NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wagner Introduces Capital Formation Bills to Support Families and Small Businesses

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement after she introduced three pieces of bipartisan legislation to promote capital formation and support Main Street Investors:

    “Families need greater access to investment opportunities, and small businesses deserve to grow without fighting reckless overregulation by the government.  These three pieces of legislation will expand options for Main Street investors to save for their future, ensure local businesses can create even more jobs in our communities, and prevent overregulation from stifling the innovation that makes the United States the best place to build your business.  I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support and look forward to the Financial Services Committee taking up my legislation so we can make sure we accomplish our most important goal in Congress, making life better for families in Missouri and the nation.”

    Background

    Encouraging Public Offerings Act

    This bipartisan bill codifies Rule 163B under the Securities Act by allowing an issuer to communicate with potential investors to determine interest in a securities offering, either before or after the filing of a registration statement (i.e. test the waters).

    Increasing Investor Opportunities Act
    This bipartisan bill would give retail investors greater access to private fund investment opportunities while retaining the protections of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

    Small Entity Update Act

    The bipartisan bill would direct the Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct a study, followed by a rulemaking consistent with the results of such study, including defining the term “small entity” under the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fleischmann Leads Bipartisan Letter to House Leadership Inviting Pope Leo XIV to Address Congress

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)

    Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) sent a letter today to Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries asking the bipartisan leaders to invite His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pope in history, to address a Joint Session of Congress.

    “The election of Pope Leo XIV to the papacy is a historic and momentous occasion not just for Catholics across the United States but for all Americans regardless of faith or denomination. An address to Congress and the American People by Pope Leo XIV would serve as a powerful reminder to our shared commitments to peace, service to others, and moral leadership and also reaffirm the deep and longstanding ties between the United States of America and The Holy See,” said Congressman Fleischmann. “I thank my bipartisan colleagues and Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries for joining me in this united effort to honor and celebrate the beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s historic papacy.”

    A copy of Rep. Fleischmann’s letter can be found HERE.

    Full text of the Congressman’s letter is below.

    Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. Minority Leader. 

    As you know, the recent election of the first American Pope is a moment of profound historic significance for the Catholic Church and our nation. As members of Congress, we are honored to witness this remarkable milestone, and we respectfully urge you to extend a formal invitation to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to address a Joint Session of Congress. 

    Pope Leo XIV’s life and ministry, shaped in part by his experiences in our own nation, equip him with a voice that speaks not only to Catholics, but to people of all faiths and backgrounds. 

    During a time when our nation needs unifying and the world faces severe humanitarian crises, an address by his Holiness would serve as a powerful reminder of our shared commitments to peace, service to others, and moral leadership. It would also affirm the deep and longstanding ties between the United States, The Holy See, and the global Catholic community.

    Thank you for your continued leadership and your consideration of this request, which would not only honor the historic nature of His Holiness’ papacy but the ideals that bind us as a nation. 

    Sincerely, 

     

     

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moolenaar’s NO GOTION Policy Advances in House Budget

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

    Headline: Moolenaar’s NO GOTION Policy Advances in House Budget

    Today, Congressman John Moolenaar made the following statement after the House Ways and Means Committee advanced legislation which included his NO GOTION policy as part of the budget reconciliation package.

    “Gotion and its parent company have well-documented ties to the Chinese Communist Party and under no circumstance should American taxpayers fund companies beholden to our adversaries. I am grateful the House Ways and Means Committee has passed my NO GOTION policy in its budget reconciliation package. This policy will ensure that the federal tax dollars of hard-working Michigan families never go to Gotion and other companies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. This is common sense, and I will continue my work in Congress to ensure this becomes law.”

    Moolenaar’s NO GOTION policy would prohibit foreign entities of concern from claiming green energy production tax credits implemented by the Biden administration in the “Inflation Reduction Act.”

    Moolenaar’s policy came as a response to Gotion, a CCP-affiliated company, claiming it was reviewing and assessing how it can utilize the tax credits. Gotion is currently planning to build factories in Green Charter Township, and Kankakee, Illinois.

    Gotion is a “wholly owned and controlled” subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech, a Chinese-based battery company. According to Gotion High-Tech’s by-laws it is required to “carry out Party activities in accordance with the Constitution of the [Chinese Communist Party].” A 2024 investigation into the company by the House Select Committee on the CCP found the company is reliant on the CCP’s use of forced labor in its supply chain. In an amended Foreign Agents Registration Act filing, Gotion admitted it is subsidized by the Chinese government.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Johnson Introduces Bipartisan Transformational Public Transit Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

    On the final day of Infrastructure Week, Rep. Hank Johnson introduces legislation to invest $80B in public transit across large cities, small towns, and rural communities to better serve constituents and working families

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the final day of Infrastructure Week, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, re-introduced the Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act, which would provide $20 billion annually for four years ($80 billion total) to transit systems for their operating budgets.

    The bill would provide targeted federal funding to help transit agencies increase bus and rail service, especially in places with existing poor service, disadvantaged communities, and areas of persistent poverty. The funding will be in addition to existing state, local and farebox revenue and will support additional services above and beyond what is currently being provided. Agencies could use funding under this bill to make “substantial improvements to transit service.”

    “Transit in our communities is as essential as food on our tables, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads,” said Rep. Johnson. “This kind of funding is a game-changer for Atlanta and communities across the nation. Simply put, people could get to more places in less time using transit. Jobs, schools, and other daily destinations that previously took too long to reach would become more accessible. People would feel less strain on household budgets as their transportation costs shrink. They would have more time to spend with their families as time spent commuting falls.”

    The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act builds on the momentum of Infrastructure Week by supporting efforts to create a more equitable, efficient, and connected transportation system for all Americans.

    The Stronger Communities Through Better Transit Act would:

    •    Authorize $20 billion annually for FY2025-FY2028
    •    Create a new formula grant program to support the operating costs of public transportation and certain associated capital costs
    •    Require funds must be used for projects that make “substantial improvements to transit service” –  that directly boosts frequency of buses, trains and increases routes
    •    Clearly define funding for “areas of persistent poverty” and “underserved communities;”

    According to the Transit Center, a foundation that works to improve public transit in cities across the U.S., in Atlanta alone, $20 billion in annual transit funding could mean a 40 percent gain in service that could vastly improve access to transit that arrives at least every 15 minutes, all day, seven days a week.

    In some parts of the city, that would increase the number of jobs reachable within 30 minutes on transit by a factor of eight, it said.

    In cities and communities across the country, a federal program to support transit services could yield similar benefits by helping families lower transportation costs, drive economic opportunity and racial equity and reduce greenhouse gases.

    Cosponsors include: Reps. Cohen, McClellan, Tlaib,  Frost, Cleaver, Dean, Boyle, Doggett, Wilson (FL), Ramirez, Kennedy (NY), McIver, Norton, Smith (WA), Sykes, Gomez, Simon, D. Davis (IL), Schakowsky, Carbajal, Garcia (CA), Sanchez, Mullin, DelBene, McGarvey,  Raskin, R. Kelly, Garamendi, Veasey, Horsford, McBath, Meng, Ruiz, Carter (LA), Titus, Lynch, Fields, Morelle, Scanlon, Omar, Foushee, Tonko, Moore (WI), Adams, Magaziner, Pocan, Moulton, Evans (PA), Landsman, Thompson, Jayapal, Watson Coleman, DeGette, Mfume, Deluzio, Hayes, Thanedar, Barragán, Beatty, Brown, Fitzpatrick, Ocasio-Cortez, Garcia (IL), Lee (PA), Khanna, Neal, Pingree, Clarke (NY), Krishnamoorthi, Sherman, Budzinski, Ansari, Nadler, Cherfilus-McCormick, Ryan, Gottheimer, Casten, Jackson, Garcia (TX), Velazquez, Houlahan, Sorensen, Huffman, Foster, Chu, Ross, Vargas, Stansbury, Goldman, Amo, Moskowitz, Sewell, Dingell, Harder, Quigley, Salinas, Takano, Bishop, Ivey.

    The bill is supported by: Transport Workers Union of America, Amalgamated Transit Union, MARTA, T4America, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Campaign for Transit Justice, Sierra Club, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Union of Concerned Scientists

    What stakeholders are saying:

    “The federal government inexplicably funds transit capital investments without providing the operations funding to ensure that buses and trains can run safely, on time, and frequently enough to benefit working families,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “This bill would end a transit funding practice that doesn’t make sense and ensure that federal dollars can go toward transit operating expenses that improve service and ridership.”

    “Transportation labor has long supported strong federal action that facilitates sustainable and reliable public transit service,” Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO President Greg Regan said. “By providing $20 billion per year over the next four years, transit agencies would have the opportunity to increase service frequency, expand service areas, extend operating hours and overall improve the passenger experience. We applaud Rep. Johnson for understanding the importance of this public service and introducing this legislation.”

    To read the bill, click HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Subcommittee Ranking Member Johnson’s Opening Statement at Hearing on Fostering AI Innovation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

    WATCH

    Subcommittee Ranking Member Johnson’s opening statement.

    Ranking Member Hank Johnson

    Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet

    Hearing on “Protecting Our Edge: Trade Secrets and the Global AI Arms Race”
    May 7, 2025

    One hundred and seventeen days ago, Chinese company DeepSeek launched its flagship model, DeepSeek R-1. In the following days and weeks, American experts wrung their hands and shook their heads, many considering for the first time the possibility that we may be losing the so-called “AI Arms Race.” DeepSeek claims R-1 was developed faster and cheaper than comparable U.S. models. Others argue DeepSeek at a minimum violated Open AI’s terms of service to obtain proprietary training data. 

    Where everyone seems to agree is that AI startups should be innovating faster. I’ve heard colleagues suggest we should forget regulations, ignore IP laws, and just focus on clearing the way for AI companies. I agree everyone wins when we foster American AI startups. But I think it’s a false choice to say we can succeed, but only if we do so irresponsibly. 

    If you walk around Capitol Hill today, you can see plants sprouting out of the soil, beginning to grow. What you’ll notice if you look closely, is some of those shoots growing in the shade look like they’re growing faster than the others. As they race for just a little bit of sunlight, yes, they grow quickly, but ultimately, they grow less hardy, more brittle, and prone to disease.

    AI innovation works the same way. As we seek ways to promote American AI startups, we should also work to ensure that businesses meet minimum standards for system cybersecurity; we should ask what types of transparency are necessary to protect other IP rights and consider how to set standards while still protecting trade secrets. By encouraging companies to meet best practices and respect intellectual property rights, we will foster hardy competition that protects U.S. innovation from those who seek to undermine our success.

    The government of China has made no secret of its intent to steal American intellectual property. And there is bipartisan agreement that the United States should protect its innovations from those who seek to benefit from American ingenuity. 

    There is also a right way and a wrong way to compete with our adversaries. While we don’t always agree on this Committee, we have had meaningful discussions on the right way to protect American IP from the government of China, cybersecurity standards to keep our people and our institutions safe, and the threat landscape to AI innovation.  

    Donald Trump on the other hand, has acted in ways that hurt American businesses. His ideologically inconsistent and unpredictable tariffs have hurt American consumers, American businesses, and our allies. Innovation in America suffers when the path forward is uncertain.

    For generations, American companies have benefited from attracting the best and the brightest from other nations. Yet seemingly without reason, Trump again and again hurts American businesses by attempting to revoke already granted student visas and threating the H1-B visa program for highly skilled immigrants.

    The deleterious impact of these policies on AI innovation should not be ignored. According to a recent study, immigrants have founded or cofounded 28 of the top 43 AI companies in the United States, and 70 percent of full-time graduate students in fields related to artificial intelligence are international students.

    So instead of focusing on policies that stand to derail American innovation, we should focus on upholding our treaties and respecting our allies. We should encourage our research institutions to engage with universities around the world. The breakneck speed of innovation has made it easier than ever to reach out to people around the world. Now is not a time for isolationism because history has shown us that true innovation thrives on openness. Afterall, groundbreaking inventions rarely emerge when knowledge is walled off. 

    I thank the witnesses for being here today and I yield back. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 17, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 17, 2025.

    A life of service: celebrating the career of Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban
    SPECIAL REPORT: By Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor, RNZ Pacific manager At this year’s May graduation ceremony, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University’s Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition for her contribution to education. Although she has now stepped down from the role, Luamanuvao served as the university’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Pasifika, for 14 years.

    ‘Manu jumping’: The physics behind making humongous splashes in the pool
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pankaj Rohilla, Postdoctoral Fellow in Fluid Dynamics, Georgia Institute of Technology Maybe you’ve unknowingly tried to do a manu jump. Isabel Pavia/Moment via Getty Images Whether diving off docks, cannonballing into lakes or leaping off the high board, there’s nothing quite like the joy of jumping into

    Time for NZ media to ditch the propaganda and stand against genocide
    COMMENTARY: By Saige England in Christchurch “RNZ is failing in its duty to inform the public of an entirely preventable humanitarian catastrophe.” Tautoko to Jeremy Rose, Ramon Das and Eugene Doyle for this critique of a review of RNZ’s coverage of a genocide. Sadly, this highlights RNZ’s failure to report the genocide from the perspective

    Media Council makes ‘stop Telikom PNG silencing journalists’ plea to PM Marape
    The Media Council of Papua New Guinea (MCPNG) has called on Prime Minister James Marape to stop Telikom PNG silencing and suppressing media personnel. Telikom PNG, which is 100 percent government-owned, has two key outlets: FM100 radio and EMTV. Recently, it sacked FM100 talkback host Culligan Tanda after he featured opposition East Sepik Governor Allan

    Ben Roberts-Smith has lost an appeal in his long-running defamation case. Here’s why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor in Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia The full Federal Court has dismissed Ben Roberts-Smith’s appeal to have his defamation case loss overturned. It is important in seeking to understand this judgement to know the history of the case. In June

    With a new minister for early childhood education, what can the federal government do to make centres safer?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Minson, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Australian Catholic University This week, more reports emerged of horrific abuse of children at childcare centres. An ABC investigation reported young children had suffered burns and been verbally abused. In another case, a baby was repeatedly slapped by an

    Australian researchers use a quantum computer to simulate how real molecules behave
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ivan Kassal, Professor of Chemical Physics, University of Sydney University of Sydney Nano Institute When a molecule absorbs light, it undergoes a whirlwind of quantum-mechanical transformations. Electrons jump between energy levels, atoms vibrate, and chemical bonds shift — all within millionths of a billionth of a second.

