Category: Taxation

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Health and Social Care Secretary speech at RCOG World Congress

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Speech

Health and Social Care Secretary speech at RCOG World Congress

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting spoke at RCOG World Congress, announcing a national investigation into maternity and neonatal services.

Well thank you, Ranee for your welcome, and thanks to the College for giving me this opportunity to address you today, and a warm welcome to those of you who’ve travelled from across the world to be here.

The National Health Service began with a literal birth, Aneira Thomas, named after my predecessor, and Aneurin Bevan was born at one minute past midnight on the 5th of July, 1948.

Since then, tens of millions of babies have been delivered by the NHS. Bringing new life into the world is a wonderful thing, and it’s great to be in a room full of the people who spend their professional lives supporting it. You know better than most that this is also a moment of risk and jeopardy for women and their babies, and that that risk is considerably higher than it should be because of the state of the crisis in our maternity and neonatal services here in the UK.

Within the past 15 years, we’ve seen appalling scandals that blew the lid on issues ranging from care, safety, culture and oversight. Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury and Telford, East. Kent, Nottingham. The last government responded with initiatives like Better Births in 2016 and the Maternity Transformation Programme. But despite improvements on some metrics, inequalities in maternal and neonatal outcomes have become more visible, not less.

The rate of maternal deaths has been consistently rising. Babies of black ethnicity are still more than twice as likely to be stillborn than babies of white ethnicity, and black women are still 2 to 3 times more likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after birth than white women. Tragically, that gap is closing slightly, but partly because more white women are dying in childbirth. In September, the Care Quality Commission’s National Review of Maternity Services in England found that almost half of all trusts were rated as requiring improvement on safety. Another 18% were rated as inadequate.

There is a widespread lack of staff and in some places a lack of potentially life-saving equipment, and some services don’t even record incidents that have resulted in serious harm. Taxpayers who are footing the bill for our failure to get a grip with everything else I’ve just said, it’s no wonder clinical negligence payouts have reached an all-time high £2.8 billion last year, with maternity accounting for 41% of all the money paid out.

These are the facts. But behind these alarming statistics are people and the lives that have been taken from them. I spent a lot of time with victims of NHS maternity and neonatal scandals and failures during the last year. Listening. Listening to them share with a total stranger the most personal, painful accounts of their experiences and the trauma that occurs when we fail them. When I say we, I don’t just mean the maternity units that failed them. I mean NHS leaders and managers that put protecting their reputations over protecting patients. Or when we put legal advice that says do not admit liability over doing what is right by families. I mean the regulators who failed to hold them to account. And I mean politicians, including me, because the first step in putting this right is being honest about our own mistakes and failures.

And the truth is, we’re not making progress fast enough on the biggest patient safety challenge facing our country. And I know what that means. Because of the many hours I’ve spent with families left completely traumatised by our failure to get it right every time. When I visit the Nottingham families they arranged themselves around the horseshoe table in date order, with those whose experience goes furthest back, sat to my left and the most recent sat to my right. The most recent was just last year, and I honestly dread the prospect of going to another meeting with another family arriving at that end of the table with another story to tell. This time, one that has happened on my watch.

Across all of the meetings I’ve had every story is unique, but there are common themes. Some are there because their children died, some because their children suffered injuries that have left them with lifelong complications and disability. Others are women who suffered terrible life changing injuries during childbirth, or fathers left traumatised and unsupported with severe mental health challenges. I’ve seen photographs of their children. I’ve seen the ashes of their children in the tiniest little boxes, and I’ve also seen more courage than I could ever imagine mustering if I had to walk a day in their shoes. Carrying the weight of their trauma. All of them have had to fight for truth and justice. They describe being ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated, and damaged further by the inability for a Trust to simply be honest with them that something has gone wrong. They talk to me about the trauma that they experience compounded time and time again. When a hospital Trust or regulator simply turns their back on them, when all they’re searching for is answers.

It’s their bravery that has brought me to the place that I am today. I want to say publicly how sorry I am sorry for what the NHS has put them through. Sorry for the way they’ve been treated since by the state. And sorry that we haven’t put this right yet. Because these families are owed more than an apology. They’re owed change, they’re owed real accountability, and they’re owed the truth. So today I’m setting out a different approach to the one that’s failed before. We’re going to do it with, rather than to these families. And we’re going to put the voices and experiences of mums, dads and children at the heart of our approach to improving quality, safety and accountability. Maternity safety will become the litmus test for all safety in the NHS. I’m taking personal responsibility for it as Secretary of State and as the staff leading maternity and neonatal services. I need your help because we’re a team and I can’t do this without you. I know the majority of births in England are safe, and I urge all women to engage with their maternity service and raise any concerns they may have about themselves or their baby.

But for too long, those cases where things do go wrong have been swept under the carpet, and this cannot continue. I know I’m talking to an audience that will embrace this challenge. You will come to work every day to care for people. You are tired, tireless and dedicated in your work. I suspect you’re tired too, with the pressures you’re under. You go to work to do the right thing, and every day there are healthy babies being delivered safely, with moms receiving great care. But we also know that staff are being put in an impossible position far too often. It’s the moral dilemma I’ve heard from midwives, obstetricians and neonatologists across the country. They feel conflicted because they don’t feel their maternity ward or neonatal unit is delivering a safe service every time, and they don’t want to work in an unsafe environment. So they consider leaving. But they also tell me that if they walk away, they’d be letting it down even further.

This is not a choice any member of staff should have to face. And I’m aware that there’s a risk that we further demoralize a workforce that’s already been on its knees and felt battered working in an NHS in crisis. I also worry about the risk of causing unnecessary fear or anxiety among mums going into labour, and the dads and loved ones holding their hands through the experience is a dilemma I wrestle with all the time. But I won’t do any of us any favours if we’re not honest about the scale of the challenge, so that we can provide a response able to meet it.

Over the last year, I’ve been wrestling with how we tackle the problems in maternity and neonatal units. And I’ve come to the realization that while there is action we can take now, we have to acknowledge that this has become systemic. It’s not just a few bad units up and down the country. Maternity units are failing. Hospitals are failing. Trusts are failing. Regulators are failing. There’s too much obfuscation, too much passing the buck and giving lip service too much shrugging at a cultural problem that we fail to address. Because of that, we have enormously wide race and class inequalities in maternity care. Women, especially black, Asian, and working class women, are not listened to or given the chance to be advocates for their own health. We have an implicit message from the system that tells women not to have a miscarriage at the weekend. We have women who are classed as having a normal birth, still leaving, traumatised and scarred. And most concerning of all, we have the normalization of deaths of women and babies. We must stop and stop now with the mindset that these things just happen. Our inability to deal with this goes wider than maternity, in fact wider than our health service.

It goes to the very core of how Britain responds to state failure. I should give a little context for my own outlook. I don’t have a conventional background for someone whose title is Right Honourable. I was born not far from here, actually, at the Mile End Hospital to teenage parents. I experienced poverty growing up and beside a loving family. The reason I’m stood here today is a member of the British Cabinet is because the state got it right, in my case, council housing. A great state education. A welfare state that clothed and fed me.

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But I also saw the way the state often treats people from backgrounds like mine. The way the DSS, the social security staff talk to my mum like she was dirt at the bottom of their shoes. The fights my grandmother used to have with Tower Hamlets Council when she ran the local tenants union. So I came into office with a healthy degree of cynicism and skepticism about the state. That doesn’t often come naturally to those of us with left wing politics who fundamentally believe in an active state.

I’ll be honest with you, as I’ve listened to these family’s experiences of the state and NHS failure, that cynicism has boiled over into hot tears and real anger about what they’ve been put through and what they’re still living with. From the Horizon Post Office scandal to the infected blood scandal, the degradation of responsibility and trust in our institutions is compounding a cynicism and malaise at the ability of British politics, or even democracy, to deliver for people. This is a dangerous place for a country to be. If we do not admit the scale of the failure in maternity services, we’re condemning ourselves to etching that mistrust deeper. If we cannot admit openly that we as institutions and as a state have got this wrong, we will never be able to fix it or rebuild that trust. Too many children have died because of state failure, and I will not allow this to continue under my watch.

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So to face up to this, we have to change two fundamental things. First, we must ensure real accountability when things go wrong and give justice to those who’ve been wronged. Second, we must drive real improvements in maternity and neonatal care, which will require clear direction, a change of culture, and for all of us to mobilise as a team to get this right.

Today I’m announcing a rapid national investigation of maternity and neonatal services, co-produced to include the families who have suffered the worst injustices of maternity care, modelled on the Darzi investigation into the state of the NHS. This will be an evidence-based investigation setting out what’s going wrong and priorities for action. It will look in detail at up to ten maternity units that are giving us greatest cause for concern. And it will report directly to me by Christmas.

Crucially, the investigation team and terms of reference will be co-produced with the victims of maternity scandals. The investigation will also pull together the recommendations from the other reviews that have taken place to assess progress and provide clarity and direction for the future, so that everyone in the system knows what they’re working to.

I’m currently discussing with Leeds families the best way to grip the challenges brought to light in that trust by their campaigning reports in the media and the latest CQC report, and I’ll be ordering an investigation into nine specific cases identified by families in Sussex who are owed a thorough account of what happened in those cases.

I’m also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Task Force, which I will chair, bringing together experts, staff, campaigners and representatives of families to help me drive improvement across the NHS.

We will call on international colleagues so that we understand what works and how to learn from the best and take to the rest, and the Royal College will have a really important role to play in that. I will also continue to meet families throughout the year, to give them a chance to hold me to account and provide them with a direct route to feedback.

To me, the taskforce will answer some of the most pressing issues the families have put at the top of the list, namely, how can we ensure that women and their partners are always listened to when they raise concerns about their pregnancy or labour? What else should we be doing to save babies and women from dying or being severely harmed? How do we get better at spotting when things go wrong in units, and how do we tackle this before it grows?

We’ll also bring in a package of measures to start taking action now, increasing accountability across the board and bringing in the cultural change we need to see within the next month. The NHS chief executive, Jim Mackey, and Chief Nursing Officer Duncan Burton will meet the trusts of greatest concern including Leeds, Gloucester, Mid and South Essex and Sussex to hold them to account for improvement working with the NHS leadership. I will set strong and consistent expectations for Trust Chairs, Chief Executives and Boards with overhauled oversight and performance framework and a new performance dashboard. We’ll roll out the new MOSS digital system to flag potential safety concerns and trust much earlier, and support rapid action and roll out a national maternity and neonatal inequalities data dashboard.

Our ten year plan and upcoming Dash review will look to tackle this safety crisis at its root with an overhaul of the wider patient safety landscape. We will work to declutter this crowded landscape so that the patient experience works for patients again. I brought Mike Richards back to the CQC as chair to turn around that failing organisation, and I will work closely with him to make sure that the Commission is working effectively on behalf of patients and the public.

Together, these measures will create real accountability, cut through the noise to prevent patterns spiralling and work towards tangible improvements for women and babies. I’m also going to do this with you, as well as the Royal College of Midwives and the other colleges and professional bodies. The Royal College has a reach across the globe and there are maternity professionals from many, many countries here today. These challenges and maternity care are not just in our country. I want to learn from the best systems internationally, and then to showcase how we are taking on the challenge of tackling inequalities across pregnancy and birth head on. Strong clinical leadership really matters. I can’t do this without you. I’m committed to doing this with you, not to you.

So I know some of what I’ve said today will have been tough to hear, especially for people who give up their time early on a Monday morning to be here because you care about delivering safe and high quality care, and you take pride in your profession. Together, we’ll make sure that women and their partners feel heard and listened to, to make every birth a safe birth, to make high quality the hallmark of maternity services in this country, and to banish avoidable maternity and baby deaths to the history books. So I’m looking forward to working with you in that endeavour.

Thank you very much.

Updates to this page

Published 23 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by CE at Greenway 2025 – Accelerating Changes (English only) (with photos/video)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

â€‹Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at Greenway 2025 – Accelerating Changes today (June 23):

Your Excellency Ambassador Harvey Rouse (Ambassador and Head of Office of the European Union to Hong Kong), Mr Iñaki Amate (Chair of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong), consuls-general, heads of chambers, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good afternoon. It is a great pleasure to join you, once again, at the Greenway forum, the fourth edition, this year under the theme of “Accelerating Changes”. And, as before, it’s organised by the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao, and the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

     The European Union (EU) has long been one of Hong Kong’s long-standing business partners. Hong Kong takes pride in being home to 1 640 EU (European Union) companies, which makes the EU the largest foreign business community in Hong Kong. Thank you and welcome indeed.

     Alongside business, we come together in so many others areas of mutual interest, from education and cultural exchange to innovation and technology pursuits. And, yes, to the environment – to global warming and all the complexities it entails.

     Because climate change affects us all, it must involve us all. Each and every one of us.

     The World Meteorological Organization’s latest report, published last month, notes that there is a 70 per cent chance that the five-year average warming, for 2025 to 2029, will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius. That’s up significantly from the 47 per cent chance forecast in its report last year. So from a 47 per cent chance the forecast jumped to 70 per cent.

     Allow me, for the next few minutes, to tell you what Hong Kong is doing to work against the universal threat of climate change, and to achieve climate neutrality.

     Since Hong Kong reached its carbon peak, in 2014, our carbon emissions have dropped by about a quarter. In 2023, our per capita carbon emissions were about 4.58 tonnes. To put that in perspective, it is 60 per cent of the EU’s emissions, so we aren’t doing too badly, and only one quarter of that of the United States.

     Hong Kong is well on its way to cutting its carbon emissions in half by 2035, achieving carbon neutrality before 2050, which is our stated goal.

     Last week, we welcomed the news that Hong Kong is once again one of the world’s top three most-competitive economies. We are dedicated to decarbonising this international financial, shipping and trade centre while keeping up with our competitiveness. And we do that by engineering green transformation through innovation.

     Hong Kong’s prowess in financial services places us, favourably, in becoming Asia’s premier hub for green and sustainable finance. With our financing platforms, we could help to mobilise the capital for climate solutions, while ensuring robust integrity within our financial markets.

     Last year, the total green and sustainable debts issued in Hong Kong exceeded US$84 billion. And the volume of green and sustainable bonds arranged here amounted to US$43 billion. That places us first in the Asian market for seven years in a row, capturing 45 per cent of the region’s total.

     Our regulatory framework is fundamental to creating a sustainable finance ecosystem. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority published the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance last year, aligning our taxonomy with the two mainstream taxonomies of the Mainland and the European Union. Encompassing economic activities in power generation, transportation, construction, and water and waste management, it will facilitate green finance flows and promote sustainable development.

     Like our economy, Hong Kong’s resolve to green transformation goes beyond finance. Consider green transport, a transformation moving into the fast lane on our roads. The adoption of electric vehicles has been remarkable.

     Just five years ago, Hong Kong was home to about 14 000 electric vehicles. By the end of last year, that number had surged to about 110 000, that’s seven times more.

     Today, seven out of every 10 newly registered private cars in our city are electric. That, ladies and gentlemen, is among the highest growth rates in the world.

     Vehicles, of course, are only one part of a complex equation. An extensive and convenient charging network is the backbone of any electric vehicle revolution.

     Our strategy is people-centric, recognising that the best place to charge is at home or at the workplace. Through our EV-charging at Home Subsidy Scheme, we expect to see charging infrastructure installed in about 140 000 parking spaces in private residential buildings by the 2027-28 financial year. That will enable a smooth and non-disruptive electric vehicle transition for thousands of households.

     As for our world-class public transport system, we have unveiled a clear Green Transformation Roadmap for public buses and taxis.

     Through targeted subsidy schemes, that will fast-track the introduction of about 600 electric buses and 3 000 electric taxis. We are managing the transition in an orderly manner, using incentives rather than penalties, to ensure that our green ambitions don’t translate into additional costs for passengers.

     Our vision for green mobility goes well beyond the road. As one of the world’s premier aviation hubs, we’re looking to the skies, too, to chart the green way to our transport future.

     Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, is critical to the long-term future of air travel. It’s also essential to ensuring Hong Kong’s continuing leadership in aviation.

     SAF has the potential to reduce life-cycle carbon emissions by more than 80 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel. The Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government is working closely with the Airport Authority to set a clear target for SAF consumption.

     Globally, SAF supply is limited, and the cost remains high. And we see this as an opportunity for Hong Kong to innovate and lead.

     We are exploring a range of supply options, including collaborations with enterprises in the Mainland and internationally. Our goal is to establish a stable and competitive regional supply chain for SAF, taking advantage of our unique position within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It will accelerate the decarbonisation of our aviation industry and provide greener travel options.

     Our green ambitions also extend to the iconic Victoria Harbour, a vital artery for our city. Our Pilot Scheme for Electric Ferries will shape the future of maritime transport.

     With a commitment of HK$350 million, the Government is subsidising the construction of new electric ferries and their charging infrastructure, allowing operators to test the new green technology in local waters with full support.

     The first two of these pioneering vessels are already navigating Victoria Harbour, following rigorous testing.

     Beyond the local waters, we are greening the vast shipping lanes that connect Hong Kong to the world. Hong Kong is already a top 10 port for vessel refuelling.

     To build on this, we launched an Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering late last year, with the goal of transforming Hong Kong into a leading international centre for green maritime fuel bunkering.

     Industry response has been overwhelmingly positive, with key partners worldwide expressing strong interest in developing the services here. Hong Kong will spearhead the global effort in decarbonising shipping and, in doing so, create new economic opportunities. Something my good friend has already said: “Green actually means business.”

     When it comes to environmental connectivity, I’m pleased to note that EU companies play an important role in Hong Kong’s waste management and recycling facilities.

     And I look forward to the expertise and support of EU companies in the Northern Metropolis, our new engine for growth dedicated to green living, and the area’s long-term green development.

     Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong has an iconic skyline. It also holds a treasure of having some 40 per cent of its land pulsing as the city’s green lungs, with country parks breathing life into our metropolis, conservation areas cradling biodiversity little seen in other global financial hubs.

     This is Hong Kong’s defining paradox: where business and ecology coexist in symphony. For us, economic dynamism and environmental stewardship aren’t just compatible – they’re dual engines propelling our future. We balance development with sustainability. And we will do all we can to work with other places, the EU very much included, on the green way forward.

     I look forward to building strong ties with the EU, to finding solutions to climate change, to creating far-reaching opportunities for us all.

     My thanks to the organisers, the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao and the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. I’m grateful, too, to today’s supporting organisations – the Business Environment Council, the Consulate General of Sweden and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

     I am certain you will enjoy today’s Greenway forum, and I look forward to our continuing, rewarding, co-operation in the years to come. Thank you.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitget Onboards on India’s I4C’s Sahyog Portal to Support Local Law Enforcement

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW DELHI, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has officially onboarded onto India’s Sahyog portal, a key interface under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) framework. The portal facilitates direct and structured communication between law enforcement agencies and digital service providers. This development marks an important step in enhancing cooperation between virtual asset platforms and Indian authorities engaged in cybercrime investigations.

The Sahyog portal serves as a centralized system that allows law enforcement to submit legal requests for data disclosure in accordance with Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. These provisions enable Indian authorities to seek access to digital evidence, user data, and transaction records from service providers in connection with active investigations. Bitget’s integration ensures that future requests can be managed through an established, secure, and legally compliant channel.

Global exchanges are being actively onboarded onto the Sahyog system to improve investigative capabilities and reduce procedural delays. Alongside Bitget, other major global platforms have also been onboarded onto the Sahyog system in furtherance of the system’s robustness. The main aim is to provide investigators with aggregated access to essential data that supports timely enforcement actions in cases involving virtual assets.

Bitget has taken multiple steps in recent months to align with regional compliance frameworks across key jurisdictions, with India representing a particularly strategic market. Participation in official law enforcement portals is a good example of Bitget’s proactive stance in aligning operations with local regulatory expectations. It aligns with the exchange’s broader aim to assist in creating a transparent and accountable environment for digital asset trading, particularly as authorities globally increase scrutiny of crypto transactions.

“Operating responsibly in all jurisdictions remains a priority for Bitget. India’s regulatory and enforcement landscape around digital assets is evolving quickly, and aligning with initiatives like Sahyog highlights a practical step forward. Bitget will continue to engage constructively with local regulators to ensure that our systems deliver the legal and technical requirements to support such agencies,” said Hon NG, Chief Legal Officer at Bitget.

As the global digital asset sector expands, increased engagement between crypto service providers and governments has become important to operate sustainably. Integration into frameworks such as Sahyog allows exchanges like Bitget to deliver timely and structured responses to legal requests, reducing friction in cross-border cooperation and ensuring that law enforcement agencies have access to the tools necessary for digital evidence collection.

India’s growing emphasis on formalizing its approach to virtual assets has brought renewed focus on the role of foreign exchanges operating within its borders. Compliance with data disclosure provisions and participation in platforms like Sahyog are expected to play an important role in defining the future relationship between crypto firms and national authorities. Bitget’s onboarding adds to the growing list of global entities now accessible via Sahyog, signaling the broader direction of increased regulatory coordination across the industry.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0956e457-f148-4c31-b579-b6261058c890

The MIL Network –

June 23, 2025
Airlines weigh Middle East cancellations after US strikes in Iran

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Commercial airlines around the world on Monday were weighing how long to suspend Middle East flights as a conflict which has already cut off major flight routes entered a new phase after the U.S. attacked key Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran vowed to defend itself.

The usually busy airspace stretching from Iran and Iraq to the Mediterranean has been largely empty of commercial air traffic for 10 days since Israel began strikes on Iran on June 13, as airlines divert, cancel and delay flights through the region due to airspace closures and safety concerns.

New cancellations of some flights by international carriers in recent days to usually resilient aviation hubs like Dubai, the world’s busiest international airport, and Qatar’s Doha, show how aviation industry concerns about the region have escalated.
However, some international airlines were resuming services on Monday.

Leading Asian carrier Singapore Airlines, which described the situation as “fluid”, was set to resume flying to Dubai on Monday after cancelling its Sunday flight from Singapore.

Similarly, Flightradar24 departure boards show British Airways, owned by IAG, was set to resume Dubai and Doha flights on Monday after cancelling routes to and from those airports on Sunday.

Air France KLM cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh on Sunday and Monday.

With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed to most airlines due to years of war, the Middle East had become a more important route for flights between Europe and Asia. Amid missile and air strikes during the past 10 days, airlines have routed north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Added to increased fuel and crew costs from these long detours and cancellations, carriers also face a potential hike in jet fuel costs as oil prices rise following the U.S. attacks.

AIRSPACE RISKS

Proliferating conflict zones are an increasing operational burden on airlines, as aerial attacks raise worries about accidental or deliberate shoot-downs of commercial air traffic.

Location spoofing and GPS interference around political hotspots, where ground-based GPS systems broadcast incorrect positions which can send commercial airliners off course, are also a growing issue for commercial aviation.

Flightradar24 told Reuters it had seen a “dramatic increase” in jamming and spoofing in recent days over the Persian Gulf. SkAI, a Swiss company that runs a GPS disruption map, late on Sunday said it had observed more than 150 aircraft spoofed in 24 hours there.

Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information, noted on Sunday that U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region.

This could raise additional airspace risks in Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it said.

In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar, and United Airlines and Air Canada did the same with flights to Dubai. They have yet to resume.

While international airlines are shying away from the region, local carriers in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are tentatively resuming some flights after widespread cancellations.

Israel is ramping up flights to help people return home, and leave. The country’s Airports Authority says that so-called rescue flights to the country would expand on Monday with 24 a day, although each flight would be limited to 50 passengers.

From Monday, Israeli airlines will start to operate outbound flights from Israel, the authority said.

Israeli airline El Al on Sunday said it had received applications to leave the country from about 25,000 people in about a day.

(Reuters)

June 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Your top 5 work-from-home questions
Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

1. What is the fixed rate for Tax Time 2024?

The fixed rate for the 2023–24 income year is 67 cents per hour worked from home.

As this rate may change each year, it’s important to check our website so you can claim the right amount for that year, for your clients. We encourage you and your clients to use our home office expenses calculator.

2. Is there a minimum number of hours to qualify for a working from home (WFH) deduction?

No, there’s no minimum number of hours required to claim a WFH deduction. To claim these expenses, your client must:
- be working from home to fulfil their employment duties, not just carrying out minimal tasks, like checking emails or taking calls
- incur additional running expenses because of working from home
- have records that show they incurred these expenses.
3. What types of records do taxpayers need to prove their ‘total hours worked from home’?

To claim a deduction using the fixed rate method, your clients need to have records that show all of their hours worked from home between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 (including their start and finish time, each time they worked from home). This can be recorded through a diary, spreadsheet, rosters or timesheets.

The record of hours must be made at the time they work from home, or as soon as possible afterwards. We will no longer accept an estimate or a representative record.

4. What is a practical way to prove work use of my phone?

If your client uses the fixed rate method to claim their working from home expenses, they can’t claim a separate deduction for their phone calls and data usage. These expenses are included in the fixed rate per hour.

If your client is planning to use the actual cost method to claim their working from home expenses, they will need to calculate their work-related percentage of phone calls and data usage on a reasonable basis.

Keeping a diary for a continuous 4-week period is the easiest way to work out the deduction. This can be paper or electronic records that show how they calculated the percentage of work-related use (for example – number of phone calls made, or time spent using the internet for work versus private use).

A record of a continuous 4-week period representing work use can then be used across the rest of the income year to calculate the full deduction.

5. Can an employee claim rent as part of the actual cost method if they work from home full time?

An employee working from home generally can’t claim for occupancy expenses such as rent, insurance or mortgage interest – except in limited circumstances where they have an area of their home set aside as a ‘place of business’. If your client is intending to claim occupancy expenses, there may be capital gains tax (CGT) implications for their home.

MIL OSI News –
June 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: 13 Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine as well as Illegal Possession of Machine Guns

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ten Mexican nationals, one Guatemalan national, and two United States citizens have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine as well as numerous counts of distribution of those controlled substances, illegal possession of machine guns, alien in possession of firearms, felon in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry of removed aliens.

The investigation began in January of 2024 and continued through June of 2025, during which time investigators seized approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 11 firearms, three of which had been equipped with machine gun conversion devices and functioned as fully automatic weapons.

A law enforcement operation conducted on June 18, 2025, resulted in nine arrests. Three defendants were already in custody, and one defendant remains at large. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation which also resulted in the seizure of nine additional firearms.

Uriel Lopez-Farias, 31, a Mexican national; Jesus Adrian Meza-Meza, 42, a Mexican national; Walter Fernandez, 34, of Kansas City, Mo.; Carlos R. Lepe-Virgen, 52, a Mexico national; Pedro Ivan Roldan-Minjares, 44, a Mexican national; Joel Armando Guillen-Rodriguez, 31, a Mexican national; Jose Rodriguez-Vasquez, 44, a Mexican national; Jose Aroldo Troches-Reyes, 33, a Guatemalan national; Adalberto Meza-Meza, 37, a Mexican national; Maximiliano Oliva-Verdin, 30, a Mexican national; Osvaldo Chiapas-Aguilar, 38, a Mexican national; Jesus Alvarez-Giron, 23, a Mexican national; and Kenneth Baez, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a forty-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 11, 2025. The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the initial appearances of those in custody.

Lopez-Farias is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, distribution and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

J. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Fernandez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Lepe-Virgen is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Roldan-Minjares is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Guillen-Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Rodriguez-Vasquez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Troches-Reyes is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

A. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Oliva-Verdin is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Chiapas-Aguilar is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Alvarez-Giron is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

Baez is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for this charge.

The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan A. Baker and Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Jackson County Drug Task Force in conjunction with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Wednesday’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Jackson County (MO) Drug Task Force, Johnson County (KS) Drug Task Force, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Lee’s Summit Police Department, Sugar Creek Police Department, Wyandotte County (KS) Sheriff’s Department, St. Joseph (MO) Police Department, Buchanan County (MO) Drug Strike Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.

The investigation and arrest operation were part of the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) which is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

Operation Take Back America

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

MIL Security OSI –

June 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Update 294 – Statement by the IAEA Director General on the situation in Ukraine

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi Was in Ukraine as Part of the Ongoing Effforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) To Help Prevent aCcident During the Military Conflict, with The Wail of Air Raid Sirens ForCing His Meetings to Be Held in An Underground Shelter.

One of the main priorities of the one-day visit to Kyiv – including a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – was to discuss how the IAEA could assist in rebuilding Ukraine’s damaged and degraded nuclear energy infrastructure.

But the current risks to nuclear safety and security remained a prominent topic, both in the day’s high-level meetings in the capital and in reports from some of the IAEA teams deployed elsewhere in the country.

IAEA expert teams based at two of Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy and Rivne – were also told to seek shelter during a day of unusually frequent air raid alerts. The team at the Rivne NPP, in western Ukraine, went to the shelter three times, two of which were reportedly due to cruise missile alerts and the other due to a ballistic missile alert.

While the Were No Reports of Attacks Affecting the Operation of the Npps, The Sound of Air Raid Sirens Blaring in Kyiv and Elsewhere Highlighted the Continbed Dangerous Situation, Including for Nuclear Safety.

In HIS FIRST MEITING AFTER Arriving to the Capital for HIS 12TH VISIT To UKRANE SINCE February 2022, Director General General General Met with Energy Galushchenko and Oteer Senior Officials in the Basement of the Energy Ministry in Downtown Kyiv Because of the Air Raid Alarm.

Later in the day, he met with President Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, with whom he also discussed the IAEA’s plans to support the country in restoring and expanding its infrastructure related to nuclear power, which is of paramount importance for Ukraine’s electricity generation.

“It is clear that the dangers to nuclear safety continue to be very real and ever-present. My teams report that this was the most intense day of air raid alarms they had experienced since late last year. More than three years after this horrific war began, the IAEA’s on the ground presence remains essential to help avoid the threat of a severe nuclear accident,” Director General Grossi said.

“But at the same time, we must start looking to the future. While the IAEA remains committed to doing everything we can to help keep Ukraine’s nuclear facilities safe and secure until this devastating war ends, it is also crucial to prepare for the reconstruction phase, where the IAEA can also play an important role,” he said. “In today’s meetings, President Zelensky and his ministers voiced strong support and appreciation for the IAEA’s continued presence at Ukraine’s nuclear sites and our essential role in helping to strengthen its energy infrastructure.”

Specifically, the Director General spoke to his hosts about the IAEA conducting a thorough safety assessment of the damaged New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl site, as well as the Agency’s safety assistance related to a government plan to build two new reactor units at the Khmelnytskyy site and its technical work to help keep the national grid stable, which is of critical importance for the safe operation of NPPs.

At Ukraine’s largest NPP, Zaporizhzhya, the IAEA team was informed that the nearby city of Enerhodar – where most plant staff live – had experienced several power outages since midnight, with intermittent tap water supplies also affecting the plant itself. The IAEA team was also informed that the city and its water pump station have relied on mobile diesel generators for power. The Zaporizhzhya NPP remained connected to off-site power at all times.

Later this Week, Director General General Grossi Will Also BE Visiting The Russian Federal High-Level Talks on Nuclear Safety and Security.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 22, 2025
MIL-OSI: Trump, Munir exchange praises as Pakistan rises as regional stabilizer: IRS Analysis

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ISLAMABAD, June 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a closely watched meeting at the White House, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, met with U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Analysts at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in Islamabad, have characterized this as a strategic reset for Pakistan.

Held over a luncheon in the Cabinet Room and followed by an extended session in the Oval Office, the meeting included Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff, and Pakistan’s National Security Advisor. Initially planned for an hour, the talks stretched over two hours, underscoring the depth of engagement. According to ISPR’s official press release, the exchange between Field Marshal Munir and President Trump reflected a new level of mutual recognition, with both leaders exchanging commendations for each other’s leadership. Munir conveyed the gratitude of Pakistan’s people and government for Trump’s personal role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during the recent regional crisis. Trump, in return, praised Pakistan’s regional peacekeeping and counterterrorism efforts.

IRS notes that the dialogue extended beyond security matters to encompass expansive discussions on trade, economic development, energy, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and mineral exploration—an ambitious agenda suggesting long-term strategic alignment. President Trump voiced a strong interest in developing a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan rooted in shared goals and regional convergence.

Both sides also discussed escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, agreeing on the urgency of diplomatic resolution. Trump was briefed on Pakistan’s position as a responsible regional stakeholder advocating for de-escalation. The IRS views this engagement as emblematic of Pakistan’s evolving global posture—from reactive crisis diplomacy to proactive strategic positioning. In its analysis, the think tank highlights how Pakistan is increasingly seen by Washington as a necessary stabilizing force amid a deteriorating Middle East environment. According to the think tank’s analysis, Pakistan’s shared borders with Iran and its strategic position in the Middle East have the potential to catapult Pakistan into the middle of a diplomatic solution.

As a symbol of warming ties, Field Marshal Munir formally invited President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan. The invitation was well received, with both sides agreeing to maintain momentum on key collaborative tracks.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33ef65bd-a6de-49db-b2ee-bd8bc97cc66f

The MIL Network –

June 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Global Energy Balance: Heads of Major Energy Companies, Experts Discuss Future of Energy Sector at SPIEF

Source: Rosneft

Headline: Global Energy Balance: Heads of Major Energy Companies, Experts Discuss Future of Energy Sector at SPIEF

At the Energy Panel of the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, leading industry experts, politicians, scientists, government officials and heads of major international energy companies discussed current trends in the global energy market.

Their assessments and forecasts largely coincided with the visionary concept of industry development presented by Igor Sechin, Head of Rosneft. In his report “Odyssey of the Global Economy in Search of the Golden Fleece. The New Landscape a of the Global Energy Industry”, he announced that the current state of the global energy industry is at the stage of formation of a new image due to the multiple growth of electricity consumption, the generation of which will be provided by both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. According to him, the optimal solution today is “synthesis of conventional and alternative energy sources”.

The event, organized with the support of Rosneft, was addressed by Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Chairman of the Rosneft Board of Directors, Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela, Simon Aloysius Mantiri, Chief Executive Officer of Pertamina, Zhang Daowei, Vice President of CNPC, Shiva Prasad Panda Madhusudana, Executive Director of Reliance Industries, Alexander Dynkin, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Nobuo Tanaka, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Japanese government’s non-profit Low Carbon Technology Initiative, and David Gadzhimirzaev, President of TOFS.

ENERGY TRANSITION WITHOUT TRANSITION

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada opened the discussion of Igor Sechin’s report, noting the depth of his analysis. “It was comprehensive – the way you showed that progress and energy are inseparable,” Al-Sada addressed Sechin.

The head of Rosneft’s Board of Directors drew the audience’s attention to the fact that despite the active promotion of the idea of transition to RES, the share of fossil energy sources in the energy mix has not changed in recent decades. He recalled that Igor Sechin mentioned in the report that fossil fuels account for 80% of the global energy mix. “And this statistic has not changed for the last 20 years! We are fluttering around these 80% fossil fuels and energy sources, and so not much has changed!” exclaimed Al-Sada, describing the situation in the global energy sector.

“In other words, we are essentially not making any transition away from hydrocarbons,” he concluded, emphasizing that the transition to renewables is being imposed on the industry and the public.

“I would also like to take as a baton from Mr. Sechin, and pass my comment to you. It’s like food for thought: are we actually transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable fuels?“,” Al-Sada addressed the audience.

The Rosneft Chairman also noted that energy demand does not always coincide with production growth for various reasons.

“I would like to express two small thoughts in order to further enhance the valuable things we heard in Mr. Sechin’s words. <...> Lack of investment is already a reality in the hydrocarbon and energy sectors. This is something that could really bring us to a serious energy shortage. “If this trend continues we could face an energy shortage. This is not only my personal opinion, but also what a large number of analysts, including the International Energy Agency, and other respected experts, who in their reviews have emphasized the importance of having sufficient investment in the hydrocarbon sector. Otherwise, we will face the risk of a primary energy shortage!”, emphasized Al-Sada.

FUTURE FOR SYNERGY

Zhang Daowei, Vice President of China’s CNPC, remarked on the interest in the report by Rosneft’s CEO. In his speech, the top manager of the Chinese company expressed similar assessments of the ways of development of the global energy sector – in particular, the need for synergy between traditional and new energy sources.

“We have always believed that in the context of the energy transition course, it is necessary to adhere to synergetic, integrated development of traditional and new energy sources, to take full account of the characteristics and degree of development of our countries’ markets, to properly link energy transition with energy security, and to promote a fair and sustainable model of energy transformation,” Daowei said.

According to the vice president, under this philosophy, CNPC, on the one hand, continues to increase the exploration and development of oil and gas fields domestically and import high-quality resources from abroad, including strengthening long-term cooperation with Russia in the field of hydrocarbon trade. On the other hand, CNPC is actively pursuing a green, low-carbon development strategy and realizing the development of a “three-step strategy” combining oil and gas projects with wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen and carbon capture technologies.

Simon Aloysius Mantiri, President and CEO of Pertamina Indonesia, said that the company is pursuing a dual growth strategy that is based on both conventional resources and low-carbon solutions. Meanwhile, natural gas plays an important role in the country’s energy mix.

“Natural gas is at the center of our strategy to transition to cleaner fuels. And today we are expanding our LNG capacity and capability for both domestic and export needs,” he said.

The Pertamina chief virtually reiterated the point made in Igor Sechin’s report and emphasized that by achieving a balance of energy sources and a comprehensive approach, the company is able to ensure high economic growth and carbon neutrality in parallel.

Reliance Industries CEO P.M.S. Prasad said India does not choose between energy access and innovation. “It is integrating both. By developing scalable, context-specific solutions, it is addressing local priorities while making a significant contribution to global sustainability. From rural microgrids to energy efficient data centers, India is turning its potential into a strategic asset,” Prasad said.

He emphasized that international partnerships play a vital role in this ambitious effort. “Energy remains a key cornerstone of the strategic relationship between India and Russia. India values this trusted partnership and appreciates the cooperation forged over decades. The leadership of both countries is committed to take this partnership to an even higher bar in the future,” summarized Reliance Industries’ CEO.

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NOT BEING WRITTEN OFF

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, in his keynote speech at the Energy Panel, noted the growing interest in nuclear power generation worldwide and, accordingly, the growth of investments in this area. According to him, this is happening against the backdrop of growing energy consumption and in future nuclear power will be in demand along with fossil sources and renewable energy sources.

Reliance Industries CEO Panda Madhusudana Shiva Prasad, in turn, speaking on India’s energy outlook, emphasized the significant role of nuclear power generation.

“Gas, renewables supported by energy storage systems and a robust transmission grid, and nuclear power will play a key role. India’s bold nuclear program, including small modular reactors, reflects its commitment to long-term energy security and decarbonization,” Prasad said.

The renewed interest in investments in NPP construction was noted in the speech of Uzbek Minister of Energy Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov. He spoke about joint plans with Russia to build two units of 55 megawatts each, and two units of VWR type reactors – water-water power reactor. The head of the ministry also said that gas-fired power plants are being installed in the country, hydropower is being developed, the share of renewable sources is increasing, and storage systems are being created at the same time.

The Minister noted the substantial nature of Igor Sechin’s report, which contains a detailed analysis and reflects all trends in the development of global energy, science and economy.

ENERGY SECURITY IN FIRST PLACE

Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela, in her speech supported the thesis expressed by the head of Rosneft that energy security issues should come first.

“We always advocate that the energy transition be carried out responsibly, taking into account reality, to avoid abrupt changes that could jeopardize energy security,” Rodriguez said.

Venezuela’s Executive Vice President named the main components of a stable energy system of the future: energy security, reliable supply, accessibility for all, while respecting nature – with minimal environmental impact.

Among the main threats to energy security, Rodriguez named illegal sanctions against producing countries and the hegemony of the dollar.

Nobuo Tanaka, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Japanese government’s non-profit Low Carbon Technology Initiative, said the answer to energy security is always to diversify supply sources, improve energy efficiency and seek alternative energy sources, including renewable energy, nuclear energy and regulate the market with predictable policies.

AGAINST LOGIC

The panelists drew attention to the political events of recent decades and stated that geopolitics is now shaping the direction of economic cooperation. And often against the logic of market expediency and economic efficiency.

Tanaka recalled how he discussed Germany’s energy policy with Chancellor Merkel in 2009: “I asked her why Germany does not use nuclear power. She answered like this: Mr. Tanaka, I am a scientist, I know how important it is to use nuclear power, but in order to use it in Germany, she said, give me votes in exchange. Yes, she’s a good scientist, but she’s also a very smart politician.”

The professor is sure that despite her experience Merkel made a very serious mistake by changing the policy on the use of nuclear power plants under the pressure of public opinion. Another mistake was the refusal to use Russian energy carriers and Russian natural gas. “I think she was misled,” Tanaka said.

“Geopolitics is a factor of the 21st century global economy. It is geopolitical interests that brought the BRICS countries together. The criterion for membership is not to use sanctions against other members of the organization. But geopolitics has also become a kind of “trap” for Germany after Trump’s victory,” said Alexander Dynkin, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

He noted that the European bureaucrats are concerned about the complete refusal of energy supplies from Russia by 2027. “They are not stopped by the growth of costs, undermining the competitiveness of the EU,” – said Dynkin and recalled that if in 2014, the U.S. GDP was ahead of the EU GDP. US GDP was only 12% ahead of EU GDP, last year the US economy was already 50% larger than the European one.

“Although the German energy crisis is formally over, the country paid for it with three years of stagnation, deindustrialization, inflation, and migration crisis,” said the RAS academy member.

DIGITAL REVOLUTION

The thesis in Igor Sechin’s report that the digital revolution opens a new era in the development of the oil and gas industry was warmly echoed by the audience. In particular, David Gadzhimirzaev, General Director of TOFS Oilfield Services Group, thanked Rosneft for supporting innovation and technology development. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the availability, stability and reliability of resources, which is exactly what new technologies can provide, which will reduce the cost of bringing barrels to the surface.

“We all know that just this year the Energy Strategy-2050 was approved, which includes the fact that by 2050 about 70% of the Russian Federation’s production will be from hard-to-recover reserves. Therefore, we are not only working on expertise, but also working on the production of new technologies,” Gadzhimirzaev said.

Department of Information and Advertising
Rosneft Oil Company
June 21, 2025

MIL OSI Economics –

June 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Global Energy Balance: Heads of Major Energy Companies, Experts Discuss Future of Energy Sector at SPIEF

Source: Rosneft

Headline: Global Energy Balance: Heads of Major Energy Companies, Experts Discuss Future of Energy Sector at SPIEF

At the Energy Panel of the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, leading industry experts, politicians, scientists, government officials and heads of major international energy companies discussed current trends in the global energy market.

Their assessments and forecasts largely coincided with the visionary concept of industry development presented by Igor Sechin, Head of Rosneft. In his report “Odyssey of the Global Economy in Search of the Golden Fleece. The New Landscape a of the Global Energy Industry”, he announced that the current state of the global energy industry is at the stage of formation of a new image due to the multiple growth of electricity consumption, the generation of which will be provided by both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. According to him, the optimal solution today is “synthesis of conventional and alternative energy sources”.

The event, organized with the support of Rosneft, was addressed by Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Chairman of the Rosneft Board of Directors, Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela, Simon Aloysius Mantiri, Chief Executive Officer of Pertamina, Zhang Daowei, Vice President of CNPC, Shiva Prasad Panda Madhusudana, Executive Director of Reliance Industries, Alexander Dynkin, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Nobuo Tanaka, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Japanese government’s non-profit Low Carbon Technology Initiative, and David Gadzhimirzaev, President of TOFS.

ENERGY TRANSITION WITHOUT TRANSITION

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada opened the discussion of Igor Sechin’s report, noting the depth of his analysis. “It was comprehensive – the way you showed that progress and energy are inseparable,” Al-Sada addressed Sechin.

The head of Rosneft’s Board of Directors drew the audience’s attention to the fact that despite the active promotion of the idea of transition to RES, the share of fossil energy sources in the energy mix has not changed in recent decades. He recalled that Igor Sechin mentioned in the report that fossil fuels account for 80% of the global energy mix. “And this statistic has not changed for the last 20 years! We are fluttering around these 80% fossil fuels and energy sources, and so not much has changed!” exclaimed Al-Sada, describing the situation in the global energy sector.

“In other words, we are essentially not making any transition away from hydrocarbons,” he concluded, emphasizing that the transition to renewables is being imposed on the industry and the public.

“I would also like to take as a baton from Mr. Sechin, and pass my comment to you. It’s like food for thought: are we actually transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable fuels?“,” Al-Sada addressed the audience.

The Rosneft Chairman also noted that energy demand does not always coincide with production growth for various reasons.

“I would like to express two small thoughts in order to further enhance the valuable things we heard in Mr. Sechin’s words. <...> Lack of investment is already a reality in the hydrocarbon and energy sectors. This is something that could really bring us to a serious energy shortage. “If this trend continues we could face an energy shortage. This is not only my personal opinion, but also what a large number of analysts, including the International Energy Agency, and other respected experts, who in their reviews have emphasized the importance of having sufficient investment in the hydrocarbon sector. Otherwise, we will face the risk of a primary energy shortage!”, emphasized Al-Sada.

FUTURE FOR SYNERGY

Zhang Daowei, Vice President of China’s CNPC, remarked on the interest in the report by Rosneft’s CEO. In his speech, the top manager of the Chinese company expressed similar assessments of the ways of development of the global energy sector – in particular, the need for synergy between traditional and new energy sources.

“We have always believed that in the context of the energy transition course, it is necessary to adhere to synergetic, integrated development of traditional and new energy sources, to take full account of the characteristics and degree of development of our countries’ markets, to properly link energy transition with energy security, and to promote a fair and sustainable model of energy transformation,” Daowei said.

According to the vice president, under this philosophy, CNPC, on the one hand, continues to increase the exploration and development of oil and gas fields domestically and import high-quality resources from abroad, including strengthening long-term cooperation with Russia in the field of hydrocarbon trade. On the other hand, CNPC is actively pursuing a green, low-carbon development strategy and realizing the development of a “three-step strategy” combining oil and gas projects with wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen and carbon capture technologies.

Simon Aloysius Mantiri, President and CEO of Pertamina Indonesia, said that the company is pursuing a dual growth strategy that is based on both conventional resources and low-carbon solutions. Meanwhile, natural gas plays an important role in the country’s energy mix.

“Natural gas is at the center of our strategy to transition to cleaner fuels. And today we are expanding our LNG capacity and capability for both domestic and export needs,” he said.

The Pertamina chief virtually reiterated the point made in Igor Sechin’s report and emphasized that by achieving a balance of energy sources and a comprehensive approach, the company is able to ensure high economic growth and carbon neutrality in parallel.

Reliance Industries CEO P.M.S. Prasad said India does not choose between energy access and innovation. “It is integrating both. By developing scalable, context-specific solutions, it is addressing local priorities while making a significant contribution to global sustainability. From rural microgrids to energy efficient data centers, India is turning its potential into a strategic asset,” Prasad said.

He emphasized that international partnerships play a vital role in this ambitious effort. “Energy remains a key cornerstone of the strategic relationship between India and Russia. India values this trusted partnership and appreciates the cooperation forged over decades. The leadership of both countries is committed to take this partnership to an even higher bar in the future,” summarized Reliance Industries’ CEO.

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NOT BEING WRITTEN OFF

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, in his keynote speech at the Energy Panel, noted the growing interest in nuclear power generation worldwide and, accordingly, the growth of investments in this area. According to him, this is happening against the backdrop of growing energy consumption and in future nuclear power will be in demand along with fossil sources and renewable energy sources.

Reliance Industries CEO Panda Madhusudana Shiva Prasad, in turn, speaking on India’s energy outlook, emphasized the significant role of nuclear power generation.

“Gas, renewables supported by energy storage systems and a robust transmission grid, and nuclear power will play a key role. India’s bold nuclear program, including small modular reactors, reflects its commitment to long-term energy security and decarbonization,” Prasad said.

The renewed interest in investments in NPP construction was noted in the speech of Uzbek Minister of Energy Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov. He spoke about joint plans with Russia to build two units of 55 megawatts each, and two units of VWR type reactors – water-water power reactor. The head of the ministry also said that gas-fired power plants are being installed in the country, hydropower is being developed, the share of renewable sources is increasing, and storage systems are being created at the same time.

The Minister noted the substantial nature of Igor Sechin’s report, which contains a detailed analysis and reflects all trends in the development of global energy, science and economy.

ENERGY SECURITY IN FIRST PLACE

Delcy Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela, in her speech supported the thesis expressed by the head of Rosneft that energy security issues should come first.

“We always advocate that the energy transition be carried out responsibly, taking into account reality, to avoid abrupt changes that could jeopardize energy security,” Rodriguez said.

Venezuela’s Executive Vice President named the main components of a stable energy system of the future: energy security, reliable supply, accessibility for all, while respecting nature – with minimal environmental impact.

Among the main threats to energy security, Rodriguez named illegal sanctions against producing countries and the hegemony of the dollar.

Nobuo Tanaka, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Japanese government’s non-profit Low Carbon Technology Initiative, said the answer to energy security is always to diversify supply sources, improve energy efficiency and seek alternative energy sources, including renewable energy, nuclear energy and regulate the market with predictable policies.

AGAINST LOGIC

The panelists drew attention to the political events of recent decades and stated that geopolitics is now shaping the direction of economic cooperation. And often against the logic of market expediency and economic efficiency.

Tanaka recalled how he discussed Germany’s energy policy with Chancellor Merkel in 2009: “I asked her why Germany does not use nuclear power. She answered like this: Mr. Tanaka, I am a scientist, I know how important it is to use nuclear power, but in order to use it in Germany, she said, give me votes in exchange. Yes, she’s a good scientist, but she’s also a very smart politician.”

The professor is sure that despite her experience Merkel made a very serious mistake by changing the policy on the use of nuclear power plants under the pressure of public opinion. Another mistake was the refusal to use Russian energy carriers and Russian natural gas. “I think she was misled,” Tanaka said.

“Geopolitics is a factor of the 21st century global economy. It is geopolitical interests that brought the BRICS countries together. The criterion for membership is not to use sanctions against other members of the organization. But geopolitics has also become a kind of “trap” for Germany after Trump’s victory,” said Alexander Dynkin, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

He noted that the European bureaucrats are concerned about the complete refusal of energy supplies from Russia by 2027. “They are not stopped by the growth of costs, undermining the competitiveness of the EU,” – said Dynkin and recalled that if in 2014, the U.S. GDP was ahead of the EU GDP. US GDP was only 12% ahead of EU GDP, last year the US economy was already 50% larger than the European one.

“Although the German energy crisis is formally over, the country paid for it with three years of stagnation, deindustrialization, inflation, and migration crisis,” said the RAS academy member.

DIGITAL REVOLUTION

The thesis in Igor Sechin’s report that the digital revolution opens a new era in the development of the oil and gas industry was warmly echoed by the audience. In particular, David Gadzhimirzaev, General Director of TOFS Oilfield Services Group, thanked Rosneft for supporting innovation and technology development. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the availability, stability and reliability of resources, which is exactly what new technologies can provide, which will reduce the cost of bringing barrels to the surface.

“We all know that just this year the Energy Strategy-2050 was approved, which includes the fact that by 2050 about 70% of the Russian Federation’s production will be from hard-to-recover reserves. Therefore, we are not only working on expertise, but also working on the production of new technologies,” Gadzhimirzaev said.

Department of Information and Advertising
Rosneft Oil Company
June 21, 2025

MIL OSI Economics –

June 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Global energy balance: heads of major energy companies and experts at SPIEF discussed the future of energy

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

At the Energy Panel of the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, leading industry experts, politicians, scientists, government officials and heads of major international energy companies discussed current trends in the global energy market.

Their assessments and forecasts largely coincided with the visionary concept of the industry development presented by Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin. In his report “The Odyssey of the World Economy in Search of the Golden Fleece. The New Image of World Energy,” he announced that the current state of world energy is at the stage of forming a new image, caused by the multiple growth of electricity consumption, the generation of which will be provided by both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. According to him, the optimal solution today is “the synthesis of traditional and alternative energy sources.”

The event, organized with the support of PJSC NK Rosneft, was attended by Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Executive Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer of Pertamina Simon Aloysius Mantiri, Vice President of CNPC Zhang Daowei, Executive Director of Reliance Industries Panda Madhusudana Shiva Prasad, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Dynkin, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the non-profit initiative of the Japanese government for the development of low-carbon technologies Nobuo Tanaka, as well as President of TOFS Group David Gadzhimirzaev.

ENERGY TRANSITION WITHOUT TRANSITION

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada opened the discussion of Igor Sechin’s report, noting the depth of his analysis. “It was comprehensive – the way you showed that progress and energy are inseparable,” Al-Sada addressed Sechin.

The head of the board of directors of Rosneft drew the audience’s attention to the fact that, despite the active promotion of the idea of switching to renewable energy sources, the share of fossil energy sources in the energy balance has not changed in recent decades. He recalled that Igor Sechin mentioned in his report that fossil fuels account for 80% of the world’s energy balance. “And these statistics have not changed in the last 20 years! We flutter around these 80% of fossil fuels and energy sources, and, therefore, little has changed!” exclaimed Al-Sada, describing the situation in the global energy sector.

“In other words, we are essentially not making any transition away from hydrocarbons,” he concluded, emphasizing that the transition to renewable energy sources is being imposed on the industry and the public.

“I would also like to take the baton from Mr. Sechin and pass on my comment to you. This is food for thought: are we really moving from fossil fuels to renewables?” Al-Sada addressed the audience.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft also noted that the demand for energy for various reasons does not always coincide with the growth of production. “I would like to express two small thoughts in order to further color the valuable things that we heard in the words of Mr. Sechin. The lack of investment is already a reality in the hydrocarbon and energy sectors. This is what can really lead us to a serious shortage of energy. “If this trend continues, we may face a shortage of energy resources. This is not only my personal opinion, but also what a large number of analysts say, including the International Energy Agency and other respected experts, who in their reviews emphasize the importance of having sufficient investment in the hydrocarbon sector. Otherwise, we will face the risk of a shortage of primary energy!” Al-Sada emphasized.

THE FUTURE IS SYNERGY

Vice President of China’s CNPC Zhang Daowei noted that he listened with interest to the report of Rosneft’s Chief Executive Officer. In his speech, the top manager of the Chinese company expressed similar assessments of the development paths of the global energy sector – in particular, the need for synergy between traditional and new energy sources.

“We have always believed that in the context of the energy transition course, it is necessary to adhere to the synergetic, comprehensive development of traditional and new energy sources, fully take into account the characteristics and level of development of our countries’ markets, properly link the energy transition with energy security, and promote a fair and sustainable model of energy transformation,” Daowei noted.

According to the vice president, within the framework of this philosophy, CNPC, on the one hand, continues to increase the exploration and development of oil and gas fields at home and import high-quality resources from abroad, including strengthening long-term cooperation with Russia in the field of hydrocarbon trade. On the other hand, CNPC actively adheres to the strategy of “green”, low-carbon development and implements the development of the “three-step strategy” combining oil and gas projects using wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen and carbon capture technologies.

Indonesia’s Pertamina President and CEO Simon Aloysius Mantiri said the company is pursuing a dual growth strategy that relies on both traditional resources and low-carbon solutions, with natural gas playing a major role in the country’s energy mix.

“Natural gas is at the center of our strategy to transition to cleaner fuels. And today we are expanding our capacity and ability to produce LNG for both domestic and export needs,” he said.

The head of Pertamina essentially repeated the thesis voiced in Igor Sechin’s report, and particularly emphasized that by achieving a balance of energy sources and a comprehensive approach, the company is capable of ensuring high rates of economic growth and, at the same time, carbon neutrality.

Reliance Industries CEO PMS Prasad said India does not choose between energy access and innovation. “It integrates both. By developing scalable, context-specific solutions, it addresses local priorities while making a significant contribution to global sustainability. From rural microgrids to energy-efficient data centres, India is turning its potential into a strategic asset,” Prasad said.

He stressed that international partnerships play a vital role in this ambitious endeavour. “Energy remains a key cornerstone of the strategic relationship between India and Russia. India values this trusting partnership and appreciates the cooperation built over decades. The leadership of both countries is committed to taking this partnership to even higher levels in the future,” the Reliance Industries CEO concluded.

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NOT WRITTEN OFF THE ACCOUNTS

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin noted in his keynote speech at the Energy Panel the growing interest in nuclear power generation worldwide and, accordingly, the growth of investments in this area. According to him, this is happening against the backdrop of growing energy consumption and in the future nuclear energy will be in demand along with fossil fuels and renewable energy sources.

Reliance Industries CEO Panda Madhusudana Shiva Prasad, speaking in turn about the prospects for the development of India’s energy sector, particularly emphasized the significant role of nuclear power generation.

“Gas, renewables supported by energy storage systems and a robust transmission grid, and nuclear power will play a key role. India’s ambitious nuclear programme, including small modular reactors, reflects its commitment to long-term energy security and decarbonisation,” Prasad said.

The revival of interest in investment in the construction of nuclear power plants was noted in the speech of the Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov. He spoke about joint plans with Russia to build two units of 55 megawatts each, and two units of VVR-type reactors – water-cooled power reactors. The head of the ministry also reported that the country is installing power plants where gas is burned, hydropower is developing, the share of renewable sources is increasing, and storage systems are being created at the same time.

The Minister noted the content of Igor Sechin’s report, which provided a detailed analysis and reflected all the development trends in global energy, science and economics.

ENERGY SECURITY FIRST

In her speech, the Executive Vice President of the Republic of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, supported the thesis expressed by the head of Rosneft that issues of ensuring energy security should be a top priority.

“We always advocate that the energy transition be carried out responsibly, taking into account reality, in order to avoid abrupt changes that could threaten energy security,” Rodriguez said.

The Executive Vice President of Venezuela named the main components of a stable energy system of the future: energy security, reliable supplies, accessibility for all, and at the same time respect for nature – with minimal impact on the environment.

Among the main threats to energy security, Rodriguez named illegal sanctions against producing countries and the hegemony of the dollar.

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Japanese government’s non-profit initiative to develop low-carbon technologies Nobuo Tanaka, in turn, noted that the answer to energy security issues is always associated with diversification of supply sources, increasing energy efficiency and searching for alternative energy sources, including renewable energy sources, nuclear energy and regulating the market through predictable policies.

CONTRARY TO LOGIC

The participants in the discussion drew attention to the political events of the last decades and stated that today geopolitics shapes the directions of economic cooperation. Moreover, often contrary to the logic of market expediency and economic efficiency.

Tanaka recalled in this regard how he discussed Germany’s energy policy with Chancellor Merkel in 2009: “I asked her why Germany does not use nuclear energy. She answered like this: Mr. Tanaka, I am a scientist, I know how important it is to use nuclear energy, but in order to use it in Germany, she said, give me the votes of the voters in exchange for it. Yes, she is a good scientist, but she is also a very smart politician.”

The professor is sure that despite her experience, Merkel made a very serious mistake by changing her policy on the use of nuclear power plants under pressure from public opinion. Another mistake was the refusal to use Russian energy resources and Russian natural gas. “I think she was misled,” Tanaka said.

“Geopolitics is a factor in the global economy of the 21st century. It is geopolitical interests that united the BRICS countries. The criterion for membership is not the application of sanctions against other members of the organization. But geopolitics has also become a kind of “trap” for Germany after Trump’s victory,” says academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Dynkin.

He noted that Eurocrats are concerned about the complete rejection of energy supplies from Russia by 2027. “They are not stopped by the growth of costs, which undermines the competitiveness of the EU,” Dynkin noted and recalled that if in 2014 the US GDP was ahead of the EU GDP by only 12%, then last year the American economy was already 50% larger than the European one.

“Although the German energy crisis is formally over, the country paid for it with three years of stagnation, deindustrialization, inflation, and a migration crisis,” said the member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

DIGITAL REVOLUTION

The thesis voiced in Igor Sechin’s report that the digital revolution is opening a new era in the development of the oil and gas industry received a warm response from the audience. In particular, David Gadzhimirzaev, CEO of the oilfield services company TOFS, thanked Rosneft for supporting innovation and developing technologies. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the availability, stability and reliability of resources, which can be provided by new technologies that will reduce the cost of lifting barrels to the surface.

“We all know that literally this year the energy strategy-2050 was approved, which includes the fact that by 2050 about 70% of the Russian Federation’s production will be from hard-to-recover reserves. Therefore, we, in turn, are not only working on the expertise, but also working on the production of new technologies,” Gadzhimirzaev said.

Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft June 21, 2025

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Kirsty Coventry Unveils Collaborative & Inclusive International Olympic Committee (IOC) Leadership Vision at First Public Media Roundtable

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

In her first major media appearance since being elected President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry offered a strikingly human portrait of the leader she intends to be: humble, collaborative, and unwaveringly grounded in the values of sport, equity, and Olympism, as she addressed international media during an online open roundtable on Zoom this afternoon.

FIRST WOMAN & AFRICAN Speaking candidly for over an hour, the Zimbabwean reflected on the life journey that brought her from the pools of Harare to the corridors of Olympic power in Lausanne. Her presidency, set to begin officially on Olympic Day, 23 June 2025, will mark a historic moment as she becomes the first woman and first African to lead the IOC.

GROUNDED LEADERSHIP Coventry made it clear that her leadership will not be rooted in authority, but in consensus and a collaborative, human-centred vision: ”In both my personal and professional career, I’ve always had incredible people around me to keep me grounded and humble; those are people whom I will continue to keep around me.”

She added: “Values are at the core of our daily business, they’re incredibly important in today’s communities, and I hold this very close to my heart.”

WHY IOC FORUMS MATTER Replying to a question from Japan’s Wakako Yuki on the role of IOC Forums in attribute Conventry’s vision as president, “I have a vision that I would like to see, but I want to do it in a collaborative way. The Athletes Forum, eSport, Olympism365, the two ASOIF and WOF General Assemblies have been great platforms to listen to people, to hear topics that are important to them.”

2ND MEDIA ROUNDTABLE IN SIGHT Coventry announced that immediately following the IOC Session on June 23-24, she has invited members to stay for a two-day “pause and reflect” workshop, an opportunity for honest dialogue about the IOC’s challenges and future direction:

“I’ve invited the IOC members to stay two extra days so that I can hear what is on their mind and what they see as our opportunities and what they may see as our challenges, as we move into the future and come up with different ideas. This is the first point in a longer consultation process with all stakeholders, including yourselves as media, where we’ll create another round table where I’ll get to ask you all a bunch of questions. That will strengthen the Olympic movement in a collaborative way.”

VALUES CARRIED TO IOC PRESIDENCY Nadine Hassan from Jordan asked Kirsty, looking back on her journey, from Olympic champion to minister and now IOC President, which moments off the podium had the greatest impact in shaping the person she is today? “I’ll need a moment to properly reflect on this. I think I’d have to go back to my roots. Growing up in Zimbabwe played a huge role. It’s a small community in many ways. We’re a big country geographically, but we’re just 15 million people, and we lean on each other.

“I think that kind of upbringing, maybe a bit more sheltered, surrounded by strong values and close-knit support, helped me understand the importance of having grounded, humble, genuine people around me. And it’s those people who’ve consistently reminded me of where I come from. That’s been one of the most powerful influences throughout my journey.

CHALLENGES, AND DIFFICULT MEN.. New York Times reporter Tariq Panja referenced Coventry’s previous remarks about dealing with “difficult men.” She smiled knowingly and recounted the pressures she faced as a young Olympic medallist representing Zimbabwe during politically turbulent times:

“As athletes, we had a lot of pressure coming from different government officials in Zimbabwe, and you know, it was hard. To look at others and trying to say, I’m an athlete, I don’t believe in the politics in sport. I want to just focus on performing well,” She said, without names mentioned, “Looking back now, it taught me a lot about how to work with people, how to be respectful of differing opinions and still move forward on a shared agenda.”

WOMEN SUPPORT WOMEN USA’s Rachel Axon asked, How has your career been shaped by other women at various career points, adding the gender equality initiatives to your role as female IOC President. Conventry highlighted the women who shaped her path, from her mother and grandmother to her university head swim coach, even Olympic trailblazers like Donna de Varona:

She said, “My grandfather passed away when Mom was in her late teens. And so my grandmother was a single mom for most of her life, with three kids, and both were just incredibly strong women who raised families, and I think my mom’s pretty great, and my uncle and aunt. She did a great job, but she also had a successful career in fashion. My mum got to see her doing that, so she was always an incredible role model for my sister and I.”

She adds: “My swim coach, Kim, who became a Division I coach while her husband was deployed overseas, with two very young kids, watching how she balanced that was inspiring. When we were preparing for the 2004 Olympics, her eldest came to Athens as a baby.. Again, I’ve been fortunate in my life to have very strong women around me who have shown me that it’s possible. It’s not always easy, but it’s possible,” noting her hope to pay that inspiration forward, especially for her two daughters.

AFRICAN HERITAGE A question from China’s Mandan Zhu touched on Coventry’s rich international background and the impact of her African heritage, coming from Harare to Lausanne as a little girl with big dreams,“I can remember exactly where I was standing in my parents’ living room. I was still in my swimsuit, feeling cold after swimming in the pool, only to stand in front of the TV and watch divers compete. I would say that there’s never a dream too big.

“You know, where there is a will to achieve, there’s a way. And don’t let someone talk you out of having that dream of what could be the best thing that happens to you. It’s quite powerful.”

WEIGHT OF BEING ‘FIRST’ British journalist Jamie Gardner asked Coventry about the significance of becoming the IOC’s first female president at this particular moment in history. While she admitted it wasn’t something she initially focused on, the outpouring of messages from women around the world has since left a powerful mark: “I had a coworker tell me that his mum said, ‘Never in my lifetime did I think I’d see a woman lead the movement you work for.’” That moment, she admitted, hit her deeply. “It’s not just an exciting day, it’s a day with a lot of responsibility.”

FROM SYDNEY TO BRISBANE Australia, particularly the Sydney 2000 Games, remains a defining touchstone for Coventry’s Olympic journey. Asked about her journey coming full circle, from a wide-eyed young swimmer at Sydney 2000 to President for Brisbane 2032, Coventry shared a funny tale about struggling to put on her first Speedo sharkskin suit, helped up by none other than Australian legend Susie O’Neill:

“When we arrived in Sydney, I went into the changing room to try my Speedo suit on, and it turned into a total disaster. I had one leg in, was struggling to get the other in, lost my balance completely, and toppled over. Mortifying. Then this amazing person next to me leans down to help, and as I look up, I realise… It’s Susie. I never forget that moment because she was a role model to me, those Games, changed everything for me,” she recalled. “Now I hope Brisbane will show the world the warmth and passion of Australia, and inspire the next generations like Sydney did for me.”

LIFTING VOICES As the media roundtable with IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry progressed, her clarity of purpose sharpened further. In a movement often shaped by the world’s most powerful nations, Coventry made a point of bringing attention to her roots, and how they shape her priorities: “I come from a much smaller NOC, a developing country,” she said of Zimbabwe. “And I understand the challenges our athletes face. How do we close that gap? How do we ensure that athletes from all walks of life, if not with the same opportunities, at least have equal opportunities?”

Coventry affirms that she intends to elevate voices often left on the margins. Her presidency, she hinted, will focus as much on inclusion as it will on innovation.

LEARNING FROM YOUNG GENERATIONS Perhaps the most poignant reminder of who Coventry is, and who she intends to be as IOC President, came when she spoke about her own children. “They’re a daily reminder of our responsibility to keep sport relevant, and to listen, really listen, to what young people think is important. Kids are honest,” she said with a smile. “And sometimes that’s a very good thing.”

Her two young daughters, she explained, are constant reminders that sport must remain relevant and engaging for younger generations. Despite the gravity of her new role, Coventry remains adamant about keeping her family grounded: “We won’t be staying in the Lausanne Palace. I want my kids to grow up doing the same things I did, making their beds, doing house chores, and just being kids.”

ROAD AHEAD As Kirsty Coventry prepares to officially assume the role on June 23, her message is one of optimism, inclusivity, and integrity. With the weight of history on her shoulders and the wind of lived experience at her back, she is poised not just to lead the Olympic Movement but to reshape it for the modern age, starting by one athlete, one story, one honest conversation at a time.

– on behalf of International Sports Press Association (AIPS).

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MIL OSI Africa –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Scott, Alsobrooks Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Allow Federal Tax Credit for Beauty Industry Small Businesses

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

WASHINGTON — U.S. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) introduced the Small Business Tax Fairness and Compliance Simplification Act. This legislation allows beauty industry small businesses, such as hair stylists, barbers, and nail technicians, to qualify for the Section 45(B) federal tax credit and provides a safe harbor for these businesses to establish procedures for tipped employees to better report their wages without attracting additional tax liability.

The beauty industry is the second largest tip-based sector but is excluded from the Section 45(B) federal tip tax credit. Currently, the tax credit is only available for the restaurant industry and not the beauty industry. Providing beauty industry small businesses with access to the Section 45(B) credit would allow them to hire more employees and decrease their federal tax burden.

“The beauty services industry is expanding rapidly, with entrepreneurs supporting over 1.3 million hardworking Americans,” said Senator Scott. “This important effort to modernize the tax code ensures small businesses—like salons and barbershops—have a fair shot at success. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation that will support these business owners and their employees in building wealth and achieving their own American Dream.”

“It is long past time that we allow small businesses in the beauty industry to qualify for this federal tax credit so they have more opportunities to grow their businesses, create more jobs, and fuel our economy. Small businesses are the backbone of Maryland, the backbone of our country, and this legislation would allow Maryland’s small businesses in the beauty industry to flourish,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

“The beauty industry is powered by women-owned small businesses, employing over more than one million professionals and offering countless entry-level opportunities,” said Megan Patton, Chair of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Board of Directors. “This bill relieves owners of the burden of unpredictable tip taxation, paving the way for greater financial stability. With projected industry growth of close to 20% by 2030, now is the time to act,” continued Patton. “This legislation will not only support small businesses but also strengthen retirement security for spa, beauty, and barbering professionals across the country.”

“As a longtime small business owner in the beauty industry, I know firsthand how important it is to have policies that reflect the realities we face every day. The Small Business Tax Fairness and Compliance Simplification Act is a game-changer for businesses like mine. It gives us the tools to operate more transparently, take care of our teams, and build for the future without the fear of unexpected tax penalties. This kind of support can make all the difference for barbers, stylists, and salon owners working hard to stay afloat and serve their communities,” said Derick Ausby, State of Maryland Barber Board Member and Owner of the Groomatory Mens Club.

The Small Business Tax Fairness and Compliance Simplification Act has broad industry support, including the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the International Spa Association, the National Association of Barber Boards of America, the Professional Beauty Employment Coalition, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Personal Care Products Council, the International SalonSpa Business Network, and the Esthetics Council.

Representatives LaHood (R-Ill.-16) and DelBene (D-Wash.-01) reintroduced this bill in the House last month with bipartisan support.

Read the full text of the Small Business Tax Fairness and Compliance Simplification Act here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Completes the Third Review under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement for Burkina Faso

Source: IMF – News in Russian

June 20, 2025

The IMF Executive Board completed today the third review under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement for Burkina Faso. This enables an immediate disbursement of about US$32.8 million.
Supportive policies and favorable weather conditions boosted agricultural output in 2024; however, widespread insecurity continues to weigh on economic activity in other sectors, especially gold mining, the primary source of export earnings for the country.
Program performance has been broadly satisfactory. While end-December 2024 performance criteria for the primary fiscal deficit and net domestic financing were missed by 0.6 percent of GDP, the 2025 budget includes adequate corrective measures. On this basis, the Executive Board approved waivers of nonobservance of these performance criteria. All continuous performance criteria were met. Seven out of eight structural benchmarks were achieved, with the remaining one implemented later as a prior action.

Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the third review under the 48-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement that was approved on September 21, 2023. The completion of the review enables the immediate disbursement of SDR 24.08 million (about US$32.8 million), bringing total IMF financial support under the arrangement to SDR 96.32 million (about US$131.3 million).

Real GDP growth is estimated to have reached 5.0 percent in 2024. Strong growth in agriculture and services outweighed contractions in mining and manufacturing. Real GDP growth is projected to average 4.2 percent in 2025, as growth in the agricultural output is expected to soften in line with average rainfall conditions. Inflation is projected to ease to 3.0 percent in 2025 amid moderating food prices.

Balance of payments strengthened, reflecting a positive shift in terms of trade. The current account deficit rose from 5.0 percent of GDP in 2023 to 5.7 percent in 2024 but is expected to narrow to 3.4 percent in 2025 due to record-high gold prices. Trade policy turbulences will likely have a marginal impact as the United States are not a major trading partner.

Elevated capital spending affected fiscal performance in 2024. Nonetheless, the overall fiscal deficit narrowed from 6.7 percent of GDP in 2023 to 5.8 percent in 2024. Building on the 2025 budget, fiscal policy is expected to be tightened considerably in 2025, with the overall fiscal deficit projected in the 3.3 to 4.0 percent of GDP range, depending on the availability of external concessional financing. Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside due to terrorist threats.

Progress under the ECF arrangement has been broadly satisfactory. Due to fiscal pressures in late 2024, the end-December performance criteria (PCs) on the primary fiscal deficit and net domestic financing were missed by 0.6 percent of GDP, while all other PCs were met. Three out of six indicative targets (ITs) were missed by small margins. All three continuous PCs and five end-March 2025 ITs, including on the primary fiscal deficit and net domestic financing were met, while the remaining four ITs were missed by small margins.

The Burkinabè authorities advanced their structural reform agenda under the program. They met seven out of eight structural benchmarks (SBs) and have addressed the missed SB on the preparation of the clearance plan for domestic arrears as a prior action for the third review. They have also implemented two other prior actions: they shared a list of treasury deposit accounts and cleared all domestic arrears outstanding at end-2023. Three new SBs under the program aim to strengthen the governance in public procurement, uphold integrity in revenue administration, and increase control over the public wage bill.

At the conclusion of the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director, and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

“Burkina Faso’s economy has proven resilient notwithstanding security challenges, a difficult humanitarian situation, and weather shocks. A lasting improvement in socio‑economic conditions will require progress on security and structural reforms to foster diversification, fiscal governance, and resilience.

“While the policy framework remains strong, fiscal pressures affected program performance in 2024. For the first time, and in difficult circumstances, performance criteria on the primary fiscal deficit and net domestic financing were missed. The margin of nonobservance—while not negligible—did not undermine the fiscal consolidation trend. The authorities counteracted the slippage with strong measures on the expenditure side and remain committed to reducing the overall fiscal deficit to three percent of GDP by the end of the ECF arrangement, while safeguarding fiscal space for poverty-reducing social spending. This commitment is reflected in the 2025 budget and fiscal performance through end-March.

“The authorities are on track and have expanded their structural reform agenda, focusing on fiscal governance and transparency. They have provided a list of treasury deposit accounts, adopted an arrears’ clearance plan, and cleared all arrears outstanding at end-2023 following their audit. These measures are informed by the preliminary findings of the IMF’s Governance Diagnostic Assessment (GDA). The GDA report is being finalized. The authorities intend to publish the final report in coming weeks and adopt, within four months from publication, an action plan reflecting its key recommendations. Structural conditionality for the fifth review has been strengthened with the addition of benchmarks on implementing the action plan from the procurement audit and strengthening further wage bill control and governance in revenue services.”

Table 1. Burkina Faso: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2023–29
Population (2023): 23.3 million						Gini Index (2021): 37.4
Per capita GDP (2023): 910 USD					Life Expectancy (years): 60
Share of population below the poverty line (2022): 43.7%						Literacy rate (2022): 34%
	2023	2024	2024	2025	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
	Act.	ECF 2nd Review	Prel.	ECF 2nd Review	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.
	(Annual percentage change, unless otherwise indicated)
GDP and Prices
GDP at constant prices	3.0	4.2	5.0	4.3	4.2	4.9	4.7	4.7	4.7
GDP deflator	2.0	7.2	8.9	5.6	5.9	4.0	3.3	2.8	2.3
Consumer prices (annual average)	0.7	3.6	4.2	3.0	3.0	2.5	2.1	2.0	2.0
Consumer prices (end of period)	1.0	3.4	4.9	2.8	3.0	2.5	2.1	2.0	2.0

Money and Credit
Net domestic assets (banking system) 1/	5.3	18.7	0.4	14.7	6.1	8.8	8.7	7.5	7.0
Credit to the government (banking system) 1/	3.0	9.8	3.7	8.1	3.8	3.4	3.3	2.3	2.1
Credit to private sector	5.9	13.1	-2.2	9.5	2.6	8.2	8.3	7.9	7.5
Broad money (M3)	-3.0	20.8	7.2	15.6	6.1	9.1	8.1	7.6	7.1
Private sector credit/GDP	31.6	30.7	27.0	30.5	25.1	24.9	24.9	25.0	25.1

External Sector
Exports (f.o.b.; valued in CFA francs)	-3.1	10.5	2.0	10.5	25.3	7.8	5.3	4.2	2.7
Imports (f.o.b.; valued in CFA francs)	-1.5	5.3	4.8	3.5	10.8	6.3	6.5	6.4	5.7
Current account (percent of GDP)	-5.0	-5.2	-5.7	-3.5	-3.4	-3.1	-3.4	-3.7	-4.4
	(Percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)
Central Government Finances
Current revenue	20.6	20.1	20.6	18.6	19.8	20.1	20.4	20.8	20.9
of which: Tax revenue	18.2	17.8	18.3	16.9	18.1	18.4	18.8	19.1	19.3
Total expenditure and net lending	29.0	26.3	27.7	24.1	25.0	24.7	24.6	24.9	25.1
of which: Current expenditure	17.9	16.5	16.3	15.4	16.0	15.5	15.1	14.7	14.3
Overall fiscal balance, incl. grants (commitments)	-6.7	-5.0	-5.8	-4.3	-4.0	-3.5	-3.0	-3.0	-3.0
Total public debt 2/	56.2	53.0	56.9	52.2	56.1	55.0	54.0	53.0	52.3
of which: External debt	25.9	23.7	25.4	22.2	24.8	24.0	23.7	23.3	23.1
of which: Domestic debt	30.3	29.4	31.6	29.9	31.3	30.9	30.3	29.7	29.2

*Memorandum Items:*
Nominal GDP (CFAF billion) 3/	12,328	14,330	14,098	15,791	15,561	16,973	18,355	19,755	21,153
Nominal GDP per capita (US$)	874	990	975	1,050	1,002	1,063	1,120	1,175	1,227
Nominal exchange rate (CFAF/US$, period average)	606	602	606	598	635	637	637	637	637
Gold price (USD/troy ounce)	1,943	2,342	2,387	2,608	2,821	2,963	3,096	3,198	3,244
Sources: Burkinabé authorities; IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Percent of beginning-of-period broad money.
2/ The 2nd review total public debt data has been retroactively adjusted to correct an exchange rate calculation error starting in 2023. In addition, the denominator (GDP) in the table has been revised (see footnote 3 below). Previously, total public debt in 2024 was estimated at 52.6 percent of GDP, while it was assessed to have reached 53.6 percent of GDP in 2023.
3/ Historical nominal GDP figures have been revised down, in line with the most recent publication of official estimates by the National Institute of Statistics.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Tatiana Mossot

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

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/20/pr-25211-burkina-faso-imf-completes-the-3rd-review-under-the-ecf-arrangement

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 21, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: USAID Official and Three Corporate Executives Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Bribery Scheme Involving More Than $550 Million in Contracts; Two Companies Admit Criminal Liability for Bribery Scheme and Securities Fraud

Source: US FBI

Greenbelt, Maryland – Four men, including a government contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and three owners and presidents of companies, have pleaded guilty for their roles in a decade-long bribery scheme involving at least 14 prime contracts worth more than $550 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars.

Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, who worked as a USAID contracting officer, pled guilty to bribery of a public official; Walter Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud; Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official; and Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official.

In addition, Apprio and Vistant, both of which contracted with USAID, have agreed to admit criminal liability and enter into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in connection with criminal informations filed today in the District of Maryland. As part of these resolutions, both Apprio and Vistant admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud. The DPAs entered into with Apprio and Vistant require each company to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program, and report to Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures.

“Watson was entrusted to serve the interests of the American people – not his own – and his criminal actions for his own personal gain undermines the integrity of our public institutions,” said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Public trust is a hallmark of our nation’s values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable. This office, along with our law-enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption at every level to ensure accountability and protect public trust.”

“The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayers,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme violated the public trust by undermining the integrity of the Federal government’s procurement process. Anybody that cares about good and effective government should be concerned about the waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies, including USAID. Those who engage in bribery schemes to exploit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s vital economic programs for small businesses—whether individuals or corporations acting through them—will be held to account.”

“The guilty verdicts reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable all those who abuse the authority and responsibility of public service,” said Assistant Director Joe Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The actions of the defendants in this scheme serve to erode public trust. The FBI is focused on rebuilding this trust and protecting American taxpayers from corruption through investigations such as these.”

“Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated. Watson abused his position of trust for personal gain while federal contractors engaged in a pay-to-play scheme,” said USAID OIG Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary. “USAID OIG is firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption within U.S. foreign assistance programs. Today’s announcement underscores our unwavering focus on exposing criminal activity, including bribery schemes by those entrusted to faithfully award government contracts. We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice in holding accountable those who defraud American taxpayers.”

“Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts. While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts. Through its financial crime investigations, IRS-CI works to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure government funds are awarded based on merit—not corruption. In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI helped put an end to their greed and criminal conduct. Now, Watson and his co-conspirators will face justice,” said Guy Ficco, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation.

Overview of Bribery Scheme

According to court documents, beginning in 2013, Watson, while a USAID contracting officer, agreed with Britt to receive bribes in exchange for using Watson’s influence to award contracts to Apprio. As a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, Apprio could access lucrative federal contracting opportunities through set-asides and sole-source contracts exclusively available to eligible contractors without a competitive bid process.

Vistant was a subcontractor to Apprio on one of the contracts awarded through Watson’s influence. After Apprio graduated from the SBA 8(a) program and it was no longer eligible to be a prime contractor for new contracts with USAID under this program, the scheme shifted so that Vistant became the prime contractor and Apprio became the subcontractor on USAID contracts awarded through Watson’s influence between 2018 and 2022.

During the scheme, Britt and Barnes paid bribes to Watson that were often concealed by passing them through Young, who was the president of another subcontractor to Apprio and Vistant. Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.

In exchange for the bribe payments, Watson influenced the award of contracts to Apprio and Vistant by manipulating the procurement process at USAID through various means, including recommending their companies to other USAID decisionmakers for non-competitive contract awards, disclosing sensitive procurement information during the competitive bidding process, providing positive performance evaluations to a government agency, and approving decisions on the contracts, such as increased funding and a security clearance.

Apprio and Vistant also agreed to resolve concurrently with the Justice Department in its separate Civil False Claims Act investigations relating to the bribery scheme.

Overview of Vistant Securities Fraud Scheme

According to court documents, in 2022, Barnes and Watson defrauded a licensed small business investment company (SBIC), in furtherance of the bribery scheme, by inducing it into executing a credit agreement with Vistant. Through the credit agreement, Barnes caused Vistant to issue stock warrants that, if exercised, would result in the SBIC having a 40% equity stake in Vistant. The credit agreement also provided for a $14 million loan to Vistant from which Barnes could pay himself a $10 million dividend. Prior to executing the credit agreement, Watson agreed at Barnes’s request to speak with the SBIC about Vistant’s performance as a government contractor on USAID contracts. When speaking with the SBIC, Watson omitted that Barnes had bribed Watson to obtain USAID contracts for years. Watson’s endorsement of Vistant thereafter induced the SBIC to enter into the credit agreement with Barnes.

Overview of Apprio Securities Fraud Scheme

According to court documents, in 2023, Apprio, acting through Britt, engaged in a scheme in which Apprio fraudulently induced a private equity firm, which had an investment pool that was licensed as a SBIC, to purchase from Apprio’s parent company a 20% equity stake in the company for $4 million and simultaneously extend it a $4 million loan secured by shares of Apprio stock. In addition to making false material representations in the stock purchase and loan agreements, Britt intentionally omitted during his negotiations the material fact that he had bribed Watson for years, which was intended to deceive and induce the private equity company into executing the agreements.

Deferred Prosecution Agreements with Apprio and Vistant

The Justice Department reached its resolution with Apprio based on several factors, including Apprio’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, fully cooperating in the investigation and engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the Criminal Division Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). According to court documents, Apprio agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $51,673,185; however, Apprio also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $500,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Apprio. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $500,000 in a civil settlement.

Similarly, the Justice Department reached its resolution with Vistant based on a number of factors, including Vistant’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct and cooperating with the investigation. Although Vistant’s cooperation was initially delayed and limited, Vistant began to fully cooperate thereafter. Vistant also received credit for engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the penalty calculated under the Guidelines reflects a 5% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the CEP. Vistant agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $86,407,740; however, Vistant also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $100,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Vistant. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $100,000 in a civil settlement.

Watson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 6. Young faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3. Britt faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for July 28. Barnes faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, USAID OIG, and IRS-CI who are investigating this case.

Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe and Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Brandon Burkart, Department of Justice, Criminal Division Fraud Section, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 3132, Certified Help Options in Claims Expertise for Veterans Act of 2025

Source: US Congressional Budget Office

Bill Summary

H.R. 3132 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to inform veterans and their survivors about organizations and people, such as attorneys and agents, that are accredited by the department to help them claim VA benefits. The bill also would establish a new accreditation process for people who assist applicants with filing claims for VA benefits. Finally, the bill would extend the reduction of pension payments for veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes.

Estimated Federal Cost

The estimated budgetary effects of H.R. 3132 are shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 550 (health) and 700 (veterans benefits and services).

Table 1. Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 3132
	By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032	2033	2034	2035	2025-2030	2025-2035
	Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending
Estimated Budget Authority	*	1	*	1	*	*	1	-20	*	*	1	2	-16
Estimated Outlays	*	1	*	1	*	*	1	-20	*	*	1	2	-16
	Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation
Estimated Authorization	*	6	1	*	1	1	*	1	1	1	*	9	12
Estimated Outlays	*	4	3	*	1	1	*	1	1	1	*	9	12

Basis of Estimate

For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 3132 will be enacted in fiscal year 2025 and that outlays will follow historical spending patterns for affected programs.

Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending

Section 2 would require VA to provide additional information about organizations and people that are accredited by the department to help veterans and their survivors claim benefits. Specifically, VA must:

Notify applicants about VA-accredited representation if their initial applications do not indicate that they have such representation,
Provide information about limitations on fees that potential representatives may charge applicants on each VA web page through which those applicants may file benefit claims, and
Maintain an online tool that allows people claiming VA benefits to search for accredited representatives who may assist with those claims.

CBO anticipates that VA would require additional information technology (IT) resources to notify claimants who lack representation that such assistance is available and to update the department’s website with information about fee limitations. Using information from VA, CBO estimates that it would cost $15 million over the 2025-2035 period to upgrade and maintain the department’s IT system. VA maintains a web portal through which claimants can search for accredited representation for benefit claims. Thus, that requirement would have no budgetary effect.

CBO expects that some of the costs of implementing the bill would be paid from the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) established by Public Law 117-168, the Honoring our PACT Act. The TEF is a mandatory appropriation that VA uses to pay for health care, disability claims processing, medical research, and IT modernization that benefit veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards. Additional spending from the TEF would occur if legislation increases the costs of similar activities that benefit veterans with such exposure. Thus, in addition to increasing spending subject to appropriation, enacting section 2 would increase amounts paid from the TEF, which are classified as direct spending.

CBO projects that the proportion of costs paid by the TEF will grow over time based on the amount of formerly discretionary appropriations that CBO expects will be provided through the mandatory appropriation as specified in the Honoring our PACT Act. CBO estimates that over the 2025-2035 period, implementing section 2 would increase spending subject to appropriation by $11 million and direct spending by $4 million. Most of those costs would occur within a few years of the bill’s enactment.

Direct Spending and Revenues

In addition to expanding benefits that would partly be covered by the TEF, the bill would affect direct spending by reducing pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes. The bill also would establish a new accreditation program for organizations and people that help claimants for VA benefits. In total, the bill would decrease net direct spending by $16 million over the 2025-2035 period (See Table 2).

Table 2. Estimated Changes in Direct Spending and Revenues Under H.R. 3132
	By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032	2033	2034	2035	2025-2030	2025-2035
Information Technology Improvements
Estimated Budget Authority	*	1	*	1	*	*	1	*	*	*	1	2	4
Estimated Outlays	*	1	*	1	*	*	1	*	*	*	1	2	4
Pensions
Estimated Budget Authority	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-20	0	0	0	0	-20
Estimated Outlays	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-20	0	0	0	0	-20
Total Changes
Estimated Budget Authority	*	1	*	1	*	*	1	-20	*	*	1	2	-16
Estimated Outlays	*	1	*	1	*	*	1	-20	*	*	1	2	-16

Pensions. Under current law, VA reduces pension payments to veterans and survivors who reside in Medicaid nursing homes to $90 per month. That required reduction expires November 30, 2031. Section 8 would extend that reduction for five months, through April 30, 2032. CBO estimates that extending that requirement would reduce VA benefits by $10 million per month. (Those benefits are paid from mandatory appropriations and are therefore considered direct spending.) As a result of that reduction in beneficiaries’ income, Medicaid would pay more of the cost of their care, increasing spending for that program by $6 million per month. Thus, enacting section 8 would reduce net direct spending by $20 million over the 2025-2035 period.

Accreditation Process. H.R. 3132 would establish a new process for accrediting attorneys and agents to represent veterans and survivors who claim VA benefits. Under the bill, VA would be required to process applications within 180 days or temporarily accredit people whose applications are not processed in that time frame. The bill would authorize VA to charge applicants a fee of up to $500 for processing the application. Under current law, no guidelines exist concerning the time allotted to process applications for accreditation, and VA does not charge application fees.

Application fees would be available to cover the costs of administering the accreditation program. Because collecting and spending those fees would not require further appropriation, they would be classified as decreases and increases in direct spending. CBO estimates that fee receipts would offset spending for the administration of the program. Thus, administering the new accreditation program would decrease net direct spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period, CBO estimates.

Fines. H.R. 3132 would permit accredited attorneys and agents to collect fees from veterans and their survivors for helping them file initial claims for benefits. Under current law, representatives may charge fees only to help appeal VA’s initial decision on a claim. The bill also would set limits on the fee amounts.

Section 4 would establish fines for unaccredited people who charge fees for assisting with VA benefits claims and for people who charge fees that exceed permitted amounts. The section also would establish fines of up to $50,000 for people who are conditionally accredited by VA to assist with claims for benefits that violate any laws concerning those claims. The bill would make those fines available for expenditure without further appropriation. Collected fines would be recorded as revenues and the subsequent spending would be classified as direct spending. Based on information from VA, CBO estimates that few people would pay fines under the bill. As a result, CBO estimates that enacting section 4 would increase revenues and direct spending by insignificant amounts and, on net, decrease deficits by less than $500,000 over the 2025‑2035 period.

Spending Subject to Appropriation

In addition to the $11 million in spending subject to appropriation for information technology improvements discussed above under the heading “Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending,” section 5 of the bill would require the Government Accountability Office to report to the Congress on VA’s processes for accrediting attorneys and agents. The report would be due within one year of enactment. Based on the cost of similar studies, CBO estimates that the report would cost $1 million to complete. Thus, implementing the bill would cost $12 million over the 2025-2035 period, subject to the appropriation of the estimated amounts.

Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays and revenues that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.

Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3132 would not increase net direct spending by more than $2.5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3132 would not increase on‑budget deficits by more than $5 billion in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

Mandates

H.R. 3132 would impose an intergovernmental mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by preempting state laws that regulate representation for veterans filing initial claims for benefits. CBO estimates that because the preemption would not result in additional expenditures or losses in revenues, it would not exceed the threshold established in UMRA for intergovernmental mandates ($103 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation). The legislation does not contain private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.

Previous CBO Estimate

On May 16, 2025, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1578, the Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on May 6, 2025. Section 2 of H.R. 3132 is similar to section 2 of H.R. 1578 and CBO’s estimates for both are the same.

Federal Costs: Logan Smith

Mandates: Brandon Lever

Estimate Reviewed By

David Newman
Chief, Defense, International Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Cost Estimates Unit

Kathleen FitzGerald
Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

Christina Hawley Anthony
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

Phillip L. Swagel

Director, Congressional Budget Office

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Multimillion-Dollar International Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking Ring Convicted

Source: US FBI

ATLANTA – Monica Dominguez Torres, 36, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Dominguez led a transnational criminal organization that operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds to Mexico.

“Dominguez’s elaborate criminal operation has been dismantled, and more than $3.5 million of illicit drug proceeds have been seized as a result of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners’ diligent work,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will continue to aggressively prosecute individuals like Dominguez who seek an undeserved life of luxury by trafficking deadly drugs in our community.”

Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “Through hard work, this drug trafficking and money laundering network has been removed from our streets. This criminal organization had no regard for the destructive impact on our communities.”

“This conviction sends a strong message to those who think they can live a life of luxury funded by illegal activities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the dedicated collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels, we were able to dismantle Monica Dominguez Torres’s multi-million dollar drug trafficking and money laundering ring, seizing millions in illicit proceeds and bringing her to justice.”

“Monica Torres led a transnational organized crime organization, which like others of its nature, threatens the national and economic security of the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, along with our other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners of the Atlanta Strike Force are working together to find, investigate, and bring to justice those who endanger American citizens lives through their drug trafficking and other illicit crimes.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges and other information presented in court: Monica Dominguez Torres’s organization operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories where liquid methamphetamine, obtained from sources in Mexico, was converted into hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. Dominguez and her associates also used residences in the Atlanta area to collect and count millions of dollars in cash from these drug sales. The proceeds were laundered and sent to coconspirators in Mexico.

As part of the criminal operation, Dominguez and her associates purchased millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods – all designed to conceal the illicit source of their wealth. The investigation revealed that Dominguez purchased five separate residences, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Three of these residences were purchased with bulk cash brought directly to the transaction. Dominguez and others also purchased nine luxury vehicles worth approximately $780,000. Dominguez also spent lavishly on high-end goods, including nearly $400,000 at Louis Vuitton and more than $425,000 at Burberry over roughly four and a half years.

During the investigation, agents seized nearly $3.6 million in cash from Dominguez’s residences, stash locations, and associates. When agents arrested Dominguez at her Conyers, Georgia home in February 2024, they seized more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles.

Dominguez is scheduled to be sentenced on September 15, 2025, at 1:30 pm, before Chief United States District Judge Leigh Martin May. Regarding her drug trafficking conviction, Dominguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life in prison, a maximum $10,000,000 fine, and a minimum of five years of supervised release. The money laundering conviction carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a maximum $500,000 fine or twice the value of the laundered funds, up to three years of supervised release, and forfeiture of property involved in the offense.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section, and Nicholas L. Evert are prosecuting the case.

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

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to eliminate the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates. The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. helps people keep full federal Canada Disability Benefit

Source: Government of Canada regional news

People receiving provincial income assistance in British Columbia who are also eligible to receive the new federal Canada Disability Benefit will keep the entire benefit, thanks to a B.C. exemption.

The first Canada Disability Benefit payments from the Government of Canada will begin in July 2025. The exemption applies to all recipients of income, disability and hardship assistance under the B.C. Employment and Assistance program. This exemption is part of the Province’s ongoing work to reduce poverty and improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Canada Disability Benefit is a federal initiative aimed at reducing poverty and supporting the financial security of Canadians with disabilities.

“With the cost of living so high, it’s more important than ever to ensure people with disabilities have access to the supports they need,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “With this exemption, people receiving provincial assistance can keep the full support they receive from the federal Canada Disability Benefit.”

Eligible people can receive up to $200 per month, or $2,400 per year in additional income from the federal Canada Disability Benefit. With this B.C. exemption, any Canada Disability Benefit payment received from the federal government will not affect provincial income assistance payments. This formalizes a commitment the B.C. government first made in September 2024. Ensuring people can keep all of the Canada Disability Benefit is also one of the commitments under the four-year agreement between the B.C. NDP and the B.C. Green Party signed in December 2024.

“People with disabilities disproportionately live below the poverty line in B.C., often forced to choose between food and shelter,” said Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “The B.C. Greens pushed for this vital step in our agreement with the government, so now people with disabilities in B.C. can access the full range of supports available across Canada.”

Applications for the federal Canada Disability Benefit open June 20, 2025, and can be submitted to the Government of Canada online, by phone or in person at a Service Canada centre. To support individuals with the application process, three B.C.-based organizations, Disability Alliance BC, British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society and Plan Institute, will provide accessible, individualized navigation services to disability programs and benefits, including the federal Disability Tax Credit and Canada Disability Benefit.

“Ensuring that federal Canada Disability Benefit payments will be exempted from any clawbacks will surely increase the dignity and financial security of British Columbians on income, disability and hardship assistance,” said Helaine Boyd, executive director, Disability Alliance B.C. “Disability Alliance B.C. is here to support the disability community in getting access to the federal Disability Tax Credit and the Canada Disability Benefit.”

Applicants can also use the newly launched benefit estimator tool, which can be found on the federal government’s Canada Disability Benefit page, to find out how much they may qualify to receive each month. To access the tool, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/disability/canada-disability-benefit.html.

The federal Canada Disability Benefit is estimated to benefit approximately 85,000 people throughout B.C.

Learn More:

To learn more about the federal Canada Disability Benefit, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/disability/canada-disability-benefit.html

To find the B.C.-based organizations supporting people with the application, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/social-development-partnerships/disabilities/organizations-benefits.html

For the federal government’s news release, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2025/06/canadians-can-apply-for-the-canada-disability-benefit-on-june-20.html

To access the benefit estimator tool, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/disability/canada-disability-benefit/amount.html

For more information about the federal Disability Tax Credit, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit.html

To learn more about the agreement between the B.C. government and the B.C. Green Party, visit: https://bcgreens.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Agreement-in-Principle.pdf

A backgrounder follows.

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Digging Out of Our Fiscal Hole

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

Neither Congress, the Administration, nor the public at large has fully acknowledged the depth of the fiscal hole we have dug, or what it will take to dig ourselves out of it. This is why I am releasing my report “FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation: Facts, Figures, and Analysis.”

My report provides an analysis of different scenarios using various growth rates and spending levels to prove that, without returning to a much lower pre-pandemic spending level, there is virtually no hope of achieving a balanced budget. Republican leaders have repeatedly stated, “We don’t have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem.” It’s time to find out if they’re willing to fix it.

Republicans must ask themselves whether they’re willing to address this spending problem. I hope the answer is yes — and I will continue doing everything I can to ensure it is.

Access the entire 30-page report: The primary purpose of this report is to graphically show what so many Republican leaders have repeatedly stated, including President Trump in his November 2, 2011 tweet, “Washington has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.”

As outlined in this report, the House bill will not reduce the deficit — the numbers simply don’t support that claim. This is our once in a lifetime opportunity to balance the federal budget and reset spending. We have to clean up the enormous mess that Biden and the Democrats left for us.

We are all committed to helping the President and America succeed. My higher loyalty is to my children and grandchildren. We are immorally mortgaging their future. It’s time to take a businesslike approach and work seriously to reduce spending and deficits.

READ: Washington Examiner —> Ron Johnson ramps up “Big, Beautiful Bill” opposition with release of deficit report

READ: The Daily Signal —> Sen. Ron Johnson Proposes Alternative to “Big, Beautiful Bill”

WATCH: Clay & Buck —> Senator Ron Johnson Brings His Charts to the D.C. Studio to Talk Cutting the Budget

WATCH: Fox Business interview clip —> “We have to clean up the enormous mess that Biden and the Democrats left for us.”

READ: Badger Institute —> At center of America’s essential debate, Johnson says resist spending frenzy

I’ve been holding regular telephone town halls this month. The next one is Monday, June 23 at 2pm CT.

I hope all subscribers to my newsletter have signed up, but if not, here is the form.

You can always listen to the telephone town halls live online or on X and Facebook.

I appreciate everyone who takes the time to listen and ask thoughtful questions, even if we disagree. We have thousands of people on these calls and try to answer questions on a wide array of topics.

Here are the time codes and topics covered during the June 16 telephone town hall.

8:55 Telephone Town Hall #122 begins
10:30     Thoughts on Sen. Alex Padilla at DHS Sec. Noem press conference
11:20     Will Trump’s bill get passed by July 4?
12:15     Are you concerned Republicans are on the wrong track?
14:30     How will you vote on funding for public television and radio?
15:35     Will Trump’s cuts hurt constituents?
19:30     Taxes on Social Security
22:13     Abortion
23:50     Affordable Care Act vs. Obamacare
25:58     VA care and government run health care
29:30     Why democrats are protesting
32:40     Illegal immigrants
35:20     National debt
38:11     China owning farmland near military bases
40:00     Federal budget and how to limit spending
42:35     Spending for Veterans
45:05     Israel/Iran war
47:50     Holding people accountable for illegal immigration
51:28     Army parade
53:20     Taxing the rich
56:25     Social Security and taxes
58:55     Revenue from tariffs
1:02:43 Closing remarks

Congratulations to Matt Pronovost from Homestead High School in Mequon for earning a spot in the U.S. Senate Page Program this summer.

Pages play an important role in the daily operation of the Senate. They live in Washington, D.C. and attend Page School while working in the U.S. Senate. Pages deliver correspondence and legislative material within the Capitol and Senate office buildings, prepare the Chamber for Senate sessions, and work on the Senate floor.

Contact my office and the Senate Page Coordinator for more information on the program for 16 or 17-year-olds in their junior year of high school. We are now taking applications for Spring 2026.

It was great to meet five homeschool families from the Richfield area who were touring Washington, D.C. this week.

Our office can help you book several different tours for your upcoming trip to make it truly special. From the Capitol to the White House to the FBI, check out my Visiting DCwebpage for more information.

Our staff presented a Certificate of Special Senatorial Recognition to the Executive Director of Community Action for the organization’s 60th anniversary. The group fights poverty in Rock and Walworth counties.

The Spirit Cultural Exchange visits Madison each year with J-1 visa participants (also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa) to tour the State Capitol.

My staff met with these students from around the world to talk about United States government at the state and federal level.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Wrecking the future: The Trump war on the ocean, climate, and communities

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

During his first 100 days President Trump has been actively working to dismantle and weaken environmental protections and attack those who fight to protect nature and our shared climate, putting the corporate profits of his billionaire friends ahead of people and the planet. © Saf Suleyman / Greenpeace

President Trump’s second term

The first months of any administration are often dedicated to setting the tone of what constituents can expect for the next four years. For Trump’s second term, that message is clear: let it all burn.

Drastic agency cuts, reckless executive orders, and blatant industry giveaways promise devastating immediate and long-term consequences for our oceans, our climate, and our communities.

Dismantling climate defense

NOAA, the nation’s premier science agency for understanding, monitoring, and protecting our oceans, atmosphere, and climate, plays an essential role in safeguarding ecosystems and communities. Its data, forecasts, scientific expertise, and stewardship also support major sectors like tourism, transportation, food, and retail that rely on NOAA’s services to operate safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

Yet the Trump Administration has moved aggressively to gut NOAA’s capacity–firing scientists, defunding critical research, and shutting down its extreme weather database, a vital tool that has tracked the financial toll of climate disasters since the 1980s. These cuts come as extreme weather events are becoming more intense and frequent. In 2024 alone, Americans faced at least $182.7 billion in damages from 27 weather and climate disasters. Undermining NOAA’s ability to forecast threats, inform the American and global public, and support disaster response endangers lives while ensuring greater loss and damage, higher costs, and deep suffering as the climate crisis accelerates.

Among NOAA Fisheries’ vital programs is the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), the nation’s primary line of defense against seafood linked to fraud, forced labor, and environmental harm. With more than 80% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. imported and the global seafood supply chain riddled with these problems, SIMP plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of what ends up on American plates. Cuts to NOAA directly harm domestic fisheries as well, which rely on the agency to provide weather and pollution alerts.

These efforts have been further supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), whose programs help combat child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking around the world.

So while Americans have made it clear that they want to know where their food comes from and to trust that it is safe, ethical, and sustainable, the Trump administration is undermining the very systems that deliver these safeguards. By weakening SIMP and cancelling $500 million in ILAB grants, it is putting seafood workers at greater risk of abuse and exploitation, and exposing Americans to products tainted by these harms.

Endangering ocean futures

While more countries move towards a ban, moratorium, or pause on deep sea mining, the Trump Administration is charging in the opposite direction– reviving a cold war-era law, the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, to launch an unnecessary industry that threatens irreversible harm to fragile ecosystems we are only beginning to understand.

Trump’s executive order “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” directs federal agencies to fast-track permits for seabed mining in both U.S. and international waters. Widely condemned as environmentally reckless and politically explosive, the move is a direct attempt to sidestep the International Seabed Authority (ISA)—the UN body charged with protecting the deep ocean as the “common heritage of humankind.” In doing so, it threatens to unravel global cooperation, weaken environmental oversight, and set a dangerous precedent for the exploitation of one of Earth’s last untouched frontiers. The order, while lining up another ‘get richer scheme’ for the billionaire broligarchy, also ignores calls from over 35 countries for a moratorium, disregards the voices of Pacific Island communities, and pushes forward despite overwhelming ecological, legal, and moral objections.

The push is further reinforced by a pair of sweeping executive orders that aim to bulldoze environmental safeguards in the name of “energy dominance.” One declares a so-called “national energy emergency,” suspending key regulatory safeguards under bedrock environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act.

Together, these orders will not just fast-tack deep sea mining but also accelerate offshore drilling, fracking infrastructure, and fossil fuel exports. This isn’t just deregulation—it’s a declaration of open season on the ocean.

All this comes as cobalt and nickel prices are plummeting, further undermining the already shaky economic case for mining the seafloor. Meanwhile, safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective alternatives, such as mineral recycling and domestic refining efforts, many of which are backed by the U.S. Department of Defense, are gaining momentum. But instead of investing in these sustainable solutions, the White House is reaching into the past to gamble with the future of our oceans and our planet.

‘Unleashing’ America’s fishing industry into collapse

In another destructive move, the Trump Administration has targeted New England’s fishing industry by opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Marine Monument–the first and only National Marine Monument in the U.S. Atlantic–to commercial fishing. This follows similar rollbacks opening the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument–long considered off-limits due to its ecological significance–to commercial fishing and broader dismantling of domestic fishing regulations.

There is no evidence that these protected areas harmed the fishing economy. But opening them to industrial fishing will cause irreversible damage, from increased bycatch and habitat destruction to plastic pollution from fishing gear, undoing decades of progress to end overfishing, rebuild fish stocks, and restore America’s fisheries.

At the same time, the earlier-mentioned cuts to NOAA will also hurt domestic fishing by leaving fishers without vital scientific insight needed for planning and responding to changing ocean conditions. This approach paves the way for overfishing and fishery collapse–again, directly contradicting the Trump Administration’s stated goal of supporting American fishing communities.

Scientists agree that protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is essential to help marine ecosystems recover and thrive. When fish populations collapse, so do fishing jobs and fishing communities. Yet with these actions, the Trump Administration is again steering the US in the wrong direction—sidelining science, sustainability, and long-term economic resilience by jeopardizing the entire industry and the coastal communities it supports.

Taxing our health

Trump’s chaotic tariff edicts have strained relationships with several key allies and raised costs for average Americans, all while giving fossil fuel interests a free pass. By exempting petrochemicals and polymers, the Administration has ensured that plastic packaging will remain cheap, abundant, and toxic. Companies like Coca-Cola, already the largest global producer of plastic packaging and the biggest source of branded plastic waste, are planning to ramp up plastic production in response to the tariffs on aluminum.

At the same time, the Administration issued yet another executive order, accompanied by a 36-page report, aimed at “bringing America back” to plastic straws. So, while more Americans struggle to make ends meet, they can be sure of one thing: there will be plenty of microplastics to go around.

Plastics are not just a pollution problem; they are a public health crisis. Over 3,200 chemicals in plastics have been linked to a host of serious health conditions, including cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive problems, metabolic changes, obesity, premature births, neurological disorders, and learning disabilities. Toxic chemicals in plastic already cost Americans nearly $250 billion in healthcare expenses each year.

And that burden is not shared equally. BIPOC and low-income communities face disproportionate exposure to pollution from plastic production, disposal, and incineration infrastructure, which are often located in or near their communities. These facilities poison the air, the water, and their bodies. While oil and gas companies rake in record profits and their billionaire CEO’s grow richer, these communities and working families across America are left paying the price.

Voters across the political spectrum – Democrats and Republicans alike– support strong action to reduce plastic pollution and protect public health. Yet, without pause at the staggering irony, the Trump Administration is slashing Medicaid, gutting personnel and budget from the Department of Health and Human Services, and increasing our exposure to toxic plastic— all while touting a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. But even in an era of “alternative facts” and the attempted erasure of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the truth is impossible to ignore. There is nothing left to sacrifice.

Time to resist

While the pace and scale of recent changes can seem overwhelming, it is worth remembering that part of this administration’s strategy is to flood the zone and try to get ahead of legal challenges and other obstacles to their agenda. The Trump Administration, like the “tech bros” who fell in line behind the President, is moving fast and breaking things. But there is growing resistance to their actions. In the last few weeks, especially, the number of new and successful legal challenges has been growing, with some law firms and academic institutions pushing back against the administration’s demands. This includes EarthJustice, Greenpeace, and allies in a joint litigation against Trump’s attempt to continue offshore drilling.

Meanwhile, millions of Americans—across generations, faiths, races, genders, and political ideologies—have been hitting the streets to defend their human rights, their environment, and their democracy. These peaceful protests have made one thing clear: We will not be silenced. We won’t back down. We won’t stop defending our communities in the face of government corruption and corporate greed.

MIL OSI NGO –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces More Than $1.3 Million for Airport Improvements Across Maine
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

Published: June 20, 2025
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that five Maine airports will receive a total of $1,326,261 to support important infrastructure improvements. The funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Fiscal Year 2025 Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA). Senator Collins was one of 10 senators who?negotiated the IIJA, which provided $15 billion for airport improvements nationwide.

“Maine’s airports are vital pieces of our state’s transportation network that promote job creation and economic development. Throughout our state, airports play a critical role not only in carrying residents and visitors, but also in facilitating medical services for those in rural communities during emergencies when seconds count,”?said Senator Collins. “These significant investments will allow airports across Maine to make much-needed improvements to their infrastructure.”

Specifically, the funding has been allocated as follows:

Belfast Municipal Airport (BST) – $389,500 to construct a new double pump fuel facility, which will assist the airport to be as self-sustaining as possible by generating revenue.

Bethel Regional Airport (0B1) – $340,100 to update the existing airport master plan study and to construct a new 500-foot taxi lane west of the existing apron to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area.

Millinocket Municipal Airport (MLT) – $317,970 to extend Taxiway D an additional 670 feet to serve the hangar development area.

Eastport Municipal Airport (EPM) – $150,821 to rehabilitate the existing 1,575 square foot non-revenue generating parking lot at non-primary airport to extend its useful life.

Central Maine Regional Airport (OWK) – $127,870 to reconstruct the existing Taxiway A edge lighting with LED and to reconstruct the runway end identifier lights system and precision approach path indicator system for Runway 15/33.

Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped to secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Praise Ireland for Increasing Women’s Representation in Decision-Making, Raise Issues Concerning Historic Rights Violations and Sexual Violence

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the eighth periodic report of Ireland, with Committee Experts praising the State’s efforts to increase women’s representation in decision-making and raising questions concerning redress for historic rights violations and measures to address sexual and gender-based violence.

In the dialogue, several Committee Experts commended Ireland’s achievements in promoting women’s representation in decision-making, including its 40 per cent quota for female candidates in national elections. Jelena Pia-Comella, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Ireland, said statistics on Irish women’s participation in diplomacy were outstanding.

Ms. Pia-Comella said the Committee was deeply concerned that there had yet to be recognition that women and girls of the Magdalene Laundries had experienced degrading treatment and gender-based discrimination; that arbitrary barriers to redress persisted within the Mother and Baby Institutions payment scheme; and that the State had failed to adequately implement the 2014 O’Keeffe judgment. How would these issues be addressed?

Another Committee Expert said one in five women in Ireland reportedly experienced non-consensual sex in their lifetimes. There was insufficient funding for measures to address sexual offences. What measures would the State party take to increase protection for women victims of sexual violence?

Introducing the report, Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Migration of Ireland and head of the delegation, said the national strategy for women and girls 2017-2021 put a spotlight on promoting greater gender balance in decision-making. Ireland’s largest listed companies had now reached the key milestone of 40 per cent female directors overall. Legislation was also introduced in 2012 requiring political parties to meet gender quotas for candidates in parliamentary elections or face financial penalties. The quota for the most recent elections in 2024 was 40 per cent.

The delegation added that women made up 49 per cent of senior management of Ireland’s Foreign Service, and 54 per cent of heads of foreign missions.

In the context of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, Mr. Brophy said the State repeatedly failed to protect vulnerable citizens, and to uphold their most fundamental rights. The delegation added that the redress scheme established in 2013 regarding Magdalene Laundries was accessible for women living abroad. The payment scheme was one of a large suite of actions implemented to redress the harms caused. It was expected that legislation to implement the European Court of Human Rights decision on the O’Keeffe case would be implemented in coming weeks.

Mr. Brophy also said the national strategy for women and girls prioritised action to combat domestic and gender-based violence. Launched in 2022, the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence instituted fundamental structural reforms to Ireland’s approach to tackling the issue. A new agency, Cuan, was established in 2024 to deliver services to victims.

In closing remarks, Mr. Brophy said the Committee had invested significant time in understanding the issues facing women and girls in Ireland. The State would develop measures in response to the Committee’s concluding observations. Ireland was committed to its obligations under the Convention and to the United Nations.

Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, in concluding remarks, thanked the State party for its support to the treaty bodies, international law and the rule of law. The dialogue had provided the Committee with further insight into the efforts made by Ireland to implement the Convention for the benefit of women and girls in the State.

The delegation of Ireland consisted of representatives from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality; Department of Education and Youth; Department of Health; Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; Office of the Attorney General; Department of Social Protection; Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment; and the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Ireland at the end of its ninety-first session on 4 July. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet at 3 p.m. on Monday, 23 June to meet with representatives from non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions who will brief the Committee on the situation of women in Afghanistan, San Marino, Chad and Botswana, the reports of which the Committee will review next week.

Report

The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of Ireland (CEDAW/C/IRL/8).

Presentation of Report

COLM BROPHY, Minister of State for Migration of Ireland and head of the delegation, said Ireland had worked actively over the period since 2017 to promote equality for women and to address issues facing them. A national strategy for women and girls was launched in 2017 as the whole of Government framework for action on gender equality. Women’s organizations participated in the strategy committee, chaired at Ministerial level, which monitored implementation. A successor strategy was currently being finalised, in consultation with women across Ireland.

Travellers were recognised as an ethnic minority in a landmark decision of Ireland’s Parliament in March 2017, a decision supported by all political parties at the time. The Government was working on identifying and eliminating barriers to access to public services for Travellers. The Irish health system partnered with Traveller organizations to train Travellers to become community health peer workers. The success of these projects was reflected in higher rates of uptake of screening amongst Traveller women relative to the general population for breast and cervical cancers. In education, the Traveller and Roma education strategy 2024–2030 committed to supporting Traveller and Roma women on their educational journey.

The needs of migrant women were addressed through a combination of mainstream public services and a wide range of targeted supports, funded by grants from various national and European integration funds. These supports played a crucial role in improving outcomes for migrant women in areas of particular concern, including labour market access and housing. A national migration and integration strategy, due to be published next year, would provide a cohesive policy framework for recognising and addressing the integration challenges facing migrant women.

The national strategy for women and girls 2017-2021 put a spotlight on promoting greater gender balance in decision-making. The Government launched a business-led initiative entitled Balance for Better Business in 2018 which spearheaded a series of initiatives contributing to a significant improvement in the percentage of women on corporate boards, particularly of publicly listed companies. Ireland’s largest listed companies had now reached the key milestone of 40 per cent female directors overall, compared to 18 per cent in 2018. Ireland now ranked sixth in the European Union for female board representation and fifth for leadership teams.

Legislation was introduced in 2012 requiring political parties to meet gender quotas for candidates in parliamentary elections or face financial penalties. The quota for the most recent elections in 2024 was 40 per cent and this would apply for future national elections. Maternity leave entitlements were introduced for elected members of local authorities in 2022, and for members of both chambers of Ireland’s parliament in 2024. A funding scheme had also been in place since 2019 to incentivise political parties to increase the number of women candidates for local elections. The Government also provided funding for civil society organizations providing support for women candidates, and the new national Traveller and Roma inclusion strategy 2024-2028 included a commitment to promote greater participation by Traveller and Roma women in political and public life, including in leadership positions.

During the period under review, the Government introduced major initiatives to enable parents to access childcare and had increased public funding of early learning and childcare to unprecedented levels. Government expenditure now exceeded 1.37 billion euros in 2025, a 200 per cent increase on investment since 2017. The early childhood care and education programme provided two years of pre-school without charge and enjoyed participation rates of 96 per cent each year. The national childcare scheme, introduced in 2019, provided targeted and universal subsidies to reduce the costs for parents. In addition, the equal start scheme introduced in 2024 was specifically targeted at enabling children from disadvantaged households to access early learning and childcare.

Mr. Brophy introduced Government measures to increase family leave entitlements, including extending parental leave to 26 weeks under the parental leave (amendment) act 2019; establishing a statutory right to flexible work arrangements; establishing the right to five days of paid sick leave through the sick leave act 2022; increasing the national minimum wage by 46 per cent, from 9.25 euros per hour in 2017 to 13.50 euros in 2025; and requiring relevant organizations to report on their gender pay gaps and transpose the European Union pay transparency directive. The Government had focused on promoting greater participation by women and girls in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects. Thanks to Government action, the number of female apprentices doubled between 2021 and 2025.

The national strategy for women and girls prioritised action to combat domestic violence and gender-based violence. This was reflected in Ireland’s decision to ratify the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in 2019. Ireland enacted the domestic violence act in 2018, which strengthened the protections available to those experiencing domestic violence and made coercive control a criminal offence.

Launched in 2022, the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence instituted fundamental structural reforms to Ireland’s approach to tackling the issue. A new agency, Cuan, was established in 2024 to deliver services to victims and implement awareness raising campaigns on such violence. Ireland also became one of the first countries to enable persons experiencing domestic violence to have five days of paid leave. The Government had also introduced significant measures to combat trafficking. The third national action plan to prevent and combat trafficking, launched in 2023, was working to implement a more victim-centred approach, while raising awareness among service providers of trafficking and providing appropriate training.

Mr. Brophy also presented measures to address women’s health needs, including the establishment of the Women’s Health Taskforce in 2019; the women’s health action plans for 2022-2023 and 2024-2025, which ensured a continued focus and delivery of key women’s health actions; the allocation of over 180 million euros since 2020 in additional funding, including funding for free contraception for women from 17 to 35 years, in vitro fertilisation treatment, and public menopause clinics.

Ireland was the first county in the world to decide by referendum in 2015 that same-sex couples should be able to marry. A referendum on removing the reference in article 41.2 of the Constitution to women’s place in the home was also held in March 2024, but this was defeated. The people of Ireland voted in a referendum in May 2018 to amend the Irish Constitution to permit Ireland’s parliament to legislate for abortion. All 19 maternity hospitals were now providing termination services, in accordance with legislation. There had also been a sustained increase in community providers, which now stood at 455.

In the context of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, the State repeatedly failed to protect vulnerable citizens, and to uphold their most fundamental rights. The Government was conscious of the terrible hurt and pain caused, and the impact that this had had, and continued to have on many individuals and their families. The Commission of Inquiry’s report, and the official State apology which followed, were a starting point for the further restorative measures now being progressed. Six of the seven major commitments made by the Government to survivors were in place, while the seventh, a National Centre for Research and Remembrance, was in progress.

Ireland enacted the landmark birth information and tracing act 2022, which had provided clear rights of access to birth and early life information, and a Mother and Baby Institutions payment scheme opened to applications in March 2024 and provided payments and health benefits to survivors. To date, more than 4,500 payments had been made totalling over 66 million euros. Last Monday, work began to excavate at the site of the former Tuam Mother and Baby Home so as to ensure the dignified burial of any babies found to have been buried there. In addition, many women who spent time in Magdalen Laundries had now benefited from the Government’s redress scheme, which remained open for any further applications.

The Government aimed to make equality a lived reality for women and girls in all of their diversity. There were areas where further progress or change was needed, but the Government was committed to creating a better society for women and girls.

Statement by the National Human Rights Institution of Ireland

DEIRDRE MALONE, Director, Ireland’s Human Rights and Equality Commission, said Ireland played a leadership role in the global struggle for gender equality. However, its international ambition for gender equality was not always matched with domestic action on gender equality. There had been procrastination in ratifying key treaties and removing reservations; delay in incorporating international standards into national law; continuing failure to implement the recommendations of treaty bodies, including those of the Committee; and in the case of O’Keeffe, a continuing refusal to follow the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights regarding redress.

In areas such as the needs of Traveller and Roma women and access to abortion, Ireland had clear and comprehensive policies and strategies which were not being implemented. In those areas where there was progress, it was often frustratingly slow. While domestic, sexual and gender-based violence policy had seen several positive reforms in recent years, it was necessary to bridge the gap between the progressive policies and legislation that Ireland had enacted and the reality on the ground.

Women suffered disproportionately from an inadequate, arbitrary, and overly bureaucratic social welfare system, which was not benchmarked against the cost of living or indexed against national wages. Some 4.8 per cent of women lived in consistent poverty with lone parent households headed by women, and low-income families being more susceptible to poverty. The Gender Pay Gap and the Gender Pension Gap remained stark.

In areas including the treatment of women in prison and women’s participation in politics, there had been regression. Prison overcrowding worsened daily. Given the impact of prison on women and family life, Irish penal policy needed to be reformed in line with the Bangkok Rules.

More than 75 per cent of seats in parliament were held by men; only three out of 15 newly appointed cabinet Ministers were women. Ireland had made a commitment to the principles of the Convention but was not matching that commitment with action that transformed the lived realities of its women and girls. By investing in an equal future, the Irish State – one that prided itself on its adherence to human rights and rule of law – could show leadership to other nations, at a time when such leadership was so badly needed.

Questions by a Committee Expert

JELENA PIA-COMELLA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Ireland, congratulated Ireland on placing gender equality at the forefront of its agenda during its 2021-2022 tenure at the United Nations Security Council.

The Committee regretted that, despite its previous recommendation, the State party did not intend to remove its reservations to the Convention and remained concerned that the Irish Constitution’s outdated language on women’s duties at home continued to discriminate against women’s rights in the economic and social spheres. Did the State party intend to devise a plan to implement the relevant recommendations of the gender equality bodies of the Citizen’s Assembly and Parliamentary Committee? What was the status of review of the equality (miscellaneous provisions) bill of 2024?

The Committee welcomed that State apologies had been issued for past human rights violations. However, it was deeply concerned that there had yet to be recognition that women and girls of the Magdalene Laundries had experienced degrading treatment and gender-based discrimination; that arbitrary barriers to redress persisted within the Mother and Baby Institutions payment scheme; and that the State had failed to adequately implement the 2014 O’Keeffe judgment.

What steps was the State party taking to provide up-front payment to women residing abroad; and to comprehensively address concerns raised regarding the operation of commissions of investigation? Would the State overhaul the current model of investigations to embed human rights and equality principles in their operation? Would the proposed commission of investigation into sexual abuse in day and boarding schools include non-religious schools, including the school Louise O’Keeffe attended? What was the status of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance and how would it address the needs and views of affected persons?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said significant progress had been made in implementing the recommendations of the Citizen’s Assembly on Gender Equality. Of 205 actions, 190 had been completed or were in progress. The recommendations addressed sexual and gender-based violence, education in challenging gender stereotypes, and actions to improve the share of women in politics.

The redress scheme established in 2013 regarding the Magdalene Laundries was accessible for women living abroad. The State had worked actively to keep conditions under review. Persons under 66 were entitled to a symbolic payment, which had been increased to 120 euros per week. Women continued to receive payments under the scheme. The payment scheme was one of a large suite of actions made to redress the harms caused in Mother and Baby County Home Institutions, including measures to support access to information. Some 16,000 applications had been processed thus far. The National Remembrance Centre would be in Dublin. A steering committee for the Centre was established in 2022 and development permission was received in 2025.

To address shortcomings, a revised version of the O’Keeffe payment scheme was put in place in 2021, after which 128 applications were received. It was expected that legislation to implement the decision of the European Court of Human Rights on this case would be implemented in coming weeks. A report into incidents of sexual abuse in residential institutions was published in 2024, and the Government was preparing measures to implement the recommendations of the report.

A voluntary redress scheme had provided compensation to more than 375 women who had undergone symphysiotomy procedures. The Government had fulfilled its obligations to women who had suffered due to these procedures.

Equality legislation was currently being drafted and would be reviewed by a parliamentary committee over the summer.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert asked about the timeline for the adoption of the new national strategy on women and girls? How would it incorporate lessons from the previous cycle and align with Convention standards? Would Traveller women’s needs be addressed in the strategy? What measures were in place to monitor equality policies of Government bodies? What training on gender equality was provided to Government officials?

Ireland’s national human rights institution had “A” status under the Paris Principles and the appointment process for its commissioners was transparent. Did the institution promote international and regional human rights frameworks? Was the State party considering implementing the recommendation of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions to establish a fixed term for members?

The Committee welcomed that political parties would have their funding reduced by 50 per cent if they failed to present at least 40 per cent female candidates. It called for a quota of 50 per cent female representation to be established. Efforts to implement gender quotas had not produced meaningful representation of Traveller women. It was welcome that women represented 40 per cent of board members in the largest publicly listed companies. However, the share of female executive directors remained low, at 11 per cent. None of these companies had a female chief executive officer. How would this be addressed, and how would the State party increase the representation of Traveller women in Government?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said representatives from Government and civil society monitored the implementation of actions on gender equality. The forthcoming national strategy for women and girls was close to finalisation. Work was underway to embed a focus on Traveller women in the new strategy. It also included measures to strengthen training on gender equality for Government officials. Some 6,900 civil servants had enrolled in online training on gender equality. A professional diploma on human rights was offered for public officials, which covered gender equality.

The national human rights institution had its own dedicated budget, provided on an annual basis. Its funding allocations had been increased substantially in recent years – its allocation in 2025 was 3.5 million euros higher than in 2015. The Government did not play a role in the appointment of its commissioners.

The Balance for Better Business programme monitored gender representation on the boards of Irish companies. The average level of female representation on the boards of all publicly listed companies was now at 37 per cent. A new five-year strategy had been developed which set targets for more than 40 per cent female representation on the boards of all companies by 2028. It included measures to improve the recruitment of women and promote women’s career pathways.

Amendments were made to the electoral act of 1997 that improved the gender balance in political parties, with the introduction of 40 per cent quotas for women candidates in national elections. There were no plans to extend these quotas to local elections. Policies had been developed to promote the representation of Traveller women in politics, and the Women for Election organization, which was funded by the Government, was working toward this goal.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said that Ireland’s work towards gender equality on the boards of companies was very impressive.

One Committee Expert recognised progress in addressing gender-based violence, including the adoption of the Istanbul Protocol and the national strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. What further measures would be adopted to address gender stereotypes with an intersectional approach? Forced sterilisation of women with disabilities was still practiced and hate crimes against women had risen by four per cent over the reporting period. When would the State party develop a national action plan to address hate crimes and adopt measures to ban forced sterilisation? What measures were in place to ensure that victims of female genital mutilation had access to health services? Would it increase the number of specialised female genital mutilation clinics?

One in five women in Ireland reportedly experienced non-consensual sex in their lifetimes. There were delays in access to justice and insufficient funding for measures to address sexual offences. What measures would the State party take to increase access to legal aid and protection for women victims of sexual violence? What resources would be provided to strengthen support structures? Would the State party consolidate legislation on sexual violence into one law?

A Committee Expert said Ireland had made considerable efforts to combat trafficking, including by developing a national action plan to combat trafficking and establishing an independent monitoring mechanism. However, there were shortcomings in identifying victims, particularly girls. Only five children were identified as victims of trafficking in 2023, and the training of officials reportedly did not lead to effective prosecutions. How would the State party train the judiciary and increase the prosecution of trafficking offences? What steps had been taken to improve the identification of victims and ensure that no victims were excluded from support? The Committee welcomed that a trafficking specific shelter had been established in 2023, but it was not large enough; were there plans to extend it? There had only been 15 convictions of consumers of sex services in 2023; were there plans to increase prosecutions?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the national strategy for women and girls included measures to address gender stereotypes and to collect data on such stereotypes. Ireland had taken measures to address gender stereotypes in the media, including through a media forum held in 2025, and measures to promote gender balance in the media. A campaign on reporting harmful online content had also been developed.

Women’s health services were trained on responding to victims of female genital mutilation, and management guidelines had been developed on caring for victims, who had access to free counselling services. A project was underway to reduce waiting times for healthcare for victims of female genital mutilation. Ireland had ratified the Council of Europe Convention that prohibited forced sterilisation.

Work was ongoing to update legislation on hate crimes and to introduce a prohibition of the incitement of hatred online. The Government had also drafted legislation on removing the guardianship rights of parents who killed their partners. Ireland had comprehensive laws on sexual offences. There had been a three-fold increase in funding for support for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and a body had been established to promote the collection and accessibility of data on sexual violence.

Competent authorities, as well as non-governmental organizations, were now able to refer suspected victims of human trafficking. The Government was looking at expanding the shelter for victims of trafficking. It funded several non-governmental organizations to provide trauma-informed support to victims. The Irish police forces had worked to increase prosecutions of organised crime cases, which had proven effective in preventing trafficking. Ireland had recently decriminalised the sale of sex; there was no plan to change this legislation. The Government was planning to introduce on-the-spot fines and mobile phone searches to increase prosecutions for the consumption of sex services.

Questions by Committee Experts

JELENA PIA-COMELLA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Ireland, welcomed the State party’s proactive efforts to address coercive practices. Could it provide more information on the special measures it had developed to address rape?

Another Committee Expert asked if legislation was planned to address drink spiking? What services were provided to victims of gender-based violence in prisons?

A Committee Expert asked how the State party was promoting the meaningful participation of women, including marginalised women, in the Foreign Service? The Committee was concerned about online threats against women involved in politics and public life. What monitoring mechanisms were in place? There was no clear gender-responsive climate strategy. How did the State party ensure that women and girls were included in decision-making processes on climate action?

Another Committee Expert said there was no formal procedure for the determination of statelessness in Ireland. How would the State party amend this deficiency? What did the State party plan to do in response to the recent court decision on the right to guardianship for babies born through surrogacy?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Government was prioritising the drafting of legislation on coercive practices. The prison service provided support to persons who had experienced domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. An intervention model was also in place to prevent revictimisation upon release. Drink spiking was a criminal offence.

Last year, of the 67 persons identified as victims of human trafficking, 10 were children. The third national action plan on trafficking included measures to tackle trafficking in children. A series of training programmes had been developed for prosecutors on sexual offences.

Women made up 49 per cent of senior management in Ireland’s Foreign Service, and 54 per cent of heads of foreign missions. A code of conduct on countering online hate speech had been developed, as had guidance for candidates who faced online harassment on lodging complaints.

The Government was working to provide pathways to the parents of babies born through surrogacy to have their parental rights recognised.

Questions by Committee Experts

JELENA PIA-COMELLA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Ireland, said that the statics of female participation in diplomacy were outstanding. The Committee welcomed the State party’s higher education authority act. The primary curriculum did not address gender equality; would it do so in future? What measures were in place to promote equal access to education? How did the State party ensure that its sexual and reproductive health education addressed same-sex relationships, gender identity and abortion?

Another Committee Expert said the Committee welcomed the reduction of the gender pay gap to 9.6 per cent in 2022. What enforcement mechanisms were in place to ensure private sector compliance with equal pay mechanisms? Women constituted 60 per cent of low paid workers. How did the State party address the barriers faced by women in accessing decent work? Roma women had an estimated unemployment rate of 80 per cent; how was the State party addressing this issue? Were there plans to introduce a universal State pension to address the gender pension gap, which was currently at 36 per cent?

The Committee was concerned about the unequal distribution of unpaid care work. What measures were in place to ensure access to affordable childcare for all children and to encourage greater uptake of parental leave by men? How did the State party ensure effective redress in cases of workplace harassment?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the sexual and reproductive health education curriculum was being reviewed, and the updated curriculum would be introduced from 2027. It focused on promoting healthy relationships, gender equality and safety online, preventing harmful gender narratives, addressing the root causes of domestic and sexual violence, assessing responses to unplanned pregnancies and rape, and the harms of pornography.

The accessibility and affordability of early learning and childcare had been improved since 2017. Up to two years of preschool education was now offered at no cost. Universal subsidies were provided to families. More than two million children were covered by the national childcare scheme, which had a budget of 529 million euros in 2025. The equal start scheme provided targeted support in disadvantaged areas for Traveller, Roma and refugee children.

Reporting on the gender pay gap required employers to consider the reasons for the gap. Guidelines were being developed for different sectors on addressing gender pay gaps. Employees could lodge complaints when their employer did not report on gender pay gaps. Paid parental leave created individual, non-transferrable entitlements for each parent. The Government planned to increase awareness of parents’ entitlements.

One of the actions in the national Roma and Traveller strategy promoted their employment and participation in internships. The Government was reaching out to marginalised groups to encourage participation in voluntary employment services.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert said Ireland had made significant progress in terms of women’s health. How did the State ensure free access to healthcare for marginalised women? How did the roadmap for digital health to 2030 address the needs of women and girls, including persons who had difficulties accessing digital services? Could the delegation provide data on women who had accessed legal abortions in 2023 and 2024? How many women had had to travel abroad to obtain abortions? How was the State party combatting stigma related to abortions and conscientious objections? Was the State party considering abolishing the mandatory three-day waiting period for abortions?

How was free, prior and informed consent guaranteed for medical interventions on institutionalised women and transgender persons? There were reported cases of forced sterilisations and forced abortions; how did the State sanction such harmful practices, and how many cases of such practices had been brought before the courts? How was the State party ensuring that mental health services were community-based and gender sensitive? What steps had been taken to ensure that victims of gender-based violence could benefit from free mental health services? Would the State prohibit the use of confidential health data of victims in court cases?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the parental leave scheme encouraged fathers to use it. In 2024, over 66,000 parents had received parental benefits, of which 32 per cent were men. Ireland’s State pension system recognised periods spent outside the workforce for caring requirements. The long-term carers’ contribution supported the pensions of women who provided full-time care for long periods of time; over 7,000 women had been added to this scheme last year. The difference in average pay to men and women was negligible in terms of the State pension. The proposal of a universal pension could undermine progress made in recognising time spent by women providing care and would not resolve the pension issue. Ireland was in the process of adopting an auto-enrolment process for pensions which would particularly benefit women.

The Government was considering ratifying International Labour Organization Conventions 156 and 183. The Workplace Relations Commission was responsible for deciding on workplace discrimination claims. Some 63 claims had been received in 2024. The Commission did not collect reasons for withdrawals of complaints. It assisted all parties to reach a suitable outcome for a claim.

The State party promoted collective bargaining to promote access to decent working conditions and wages. There was no legal impediment to collective bargaining. The Government supported the rights of all workers to join and form trade unions.

Ireland was committed to gender transformative climate action. Its delegation at the most recent Conference of the Parties in Baku was 50 per cent female. The Just Transition Commission had published a report that called for assessment of the gender implications of climate measures.

Free hormone replacement therapy was provided to women experiencing the symptoms of menopause. The Government was committed to ensuring safe and equitable access to pregnancy termination services for marginalised groups of society. In 2023, 10,033 women used termination services, while in 2022, 214 women went abroad to access such services. The free contraception scheme provided for the cost of contraception and related health consultations. More than 200,000 women benefited from the scheme last year. Since 2016, several million euros had been invested in maternity services, funding a large increase in maternity health staff.

Women’s mental health remained a key priority in the national mental health strategy. The State was providing mental health services to victims of violence that considered their gender and experience of trauma. The State party was not aware of cases of forced sterilisation and forced abortion.

Children could remain in the care of their mother in prison until 12 months of age. High quality antenatal care was provided to women in prisons and there were mother and baby units in the State’s two women’s prisons. Draft legislation had been developed that would limit the use of counselling records in court proceedings. Banning disclosure of such records entirely could affect the right to a fair trial. Measures were being developed to reduce revictimisation of survivors through disclosure hearings.

The State was rolling out campaigns to encourage victims of sexual and gender-based violence to come forward and access support services, and was working with partners to ensure that frontline staff were delivering trauma-informed and culturally sensitive care to victims of violence. The State was working to map the mental health needs of adolescent girls, which would inform the development of the national mental health strategy.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said Ireland had developed initiatives to promote the empowerment of women. Some 32 per cent of start-ups were headed by women in 2022. There was a risk of poverty and exclusion for single, women-headed families – there had been a 171 per cent increase in the number of women who were unable to access housing in 2023. How was the State party addressing this? What progress had been made in developing a second action plan on business and human rights? How did the State party ensure obligatory due diligence in human rights?

One Committee Expert said Traveller women were disproportionately represented in prisons. How were prison services aligned with the Bangkok Rules? The Traveller and Roma women national strategy did not address access to justice. Would this be rectified? How many women of colour were represented in decision-making bodies? How was Ireland promoting unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance to women and girls on the frontlines of conflict, and how did the State party encourage consideration of intersectionality globally?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said single parents were a target of social benefit schemes, including school meals programmes and the child benefit scheme, which had been extended to children up to age 18 in full-time education. Ireland had piloted equality budgeting measures, including for gender budgeting. It was designing a tagging framework that would ensure the recording of expenditure on equality issues.

Ireland was working to increase female participation in entrepreneurial activity through a six-year action plan, which included schemes for financial support for high potential start-ups led by women. Mentorship, training and networking programmes were offered to women entrepreneurs. There was double the number of women accessing such training compared to men.

Ireland’s first national action plan on business and human rights had concluded in 2023, and a consultation process for developing the second plan was currently underway. A working outline of the plan was presented in June 2024. The next plan was likely to finish in 2028 or 2029. The Government planned to include gender responsive due diligence in the plan.

The Government was committed to providing affordable social homes at scale. There were more than 20,000 social housing solutions delivered in 2024. Several million euros would be invested in programmes to address homelessness in 2025. Around 15,500 persons accessed emergency accommodation in April 2025, including 4,700 children. A national homelessness action committee was established in 2021 to address the issue; it had developed a national support framework.

The zero-tolerance strategy sought to increase the number of refuge units and safe homes for victims of violence. There were 141 refuge units at the outset of the strategy; the current number was 159. By the end of 2025, more than 200 would be established. There had been investments of over 100 million euros in Traveller-specific accommodation.

There was disproportionate representation of Travellers within the justice system. The family support model for Traveller women in prison provided intensive support at all judicial stages. Services were being extended to pre-sentencing and post-release stages. There were plans for the establishment of an open women’s prison.

Ireland was consistent in its participation in multilateral fora addressing lethal autonomous weapons. It was presenting a value-based message that addressed gender issues.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert asked why the findings of the independent review of the legal aid scheme of 2021 were not published. How could women who could not afford legal representation have access to justice? How was the right of access to justice of women with disabilities respected?

The Committee welcomed efforts to support women’s access to child maintenance payments. Could the State party provide statistics on fathers who did not pay child maintenance? Why had the State party decided not to establish a child maintenance agency? How did it respond to non-payment of maintenance? Would it publish the results of a study into the economic consequences of divorce on both parents? Women with disabilities were reportedly discriminated against in child custody decisions. Would the State party investigate this issue?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the child maintenance review group was established in 2020 to assess whether to establish a State child maintenance agency; it had decided that such an agency should not be established. Instead, it had called for a review of the enforcement of child maintenance orders to be undertaken and had issued 26 recommendations to ensure compliance with such orders. Guidelines on the implementation of the recommendations were being developed. There had been significant increases in child support and working family payments recently.

New legislation passed last year included provisions to make the family court process more accessible and less costly. The best interests of the child were a primary consideration in all family court proceedings.

Frontline professionals across the justice sector were trained on identifying risks of sexual and gender-based violence and responding to such violence effectively. Staff of the probation service were also trained on risk assessment and recognising cases of sexual and gender-based violence.

The civil legal aid review was completed in May 2025 and the Government was now considering its results. The judicial appointments act included provisions promoting equal numbers of men and women as members of the judiciary. The gender pay gap platform would allow for assessment of the pay gap in the legal sector.

Concluding Remarks

COLM BROPHY, Minister of State for Migration of Ireland and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. The Committee had invested significant time in understanding the issues facing women and girls in Ireland. Ireland was committed to its obligations under the Convention and to the United Nations more broadly. The State would develop measures in response to the Committee’s concluding observations, and brief civil society on them. Mr. Brophy closed by thanking all those who had contributed to the dialogue.

NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, thanked the State party for its responses and its support to the treaty bodies, international law and the rule of law. The dialogue had provided the Committee with further insight into the efforts made by Ireland to implement the Convention for the benefit of women and girls in the State. The Committee would develop concluding observations to strengthen the implementation of the Convention in Ireland, including recommendations for immediate follow-up. It looked forward to its next dialogue with the State party.

___________

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media;
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

CEDAW25.015E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Hungary: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission
Source: IMF – News in Russian

June 20, 2025

A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Anke Weber and comprising Aleksandra Alferova, Jakree Koosakul, Moheb Malak, Augustus Panton, and Atticus Weller, visited Budapest during June 5-17 to conduct discussions on the 2025 Article IV Consultation with the Hungarian authorities. At the end of the visit, the mission issued the following statement:

The Hungarian economy is at a challenging juncture. Output has stagnated over the past 3 years, while inflation remains well above the central bank’s 3 percent target. Regulatory measures—such as price, interest and margin caps, along with windfall taxes and subsidized lending schemes—have distorted market signals and added uncertainty. Despite significant fiscal adjustment in recent years, public debt remains elevated given high financing costs. Timely domestic policy reforms are needed to reinforce resilience amid an unsettled external environment. Key to this will be well-designed fiscal measures to strengthen public finances, a continued tight monetary policy to bring down inflation, and structural reforms to raise productivity and safeguard growth against trade tensions and heightened uncertainty.

Economic Outlook

High domestic and external uncertainty are expected to continue weighing on the outlook. Modest consumption-driven growth of 0.7 percent is expected in 2025, underpinned by favorable wage dynamics. Growth is projected to increase to 2 percent in 2026—on a recovery in investment and a positive impulse from German fiscal expansion—and to converge to its long-term potential of around 2½ percent by 2030. Inflation is forecast at 4.5 percent in Q4:2025, and to gradually decelerate to the MNB’s 3 percent target by 2027. The current account surplus is expected to fall to around 1¼ percent of GDP in 2025 and to increase gradually over the medium term as battery and electric vehicle production expands. These projections are based on the IMF’s April World Economic Outlook global assumptions.

Risks to growth remain on the downside. Deepening geoeconomic fragmentation and rising trade tensions would affect Hungary’s exports directly, while indirect effects may be even larger, arising from prolonged trade uncertainty undermining private investment and further weakening global economic activity. Geopolitical tensions could lead to commodity price volatility, intensifying inflationary pressures and negatively impacting fiscal and external balances. On the domestic front, a delay in the needed fiscal adjustment could heighten market concerns about debt sustainability, further increase risk premia, and exacerbate sovereign-bank linkages. A lack of progress on governance reforms being discussed with the EC could further delay or result in cancellation of EU funds with negative consequences for growth and market confidence. Inflation could be more persistent than projected, including from larger-than-anticipated effects of minimum wage hikes necessitating tighter monetary policy for longer.

Strengthening Fiscal Sustainability for Future Growth

Staff estimates that currently announced policies fall short of achieving the authorities’ budget targets. The authorities remain committed to reaching their 2025 and 2026 deficit targets of 4.1 and 3.7 percent of GDP, respectively. Their medium-term fiscal structural plan (MTFSP) envisages a further deficit reduction to below 2 percent of GDP by 2028. Under staff’s baseline scenario, which incorporates only legislated or officially endorsed measures, the deficit is projected to decline slightly to 4.8 percent of GDP in 2025 and 4.6 percent of GDP in 2026. In the medium term, the deficit would remain around 4½ percent of GDP, while the debt-to-GDP ratio would rise to about 79 percent in 2030 from 73½ percent in 2024. Debt dynamics have deteriorated since last year, following fiscal slippages and a weaker outlook, and remain sensitive to the real interest and growth path.

Significant additional fiscal efforts are needed to preserve fiscal space and rebuild buffers. Over the medium term, a surplus of around 1¾ percent of GDP excluding debt servicing and adjusting for economic cycles would appropriately balance debt sustainability and output stabilization objectives. The implied cumulative adjustment of around 2 percent of GDP over 2025-2028 would bring the deficit below 3 percent of GDP by 2027 and reduce the public debt ratio below 70 percent by 2029. Any additional defense spending should be accommodated within staff’s recommended path.

Measures underpinning the adjustment should be well-designed and growth-friendly.
- Revenue enhancements: The recent doubling of family tax allowances and expansion of personal income tax exemptions for mothers will significantly reduce revenues. In staff’s view an alternative that would minimize fiscal costs and labor market distortions would be to provide capped tax credits per child for both parents. A more targeted tax regime with fewer exemptions would raise revenue, improve efficiency, and simplify administration. Staff notes that a higher marginal personal income tax rate for high earners would increase revenue and fairness while taxation of corporates could be made more equitable and efficient by rationalizing tax incentives. A reduced reliance on distortionary windfall and financial transactions taxes would be more conducive to investment and growth.
- Expenditure rationalization: A phaseout of distortive retail energy subsidies and their replacement by targeted cash transfers would free up fiscal resources. A review of procurement and government employment would help the authorities to better target a reduction of administrative expenditures, which are high relative to peers, while a strategy is needed to limit transfers to SOEs and other public organizations. The realized savings from these measures could be used to bolster underfunded areas—health, primary education, and social protection. Public financial management reforms and a strengthened expenditure review process could enhance spending efficiency and support better fiscal governance. Relying on capital spending cuts to achieve targets would weaken growth and should be avoided.
Further efforts will be needed to reduce long-term spending pressures. Population aging is expected to add roughly 3.5 percent of GDP in additional pension and healthcare costs by 2050. An increase in the retirement age, adjustment of benefit levels, and a limited increase in the social security contribution rate would help to control pension costs in the long term. mproved digitalization and efficient procurement would help to contain health expenditures.

Fiscal risk monitoring and mitigation could be improved. A comprehensive, consolidated and regular risk assessment of SOEs would provide early warning of potential vulnerabilities. The issuance of new guarantees should be capped by ceilings, and the stock of guarantees, risk of their activation, and performance of underlying liabilities assessed on an annual basis. Channeling public resources into fund management structures or private equity undermines budgetary transparency, risks resource misallocation and could result in unforeseen contingent liabilities. Finally, to mitigate distortions, it would be beneficial to limit the use of subsidized lending by state-owned banks to addressing market failures.

Bringing Inflation Durably Back to Target

The monetary policy stance will need to remain tight into next year to durably return inflation to target. Monetary policy has been appropriately cautious, with the MNB signaling that maintaining tight monetary conditions is warranted. With average inflation expected to remain above the tolerance band in 2025, staff sees limited scope for rate cuts this year. However, the balance of risks to growth and inflation is evolving. Given exceptional uncertainty, the MNB should thus maintain a data-driven approach. The flexible exchange rate regime and adequate reserve coverage can continue to help reduce Hungary’s vulnerability to external shocks. Price, fee, and margin controls are not a sustainable path to lasting disinflation and should be phased out.

Staff welcomes ongoing efforts to refine the MNB’s focus on the core objectives of price and financial stability. The proposed change to the MNB Act—prohibiting foundations from engaging in asset management activities—is a step in the right direction. In this context, a broader review of the MNB’s non-core functions is warranted, including measures relating to its secondary goal of environmental sustainability. While the MNB should play an active role in climate-risk supervision, prudential regulation should remain risk focused, and all climate-related initiatives be consistent with the MNB’s price and financial stability mandates.

Safeguarding Financial Sector Stability

Systemic risks in the financial sector are assessed as broadly contained. Overall, the banking system remains well-capitalized, liquid, profitable, and resilient to external shocks. But emerging pockets of vulnerability merit continued vigilance, including an increase in the share of FX corporate loans, banks’ growing sovereign exposure and significant FX positions, elevated commercial real estate (CRE) vacancies, and buoyant house prices.

The capital-based macroprudential toolkit is broadly appropriate, though further refinements may be warranted. The planned introduction of a one percent positive neutral countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB) in July 2025 amid heightened uncertainty is welcome, as was the reactivation of the systemic risk buffer (SyRB) for banks’ CRE exposures in 2024. While risks arising from banks’ growing sovereign exposures are partially mitigated by their high leverage ratio (capital-to-total exposure), consideration could be given to incorporating appropriate sovereign-bank nexus stress scenarios into regular supervisory stress testing.

Differentiation in borrower-based macroprudential limits should be introduced only on financial stability grounds. Recent relaxations of loan-to-value (LTV) and debt-service-to-income (DSTI) limits for first-time buyers and green homes appear to be partly driven by housing affordability and energy efficiency concerns. Such considerations should instead be tackled through appropriate structural and fiscal policies. Moreover, DSTI limits of 60 percent for first-time home buyers and for energy-efficient homes appear high relative to the overall limits in some peers. The reintroduction of voluntary APR ceilings for housing loans, while more restricted in scope, distorts risk pricing and should be reversed. Scaling back housing-related fiscal incentives would help contain future price pressures and safeguard financial stability.

Boosting Productivity Through Reforms

Boosting productivity growth will require comprehensive reforms that foster firm dynamism. Firm entry and exit rates remain low amid high regulatory barriers and an insolvency framework that impedes the timely exit of non-viable firms. Streamlining licensing and overlapping permits and enabling creditor-initiated and out-of-court restructuring would enhance capital and labor mobility toward more productive business ventures. Public R&D support should be performance-based and policy efforts aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and technology adoption better targeted, especially toward young, high-growth firms.

Productivity gains from industrial policy interventions remain elusive, underscoring the need for more effective horizontal reforms. Hungary has implemented repeated waves of industrial policies (IP) to boost competitiveness and productivity in targeted sectors. Yet, their impact on sustained productivity growth remains elusive. Given their high fiscal cost, IP should not substitute for broader structural reforms. Where used, such measures must be appropriately targeted to address market failures and be time-bound and transparent. As a small, open economy, Hungary would benefit most from a coordinated approach to state aid and IP at the EU-level.

Strengthening energy security can enhance competitiveness and facilitate the green transition. Ongoing efforts to diversify energy supply and increase renewable energy generation are commendable. Still, the Hungarian economy remains energy-intensive with high corporate energy prices weighing on cost competitiveness. EU-wide policy measures—including regional electricity market integration—should be complemented with domestic reforms such as targeted phaseout of household fossil fuel subsidies, enhanced energy efficiency standards, and accelerated permitting procedures for renewable energy investment.

Governance reforms are foundational for fostering a predictable business environment and boosting potential growth. Hungary has taken some important steps, including the 2023 judicial reforms aimed at strengthening the National Judicial Council. Further governance reforms and their effective enforcement—including related to public procurement, scope of the asset declaration system, conflict-of-interest rules, regulatory oversight, and functioning of the Integrity Authority—could unlock EU funds and amplify the growth dividends of other reforms.

The mission thanks the Hungarian authorities and our other interlocutors in Hungary for the productive collaboration, constructive policy dialogue, and warm hospitality.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Eva-Maria Graf

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

@IMFSpokesperson

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/20/hungary-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv-mission

MIL OSI
MIL OSI Russia News –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson releases his fifth and final annual report
Source: Government of Canada News (2)

OTTAWA, June 20, 2025 – Canada’s Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, Mr. François Boileau, has released his annual report, Clearing the Path, which was tabled today in the House of Commons. The report provides an overview of the activities of the Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson (OTO) between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.

The report details how the OTO influenced service improvements at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by reviewing service issues and complaints. It also includes two recommendations to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and the Chair of the CRA’s Board of Management to improve the CRA’s service to Canadians.

During the last fiscal year, the OTO released two systemic examination reports: Unintended Consequences, about the CRA’s administration of the 2023 bare trust filing requirements, and Timing Is Everything, about issues that may be causing delays in Canada child benefit (CCB) payments for temporary residents. Between these two reports, we made 16 recommendations, and the CRA accepted 13 of them.

As this is the final year of Mr. Boileau’s five-year mandate, the annual report also includes a chapter about his views on improving the CRA’s services for vulnerable and hard‑to-reach populations. This chapter analyzes the CRA’s efforts to make sure these populations get the benefits and credits they are entitled to. It looks at the CRA’s existing programs, including the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program (in Quebec) and SimpleFile, and discusses how they could be improved to better meet Canadians’ needs.

2024–2025 report highlights:

Recommendations

The Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson recommends:
1. (…) that the CRA perform a comprehensive review of its content on Canada.ca, including its web page architecture and content, to remove redundant information and to make sure the information it provides is relevant, clear, concise and easy to find. It should complete this review by spring 2026 and start implementing changes by fall 2026.
2. (…) that the CRA provide a permanently funded grant program for organizations participating in the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program and the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program to support their free tax clinics for eligible taxpayers and help them offset their operating costs.
Trends in complaints
1. Contact centres: The top trend relates to issues with the information provided by contact centre agents. Many taxpayers who were able to reach the CRA’s contact centres claimed that agents provided them with incomplete, inaccurate, or unclear information, while others were unable to even reach an agent because the wait times were too long or they could not get into the queue.
2. Income tax and benefit return processing and adjustments: Many complainants claimed that there were delays in processing returns beyond the CRA’s published service standard; however, it is important to note that the CRA’s service standard applies to returns received on or before filing due dates. As well, the standard excludes returns filed for deceased, bankruptcy, international and non-resident individuals as well as emigrants. It also does not apply in situations where returns are filed for multiple tax years or when the CRA has to contact the taxpayers for more information.
3. Collection action: These complaints claimed the CRA did not consider the taxpayer’s personal circumstances when taking collection action, and in some cases the taxpayer claimed that the collection action put them in financial hardship.
4. CCB: Many complainants said that the CRA’s review of their eligibility for the CCB put a burden on them. The CRA told them that the information they provided was not sufficient, even if they provided most of what was requested. They claimed that the CRA did not clearly inform them why what they provided was not sufficient and why additional documents were required.
5. The CRA’s Service Feedback Program: These complainants said that the CRA’s Service Feedback Program did not respond to their complaint within its published service standard.
Background information

The Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson works independently from the CRA. Canadians can submit complaints to the Office if they feel they are not receiving the appropriate service from the CRA. Our main objective is to improve the service the CRA provides to taxpayers and benefit recipients by reviewing individual service complaints and service issues that affect more than one person or a segment of the population.

The Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson assists, advises and informs the Minister of Finance and National Revenue about matters relating to services provided by the CRA. The Ombudsperson ensures, in particular, that the CRA respects eight of the service rights outlined in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

MIL OSI Canada News –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE and federal partners arrest 17 illegal aliens during worksite inspection in Bethlehem, Pa.

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – On June 11, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia Allentown office and federal law enforcement partners, served a Notice of Inspection at the Five 10 Flats apartment complex, 510 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. During the inspection, 17 illegal aliens who were working at the property were encountered and administratively arrested for immigration violations. Those arrested included 13 citizens of Venezuela, two citizens of Mexico, one citizen of Ecuador and one citizen of Nicaragua.

“Ensuring worksite compliance is a fundamental responsibility of Homeland Security Investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “Our commitment to safeguarding public safety, national security, and economic stability is unwavering. Inspections like these are critical in targeting illegal employment practices that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets, and expose our critical infrastructure to exploitation.”

This location is currently under restoration, with workers provided by a subcontractor, and not occupied by any tenants.

Participating law enforcement partners included Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Allentown; Drug Enforcement Administration Allentown; Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

ICE is tasked with enforcing the business community’s compliance with federal employment eligibility requirements and conducts comprehensive worksite enforcement initiatives targeting employers who violate employment laws. During these operations, any alien determined to be in violation of U.S. Immigration laws may be subject to arrest, detention, and, if removable by final order, removal from the United States.

Members of the public with information about suspected immigration violations or related criminal activity are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or submit information online via the ICE Tip Form.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
Union Finance Minister releases fifth edition of National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2025

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, on Friday released the fifth edition of the National Time Release Study (NTRS) during the CBIC Conclave held in the national capital. This flagship performance measurement tool, developed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), offers a quantitative assessment of the time taken for cargo release, enabling evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of India’s clearance processes.

Since its inception in 2019, the Time Release Study has covered 15 key locations, including seaports, Air Cargo Complexes (ACCs), Inland Container Depots (ICDs), and Integrated Check Posts (ICPs). A distinguishing feature of India’s TRS is its use of high-quality data sourced directly from the Customs Automated System, managed by the Directorate General of Systems and Data Management.

Over the years, the TRS has evolved in both scope and methodology. Initially limited to assessing release times at gateway ports, it now includes transit cargo, courier shipments, and commodity-specific evaluations. The fifth edition has introduced advanced stage-wise and process-specific assessments, further enhancing the granularity and reliability of its findings. Notably, this year’s edition expanded its geographical reach with the addition of Kochi Seaport, Garhi Harsaru ICD, and Jaigaon Land Customs Station (LCS).

In terms of import performance, the study reported a decline in Average Release Time (ART) between 2023 and 2025 at several major gateways. Seaports saw a reduction of approximately six hours, ACCs by five hours, and ICPs by 18 hours. However, ICDs experienced an increase of around 12 hours. Performance against the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) 3.0 targets was also evaluated. The data showed that 93.33% of import cargo at ICPs met the 48-hour release target. This was followed by air cargo complexes with 55.03% of cargo released within 24 hours, seaports at 51.76%, and ICDs at 43.70%.

The improvement in timelines is largely attributed to the “Path to Promptness” framework, which promotes advance filing, risk management system (RMS)-based facilitation, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accreditation, and Direct Port Delivery (DPD). However, certain bottlenecks were identified, including delays in duty payment, query resolution, Partner Government Agency (PGA) interventions, and post-clearance logistics.

The study also examined export cargo timelines from arrival to final departure. Air cargo complexes and ICPs demonstrated the fastest regulatory clearance times, under four hours and approximately six hours respectively. In contrast, seaports averaged nearly 30 hours for regulatory clearance, with post-Let Export Order (LEO) logistics stretching up to 158 hours. ICDs showed regulatory clearance times of about 30 hours and improved post-LEO logistics to around 100 hours.

Facilitation levels were high across the board, ranging from 87% to 93%. The report noted that cargo characteristics played a key role in determining release times. For example, refrigerated goods moved faster through air cargo facilities, and factory-stuffed containers were cleared more quickly than those stuffed at ICDs.

June 21, 2025
Union Finance Minister releases fifth edition of National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2025

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, on Friday released the fifth edition of the National Time Release Study (NTRS) during the CBIC Conclave held in the national capital. This flagship performance measurement tool, developed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), offers a quantitative assessment of the time taken for cargo release, enabling evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of India’s clearance processes.

Since its inception in 2019, the Time Release Study has covered 15 key locations, including seaports, Air Cargo Complexes (ACCs), Inland Container Depots (ICDs), and Integrated Check Posts (ICPs). A distinguishing feature of India’s TRS is its use of high-quality data sourced directly from the Customs Automated System, managed by the Directorate General of Systems and Data Management.

Over the years, the TRS has evolved in both scope and methodology. Initially limited to assessing release times at gateway ports, it now includes transit cargo, courier shipments, and commodity-specific evaluations. The fifth edition has introduced advanced stage-wise and process-specific assessments, further enhancing the granularity and reliability of its findings. Notably, this year’s edition expanded its geographical reach with the addition of Kochi Seaport, Garhi Harsaru ICD, and Jaigaon Land Customs Station (LCS).

In terms of import performance, the study reported a decline in Average Release Time (ART) between 2023 and 2025 at several major gateways. Seaports saw a reduction of approximately six hours, ACCs by five hours, and ICPs by 18 hours. However, ICDs experienced an increase of around 12 hours. Performance against the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) 3.0 targets was also evaluated. The data showed that 93.33% of import cargo at ICPs met the 48-hour release target. This was followed by air cargo complexes with 55.03% of cargo released within 24 hours, seaports at 51.76%, and ICDs at 43.70%.

The improvement in timelines is largely attributed to the “Path to Promptness” framework, which promotes advance filing, risk management system (RMS)-based facilitation, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accreditation, and Direct Port Delivery (DPD). However, certain bottlenecks were identified, including delays in duty payment, query resolution, Partner Government Agency (PGA) interventions, and post-clearance logistics.

The study also examined export cargo timelines from arrival to final departure. Air cargo complexes and ICPs demonstrated the fastest regulatory clearance times, under four hours and approximately six hours respectively. In contrast, seaports averaged nearly 30 hours for regulatory clearance, with post-Let Export Order (LEO) logistics stretching up to 158 hours. ICDs showed regulatory clearance times of about 30 hours and improved post-LEO logistics to around 100 hours.

Facilitation levels were high across the board, ranging from 87% to 93%. The report noted that cargo characteristics played a key role in determining release times. For example, refrigerated goods moved faster through air cargo facilities, and factory-stuffed containers were cleared more quickly than those stuffed at ICDs.

June 21, 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2025 Article IV Consultation with Fiji

Source: IMF – News in Russian

June 20, 2025

Washington, DC: On June 17, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Fiji, and considered and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting.

The economic recovery continued in 2024. Staff estimates aggregate GDP growth in 2024 to have reached 3.7 percent. While employment has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, investment has recently been held back by labor shortages and supply-chain challenges. Inflation decelerated though 2024 as the impact of the 2023 value-added tax increase faded and the nominal exchange rate appreciated. The public debt-to-GDP ratio has continued to decline from the peak reached in 2022, but remains elevated, at 80 percent. Likewise, the current account balance has improved, but the deficit in 2024 is estimated to be around 6.7 percent.

Monetary and financial conditions remain accommodative, while the fiscal stance has tightened. The Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) has maintained the policy rate at 0.25 percent since early 2020. The fiscal stance tightened in FY2024, with the overall deficit declining from 7.2 percent of GDP in FY2023 (August-July) to 3.5 percent of GDP in FY2024, compared to a budgeted deficit of 4.8 percent of GDP.

Executive Board Assessment

In concluding the 2025 Article IV consultation with Fiji, Executive Directors endorsed staff’s appraisal, as follows:

The economy has been recovering from the pandemic but is facing new setbacks. Growth is expected to fall in 2025, to about 2.6 percent, mostly because of slowing external demand, and to take a couple of years to recover to its medium-term potential rate. The baseline projection implies that public debt would remain elevated. In addition, FX reserve coverage would fall, implying that the external position remains moderately weak. Growth would be higher with successful structural reforms, or should the external environment be more favorable than assumed. But the balance of risks appears to be mostly to the downside, both in the near term, if trade tensions were to worsen or their effects be more severe than assumed in the baseline, or over the medium term, mostly given vulnerabilities to natural disasters.

Fiscal and monetary policies should focus on addressing macroeconomic imbalances.

Fiscal policy should focus on lowering public debt while continuing with growth-friendly fiscal consolidation, oriented toward capital spending. Significant progress has been achieved in recent years, but additional adjustment measures are needed to put public debt on a clear downward path. Targeted and temporary social protection measures should be used to protect the vulnerable. Fiscal tightening would also contribute to reducing external imbalances.
Over the medium term, given potential pressures on the exchange rate peg, monetary conditions should be gradually tightened, raising the policy rate and reducing excess liquidity.
Financial policy should be attentive to emerging credit risks and to safeguard against money laundering risks.
The authorities should avoid using exchange rate restrictions and CFMs in place of macroeconomic adjustment and focus on a gradual, sequenced capital account liberalization to support high long-run growth objectives.

Raising potential growth calls for sustained structural reforms.

Progress has been achieved in enhancing the business environment and addressing near-term constraints to growth. Immediate concerns include addressing ageing infrastructure in electricity, water, and waste utilities, and improving the transport network and digital connectivity. Ongoing concerns include training and human capital. Successful measures would also encourage more foreign investment, ease external imbalances, and reduce “brain drain.”
As for other Pacific states, Fiji faces ongoing challenges from natural disasters and climate change. Increasing resilience adds to the motivation to shift away from current toward capital spending.

Such issues require sustained political consensus and good governance. The government’s recognition of the importance of institutional reform, commitment to the rule of law, and reducing corruption and bribery is welcome. Recent legislative progress will need to be matched by proper enforcement and addressing capacity constraints in the civil service.

Fiji: Selected Economic Indicators, 2022–30
	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030
			Est.	Proj.
Output and prices (percent change)
Real GDP	19.8	7.5	3.7	2.6	2.8	3.2	3.2	3.2	3.2
GDP deflator	2.4	4.1	6.3	3.2	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5
Consumer prices (average)	4.3	2.3	4.5	3.2	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5
Consumer prices (end of period)	3.1	5.1	1.3	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5	3.5

Central government budget on fiscal-year basis (percent of GDP)
Revenue and Grants	21.4	23.2	27.4	27.1	27.1	26.8	26.8	26.6	26.5
Expenditure	33.5	30.3	31.0	31.5	31.2	31.0	31.0	30.9	30.9
Overall balance	-12.1	-7.2	-3.5	-4.4	-4.2	-4.2	-4.2	-4.3	-4.4
Primary balance	-8.5	-3.3	0.5	-0.3	-0.3	-0.6	-0.6	-0.7	-0.8
Central government debt	90.4	83.3	79.5	77.7	77.7	77.6	77.3	77.0	76.8
Central government external debt	33.3	30.6	28.7	26.5	26.5	26.4	26.1	25.8	25.6

External sector (percent of GDP)
Current account balance	-17.3	-7.7	-6.7	-7.0	-7.7	-7.5	-7.2	-6.9	-6.9
Trade balance	-32.9	-32.7	-30.0	-29.1	-27.7	-27.3	-27.3	-26.9	-26.4
Services balance	11.8	20.4	20.0	19.9	18.4	17.8	17.3	17.1	16.5
Primary Income balance	-5.3	-5.7	-6.4	-6.8	-6.6	-6.4	-6.0	-5.9	-5.9
Secondary Income balance	9.2	10.3	9.6	9.0	8.2	8.5	8.8	8.9	9.0
Capital account balance	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Financial account balance (-= inflows)	-14.0	-4.9	-6.6	-4.1	-5.3	-5.7	-6.9	-6.5	-6.5
FDI	-1.8	-1.1	-1.6	-4.5	-5.4	-6.1	-7.3	-7.1	-7.2
Portfolio investment	0.5	1.0	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7
Other investment	-12.7	-4.8	-6.7	-1.3	-1.5	-1.3	-1.3	-1.1	-1.0
Errors and omissions	5.1	4.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Change in reserve assets (-=increase)	-2.1	0.3	0.1	2.9	2.3	1.7	0.3	0.3	0.4
Gross official reserves (in months of prospective imports)	5.5	5.3	5.2	4.4	3.7	3.1	2.9	2.6	…

Money and credit (percent change)
Net domestic assets of depository corporations	4.9	12.1	8.0	6.4	6.1	…	…	…	…
Claims on private sector	6.7	7.5	11.4	10.0	8.0	…	…	…	…
Broad money (M3)	5.1	9.1	6.6	4.1	4.1	…	…	…	…
Monetary base	15.8	-4.0	7.5	3.6	1.4	…	…	…	…
Central Bank Policy rate (end of period)	0.25	0.25	0.25	…	…	…	…	…	…
Commercial banks deposits rate (end of period)	0.4	0.4	0.3	…	…	…	…	…	…
Commercial banks lending rate (end of period)	5.2	4.8	4.6	…	…	…	…	…	…

Memorandum items
Exchange rate, average (FJD/USD)	2.2	2.3	2.3	…	…	…	…	…	…
Real effective exchange rate, average	108.2	106.4	108.3	…	…	…	…	…	…
GDP at current market prices (in millions of Fiji dollars)	10,940	12,245	13,494	14,286	15,148	16,130	17,193	18,342	19,594
GDP at current market prices (in millions of U.S. dollars)	4,970	5,442	5,949	6,257	6,564	6,913	7,284	7,674	8,089
GDP per capita (in U.S. dollars)	5,450	5,933	6,447	6,740	7,030	7,359	7,707	8,072	8,508
Sources: Reserve Bank of Fiji; Ministry of Finance; and IMF Staff Estimates and Projections.

[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Pemba Sherpa

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

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/20/pr-25208-fiji-imf-concludes-2025-article-iv-consultation

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 21, 2025

MIL-OSI USA News: Service Workers Rally Behind President Trump’s NO TAX ON TIPS

Source: US Whitehouse

Hourly workers in the service, hospitality, and retail industries overwhelmingly back President Donald J. Trump’s bold NO TAX ON TIPS plan in the One Big Beautiful Bill, according to a new survey — saying tax-free tips would bring them needed financial stability and relief.

In fact, 83% of hourly workers want to see NO TAX ON TIPS become law — with just four percent saying otherwise: “These results suggest that any measure increasing the amount of immediately available income — such as untaxed tips — would provide meaningful, stabilizing support for a large segment of the hourly workforce,” the report says.

As one Nevada food service worker put it: “I don’t know what the holdup is. I don’t know what the politics are, but if we can cut the BS now … it can help out a lot of people.”

The NO TAX ON TIPS plan is just one aspect of President Trump’s Day One commitment to deliver relief to Americans ravaged by years of Bidenflation. In his first five months, President Trump has overseen the largest increase in blue-collar wage growth in 60 years, lower costs, and explosive job growth for native-born Americans.

That progress will be supercharged by the One Big Beautiful Bill, which will deliver the largest tax cut in history for working and middle-class Americans, tax cuts for seniors, No Tax on Overtime, and much more.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why Elon Musk’s US$34 billion loss wasn’t really that – and what it tells us about the philanthropy of the ultra-wealthy

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tobias Jung, Professor of Management, University of St Andrews

Photo Agency/Shutterstock

Following a sharp drop in Tesla’s share price, outlets reported that the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, had “lost” US$34 billion (£25 billion) in a single day. That figure exceeds the annual GDP of countries like Iceland, Jamaica or Mauritius. Gaining or losing even 0.001% of that wealth would be life-changing for most people.

But, this “loss” is entirely nominal. A decline in share prices means Musk is technically worth less. If prices rebound, so does his net worth.

While such volatility can devastate smaller investors reliant on their portfolios, it is a recurring feature of ultra-wealth. Consider the US$100 billion decline in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s fortune during his Metaverse pivot, or the US$18 billion drop Microsoft founder Bill Gates experienced during the 2008 financial crisis.

These share price shifts may reduce billionaires’ net worth on paper, but they rarely affect their lifestyle. Where they do matter however is in philanthropy. Here, timing is everything. The higher the share price at the point of donation, the greater the tax benefit, and the more reputational capital to be locked in.

This raises deeper questions about how philanthropic incentives are structured, and who ultimately benefits.

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Although philanthropy is often associated with generosity, legacy or moral responsibility, these are only part of the picture. This is particularly true when it comes to major giving by the ultra-wealthy.

Instead, from a wealth advisory perspective, one of the most strategically valuable (yet less publicly discussed) motivations is tax management. And, while many assume that philanthropy means donating money, tax systems often encourage the donation of appreciated assets, particularly shares, instead.

As a worked example by the Bank of America illustrates, a US$50,000 donation in appreciated stock might easily present a tax benefit of almost US$10,000 over and above the tax benefits of donating the same amount in cash.

Why is that? First of all, there is the potential of a tax deduction equal to the fair market value at the point of donation. The value of the asset at the point of donation is important for your tax deduction, not what you actually paid for it or whether its value is going to plunge in future.

On top of that, there are opportunities to reduce other taxes too. This includes capital gains or inheritance taxes, the latter illustrated in the establishment of one of the world’s largest foundations, the Ford Foundation and its use as a vehicle to manage both inheritance tax and maintain corporate control.

But the benefits of donating shares and other appreciated assets are not just financial. For high-profile donors, philanthropy also serves as a powerful tool for shaping public perceptions, projecting images of civic virtue, moral leadership, and social responsibility. It allows them to convert one form of capital, such as financial wealth, into others – social status, cultural influence or symbolic legitimacy.

Converting capital into cultural influence: Carnegie Hall in New York was funded by industrialist Andrew Carnegie.
Victoria Lipov/Shutterstock

Volatile, appreciated and often bound-up assets can be unlocked and transformed into something far more enduring – a philanthropic legacy. Even if share prices plunge after the donation, the donor has already secured both a substantial tax benefit and a lasting philanthropic image.

Tax management is a longstanding concern in philanthropy, particularly in relation to philanthropic foundations. But it really is donor advised funds (DAFs) that now warrant closer scrutiny as the real “warehouses of wealth”. Constituting one of the fastest-growing vehicles for philanthropy, DAFs act as “giving accounts”. They allow donors to claim charitable contributions and receive immediate tax deductions but without actually making an immediate charitable contribution to society.

While donors technically give up ownership of these assets, they retain advisory privileges over whether and when resources are granted, to whom, and in what amounts. DAFs have no legal requirement to disburse funds within a specific timeframe. That means that any charitable spending can be delayed, potentially indefinitely, despite the upfront public subsidy via tax relief.

Time for reform?

All of these issues raise serious questions as to whether philanthropic architecture is ripe for reform. When donors can receive substantial tax and social benefits by donating volatile assets, regardless of whether or when they benefit the public, it seems that both society and the philanthropy field are shortchanged.

First, significant resources are diverted from the public purse into privately controlled channels, often with limited oversight. Second, charitable giving is decoupled from charitable action or impact. Third, influence is consolidated – decisions about how public-subsidised funds are used are made not through democratic processes, but through private choice.

The most corrosive effect, however, may be on philanthropy itself. As financial incentives and personal benefits are recast and presented as altruistic, the perception, purposes and potential of philanthropy for the public good risk being eroded and replaced by cynicism.

This brings us back to Musk’s US$34 billion “loss”. While headlines framed it as a dramatic reversal of fortune, the real story lies not in the number but in the system behind it. For those whose wealth is held in stock, market volatility presents a tool for tax planning, image-making, strategic giving and long-term influence. What looks like loss may in fact be leverage.

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

– ref. Why Elon Musk’s US$34 billion loss wasn’t really that – and what it tells us about the philanthropy of the ultra-wealthy – https://theconversation.com/why-elon-musks-us-34-billion-loss-wasnt-really-that-and-what-it-tells-us-about-the-philanthropy-of-the-ultra-wealthy-259176

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 21, 2025

Category: Taxation

Health and Social Care Secretary speech at RCOG World Congress

Updates to this page

1. What is the fixed rate for Tax Time 2024?

2. Is there a minimum number of hours to qualify for a working from home (WFH) deduction?

3. What types of records do taxpayers need to prove their ‘total hours worked from home’?

4. What is a practical way to prove work use of my phone?

5. Can an employee claim rent as part of the actual cost method if they work from home full time?

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

Bill Summary

Estimated Federal Cost

Basis of Estimate

Provisions that Affect Spending Subject to Appropriation and Direct Spending

Direct Spending and Revenues

Spending Subject to Appropriation

Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

Mandates

Previous CBO Estimate

Estimate Reviewed By

President Trump’s second term

Dismantling climate defense

Endangering ocean futures

‘Unleashing’ America’s fishing industry into collapse

Taxing our health

Time to resist

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

Time for reform?