Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
UK-Egypt Strategic Partnership: 22 July 2025
A Strategic Partnership between the UK and Egyptian governments.
The UK and Egypt share deep, historic ties. We partner across multiple fields, from climate change to global security, trade and investment to tourism, underpinned by rich people-to-people and cultural connections. However, both countries aspire to strengthen this co-operation in pursuit of shared prosperity and greater regional and global security.
The Governments of Egypt and the UK have therefore committed to elevating the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. This commitment marks a significant milestone and will enable both governments to strengthen and systematise existing collaboration in line with shared interests and priorities such as trade and investment, irregular migration, regional security and responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The UK and Egypt will launch the Strategic Partnership during a visit to Cairo by the Prime Minister in the autumn of 2025. To unlock new mutual growth opportunities and strengthen economic ties, the Prime Minister and President Sisi will jointly chair an Investment Conference convening key British and Egyptian businesses.
The UK Government looks forward to building the Strategic Partnership with Egypt to enhance the prosperity and security of our citizens.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) — Several U.S. nuclear bombs have been delivered to a British air base, marking the first deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons on British soil since 2008, local media reported Tuesday.
As reported by the UK Defence Journal on July 20, the US-run Royal Air Force Lakenheath air base in Suffolk, East Anglia, received B61-12 thermonuclear bombs. These are free-fall nuclear bombs weighing about 320 kg, designed to be dropped from aircraft.
The bombs were allegedly delivered from the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center in New Mexico using a C-17 military transport aircraft. The aircraft was flying with its transponders on, making it easy for foreign governments and air traffic monitors to track its movements.
As the Times newspaper clarified, citing military experts, the nature of the American transport plane’s flight indicated a “one-way delivery,” which indicates a permanent placement of weapons, rather than a routine movement.
Neither the US Department of Defense nor the UK Defense Ministry commented on the incident.
Ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague in June, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the purchase of at least 12 new F-35A fighter jets from the US for a total of almost £1 billion (about $1.35 billion). –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Across the country, arrests of criminal illegal immigrants have soared as President Donald J. Trump makes good on his promise to rid our communities of these threats to public safety — making sure illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gangbangers, and other violent criminals find no safe harbor.
The Trump Administration’s landmark public safety effort is making local news from coast to coast:
In South Carolina, ICE arrests have more than tripled: “Looking at arrests from this year, 47% are on people already facing one charge; 41% are people already convicted.”
In Minnesota, ICE arrests “have doubled, and the time it takes to deport someone has been cut in half since President Donald Trump took office.”
In Colorado and Wyoming, there have been “almost five times as many“ ICE arrests this year compared to the same period under Biden.
“New numbers on ICE arrests in Ohio show a shocking increase,” having more than tripled since President Trump took office.
In Nevada, ICE arrests “have jumped nearly 300% compared with the same time period in 2024.”
In Tennessee, daily ICE arrests have “more than doubled“ under President Trump — with the vast majority having a criminal conviction or a pending criminal charge.
“Since Donald Trump’s inauguration, ICE arrests in Maryland have jumped 290% — and a staggering 470% in Virginia.”
In North Carolina, there has been “a 160% increase in the number of daily arrests … compared to the same period last year.”
In Alabama, ICE arrests have more than doubled compared to last year.
“ICE arrests have surged after President Trump’s immigration crackdown — with numbers tripling in Utah and surrounding states since January.”
“Comparing the average daily arrest rate to 2024’s rate … Texas is up 92%, Florida is up 219% and California is up 123%.”
“The number of unauthorized immigrants arrested each month by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has nearly tripled across eight western states — Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and California — since Trump took office.”
“ICE arrests here in southern Arizona … have spiked dramatically since President Trump took office.”
In Chicago, ICE arrested three times as many illegal immigrants convicted of crimes during the first 150 days of the Trump Administration compared to Biden’s final 150 days in office.
“During the first six months of the second Trump Administration, immigration arrests here in the San Diego region have gone up 400% compared to this time last year.”
Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with provincial and territorial premiers in Huntsville, Ontario.
The Prime Minister updated the premiers on trade negotiations with the United States. He emphasized that the federal government remains focused on getting the best deal for Canadians. First Ministers are united on this. The Prime Minister also underscored recent federal measures to restrict and reduce steel imports into Canada, protect Canadian steel workers, catalyze domestic steel production, and prioritize the procurement of Canadian steel in government projects.
First Ministers discussed their ongoing work to get major projects built across the country, strengthening Canada’s economic resilience. To that end, the Prime Minister shared that the Major Federal Projects Office and the Indigenous Advisory Council will be operational by Labour Day – acting as the point of contact for governments, proponents, and communities to submit their proposals. The Prime Minister will continue meeting with key stakeholders over the coming weeks to ensure big projects are built in full partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, and to build one Canadian economy.
First Ministers also discussed the wildfire situation across Canada, and the Prime Minister emphasized the federal government’s readiness to mobilize additional resources to protect and support Canadians.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced a key milestone to safeguard New York’s water infrastructure by developing nation-leading cybersecurity regulations for water and wastewater systems alongside a new cyber grant program and technical assistance to bolster the security and resilience of water and wastewater systems. Following a collaborative multi-agency development process directed by her 2025 State of the State, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released proposed cyber regulations for water and wastewater systems for public comment. In coordination, the Department of Public Service (DPS) also released proposed cyber regulations across water-works corporations, other public utilities, and cable television companies for public comment. The Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) is also establishing a new cyber grant program and technical assistance for the water and wastewater systems sector. These threat-informed, risk-centric, and cost-balanced minimum standards and accompanying funding and technical assistance will strengthen the cybersecurity posture of water utilities and protect them from increasingly sophisticated and dangerous cyber attacks.
“Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure can have devastating impacts on communities, and we must act now to defend our water and wastewater systems with the same urgency and rigor we bring to other critical sectors,” Governor Hochul said. “These new regulations and grant programs reflect our commitment to protecting public health and safety while helping under-resourced entities modernize for a digital age.”
The agencies worked together to closely align definitions and provisions within each agency’s regulatory and operational requirements, worked to minimize duplicative or conflicting requirements, and streamlined processes. They also aligned regulations with guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for securing information technology and operational technology environments.
Regulated water and wastewater systems will be required to evaluate risks, deploy cybersecurity controls, and implement network monitoring and logging for the largest systems. Regulated entities will also be required to develop and maintain response and recovery plans to support continuity of operations in the event of cyber attacks and to report cybersecurity incidents.
Governor Hochul secured another $500 million for clean water infrastructure in this year’s budget, bringing the state’s total investment to $6 billion since 2017. In addition to these investments, $2.5 million in the FY26 Budget funds a new cyber grant program, Strengthening Essential Cybersecurity for Utilities and Resiliency Enhancements (SECURE), dedicated to the water and wastewater sector. This new grant program will provide competitive grants to support cybersecurity risk assessments and hardening efforts focused on and aligned with the new proposed regulatory requirements. The grant opportunities assist water systems by providing them with the needed resources to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, enhance resiliency, and ensure reliable delivery of clean water for New Yorkers.
Governor Hochul is again expanding the Community Assistance Teams to provide free, expert guidance and tools to help water systems implement cybersecurity best practices in a way that is cost-effective and sustainable. Communities can continue to request a one-on-one consultation with the Teams about their water infrastructure needs, now including cybersecurity. A new Cybersecurity Hub is now available on the EFC’S website to help communities immediately start fortifying their systems. The hub provides training opportunities, recommended actions, and additional resources. This hub will be regularly updated. Communities can continue to request consultations about their water infrastructure needs on the EFC’s website.
The public release by DOH, DEC, and PSC of the proposed regulations marks the latest step in strengthening the reliability and resilience of New York’s water and wastewater systems. DEC will accept public comments until September 3, 2025; DOH until September 14, 2025; and PSC until September 14, 2025. Once adopted, regulated entities will have until January 1, 2027 to comply with DEC and DOH regulations focused on operational technology and until January 1, 2026 to comply with PSC regulations focused on information technology.
New York State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern said, “As cyber threats to infrastructure continue to rise, these regulations will help water and wastewater system operators better defend against attacks that could disrupt service, threaten public health, or damage trust. We look forward to reviewing public feedback received by all three agencies before finalizing the regulations to support increased resilience and reliability for New York’s water and wastewater systems.”
New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, “In today’s digital world, we must defend our water and wastewater utilities from cyber attacks that cost money, time, and valuable resources – and can potentially halt water services and threaten public health and the environment. That’s why we’re helping local water systems strengthen their cybersecurity while keeping costs down for communities and ratepayers. Governor Hochul’s initiative reflects New York’s leadership in both cybersecurity and environmental protection, and I’m proud that we are taking swift action to protect our communities.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership, DEC is proactively enhancing cybersecurity across our wastewater systems to safeguard our environment, public health, and our nation leading investments in this critical infrastructure. DEC is committed to partnering with state agencies and local governments to protect the communities that rely on these essential services every day from cybersecurity threats.”
New York State Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian said, “Cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure are growing in number, intensity, and sophistication. One area of concern is Information Technology (IT). IT systems are utilized across all entities regulated by the Commission and a breach of IT cybersecurity can result in the dissemination of private customer data as well as substantial financial losses to companies. Protection of ratepayers and consumers from cybercriminals is a key reason to pursue stringent IT security for all regulated entities that interact with the public, including gas, electric, telecom, steam, and water providers.”
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “As we move further into the digital age, it’s essential we remain laser-focused on strengthening the cyber security of critical infrastructure. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul, the release of these new regulations and grants not only help ensure the security and resilience of water systems in New York, but are charting a path for the rest of the nation to follow.”
New York State Chief Information Officer and Director of the Office of Information Technology Services Dru Rai said, “If we are committed to having the strongest and most robust cybersecurity protections possible, it will take all of us working together in pursuit of that goal. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s exemplary leadership and establishment of the Joint Security Operations Center, New York is already doing more than ever before to defend state agencies and local governments from a wide array of dangerous cyber threats. However, it is critical that we also provide the resources necessary to fully safeguard New York’s water infrastructure and protect the health and safety of our residents in the communities in which they live. I applaud today’s announcement and thank our partners in government for their good work.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Cyber attacks and the need to continuously implement cyber security measures continues to increase across several entities. The new regulations and grant program are imperative for the evaluation of cyber security threats against our water infrastructure and provide the necessary resources to address them head-on. I thank Governor Hochul for her support and collaborative approach to identify, confront, and contain the cyber threats we face in New York State.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Protecting public health starts with ensuring the safety and reliability of the systems that deliver clean water to New Yorkers. These first-in-the-nation cybersecurity regulations, along with new funding to strengthen and modernize our infrastructure, reflect Governor Hochul’s commitment to preparing for evolving threats and ensuring our water systems can recover quickly and continue serving communities safely.”
The new grant program and proposed regulations for the water and wastewater systems sector is the latest step taken by Governor Hochul to strengthen cyber defenses statewide and ensure the resiliency of New York’s critical infrastructure. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York has led the nation in developing smart and effective cybersecurity policy — including establishing nation-leading financial sector regulations, signing landmark legislation to protect New York’s energy grid from cyber threats, strengthening cybersecurity across New York’s municipalities, implementing first-in-the-nation hospital cybersecurity minimum standards, and issuing the first-ever Statewide Cybersecurity Strategy.
Senator Chuck Schumer said, “We must do all we can to protect our vital water infrastructure assets, like dams and drinking water, from cyber attack. That is why I’m pleased that new cybersecurity regulations for New York’s water and wastewater systems and a new grant program will help our communities meet federal standards and build a safer, more resilient New York. When it comes to fighting off cyberattacks, we must work arm-in-arm with state and local governments to prevent future hacks. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s partnership in identifying where we are vulnerable and ramping up our joint security efforts.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Protecting our nation’s water systems against cyber attacks is a vital component of our national security, but the sector has long struggled to implement necessary cybersecurity protections. I am grateful that these new regulations and grants will drive necessary change in this sector and help defend our state from crippling attacks targeting essential services. I remain committed to ensuring New York is ready to defend itself against cyber threats and will continue to fight to deliver the resources our state needs to protect our critical infrastructure.”
Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “Increasing cybersecurity protection for our critical infrastructure has been a major priority of Governor Hochul and the Legislature. Through the Governor’s release of the NYS Cybersecurity Strategy in 2023 and the passage of legislation and budgetary support, we are improving our defenses against the always evolving threats. The release of draft regulations for water and wastewater operators is the vital next step to protect the health, safety, and security of all New Yorkers. As a longtime supporter of New York’s nation-leading water infrastructure funding and as an advocate for robust cybersecurity protections, I am very appreciative of the Governor’s efforts here and the great work of New York’s environmental, health, and cybersecurity agencies.”
Los californianos pueden enviar quejas o sugerencias relacionadas con la vivienda a housing@doj.ca.gov
OAKLAND— El Fiscal General de California, Rob Bonta, emitió hoy una alerta al consumidor recordando a los californianos que es ilegal que los propietarios discriminen a los inquilinos, tomen represalias contra ellos o influyan en los inquilinos para que se muden amenazando con revelar el estatus migratorio de un inquilino a ICE o a las fuerzas del orden. Especialmente mientras la administración federal lleva a cabo su inhumana campaña de deportación masiva y crea una cultura de miedo y desconfianza, es crucial que los propietarios e inquilinos comprendan sus obligaciones y derechos según la ley de California.
“Las familias de todo el país están experimentando miedo e incertidumbre como resultado de la agenda de inmigración inhumana del presidente Trump. Hoy, les recuerdo a los propietarios que es ilegal en California discriminar a los inquilinos o acosarlos o tomar represalias contra un inquilino al revelar su estatus migratorio a las autoridades”, dijo el Fiscal General Bonta. “Los inquilinos de California, sin importar su estatus migratorio, tienen derecho a una vivienda segura y a acceder a documentos de vivienda en un idioma que puedan entender. Usaré todo el poder de mi cargo para perseguir a quienes intentan aprovecharse de los inquilinos de California durante un momento ya de por sí difícil”.
La discriminación en materia de vivienda es ilegal en California. Es ilegal que los propietarios discriminen a los inquilinos por motivos de raza, origen nacional, orientación sexual, religión, identidad o expresión de género, estado de discapacidad, estado familiar, fuente de ingresos (incluida la asistencia para el alquiler, como los vales de la Sección 8), condición de veterano o ciertas otras características protegidas (Código de Gobierno § 12955).
Los proveedores de vivienda privada no pueden preguntar sobre el estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía de un inquilino o solicitante y no pueden discriminar en función del estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o idioma principal. Por ejemplo, los propietarios no pueden negarse a alquilar a un inquilino potencial, decir que un alquiler no está disponible para alquilar cuando sí lo está, cobrarle más alquiler a un inquilino, perseguir a un inquilino para desalojarlo o proporcionarle a un inquilino cláusulas de alquiler menos favorables en función de estas características (Código Civil § 1940.3(b); Código de Gobierno § 12955(d); Código Civil § 51).
Los propietarios no pueden acosar ni tomar represalias contra un inquilino al revelar su estatus migratorio a las fuerzas de seguridad (Código Civil §§ 1940.3(b), 1942.5). Los propietarios tampoco pueden amenazar con revelar el estatus migratorio de un inquilino para presionarlo a mudarse. (Código Civil § 1940.2). En la mayoría de los casos, a los propietarios no se les permite preguntar a un inquilino o potencial inquilino su estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía.
Los inquilinos tienen derecho a documentos de vivienda que puedan entender. Según la ley de California, si los inquilinos se comunican principalmente en español, chino, tagalo, vietnamita o coreano con el propietario o administrador de la propiedad al solicitar un apartamento y firmar un contrato de arrendamiento, el propietario debe proporcionar al inquilino una traducción escrita del contrato de arrendamiento en ese idioma antes de que se firme el contrato de arrendamiento, siempre y cuando el contrato de arrendamiento sea por más de un mes. (Código Civil, § 1632(b)). Los documentos posteriores que realicen cambios sustanciales en el contrato de arrendamiento, como avisos de aumentos de alquiler o de tarifas, también deben traducirse. (Código Civil, § 1632(g)(1)).
Los propietarios que infrinjan estas leyes pueden verse obligados a pagar a los inquilinos por daños y perjuicios, sanciones y honorarios de abogados. Por ejemplo, un propietario que revele el estatus migratorio de un inquilino a cualquier autoridad de inmigración se le puede ordenar a pagar al inquilino una indemnización por daños y perjuicios equivalente a entre 6 y 12 veces el alquiler mensual (Código Civil § 1940.35(b)). Los inquilinos tienen una variedad de otros derechos y protecciones según la ley de California. Algunas ciudades y condados también tienen protecciones adicionales para los inquilinos, incluidas limitaciones a los desalojos y aumentos de alquiler. Para obtener más información, visitehttps://oag.ca.gov/tenants.
Propietarios y autoridades de inmigración
Si las autoridades de inmigración (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) le exigen a un propietario que proporcione información sobre un inquilino, como la solicitud de alquiler u otros documentos del inquilino, el propietario puede solicitar que le muestren una orden judicial u otro poder. Los propietarios deben buscar asesoramiento legal de inmediato para determinar si deben cumplir con la solicitud y asegurarse de no infringir las leyes contra la discriminación y la privacidad de California. Los diferentes tipos de documentos que ICE puede presentar son los siguientes:
Una orden administrativa de ICE o un aviso para comparecer a una audiencia de inmigración no le da a ICE poderes especiales para inspeccionar los registros de un propietario. Los propietarios deben buscar asesoramiento legal sobre cómo responder. Vea un ejemplo de orden administrativa de ICE y aviso de comparecencia aquí (consulte los Anexos B-D).
Si ICE presenta una orden emitida por un tribunal federal u otra orden judicial firmada por un juez, los propietarios deben cumplir con prontitud y, cuando sea posible, buscar asesoramiento legal antes de responder. Vea un ejemplo de orden de un tribunal federal aquí (consulte los Anexos E y F).
Los propietarios a quienes se les presente una citación para presentar documentos o pruebas deben buscar asesoramiento legal sobre cómo responder. Vea ejemplos de citaciones aquí (consulte los Anexos G y H). Obtenga más información sobre las citaciones y otros documentos utilizados para aplicar las medidas de control de inmigración aquí (véanse las páginas 17 a 19).
Los propietarios no deben interferir físicamente con los oficiales de ICE cuando estos desempeñan sus funciones.
El Fiscal General Bonta se compromete a garantizar que se respeten los derechos de los inquilinos en California. El Fiscal General Bonta ha responsabilizado a los propietarios por violar las leyes de California en Bakersfield, Marysville y en todo California. El mes pasado, el Fiscal General Bonta demandó a un grupo de empresas de administración de propiedades y holdings inmobiliarios propiedad de Mike Nijjar y miembros de su familia. La familia Nijjar y sus empresas relacionadas poseen y administran más de 22,000 unidades de vivienda de alquiler en todo el estado, principalmente en vecindarios de bajos ingresos en los Condados de Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino y Kern, pero también se extienden hasta los Condados de Sacramento y San Joaquin. La demanda alega que las empresas de Nijjar violaron flagrantemente numerosas leyes de California al someter a los inquilinos a unidades inseguras, discriminar a los solicitantes con vales de vivienda de la Sección 8, cobrar de más el alquiler a algunos inquilinos, utilizar contratos de arrendamiento que engañan a los inquilinos sobre sus derechos legales y negarse a proporcionar traducciones al español de estos contratos de arrendamiento a pesar de solicitar de manera intencional inquilinos hispanohablantes.
Es posible que los inquilinos conozcan las empresas de Nijjar por los nombres de sus empresas de administración de propiedades actuales y recientes: no solo PAMA Management, sino también I E Rental Homes, Bridge Management, Equity Management, Golden Management, Hightower Management, Legacy Management, Mobile Management, Pro Management y Regency Management. Se alienta a cualquier persona, incluidos inquilinos actuales o anteriores, que tenga información que pueda ser relevante para este caso a que comparta sus historias con nuestra oficina en oag.ca.gov/report. Para obtener más información sobre sus derechos como inquilino, visite aquí.
Los californianos que enfrentan un desalojo o creen que su propietario ha violado sus derechos como inquilinos deben buscar ayuda legal de inmediato. Si no puede pagar un abogado, podría calificar para recibir asistencia legal gratuita o de bajo costo. Para encontrar una oficina de asistencia legal cerca de donde vive, visite lawhelpca.org y haga clic en la pestaña “Buscar Ayuda Legal”. Si no califica para recibir asistencia legal y necesita ayuda para encontrar un abogado, visite la página web del Colegio de Abogados de California para encontrar un servicio local de referencia de abogados certificados, o visite la página web de las Cortes de California para inquilinos que se enfrentan a desalojos.
The Defendant Operated a Large-Scale Fencing Operation in Manhattan’s Diamond District that Serviced South American Theft Groups that Committed Burglaries Nationwide
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive stolen property that had been transported in interstate commerce. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz. When sentenced, Nezhinskiy faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment as well as restitution of approximately $2,500,000, and forfeiture of more than $2,500,000.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant’s criminal conduct, purchasing items stolen from homes and businesses nationwide, provided a vital market for South American Theft Groups and other criminals to sell the proceeds of their crimes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to ensuring that those who facilitate the victimization of people and businesses are brought to justice.”
“For more than five years, Dimitriy Nezhinskiy established a demand for stolen merchandise, which allowed South American Theft Groups to profit from repeated burglaries,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “His purchases perpetuated a ripple of criminality targeting residences and business across the country. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who provides economic support to other criminal actors to continue their illicit operations in our city.”
“This defendant ran a black-market pipeline, buying stolen luxury goods from organized theft crews that targeted homes and businesses,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “It was a deliberate operation that helped professional burglars prey on innocent people. Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message: If you profit off stolen property, we will find you and dismantle your operation. I want to thank our detectives and federal partners for their work on this case.”
“Thanks to the hard work of our Detective Division, working closely with our local and federal partners, the residents of Nassau County can rest easy that we have shut down another criminal group that set out to victimize innocent people,” stated Nassau County Police Commissioner Ryder. “Let this be a message to the South American Theft Groups and anyone who chooses to work with them: our detectives will find you and bring you to justice if you prey on the good people of our County.”
According to court filings and statements the defendant made at today’s guilty plea, between approximately 2020 and 2025, the defendant conspired with his co-defendant, Juan Villar, and others, to receive and purchase stolen property, including jewelry, watches, handbags, and assorted luxury items that had been stolen outside of the state of New York and transported into New York. Nezhinskiy and Villar regularly served as “fences” for South American Theft Groups, burglary crews based out of South America, who traveled around the United States committing burglaries, typically targeting wealthier neighborhoods or jewelry vendors, and stealing luxury accessories like watches, jewelry, and handbags. Nezhinskiy and Villar’s operation, which consisted of purchasing stolen property from these crews for cash, provided an essential market for the stolen goods, perpetuating the dangerous criminal activities of the burglary and theft crews composed largely of foreign nationals.
As detailed in court filings and the guilty plea, evidence linked Nezhinskiy and Villar to thefts around the country, including at least two dozen residential or commercial burglaries across the United States between 2019 and 2025. Additionally, between October 2022 and January 2024, an undercover detective conducted seven controlled sales of purported stolen property, including high-end handbags and luxury accessories, to Nezhinskiy or Villar, or both, at their business location on 47th Street in Manhattan’s Diamond District. During these controlled sales, the undercover detective provided the defendants with items that the undercover told the defendants had been stolen, and received cash in exchange for the stolen goods.
Simultaneous with the defendant’s arrest in February 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the location in the Diamond District where Nezhinskiy and Villar operated a pawn shop and seized large quantities of suspected stolen property, including dozens of high-end watches and jewelry. Law enforcement also recovered large quantities of cash and marijuana. A search warrant was also executed at storage units belonging to Nezhinskiy in New Jersey where an additional cache of suspected stolen property was found. From inside Nezhinskiy’s storage units, law enforcement recovered large quantities of luxury goods and clothing, including high-end handbags, wine, sports memorabilia, jewelry, artwork, and power tools consistent with those commonly used in burglaries and opening safes.
On June 16, 2025, Villar pled guilty to conspiring to receive stolen property that had been transported in interstate commerce and is pending sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division and the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Katherine P. Onyshko, and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
DIMITRIY NEZHINSKIY Age: 43 North Bergen, New Jersey
BOSTON – A former Stoughton Water Department employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for tampering with the Stoughton drinking water supply.
Robert J. Bullock, Sr., 60, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to a period of time-served (approximately one day) to be followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of one year and one day in prison. In March 2025, Bullock pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a water system. Bullock was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.
Bullock is a former employee of the Water Department in Stoughton. On the evening of Nov. 29, 2022, Bullock went into one of the Water Department’s pumping stations and turned off the pump that introduces chlorine into drinking water. As a result, insufficiently disinfected water was introduced into the drinking water system.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; and Kathryn Rivera, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Stoughton and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
“Alberta’s government is deeply concerned by the federal government’s recent decision to invite 10,000 new applications to sponsor parents and grandparents of newcomers at a time when provinces are already struggling to meet the demands placed on health care, education, housing and social services due to Ottawa’s reckless immigration policies.
“Under the federal Liberal government, Canada’s immigration levels have ballooned – almost two million newcomers entered Canada last year alone – without any regard for the provinces that are tasked with delivering frontline services. This latest move will only serve to further increase the unsustainable pressures on our hospitals, schools and housing markets.
“Alberta has a long history of welcoming newcomers who contribute to our communities and economy. While we respect the importance of family reunification, inviting large numbers of parents and grandparents into the country without proper coordination with provinces places disproportionate strain on already busy health systems. This creates serious concerns for both Albertans and the newcomers themselves, who may not receive timely care if our system is overwhelmed.
“Immigration must be sustainable and aligned with provincial capacity and priorities. The federal government cannot continue to make unilateral decisions that ignore the realities on the ground.
“We are once again calling on Ottawa to respect its partnerships with provinces and territories, reduce total immigration to under 500,000 annually, and to give provinces more say in how immigration targets are set. Our systems need time to catch up before more pressure is added.”
Related information
Alberta Advantage Immigration Program | Alberta.ca
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA–The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Indiana small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents affected by the flooding occurring June 28-July 2, 2025. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Mike Braun on July 11, 2025.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Knox, Martin and Pike which are eligible for both Physical Damage Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA.
Small businesses and private nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.
“One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”
SBA’s EIDL program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations 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 for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for PNPs, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Beginning, Wednesday, July 23, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center in the county of Daviess to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.
The DLOC hours of operation are listed below:
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Daviess County
Odon Community Center
311 Park Street
Odon, Indiana 47562
Opening: Wednesday, July 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed: Sunday
Permanently Closing: July 31 at 4 p.m.
Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Sept. 16, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 20, 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 or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced a coordinated public awareness and enforcement campaign to prevent bridge strikes by commercial vehicles and large trucks across New York State. This special enforcement and education campaign, “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right,” which originated at the New York State Department of Transportation, is now being adopted by 16 states and Washington, D.C. from Tuesday, July 22 to Saturday, July 26. In 2024 there were 350 bridge strikes in New York State, usually involving commercial and large truck operators failing to recognize their vehicle’s height or warning signs and resulting in collisions with bridges and overpasses. Operators using consumer-grade GPS can also be guided onto routes with low bridges, and those driving rented box trucks — such as moving trucks — can strike bridges if their drivers are not aware of the vehicle’s height.
“Bridge strikes are 100 percent preventable, but it takes a concerted effort combining the forces of education, enforcement and public awareness to prevent them from occurring, and that’s just what our nationally-adopted ‘Check Your Height, Know it’s Right’ campaign aims to do,” Governor Hochul said. “Traffic safety is an essential element of public safety, and preventing bridge strikes fundamentally increases the safety of the traveling public. Drivers also play an important role in this so I encourage everyone to ‘Check Your Height, Know it’s Right’ before hitting the road, and if you are driving a truck, make sure that you’re utilizing commercial GPS.”
As part of this week’s campaign, State Troopers will focus active patrols in areas across the state where there have been documented bridge strikes by large commercial vehicles. These bridge strikes are most likely to occur on roadways with low railroad bridges, and on New York State Parkways in the Lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island. Commercial trucks are banned from driving on the parkways, which sometimes have bridge overpasses with a vertical clearance less than many standard commercial vehicles. Bridge strikes cause extensive damage to the vehicle and sometimes to the bridge, and can lead to secondary collisions due to unexpected traffic congestion and subsequent emergency repairs.
In November 2023, the State Department of Transportation launched a social media and video campaign titled “Check Your Height, Know it’s Right” in an effort to educate the traveling public about the importance of preventing bridge strikes. Since then, the Department has worked with the Eastern Transportation Coalition to get other states to adopt the campaign. To date, the following states have adopted the campaign that originated in New York and will be utilizing it to get the word out to the traveling public:
Alabama
Connecticut
Washington, D.C.
Delaware
Georgia
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Working with our transportation and law enforcement partners, the Department of Transportation is doing everything it possibly can to prevent bridge strikes across the state, but at the end of the day, commercial vehicle operators also have an important role to play. Before getting on the road, we want everyone to ‘Check Your Height, Know it’s Right.’ I couldn’t be prouder that a campaign that originated here in New York is being adopted all across the eastern seaboard as many other states are dealing with the same issues related to bridge strikes. Working together, we will continue to raise awareness of this important public safety issue and prevent further bridge strikes from occurring.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Preventing bridge strikes isn’t just about protecting infrastructure, it’s about protecting lives. When a large vehicle hits a bridge, the consequences can be severe, resulting in damaged roadways, traffic delays, and serious injuries. That’s why our Troopers proudly join this multi-state effort focused on enforcement and education. We’re committed to holding operators accountable and reminding everyone behind the wheel of a commercial or rental truck to “Check Your Height, Know it’s Right’ before they drive.”
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “I commend the efforts of the Department of Transportation and the Bridge Strike Task Force to tackle this preventable problem. DMV is also taking action through regulatory amendments that will assign eight points to the driving record of a driver who exceeds height limitations and strikes a bridge. No matter whether you are driving a tractor trailer or a pickup truck, you should be aware of what you may encounter on the road. If you know you will be going through an area with potentially lower height bridges, you need to check to make sure your vehicle will fit and if it will not, find an alternate route. ”
New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “The ‘Know Your Height’ campaign is a critical tool in preventing bridge strikes, not just on the New York State Thruway, but on every roadway across our state. Each bridge strike is more than an inconvenience; it poses a serious risk to drivers and the local communities we connect. We proudly stand with Governor Hochul, our partners in state government, and key stakeholders to raise awareness and take meaningful action to ensure safer roads for all New Yorkers.”
New York State Bridge Authority Executive Director Dr. Minosca Alcantara said, “The Bridge Authority is proud to stand with its colleagues across the state and along the eastern seaboard in raising awareness of this critical issue. Bridge strikes are entirely preventable. Just as commercial vehicle operators must know the weight and width of their load and plan their routes accordingly, it is equally essential that they are aware of their vehicle’s height. With a little foresight and responsible trip planning, we can protect human lives and preserve vital infrastructure.”
Trucking Association of New York Vice President of Government Affairs Zach Miller said, “The trucking industry prioritizes the safe and efficient movement of freight. Unfortunately, in New York, we too often see drivers — unfamiliar with our roads, renting larger equipment, or both — striking low-clearance bridges. Such occurrences threaten the efficiency of our already delicate and diverse freight network. We applaud the ‘Check Your Height, Know It’s Right’ campaign — regional education and awareness, and partnership with state agencies will have a meaningful impact in protecting infrastructure, educating drivers, and making our roads safer for everyone.”
Headline: Argentina accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, five remaining for entry into force
DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I warmly welcome Argentina’s formal acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. As one of the world’s leading fishing nations and exporters, Argentina’s commitment underscores this Agreement’s importance for protecting marine ecosystems and promoting responsible practices for people’s livelihoods and food security. This milestone brings us closer to the shared goal of curbing harmful fisheries subsidies worldwide: we are only five ratifications away from the Agreement entering into force.”
Ambassador Lunazzi said: “Today, with the deposit of the instrument of ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the Argentine Republic is taking an important step. This firm commitment to fairer and freer trade not only strengthens our economy, but also protects the marine resources in the South Atlantic, preserving them for future generations. We look forward to the rapid entry into force of this Agreement, which reflects the collaborative spirit of WTO members and their commitment to the founding principles of the Organization.”
Formal acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are required for the Agreement to enter into force — representing 111 members. The list of the 106 WTO members which have deposited their instruments of acceptance with the WTO is available here.
At the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva in June 2022, ministers adopted by consensus the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, setting new, binding, multilateral rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The Agreement prohibits subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, for fishing overfished stocks, and for fishing on the unregulated high seas.
Ministers also recognized the needs of developing economies and least-developed countries by establishing a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to help governments that have formally accepted the Agreement to implement the new obligations.
The Fish Fund launched a Call for Proposals on 6 June, inviting developing economies and LDCs that have ratified the Agreement to submit requests for project grants aimed at helping them implement the Agreement. The WTO Fish Fund portal can be found here.
WTO members also agreed at MC12 to continue negotiating on remaining fisheries subsidies issues. The objective is to find consensus on additional provisions to further strengthen the disciplines on fisheries subsidies.
Information for members on how to accept the Protocol of Amendment is available here.
Headline: Argentina accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, five remaining for entry into force
DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I warmly welcome Argentina’s formal acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. As one of the world’s leading fishing nations and exporters, Argentina’s commitment underscores this Agreement’s importance for protecting marine ecosystems and promoting responsible practices for people’s livelihoods and food security. This milestone brings us closer to the shared goal of curbing harmful fisheries subsidies worldwide: we are only five ratifications away from the Agreement entering into force.”
Ambassador Lunazzi said: “Today, with the deposit of the instrument of ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the Argentine Republic is taking an important step. This firm commitment to fairer and freer trade not only strengthens our economy, but also protects the marine resources in the South Atlantic, preserving them for future generations. We look forward to the rapid entry into force of this Agreement, which reflects the collaborative spirit of WTO members and their commitment to the founding principles of the Organization.”
Formal acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are required for the Agreement to enter into force — representing 111 members. The list of the 106 WTO members which have deposited their instruments of acceptance with the WTO is available here.
At the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva in June 2022, ministers adopted by consensus the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, setting new, binding, multilateral rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The Agreement prohibits subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, for fishing overfished stocks, and for fishing on the unregulated high seas.
Ministers also recognized the needs of developing economies and least-developed countries by establishing a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to help governments that have formally accepted the Agreement to implement the new obligations.
The Fish Fund launched a Call for Proposals on 6 June, inviting developing economies and LDCs that have ratified the Agreement to submit requests for project grants aimed at helping them implement the Agreement. The WTO Fish Fund portal can be found here.
WTO members also agreed at MC12 to continue negotiating on remaining fisheries subsidies issues. The objective is to find consensus on additional provisions to further strengthen the disciplines on fisheries subsidies.
Information for members on how to accept the Protocol of Amendment is available here.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), and several of his Senate Republicans colleagues, in sending a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick urging the Trump Administration to use ongoing trade negotiations to eliminate foreign price controls that leave American patients footing the cost for pharmaceutical research and development.
“We welcome President Trump’s efforts to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share toward the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. For too long, some developed nations have benefited from American-financed innovation by implementing policies that suppress prices and limit spending on new medicines in their own markets,”wrote the senators.“These actions have contributed to American patients bearing a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical innovation costs. U.S. trade negotiations offer a valuable mechanism to address these unfair practices, which not only burden Americans, but also function as non-tariff barriers to trade.”
The letter also urges the Administration to designate a senior political official within the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to lead trade discussions on pharmaceutical pricing in the near term, and to promptly nominate a qualified individual to fill the long-vacant Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator role, who would ultimately assume leadership of this effort. Created by Congress in 2015, the position was intended to “address acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that have a significant adverse impact on the value of United States innovation.”
“Appointing an experienced Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator would send a strong signal to our trading partners that the United States is committed to addressing imbalanced pharmaceutical pricing and ensuring that any commitments secured are effectively implemented and enforced over the long term,”the senators wrote.
U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also joined in signing the letter.
Read the full letter text HERE and below:
Dear Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer,
We welcome President Trump’s efforts to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share toward the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. For too long, some developed nations have benefited from American-financed innovation by implementing policies that suppress prices and limit spending on new medicines in their own markets. These actions have contributed to American patients bearing a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical innovation costs. U.S. trade negotiations offer a valuable mechanism to address these unfair practices, which not only burden Americans, but also function as non-tariff barriers to trade.
Executive Order 14297, issued on May 12, directed the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to pursue the removal of policies and practices abroad that have “the effect of forcing American patients to pay for a disproportionate amount of global pharmaceutical research and development, including by suppressing the price of pharmaceutical products below fair market value in foreign countries.” Consistent with this directive, it is important that Commerce and USTR engage with U.S. trading partners to negotiate binding commitments to remove these market-distorting price controls.
Currently, dozens of countries—including those with longstanding pricing policies affecting U.S. pharmaceutical products—have expressed interest or are currently undergoing tariff negotiations. Now is the time for Commerce and USTR to clarify top priorities, capitalize on opportunities, and resolve unfair foreign government policies in support of American workers and patients.
Given the complexity of the issues and their importance to the American public, we urge the Administration to immediately designate a senior political official at USTR to lead the effort to secure and enforce pharmaceutical pricing commitments through trade negotiations and also to promptly nominate a qualified individual to fill the vacant position of Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator. Congress created this important position in 2015 to “address acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that have a significant adverse impact on the value of United States innovation.” Once filled, we recommend this role—supported by a team within USTR—be charged with leading this effort.
Appointing an experienced Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator would send a strong signal to our trading partners that the United States is committed to addressing imbalanced pharmaceutical pricing and ensuring that any commitments secured are effectively implemented and enforced over the long term.
We look forward to working with you as you confront these longstanding and unfair price controls that leave Americans disproportionately funding global health care innovation. Eliminating these egregious practices could increase investment in medical research and development by billions of dollars and lower overall health care costs for Americans. In addition, encouraging foreign governments to appropriately value medicines developed and produced in the United States would significantly bolster U.S. exports and jobs. We appreciate your continued attention to this issue and stand ready to support efforts that promote fair and sustainable trade outcomes.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), and several of his Senate Republicans colleagues, in sending a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick urging the Trump Administration to use ongoing trade negotiations to eliminate foreign price controls that leave American patients footing the cost for pharmaceutical research and development.
“We welcome President Trump’s efforts to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share toward the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. For too long, some developed nations have benefited from American-financed innovation by implementing policies that suppress prices and limit spending on new medicines in their own markets,”wrote the senators.“These actions have contributed to American patients bearing a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical innovation costs. U.S. trade negotiations offer a valuable mechanism to address these unfair practices, which not only burden Americans, but also function as non-tariff barriers to trade.”
The letter also urges the Administration to designate a senior political official within the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to lead trade discussions on pharmaceutical pricing in the near term, and to promptly nominate a qualified individual to fill the long-vacant Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator role, who would ultimately assume leadership of this effort. Created by Congress in 2015, the position was intended to “address acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that have a significant adverse impact on the value of United States innovation.”
“Appointing an experienced Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator would send a strong signal to our trading partners that the United States is committed to addressing imbalanced pharmaceutical pricing and ensuring that any commitments secured are effectively implemented and enforced over the long term,”the senators wrote.
U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also joined in signing the letter.
Read the full letter text HERE and below:
Dear Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer,
We welcome President Trump’s efforts to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share toward the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. For too long, some developed nations have benefited from American-financed innovation by implementing policies that suppress prices and limit spending on new medicines in their own markets. These actions have contributed to American patients bearing a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical innovation costs. U.S. trade negotiations offer a valuable mechanism to address these unfair practices, which not only burden Americans, but also function as non-tariff barriers to trade.
Executive Order 14297, issued on May 12, directed the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to pursue the removal of policies and practices abroad that have “the effect of forcing American patients to pay for a disproportionate amount of global pharmaceutical research and development, including by suppressing the price of pharmaceutical products below fair market value in foreign countries.” Consistent with this directive, it is important that Commerce and USTR engage with U.S. trading partners to negotiate binding commitments to remove these market-distorting price controls.
Currently, dozens of countries—including those with longstanding pricing policies affecting U.S. pharmaceutical products—have expressed interest or are currently undergoing tariff negotiations. Now is the time for Commerce and USTR to clarify top priorities, capitalize on opportunities, and resolve unfair foreign government policies in support of American workers and patients.
Given the complexity of the issues and their importance to the American public, we urge the Administration to immediately designate a senior political official at USTR to lead the effort to secure and enforce pharmaceutical pricing commitments through trade negotiations and also to promptly nominate a qualified individual to fill the vacant position of Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator. Congress created this important position in 2015 to “address acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that have a significant adverse impact on the value of United States innovation.” Once filled, we recommend this role—supported by a team within USTR—be charged with leading this effort.
Appointing an experienced Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator would send a strong signal to our trading partners that the United States is committed to addressing imbalanced pharmaceutical pricing and ensuring that any commitments secured are effectively implemented and enforced over the long term.
We look forward to working with you as you confront these longstanding and unfair price controls that leave Americans disproportionately funding global health care innovation. Eliminating these egregious practices could increase investment in medical research and development by billions of dollars and lower overall health care costs for Americans. In addition, encouraging foreign governments to appropriately value medicines developed and produced in the United States would significantly bolster U.S. exports and jobs. We appreciate your continued attention to this issue and stand ready to support efforts that promote fair and sustainable trade outcomes.
Honourable Patty Hadju, Minister of Jobs and Families of Canada. His Excellency, Bob Rae, President of ECOSOC Her Excellency Beatrice Karago, Deputy Permanent Representative of The Republic of Kenya to UN-Habitat Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, It is a privilege to join you today for this important dialogue. I thank the President of ECOSOC and UN-Habitat for convening us at such a critical moment. Let me begin with a simple question: What did it take for us to be here today? We woke up somewhere safe. We had an address where documents could reach us, where our families knew to find us. We had a place to eat a meal, charge our phones, and prepare for this day. For almost three billion people on our planet, none of that is guaranteed. This is why today’s dialogue – at this critical moment during the High-Level Political Forum – matters so urgently. Housing is not simply about a roof over one’s head. It is a fundamental human right and the foundation upon which peace itself rests. Sustainable development and sustainable peace are inseparable. Today, in an increasingly urbanized world, almost three billion people still live in inadequate conditions, in informal settlements, overcrowded housing, or with no shelter at all. Among them are more than 120 million refugees and internally displaced persons – families torn from their homes by conflict, persecution, and violence. When homes are destroyed, when families are forced to flee, when communities are uprooted, we witness how housing becomes both a casualty and weapon of war. In Gaza, in Ukraine, in Sudan, in Yemen, in Myanmar, and beyond, we have seen this time and again. There is no safe housing in rubble, and without shelter, we lose the very basis of social cohesion and stability that makes peace possible. This crisis touches every Sustainable Development Goal we’ve committed to achieving by 2030. We often say that home is where the heart is. Our work on housing sits at the very heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, and when we secure adequate housing for all, we nurture the conditions where every other goal can flourish. We know that when people have access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing, children perform better in school. Workers are more productive. Health outcomes improve dramatically. Decent work becomes accessible. Communities become more resilient to the forces that fuel conflict and division. And while adequate housing cannot eliminate gender-based violence within the home, it reduces women and girls’ exposure to violence in public spaces. So, the reality is that the ambition of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind begins with something as fundamental as a safe place to call home. By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities, rising to nearly 70% by 2050. We have the tools and the commitment to grow cities, not slums—guided by the New Urban Agenda’ call for planned, inclusive urbanization that ensures housing, services, and dignity for all. Success or failure to deliver on our commitments will depend on our ability to act urgently and work together. At the Financing for Development Forum, Member States rightly called for bold reforms and investments to strengthen the social contract. That must include housing, not as a standalone project, but as a driver of inclusive development. The Pact for the Future reaffirmed the 2030 Agenda and gave us a mandate to make multilateralism deliver in the lives of people, in the neighbourhoods where they live. It also gave us a mandate to prevent conflict and sustain peace – and housing sits at the intersection of both. Later this year, the Second World Social Summit offers us an opportunity to reaffirm that housing is critical for social protection, decent work, access to services, and essential to building a just and cohesive society. It is also an opportunity to recognize housing as a pillar of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. As Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, I see how country teams are working every day with governments, civil society and local and regional governments to advance these goals. But we need to do more. Concretely, that means aligning political commitment and financing with the urgency and scale of the challenge. It means investing in adequate housing, not just as development infrastructure, but peace infrastructure. We also need to bring to the centre those who are too often pushed to the margins: women, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, displaced populations, and people living in homelessness. Their voices and experiences must inform the policies and solutions because they know what works, what’s missing, and they can inform the solutions we need to scale. They also know intimately the connections between displacement, insecurity, and conflict. Their involvement is the best measure of our commitment to equity, dignity, and human rights.
Ladies and gentlemen, The first place where opportunity begins or where it is denied is not an office building or a school – it’s a home. Together, let’s deliver not only shelter, but lasting solutions that offer security and a path to prosperity. Not only four walls and a roof, but the opportunity to live in dignity. Thank you.
British Columbia shoppers will have more choice, while workers and professionals will have greater freedom to move between provinces after the signing of three internal trade agreements at the Council of the Federation.
Premier David Eby signed separate agreements with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Yukon Premier Mike Pemberton. All have agreed to continue working to remove trade barriers between provinces and territories.
“At a time when we’re facing an unprecedented attack on our economy, it’s more important than ever that we work together to remove trade barriers between provinces,” Premier Eby said. “With these trade agreements, we’re making it easier to buy and sell our great Canadian products to our fellow Canadian neighbours. This is another important step towards building a stronger economy here at home — one that’s less reliant on the U.S and works better for people.”
The agreement with Ontario makes it easier for people in regulated trades and professions to work in either province. The two provinces also agreed to work on a framework for a direct-to-consumer system for alcoholic beverages, so producers will have easier access to markets, while consumers will get more choice.
The Manitoba agreement includes measures to increase the mobility of regulated workers and professionals. B.C. will also endeavour to allow alcoholic beverages from Manitoba to be sold directly to B.C. consumers. Manitoba already permits this for B.C.’s alcoholic beverages.
B.C. and Yukon agreed to collaborate on removing barriers to trade. Both will also align standards for regulated occupations and registration processes. In May, both governments signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the potential of connecting electrical grids.
The agreements were signed during a gathering of all 13 provincial and territorial premiers at the Council of the Federation meeting in Huntsville, Ont.
Topics discussed at the council’s summer meeting, which was hosted by Premier Ford, included health, public safety, energy security, labour mobility, immigration, Canada-U.S. relations, sovereignty and national security, emergency management, and energy security, as well as international and internal trade.
When signing the agreements, Premier Eby presented B.C.-themed gifts to his fellow premiers, including a signed B.C. Lions football jersey for Premier Kinew.
Quotes:
Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario –
“With President Trump’s ongoing threats to our economy, there’s never been a more important time to boost internal trade to build a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy. By signing these MOUs and working together, we’re helping Canada unlock up to $200 billion in economic potential and standing shoulder to shoulder to protect Canadian workers across the country.”
Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba –
“These agreements reflect Manitoba’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more unified Canadian economy, one where goods, services and workers can move more freely between provinces, while maintaining the highest standards for health and safety. By working with partners across the nation, we are unlocking opportunities for people and businesses and building up this country we all love so much.”
Mike Pemberton, Premier of Yukon –
“The Yukon and British Columbia already have a strong track record of working together from exploring the potential to connect our electrical grids to aligning standards across key sectors. This new internal trade agreement reinforces that collaboration and sets the stage for reducing barriers for regulated workers and professionals, so it’s easier for people to live, work, and do business across both jurisdictions.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)
ICMYI: Estes Joins Fox & Friends
U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined Fox & Friends to discuss the loss of his intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, crime in Washington D.C., and more. See below for highlights and watch the interview on YouTube and Rumble.
On Eric’s legacy and the impact he left on Congressman Estes’ office:
“It’s really a sad story, because you have such a great person, like Eric, who was such a nice young man. Everybody that he greeted, he was friendly, and whether they came in the office or [he] talked to them on the telephone.
“As a parent, you really want your children to have opportunities like this, to come here in our nation’s capital, and you want to have a safe environment. You want to make sure that our government is actually helping promote and make sure that we have safe cities in the United States.
“He’d been with us only a month, but he really fit into the office. It worked out really well with him being around and becoming part of our team as we focused on helping provide services for the constituents in the fourth district of Kansas.
“He was a friendly face and voice when people that he met came in and talked to him. He was actually so enthusiastic to be here in Washington and being able to participate in actually helping make our government run.
“It’s just sad that when you have people that are actually going out and doing bad things that our law enforcement and our prosecutors won’t prosecute them for the crimes that they commit against great people like Eric.”
MOFA response to French government’s National Strategic Review 2025 conveying concern over Taiwan and cross-strait security
Date：2025-07-15 Data Source：Department of European Affairs
July 15, 2025On July 14, the French government released its National Strategic Review 2025, which mentioned the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan six times. The report noted that China has continued to strengthen its military capabilities, increase the intensity of military exercises around Taiwan, exert pressure on Taiwan through military force and other means, and fuel tensions and instability in the region. The 2022 version of the policy document also stated that China’s military expansion had threatened the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. However, this year’s report devoted more attention to China’s threats against Taiwan. It also expressed France’s concerns regarding Taiwan and cross-strait security. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung warmly welcomes and deeply appreciates the strategic review. Through the report, France has once again expressed concern over cross-strait security and reiterated the importance of Taiwan. The review follows from the joint declaration issued after President Emmanuel Macron of France met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom in London on July 10 for the 37th UK-France summit. In the declaration, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that Taiwan, as an indispensable member of the Indo-Pacific region, will continue to work with France and other democratic partners to defend freedom and democracy and staunchly uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific.
Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI – July 22, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Vice Chair Ted Lieu and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene held a press conference on Trump and Republicans’ One Big Ugly Law raising health care costs while sinking Republican chances of holding on to the House.
CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Good morning. Grateful to be joined today by DCCC Chair, Suzan DelBene and the Vice Chair, Ted Lieu. At the DCCC today, we had a productive Caucus meeting across the street. Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. We’re six months into this Trump Administration, and prices are rising because of reckless tariffs, inflation is still too high and now health care costs are going to skyrocket. For the 24 million Americans who rely on the Affordable Care Act, health insurance will go up by as much as 75 percent. And these price hikes don’t even include the tax credits that Republicans are going to let expire, so even more Americans are going to see higher costs and could lose their health care coverage. Democrats have been warning about the dangers of the Republican cuts to Medicaid leading to higher prices for everyone. The American people were told that Donald Trump and Republicans were going to turn the economy around and prioritize families. But that couldn’t be further from the truth: they’ve spent the last six months putting more money in billionaires’ pockets and cutting health care. But they did make private jets tax deductible, so there’s that. They’re even shielding Jeffrey Epstein and his associates—including the President of the United States—from accountability, despite promising for years to release the files that implicate those involved. At a time when family budgets are stretched thin, Republicans are only prioritizing the needs of billionaires. It’s not just bad policy that will make the economy worse, it’s a slap in the face to working people who voted to bring down costs. Now, I’ll introduce Vice Chair Ted Lieu.
VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. This morning, I went on this interesting website called HouseRepublicanPriceHike.com. And if you go on that website, you can see the increases in grocery prices starting from the beginning of this year. Beef prices, for example, are at an all-time high. Donald Trump promised that he was going to lower inflation on day one. He lied. Inflation has continuously increased. The most recent report has inflation increasing above expectations to 2.7 percent. Core CPI increased even more to 2.9 percent. And what are Congressional Republicans doing? Nothing. In fact, it’s even worse than that. They are actually ending this week early because they’re afraid to cast votes on the Jeffrey Epstein issue.
The Rules Committee is not meeting because they’re afraid to cast votes to release the Epstein files. So you’ve got this Epstein issue affecting Congressional operations and making sure that the Congressional Republicans don’t work on trying to lower costs. So this is an epic cover-up, right? This is a cover-up of epic proportions, where you’ve got the majority party literally having us leave Congress early, and not having the Rules Committee meet, because they don’t want to deal with releasing the Epstein files. We should release the Epstein files. It is what Donald Trump campaigned on. It’s what Attorney General Pam Bondi talked about this February when she said that Epstein’s client list was, ‘sitting on my desk right now.’ Why don’t we have that client list? And these are the questions the American people keep asking, and the story is not going to go away. Because at its core, this is an issue about underage women who were sexually abused and assaulted. Attorney General Pam Bondi should not be protecting Jeffrey Epstein’s legacy, nor his clients, nor should Congressional Republicans be doing the same. With that, it is my honor to introduce our amazing field general for the DCCC, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene. She’s done a fantastic job, and she’s going to discuss what we talked about this morning.
DCCC CHAIR DELBENE: Thanks Vice Chair Lieu and Chairman Aguilar. Good morning, everyone. This morning, in Caucus, we presented how we’re holding House Republicans accountable for their disastrous agenda and our path to retake the majority. We hear over and over and over again from people back home that the top issue for them is affordability and lowering costs—lowering costs for everyday goods. By all accounts, Republicans have failed miserably in the time that they’ve had the trifecta. Prices are still rising, whether it’s housing, health insurance premiums or everyday things like food and groceries. Republicans broke their promise to lower costs. Their Big Ugly Law is just another broken promise. It rips coverage away from millions of people and will raise health care bills for everyone, regardless of what kind of insurance that they have, and it takes food off the table from hungry families and children. It guts funding for rural hospitals and increases ER wait times. Energy bills will go up for families across the country. Republicans did all of this to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest few. Their agenda is cruel, it’s extreme and an absolute disaster, and the American people agree.
In poll after poll, we see that the Republicans’ bill is massively unpopular. The more people learn about it, the more they oppose it. The one lie Republicans keep telling themselves is that voters won’t punish them in the midterms because the American people won’t feel the pain of the cuts until after the election. Aside from the fact that this is exactly the kind of insincere political gamesmanship the public hates, it’s also not true. In a matter of months, millions of people will see their health insurance costs go up by an average of 75 percent—rural hospitals are already announcing they’ll close down and cut services. So no matter how many legislative games that Republicans try to play, there’s no hiding from the facts—the Big Ugly Law will have devastating consequences that will absolutely be felt by working families.
Republicans are poised to lose the majority next year, and they know it. You can tell by the way they’re behaving. They avoid in-person town halls because they’re afraid to face the public when they have to talk about their Big Ugly Bill. House Republicans are headed for the exits. We already have three vulnerable Republicans decide to retire or not run for re-election because they know they’re not going to take the majority. And we know there are more with one foot out the door, who may soon announce that they won’t seek re-election. So in these last six months, Republicans have broken promise after promise, feeding into a larger narrative that reminds everyone that they don’t work for the American people—they work for the elite, the powerful and the billionaires. It’s a theme we hear on the ground day after day, and if House Republicans would take the time to listen to their constituents back home, instead of only working and waiting for Donald Trump to tell them what to do, they would know. But instead, they blindly follow his orders that are hurting our economy and hitting the American families in their pocketbooks, and that’s why they’ll lose the majority.
House Democrats will hold every single vulnerable Republican accountable for their betrayal against their communities when they supported the Big Ugly Bill. We have the better message, we have stronger candidates and public sentiment is on our side. And next year, we’ll have the gavels. Thank you and I’ll turn it back to the Chairman.
Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.
Amnesty says meeting with President Trump is a ‘major test’ of the Scottish Government’s commitment to global justice and equality
Call to protect protest rights amid concerns over heavy-handed policing of Pro-Palestinian demonstrations
‘In a moment of global crisis for these values, the question is whether the First Minister will rise to the occasion or remain silent in the face of authoritarian practices’ – Liz Thomson
In a critical moment for global human rights, Amnesty International has called on First Minister John Swinney to stand firm against authoritarian practices and defend the principles of universal human rights and international justice during his meeting with President Donald Trump.
Amnesty has warned that the meeting will be a serious test of the Scottish Government’s stated commitment to human rights – both at home and internationally.
In a letter sent to the First Minister, Amnesty wrote:
‘This meeting will be a major test of the Scottish Government’s commitment to global justice, one which [you must] meet with a resolve to defend universal human rights and to stand against the authoritarian practices of the Trump Administration.’
Amnesty noted that the Trump Administration’s sweeping attacks on civic space, refugee and migrant rights, the rule of law, women’s rights, racial justice, and LGBTI protections have fuelled human rights crises and emboldened anti-rights leaders and movements and said the First Minister must be prepared to challenge those practices when the two meet. The letter continued with:
‘You have said in recent days that it is in Scotland’s interest for you meet with the President. It is in Scotland’s interest that political leaders reject the President’s anti-rights agenda and stand firm against authoritarian practices.’
Amnesty also called on the Scottish Government to ensure Police Scotland and other forces involved in policing the President’s visit uphold the right to peaceful protest– amid growing concern over recent reports of heavy-handed responses to pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Liz Thomson, Amnesty International’s Scotland Programme Director said:
“President Trump’s administration has fully embraced authoritarian tactics while furthering an anti-rights agenda – no UK leader should be rolling out the red carpet to welcome him.
“If the Scottish Government wants to be seen as a principled global actor, warm words on human rights must translate into action – especially in high-stakes moments like this.
“The First Minister’s priority during his visit should be to directly challenge the serious human rights violations the Trump administration is responsible for, and to ensure that those who wish o peacefully protest are fully able to without fear of heavy-handed policing.
“This meeting will be a major test of the First Minister’s commitment to human rights and international justice. In a moment of global crisis for these values, the question is whether he will rise to the occasion or remain silent in the face of authoritarian practices.”
We write to urge you to prioritize human rights in the forthcoming European Union (EU)-China Summit to be held in China on July 24-25. At the recent G7 meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke of a “new China shock,” and urged that G7 members respond with greater cooperation, resilience and alternative approaches. We believe similar ambition should apply to the approach of the EU and its member states regarding the deepening human rights crisis in China, and that new initiatives be publicly articulated at the forthcoming Summit to build on and go beyond existing commitments set out in the March 2019 EU-China Strategic Outlook.
We appreciate the EU’s longtime support to independent civil society and human rights defenders across China, and welcome public remarks, such as strong statements at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, identifying particular cases of concern. We thank the EU for condemning the arbitrary detention of human rights legal activists Xu Yan and Yu Wensheng, who were detained en route to meeting with EU officials. In September 2022, then-High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell helpfully echoed the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) concern that Chinese government policies in the Uyghur region “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.” We acknowledge the recent – the fortieth – round of the EU-China human rights dialogue.
Yet these EU and member states’ initiatives have not deterred Chinese authorities’ wholesale assault on human rights since President Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012. He and other officials are confident in their impunity for widespread arbitrary detention, forced assimilation, forcedlabour and torture in China; and transnational repression, including in Europe. Chinese authorities not only refuse to comply with the vast majority of their international human rights obligations, they also seek to rewrite global human rights norms and weaken key international institutions.
We urge the EU and its member states to confront this human rights crisis—which increasingly affects not only people across China but also people worldwide—with the same determination to identify and commit to alternative approaches as it is now setting out on security and trade issues.
In that spirit, our organizations urge you to use the Summit to ensure justice for victims and survivors of Beijing’s violations and abuses by publicly:
Condemning the Chinese government’s crimes against humanity, and the impunity that sustains them, echoing the findings and recommendations of UN bodies, including the August 2022 OHCHR report on Xinjiang, the 2023 reviews of China by the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the 2024 Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and UN Special Procedures. The EU should reiterate that crimes against humanity are subject to universal jurisdiction, and that those responsible can and should be held criminally responsible and face justice, including in EU member states. The 18 June 2025 announcement by Argentina’s highest criminal court to hear a case brought by Uyghurs alleging Chinese authorities have committed genocide and crimes against humanity should lend confidence and momentum to similar initiatives across EU member states, and to a push for accountability through UN mechanisms. Doing so is consistent with High Representative Kaja Kallas’ March 2025 remarks broadly supporting international law and the need for perpetrators to be “brought to justice.”
Calling for the immediate and unconditional releases of human rights defenders who have been detained for their work, naming individuals explicitly, including EU citizen Gui Minhai, Sakharov Prize laureate Ilham Tohti and others identified in the most recent EU statement at the UN Human Rights Council: Gulshan Abbas, Anya Sengdra, Ekpar Asat, Chadrel Rinpoche, Rahile Dawut, Ding Jiaxi, Ding Yuande, Dong Yuyu, Drugdra, Gao Zhen, Gao Zhisheng, Go Sherab Gyatso, Golog Palden, He Fangmei, Huang Qi, Huang Xueqin, Hushtar Isa, Yalkun Isa, Ji Xiaolong, Li Yanhe, Lobsang Gephel, Lobsang, Khedrub, Lu Siwei, Peng Lifa, Qin Yongmin, Ruan Xiaohuan, Semkyi Dolma, Tashi Dorje, Tashpolat Tiyip, Wang Bingzhang, Pastor Wang Yi, Kamile Wayit, Xie Yang, Xu Na, Xu Zhiyong, Yang Hengjun, Yang Maodong, Yu Wensheng, Pastor Zhang Chunlei and Zhang Zhan.
Emphasizing the commitments made at the G7 to ending transnational repression (TNR), including abuses undertaken by the Chinese government, both across EU member states and elsewhere. Those commitments can be demonstrated through investigations and prosecutions, while also supporting and protecting individuals and communities who may be or have already been targeted by TNR. These human rights abuses include intimidation, surveillance, threats or acts of physical violence, threats against family members and digital repression, in particular sexual harassment or degrading language targeting women.
Reiterating that the EU and its member states are ready to use all tools at their disposal to hold Chinese government officials accountable for human rights violations, including the right to freedom of religion or belief, such as in the context of the selection of the next Dalai Lama.
Stressing that the EU expects the Chinese government to comply with its freely-undertaken human rights obligations under international law, and calling for the urgent repeal of laws and criminal provisions incompatible with those obligations, including but not limited to the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Hong Kong Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” “subversion” and “inciting subversion of state power,” and the criminal procedure of “residential surveillance at a designated location,” in line with recommendations by UN human rights bodies.
After 50 years of EU-China relations, the EU should take stock of deepening Chinese government repression inside and outside the country, and express solidarity with people across China who seek to exercise, uphold and defend human rights. The EU’s recent decision to cancel an economic and trade dialogue with the Chinese government over serious differences suggests a willingness to pressure Beijing in new and different ways. Grave and worsening human rights violations by Chinese authorities should motivate new strategies. Without those, people across China—and in Europe—are increasingly at risk.
Amnesty International
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Chinese Human Rights Defenders
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation Front Line Defenders
Hong Kong Watch Human Rights in China Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Without Frontiers International Campaign for Tibet
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) International Service for Human Rights
The Rights Practice
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
Dinushka Disanayake attends the anniversary commemorations of the the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia
A week ago, I stood in silence by a graveside and watched as seven coffins were lowered into the soil. But this was no normal funeral. Those being laid to rest had been killed three decades earlier alongside more than 8,300 men and boys, over a period of several days in July 1995. This was Srebrenica and I was there with thousands of others, beneath a hot sun, looking out across a lush valley filled with white marble headstones that fanned out as far as the eye could see.
The seven people being buried were only being laid to rest now because – like many of those brutally executed in the campaign of genocide against Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica – their bodies had been moved multiple times, using heavy machinery, sometimes across hundreds of kilometres and across multiple mass burial sites. All of this a concerted effort to erase the evidence of these massacres and impede future investigations into these crimes. As a result, the remains of nearly a thousand people presumed killed during those days are still missing.
Before coming to the graveside, the mourners and dignitaries had gathered in one of the cavernous halls of a former battery factory. In 1995, it had been the temporary headquarters of a lightly armed Dutch contingent of a UN peacekeeping force assigned to safeguard more than 20,000 civilians seeking refuge from the approaching Army of Republika Srpska. In this same hall, children, women and men had sheltered hoping for protection. But the international community failed to meet its most basic obligations under international humanitarian law, and they were fatally let down.
The so-called UN safe area was overrun. Men and teenage boys were separated from their families and executed. Women and children were forcibly transferred from Srebrenica, and many women and girls were raped and killed.
One of the Mothers of Srebrenica, spoke of the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and reminded the audience that silence is never neutral
In this same hall, besuited representatives of governments from around the world now gathered. As promises of “never again” fell from the mouths of these state officials whose governments persist in transferring arms to Israel which has not relented in its genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, I felt the hypocrisy hang heavy from the rafters.
In her speech, Munira Subašić, one of the Mothers of Srebrenica, spoke of the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and reminded the audience that grief knows no boundaries and that silence is never neutral.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, and neighbouring Serbia, denial and historical revisionism persist despite the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia finding that the crimes committed in Srebrenica were part of a well-planned and coordinated operation and amounted to a genocide. The masterminds behind the operation, Bosnian Serb leaders Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić, were found guilty of genocide by the same tribunal. Yet justice, truth and reparations remain elusive for many survivors and victims’ families. Far too many perpetrators of this and other crimes have never brought to justice.
Whilst in Srebrenica, I was reminded of other mass graves in Chemmani, near Jaffna, Sri Lanka – and how, earlier this year, routine building excavations had unearthed 19 human skeletons. Yet another mass grave resulting from the bloody assault on Tamil populations in the north of Sri Lanka likely during the civil war. Some of the skeletons were of babies. Another belonged to a child buried under the clay with their UNICEF-issued bag, a toy, a bangle, and a slipper. It was a haunting reminder that no one – no matter how young – was spared from violence and mass killings in a state that has avoided accountability for these crimes since 2009, despite multiple UN resolutions calling for it. Tamil mothers of the disappeared continue to demand justice, truth and accountability as hope fades and time passes.
In Potočari, the commemoration ceremony prompted tears of pain and rage, and a quiet grief. The wounds as fresh as they were 30 years ago.
If world leaders really mean ‘never again’, they must bring a swift end to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
For the Mothers of Srebrenica, justice does not lie in the empty words of world leaders that converge in Potočari once a year to shake hands and take photos in front of a sea of graves. “Never again” means stopping genocide before it happens. Justice means knowing where their loved ones are buried, finding out the truth about what happened to them, and seeing the perpetrators held to account in a recognized court of law. It is about reparations, healing and seeing a world in which crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide are prevented and ended.
If world leaders really mean “never again”, they must bring a swift end to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. They must ensure the perpetrators of international crimes, wherever they occur, are held to account, and they must demonstrate genuine commitment towards justice and human rights for all. The white marble headstones in Potočari should remain on their conscience.
Dinushka Disanayake is Amnesty’s Deputy Director for Europe and attended the anniversary ceremony in Srebrenica.
Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community.
This position is located in the UNDRR Office in Bonn, Germany. The Programme Officer will report to the Head of the UNDRR Bonn Office under the overall guidance of the Chief, Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity-Development Branch.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: –
Develops, implements and evaluates assigned systems programmes/projects of significant importance for the Department; monitors and analyses programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions. In particular, oversees and supports the management and updating of the online monitoring system to track progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Tracks and monitors project progress against plan, requirements, quality measures, standard processes; liaises with users on all aspects and during all phases.
Provides expert advice on complex systems analysis and design; identifies the need for new systems (or modifications to existing systems) or responds to requests from users; develops plans for feasibility assessment, requirements specification, design, development and implementation, including project plans, schedules, time and cost estimates, metrics and performance measures. –
Provides expert advice and coordinates the roll-out of the Disaster Tracking System in all Member States, liaising with the concerned regional offices. Keeps abreast of developments in the field and determines the need for testing and evaluating new products and technologies. –
Leads and coordinates the official reporting on Sendai Framework and SDGs, among others, and organizes and prepares written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, technical reports, including advance analytics using AI-based tools.
Develops, implements and monitors application of standards and guidelines. Oversees the preparation of technical and user documentation for systems; prepares training materials and detailed technical presentations including technical guidelines to support the reporting against the indicators to assess progress towards the targets of Sendai Framework, as recommended by the open-ended intergovernmental expert working group on indicators and terminology. Works in close collaboration with the UNDRR Global Education and Training Institute (GETI) in Incheon and contributes to the development of training modules on Sendai Framework Monitoring Process. Collaborates and coordinates closely with UNDRR Regional Offices in support of strengthening the capacity of Member States to use the online Sendai Framework Monitoring system and their ability to report against the indicators. –
Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc. –
Participates in planning and preparation of the budget, work program and spending plan of the Section and of the Branch. Contributes to activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.). Develops cost proposals for contractual services, oversees the technical evaluation of proposals received and manages the contract service. Provides professional leadership and work direction to assigned project team, and/or mentor and supervises the work of new/junior officers, contract staff, etc. – Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or other specialized field. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Education
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in social sciences, management, economics, statistics or a related field is required. A first-level degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
Work experience
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in project planning, implementation and monitoring or a related area is required.
Experience in disaster risk assessment and monitoring, and disaster risk reduction is required.
Experience in data management and statistics is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special notice
The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. In line with the overall United Nations policy, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction encourages a positive workplace culture which embraces inclusivity and leverages diversity within its workforce. Measures are applied to enable all staff members to contribute equally and fully to the work and development of the organization, including flexible working arrangements, family-friendly policies and standards of conduct. Individual contractors and consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher, temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
The following is a guest post by foreign law intern, Yuri Rattanaboonsen. Yuri works with Foreign Law Specialist, Sayuri Umeda, in the Global Legal Research Directorate in the Law Library of Congress.
In Thailand, surnames are generally unique to family lines, and more often than not, we rarely meet a stranger who has the same surname if he or she is not a distant relative.
Before the enactment of the Thai Nationality Act in 1913, which is also known as the Surname Act, surnames were uncommon for the general public. This law required all Thai citizens and permanent residents to register a family surname for the first time. As a result, many families had to create a new surname. One important feature of the law was that each family’s surname had to be unique. (Thai Nationality Act sec.12(5).) If a name was already registered, the family would have to register a different one.
Currently, the Person’s Name Act B.E. 2505 (1962), as amended by the Person’s Name Act (No. 3), B.E. 2548 (2005), governs the rules for personal names in Thailand. It still states “[t]he surname shall not repeat … a registered surname.” (sec. 8(3).)
Thai Surnames
Originally, Thai surnames often reflected a person’s ancestry, place of origin, or occupation, and usually consisted of two to three syllables. They can relate to information about religion, social class, or even links to royalty or heritage.
Thai immigrant families’ surnames are often long. For example, because many Chinese families’ surnames were the same and were already in use, many immigrant families had to modify or expand them to register unique surnames under the 1913 law. Some families chose Thai words that sounded similar to their original Chinese surname. Others created longer surnames by adding extra syllables or translating the original name’s meaning into Thai. As a result, many names and surnames today are long and complex.
The Person’s Name Act limits the length of a surname. It states “[t]he surname shall … not be comprised of more than 10 alphabetical letters….” (Id. sec. 8(5).) This only applies to the Thai alphabet. Therefore, a romanized Thai surname often has more than 10 Roman characters.
It is rare, but some overlap of Thai surnames exists because technology was not advanced enough to detect all registered surnames nationwide at the time the registry was created. The Department of Provincial Administration’s system, which can check the population registration going back to 1984, came online to link data nationwide in 1993. It was then discovered that many people are not relatives but have the same last names.
Name Change
When a surname is changed to a new one, it often becomes quite long. In Thailand, people can change their names for any reason. (Id. sec. 17) Many individuals choose to change their names for personal, cultural, or spiritual reasons.
Some people change names based on astrological beliefs, selecting letters that are thought to be compatible with the individual’s birthday. In these naming calculations, each letter and vowel has a specific meaning. People try to make the total value of their name and surname lucky or strong. To do this, they often need to use more letters, which results in longer names and surnames. However, many people who do not hold these beliefs still have short surnames.
Permission to Use Another Person’s Surname
A Thai person who is not a spouse or relative of another person and who has a different surname can have the person’s surname upon permission of the person who registered the surname. The act states that the permission “can be made by filing an application to the local Registrar in the area where he or she has his or her name on the household registry …The permission … shall be valid only upon the local Registrar’s issuance of a letter showing the permission to use such surname to” a particular person. (Id. sec. 11.)
Romanization of surnames
The same Thai names might be spelled differently in Roman characters on passports or national identity cards due to the different practices in different registrars’ offices. In addition, the registrar’s consideration and opinion affected the registration process. (Id. sec. 18.)
In July 2023, Bangkok Metropolitan sent a letter to the Department of Provincial Administration to discuss the practice of using Roman characters for first and last names on national identity cards. The Department of Provincial Administration responded by stating that a person’s name must be romanized through transliteration based on phonetic principles, as written in the Prime Minister’s Office Announcement of English transliteration criteria on August 26, 1989, and the Royal Institute criteria for transliteration of Thai into Roman letters by phonetic means on January 11, 1999. The Department of Provincial Administration also forwarded this response to all provincial governors to study and practice in the same way. No other specific regulation was made apart from what the Person’s Name Act B.E. 2505 (1962) provides.
Nickname of Thai People
Although it is not officially registered or recognized under Thai law, nicknames are widely used in everyday life. Most Thai individuals receive a nickname at birth. Thai people do not usually change their nicknames; some do, but fewer compared to changes in their first names and surnames. Thais’ nicknames have changed over time. In the past, most nicknames were in Thai, which were short and simple. usually named after animals, fruits, colors, and nature, such as Khao (Rice), Kai (Chicken), Fah (Sky/Blue), and Ploy (Gemstone). Nowadays, the number of syllables increases, and the use of foreign languages in nicknames has increased. Nicknames can be random English words, such as Donut, Golf, or New Year, brand names, such as Porsche, Benz, or Pepsi, or even be an alphabet letter, such as A, B, S, or X.
A person may go by their nickname socially and professionally for their entire life, but only their official given name will appear in legal contracts, government records, and academic certifications. In daily life, individuals are more commonly known by their nickname than their full legal name.
Further Reading
If you would like to know how other countries regulate names, do not forget to check out our other blog posts on that topic, among them, Jenny’s post on naming laws in Germany, Kelly’s post on banning baby names in New Zealand, Laney’s on how many times you can change a name in Taiwan, or Elin’s post on Icelandic name laws.
Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.
Headline: Windows 11 is the home for AI on the PC, with more experiences available today
AI is changing the way we use our PCs. According to a new consumer AI report commissioned by Microsoft, nearly 60% of people report using generative AI for work and business purposes in the past year. Even more (64%) report using AI for hobbies and personal interests like art, music and DIY projects.
As the world adapts to this new era of AI infused with daily life, Windows is here to meet you where you are, with intuitive experiences built in to make what you already do on your PC even easier.
Windows 11 is the home for AI, offering the most expansive and capable AI experiences for consumers today on Copilot+ PCs—with exclusive AI superpowers like Recall (preview), Click to Do (preview) and improved Windows search, as well as groundbreaking new ways to interact with your PC, like Copilot Vision on Windows, all available now.
Today, we continue to make new experiences generally available for Windows 11 and Copilot+ PC users that make Windows more intuitive, more accessible and ultimately more useful.
Read on to discover what’s available and how to get started using these experiences today.
Changing Windows Settings has never been easier, with Windows’ first agent
It’s never been easier to adjust your settings in Windows. Now on Copilot+ PCs, you can use your own words in the settings search box to describe something you’d like to change, and instantly get recommendations, including actions to adjust the relevant setting with one click.
This is made possible through the new agent in Settings, Windows’ first agent optimized for Copilot+ PCs.
Hundreds of settings across displays, connectivity, accessibility and much more are now customizable through the agent in Settings, with the ability to enable or undo any setting you change.
To use the agent in Settings:
Open Settings from the Taskbar or Start Menu
Type in the Settings search box what you want to change using your own words, such as “I want to enable quiet hours” or “connect Bluetooth device.” For some settings, you can even make specific requests, such “change my resolution to 1920×1080.”
If the agent can make the change, it will offer an option to complete the action to change the setting, as well as an option to undo any setting you change.
When settings are unable to be adjusted by the agent, improved Windows search will surface relevant settings to help you get closer to what you’re looking for, faster.
The agent in Settings begins to become available starting today for Windows customers using English on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with availability on Intel and AMD devices coming at a later datei.
Learn more about how you can use Settings agent and other Windows features like Copilot Vision on Windows to troubleshoot your PC.
Do even more with Click to Do (preview)
Click to Do keeps you in the flow to get things done faster, providing contextual actions to text and images on your screen.
After invoking Click to Do, relevant text or visual actions will appear that include the ability to prompt Copilot, search the web, create bulleted lists, start a draft of a document or email, or even schedule a Teams meeting—all without leaving your current window.
New actions available starting today includeii:
Practice in Reading Coachiii is a new Click to Do text action that helps you improve reading fluency and pronunciation. Select text on your screen, choose Practice in Reading Coach, and read the text aloud. Reading Coach gives you feedback and shows where to improve.
Read with Immersive Reader is a new text action in Click to Do that displays text in a focused, distraction-free environment. It helps improve reading and writing for all skill levels and abilities. You can adjust text size, spacing, font and background theme, have text read aloud, break words into syllables and highlight parts of speech. The picture dictionary shows images for unfamiliar words.
Draft with Copilot in Wordiv is a new text action enabling you to quickly turn any recognized text into a full draft. Whether it’s a sentence in an email or a snippet on your screen, press Win + Click on the recognized text, then select Draft with Copilot in Word. No more blank pages. No more writer’s block. Just momentum.
Click to Do now supports actions through Microsoft Teams. When you select an email address recognized by Click to Do on your screen, you can choose to send a Teams message or schedule a Teams meeting. These options make it easy to ask a question or set up time to talk without interrupting your workflow.
To get started with Click to Do:
Press the Windows key + mouse click, Windows key + Q, or access through the Start menu and Snipping Tool.
Click to Do also supports hardware-specific options like double clicking your pen on your pen-capable device or swiping from the right with your pen or finger on your touch screen.
Learn more about all the ways you can use Click to Do to get more done on your Copilot+ PC.
Photos relight brings professional lighting controls to your pictures
Relight in the Photos app brings professional lighting controls to your snapshots. Open any image in Photos, select Edit > Relight, and then click to place up to three virtual light sources around your subject.
Adjust each light’s intensity, color and position with simple sliders, or choose from built-in presets like “Studio Portrait” and “Cinematic Glow.”
To use relight in Photos:
Open the Photos app and select the image you want to relight.
Select Edit, then select Relight from the available options.
Choose one of the lighting presets, and optionally customize each light’s location, brightness, softness or color, and the overall intensity of the effect.
Learn more about tips to get the most out of your photos.
This feature is available now on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Series processors, with support for Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel and AMD coming soon.
Paint adds even more creative capabilities with sticker generator and object select
In May, we introduced multiple enhancements to elevate your creative experience, now available on Copilot+ PCs.
Sticker generatorv is a new AI-powered feature in Paint that lets you create custom stickers by simply typing a prompt. To get started, click on the Sticker generator button in the Copilot menu. From there, you can type in a description of the sticker you want to create, like “a cat wearing sunglasses,” and hit the Generate button.
Paint will then generate a set of unique stickers based on your prompt. Once the stickers are generated, you can click on any one of them to instantly apply it to your canvas, copy the sticker for use in other applications, or save it for later. To access your recently generated stickers, click on the new Stickers option in the Paint toolbar.
We’re also releasing object select, a smart selection tool that uses AI to help you isolate and edit individual elements in your image. To get started, click on the Object select tool in the toolbar and simply pinpoint specific elements on the canvas to select and make edits instantly.
To use the new updates in Paint:
Open the Paint app.
Explore the new welcome experience to learn more about features like Cocreator, generative erase, sticker generator, object select and Layers.
Try out the new sticker generator and object select features.
Be more productive with Snipping Tool perfect screenshot and color picker
Snipping Tool’s screen capture and perfect screenshot capturing a specific area of the screen.
We’ve also added two new features to Snipping Tool—perfect screenshot and color picker.
Perfect screenshot is a new AI-powered feature exclusive to Copilot+ PCs that allows you to precisely capture content on your screen with the Snipping Tool app without the need to crop or resize it post-capture.
To try Snipping Tool perfect screenshot:
Invoke the Snipping Tool capture toolbar from within the app or by using the Print Screen keyboard shortcut.
Select the Perfect screenshot button from the toolbar when in rectangle mode and start selecting a region of your screen.
Once activated, perfect screenshot will intelligently resize based on the content in your selection. You can also quickly enable perfect screenshot by holding the Ctrl keyboard shortcut after invoking Snipping Tool while selecting a region of your screen.
Move or edit the area before confirming your capture, ensuring you get the perfect screenshot every time!
For all Windows 11 PCs, we have also added the ability to easily identify and capture colors seen on your screen through the introduction of color picker. Color picker is great for anyone who might need to quickly match a color you see on your screen as part of a project—whether that be designers, developers or everyday color aficionados.
Snipping Tool’s color picker tool selecting a color on the screen to inspect.
To try color picker in Snipping Tool:
Invoke the Snipping Tool capture toolbar from within the app or by using the Print Screen keyboard shortcut.
Select Color picker from the toolbar and then inspect or select a color code on your screen, choosing from HEX, RGB or HSL values. Need to be more precise? You can zoom by scrolling in on your pointer or using by using the Ctrl +/- keyboard shortcuts.
Do more with Microsoft Copilot and Edge on Windows 11
Copilot Vision on Windows, now available in the U.S., is a new way to engage with your Windows 11 PC. When you enable it, it can see what you see on your device and talk to you about it in real time.
It acts as your second set of eyes, able to analyze content, help when you’re lost, provide insights and answer your questions as you go. Whether you’re browsing, working or deep in a project, Copilot Vision offers instant insights and answers.
And with Highlights, you can go a step further and ask Copilot “show me how” for a specific task and it will show you within the app you’re in where to click and what to do. On Windows, Copilot can help you navigate multiple apps at once, including your full desktop, serving as a true companion to help you accomplish any task.
To get started with Copilot Vision on Windows:
Open the Copilot app and click the glasses icon in your composer.
Select which browser window or app you want to share.
Ask Copilot to help with whatever you’re working on. To stop sharing, press ‘Stop’ or ‘X’ in the composer. It’s a fully opt-in experience that always puts you at the controls.
Microsoft Edge is also the only browser built for Windows, offering the most seamless PC browsing experience with AI-powered tools, productivity features, and built-in performance and security features that help you browse quickly and safely.
With features like Edge Game Assist, now available on Windows 11vi, you can get tips and guides for many of the top PC games, easy access to essential sites like Discord, Spotify, and Twitch, and more — all right in your game.
To use Edge Game Assist, simply press Win+G to open Game Bar and start using Microsoft Edge for a seamless and immersive gaming experience.
Learn more about how you can get the most out of Edge on Windows.
Making the unexpected easier with faster recovery
Unexpected restarts are frustrating, that’s why starting today, people will begin to experience several improvements that make this experience quicker and more user friendly so you can pick up right where you left off.
With quick machine recovery, a new recovery mechanism for Windows 11 PCs, your PC will automatically detect and fix widespread issues during an unexpected restart using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
We’ve also streamlined the unexpected restart experience, reducing the time users spend on the screen from 40 seconds to just 2 seconds for most consumer devices on Windows 11, version 24H2.vii
As part of these changes, we also made an update to how our interface appears during an unexpected restart, introducing a simplified user interface (UI) that pairs with the shortened experience to display a more readable layout while keeping the technical details visible.
Learn more about the changes to the unexpected restart experience here.
Move forward with Windows 11
From modern security to faster performance and the latest features and experiences, Windows 11 is built to help you work, play and create with ease. With support for Windows 10 ending on Oct. 14, 2025, we’re here to ensure your transition is smooth, secure and up to date.
We understand that moving to a new PC can take time, and we’re here to support you throughout the process. The Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program is designed to keep your current Windows 10 PC protected after support ends—helping you stay secure during the transition.
Starting today, individuals will begin to see an enrollment wizard through notifications and in Settings, making it simple to select the best option for you and enroll in ESU directly from your personal Windows 10 PC.
Learn more about Windows 10 end of support and explore the tools and resources available to help you transition with confidence.
How to get these updates
Over the next month, we will be gradually rolling out several of these features via controlled feature rollout (CFR) to consumers. Some of these experiences are available today via this month’s Windows non-security preview update, as well as updates available in the Microsoft Store.
Consumers who would like to be among the first to experience new enhancements can simply go to Settings > Windows Update and turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Then select “Check for updates” to download and install the most recent non-security preview release.
Ensure that Microsoft Paint, Photos and Copilot applications are updated to the latest versions available.
For a full list of features available via today’s Windows Update, learn more here.
End notes:
i Available now in most global markets on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon® X Series. Limited initially to English-language inputs. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs processors.
ii These Click to Do actions are not available in the European Economic Area.
iii To use this feature, install the free Microsoft Reading Coach app from the Microsoft Store.
iv For “Draft with Copilot in Word” – a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription is required.
v Optimized for English text prompts and requires a Microsoft account and internet connection to access cloud services that help ensure the responsible use of AI.
vi Game Assist is available where Edge is available. Enhanced game content is available English-only at this time. Game Assist experience may also vary depending on game and geography.
vii Source: Internal testing of Windows 11 memory dump write speed, October 2022.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, July 22 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), will hold a town hall on Thursday with more than 100 teachers and educational leaders at the U.S. Capitol to discuss the teacher pay crisis impacting schools, students and communities.
Joining Sanders at the town hall will be Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.); Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Princess Moss, vice president of the National Education Association (NEA); and educators from across the country.
“It is simply unacceptable that, in the richest country in the history of the world, 40% of teachers have to work extra jobs just to make ends meet. The situation has become so absurd that four hedge fund managers on Wall Street make more money in a single year than every kindergarten teacher in America combined — nearly 120,000 teachers,” Sanders said. “We need the best education system in the world, and that means we need the best teachers. To get the best teachers, we need to pay them what they deserve.”
Today in America, nearly one in eight teaching jobs is vacant or filled by a teacher who is not fully certified. Approximately one-third of all public school teachers make less than $60,000 a year — including more than 90% of starting teachers. Hundreds of thousands of teachers have to work two or three jobs during the school year to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the average weekly wage for public school teachers has decreased by 5% over the past 30 years, adjusted for inflation. Today, 44% of public school teachers quit the profession within five years.
“Wages for public school teachers are so low that in 36 states, the average public school teacher with a family of four qualifies for food stamps, public housing and other government assistance programs. We have got to do better than that,” Sanders continued. “No teacher in America should make less than $60,000 a year. If we are going to have the best public school system in the world, we have got to radically change our attitude toward education and make sure that every teacher in America receives the compensation that they deserve for the enormously important and difficult work that they do.”
At the town hall, Sanders will hear directly from educators about how low wages, burnout and disinvestment are affecting both teacher morale and the quality of public education.
Details
What: Save Public Education: Pay Teachers What They Deserve
Who:
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Sen. Ed Markey
AFT President Randi Weingarten
NEA Vice President Princess Moss
More than 100 teachers from across the U.S.
When: Thursday, July 24, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Washington, D.C. Location available upon RSVP. The event will also be livestreamed on Sanders’ social media.
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
Half of households on Native American reservations lack access to reliable water sources, clean drinking water, or adequate sanitation
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), introduced the Tribal Access to Clean Water Act to dramatically expand access to clean water for Tribal families by investing in water infrastructure. This bill would increase funding through the Indian Health Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Bureau of Reclamation to support water infrastructure projects in Tribal communities and help provide clean water to Native American households that currently lack access.
“Nearly half of Native American households lack access to clean and reliable water supplies. That is completely unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “By addressing a significant backlog of infrastructure projects and removing barriers to federal programs that provide technical and financial assistance to Tribes, this legislation is an important step toward delivering clean drinking water to all families in Indian Country.”
“Too many Tribal communities in Colorado and across the country cannot access clean, safe water,” said Bennet. “This legislation builds on our efforts to improve access for Tribes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It fulfills the federal government’s promise to provide these communities with the clean water they deserve.”
“Clean drinking water is a basic necessity. Yet, so many of our Tribal communities have been left without the infrastructure. It’s unacceptable,” said Hickenlooper. “Let’s cut red tape and invest in modern resources to finally deliver safe, accessible water to every Tribe.”
Lack of access to clean drinking water is a significant barrier for many Native American communities. According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Native American households are 19 times more likely than white households to lack indoor plumbing.
The Tribal Access to Clean Water Act will:
Authorize the USDA to make grants and loans for technical and financial assistance, as well as for construction;
Increase funding authorizations for USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program by $100 million per year for five years, provide $30 million per year specifically for technical assistance, and ensure that Native communities are treated equitably and appropriately when considered for grants and loans;
Increase funding authorizations for existing programs of the Indian Health Service for water and sanitation facilities construction over a five-year period, including for community facilities ($2.5 billion), technical assistance ($150 million), and operation and maintenance assistance ($500 million); and
Authorize $90 million over five years for the Bureau of Reclamation’s existing Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program.
“Water is a sacred resource given to us to protect. It is of the utmost importance that Tribes have access to clean water not only for personal consumption and economic development but also for cultural purposes. Many tribes in the Southwest rely on access to clean water to carry on our culture and traditions. We thank U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Michael Bennet for reintroducing the Tribal Access to Clean Water Act,” said Myron Armijo, Santa Ana Pueblo Governor.
“It is far past time to ensure that Native people have the same level of basic water service most Americans take for granted,” said Manuel Heart, Chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. “This bill’s recognition of the need for technical support and operation and maintenance assistance for Tribal water supply facilities is not only essential to realizing the benefit of investment in water infrastructure, but also a critical step toward increasing Tribal independence and governance capabilities.”
“Some of the starkest examples of the public health impacts from not having clean, running water in the home are right in our backyards,” said Anne Castle, co-founder of the initiative on Universal Access to Clean Water for Tribal Communities. “Higher incidence of respiratory disease, gastrointestinal infections, diabetes, and cancer are all linked to ‘water poverty’ – the lack of access to secure and healthy household water – which is particularly acute for Native American households. With targeted resources and Federal agency coordination, we have the ability to solve this longstanding inequity in Indian country.”
“For far too long, many indigenous Americans – American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians – have gone without access to a clean and safe drinking water supply,” said John Echohawk, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Native American Rights Fund and member of the Pawnee Nation. “These are not isolated or regional deficiencies, but rather a nationwide disparity in access to a basic ingredient of life. This bill will help to address gaps in current support for Tribal drinking water access and help to fulfill the Federal government’s treaty and trust responsibility to Native American Tribes.”
“Every American is entitled to access to clean drinking water,” said Ken Norton, Chairman of the National Tribal Water Council. “But this undeniable truth simply does not hold for far too many Tribal households. It is well past time to bring the necessary resources to bear that will allow all Tribal families to enjoy the same basic services most Americans take for granted.”
“Water is a basic human right and this bill fulfills the government’s trust obligation to Tribes and Indigenous communities to ensure all Native populations have access to clean drinking water,” said Garrit Voggesser, Senior Director of Tribal Partnerships and Policy, National Wildlife Federation. “For far too long more than half of the country’s Indigenous peoples haven’t had access to clean drinking water. Water must be accessible to not only support public health, but also meet historical, cultural, ecological, and rights-based needs.”
Heinrich initially introduced this legislation with Bennet in 2021. He also successfully fought to include funding to improve Tribal access to clean water in the Infrastructure Law. The law included $3.5 billion for the Indian Health Service Sanitation Facilities Construction program to address needs for tribal sanitation facilities and services, $1 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation to support legacy rural water supply projects, which will benefit Tribes, and increased funding for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act State Revolving Funds.
In addition to Heinrich, Bennet, and Hickenlooper, this bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) today introduced the Build More Housing Near Transit Act. The bipartisan legislation continues Senator Schatz’s efforts to address America’s housing shortage by offering federal benefits and encouraging local governments to build more housing near transit-oriented urban and suburban spaces, where options are especially lacking.
“The clearest way out of our national housing shortage is by building more housing,” saidSenator Schatz. “Our bipartisan bill incentivizes cities and towns to build housing when they expand or redevelop their public transit systems. This will help put more families in homes, grow local economies, and cut carbon pollution. It’s a win for everyone.”
“This bill makes it easier for communities to build homes for working families by cutting red tape and giving them the freedom to create strong, family-friendly neighborhoods near public transit,” said Senator Banks.
Specifically, the legislation directs the Secretary of Transportation to provide a scoring boost to the competitive grant applications of public transit projects that include regulatory reforms that legalize new housing near stations, including removing expensive parking mandates, streamlining approval for new housing, allowing houses on smaller lots, raising height limits, and other pro-housing policies.
Currently, 47 percent of renter households are cost-burdened, and lack of housing options in transit-friendly areas is a major contributor to this. In addition, transportation costs are often a household’s second-largest expenditure behind housing, meaning more housing in transit areas would have a two-fold benefit.
By offering easier access to transit centers, the Build More Housing Near Transit Act will connect more employees with jobs and boost economic output, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased public transit ridership. It will also make federal transportation projects more efficient and ensure federal dollars are used most effectively.
“America is experiencing a severe housing shortage that affects every aspect of American lives and the economy,” said Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth Action. “The Build More Housing Near Transit Act addresses the critical link between transportation and housing and would create greater access to affordable commutes and abundant housing. We applaud the lead sponsors for introducing this bill, serving as an example of how the federal government can use its leverage to ensure the right types of housing are available in the places people want to live.”
“For decades, the federal government has funded mass transit projects in cities whose growth control laws do not allow people to live near and ride on transit. The Build More Housing Near Transit Act finally corrects this. It protects transit riders and the federal taxpayer from spending scarce transit capital on projects doomed by rigid zoning regulations to low housing growth and low future ridership, while uplifting projects in localities that welcome housing & transit ridership growth. This bill is the essential first step in restoring bipartisan confidence in America’s mass transit investments for taxpayers and transit riders alike,” said Alex Armlovich, Senior Housing Policy Analyst for the Niskanen Center.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council on multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes, in New York today:
I want to thank Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan for convening today’s open debate. The topic of today’s debate shines a light on the clear connection between international peace and multilateralism.
Eighty years ago, the United Nations was founded with a primary purpose — to safeguard humanity from the scourge of war. The architects of the United Nations Charter recognized that the peaceful resolution of disputes is the lifeline when geopolitical tensions escalate, when unresolved disputes fuel the flames of conflict and when States lose trust in each other.
The Charter lays out a number of important tools to forge peace. Article 2.3 of the UN Charter is clear: “All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.”
Chapter VI of the Charter is equally clear on the specific responsibilities of this Council to help ensure the pacific settlement of disputes “by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice”. Action 16 of the Pact of the Future calls on Member States to recommit to all the mechanisms of preventive diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
I commend Pakistan for utilizing its presidency to put forward a resolution urging all Member States to make full use of these tools in our collective pursuit of global peace. This is needed now more than ever.
Around the world, we see an utter disregard for — if not outright violations of — international law — including international human rights law, international refugee law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter itself, without any accountability.
These failures to uphold international obligations are coming at a time of widening geopolitical divides and conflicts. And the cost is staggering — measured in human lives, shattered communities, and lost futures.
We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza — with a level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times. Malnourishment is soaring. Starvation is knocking on every door.
And now we are seeing the last gasp of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles. That system is being denied the conditions to function. Denied the space to deliver. Denied the safety to save lives. With Israeli military operations intensifying and new displacement orders issued in Deir al-Balah, devastation is being layered upon devastation.
I am appalled that UN premises have been struck — among them facilities of the UN Office for Project Services and the World Health Organization (WHO), including WHO’s main warehouse. This is despite all parties having been informed of the locations of these UN facilities. These premises are inviolable and must be protected under international humanitarian law — without exception.
From Gaza to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Sudan, Haiti and Myanmar, and many other parts of the world, conflict is raging, international law is being trampled, and hunger and displacement are at record levels. And terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crime remain persistent scourges pushing security further out of reach.
Diplomacy may not have always succeeded in preventing conflicts, violence and instability. But it still holds the power to stop them. Peace is a choice. And the world expects the UN Security Council to help countries make this choice. This Council is at the centre of the global architecture for peace and security. Its creation reflected a central truth.
Competition between States is a geopolitical reality. But cooperation — anchored in shared interests and the greater good — is the sustainable pathway to peace. Too often, we see divisions, entrenched positions and escalatory discourse blocking solutions and the effectiveness of the Council.
But we have also seen some inspiring examples of finding common ground and forging solutions to global problems.
For example, today marks three years since the signing of the Black Sea Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Federation — efforts that show what we can achieve through mediation and the good offices of the United Nations, even during the most challenging moments.
And we’ve seen many other recent examples.
From the Sevilla Conference on Financing for Development, to the Oceans Conference in Nice, to the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction and the Cybercrime Treaty, to the Pact for the Future adopted last year.
The Pact, in particular, demonstrates a clear re-commitment by the world to strengthen the United Nations collective security system. Drawing from the New Agenda for Peace, it prioritizes preventive diplomacy and mediation — all areas where this Council can play a vital role.
As we look to the theme of today’s debate, I see three areas where we can live up to the Pact’s call to renew our commitment to — and the world’s faith in — the multilateral problem-solving architecture.
First — this Council’s members, in particular its permanent members, must continue working to overcome divisions. The majority of situations on the Security Council’s agenda are complex and resist quick fixes.
But even in the darkest days of the cold war, the collective dialogue and decision-making in this Council underpinned a common and effective system of global security. One that successfully deployed a range of peacekeeping missions. One that opened the door for vital humanitarian aid to flow to people in need. And one that helped prevent a third World War.
I urge you to summon this same spirit by keeping channels open, continuing to listen in good faith, and working to overcome differences and building consensus.
We must also work to ensure that this Council reflects the world of today, not the world of 80 years ago. This Council should be made more representative of today’s geopolitical realities. And we must continue improving the working methods of this Council to make it more inclusive, transparent, efficient and accountable. I urge you to continue building consensus to move the intergovernmental negotiations forward.
Second — this Council must continue strengthening cooperation with regional and subregional partners. The landmark adoption of Security Council resolution 2719 supporting African Union-led peace support operations through assessed contributions is a good example of how we can join efforts with regional organizations to support more effective responses.
I also commend this Council’s steps to strengthen and rebuild regional security frameworks to encourage dialogue and advance the peaceful settlement of disputes.
And third — Member States must honour their obligations under international law, including the UN Charter, international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The Pact for the Future calls on all Member States to live up to their commitments in the UN Charter, and the principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the political independence of States.
All grounded in international law, and a commitment to prioritizing prevention of conflict and the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. The Pact also recognized the critical contribution of the International Court of Justice, which celebrates its eightieth anniversary next year.
As we mark the eightieth anniversary of our Organization and the Charter that gave it life and shape, we need to renew our commitment to the multilateral spirit of peace through diplomacy. I look forward to working with you in this important effort, to achieve the international peace and security the people of the world need and deserve.