    To boost the nation’s health, the government’s proposed food strategy must put people over profits
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Walshe, Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Canberra crbellette/sShutterstock On election night, a triumphant Anthony Albanese took to the stage brandishing a Medicare card as a symbol of the nation’s commitment to public healthcare. As the re-elected government gets to work on its promised national food security strategy

    You usually need more than a few drops of blood, saliva or urine to detect illnesses. Here’s why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amali Cooray, PhD Candidate in Genetic Engineering and Cancer, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) Lumen Photos/Shutterstock In the 2000s, biotech company Theranos promised to revolutionise blood testing. Founder Elizabeth Holmes claimed Theranos technology could perform hundreds of tests using just a finger-prick drop

    Some young trans people take sex hormones so their bodies better align with their gender. What are the benefits and risks?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cristyn Davies, Senior Research Fellow in the Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney romain-jorge/Shutterstock Triggered by hormonal changes in the brain and body, puberty marks a physical transformation. Oestrogen and testosterone – often called “sex hormones” – drive many

    Saudi Arabia has big AI ambitions. They could come at the cost of human rights
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niusha Shafiabady, Associate Professor in Computational Intelligence, Australian Catholic University This week, on his tour of the Middle East, United States President Donald Trump unveiled a suite of new deals with Saudi Arabia. Trump claimed the deals were worth more than US$1 trillion (A$1.5 trillion). This is

    Why Anthony Albanese’s presence at Pope Leo’s inauguration is shrewd politics
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese steps into St Peter’s Square for the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, the optics will be far more than pious courtesy. For a day, the Vatican will temporarily be the world’s

    The space race is being reshaped by geopolitics, offering opportunities for countries such as New Zealand
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Zámborský, Senior Lecturer, Management & International Business, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau NASA/Getty Imges The space economy is being reshaped — not just by innovation, but by geopolitics. What was once dominated by state space agencies, and more recently by private ventures, is evolving into

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Nigerian Ibom Air purchases ten Airbus A220 aircraft

    Source: Airbus

    Headline: Nigerian Ibom Air purchases ten Airbus A220 aircraft

    Akwa Ibom state government owned airline in Nigeria, Ibom Air has signed a firm order for ten (10) A220s at the Dubai Airshow. The signing was done by Mfon Udom, the chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, and Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International in the presence of the Akwa Ibom state Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Moody’s Ratings cuts US credit rating citing budgetary burden

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

    Photo taken on July 29, 2024 shows the U.S. Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

    Moody’s Ratings on Friday slashed U.S. long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings to Aa1 from Aaa citing rising government debt and interest payment ratios.

    Meanwhile, Moody’s Ratings changed the outlook of U.S. sovereign rating from negative to stable.

    “This one-notch downgrade on our 21-notch rating scale reflects the increase over more than a decade in government debt and interest payment ratios to levels that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns,” said a release by Moody’s Ratings.

    Moody’s Ratings changed the outlook of U.S. sovereign rating from stable to negative in November 2023.

    “Successive U.S. administrations and Congress have failed to agree on measures to reverse the trend of large annual fiscal deficits and growing interest costs,” the release said.

    “We do not believe that material multi-year reductions in mandatory spending and deficits will result from current fiscal proposals under consideration. Over the next decade, we expect larger deficits as entitlement spending rises while government revenue remains broadly flat,” it said.

    In turn, persistent, large fiscal deficits will drive the government’s debt and interest burden higher, said Moody’s Ratings.

    Pedestrians walk past the National Debt Clock in New York, the United States, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

    U.S. fiscal performance is likely to deteriorate relative to its own past and compared to other highly-rated sovereigns, according to the credit rating agency.

    The downgrade on Friday means the United States has lost its last triple-A credit rating from a major ratings firm following cuts by Fitch Ratings in 2023 and S&P Global Ratings in 2011.

    Moody’s Ratings also forecasted a bleak outlook for the outlook of U.S. debt burden and fiscal conditions in the coming decade.

    Without adjustments to taxation and spending, the United States is expected to continue to have limited budget flexibility, with mandatory spending, including interest expense, to rise to around 78 percent of total spending by 2035 from about 73 percent in 2024.

    If the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is extended, it will add around 4 trillion U.S. dollars to the federal fiscal primary (excluding interest payments) deficit over the next decade, according to Moody’s Ratings.

    Moody’s Ratings anticipated that U.S. federal debt burden would rise to about 134 percent of GDP by 2035, compared to 98 percent in 2024.

    Despite high demand for U.S. Treasury assets, higher Treasury yields since 2021 have contributed to a decline in debt affordability, warned Moody’s Ratings.

    Federal interest payments are likely to absorb around 30 percent of revenue by 2035, up from about 18 percent in 2024 and 9 percent in 2021, said Moody’s Ratings.

    “Moody’s downgrade of the United States’ credit rating should be a wake-up call to Trump and Congressional Republicans to end their reckless pursuit of their deficit-busting tax giveaway,” U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement on Friday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Amid Federal Funding Cuts & Uncertainty, Senator Peters Visits MSU Biomedical Research Institute to Highlight Importance of Federal Support for Solving Today’s Pressing Healthcare Challenges

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    EAST LANSING, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) visited Michigan State University (MSU) to tour the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) and highlight the importance of federal funding for solving the most pressing challenges in healthcare. During the tour, MSU faculty and students demonstrated the innovative research and technologies made possible by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF), including cancer-sniffing insects, cardiac organoid models and wearable monitoring systems.  
    Peters was joined by Dr. Christopher Contag, Director of the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, and Dr. Jinxing Li, Assistant Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. During a press conference following the tour, Peters underscored the challenges that research institutions like MSU currently face amid federal funding cuts and uncertainty, which are impacting IQ’s ability to continue developing cutting-edge research that keeps Michiganders safe and healthy.  
    “As we saw firsthand today, the students and faculty at Michigan State University are developing cutting-edge health care solutions that will transform the way we can care for our patients and keep Michiganders healthy. However, recent executive orders made by the current administration have either stalled or completely terminated the federal funding that research institutions like MSU rely on to carry out this important work,” said Senator Peters. “These cuts are a big mistake. That’s why I made it a priority to come to MSU today to highlight how federal investments in research and innovation are effective and invaluable to our society.” 
    “At IQ, our biomedical research drives bold innovation — from “first-ever discovery” to “first-in-human” application. We’re not just focused on uncovering new biology, technologies, and therapeutic approaches; we’re committed to translating these breakthroughs into real-world impact,” said Dr. Christopher Contag. “I’d like to thank Senator Peters for coming here today to learn more about our mission, which is to lead at the frontier of discovery and be the first to bring those innovations to patients. With vital support from federal funding, we turn transformative ideas into solutions that can improve and save lives.”  
    “Earlier this year, I was thrilled to learn from a representative of Senator Peters’ office that my research project was set to receive funding from the National Institutes of Health,” said Dr. Jinxing Li. “However, the project has been delayed and is awaiting final funding authorization. Without a reliable funding timeline, we were unable to begin planning or recruiting the talented scientists needed to carry out this critical work. This experience underscores how timely and consistent federal support is essential to sustaining innovation, and we are grateful to Senator Peters for his continued advocacy for science, innovation, and the future of healthcare.”
    To download photos from Peters’ event at MSU, click here.
    MSU’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) integrates a variety of researchers across scientistic disciplines to solves some of today’s most pressing issues in healthcare including cancer research, studying heart defects, and delivering therapies to treat muscular disfunction, all of which are supported by NIH and NSF grant funding. Peters, a graduate of MSU, has remained committed to the continued renewal of these grants and ensuring researchers at MSU and across Michigan have access to this funding. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Peters secured over $50 billion in the government funding bill that was signed into law last year for the NIH to support biomedical research and support institutions like the IQ Lab.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A life of service: celebrating the career of Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor, RNZ Pacific manager

    At this year’s May graduation ceremony, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University’s Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition for her contribution to education.

    Although she has now stepped down from the role, Luamanuvao served as the university’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Pasifika, for 14 years. In that time has worked tirelessly to raise Pasifika students’ achievement.

    “It’s really important that they [Pasifika students] make the most of the opportunities that education has to offer,” she said.

    “Secondly, education teaches you how to write, to research, to critique, but more importantly, become an informed voice and considering what’s happening in society now with AI and also technology and social media, it’s really important that we can tell our stories and share our values, and we counter that by receiving a good education and applying ourselves to do well.”

    When asked about the importance of service, Luamanuvao explained “there’s a saying in Samoan, ‘o le ala i le pule o le tautua’ so the road to authority and leadership is through service”.

    “And we’ve always been taught how important it is not to indulge in our own individual success, but to always become a voice and support our brothers and sisters, and our families and in our communities who are especially struggling.”

    Juliana Faataualofa Lafaialii, Samoa’s Deputy Head of Mission/Counsellor to NZ (from left); Philippa Toleafoa; Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban; Afamasaga Faamatalaupu Toleafoa, Samoa’s High Commissioner to NZ; and Labour MP Pesetatamalelagi Barbara Edmonds . Image: Pesetatamalelagi Barbara Edmonds/RNZ Pacific

    As she accepted her honorary doctorate, she spoke about the importance of women taking on leadership roles.

    ‘Our powerful women’
    “Yes, many Pacific people will know how powerful our women are, especially our mothers, our grandmothers, and great grandmothers. We actually come from cultures of very powerful and very strong women . . .  it’s not centered in the individual women. It’s centered on the well-being of our families, and our communities. And that’s what women leadership is all about in the Pacific.”

    She did not expect the honourary doctorate from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University because “I’ve always been aspirational for others. And we Pacific people have been brought up that we are the people of the ‘we’ and not the me.”

    The number of Pasifika students enrolled at the University, during Luamanuvao’s time as Assistant Vice-Chancellor, increased from 4.70 percent in 2010 to 6.64 pecent in 2024. She said she “would have loved to have doubled that number” so that it was more in line with the number of Pasifika people living in New Zealand.

    Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban and supporters during an International Women’s day event in Wellington. Image: RNZ Pacific

    Two of the initiatives she started, during her time at the University, was the Pasifika Roadshow taking information about university life out to the wider community and the Improving Pasifika Legal Education Project.

    Helping Pasifika Law students succeed was very important to her. While Pasifika make up make up only 3 percent of Lawyers, they are overrepresented in the legal system, comprising 12 percent of the prison population.

    Another passion of hers was encouraging Pasifika to enter academia. “I think we’ve had an increase in Pacific academics in some areas. For example, with the Faculty of Law, we’ve got two senior Pacific women in lecturer positions . . . We’ve also got four associate professors, and now I’ve finished, there’s also a vacancy for another.”

    Prior to her work in education Luamanuvao was the first Pasifika woman to enter New Zealand politics, in 1999.

    First Pacific woman MP
    “I was fortunate that when I ran for Parliament, I ran first as a list MP, and as you know, within the parties, they have selection process that are quite robust, and so I became the first Pacific woman MP.”

    “What motivated me was the car parts factory that closed in Wainuiomata, and most of the workers were men, but they were also Pacific, Māori and palagi, who basically arrived at work one morning and were told the factory was closing.”

    “But what really hit me, and hurt me, that these were not the values of Aotearoa. They’re not the values of our Pacific region. These are human beings, and for many men, particularly, to have a job, it’s about providing for your family. It’s about status.

    “So, if factories were going to close down, where was the planning to upskill them so they could continue in employment? None of them wanted to go for the unemployment benefit.

    “They wanted to continue in paid work. So it’s those milestones that I make it worthwhile. It’s just a pity, because election cycles are three years, and as you know, people will vote how they want to vote, and if there’s a change, all the hard work you’ve put in gets reversed and but fundamentally, I believe that New Zealand and Pacific people have wonderful values that all of us try to live by, and that will continue to feed the light and ensure that people have a choice.”

    Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban PhD and her husband Dr Peter Swain. Image: Trudy Logologo/RNZ Pacific

    Although she first entered Parliament as a list MP, she subsequently won the Mana electorate seat. She retained the seat ,for the Labour party, from 2002 until she stepped away from politics in 2010.

    During that time she was Minister of Pacific Peoples, 2007-2008, and even though Labour was defeated in the 2008 election, she continued to hold the Mana seat by a comfortable margin.

    Mentoring many MPs
    Although she has left political life, Luamanuvao has also been involved in mentoring many Pasifika Members of Parliament, and helping them cope with the challenges and opportunities that go with the role.

    One of the primary motivators in her life has been the struggles of her parents, who left Samoa in 1954 to build a better future for their children, in New Zealand. She acknowledged that all of her successes can be attributed to her parents and the sacrifices they made.

    “Yes, well, I think everybody can look at a genealogy of history of families leaving their homeland to come to Aotearoa, why, to build a better life and opportunities, including education for their children.

    “And I often remind our generation of young people now that your parents left their home, for you. And I’ve often reflected because my parents have passed away on the pain of leaving their parents, but there was always this loving generosity in that both my parents were the eldest of huge families.

    “They left everything for them, and actually arrived in New Zealand with very little. But there was this determination to succeed.

    “Secondly, they are a minority in a country where they’re not the majority, or they are the indigenous people of their country. So also, overcoming those barriers, their hard work, their dreams, but more importantly, the huge love for our communities and fairness and justice was installed in Ken and I my brother, from a very young age, about serving and about giving and about reciprocity.”

    Although she has left her role in tertiary education Luamanuvao vows to continue working to support the next generation of Pasifika leaders, in New Zealand and around the Pacific region.

    Her lifelong commitment to service, continues as she’s a founding member of The Fale Malae Trust, a group whose vision is to build an internationally significant, landmark Fale Malae on the Wellington waterfront.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER – WITH HUDSON VALLEY RELIGIOUS LEADERS, FARMERS AND FOOD BANKS- SAYS GOP JUST VOTED TO RIP AWAY NEARLY $300 BILLION FROM AMERICA’S LARGEST ANTI-HUNGER PROGRAM, AND THAT COULD LEAD TO THOUSANDS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York Serves 170,000 In Hudson Valley Every Month And Already Nearly 1 Million Pounds Of Food Has Been Canceled Due To Trump’s Cruel USDA Cuts – And This Week The GOP Voted To Take ~$300 Billion From SNAP To Fund Trump’s Tax Breaks For Corporations & Billionaires, Which Will Lead To Families With Kids As Young As 7 Getting Kicked Off The Program
    Schumer, With Church Leaders & Advocates, Say Double Whammy Will Hurtle Hudson Valley To A Hunger Crisis, Impacting 200,000+ In Orange, Rockland, Westchester And Across Region, Millions Nationwide; Senator With Those On Frontline Of Getting Food To The Needy Demands GOP Block Cruel Cut To SNAP And Protect Anti-Hunger Programs
    Schumer: No Child Should Go To Bed Hungry. This Is Not A Partisan Issue; This Is A Moral Issue
    After House Republicans voted for the largest cut to the anti-hunger program SNAP in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood with Hudson Valley religious leaders, food banks, and farmers to demand action against the devastating $300 billion SNAP to fund Trump’s tax cuts for corporations & billionaires, that would leave thousands of seniors, families, and children hungry. The senator joined with church leaders and hunger advocates to emphasize how this is a moral issue that we should all unite to stop, and demanded that NY House Republicans stand against stealing from SNAP, which over 200,000 in the Hudson Valley rely on for food.
    “No child should ever go to bed hungry. But Trump’s slashing of anti-hunger programs at the USDA has already cancelled nearly a million pounds of food for the Hudson Valley Food Bank in Montgomery and Feeding Westchester. Now, House Republicans are trying to make the largest cut to SNAP in history which could hurtle Hudson Valley families to a hunger crisis,” said Senator Schumer. “Stealing from SNAP to pay for Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires is as backwards as it gets, and will result in thousands of kids, seniors, and families going hungry. Instead of feeding the hungry, they are feeding corporate greed.”
    Schumer added, “This is not a partisan issue, it is a moral issue. That is why I am here to show what these cuts mean for our local churches and food banks on the frontlines of fighting against hunger. It only takes a few NY House Republicans to join us to stop this cruel cut to SNAP. We need NY Republicans to protect these programs and block this bill, otherwise it will be families here in the Hudson Valley that go hungry.”
    Schumer explained how Trump’s USDA has already cruelly canceled $1 billion in food assistance, hurting the Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, and if these SNAP cuts move forward it would be a double whammy, hurtling us to a hunger crisis. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY seniors, veterans and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Schumer said that we should be investing more not less in anti-hunger programs, but under the Republican proposal, the average family would be reduced to just $5.00 per day per person. A breakdown of SNAP recipients in the Hudson Valley from the Center for American Progress can be found below:

    County

    SNAP Recipients

    % of County on SNAP

    SNAP Retailers

    Dutchess

    4,559

    6%

    168

    Orange

    40,035

    9.8%

    273

    Putnam

    3,487

    2.5%

    33

    Rockland

    43,843

    12.9%

    159

    Sullivan

    13,347

    16.7%

    121

    Ulster

    18,039

    9.9%

    154

    Westchester

    77,237

    7.8%

    567

    TOTAL

    200,547

     

    1,475

    Earlier this week, House Republicans advanced a bill that would rip $300 billion away from SNAP. This proposal would impact Hudson Valley residents in many ways, including the addition of a work requirement which would raise the age to access SNAP benefits from age 55 to age 64 and only exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements if they have someone younger than 7 years old in their household, down from the current exemption for all families with children under 18 years old.
    Schumer said, “I’m all for reducing any waste or fraud to make the program more efficient, but rushing to pass these massive damaging cuts with no plan while they slash our food banks is a recipe for disaster. Republicans a tying themselves in knots trying to justify these massive cuts. I ask my Republican friends this: which category does a hungry 7 year old fall under: are they waste? Are they fraud? Or are they abuse?”
    Schumer explained the Republican proposal to cut $300 billion from SNAP would inevitably mean costs of feeding families shift to states, who simply do not have the capacity to absorb this massive increase in expenses, risking families going hungry. Under this Republican proposal, states would be required to pay 5 – 25% of their state’s SNAP benefits based on the state’s error rate. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), mandating New York State to cover even a modest share of SNAP benefits would shift astronomical costs to the state, with even just 5% increasing New York State’s costs by nearly $3.5 billion from FY2026 to FY2034. The senator said it is impossible to cut this much from federal SNAP funding without ripping food away from hungry children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more.
    These agonizing decisions would be amplified even further at the local level, with non-profits, many of whom have already had their funding cut, unable to fill in the gap. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in SNAP, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient federal funding.
    According to CBPP, 13,000 people in NY-18 reside in households with adults ages 18-64 with school-age children and are at risk of losing some SNAP benefits under this Republican proposal. 8,000 people in NY-17 reside in households with adults ages 18-64 with school-age children and are at risk of losing some SNAP benefits if the current proposal becomes law, according to CBPP.
    The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Hudson Valley food banks which have already been hit hard by Trump’s funding freezes and canceled payments. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms.
    Trump’s USDA cuts have already hit the Hudson Valley hard. According to the Albany Times Union, the Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley said it will deliver 2 million fewer meals to people in need. The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, which covers 23 counties including the Hudson Valley, has already had 27 tractor-trailers of food canceled, which is nearly 1 million pounds meant to feed Capital Region families. That’s nearly 800,000 meals, and the food bank expects to lose over 200 tractor-trailers over the next year. According to the Journal News, the food bank’s Hudson Valley branch in Montgomery serves approximately 170,000 people every month across the Hudson Valley counties it serves. Due to a predicted drop in food through USDA programs, the food bank expects to distribute 2 million fewer meals. In addition, this past week, it was reported by News12 that Feeding Westchester has had a million pounds of food shipments canceled due to existing federal cuts. These cuts are exacerbating food insecurity and forcing food banks to rely on donations instead of a steady supply of resources from area producers.
    Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers and religious leaders across Upstate New York are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, and farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food if SNAP funding levels drop.
    “No matter which way you slice it, this Congressional Republican plan will screw Hudson Valley families, food banks and farmers from farm to table. We need everyone to stand up to these cuts that would take away food from our neighbors in need,” added Schumer.
    “My thanks to Senator Schumer for highlighting this critical issue. Cutting funding to food assistance programs as New York–and many other states–face an affordability crisis is truly odious public policy. These cuts would be particularly painful after funding for schools and food banks has already been brutally slashed. Those funding shortfalls affect not only school children and families in need, but the New York farmers and producers who supply food through federal programs. These cuts–and those pending–threaten the livelihood and safety of many New Yorkers, and I’m horrified that this administration has deemed funding corporate giveaways more important than feeding hungry Americans,” said New York State Senator James Skoufis.
    “To date, we’ve lost 1 million pounds due to USDA cuts – the equivalent of 750,000 meals – with an expected 6 million more slated to be cut by the end of 2025,” said Felicia Kalan, the Regional Food Bank’s Executive Vice President, Hudson Valley. “With neighbors already facing difficult decisions between paying for housing, medical care, or food, further cuts could devastate families, children, and seniors served by the Regional Food Bank’s network of partner agencies and programs. The meal gap is growing across the country, and all across New York, and the Regional Food Bank is fully committed to addressing this challenge.”
    “SNAP is our nation’s most powerful tool in the fight against hunger,” said Karen C. Erren, President & CEO of Feeding Westchester. “For every meal the Feeding America network of 200 food banks provides, SNAP delivers nine. With grocery prices already out of reach for too many of our neighbors and the rising cost of food and health care, now is not the time to scale back essential programs. Cuts to SNAP would be devastating for the millions of families, seniors, veterans, and children who rely on this vital support to make ends meet. Neighbors in our community are doing everything in their power to put food on the table – but they need a strong foundation to succeed. Access to food and health care is that foundation. Now is the time to come together to preserve and strengthen SNAP.”
    “As Mayor of the City of Newburgh, I cannot stand by while Republicans in Washington play politics with fundamental human needs. The House’s proposal to slash $300 billion in SNAP benefits – and President Trump’s relentless assault on the social safety net – are not just policy choices; they are moral failures. These devastating cuts to SNAP would rip food from the mouths of children, seniors, and working families in Newburgh, all to bankroll tax breaks for the wealthy. These unconscionable cuts will deepen inequality when we should be building a nation where no one is forced to choose between rent and their next meal,” said Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey.
    Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Hudson Valley families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit the Hudson Valley hard. According to the New York State Community Action Association, 12% of people in Orange County live in poverty, including more than 18% of children. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children. Tariffs
    SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State and NY-18 specifically. According to the National Grocers Association, grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits, including $99.7 million in NY-18. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, including 890 in NY-18, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages, including $39.4 million in NY-18.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Blumenthal Demand Transparency From Avelo Airlines About Deportation Flights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Blumenthal Demand Transparency From Avelo Airlines About Deportation Flights

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) raised serious concerns to Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy about the airline’s contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to fly domestic and international deportation flights, even as the Trump Administration is unlawfully removing immigrants without due process.

    “Given the Trump Administration’s mission to indiscriminately deport our nation’s immigrants — without due process, in violation of the Constitution and federal immigration law, and, in some cases, in defiance of court orders — it is deeply disturbing that Avelo has determined that its partnership with ICE is ‘too valuable not to pursue,’” wrote the Senators.

    “The Trump Administration has used airline contractors to carry out hasty deportations without judicial review,” continued the Senators. “President Trump has even suggested deporting U.S. citizens convicted of certain unspecified crimes to be imprisoned abroad — a suggestion that is blatantly unconstitutional. By partnering with ICE, Avelo risks being complicit with the Administration’s illegal actions.”

    Avelo Airlines entered into a long-term contract with ICE on April 7 and flew its first deportation flight for ICE on May 12, despite the Trump Administration’s reckless deportations and repeated ignoring of due process. The Senators specifically criticized the Administration’s deportations of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, refusing to return people to the United States despite a federal judge’s orders. They cited the erroneous deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally in Maryland with his family until the Trump Administration wrongfully deported him without due process to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s mass deportation agenda and anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Earlier this week, he joined immigration advocates and his House colleagues to speak out against the extreme anti-immigrant provisions in Republicans’ reconciliation bill and to call on Congressional Republicans to reject harmful policies targeting immigrant communities. Last month, Padilla, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07) issued a joint statement condemning the Supreme Court’s decision to lift a hold on removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, and he joined 14 lawmakers in condemning President Trump’s unlawful invocation of the antiquated law.

    Senator Padilla has strongly pushed back against wrongful deportations to El Salvador. Last month, he joined 24 Senators in urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE leadership to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Padilla also joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) to meet with Abrego Garcia’s family and wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, to discuss the ongoing effort to secure his immediate release. Padilla promised to keep fighting for Abrego Garcia so he can be reunited with his family. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Mr. Levy,

    On April 7, 2025, it was reported that Avelo Airlines entered into a long-term contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to fly domestic and international deportation flights and had begun recruiting flight attendants to serve on those flights. On May 12, 2025, Avelo reportedly flew its first deportation flight for ICE. Given the Trump Administration’s mission to indiscriminately deport our nation’s immigrants—without due process, in violation of the Constitution and federal immigration law, and, in some cases, in defiance of court orders—it is deeply disturbing that Avelo has determined that its partnership with ICE is “too valuable not to pursue.”

    The Trump Administration has used airline contractors to carry out hasty deportations without judicial review. The Administration used an ICE contractor to fly Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, persisting with the flights even though a federal judge ordered the planes returned to the United States. That judge has found probable cause to hold the government in contempt for violating his order, noting that the planes touched down in Honduras after the judge issued his order for their return and remained in Honduras for several hours before proceeding to El Salvador. The Administration’s hastiness has caused further error and harm. The Administration deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, despite a court order that prohibited his removal to El Salvador. The Supreme Court unanimously held that the government must facilitate Mr. Garcia’s “release from custody in El Salvador;” yet, the Trump Administration refuses to do so. President Trump has even suggested deporting U.S. citizens convicted of certain unspecified crimes to be imprisoned abroad—a suggestion that is blatantly unconstitutional. By partnering with ICE, Avelo risks being complicit with the Administration’s illegal actions.

    Avelo is also reportedly closing its base at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport and ending certain West Coast routes to accommodate its new contract with ICE. The growth of Avelo’s commercial flight service has been subsidized by the State of Connecticut, which has granted Avelo an exemption from aviation fuel taxes and a guarantee against losses of up to $2 million. Avelo’s apparent decision to shrink its commercial service to accommodate its ICE contract is a betrayal of Connecticut’s support and of Avelo’s customers.

    On April 8, 2025, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sent you a letter asking for more information on your agreement with ICE. You refused to provide a copy of your contract with ICE, and your response, in which you state that Avelo is committed to “the rule of law,” indicates that you fail to grasp the scope of the Trump Administration’s illegal actions. As Senators from Connecticut and California—states in which Avelo is based—and in furtherance of our oversight responsibilities as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as your stated value of “being open, honest, and transparent,” we write to seek information on your partnership with ICE. Please provide your responses to the following questions by May 30, 2025:

    1. Do you have policies and procedures in place to confirm the immigration status of individuals you are deporting?

    2. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight cannot or should not be removed from the country, do you have policies and procedures in place for addressing this situation?

    a. If so, please provide copies of those policies and procedures.

    3. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight is protected by a court order preventing their removal or that they have other lawful status (such as asylum, cancellation of removal, and withholding of removal), will you refuse to fly the individual out of the country?

    a. If the government nevertheless directs you to fly the individual out of the country, will you comply with the government’s instruction or the court’s order?

    b. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight is protected by a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction preventing their removal, and the government nevertheless directs you to fly the individual out of the country, will you inform the judge that issued the order of the government’s actions?

    4. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight is a U.S. citizen, will you refuse to fly the individual out of the country?

    a. If the government nevertheless instructs you to fly the individual out of the country, will you comply with the government’s instruction?

    5. What changes have been made or will be made to existing or planned commercial service as a result of this contract?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-aided overpass to improve mobility in Mauritanian capital

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

    NOUAKCHOTT, May 16 — Sino-Mauritanian Friendship Overpass, a China-aided project, will significantly ease traffic congestion in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, improve mobility for residents, and provide long-term impetus for Mauritania’s economic growth, a senior official has said.

    Minister of Equipment and Transport Ely Ould El Veirik made the remarks at the completion ceremony for the project held on Thursday in Nouakchott.

    More than 400 people attended the event, including Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani and Chinese Ambassador to Mauritania Tang Zhongdong, who jointly cut the ribbon.

    El Veirik expressed gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their support for Mauritania’s infrastructure development, noting that the overpass, a valuable gift marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, vividly embodies their profound friendship and shared commitment to development.

    The Chinese ambassador said the overpass is a flagship project of China’s aid to Mauritania, which will strongly enhance both “hard connectivity” in infrastructure and “people-to-people connectivity” between the two countries.

    China is willing to work closely with Mauritania to deepen the strategic partnership, using the overpass as a bridge of friendship to open a new chapter of mutual benefit and cooperation, and carry forward the enduring friendship between China and Mauritania for generations to come, Tang said.

    Located along the N2 road in Nouakchott, the Sino-Mauritanian Friendship Overpass was built by China Road and Bridge Corporation to China’s first-class highway bridge standards. The 274.08-meter-long structure features a dual four-lane design and a design speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton to Patel: Review All FBI Actions by James Comey

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    Cotton to Patel: Review All FBI Actions by James Comey
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, asking for a review of all FBI actions in which James Comey was personally involved in as FBI Director. This request comes after Comey’s recent social media post threatening President Trump. 
    In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
    “While I have long questioned Mr. Comey’s motive behind various decisions, his social media post threatening President Trump calls into question every FBI action Comey carried out during his tenure as director.”Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    The Honorable Kashyap PatelDirectorFederal Bureau of Investigation935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20535Dear Director Patel:
    I write requesting a review of all Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) actions in which former Director James Comey was personally involved. While I have long questioned Mr. Comey’s motive behind various decisions, his social media post threatening President Trump calls into question every FBI action Comey carried out during his tenure as director.
    As you are aware, Mr. Comey recently posted a photo on social media of seashells arranged on a beach that formed the numbers “8647”. Mr. Comey admitted that although he thought this was a political statement, he did not intend to call for violence. But in the words of President Trump, “he knew exactly what it meant.”
    I commend the Secret Service for investigating this threat and appreciate the support the FBI has offered. Mr. Comey has politicized investigations, been at the center of leaks, and obviously shown bias against the Trump administration and supporters. I urge you to review all FBI actions directed by Mr. Comey from September 4, 2013, until May 9, 2017.
    I appreciate your attention to this urgent matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Colorado Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Colorado to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning March 4.

    The disaster declaration covers the Colorado counties of Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Juan and San Miguel as well as the Utah counties of Grand San Juan and Uintah.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

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

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

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Jan. 5, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Debunks Fake News Narratives About Law Enforcement During Police Week

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security today released the following facts about Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) recent operations and Customs and Border Protection arrests to set the record straight on misleading news narratives and reporting.

    “Even during National Police Week, the media, members of Congress, and sanctuary politicians have demonized ICE and CBP officers who bravely serve their country,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Attacks and smears against ICE have resulted in officers facing a 413% increase in assaults. We are setting the facts straight and reassuring America that President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to support ICE and CBP in their efforts to make America safe again.

    Debunking the Biggest False News Stories this Week 

    Delaney Hall Storming was “oversight” by Congressional members  

    • At least three members of Congress, Representatives Robert Menendez, Jr., LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman, claimed that breaking into Delaney Hall was “oversight”—but it is actually trespassing and put ICE officers and detainees at risk.
    • Video footage shows McIver assaulting an ICE officer.
    • The allegations made by Newark politicians that Delaney Hall does not have the proper permitting are false. ICE maintains valid permits and inspections for plumbing and electricity and fire codes have been cleared.
    • Delaney Hall currently confines murderers, rapists, suspected terrorists and gang members.
    • There was no need for Congressional members to storm Delaney Hall—they could have just scheduled a tour. ICE will comply with the law and accommodate Members of Congress seeking to tour an ICE detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight.
    • Safety, security, and good order are always primary considerations in a detention facility, and visitors must be properly identified and attired. 

    Nashville Mayor Smears ICE Enforcement  

    • Mayor Freddie O’Connell and biased news media framed ICE operations in Nashville as “not focused on making us safer.”
    • In reality, of the 196 illegal aliens ICE arrested, 95 had prior criminal convictions and pending criminal charges and 31 were previously removed individuals who reentered the U.S. illegally, which is a felony offense under federal law.
    • The successful operation resulted in the arrests of an MS-13 affiliate, a murderer, sex offenders, and illegal aliens convicted of assault. 

    ICE’s Hawaii Operation focused on “coffee farmers” 

    • Completely leaving out the facts and rap sheets of criminals arrested, the New York Times peddled a misleading narrative about ICE’s operation in Hawaii targeted criminal illegal aliens.
    • The operation resulted in the arrest of illegal aliens charged with kidnapping, assault, firearms offenses, drug offenses and theft. 

     Yamal Said, Lord Buffalo drummer, detained by border officials at airport

    • Yamal Said is a Mexican national and lawful U.S. permanent resident.
    • Yamal Said had a warrant for his arrest after violating a restraining order at least TWICE.
    • When he was attempting to leave the U.S., he was apprehended by CBP and has been turned over to local law enforcement.
    • If you come to our country and break our laws, you will be arrested. 

    Boston ICE agents arrest mother in front of her daughters 

    • What the media failed to report is the target of this ICE operation was a violent criminal illegal alien, Ferreira de Oliveira. She was arrested by local police for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery of a pregnant victim.
    • District Councilor for the City of Worcester Haxhiaj pulled a political stunt and incited chaos by trying to obstruct law enforcement. ICE officers and local police regained control of the situation and ICE arrested Ferreira de Oliveira.
    • The previous administration’s open border policies allowed this criminal to illegally enter our country in August of 2022. Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem this criminal is off our streets.  

    Lies for likes: Influencer claims he was targeted for “political beliefs”  

    • Claims that Hasan Piker’s political beliefs triggered a CBP inspection are baseless.
    • CBP officers follow the law, not agendas. Upon entering the country, this individual was referred for further inspection—a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply to any traveler.   

    Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released. 

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Criticizes Trump’s ‘Small, Insular, Mercenary’ Foreign Policy, Discusses Rebuilding American Foreign Assistance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON – Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, condemned the Trump administration’s wholesale dismantling of American foreign assistance and its abrupt departure from generations of bipartisan American foreign policy consensus. He underscored the various ways the administration’s cuts are costing lives and disrupting work critical to American interests around the world. Schatz also outlined ways in which the foreign assistance enterprise could be reformed to be more disciplined and effective going forward.
    “The existing tools of American foreign policy have served us, and the world, well,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. “American leadership has deterred conflict and forged peace; cured diseases and slashed poverty. It has advanced equality, unleashed unprecedented economic prosperity, and powered extraordinary breakthroughs in science and technology. The world order we’ve established, flawed as it is, and as episodically counterproductive as our actions have been, is far better than the alternatives. But we now have a president and Secretary of State in Marco Rubio who are racing to shatter it.”
    Senator Schatz continued, “Legitimate, lawful, and lasting reform is not just possible, but necessary. For foreign assistance, that means rethinking what we do, where we do it, and how we do it. I’m not arguing that we shrink the scope of our ambitions or the scale of our investments. What I am advocating for is a more disciplined approach.”
    “Whether this moment is a requiem or a recess for American leadership is up to all of us. Because for all of the chaos and suffering of the past 4 months, we’re still in a position to rebuild the enterprise. We can still return to being the indispensable nation, as Madeleine Albright used to say. But that requires recapturing our ambition to once again be big, and bold, and expansive, and engaged, and innovative. And it demands a forceful rejection of the false choices being presented about strength and greatness and patriotism,” Senator Schatz concluded.
    A copy of Senator Schatz’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, is below. Video is available here.
    Good evening, everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here with all of you, and I want to thank the Council on Foreign Relations for having me.
    The toll of President Trump’s foreign policy, both on a human level and in policy terms, is rising every day. Children are starving. Mothers are passing HIV onto their newborns. Countries that were partners for decades are now turning to China for help. And our friends and allies, feeling confused and betrayed, are moving on without us.
    But this moment also raises an essential question about the future. Which is: what does a modern American foreign policy – one that is smart and strategic – look like? How do we adapt to reflect the lessons of recent decades and face future challenges?
    And here’s the truth. The existing tools of American foreign policy have served us, and the world, well. American leadership has deterred conflict and forged peace; cured diseases and slashed poverty. It has advanced equality, unleashed unprecedented economic prosperity, and powered extraordinary breakthroughs in science and technology. And so while I get the gravitational pull towards newness, we don’t need to outsmart ourselves, either.
    The world order we’ve established, flawed as it is, and as episodically counterproductive as our actions have been, is far better than the alternatives. But we now have a president and Secretary of State in Marco Rubio who are racing to shatter it.
    President Trump’s narrow and transactional view of the world is not news to anyone. What is genuinely surprising is that Secretary Rubio is aligning himself so closely with it. This is someone who, up until 4 months ago, was an internationalist. Someone who believed in America flexing its powers in all manners, but especially through foreign assistance. And yet, he is now responsible for the evisceration of the whole enterprise. He’s a colleague. I voted for him. And what I’m trying to understand is: what happened? Has he suddenly changed his mind on all of this? Or is someone else in charge?
    We could have done this well – and together. If the goal was to reform foreign assistance, rather than gut it from top to bottom, then the administration was pushing on an open door. In fact, my first meeting with Lindsey Graham at the start of the year when I became Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations was about reforms. What’s working and what’s not? Does our work match our priorities? How can we better align our investments and our objectives? But you don’t fix something by burning it down.
    Legitimate, lawful, and lasting reform is not just possible, but necessary. For foreign assistance, that means rethinking what we do, where we do it, and how we do it. The objectives are the same as they’ve always been – keeping Americans safe, strengthening American businesses overseas, saving lives, and promoting rights and freedoms. The question is: how do we pursue them?
    And it’s through things like PEPFAR which is the most successful global health program in history. It’s saved 26 million lives to date and enabled local health systems to combat the spread of diseases, making the whole world safer and healthier. But because of the administration’s indiscriminate cuts to HIV testing and treatment, thousands of children have already died, and an estimated half a million more could die in the next 5 years. 2030 was our goal to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. But we’re now moving backwards with more – not fewer – people dying. Kids are dying because we walked away.
    Our work in the Indo-Pacific is important for several reasons – geopolitics, security, trade, climate. But our security partnerships with Vietnam, for example, are possible because of USAID’s health and climate programs which also help address the legacies of the Vietnam War. Abandoning those projects overnight hurts both of our countries.
    And on foreign military financing, which has helped make us the security partner of choice globally, the administration initially froze billions of dollars, forcing our allies to beg for the money that they count on.
    Going forward, the task is two-fold: restoring the things that were clearly working. And that requires processes that actually work and staff who are allowed to work. But most of all, it requires Secretary Rubio’s undivided attention. And then second, we have to look at what we can be doing better.
    And that starts with doing fewer things. Not less, but fewer – and there is a big difference. I’m not arguing that we shrink the scope of our ambitions or the scale of our investments. What I am advocating for is a more disciplined approach. Just because there’s a lot of great and worthy work that we could be doing doesn’t mean we should be the ones doing it. We’re not a private foundation.
    Second, we have to reduce our overreliance on big contractors with high overhead. Contractors shouldn’t be bigger than the agencies that oversee them. And less overhead means more money in the field, actually helping people. Along those lines, we need to stop overregulating our implementing partners and be more flexible about how money is spent.
    Third, there’s a lot of private capital flowing in the world. The challenge sometimes is getting it to flow to the places and projects that we want it to. But we can help fix that with grant dollars that help private sector-led projects pencil out. It’s a good example where the U.S. government doesn’t have to assume the majority of the burden. But we can be smarter about leveraging our resources to achieve outcomes that are in our interest.
    And finally, where possible, we should work to transfer the delivery of basic services – food, water, education – to partner governments. Otherwise, our development programs aren’t actually development programs. They’re service delivery programs with no end in sight. And that’s not helping anyone.
    This isn’t an exhaustive list, but those are the kinds of reforms we should be working toward in our annual appropriations bill. Now, the good news is that there’s longstanding, bipartisan support for this bill. Because leaders and members on both sides of the Capitol understand that we can’t do foreign policy without the tools of foreign policy. It doesn’t matter where you are on the ideological spectrum. You need tools to implement your policies. And so we’re starting to work toward a bill on that basis, and we have a hearing on it next week with Secretary Rubio.
    President Trump’s version of America – small, insular, mercenary – is fundamentally un-American. It’s antithetical to not just our belief, but the world’s belief, in America as the promised land. And it defies generations of American leadership which helped defeat the Nazis, rebuild Europe, prevent nuclear Armageddon, and take down terrorists.
    But whether this moment is a requiem or a recess for American leadership is up to all of us. Because for all of the chaos and suffering of the past 4 months, we’re still in a position to rebuild the enterprise. We can still return to being the indispensable nation, as Madeleine Albright used to say. But that requires recapturing our ambition to once again be big, and bold, and expansive, and engaged, and innovative. And it demands a forceful rejection of the false choices being presented about strength and greatness and patriotism.
    We didn’t become the most powerful nation in human history by walling ourselves off from the world or by trying to extort friends and monetize every relationship. We’re the good guys. And that’s important for its own reasons – separate and apart from geopolitics, though it’s helpful with that too. Being the good guys is foundational to how we move through the world. It’s not woke or left or soft. It has been the perennial, bipartisan consensus since our founding.
    Getting back to that is going to require all of us to do our part. And I really mean that. Many of you here have dedicated your lives to promoting our values and interests. Your work and your voice matter, now more than ever. This is a hard time, but it’s not the hardest of times. We’ve survived greater challenges before, and we can do it again. To save America as we know it, we all have a role to play, both in Congress, but especially outside of it. And as my colleague Sarah McBride’s dad said, if everyone has just a little bit of courage, then no one has to be a hero. So let’s get to it. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump signed plenty of contracts in the Middle East, but he’s no closer to the two ‘deals’ he really wants

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Director, Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), Deakin University

    US President Donald Trump’s visit to Arab states in the Middle East this week generated plenty of multibillion-dollar deals. He said more than US$1 trillion (A$1.5 trillion) worth of deals had been signed with Saudi Arabia alone, though the real total is likely much lower than that.

    Qatar also placed an order for 210 Boeing aircraft, a deal worth a reported US$96 billion (A$149 billion). Trump will no doubt present these transactions as a major success for US industry.

    The trip also helped counter concerns about US disengagement from the Middle East. For more than a decade, local elites have viewed Washington’s attention as shifting away from the region.

    This trip was a reaffirmation of the importance of the Middle East – in particular the Gulf region – to US foreign policy. This is an important signal to send to Middle Eastern leaders who are dealing with competing interests from China and, to a lesser extent, Russia.

    And from a political standpoint, Trump’s lifting of sanctions on Syria and meeting with the former rebel, now president, Ahmed al-Sharaa was very significant – both symbolically and practically.

    Until recently, al-Sharaa was listed by the United States as a terrorist with a US$10 million (A$15 million) bounty on his head. However, when his forces removed dictator Bashar al-Assad from power in December, he was cautiously welcomed by many in the international community.

    The US had invested considerable resources in removing Assad from power, so his fall was cause for celebration, even if it came at the hands of forces the US had deemed terrorists.

    This rapid turn-around is dizzying. In practice, the removal of sanctions on Syria opens the doors to foreign investment in the reconstruction of the country following a long civil war.

    It also offers an opportunity for Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as Turkey, to expand their influence in Syria at the expense of Iran.

    For a leader who styles himself a deal-maker, these can all be considered successful outcomes from a three-day trip.

    However, Trump avoided wading into the far more delicate diplomatic and political negotiations needed to end Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and find common ground with Iran on its nuclear program.

    No solution in sight for the Palestinians

    Trump skirted the ongoing tragedy in Gaza and offered no plans for a diplomatic solution to the war, which drags on with no end in sight.

    The president did note his desire to see a normalisation of relations between Arab states and Israel, without acknowledging the key stumbling block.

    While Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates have no love for Hamas, the Gaza war and the misery inflicted on the Palestinians have made it impossible for them to overlook the issue. They cannot simply leapfrog Gaza to normalise relations with Israel.

    In his first term, Trump hoped the Palestinian issue could be pushed aside to achieve normalisation of relations between Arab states and Israel. This was partially achieved with the Abraham Accords, which saw the UAE and three other Muslim-majority nations normalise relations with Israel.

    Trump no doubt believed the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreed to just before his inauguration would stick – he promised as much during the US election campaign.

    But after Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire in March, vowing to press on with its indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, he’s learned the hard way the Palestinian question cannot easily be solved or brushed under the carpet.

    The Palestinian aspiration for statehood needs to be addressed as an indispensable step towards a lasting peace and regional stability.

    It was telling that Trump did not stop in Israel this week. One former Israeli diplomat says it’s a sign Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lost his leverage with Trump.

    There’s nothing that Netanyahu has that Trump wants, needs or [that he] can give him, as opposed to, say, the Saudis, the Qataris, [or] the Emiratis.

    More harsh rhetoric for Iran

    Trump also had no new details or initiatives to announce on the Iran nuclear talks, beyond his desire to “make a deal” and his repeat of past threats.

    At least four rounds of talks have been held between Iran and the United States since early April. While both sides are positive about the prospects, the US administration seems divided on the intended outcome.

    The US Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have called for the complete dismantling of Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium as a sure safeguard against the potential weaponisation of the nuclear program.

    Trump himself, however, has been less categorical. Though he has called for the “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program, he has also said he’s undecided if Iran should be allowed to continue a civilian enrichment program.

    Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium, albeit under international monitoring, is a red line for the authorities in Tehran – they won’t give this up.

    The gap between Iran and the US appears to have widened this week following Trump’s attack on Iran as the “most destructive force” in the Middle East. The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s remarks “pure deception”, and pointed to US support for Israel as the source of instability in the region.

    None of this has advanced the prospects of a nuclear deal. And though his visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE was marked by pomp and ceremony, he’ll leave no closer to solving two protracted challenges than when he arrived.

    Shahram Akbarzadeh receives funding from Australian Research Council. He is affiliated with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, a non-profit research centre in Doha, Qatar.

    – ref. Trump signed plenty of contracts in the Middle East, but he’s no closer to the two ‘deals’ he really wants – https://theconversation.com/trump-signed-plenty-of-contracts-in-the-middle-east-but-hes-no-closer-to-the-two-deals-he-really-wants-256778

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: China releases plan to advance Digital China development

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

    BEIJING, May 16 — China has released a 2025 action plan to build a Digital China, outlining key initiatives in areas such as “AI Plus,” infrastructure upgrades, the data industry and digital talent development, the National Data Administration said on Friday.

    The plan calls for the promotion of the market-oriented reform of data resource allocation, for the accelerated development of a unified national data market, for the promotion of a data-driven digital economy tailored to local conditions, and for the comprehensive enhancement of the overall level of Digital China development.

    By the end of 2025, China aims to achieve major progress in building a Digital China, with the continuous expansion of new quality productive forces in the digital industry, as well as significant improvements in the quality and efficiency of digital economic development, according to the plan.

    The plan also aims for the added value of core digital economy industries to contribute over 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, and sets goals for steady progress in building a unified data factor market, and for computing power to be increased to over 300 EFLOPS.

    It outlines eight major areas for action, including institutional innovation, local brand development and “AI Plus” application.

    China’s digital industry generated a revenue of 8.5 trillion yuan (about 1.18 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of this year, up 9.4 percent year on year, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Friday.

    This year’s government work report noted that the country will “accelerate the digitalization of manufacturing, foster a number of service providers with both industry expertise and digital know-how, and bolster support for the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: SolarMax Technology Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RIVERSIDE, Calif., May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SolarMax Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq SMXT) (“SolarMax” or the “Company”), an integrated solar energy company, today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights

    • Revenue: $6.9 million, compared with $5.8 million in the first quarter of 2024.
    • Gross profit: $1.4 million, compared with ($0.5) million in the first quarter of 2024.   Cost of revenues in the first quarter of 2024 included a one-time, non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $1.3 million.
    • Total operating expense: $2.6 million, compared with $18.4 million in the first quarter of 2024. Operating expense in the first quarter of 2024 included a one-time, non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $15.9 million.
    • Net loss: $1.3 million, or $0.03 per share, compared with a net loss of $19.3 million, or $0.46 per share in the first quarter of 2024.

    David Hsu, CEO of SolarMax, stated, “We are encouraged by our progress this quarter, having achieved a 20% increase in revenue and improvement in gross margin despite ongoing inflationary and regulatory pressures. We believe this improvement demonstrates our team’s ability to navigate a dynamic market while enhancing operational efficiency and executing on cost containment initiatives.”

    “While California’s NEM 3.0 policy—which significantly reduced the compensation homeowners receive for excess solar power sent to the grid—continues to impact residential solar demand in the state, we’re seeing meaningful traction through our dealer network and our proposed commercial projects,” continued Hsu. “We are laying the groundwork for commercial and industrial solar and battery system projects that we believe represent a growth opportunity. Although we have no executed contracts, our development pipeline is active, and we are seeking to position SolarMax for longer-term diversification and growth.”

    About SolarMax Technology Inc.

    SolarMax, based in California and founded in 2008, is a leader within the solar and renewable energy sector focused on making sustainable energy both accessible and affordable. SolarMax has established a strong presence in southern California. SolarMax is looking to generate growth with strategic initiatives that aim to scale commercial solar development services and LED lighting solutions in the US while expanding its residential solar operations. For more information, visit www.solarmaxtech.com.

    Any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website or any other website or any social media is not a part of this press release.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”) as well as Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company’s future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely” or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the Company’s strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risk and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, including but not limited to the Company’s ability to develop its commercial solar business and to be accepted as a provider of commercial solar systems in the United States, and its ability to recommence its operations in China where is has not generated any revenue since 2021, and to respond to any changes in governmental policies relating to renewable energy and those factors described in “Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements” “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025. SolarMax undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law. You should read this press release with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

    Contact:
    For more information, contact:
    Stephen Brown, CFO
    (951) 300-0711

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: More power to the people

    Source: – Press Release/Statement:

    Headline: More power to the people

    Canada is entering the age of customer-owned power generation

    By Phil McKay, Senior Director, Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Integration, Canadian Renewable Energy Association 

    Welcome to the new age of customer-owned power generation! The promise of making your own electricity, at your own apartment, house or business, is within reach. On-site, or Behind-the-Meter (BTM) solar and energy storage, can power your appliances, heating, cooling, cars and anything else you can think of. This can provide emergency backup power and protect against energy cost fluctuations. Smart BMS (Building Management Systems) can provide usage data and controls to improve your lifestyle and your business profitability.

    So who is holding the key to unlocking these benefits? Your electricity utility.

    Right now, Canada’s utility professionals are protecting customers by keeping costs low and reliability high. While wrestling with a whole new world of energy needs: People need more electricity because they are electrifying things that never used to get plugged in; data centres are changing the game; industrial processes are shifting.

    The dominant, central power-production model that has been used to push huge amounts of electricity along transmission and distribution lines has already been disrupted. Wind, solar and energy storage are scalable solutions, allowing power-generation projects to contribute energy and services to the grid in hundreds of locations distributed across Canada.

    Now, electricity grids need more resilience in the face of a changing climate, and they must meet new demands from customers connecting fleets of electric vehicles and power-hungry data centers. People want cleaner power and a more equitable distribution of infrastructure to support their communities.

    As a result, we’re seeing the next disruption. Canada is about to cross the milestone of 100,000 solar projects installed behind meters by customers like you and me.

    Over the past three years as the Executive Director of CanREA’s Electricity Transition Hub, I have learned a lot about Canada’s electricity utilities and system operators. We recently concluded this three-year capacity building project, supported by NRCan’s SREPs funding.

    I’ve had the chance to work with dozens of utilities and system operators, helping them make sense of the overwhelming volume of information on the clean-energy transition, and bridge the gap between global learnings and Canada’s specific regional needs.

    Continuing with CanREA as Senior Director, Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Integration, I will expand our work with utilities, system operators, regulators, government agencies and other organizations, while also addressing the next big disrupter: behind-the-meter (BTM) distributed energy resources (DERs).

    I will work with CanREA’s growing BTM membership of solar installers, suppliers and supporting organizations, to address the barriers to a full-scale transformation of neighbourhoods, cities, industrial parks and rural networks.

    At this moment in Canada’s future energy story, the ability to produce and manage power on-site is not available to everyone. There are financial barriers to upgrade a legacy system, both at the utility level and within Canada’s existing building stock.

    There are also connection barriers, with some utilities having prohibitive requirements, or processes based on legacy-protection schemes. Unlocking every electricity meter in the country demands a standardized connection approach and financial mechanisms that allow everyone to participate.

    There has been a lot of progress in some areas of the country. In other places, customers just can’t get at the same opportunities. I think everyone should have the opportunity to build, buy and grow their clean-energy lifestyle or business in their own way, through strong policies, supportive regulations and standards that keep everyone safe and empowered.

    Until Canada’s net-zero emissions economy is within reach, the knowledge-transfer from global learnings to Canadian contexts will not be complete. That’s why I’m excited to work on these two complimentary programs: our Utility GRID Integration Program focuses on finding answers to some of the utility sector’s toughest questions; our BTM Program focuses on hearing from the ‘boots on the ground’ (or on the roof).

    Contact us for more information on either of these two exciting programs and to learn more about membership options that work for you.

    As CanREA’s new Senior Director, Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Integration, I am really looking forward to leading these two programs and supporting the industry in the months and years ahead, as we bring in learnings from around the world and chart the course for Canada’s just, affordable, resilient and clean power system of the future.
    The post More power to the people appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace slams acceptance of seabed miner’s application

    Source: Greenpeace

    Wannabe seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources’ Fast-Track application has now been accepted for the next stage by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), a process Greenpeace slams for being anti-democratic and completely ignoring the overwhelming opposition of the local community.
    Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee says, “For nearly a decade, Trans-Tasman Resources has failed to get its seabed mining project approved. It’s been rejected at multiple levels of legal and environmental review, but today the Luxon Government has rubber-stamped it because it might make a little bit of money for their mates.
    “Investors in TTR’s project are trying to pull the wool over the public’s eyes, telling us to ‘trust the science’. But TTR has never been able to alleviate the courts’ concerns for harmful impacts on wildlife and the environment, nor shown any interest in filling the gaps in information and reliable modelling.
    “Taranaki communities – including iwi, the fishing industry, recreational fishers, surfers and swimmers – have fought against TTR for more than a decade. But the Luxon government is ignoring their wishes and imposing an unpopular project which will devastate the South Taranaki Bight.”
    Lee adds: “The opposition to seabed mining is strong and unwavering, and Greenpeace will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the growing resistance and make sure these wannabe miners never get a chance.”
    Trans-Tasman Resources is planning to extract 50 million tonnes of iron sand from the South Taranaki Bight every year for 35 years in an eleven-metre deep open-cast mine on the seabed, and then dump 45 million tonnes a year back into the ocean.
    Experts say that seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight would damage rich ecosystems and threaten precious marine life such as the pygmy blue whale, Māui and Hector’s dolphins and kororā.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Energy Department Announces Emergency Actions to Provide Overdue Relief to Puerto Rico Power Grid

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON—The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new emergency actions to provide urgent and immediate assistance to the American citizens of Puerto Rico and strengthen the island’s failing power system. Just one month after Puerto Rico’s most recent island-wide blackout, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is issuing two emergency orders authorized by the Federal Power Act Section 202(c) to address critical grid security issues and improve grid resiliency. These orders, issued by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order: Declaring a National Energy Emergency, will unlock emergency protocols and empower Puerto Rico’s government to address immediate problems plaguing the already fragile grid system and prevent further widespread outages ahead of peak summer demand season. 

    In addition to issuing the emergency orders, DOE’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) will review the $365 million in funding from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) to ensure all DOE assistance is used to support practical fixes to the grid and benefits all residents of Puerto Rico.  

    “Access to energy is essential for all modern life, yet the current energy emergency jeopardizes Puerto Ricans’ access to basic necessities. This system is unsustainable, and our fellow citizens should not be forced to suffer the constant instability and dangerous consequences of an unreliable power grid,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “With President Trump’s leadership, we are prioritizing immediate and comprehensive actions that will mitigate the greatest threats to the grid and benefit a vastly larger portion of the population, including critical facilities like hospitals and community centers.”  

    “I thank President Trump and Secretary Wright for their leadership and commitment to address once and for all Puerto Rico’s energy emergency. This Administration clearly understands the urgency of the crisis and is utilizing available, existing emergency authorities to put words into action. With today’s Section 202(c) orders, we will have the necessary flexibilities to begin stabilizing our power grid infrastructure and ensure an affordable, secure, and reliable supply of energy for all of Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million Americans,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. “Energy is essential for both the well-being of our citizens and the island’s economic development, particularly as we seek to attract investment and support the Administration’s re-shoring initiatives. I look forward to continuing our partnership, because when Puerto Rico thrives, America thrives.” 

     Puerto Rico’s electrical grid is facing an energy crisis, with insufficient reserve capacity and recent system-wide blackouts demonstrating its fragility and vulnerability. As Puerto Rico approaches the start of both the summer and hurricane season, challenges around balancing energy supply and demand, along with emergency preparedness, become paramount. Emergency protocols are necessary to address these issues and prevent further widespread outages. 

    The first emergency order directs the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to dispatch generation units necessary to expand baseload generation for the island and maintain grid reliability, closing the gap in generation shortfall. The second order directs PREPA to perform vegetation management activities, including the clearing of overgrown brush, trees, and vines that present risk of shortages and fire. This vegetation clearing to re-establish a right-of-way will help ensure operational availability of the Specified Transmission Facilities.   

     These emergency activities have been carefully coordinated with the Puerto Rican energy industry, FEMA, HUD, and DOE power experts to streamline efforts and ensure maximum effectiveness. Both Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón and Energy Czar of Puerto Rico Josué A. Colón-Ortiz have expressed strong support for these emergency activities. DOE is continuing to work closely with the Governor and all stakeholders to address Puerto Rico’s energy challenges. These collaborative efforts will continue to create a more secure and reliable energy future for all Puerto Ricans. 

    Learn more about the Federal Power Act section 202 (c). 

                                                                                                       ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, joint partner investigation results in illegal alien, alleged human smuggler from Mexico indictment for first material support of terrorism charges against CJNG Member

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — An indictment unsealed May 16 in the Western District of Texas is the first in the nation to charge a Mexican national with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization based on her involvement with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, including providing the cartel with grenades and engaging in alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking on its behalf, following a groundbreaking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and joint law enforcement partner investigation.

    “We will never allow criminal gangs and cartels to terrorize American communities,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. “The days of unchecked gang and cartel violence are over.”

    “Cartels like CJNG are terrorist groups that wreak havoc in American communities and are responsible for countless lives lost in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere.” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to securing our borders and protecting Americans through effective prosecution.”

    According to court documents, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 39, of Mexico, conspired with others to provide and did attempt to provide grenades to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Additionally, Navarro-Sanchez, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and trafficking in firearms, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Co-defendant Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 27, of Mexico, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. Co-defendant Gustavo Castro-Medina, 28, of Mexico, is charged with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

    On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of eight international cartels, including CJNG, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and specially designated global terrorists. This designation makes available much stronger criminal charges in the fight to secure our nation’s borders. CJNG is a transnational criminal organization that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade and has a presence in nearly every part of Mexico and dozens of other countries, including the United States. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, CJNG engages in money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, taxing of migrant smugglers, and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation. According to the State Department, CJNG has conducted attacks on Mexican military and police with military grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.

    On Jan. 20, President Trump directed ICE, the Justice Department and other agencies to pursue total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations because they pose extremely serious threats to the United States, including by jeopardizing a stable and secure border. These and other criminal organizations commit brutal and intolerable violent crimes related to narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering, extortion, and other criminal acts. They also are responsible for huge flows of illegal immigration into the United States. They organize and facilitate all manners of illicit travel and immigration into the United States through the southern and northern borders and rely on co-conspirators and organization members operating in various countries throughout North and South America. This situation is untenable and threatens our national security. ICE, DOJ and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the United States against invasion, working urgently toward the goal of total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, aggressively enforcing our immigration laws, and maximizing the impact and effectiveness of all available law enforcement tools.

    “Supplying grenades to a designated terrorist organization — while trafficking firearms, narcotics, and human beings — is not just criminal; it’s a direct assault on the security of the United States,” said ICE acting Director Todd M. Lyons. “Sanchez acted as a key enabler of violence who empowered cartels and terrorist organizations. Her crimes extended beyond smuggling; she was involved in firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Her actions endangered countless lives and undermined our efforts to protect the nation’s borders and communities. Confronting this level of criminality demands more than resolve — it requires a unified, all-of-government response, and that’s exactly what we demonstrated today: a coordinated effort to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who profit from violence and human suffering.”

    “As alleged, the defendant engaged in multiple of the most insidious kinds of criminal activity: firearms trafficking, narcotics trafficking, human and bulk cash smuggling, and even providing grenades to CJNG,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to eliminate cartels and foreign terrorist organizations like CJNG.”

    “The slew of federal charges we have brought against Navarro-Sanchez sends a monumental message through the ranks of cartels like CJNG—now designated as a terrorist organization—along with those who support them in various capacities, that U.S. law enforcement is turning up the pressure to crack down on unlawful immigration practices and to dismantle the smuggling of illicit drugs and firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “These crimes, all included as allegations in the indictment, do nothing but place human lives on both sides of the border in grave danger, while loading the pockets of criminals who profit off of them.”

    “The arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez should send a clear message to people who wish to align themselves with terrorist groups that they will be sought out and held to the highest extent of the law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “I’m extremely proud of the dedicated men and women of the FBI and its law enforcement partners who work tirelessly every day to protect Americans and keep our communities safe.”

    “The brutality and destruction inflicted by cartels and terrorist organizations is devastating communities across the United States and around the world,” said Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “The capture and arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez demonstrates what international law enforcement cooperation can achieve when united against the threat posed by these violent networks. ATF and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to relentlessly hunt down, dismantle, and bring to justice every trafficker, every cartel operative, and every individual who dares to threaten the safety and sovereignty of our communities.”

    “This case lays bare the true nature of the threat we face,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “A cartel associate providing support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is not just a criminal threat — it is a national security threat. DEA will use every tool of law enforcement to dismantle CJNG and its network that floods our streets with poison, traffics in human lives, and wages violence against law and order. We are not just keeping our communities safe from dangerous, illegal drugs — we are fighting a national security crisis.”

    Since its establishment, Joint Task Force Alpha’s work has resulted in increased coordination and collaboration between both domestic and foreign law enforcement; precedent setting indictments, extraditions and prosecutions; more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of these crimes; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 defendants sentenced, including significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband including millions of dollars in cash, real property, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and drugs. ICE Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, the FBI, ATF, and DEA assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF Legal Attachés in Mexico City and the Mexico Attorney General’s Office also known as Fiscalía General de la República Firearms Trafficking Unit provided substantial assistance. The CBP’s National Targeting Center, and ICE HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. also provided assistance with the investigation.

    Human smuggling is a multibillion-dollar industry for transnational criminal organizations that do not value human safety and take advantage of vulnerable people. HSI investigates human smuggling networks that pose a national security and public safety risk, jeopardize lives, or engage in violence, abuse, or extortion.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers and JTFA Associate Director Ian Hanna of the Western District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attachés in Mexico provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who arrested Navarro-Sanchez on May 4, during an enforcement operation.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

    This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi­ jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The OCDETF El Paso / Las Cruces Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, CBP, DEA, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, and the El Paso Police Department.

    Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Interview with Zulfiya Kakhrumanova for Komsomolskaya Pravda

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    Why do we need a digital ruble, will it become mandatory and what will a single QR code give us?

    And yet, in the financial sphere, we are ahead of the rest of the world! Well, or at least among the world leaders. The financial sphere is one of the most technologically advanced in Russia, many countries would envy such a level of development of payment technologies. Large banks are actively introducing innovations that change and simplify our lives.

    And the rules of the game in this market are set by the Central Bank. And it also creates new entities. For example, the same digital ruble. What changes await us in the coming years? And how will this affect our wallets? Zulfiya Kakhrumanova, Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia, spoke about this and much more in an exclusive interview with KP.RU.

    THE THIRD FORM OF THE RUSSIAN CURRENCY

    — You are responsible for digitalization at the Central Bank. There are many conspiracy theories surrounding it. Everyone is especially scared by the digital ruble. Can you briefly explain what it is?

    — It’s simple. The digital ruble is another form of Russian currency. It will circulate alongside cash and non-cash rubles. At the same time, all forms will be absolutely equivalent: just as 1 ruble in cash is equivalent to 1 non-cash ruble now, so 1 digital ruble will be equivalent to each of them. And what’s important is that the choice of what to use remains with the person.

    — Why do we need a digital ruble in principle?

    — For citizens — for free transfers. For businesses — to reduce the costs of accepting payments, because the commissions are several times lower than for cards.

    — Now transfers have essentially become free. We can transfer up to 30 million rubles a month between our accounts in different banks…

    — Yes, you can. And you can transfer digital rubles without commissions not only to yourself, but also to other people, and any amount that you have in your digital wallet. In addition, this is also a very convenient transfer service according to your rules and conditions using smart contracts.

    — Sounds like something on cryptocurrency (it is believed that smart contracts became famous after being used on the platform of the second largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum, — Ed.)…

    — That’s what you think. In fact, a smart contract is an opportunity to perform certain actions, including payments, according to a predetermined algorithm, with specific conditions. For example, if you want your parents’ account to be automatically replenished from your account when a certain minimum balance is reached. Or if a company wants payment to occur only upon delivery of goods. Not in advance and not after the fact. This is also a smart contract that guarantees a safe transaction for both parties.

    – Why can’t this be organized in the banking sector? Do they really lack the technological capabilities?

    — It is possible in the banking sector. But each bank has its own product. Different people and different companies can have different banks. For such transactions, they need to be integrated with each other.

    And the digital ruble platform is unified. Everyone will be connected to it. It will be possible to receive different types of services through different banks. And at the same time, you won’t have to constantly transfer money between your accounts in different banks. In this sense, smart contracts are a new technological service that will develop our payment infrastructure, complement it, adding convenience to people.

    WHEN IS THE MASS LAUNCH?

    — Can hackers steal our digital rubles?

    — The platform implements the highest levels and means of information protection, data protection from possible fraudulent schemes. It is simply impossible to steal them.

    At the same time, if a person transferred digital rubles to a fraudster, then the wallets of the owner of the money and the fraudster can be quickly identified. Because the scheme of transferring money from bank to bank to confuse the tracks and drag out time will not work, because both wallets are on the same platform. This will help to quickly take appropriate measures.

    — The introduction of the digital ruble was recently postponed. When will it appear now?

    — As such, it has already been implemented. We are testing on real digital rubles, and it continues. We have postponed the mass launch. I would like to emphasize that the mass launch means a must for banks: they will have to provide the ability to pay with digital rubles. Each person will decide voluntarily whether to use this opportunity or not.

    Currently, about 2.5 thousand citizens are participating in our pilot. We want to attract many times more. Plus, we are discussing various technological aspects with banks, the government, and corporations. By the end of the year, we will determine the date of the mass launch. The digital ruble is a payment technology platform with huge potential. There are many prospects for using digital rubles. We are already planning services that would be impossible without such a unified infrastructure.

    — Is it true that at some point they will start paying pensions, benefits, salaries to public sector employees, and so on in digital rubles? For example, as it was with the MIR card.

    — No, we have no such plans. The digital ruble is an addition, an opportunity for voluntary choice. If a person does not want to use it, he will continue to use the services he is used to.

    WITH NEW CODE!

    — Speaking of services. Digital payments have become commonplace for many Russians. Making a transfer takes five seconds. Even the sanctions have hardly complicated our lives. Yes, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay don’t work, but we didn’t have to carry the card for long. Stickers, QR codes, and so on have appeared…

    — We have a systematic movement to simplify the lives of citizens and businesses. Including through the provision of a large number of remote payment channels. You can pay with cards, through the Fast Payment System, by QR code. You can forget your card at home or not carry it with you on principle.

    — It turns out that we are following the Chinese path. There, almost all purchases are paid for with the help of Qiar…

    — It cannot be said that we are exactly following the Chinese path. But this is a global trend — to simplify life when making not only payments, but also any of our actions in any spheres. We have already gotten used to this convenience. It seems that just a little bit more, and we will be controlling applications on our phone with the help of artificial intelligence by moving our eyes.

    — True, sometimes difficulties arise. You come to a cafe with only your phone, and at the checkout it turns out that the QR code is not suitable or cannot be read. Why does this happen?

    — This is due to the fact that this particular point may not accept your bank’s payment service, which you are used to paying with. In this case, you need to look for a card, cash, or make a transfer.

    — Are there many ways to pay now? Sometimes you go to a self-service checkout and there are a bunch of options — a card, SBP, QR code, some Pay, and so on. You don’t know where to press…

    — Yes, now there are three or even five options on average at a point. Each bank has the right to issue its own QR, set its own rules and standards. In this case, if you use the payment service of another bank, and your bank does not have integration with the bank that provided this service on the payment terminal, then, in fact, you may be denied payment via QR.

    – What to do with this? It’s like a plug and socket problem…

    — Yes, that’s right. And, in our opinion, there shouldn’t be such problems. QR should be uniform and recognized by any payment service that you have on your phone. That’s why we are currently working on creating a universal QR that will work according to a single standard. Then you won’t have to think about what exactly to attach to the payment terminal. Point the phone camera, press the “Pay” button and move on.

    — What about cashback? Will it remain? After all, banks only give cashback when paying with a card, they don’t credit it when using QR code…

    — If you are used to paying with a payment service of a certain bank that returns you cashback, then nothing will change. Let’s say you pay at gas stations with a certain card, receiving bonuses, reducing your fuel costs. You will continue to use the payment service of this bank. Universal QR does not cancel all the payment services you are used to. It gives you an entry point, and there you decide for yourself what you would like to pay with at this point.

    — So, there will be some kind of single entrance? And then it will be possible to choose how to pay?

    — Yes, it will always be one QR at the checkout. You scan it with your phone camera, and a payment page appears with different options: pay with SBP, digital rubles, or bank payment services. You choose and pay in the way that is most convenient or profitable for you. With subsequent purchases, the last three services that you are used to working with will appear at the very beginning of the list. This is maintaining the customer journey and adapting this page to you.

    SINGLE RAIL FOR MONEY MOVEMENT

    — Some large banks are resisting the introduction of a single QAR. Why?

    — Large banks periodically don’t like what we do. But we have different missions. It is important for us that it is convenient for citizens and businesses, so that they do not overpay for services, do not find themselves in a situation where they have no right to choose. It is important for us to ensure this right to choose. And those banks that can dictate their terms, rules, and tariffs resist a single QUAR. The willingness to switch to uniform rules and tariffs for them looks like a potential loss of income.

    — That is, now they take a certain percentage from businesses for this service, but with a single QR they will lose this profit?

    — Universal QR provides equal rules and opportunities for everyone. For businesses, there will be a fee for the payment service. But it will not be set by a specific bank, these will be uniform tariffs.

    — So, like with the Fast Payment System? If earlier banks could have any fees for transfers to other banks, now we have unification and a free limit…

    — Yes, these are such unified rails. Moreover, if in the future we need to roll out some new technological function inside this QR, it will happen quite quickly — in two or three weeks. And it will be available to all participants at once. This is a unified technology based on the infrastructure of the National Payment Card System (NSPK). It will allow everyone to have the same connection rules, the same standards, the same technological components. And taking a commission in our time for a transfer that costs banks practically nothing, it looks, to put it mildly, strange.

    — Plus, it certainly affects the companies’ expenses. Compare the 2–3% that a business pays to a bank for acquiring (a service that allows accepting payments from clients) when paying by card, and 0.5% if the client pays via the SBP. The difference is significant…

    – Yes, this is especially important for small businesses.

    — Where else can this QR code be used?

    — It can be any type of service that is interesting for entrepreneurs. Any type of parking, tips, various types of payments in e-commerce. Many different areas. The unified infrastructure of the universal QR allows each new service to be quickly replicated without adding costs to all participants.

    — When is it planned to introduce it?

    — Discussions are underway now. In the near future, the date will be determined and written into the law.

    Tricky Question

    — And how do these ideas appear in the Central Bank? They are often quite advanced. And many people are hostile to them. Well, we lived normally without digital rubles and all these QR codes and smart contracts…

    — We look at technological trends and international experience. We analyze how the market is developing in our country. The services that we have now are super-technological. If we look at how Europeans live, how they work in other countries, we will see that many services that we have long been accustomed to are not there. We predict what will be in demand in the coming years, take into account the demands of market participants, analyze the experience of neighboring industries. We understand what we need to respond to proactively, calculate how this will develop and create competitive conditions for this.

    Evgeny Belyakov, Komsomolskaya Pravda

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 24607

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with the Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The meeting took place on the sidelines of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”.

    Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with the Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar

    During the conversation, a keen exchange of opinions took place on the current state and prospects for the development of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan.

    Both sides noted significant potential for growth in trade volumes. “For the full development of trade and economic cooperation between our countries, it is important to ensure stable and predictable conditions for business interaction,” said Alexey Overchuk, noting the need to work on the formation of a regulatory framework for bilateral interaction.

    “We are convinced that sustainable development and stability in Afghanistan are in the interests of the entire Eurasian region,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    In turn, Abdul Ghani Baradar noted the high interest of the Afghan Government in the comprehensive development of trade and economic ties with Russia, including joint projects that will allow the realization of Afghanistan’s transport and logistics potential and strengthen economic connectivity in Eurasia.

    The parties agreed to establish a regular interdepartmental dialogue to discuss the parameters for implementing projects in various sectors of the economy and increasing the volume of mutual trade.

    Following the intergovernmental meeting, a number of bilateral documents were signed, including a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the field of transport and transit.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Five championships will unite 350 thousand of the most professional people of the country

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    May 16, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists

    A meeting of the organizing committee for holding five championships in professional skills for schoolchildren, students of secondary vocational education and young specialists was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin and Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov took part in it.

    Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin noted that the championships form the basis for the development of the personnel market. He emphasized that close attention is paid to such events. For example, President Vladimir Putin met with the winners.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko reported that five championships will unite 350 thousand of the most professional people in the country.

    “Thanks to the federal project “Professionality”, which has been implemented since this year within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, the training of a new generation of personnel is ensured in close cooperation with enterprises of key sectors of the economy. One of the instruments of cooperation between education and business is the holding of such championships. They are aimed at realizing the potential of each person, developing their talents, raising a patriotic and socially responsible person, which is one of the national goals of our country’s development set by President Vladimir Putin,” he said.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also thanked the state fund for supporting participants in the special military operation “Defenders of the Fatherland” for its active contribution to the development of the Abilympics movement.

    2025 has been declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. On the instructions of the President, this year, for the first time, a championship in professional skills for participants in a special military operation with disabilities will be held within the framework of the Abilympics championships.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko instructed to provide assistance in the completion of student internships, employment of graduates, to think over incentives for companies – partners of the movement, participants of the championship movement, to link competencies with areas of technological leadership and to expand regional participation in championships, including reunited regions.

    Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov noted that the Government has approved the concept of mentoring.

    “It is important for us that the topic of mentoring is reflected as much as possible in the events of all championships. The key area is working with prize winners and winners. Championships help us identify our future highly qualified specialists. It is necessary to organize further support for the guys until they are employed at the country’s leading enterprises,” the minister noted.

    According to survey results, 60% of students of secondary vocational education institutions participated in professional championships and competitions. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education of Russia, at present, with the exception of first- and last-year students, every fourth student is involved in championship movement events.

    The main report was given by Deputy Minister of Education Vladimir Zhelonkin. The meeting was also attended by Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov, Acting Governor of Novgorod Oblast Alexander Dronov, representatives of federal and regional authorities, public associations, and partner companies.

    Partner companies play a key role in the development of the championship movement. They participate in the development of tasks, provide venues for events, and act as experts. This format makes it possible to train specialists for high-tech industries. Thus, Olga Golodets, Deputy Chairman of the Board of PJSC Sberbank, said that the company is focusing on the high-tech championship.

    The final of the Professionals championship in 2025 will be held in three cities at once. In May, the events will be held in Nizhny Novgorod. In August, the final will be held in Kaluga, and in December, the final events will be held in St. Petersburg. In 2025, more than 300 thousand contestants have already taken part in the championship competitions. In September, the final of the high-tech championship is scheduled in Veliky Novgorod. In October, the final of the championship for people with disabilities and disabilities “Abilympics” will be held. This year, as part of “Abilympics”, in July, for the first time, a championship in professional skills for participants of the SVO in the Republic of Tatarstan will be held.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vitaly Savelyev: The North-South ITC is a promising mechanism for Eurasian cooperation that meets Russia’s geopolitical and economic interests

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Vitaly Savelyev took part in the panel discussion “International Transport Corridor “North – South”” within the framework of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”

    May 16, 2025

    Vitaly Savelyev took part in the panel discussion “International Transport Corridor “North-South”” within the framework of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”

    May 16, 2025

    Vitaly Savelyev took part in the panel discussion “International Transport Corridor “North – South”” within the framework of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”

    May 16, 2025

    XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”

    May 16, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Vitaly Savelyev took part in the panel discussion “International Transport Corridor “North-South”” within the framework of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”

    Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev took part in the panel discussion “International North-South Transport Corridor” within the framework of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”. The session was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Minister of Transport Roman Starovoit, head of Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov, Governor of the Astrakhan Region Igor Babushkin, representatives of the project partner countries and the international business community.

    Decree of the President of Russia dated May 7, 2024 No. 309 sets the task of increasing the volume of transportation along the ITC by at least one and a half times by 2030 compared to 2021 figures by increasing the global competitiveness of routes. The development of the North-South ITC is aimed at solving this problem.

    In November 2024, by decree of the President, Vitaly Savelyev was appointed special representative of the President for the development of the North-South ITC; by order of the President, a special working group was also formed under the leadership of the Deputy Prime Minister.

    Over the past three years, the Russian side has managed to make significant progress in developing the infrastructure of the North-South international transport corridor and in organizing transportation along its routes.

    The Deputy Prime Minister noted that intensive work continues on all sections of the corridor. This demonstrates the interest of Russia and partner countries in continuing active cooperation in developing the North-South ITC.

    In particular, the practical implementation of the project for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line in Iran, 162 km long, has started. The day before, on May 15 of this year, a ceremonial handover by the Iranian Government of the first land plots for engineering and survey work was held in the Iranian province of Gilan. The construction of the Rasht-Astara line will ensure uninterrupted transit from Ust-Luga to Bandar Abbas and the transportation of at least 15 million tons of cargo per year.

    “Today, the North-South transport corridor is acquiring strategic importance for trade with the countries of South Asia, Africa through friendly states of the Transcaucasus, the Caspian region, and Central Asia. When the North-South corridor starts operating at full capacity, the route from Ust-Luga to Bandar Abbas will be reduced from 30-45 days to 15-20. Cargo turnover last year amounted to more than 24 million tons, we feel obvious potential and prospects for its increase,” noted Vitaly Saveliev.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the development of the electric power complex of the Far East

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the prospective development of electric power in the Far Eastern Federal District. On the left is Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, on the right is Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexei Chekunkov

    May 16, 2025

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on issues of prospective development of electric power industry in the Far Eastern Federal District

    May 16, 2025

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on issues of prospective development of electric power industry in the Far Eastern Federal District

    May 16, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the prospective development of electric power in the Far Eastern Federal District. On the left is Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, on the right is Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexei Chekunkov

    Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev held a meeting on the prospective development of the electric power industry in the Far Eastern Federal District. The meeting was attended by Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexei Chekunkov, representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development, heads of Far Eastern regions and representatives of energy companies.

    “Russian President Vladimir Putin set the task of creating the best conditions in Russia for doing business in the Far East. The investment attractiveness of the region is largely determined by the cost of providing electricity. We have gathered to make the necessary decisions,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.

    The issues of supporting the energy market were discussed. Since January 1, 2025, the phased launch of the energy market has begun in the territory of the United Energy System of the East (Primorsky and Khabarovsk Krais, Amur Oblast, Yakutia and the Jewish Autonomous Oblast). The expected effect of the launch of the energy market is the opportunity to use market instruments to attract investment in the construction and modernization of generating capacities on a competitive basis. On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, this process should be carried out with the condition of not allowing electricity prices for consumers to rise above the Russian average. Thanks to the measures taken, including maintaining tariff regulation for most of the cheap electricity from hydroelectric power plants, actual prices for consumers in the first months of the energy market’s operation this year were 5-6% lower than the Russian average. Compared to the same period last year, the price in this territory increased by 10% with an average Russian growth of 14%.

    The deficit of generating capacities limits further development of the macro-region economy. In accordance with the instructions of the President of Russia, unprecedented conditions for economic development have been created in the Far East, thanks to which the implementation of more than 2.9 thousand investment projects with a total investment volume of 10.2 trillion rubles has been launched. More than 900 enterprises with an investment volume of 5.2 trillion rubles have already been put into operation. Work to attract investments has already given and will continue to form a large load on the electric power infrastructure of the macro-region. According to Rosstat, the growth of electricity consumption in the Far East over the past 10 years has amounted to 26%, which is twice as high as the Russian average. It is predicted that by 2030 this figure will be 5% annually, which is also more than twice as high as the Russian average. At the same time, by 2030, in order to eliminate the predicted deficit of electric energy and capacity in the territory of the Far Eastern Federal District energy systems, it is necessary to build approximately 2.2 GW of thermal power plant capacity and at least 1.7 GW of renewable energy sources.

    During the meeting, issues of updating the list of new investment projects implemented in the Far East and their inclusion in the scheme and program for the development of Russian electric power systems for 2026–2031 were discussed. Work to determine the need to build generating capacities to supply energy to new investment projects is being carried out by the Ministry of Energy jointly with the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Ministry of Economic Development, as well as constituent entities of the Russian Federation and JSC SO UES.

    As noted by the Minister of Energy Sergey Tsivilev, on the instructions of the President of Russia, an Energy Strategy for the period up to 2050 has been developed. The document was approved by the Government in April of this year. As part of the implementation of the Energy Strategy, two fundamental planning documents for the long-term development of the electric power industry have been developed and approved: the General Scheme for the Placement of Electric Power Facilities until 2042 and the Scheme and Program for the Development of Electric Power Systems of Russia for Six Years, which is approved annually. The System Operator of the Unified Energy System, as the competence center for planning the long-term development of the electric power industry, collects data on current needs and determines the forecast demand of regions for electricity and electric capacity for the development and subsequent updating of these documents.

    On the instructions of Yuri Trutnev, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, together with the regions, carried out work to update new investment projects not included in the long-term planning documents in order to determine the need to build generation for their energy supply. The Far Eastern regions have declared about 500 additional investment projects with a total required capacity of almost 8 GW. Of these, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, together with JSC KRDV, verified 138 projects with a total required capacity of 2.7 GW until 2030. In order to continue work on assessing the need to build new generating capacities, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the Ministry of Economic Development and the System Operator will work out the issue of taking into account additional verified projects in the medium-term forecast for electricity consumption and capacity. Also, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the Ministry of Energy and the Far Eastern regions will work out the regulatory consolidation of additional criteria for accounting for investment projects in long-term planning documents and corresponding liability measures to guarantee demand for electricity and capacity.

    Yuri Trutnev instructed the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Energy and the System Operator to finalize the algorithm for selecting investment projects that require the construction of generation facilities to supply them with energy.

    Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov reported on the work being done to provide benefits of preferential regimes of the Far East and the Arctic for generating companies: “Implementation of investment projects for the creation of generation under preferential regimes will reduce the financial burden on investors and the final cost of electricity for consumers, and shorten the implementation time of such projects. The Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, JSC KRDV, together with investors, are assessing the necessary conditions and the effectiveness of using preferential regimes for each project included in the general scheme.”

    Yuri Trutnev instructed the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East to work out the issue of providing benefits for preferential regimes in the Far East and the Arctic for generating companies together with the Ministry of Finance and to report on the situation in the near future. The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East together with the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District were instructed to organize monitoring of the creation of energy capacities for investment projects. “We must monitor how construction is progressing and do everything possible to reduce the time for commissioning energy facilities,” emphasized Yuri Trutnev.

    According to the Ministry of Energy, in recent years, the Eastern IES has seen a steady increase in electricity consumption by an average of 5%, which is in line with the forecast figures. Over the next 18 years, the Far East is expected to maintain growth rates of electricity consumption that exceed the Russian average. Thus, in 2024–2030, it is forecast to be 4.9% (2.1% in the country) and 1.38% (0.94% in the country) in subsequent periods. At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Energy approved the scheme and program for the development of Russian electric power systems for 2025–2030. The government approved the General Scheme for the placement of electric power facilities until 2042. In the near future, the Ministry of Energy will submit proposals to clarify the program, dividing it into periods up to 2030, 2036 and 2042.

    According to Yuri Trutnev, plans to create new energy capacities should not only take into account the needs of investment projects already being implemented and planned for implementation, but also create a surplus of electricity in the Far Eastern regions.

    The meeting considered projects for the construction and reconstruction of generating and power grid facilities in the Far Eastern Federal District to prevent a shortage of electric energy and capacity. In particular, the discussion focused on the implementation of the macroregion’s hydroelectric potential and the construction of geothermal power plants, as well as the expansion of the Primorskaya GRES and the implementation of promising projects for the construction of coal-fired power generation in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    It was noted that currently PJSC Rosseti, in accordance with the President’s instruction, has begun implementing measures related to the unification of the parallel synchronous operation of the power systems of Siberia and the East. Also among the largest projects that are under implementation, the construction of a 500 kV substation and a 500 kV energy transit Primorskaya GRES – Varyag for the transmission of additional capacity to the south of Primorsky Krai was named. Work is underway to supply electricity to large industrial facilities, including the Albazinskoye non-ferrous metal deposit, the Kultuminsky and Udokan mining and processing plants and other enterprises.

    The development of hydropower was discussed. The general scheme for the placement of electric power facilities provides for the construction of five hydroelectric power plants and one pumped-storage power plant with a total installed capacity of 3.8 GW in the Far East: Nizhne-Zeyskaya HPP (400 MW), Kankunskaya HPP (1000 MW), Nizhne-Nimanskaya HPP (300 MW), Mokskaya HPP (1200 MW), Ivanovskaya HPP (210 MW) and Primorskaya PSPP (600/662 MW). Currently, design and estimate documentation is being developed for the Nizhne-Zeyskaya HPP, a declaration of intent to build is being developed for the Primorskaya PSPP, and such a declaration has already been developed for the Nizhne-Nimanskaya HPP. For other plants, the previously developed design and estimate documentation needs to be updated. In addition to the power engineering facilities already included in the general scheme, the Far East has a huge hydroelectric potential, which allows for the construction of at least 10 more hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of about 7.5 GW. For its effective development, a mechanism is needed to ensure the return of investments in the construction of hydroelectric power plants with the required profitability. Such a mechanism was previously in effect for hydroelectric power and has now been extended for nuclear power. Another extremely important issue is the provision of financing for the construction of hydroelectric power plant reservoirs, which are federal property.

    The construction of nuclear power plants was considered. In Primorsky Krai, a 2 GW nuclear power plant is planned. The possibility of building a nuclear power plant in Khabarovsk Krai is being discussed. A low-power nuclear power plant is being built in the village of Ust-Kuyga in the Ust-Yansky District of Yakutia. In Chukotka, the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant operates. It generates 60% of the electricity of the Chaun-Bilibinsky power hub, covering the needs of mining enterprises and ensuring grid stability.

    “Our task is to choose the optimal method of obtaining electricity in terms of the final cost of a kilowatt-hour. For example, we have already said that nuclear power plants will be built in Primorsky Krai. But at the same time, this region has both coal and gas plants – this combination provides maximum efficiency. Hydropower generation and renewable energy sources should also be used in the Far East. In general, the hydro potential of our country is estimated at 250 GW, while in reality only 50 are used. In addition, there is a program for the complete modernization of existing power plants, which not only allows for an extension of their service life, but also in some cases increases capacity by up to 20%,” said Sergei Tsivilev, emphasizing the importance of joint work with the heads of the Far Eastern regions, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Ministry of Energy.

    Yuri Trutnev drew the special attention of the leadership of the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, and the heads of the Far Eastern Federal District regions to the need to work out issues of using renewable energy sources.

    “Today, the issues of energy supply to the Far East were discussed. Today, the growth of energy consumption in the Far East is twice as high as the average Russian rate, which corresponds to the task set by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for the accelerated development of the macro-region. In my opinion, the work of the Ministry of Energy is carried out professionally: there is an understanding of how this work will be managed. There is a lot of work ahead. There are “narrow points” related to the selection of investment projects. On the one hand, we must provide all investment projects with electricity. And on the other hand, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Finance must be confident that all declared projects will be implemented, the energy capacities will be in demand and will bring profit to the budget of the Russian Federation. But we need to strive to ensure that we cover the needs for electricity with a reserve,” Yuri Trutnev summed up.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: Reducing administrative barriers for the implementation of socially significant projects

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The government has expanded the list of areas within the framework of the implementation of the Guillotine 2.0 project, which is aimed at revising and reducing mandatory requirements for the construction and operation of social infrastructure facilities. The project has been implemented since 2024 in such areas as “School”, “Redevelopment (re-equipment) of premises”, “Hospital”, “Runway (airport)”, “Hotel”. To these have been added “Organization of cultural events” and “Development and improvement of the availability of infrastructure for sports”.

    “The idea of the “regulatory guillotine” is to reduce redundant and irrelevant norms and rules. The business community is actively involved in this work. Together, we have already reviewed over 300 thousand mandatory requirements, and more than a third of them have been cancelled. Now we have moved on to more targeted work in individual areas with the aim of further reducing administrative barriers to the implementation of social projects,” commented Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.

    For example, within the framework of the “Hotel” direction, the period for checking the grounds for putting a land plot up for auction has been reduced from two months to one. And within five days, the winner of the auction will be required to send a signed contract for the sale and purchase or lease of the land plot. The corresponding changes have been made to the Land Code.

    By September 2025, a simplified procedure for connecting to power grids will become available for hotels with 120–200 rooms (medium-sized hotels with energy consumption of up to 670 kW), as is currently the case for facilities with energy consumption of up to 150 kW. The period for reviewing an application for technological connection will be reduced from 20 to 10 days.

    A number of changes are planned within the framework of the direction “Organization of cultural events” and “Development and improvement of accessibility of infrastructure for sports activities”. For example, the Government has lifted restrictions on the frequency of free visits to parks, museums and exhibitions for large families. Now large families can visit them free of charge at any convenient time when the institution is open. This rule has become uniform throughout the country. The corresponding Government resolution has already been issued. Also, within the framework of the project, it is planned to eliminate excessive requirements for the preservation of cultural heritage sites. Applications for assignment of sports titles can be submitted electronically.

    Large-scale work to revise mandatory requirements for carrying out business activities (the so-called regulatory guillotine) began in 2019 on the instructions of the President. It is carried out jointly with business representatives and the expert community – 43 industry groups have been created. They analyze both old and new mandatory requirements for their redundancy and irrelevance. According to business communities, the annual economic effect of the “regulatory guillotine” is about 200 billion rubles. These groups are also actively involved in the new project – “Guillotine 2.0”.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –