. Among other crimes, Buchanan and his co-conspirators allegedly stole cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars following phishing attacks on over 45 companies based in the United States, Canada, and the UK.

    • Felix Manuel Mejia-Gonzalez, 33, a Dominican citizen, was extradited from the Dominican Republic to face charges of fentanyl trafficking in the District of New Hampshire.

    • Samuel Steven Huggler, 28, a U.S. citizen, was extradited from Spain, to face charges relating to the alleged murder and attempted murders of three of his siblings in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Huggler is charged with aiding, inducing, or causing murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of aiding, inducing, or causing attempted murder, and possession of an altered firearm. 

    • Michel Patrick Desalles, 54, a Mauritian national, was extradited from Mauritius to face a charge of murder in the second degree in the State of New York. Desalles allegedly choked his employer to death with zip ties and immediately fled the United States in 2017.

    • Juan Miguel Roman-Balderas, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face two charges of murder in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Roman-Balderas is alleged to have stabbed to death his 28-year-old ex-girlfriend in April 2014 in Greenbelt, Maryland.

    • Rody L. Wilcox, 50, a U.S. citizen, was extradited from Georgia to face charges of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years of age filed in Latah County, Idaho. Wilcox allegedly sexually assaulted a six-year-old child on multiple occasions in 2023. In 2024, Wilcox fled Idaho while on bond. Through OIA’s cooperation with the FBI, U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and Georgian authorities, Wilcox was arrested in Georgia on Aug. 16, 2024, while en route to the Russian Federation.

    • Miguel Angel Urbano-Vazquez, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face charges of aggravated first-degree murder and rape in Pierce County, Washington. Urbano-Vazquez is alleged to have raped four victims between March and October 2002, one of whom he is also alleged to have murdered in the course of rape.

    • Gilberto Gutierrez, 46, a citizen of El Salvador, was extradited from El Salvador to face charges of rape, child abuse, and related sex offenses in Wicomico County, Maryland. Gutierrez allegedly repeatedly sexually abused two girls under the age of 10 years old between approximately 1999 and 2004.

    • Ramon Manriquez Castillo, 68, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Edgar Rodriguez Ruano, 29, a Mexican citizen; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito, 48, an Ecuadorian citizen; and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto, 30, a Colombian citizen, were surrendered by Guinea-Bissau to face drug trafficking charges in the Southern District of Florida. The co-defendants are alleged members of a transnational drug trafficking organization comprised of several cartels in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela, and they allegedly conspired to distribute large quantities of cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Guinea-Bissau using a U.S.-registered airplane, with a U.S. citizen onboard, from about November 2023 to September 2024. They are also charged with distributing cocaine in these countries using an airplane with a U.S. citizen onboard.

    • Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak, 35, a Ukrainian national, was extradited from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, extortion, and related activity in connection with computers in the Eastern District of New York and the Middle District of Florida. According to the charges in the Eastern District of New York, Stryzhak is one of the administrators of the Nefilim ransomware gang. The Middle District of Florida charges allege that Stryzhak used the Hive ransomware to engage in a computer hacking and extortion scheme that targeted businesses in the United States and abroad. The Hive ransomware group is estimated to have attacked approximately 1,500 victims and extorted approximately $110 million in ransom payments.

    The fugitives extradited by the United States include:

    • Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 64, a Canadian citizen, native of Pakistan, and convicted terrorist, was extradited to India to stand trial on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 160 people, including six Americans, and wounded hundreds more.

    • Aaron Seth Juarez, 26, a U.S. citizen, was extradited to Mexico to be prosecuted for femicide for the 2019 killing of his approximately 31-year-old stepmother, whose body he allegedly buried in the backyard of her Tijuana home. 

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), along with the U.S. Marshals Service, provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and the Eastern District of California litigated with OIA the successful outgoing extradition cases for Rana and Juarez, respectively. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Guatemala and Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Panama, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Kingdom for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: British and Chinese Nationals Indicted for Alleged Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to China

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Federal grand juries in Los Angeles and Milwaukee each have returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee), the Justice Department announced today.

    “As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”

    “The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.”

    • Central District of California (Los Angeles)

    According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.

    “The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”

    “The FBI will not tolerate transnational repression targeting those in the United States who express dissenting opinions about foreign leaders,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Both defendants face serious stalking charges in Los Angeles and my office intends to hold them accountable for bullying a victim, a critic of the PRC, and targeting him with violence.”

    Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.

    A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    • Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

    According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6). 

    In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.

    ***

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling.

    The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia.

    Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, both of the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Curtain falls on African Development Bank Group 2025 Annual Meetings, New President Elected

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    • Nigeria provides $500 million to extend the Nigeria Trust Fund for another 15 years 
    • “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as president of the African Development Bank Group and to serve Africa “– Dr. Akinwumi Adesina 

    The African Development Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings (www.AfDB.org) closed on Friday with a plenary session, following five days of meetings and discussions on Africa’s development landscape. The meetings also saw the election of a new president for a five-year term, beginning 1 September.  

    On Thursday, governors of the Group’s 81 shareholders elected former finance minister Mauritanian Sidi Ould Tah as the new president of the continent’s premier development institution. 

    The meetings were held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from 26-30 May under the theme: Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development—a call for leaders to ditch aid and look inwards to Africa’s rich capital to solve its development and economic challenges. 

    Secretary General of the Bank Vincent Nmehielle described the meetings as a “resounding success”. He thanked Nialé Kaba, Minister of Economy, Planning and Development, outgoing Chairperson of the Boards of Governors, for her “sterling work, dedication and guidance of her duties over the past year.” He also thanked the 81 governors—finance ministers, economy ministers or central bank governors representing each of the African Development Bank’s shareholder countries. 

    Thirteen outgoing executive directors who have finished their term of office were recognized. Together, they represent a 75 percent change in the board composition for the next year. 

    Outgoing President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina expressed his best wishes to the president-elect. 

    “I am delighted for my brother and friend on his election as president of the African Development Bank Group. Hearty congratulations! I wish you great success in the years ahead,” Adesina said.  

    Participants also heard video congratulatory messages to Adesina from world leaders, including World Bank head Ajay Banga and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the World Trade Organization. 

    The Board of Governors also sent a congratulatory message conveyed through the Bank governor for Zambia, Situmbeko Musokotwan, Minister of Finance and National Planning. “We thank you for the remarkable results,” he said. 

    The meetings also saw new milestones for the Bank. 

    On Thursday, the Bank signed an agreement with the Finance ministry of Nigeria to extend the Nigeria Trust Fund (https://apo-opa.co/4ko9r9u)—for another 15 years. Nigeria provided an additional $500 million to the Nigeria Trust Fund. “An impressive contribution. Thank you, Nigeria,” Adesina said. 

    The Nigeria Trust Fund, the third arm of the Bank Group, is a self-sustaining revolving fund set up to assist the development efforts of the Bank’s low-income regional member countries whose economic and social conditions and prospects require concessional financing. Its resources are allocated to projects, not to countries. 

    “I am glad this agreement was signed a day before the end of the meetings,” Adesina said. 

    In an emotional farewell, Adesina sang a few of his favorite songs—Johnny Nash’s “I can see clearly now,” and Bob Geldof’s “We are the World.” 

    “This is my last Annual Meetings as president of the African Development Bank Group, after completing two five-year terms,” Adesina said. “It has been an extraordinary ten years working together… Thank you for the opportunity, trust and resources you gave me to serve as President of the African Development Bank Group. It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as President of the African Development Bank Group and to serve Africa.”  

    In a short ceremony Kaba, handed the African Development Bank’s flag to Congolese Economy minister Ludovic Ngatse and announced that the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Bank Group will take place in Congo Brazzaville from 25-29 May 2026. 

    Speaking on behalf of Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Beugre, Kaba also thanked all participants “for contributing to the strategic reflection and solidarity with a view to steering our continent to a better future. and Cote d’Ivoire, the host country.” 

    In addition to the official programme, 60 side events as well as cultural events and a spouse’s programme were part of this year’s colourful meetings. 

    To review sessions you missed or for any information on the Annual Meetings, click here (https://apo-opa.co/43T3MlS). 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: South Sudan: Renewal of UN arms embargo a welcome move to protect civilians

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Following the United Nations Security Council’s decision to renew the arms embargo on South Sudan for another year, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah said:

    “We welcome the renewal of the arms embargo as it has been crucial to curtailing the flow of weapons that have been used to violate international humanitarian law (IHL) and call on the Security Council and urge UN members to diligently enforce it, especially amid recent violations.

    “We are, however, shocked that several Security Council members as well as the African Union Peace and Security Council called for the lifting of the arms embargo at a time when the human rights situation in South Sudan is deteriorating rapidly. Placing more guns in the hands of warring parties involved in serious human rights violations and crimes under international law would have been dangerous to civilians.”

    We welcome the renewal of the arms embargo as it has been crucial to curtailing the flow of weapons that have been used to violate international humanitarian law (IHL) and call on the Security Council and urge UN members to diligently enforce it, especially amid recent violations.

    Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

    Background

    Earlier this month, Amnesty International found that theMarch deployment of armed Ugandan soldiers and military equipment to South Sudan since 11 March 2025, in absence of a notification or exemption request to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, flagrantly violates the arms embargo. Amnesty International also documented evidence of the ongoing use of attack helicopters by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), strongly suggesting that the supply of spare parts – an arms embargo violation previously documented by Amnesty International – continues. 

    In 2020, Amnesty International documented evidence newly imported small arms and ammunition, illicit concealment of weapons and diversion of armoured vehicles for unauthorized military purposes, pointing to the failure of the parties to the 2018 peace agreement, including the South Sudanese government, to adhere to the UN embargo, and to implement relevant provisions of the 2018 peace agreement under which they also committed to protect human rights.

    The human rights situation in South Sudan remains dire as government forces, fighters of armed opposition groups as well as armed youth continue to violate human rights.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on Supreme Court Decision Revoking Humanitarian Migrant Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    BURLINGTON, VT—Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to effectively deport more than 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti who fled war, political persecution, humanitarian crises, and failed economies to migrate lawfully to America through the humanitarian parole process. U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.)  released the following statement:
    “This decision by the Supreme Court is shameful and heartbreaking. More than 530,000 people who are making their lives in America, have families and careers in America, and are living in lawful status in America, will be forced to return to a country they fled,” said Senator Welch. “The Supreme Court and the Trump Administration are inflicting unconscionable hardship on these migrants, their families, their communities, and their workplaces by revoking legal status for no legitimate reason.  It goes against everything America stands for as a country of refuge for immigrants.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to China

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Defendants Charged in Los Angeles and Milwaukee with Interstate Stalking, Arms Export Violations, and Smuggling

    Federal grand juries in Milwaukee and Los Angeles each returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee).

    “As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.”

    “The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.”

    Allegations in the Central District of California

    According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.

    “The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.”

    Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.

    A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    Allegations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin

    According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6).  

    In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.

    ***

    If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling.

    The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Elizabeth Man Charged with Making Antisemitic Threat to Injure Local Public Official

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Edward Arthur Owens Jr., 29, a resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with making a threat to injure a local public official, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Owens was arrested on the criminal complaint this morning by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    According to the complaint, on May 20, 2025, Owens knowingly and willfully transmitted via a social media messaging app the following threat to injure a local public official: “We’re coming for you [emoji of person raising right hand] [German flag emoji] be afraid. Go back to Israel or better yet, exterminate yourself and save us the trouble. 109 countries for a reason. We will not stop until your kind is nonexistent.” The complaint explains that the reference to “109 countries,” according to the Anti-Defamation League, is an antisemitic assertion that Jews have been expelled from 109 different countries; it is used by antisemites to call for the expulsion of Jews from other countries and otherwise to promote hatred. The recipient of the message is a local official who regularly engages with the public.

    The United States has filed a request for detention of the defendant pending trial, asserting that he is a danger to the community and should be held without bail. A hearing on the government’s motion will be held June 5, 2025, at 10 a.m.

    Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the criminal complaint against Owens.

    A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: KIS Finance Unpacks the Global Ripple Effects of Trump’s Presidency in “The Trump Legacy” Analysis

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK , May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KIS Finance has published a comprehensive article titled “The Trump Legacy: The Most Significant President,” offering a critical examination of the far-reaching effects of Donald Trump’s presidency on global economics, politics, and democratic institutions.

    The article delves into the consequences of Trump’s aggressive trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs at levels not seen in nearly a century, which have sparked unprecedented trade wars and economic uncertainty worldwide. It highlights the resulting volatility in the U.S. dollar, a decline in foreign investment, and the erosion of trust in American financial markets.

    Beyond economics, the piece explores the geopolitical shifts prompted by Trump’s foreign policy decisions, notably the retreat from traditional alliances and the inadvertent empowerment of rival nations like China. It also addresses concerns over democratic backsliding, citing instances of institutional undermining and the propagation of misinformation.

    “The Trump Legacy” serves as a crucial resource for understanding the lasting implications of Trump’s leadership on the international stage. It underscores the importance of informed analysis in navigating the complexities of contemporary global affairs.

    About KIS Finance

    KIS Finance is a UK-based financial services company specialising in bridging loans and financial news analysis. Committed to providing insightful commentary on economic developments, KIS Finance aims to inform and guide readers through the evolving financial landscape.

    Press Contact

    Alan Andrews
    Alan@kisfinance.co.uk

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Libya becomes a full participating state and shareholder of Afreximbank

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    CAIRO, Egypt, May 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The State of Libya has taken a critical step towards its full membership of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) with the acquisition of shares in the African multilateral Bank, making the country both a participating state and a shareholder of the Bank. The country submitted its payment for the acquisition of the Bank’s shares on 13 May 2025.  

    Libya acceded to Afreximbank’s Establishment Agreement in October 2024, becoming the 52nd African nation to do so, and marking an important step towards full continental coverage and advancement of the Bank’s continental integration agenda; through trade and investments. 

    The acquisition of Afreximbank’s shares by Libya further strengthens ties with the oil rich nation and enhances critical support to the Libyan economy. Target areas of intervention by Afreximbank include infrastructure and oil and gas, and export of manufactured goods to the rest of Africa, while also supporting regional integration projects targeting other countries in North Africa. 

    “Libya’s shareholding in Afreximbank puts the Bank in a strong position to support the government’s reconstruction efforts while also helping to deepen its regional connectivity through investments in critical projects such as the oil pipeline and road projects between Egypt and Libya, and the electricity transmission and linkage project covering Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria. It reaffirms the confidence of African governments in their Pan-African Multilateral Financial Institution,” said Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, of Afreximbank.  

    Prof. Oramah commended Libya for its investment in the Bank which demonstrates increased confidence in the organisation’s activities, primarily its mandate of transforming African Trade. He noted that the shareholding in the Bank will help to expand its services, reach and influence in the region, besides enhancing its capital base.  

    In acceding to the Establishment Agreement, His Excellency Dr. Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdullah, Minister of Finance for the State of Libya, highlighted the importance of the partnership in supporting reconstruction and economic diversification efforts in his country and said that the nation’s accession was a milestone in its journey towards rebuilding its economy and re-establishing its role as a regional trading hub. He said: “Libya is grateful to His Excellency, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, of Afreximbank, for his persistent efforts in facilitating Libya’s full participation in the Bank’s foundational agreement. The acquisition of shares in Afreximbank solidifies Libya’s position as a full member state and shareholder in this esteemed multilateral African institution. This represents a historic achievement, following our accession to the Bank’s Establishment Agreement in October 2024. 

    “We regard this development as a critical step forward in Libya’s journey towards greater economic integration within the African continent. Our accession as the 52nd African nation to Afreximbank underscores our commitment to fostering robust trade and investment relationships across Africa.” 

    Dr. Abdullah noted that the partnership between Libya and Afreximbank would help unlock new avenues for economic growth, diversification, and development in his country. “We eagerly anticipate leveraging the Bank’s expertise and resources to support our national economic agenda and to contribute effectively to the advancement of intra-African trade and continental integration. We commend Afreximbank for its unwavering commitment to African economic advancement and look forward to a fruitful and mutually beneficial collaboration,” he added.  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the African Development Bank is accelerating the transformation of infrastructure and access to basic social services

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Roads in Kenge, Kikwit, Tshikapa, Kamuensha, and Mbuji-Mayi have been completely rehabilitated, new stretches of road built, and urban roads modernized. Numerous examples of socioeconomic infrastructure have also benefited from the financial support of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), helping to transform the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Congolese.

    A multi-sectoral mission from the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the African Development Bank witnessed the impact of these investments during field visits to the five municipalities in western DRC between 5 and 19 May 2025. More specifically, the three projects, financed by the Bank, focus on rehabilitating road infrastructure, enhancing air safety, and improving access to basic social services.

    Health centres, hydraulic structures equipped with modern technology, provincial rural markets, schools, a refurbished runway in Mbuji-Mayi, and air safety equipment meeting international standards are just some of the successes the joint mission was able to witness.

    “The mission measured the concrete impact of the projects supported by the Bank in Kasai. From roads to social infrastructure and air safety, progress is visible and is transforming the lives of the population. We pay tribute to the work completed and remain committed to consolidating the gains achieved, in particular with the extension of the Mbuji-Mayi runway to make it a hub that meets international standards,” commented Mohamed Coulibaly, Country Programme Manager in charge of the Bank Group’s Office in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Opening a key route in the road network

    The first stage of the mission concerned the project to rehabilitate the Kinshasa/Ndjili-Batshamba section of national road no. 1. The project involves the rehabilitation of 622 kilometres of road between Kinshasa and Batshamba via Kenge and Kikwit, a key route in the Congolese road network. In the past, this strategic corridor was virtually impassable due to the advanced deterioration of the road surface and a series of sinkholes, and took several days or in some cases weeks, to drive along. Thanks to $68.57 million in funding from the African Development Bank, the work carried out now means the route can be travelled safely in less than a day. This improves connectivity between the capital and the provinces of Mai-Ndombe, Kwango, Kwilu and Kasaï.

    “In addition to asphalting the road, the Bank has financed the construction and equipping of schools, health centres, boreholes, rural markets, social reintegration centres, administrative buildings, a modern market and weigh stations along the route, as well as the rehabilitation of over 700 kilometres of rural roads,” explains Jean Luemba, the RN1 project coordinator. The Bank has also provided substantial logistical support (vehicles and IT equipment) to the state structures involved in the projects.

    Ultimately, this initiative will benefit over 19 million people by facilitating access to markets, improving the availability of agricultural products and food security, and supporting mobility and economic activities.

    Significant progress in social infrastructure

    In terms of social infrastructure, the achievements of the second phase of the Project for the Reinforcement of Socioeconomic Infrastructure in the Central Region (PRISE II) are significant: most of the construction work on schools, health centres, public latrines, and rural markets has been completed or is nearing completion. The execution rate is estimated at 75%. As for the 41 schools under construction, most are ready for handover. The same applies to the 40 health centres, whose buildings have been completed. Public markets are also making good progress, with several structures already operational.

    In addition, the project has planned community awareness-raising and vocational training activities, including training young people in plumbing, promoting hygiene and local water governance. During the joint mission, the national authorities reiterated their willingness to broaden the scope of the “PRISE” project by integrating geophysical studies into the Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, thus supporting the national ambition of universal coverage in this area. The project’s aim is to reach over 870,000 direct beneficiaries in 10 provinces, by improving access rates to water, sanitation, health and education.

    Advanced airport infrastructure

    In the air transport sector, a visit to the second phase of the Priority Air Safety Project (PPSA2) revealed remarkable progress in the rehabilitation and extension of the Mbuji-Mayi runway. Around 85% of the 320-metre runway has already been completed. The new tarmac is 95% complete, while the ramp, service road and runway end safety areas (RESA) are 70 to 75% complete. Vital technical infrastructure such as the control tower, power plant, fire station, and lighting system are nearing completion. At Kisangani-Bangoka international airport, the aircraft movement areas, taxiways and tarmac have been completely rehabilitated, and two turn pads have been installed.

    In addition, six radio navigation systems (DVOR/DME) have been deployed at Goma, Mbuji-Mayi, Kindu, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Mbandaka, enhancing the safety of domestic flights. Eight VHF radio channels have also been installed at several secondary airports to improve aeronautical communication. The upgrading of equipment, combined with capacity-building for technical staff, has reduced the number of air accidents in the DRC from an average of 10 to one a year.

    The project also includes training for the Régie des voies aériennes staff in the following areas: safety and air bases, maintenance techniques and project management for the Régie, and air transport inspectors for the Civil Aviation Authority.

    At the end of the visit, the mission underlined the technical quality of the work carried out, the commitment of the contractors and local ownership. In Tshikapa, a local resident declared: “Tshikapa today is the African Development Bank!”, testifying to the visibility and tangible impact of the projects on the daily lives of the local population.

    These results also illustrate the importance of close coordination between the Bank, the Congolese government and technical and financial partners, including the European Union and the World Bank, which were also involved in the construction of certain sections of the RN1.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Leads Senate Democrats Urging Additional Funding to Keep Communities Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) led 29 Senate Democrats in urging the Senate Committee on Appropriations to fund the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program at a minimum of $270 million for Fiscal Year 2026. Amid a nationwide shortage of police officers, the COPS Hiring Program is critical for keeping communities safe and reducing taxpayer costs related to crime by providing funding directly to law enforcement agencies to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
    “The COPS Hiring Program represents a fiscally responsible solution to ensure that our communities remain safe. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts,” the lawmakers wrote.
    “When officers establish a presence on their patrols using community-policing principles, they can develop positive relationships with the communities they serve.  In turn, these relationships increase law enforcement’s ability to solve local crimes and resolve public safety problems,” the lawmakers continued. “This proactive approach to policing prevents crime from occurring, saving taxpayers the high societal costs associated with crime, incarceration, and services for victims.”
    Led by Senator Luján, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
    The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below: 
    Dear Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Van Hollen:
    As you consider funding levels for Fiscal Year 2026, we urge you to fund the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program at a minimum of $270 million.
    The COPS Hiring Program represents a fiscally responsible solution to ensure that our communities remain safe. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts. When officers establish a presence on their patrols using community-policing principles, they can develop positive relationships with the communities they serve.  In turn, these relationships increase law enforcement’s ability to solve local crimes and resolve public safety problems.  This proactive approach to policing prevents crime from occurring, saving taxpayers the high societal costs associated with crime, incarceration, and services for victims.
    To date, the COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing including grants awarded to more than 15,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers. In 2024, the program awarded 235 grants across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In total, the program allowed for the funding of 1193 officer positions. COPS Hiring plays an essential role in our federal government’s support for local law enforcement and should therefore receive the highest possible level of funding.
    We are supported in this request by law enforcement organizations including the National Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.  We appreciate the hard work and leadership that you have shown on these issues. Ongoing crime and violence across the country demonstrates the vital need for increased police protection in our communities.  Therefore, as you determine the funding levels for this program, we ask that you support funding for the COPS Hiring Program at the highest possible level.
    Thank you for your consideration of this request.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: With Over $42 BILLION In Vital Broadband Funding Still Held Up By Trump Administration, Leader Schumer, Ranking Member Cantwell, And Senator Luján Demand Admin Stop The Delays & Immediately Release The Funding Into American Communities; Senators Say 25 Million Americans Still Lack High-Speed Internet As Bipartisan Funding Lingers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), sent the following letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick and President Trump demanding that the Commerce Department immediately release the $42 billion allocated for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.

    Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with Ranking Member of the Commerce Committee, Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), sent the following letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and President Trump demanding the immediate release the $42 billion allocated for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This program was designed to help our country on its path to creating universal access to high-speed internet – vital for remote work, education, job training and applications, telehealth, emergency services, and more. With the endless delays to get the crucial funding out the door and into American communities, 25 million people across our country risk going without access to the internet. 

    “States have spent years developing implementation plans under the BEAD program to reach every American with high-speed internet access. These plans reflect local needs, technical realities, and the bipartisan intent of Congress,” the Senators wrote. “States are ready to put shovels in the ground and have been waiting for months to get started connecting communities and building networks that will support the industries of tomorrow. Additional delays and onerous changes to the program at this stage threaten to further stall urgently needed deployment and leave communities behind.”

    The Senators also noted that beyond everyday applications of high-speed internet, this money is also essential to ensuring that America is able to maintain its competitive edge over countries such as China. Al systems – including data centers, chip manufacturing facilities and more – require access to power and internet. Without proper broadband networks in place, communities will not be able to house these job-creating facilities. Our government must work to ensure that all areas in our country – especially rural ones – are able to contribute to America’s innovative edge and technological dominance. Without BEAD funding getting out the door, these rural communities risk falling either further behind. 

    States have spent months developing plans to break ground and build high-speed, scalable, and reliable networks everywhere. The Trump administration should not throttle this process or delay it just to give more money to the world’s richest man. The Senators urge the immediate and swift release of all BEAD program funding.

    BEAD Grant Allocations By State

    State Amount
    Texas $3,312,616,455.45
    California $1,864,136,508.93
    Missouri $1,736,302,708.39
    Michigan $1,559,362,479.29
    North Carolina $1,532,999,481.15
    Virginia $1,481,489,572.87
    Alabama $1,401,221,901.77
    Louisiana $1,355,554,552.94
    Georgia $1,307,214,371.30
    Washington $1,227,742,066.30
    West Virginia $1,210,800,969.85
    Mississippi $1,203,561,563.05
    Florida $1,169,947,392.70
    Pennsylvania $1,161,778,272.41
    Kentucky $1,086,172,536.86
    Wisconsin $1,055,823,573.71
    Illinois $1,040,420,751.50
    Arkansas $1,024,303,993.86
    Alaska $1,017,139,672.42
    Arizona $993,112,231.37
    Indiana $868,109,929.79
    Colorado $826,522,650.41
    Tennessee $813,319,680.22
    Oklahoma $797,435,691.25
    Ohio $793,688,107.63
    Oregon $688,914,932.17
    New Mexico $675,372,311.86
    New York $664,618,251.49
    Minnesota $651,839,368.20
    Montana $628,973,798.59
    Idaho $583,256,249.88
    South Carolina $551,535,983.05
    Kansas $451,725,998.15
    Nevada $416,666,229.74
    Iowa $415,331,313.00
    Nebraska $405,281,070.41
    Wyoming $347,877,921.27
    Puerto Rico $334,614,151.70
    Utah $317,399,741.54
    Maine $271,977,723.07
    Maryland $267,738,400.71
    New Jersey $263,689,548.65
    Vermont $228,913,019.08
    South Dakota $207,227,523.92
    New Hampshire $196,560,278.97
    Guam $156,831,733.59
    Hawaii $149,484,493.57
    Massachusetts $147,422,464.39
    Connecticut $144,180,792.71
    North Dakota $130,162,815.12
    Rhode Island    $108,718,820.75
    Delaware $107,748,384.66
    District of Columbia $100,694,786.93
    Northern Mariana Islands $80,796,709.02
    American Samoa $37,564,827.53
    U.S. Virgin Islands $27,103,240.86

    The letter can be seen here and below.

    Dear Sec. Lutnick and President Trump,

    Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to finish the job of connecting everyone and building high-speed, scalable, and reliable networks everywhere. For six months, states have been waiting to break ground on scores of projects, held back only by the Commerce Department’s bureaucratic delays. If states are forced to redo or rework their plans, they will not only miss this year’s construction season but next year’s as well, delaying broadband deployment by years. That’s why we urge the Administration to move swiftly to approve state plans, and release the $42 billion allocated to the states by the BEAD Program. 

    Universal access to high-speed internet is essential for jobs, education, and telehealth—and also for the bandwidth-hungry innovation economy, from artificial intelligence and advanced robotics to smart manufacturing and semiconductor production. Further delay means 25 million Americans continue to wait for high-speed internet and the economic benefits it brings. It also means that we risk falling behind China, which is aggressively building out digital infrastructure to support its AI, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductor ambitions. 

    States have already developed plans to address these needs, and restarting or slowing down the process will only hold back progress. States must maintain the flexibility to choose the highest quality broadband options, rather than be forced by bureaucrats in Washington to funnel funds to Elon Musk’s Starlink, which lacks the scalability, reliability, and speed of fiber or other terrestrial broadband solutions.

    High-speed, reliable, and scalable connectivity is essential for jobs, education, and telehealth. It’s also the backbone for the advanced industries of today and tomorrow. AI systems require massive volumes of data and low-latency networks to operate effectively. Data centers, smart warehouses, robotic assembly lines, and chip fabrication plants all depend on fast, stable, and scalable bandwidth. If we want these job-creating facilities built throughout the United States, including rural areas, we must ensure the infrastructure—including high-speed internet networks—is in place to support them. If we want AI developed and deployed in the United States, if we want to win the race for semiconductor dominance, if we want the next generation of manufacturing jobs to be created here, then we must act now—and we must build the high-speed, high-capacity networks those technologies demand.

    States have spent years developing implementation plans under the BEAD program to reach every American with high-speed internet access. These plans reflect local needs, technical realities, and the bipartisan intent of Congress. States are ready to put shovels in the ground and have been waiting for months to get started connecting communities and building networks that will support the industries of tomorrow. Additional delays and onerous changes to the program at this stage threaten to further stall urgently needed deployment and leave communities behind. 

    We urge you to move forward with the submitted BEAD plans and deliver on the promise of the BEAD program without further delay. Every American and every community needs access to reliable, scalable, and high-speed internet if we are to remain the world’s innovation leader.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas’ Brightest, Bravest, And Best

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    As the son of a career Air Force officer who flew B-17s during World War II, I hold the men and women of the United States Armed Forces in the highest regard. That’s why it’s both an honor and a privilege each year to nominate some of our state’s finest young Texans to our nation’s prestigious military service academies.

    What makes this task so special is knowing that some of Texas’ brightest, bravest, and best have chosen to step into a life of service that demands courage and sacrifice. The nomination and selection process is highly competitive, and great care is taken in reviewing hundreds of applications from outstanding high school students from all throughout our state. I am grateful to the current and former service men and women on my academy review board for their assistance in identifying those who are the best fit for this unique and tremendously rewarding university experience.  

    One of my favorite events each year is inviting all Texas students who are about to embark on their journey to a service academy to my annual send-off ceremony in San Antonio. This year, more than 120 students, along with hundreds of their family members and friends from all across the state, came together to meet their fellow cadets and midshipmen before kick-starting their journey of military service. I take great joy in offering them a few words of encouragement and personally congratulating them on earning admission into some of the most selective and rigorous institutions in the country.

    Every year, I invite a keynote speaker to also address the students. The speaker offers a unique perspective to the students about the career path on which they are about to embark. This year, I was joined by my friend and the President of Texas A&M University, Gen. Mark Welsh III, who spoke about his four decades of service, including his time as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. 

    The young leaders joining our service academies come from all walks of life across Texas—from families of many generations that have served in the military to first-generation service members. These students have excelled in their academics, ranking at the top of their classes and earning test scores well above their peers. Many have also excelled in extracurricular activities, leading as captains on their varsity team and serving as class presidents. Some have even obtained the rank of Eagle Scout, earned their pilot’s license, are active in JROTC, and are leaders in their schools and churches. But most importantly, their calling to serve our country is what brings them together.

    We also recognize the families who raised these exceptional young men and women, as they are their bedrock of support, instilling strong values and an unwavering sense of duty to serve our country.

    My father flew with the 303rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, known as the Hell’s Angels, based in Molesworth, England. His decades of service, including his time as a prisoner of war, taught me to deeply respect and appreciate our military and the sacrifices they make to protect our nation and make the world a safer place. 

    The send-off events I hold are especially meaningful because they take place on Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom. By honoring these heroes, we uphold the values they lived and died for, and seeing a new generation of leaders answering their call to serve is inspiring.

    I am honored to host this event and am grateful to the students and families for embarking on this journey of service and for the sacrifices they will make for our freedom. May God bless our fallen heroes, their families, and our newest service members, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.

    Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vice Chairman of China addresses opening ceremony of 4th Dialogue on Inter-Civilizational Exchanges and Mutual Learning

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    LANZHOU, May 30 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice President Han Zheng has called for eliminating disunity and misunderstanding through dialogue and communication to promote harmonious coexistence among different civilizations.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 4th Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, on Friday, Han Zheng said exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations have injected strong impetus into the progress of human civilization and peaceful development throughout the world.

    “We should show mutual respect and promote mutual success, jointly advocate for respect for the diversity of world civilizations, promote each civilization to preserve its unique beauty, and all civilizations to create harmonious diversity together,” Han Zheng said.

    The Vice Chairman of the PRC pointed out that Chinese-style modernization, as a new form of development of human civilization and mutually enriching with other civilizations, brings unique wisdom to the development of world civilizations.

    China will firmly stand on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, adhere to multilateralism with other countries, actively implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and advance in-depth and practical cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, Han added.

    The dialogue is attended by about 400 people, including political leaders, scientists, heads of international and non-governmental organizations from different countries.

    Delegates unanimously noted that China brings stability and certainty to the world through its own development. The global initiatives put forward by China, including the Global Civilization Initiative, not only promote mutual understanding and mutual learning among different civilizations, but also lay a solid foundation for building a new type of international order based on harmonious coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation among all countries, the participants in the dialogue said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Beijing hosts conference to mark 120th anniversary of American journalist E. Snow’s birth

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) — A conference dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of American journalist Edgar Snow was held at Peking University on Friday.

    E. Snow was born in 1905 to an ordinary farming family in Missouri. In 1936, when China was engulfed in internal conflict and faced foreign aggression, E. Snow traveled to the remote headquarters of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Shaanxi Province (Northwest China), where he conducted extensive interviews with top party leaders, including the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

    Snow’s own reporting resulted in Red Star Over China, published a year later. It provided not only the West but also China itself with a rare and authentic account of the Chinese Red Army, its leadership, and its unwavering commitment to improving the lives of the Chinese people.

    After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, E. Snow visited China three times and was warmly received by its top leaders. After his visits, he never ceased to worry about China, firmly supported the just cause of the Chinese people, and actively promoted the development of friendly relations between the PRC and the United States.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Fu Hua, director general of Xinhua News Agency, said that Snow was a sincere friend of the Chinese people, an envoy of China-US relations and a respected journalist.

    “Through his cross-border and cross-cultural journalism practice, E. Snow has provided the world with an accurate, multi-dimensional and comprehensive picture of China,” Fu Hua said.

    “The values embedded in Snow’s work—honesty, curiosity, courage in the face of political pressure—are values that need to be affirmed, renewed, even strengthened, to truly honor his memory,” said Samuel Colin MacLean, a relative of Snow and a fellow at Harvard’s Fairbank Center for China Studies.

    “E. Snow believed that only honest, unvarnished and uncensored communication could bridge the gap between our countries and prevent unnecessary conflicts,” noted S.K. MacLean.

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In this regard, Sun Hua, director of the Edgar Snow China Research Center at Peking University, noted that “Red Star Over China” played a key role in popularizing the CPC’s idea of forming a united front against Japanese aggression.

    Sun Hua explained that as a result of Snow’s work, teams of U.S. representatives, including military observers, went to northern Shaanxi to support China’s anti-fascist efforts. “Snow’s book not only helped unite the Chinese people, but also played an important role in mobilizing international support, including assistance from the United States and Britain,” he said.

    “Let us pass on the spirit of E. Snow from generation to generation, overcoming not only geographical distances but also ideological differences, promoting cultural and humanitarian exchanges and mutual learning between different countries and regions,” Fu Hua said.

    The event, jointly organized by Peking University and the Xinhua Research Institute, was attended by relatives and close friends of E. Snow, as well as experienced journalists and experts in E. Snow studies and international communications.

    During the event, guests discussed how China can focus on building a more effective international communications system, and thematic sub-forums discussed topics such as “Introducing the Real China to the World” and “Training Personnel and the Legacy of E. Snow’s Spirit.” –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hamas says it is consulting with Palestinian factions over US proposal for Gaza ceasefire

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    GAZA, May 30 (Xinhua) — The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Friday that it is currently consulting with Palestinian forces and factions on the Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steven Witkoff.

    A source within the movement said on condition of anonymity that the consultations were intended to examine the details of the initiative and ensure that it was in line with Palestinian interests before a final position was taken.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that his government accepts Witkoff’s proposal, according to Israeli state television Kan.

    As reported by Kan, citing a senior Israeli official, the proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of 10 live hostages and the handover of 18 bodies in two stages. Israel, in turn, must release 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and hand over the bodies of 180 dead Palestinians. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: A model for infrastructure resilience: Lessons from Bhutan, Chile, Costa Rica, Madagascar and Tonga

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Modelled costs indicate that global annual average losses to infrastructure exceed $700 billion, with lower-income countries 1disproportionately affected. These losses frequently erase development gains, undermining long-term progress.

    Strengthening the resilience of infrastructure is essential to achieving the objectives of the Sendai Framework-particularly Target D-and the Sustainable Development Goals. Societies depend on the continuous, effective functioning of infrastructure to deliver public services, improve living conditions and support economic development.

    Yet, further action is needed to ensure that at least critical infrastructure-and ideally all infrastructure-is resilient to risks, adaptable to shocks such as climate change, and sustainable over time.

    To support countries in advancing infrastructure resilience, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), in partnership with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), has developed an innovative approach, rolled out in about 10 countries over the past two years.

    Key impacts

    Through this initiative, UNDRR has enabled countries to:

    1. Identify gaps in institutional arrangements and regulatory frameworks across sectors such as transport, energy, water and telecommunications.
    2. Stress test and analyze vulnerabilities in infrastructure systems, including through the use of satellite imagery and other geo-localized data.
    3. Benchmark national infrastructure practices against international references such as the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure.
    4. Develop national roadmaps that incorporate resilience throughout the infrastructure lifecycle-from planning to construction and operation.

    This process strengthens governance mechanisms by convening infrastructure stakeholders across sectors to use data and risk analytics for informed decision-making on resilient infrastructure.

    Country examples

    • Tonga: Following a detailed assessment of the water sector, the government is now building the capacity of village water committees to prepare emergency plans, improve water security, and establish monitoring systems for groundwater levels to safeguard freshwater resources.
    • Chile: Stress testing by UNDRR has led SENAPRED-the national disaster prevention and response agency-to recognize water scarcity and drought as critical emerging risks and to enhance institutional capacity to address them.
    • Bhutan: Support from UNDRR and CDRI has contributed to strategic resilience measures being incorporated into sectoral action plans aligned with the 13th Five-Year Strategic Plan, embedding resilience within national infrastructure policy.
    • Madagascar: After identifying regulatory gaps in energy and telecommunications sectors, the government is reviewing its frameworks and considering new resilience standards.
    • Costa Rica and Panama: In Costa Rica, collaboration with UNDRR has resulted in the development of a data platform to inform infrastructure investments. In Panama, the government is revising procurement processes and planning the establishment of an infrastructure resilience commission.

    Lessons learned for replication and adaptation

    1. Enhance cross-sectoral collaboration: Infrastructure resilience requires integrated governance across sectors to manage interdependencies and cascading risks. This includes establishing inter-agency platforms, as seen in Madagascar and Panama.
    2. Engage stakeholders: Effective resilience-building necessitates the involvement of private sector and civil society actors alongside public institutions.
    3. Foster partnerships and knowledge exchange: National DRR strategies should promote collaboration with technical partners, including UNDRR, to leverage expertise and innovation.
    4. Prioritise resilience in DRR strategies: Resilient infrastructure should be a core component of national DRR strategies across water, energy, transport and telecommunications sectors.
    5. Align with national development planning: Resilience measures should be embedded in national development plans, as exemplified by Bhutan’s five-year strategy.
    6. Update regulatory and procurement frameworks: National frameworks should be revised to integrate resilience standards, ensuring effective implementation.
    7. Leverage data and tools: Develop data platforms and analytical tools to enable risk-informed planning and decision-making, as demonstrated in Costa Rica.
    8. Support local capacity: Empower local actors, such as Tonga’s village water committees, to contribute meaningfully to infrastructure resilience.
    9. Monitor progress: Establish monitoring frameworks to assess and review resilience outcomes, supporting continuous improvement in infrastructure governance.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Central America and Dominican Republic: Regional Intergovernmental Organizations strengthen national disaster risk reduction financing strategies

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has collaborated with the Coordination Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC) and the Council of Ministers of Finance of Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic (COSEFIN) to enhance disaster risk reduction (DRR) financing across Central America and the Dominican Republic. This partnership marks the region’s initial steps towards establishing a comprehensive regional DRR financing strategy.

    In partnership with the World Bank, UNDRR convened a ministerial meeting that brought together high-level representatives from CEPREDENAC and COSEFIN. At this meeting, the two regional entities issued a joint declaration, committing to work with their Member States to improve financing for DRR.

    Ministers of Finance and DRR authorities reaffirmed their “regional commitment to promote resilient and sustainable public investment, ensuring alignment with regional DRR guidelines and the search for innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms.” This led to the establishment of a technical support group-comprising CEPREDENAC, COSEFIN, the World Bank, and UNDRR-tasked with developing a regional DRR financing strategy designed to complement and strengthen existing national strategies.

    By shaping regional policy and encouraging intergovernmental collaboration, UNDRR and its partners have generated momentum for innovative financing approaches to resilience, thus contributing to enhanced protection for communities throughout the region. The Minister of Finance of Costa Rica, Mr. Nogui Acosta, remarked, “The impacts on one country affect all others, so we should address these issues at a regional level.” He further emphasized the importance of prospective planning and tailored budgetary approaches to facilitate efficient resource use and risk reduction at national level.

    Key Impacts

    • Strengthening national-regional alignment: The regional commitment – spearheaded by CEPREDENAC, COSEFIN and UNDRR, provides a framework for national governments to align their DRR financing mechanisms with regional guidelines, promoting consistency and coherence across DRR investment strategies.
    • Influencing policy and mobilizing resources: By involving Ministries of Finance alongside DRR authorities, the initiative strengthens the integration of DRR into national public investment planning and budgeting, a cornerstone of effective DRR governance.
    • Supporting national DRR implementation: The emerging regional DRR financing strategy is intended to bolster national DRR strategies, facilitating implementation of commitments under the Sendai Framework, particularly Priority 2 (strengthening disaster risk governance) and Priority 3 (investing in DRR).
    • Enhancing institutional coordination and technical support: The technical support group, involving regional IGOs and global partners, fosters multi-level institutional collaboration and provides sustained technical assistance to national DRR governance structures.
    • Promoting whole-of-government approaches: By framing DRR financing as a cross-sectoral issue of fiscal governance, the initiative integrates DRR into broader national development planning and central government portfolios, thereby encouraging broader institutional engagement and implementation.
    • Elevating DRR financing as a regional-to-local priority: This initiative represents a shift from reactive disaster response to systemic, finance-driven disaster risk governance, highlighting the need for dedicated financing pathways and institutional collaboration across sectors and all levels of government.

    Lessons learned for replication and adaptation

    1. Integrate DRR into national financial planning: Engaging both DRR authorities and Ministries of Finance ensures that DRR is embedded in national budgeting and public investment systems, moving beyond siloed emergency responses.
    2. Leverage regional IGOs to reinforce national action: Regional bodies can catalyse national commitments by promoting shared policy frameworks and facilitating peer learning. In some contexts, their influence may be strengthened through legally binding DRR frameworks (e.g. ASEAN).
    3. Formalize political commitments: Ministerial declarations and joint statements can solidify intent, mandate follow-up actions and foster political momentum for sustained DRR engagement.
    4. Establish technical support mechanisms: Creating regional working groups that include global partners facilitates continuous follow-up and helps countries translate commitments into actionable strategies.
    5. Align with existing frameworks to enhance ownership: Building on national and regional DRR strategies avoids duplication, increases relevance, and supports long-term sustainability and legitimacy.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Quantum eMotion Announces Upsized Brokered LIFE Financing of C$12,000,000

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    MONTREAL, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quantum eMotion Corp. (“QeM” or the “Corporation”) (TSX.V: QNC; OTCQB: QNCCF; FSE: 34Q0) is pleased to announce that it has increased the size of its previously announced best efforts brokered private placement due to increased institutional demand for total gross proceeds of C$12,000,000 (the “Offering”), consisting of 8,000,000 units of the Corporation (each a “Unit”) at a price of C$1.50 per Unit (the “Offering Price”), pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption (the “LIFE Exemption”) under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”).

    A.G.P. Canada Investments ULC (“Agent“) is acting as the sole bookrunner and agent for the Offering and A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners is acting as sole U.S. placement agent for the Offering.

    Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with NI 45-106, the securities issued pursuant to the LIFE Exemption are expected to be immediately freely tradeable and will not be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units may also be offered to persons in the United States pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) and all applicable U.S. state securities laws, as well as outside Canada and the United States on a basis which does not require the qualification or registration of any of the Corporation’s common shares or require the Corporation to be subject to any ongoing disclosure requirements under any domestic securities laws.

    There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Corporation’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Corporation website at https://www.quantumemotion.com/. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

    It is expected that closing of the Offering will take place on or about June 2, 2025 (the “Closing Date”). Closing of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, receipt of all necessary approvals.

    This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act” ), and such securities may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements. “ United States” and “ U.S. persons” have the meanings ascribed to them in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

    About Quantum eMotion

    The Company’s mission is to address the growing demand for affordable hardware and software security for connected devices. Thanks to its patented Quantum Random Number Generator, QeM has become a pioneering force in classical and quantum cybersecurity solutions. This security solution exploits quantum mechanics’ built-in unpredictability and promises to provide enhanced protection for high-value assets and critical systems. For further information, please visit our website at https://www.quantumemotion.com/ or contact us at: info@quantumemotion.com

    The Company intends to target highly valued Financial Services, Healthcare, Blockchain Applications, Cloud-Based IT Security Infrastructure, Classified Government Krown Technologies and Communication Systems, Secure Device Keying (IOT, Automotive, Consumer Electronics) and Quantum Cryptography.

    For further information, please visit our website at https://www.quantumemotion.com/ or contact:

    Francis Bellido, Chief Executive Officer

    Tel: 514.956.2525

    Email: info@quantumemotion.com

    Website: www.quantumemotion.com

    Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which is based upon the Corporation’s current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Corporation’s expectations with respect to the use of proceeds and the use of the available funds following completion of the Offering, the completion of the Offering, if it is to be completed at all; the expected Closing Date; and the completion of the Corporation’s business objectives, and the timing, costs, and benefits thereof. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Corporation. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “potential”, “is expected”, “anticipated”, “is targeted”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating risks inherent to the cybersecurity industry, the value of the Corporation’s intangible assets, completing proof of concept studies, protecting intangible assets rights, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms or at all, the possibility that future results will not be consistent with the Corporation’s expectations, increases in costs, changes in legislation and regulation, changes in economic and political conditions and other risks involved in the cybersecurity industry and inherent to new technologies, such as risk of obsolescence, slow adoption and competing technological advances; and those risks set out in the Corporation’s public documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that could cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. For more information on the Corporation and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Corporation’s annual filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The Corporation provides no assurance that forward-looking statements or forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Corporation disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information.

    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.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Signs Agreement with Coquille Indian Tribe to Assist Tribal Veterans

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs signed a formal agreement with the Coquille Indian Tribe last week that will provide a framework for collaboration and increased resources dedicated to supporting the Tribe’s veterans in accessing their earned federal and state veterans’ benefits.

    The Memorandum of Understanding was signed Tuesday, May 13, by ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels and Tribal Council Vice Chair Jen Procter Andrews, with Tribal government leaders and representatives, Tribal veterans and ODVA staff gathered to commemorate the historic partnership.

    The formal signing was hosted on the Tribe’s sovereign land in North Bend in a ceremony that honored both the significance of the partnership and the traditions of the Coquille Indian Tribe.

    The agreement will pave the way for the establishment of the Coquille Indian Tribe’s first Tribal Veterans Service Officer (TVSO), which will be jointly funded by ODVA and the Coquille Indian Tribe to serve Tribal veterans and their families.

    “Tribal Veteran Service Officers play a vital role in ensuring Oregon’s Tribal veterans are seen, heard, and supported — not only as veterans, but as members of sovereign nations with deep cultural roots and histories,” said Dr. Daniels.

    “This agreement marks a meaningful step forward, creating space for trusted advocates who understand both the federal VA system and the unique needs of their communities. Today isn’t just about a signature — it’s about the shared commitment we’re building together to honor and serve all who have worn the uniform, and we’re proud to mark that step forward in a way that reflects the meaning of ceremony for the Coquille Indian Tribe.”

    “Native Americans continue to serve at a higher rate than any other ethnic group and have enlisted to protect their lands as far back as the Revolutionary War,” said Vice Chair Procter Andrews. “This partnership shows Oregon’s dedication to ensure that our veterans receive the benefits and respect they deserve, in a way that works for them. We hope this partnership is the first step towards a better relationship with the state and increased services for our vets!”

    This Memorandum of Understanding is ODVA’s fifth with Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

    Oregon’s statewide network of County and Tribal Veteran Service Offices are collaborative partnerships between the state and counties or Tribal governments to provide free, local expertise and assistance to veterans and their families in accessing their earned benefits.

    Tribal Veteran Service Officers (TVSOs) are trained by ODVA and then accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. TVSOs assist veterans and their families with access to a wide variety of benefits and services that were earned through military service.

    To learn more about veteran benefits, resources and services near you, or to schedule an appointment with your local Veteran Service Officer, visit the website of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs at www.oregon.gov/odva/Services/Pages/Tribal-Veteran-Services.aspx.

    About the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs

    Established in 1945, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is dedicated to serving Oregon’s diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service members. ODVA administers programs and provides special advocacy and assistance in accessing earned veteran benefits across the state. Learn about veteran benefits and services, or locate a local county or tribal veteran service office online at oregon.gov/odva.

    About the Coquille Indian Tribe

    The Coquille Indian Tribe flourished in Oregon’s southwestern corner for thousands of years, cherishing the bountiful forests, rivers and beaches of a homeland encompassing more than 750,000 acres. In 1954, Congress declared the Coquille Tribe “terminated.” 35 years later the Tribe was formally restored to federal recognition in 1989. Today the Tribe numbers more than 1,200 members and it has regained more than 10,000 acres of ancestral homeland, proudly managing the bulk of it as sustainable forest. The Tribe provides education assistance, health care, elder services and (where needed) housing assistance to its people, while contributing substantially to the surrounding community’s economy. Its various enterprises employ approximately 1000 people, and its community fund is the region’s leading local source of charitable grants. For more about the Coquille Indian Tribe, visit coquilletribe.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –