NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University opens preparatory faculty in China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University opened a new joint program at the SCO Institute of Trade and Economics in Qingdao (Shandong Province) to prepare Chinese applicants for admission to Russian universities. At the signing ceremony, our university was represented by the Director of the Center for Russian as a Foreign Language of the Higher School of International Educational Programs, Alexey Pavlov, and the SCO Institute was represented by its Director, Zheng Shi.

    We have been cooperating with the Higher School of International Educational Programs of SPbPU for two years now with the help of our regular partner Globus International Ltd. And now we are opening a center where schoolchildren will not only study, but will also have the opportunity to take the Russian language exam according to the TRKI system. This is very important for Chinese applicants and their parents, – said Mr. Zheng Shi.

    For his part, Alexey Pavlov noted: I have personally observed the huge interest of Chinese schoolchildren in studying at Russian universities. I am confident that our center will have a long and successful career. Qualified teachers from the Higher School of International Educational Programs of the Polytechnic University will participate in both the preparation of Chinese applicants and in the advanced training of Chinese teachers of Russian as a foreign language.

    Director of the Higher School of International Trade and Economics Viktor Krasnoshchyokov called the opening of the center a logical stage of fruitful cooperation with the SCO Trade and Economic Institute.

    Improving the quality of training for Chinese applicants is our top priority. The Higher School’s methodologists are constantly improving the methodology for teaching Russian outside the language environment, he emphasized.

    The strongest school of engineering education of the Polytechnic University enjoys well-deserved authority in China. We strive to fulfill the high standards set by the state for the number of foreign students, while not reducing, but constantly improving the quality of their training. This is impossible without the introduction of innovative forms and technologies of training, one of which is the creation of remote preparatory departments, – summed up the Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “We are facing changes in sanctions and counter-sanctions procedures”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Higher School of Economics launches new DPO program “The State and Business in the Age of Sanctions: Strategies for Successful Development”, where training is provided by leading experts in the field of analysis of sanctions risks and trends from relevant government agencies, businesses, and academies. Its students will be able to study in detail the risks for Russian companies and their foreign partners, including those related to export restrictions.

    The additional professional education program “State and Business in the Age of Sanctions: Strategies for Successful Development” was presented during the scientific and practical seminar “State and Business in the Age of Sanctions: Trends and Risks of 2025”, organized within the framework of the HSE Academic Personnel Reserve project “New World Order”.

    Seminar moderator, leading research fellow at the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) at the National Research University Higher School of Economics Leo Sokolshchik said that it is intended for those who work with foreign counterparties and are interested in forming customized strategies for successful development. The program will study key sanctions trends and risks of 2025, their impact on business, the economy and political strategy of states.

    Leo Sokolshchik

    The training program includes a survival guide for Russian businesses, information on legal ways to work with foreign partners and the formation of sustainable international business partnerships in the context of sanctions risks. The sanctions policies of the US, EU and China, as well as Russia’s response measures, will be examined in detail.

    At the same time, the program is practice-oriented: the training structure involves immersion in real cases and situations that one may encounter in professional activities. Studying on the course will not only increase the level of professional competencies, but will also allow you to expand your network of professional contacts.

    The teachers of the continuing education program include leading experts and practitioners in the field of international restrictions and export control: Ivan Timofeev, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council; Dmitry Kiku, Deputy Director of the Department for Control over External Restrictions of the Ministry of Finance of Russia; Maria Roskoshnaya, Head of Export Control and Support of Foreign Economic Activity at Yandex; Vladimir Morozov, Leading Advisor of the Department of International and Regional Cooperation of the Accounts Chamber; Vasily Kashin, Director of the Center for Cemistry and International Studies, an expert on China and its relations with foreign partners; Yegor Prokhin, a visiting lecturer at HSE and a practitioner who has worked in international business with China and the countries of Southeast Asia for over 10 years; Inna Yanikeyeva, a lecturer at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and a specialist in cyber sanctions.

    At the seminar, the program’s teachers held their master classes. RIAC Director General Ivan Timofeev presented a master class on the topic “Trends in Anti-Russian Sanctions in 2025: the Split of the West and New Risks.” He noted that it should be remembered that sanctions are a foreign policy instrument that is implemented non-linearly; escalation and normalization do not mean their immediate strengthening and weakening. Now, for the first time in three years, a window of opportunity has opened, allowing us to talk about a probable easing of sanctions, but risks remain. In his opinion, one should be cautious about forecasts about a possible agreement, since the negotiations are taking place behind closed doors. If they fail, escalation is possible.

    Ivan Timofeev noted: currently, most of the bills on sanctions in the US Congress are aimed against China and Iran, but if any of the initiatives against Russia is adopted, this will strengthen the regime of anti-Russian sanctions. Escalation is also possible along the EU line, but most likely, it will be accompanied by seizures and quotas on some types of products.

    At the same time, voluntary control or self-regulation in advanced industries is increasing. Thus, in recent years, there has been a noticeable rapprochement between representatives of the regulator and business. The Alliance of AI Companies, together with the FSTEC of Russia, created and signed the Declaration on the Responsible Export of Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Software Based on Them. The Declaration establishes ethical principles and standards of conduct that developers should follow when exporting their own civil AI solutions. The standards include general principles and rules and specific recommendations on interactions with foreign counterparties and authorized government agencies.

    Maria Roskoshnaya drew attention to changes in the work of specialists. Previously, it was enough for them to know their niche and work algorithm, but now, due to the frequent emergence of new challenges, they have to regularly monitor changes in the export control of key partners. For example, when implementing a deal with China or the UAE, it is mandatory for experts to analyze the export control legislation of these countries. In addition, it is important to monitor innovations in counter-sanction regulation, including bans on the purchase of certain products, as well as on making payments in certain countries.

    “We are facing changes in sanctions and counter-sanction procedures. It is important to expand the range of knowledge, not limited to technical details and knowledge of the final recipients and final destination of the goods. For businesses, this means finding optimal logistics routes, opportunities for making payments without restrictions, combining the interests of logisticians, lawyers and financiers,” the expert said.

    She noted that difficulties may arise when continuing to interact with companies that left Russia after 2022. These aspects are currently monitored by counter-sanction compliance services, when it is necessary to justify and argue for continued cooperation with companies from unfriendly jurisdictions.

    At the master class “EU Sanctions in 2025: Strategies for Russia”, Vladimir Morozov explained that the possibility of using sanctions as a tool for achieving foreign policy goals is embedded in the legal foundations of the EU. They can be used for a wide range of reasons – from accusations of violating international law to the goals of protecting human rights. He called an important feature of EU sanctions their adoption at the supranational level with national supervision of their implementation, which gives rise to contradictions and certain difficulties in their implementation. The diversity of regimes, as well as national legislation and law enforcement practices, makes it difficult to navigate EU sanctions.

    Europe often seeks to counteract secondary sanctions from other countries, including the United States, by allowing restrictions against third countries, individuals and companies to be ignored. However, European companies often seek to take into account sanctions risks and implement “overcompliance” in this area, not wanting to lose the American market and the ability to make payments in dollars.

    Photo: iStock

    Since 2022, the European Commission has been playing an increasingly important role in introducing restrictions, and national institutions are experiencing increasing pressure from supranational institutions, including in tightening penalties for violating sanctions. If administrative liability was previously possible, now it is regarded as a criminal offense. The expert drew attention to the difference in approaches to punishments and investigations. The largest number of them is noted in Poland. The largest number of prison sentences is in the Netherlands, but for a short or suspended term. In Germany, the number of sentences is small, but the terms reach 7 years, and in Finland there are many successful investigations, but the punishments are mainly limited to a fine of 11,000 to 15,000 euros.

    The current stage of the EU sanctions policy development is characterized by gradual de-targeting of sanctions, i.e. the desire to inflict maximum damage, as well as active coordination of its own measures with partners, primarily with the United States. If in 2014-16 the EU measures lagged behind the American ones, then since 2022 they have been mostly synchronized. Another trend in European policy has been the active use of the secondary sanctions mechanism. In particular, in 2024 an amendment was adopted, according to which restrictions are imposed against companies and individuals from third countries who worked with Russian sanctioned persons and companies.

    Vladimir Morozov named the EU’s readiness to maintain the priority of political goals over economic feasibility as key factors and risks of the continuation, strengthening and, on the contrary, easing of sanctions, given that Europe has suffered greater losses than the US during the sanctions war with Russia.

    Egor Prokhin, in his master class “Formation of Sustainable Business Partnerships in the Context of Sanction Risks,” noted that over the past decades, sanctions have achieved their goals in about one third of cases. According to him, the greatest success was achieved against small states with insufficiently diversified and import-dependent economies.

    Sanctions, along with challenges, also open up new opportunities, noted Yegor Prokhin. The loss of sales markets in Europe and other Western countries has become an incentive to reorient towards developing markets in Asia.

    In conclusion, he emphasized that in order to establish successful cooperation with foreign companies on the Russian market, it is necessary to adapt business strategies taking into account the current sanctions restrictions. In his opinion, such an approach should be comprehensive and include: analysis of companies, their beneficiaries and legal relations for sanctions risks; assessment of industry and territorial sanctions applicable to the planned cooperation; development of solutions and tools for optimizing commercial interactions under restrictions.

    Additionally, he recommended creating “road maps” for partners to manage sanctions risks and developing alternative action scenarios aimed at minimizing the potential negative impact on business partnerships.

    If the parties manage to reach a truce, American businesses will influence the administration to soften the sanctions, without officially lifting them, but introducing certain exceptions for transportation restrictions and bans on bank transactions.

    “For a number of industries, the easing of sanctions will have a positive effect on their development, while for others, on the contrary, it will have a negative effect,” Ivan Timofeev noted. He is confident that if the negotiations are successful, the process of easing sanctions will be long and may take more than a decade. Lev Sokolshchik emphasized that the lifting of sanctions may turn into a risk for certain sectors of the domestic economy.

    Maria Roskoshnaya held a master class “Export control: instructions for use. How not to break the rules and not lose markets.” She noted that export control is now considered more broadly than in the traditional sense – in particular, advanced industrial developments and even luxury goods are now subject to special supervision. The range of transactions subject to regulation is also growing – in addition to the usual tangible exports, experts often deal with supervision of the export of technology and software. The share of intangible exports is also growing, especially in high-tech industries, and the forms of transactions are also unusual. For example, it is often necessary to identify open source software or software, access to which is provided under the SaaS model. The state can regulate and restrict, and sometimes prohibit the export and international exchange of know-how, industrial products or raw materials, the lack of which can negatively affect the domestic market.

    Russia continues to participate in the development and modification of framework legislation at the international level, since it is a member state of all regimes except the Australian Group (our country has observer status there). It should be understood that each member state of the international export control regime forms a national control system, harmonizing it with the international base. Now we can observe a tendency to strengthen non-proliferation control precisely in the area of finalizing national legislative measures and initiatives.

    At the same time, voluntary control or self-regulation in advanced industries is increasing. Thus, in recent years, there has been a noticeable rapprochement between representatives of the regulator and business. The Alliance of AI Companies, together with the FSTEC of Russia, created and signed the Declaration on the Responsible Export of Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Software Based on Them. The Declaration establishes ethical principles and standards of conduct that developers should follow when exporting their own civil AI solutions. The standards include general principles and rules and specific recommendations on interactions with foreign counterparties and authorized government agencies.

    Photo: iStock

    Maria Roskoshnaya drew attention to changes in the work of specialists. Previously, it was enough for them to know their niche and work algorithm, but now, due to the frequent emergence of new challenges, they have to regularly monitor changes in the export control of key partners. For example, when implementing a deal with China or the UAE, it is mandatory for experts to analyze the export control legislation of these countries. In addition, it is important to monitor innovations in counter-sanction regulation, including bans on the purchase of certain products, as well as on making payments in certain countries.

    “We are facing changes in sanctions and counter-sanction procedures. It is important to expand the range of knowledge, not limited to technical details and knowledge of the final recipients and final destination of the goods. For businesses, this means finding optimal logistics routes, opportunities for making payments without restrictions, combining the interests of logisticians, lawyers and financiers,” the expert said.

    She noted that difficulties may arise when continuing to interact with companies that left Russia after 2022. These aspects are currently monitored by counter-sanction compliance services, when it is necessary to justify and argue for continued cooperation with companies from unfriendly jurisdictions.

    At the master class “EU Sanctions in 2025: Strategies for Russia”, Vladimir Morozov explained that the possibility of using sanctions as a tool for achieving foreign policy goals is embedded in the legal foundations of the EU. They can be used for a wide range of reasons – from accusations of violating international law to the goals of protecting human rights. He called an important feature of EU sanctions their adoption at the supranational level with national supervision of their implementation, which gives rise to contradictions and certain difficulties in their implementation. The diversity of regimes, as well as national legislation and law enforcement practices, makes it difficult to navigate EU sanctions.

    Europe often seeks to counteract secondary sanctions from other countries, including the United States, by allowing restrictions against third countries, individuals, and firms to be ignored. However, European companies often seek to take into account sanctions risks and implement “overcompliance” in this area, not wanting to lose the American market and the ability to make payments in dollars.

    Since 2022, the European Commission has been playing an increasingly important role in introducing restrictions, and national institutions are experiencing increasing pressure from supranational institutions, including in tightening penalties for violating sanctions. If administrative liability was previously possible, now it is regarded as a criminal offense. The expert drew attention to the difference in approaches to punishments and investigations. The largest number of them is noted in Poland. The largest number of prison sentences is in the Netherlands, but for a short or suspended term. In Germany, the number of sentences is small, but the terms reach 7 years, and in Finland there are many successful investigations, but the punishments are mainly limited to a fine of 11,000 to 15,000 euros.

    Photo: iStock

    The current stage of the EU sanctions policy development is characterized by gradual de-targeting of sanctions, i.e. the desire to inflict maximum damage, as well as active coordination of its own measures with partners, primarily with the United States. If in 2014-16 the EU measures lagged behind the American ones, then since 2022 they have been mostly synchronized. Another trend in European policy has been the active use of the secondary sanctions mechanism. In particular, in 2024 an amendment was adopted, according to which restrictions are imposed against companies and individuals from third countries who worked with Russian sanctioned persons and companies.

    Vladimir Morozov named the EU’s readiness to maintain the priority of political goals over economic feasibility as key factors and risks of the continuation, strengthening and, on the contrary, easing of sanctions, given that Europe has suffered greater losses than the US during the sanctions war with Russia.

    Egor Prokhin, in his master class “Formation of Sustainable Business Partnerships in the Context of Sanction Risks,” noted that over the past decades, sanctions have achieved their goals in about one-third of cases. According to him, the greatest success was achieved against small states with insufficiently diversified and import-dependent economies.

    Sanctions, along with challenges, also open up new opportunities, noted Yegor Prokhin. The loss of sales markets in Europe and other Western countries has become an incentive to reorient towards developing markets in Asia.

    In conclusion, he emphasized that in order to establish successful cooperation with foreign companies on the Russian market, it is necessary to adapt business strategies taking into account the current sanctions restrictions. In his opinion, such an approach should be comprehensive and include: analysis of companies, their beneficiaries and legal relations for sanctions risks; assessment of industry and territorial sanctions applicable to the planned cooperation; development of solutions and tools for optimizing commercial interaction in the context of restrictions.

    Additionally, he recommended creating “road maps” for partners to manage sanctions risks and developing alternative action scenarios aimed at minimizing the potential negative impact on business partnerships.

    All opinions presented in the material are exclusively the personal position of the seminar participants and the author.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic joined the memorial event at Piskarevsky Memorial

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    On May 6, students, teachers and staff of the Polytechnic University took part in a memorial event at the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery. They laid flowers at the Motherland monument and the mass grave of the Polytechnic students.

    The participants of the action gathered at the Monument to the Fallen Polytechnicians, where they were addressed by the Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU, Maxim Pasholikov.

    Today we remember the heroism of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War. I hope that this event will become traditional for us. Some of you have already visited Piskarevskoye Cemetery, the largest memorial burial ground in the world, where more than half a million people are buried. Of these, only ten percent are military personnel, the rest are residents of the besieged city. An open book is engraved on one of the gravestones. Among those buried there are our polytechnicians, who were engaged in science, studied and were the heart of the Polytechnic Institute during the war. Every year on May 9, my family and I lay flowers at Piskarevskoye Cemetery. On this day, many Leningraders and St. Petersburgers come here to honor the memory of the fallen. Sometimes there are so many flowers that you can’t even see the memorial and the slabs. I would like you to have such a tradition, – shared Maxim Pasholikov.

    The participants of the event were presented with St. George ribbons and flowers. After that, the polytechnicians walked several kilometers to the Piskarevsky Memorial.

    Piskarevskoye Cemetery became the main burial place for the victims of the Leningrad siege. During the Great Patriotic War, trenches were dug on the cemetery’s territory for unmarked mass graves, where more than 470 thousand people were buried. The memorial began to be developed in 1955: the mounds of mass graves were raised, flowers and trees were planted. Later, a six-meter bronze statue of a woman holding an oak wreath was installed, which became a symbol of maternal grief and the memory of the dead. Her gaze is directed towards the mass graves.

    Students, teachers and staff laid flowers and a wreath with the inscription “From the Polytechnicians” at the Motherland monument.

    After that we went to grave #176, where the students and employees of our university, victims of the siege, found their final resting place. They were buried under a stone with an image of an open book, on which the date “1942” was carved.

    During the hardest, frostiest and hungriest winter of 1941-1942, students belonged to the category of the population supplied with food at a minimum, that is, they received those same 125 grams of bread during the blockade. And the mortality rate among them was very high. Several hundred of our students are buried in grave No. 176. This is a memorial place for all polytechnicians, – said Ivan Kolomeitsev.

    The participants of the procession laid flowers on the gravestone and honored the memory of the victims.

    The first person to visit the Piskarevskoye Cemetery was a third-year student at the Institute of Metallurgical and Technical Sciences, Andrei Ushakov.

    I moved to St. Petersburg from the Moscow region. For two and a half years, I have not been able to visit the memorial. But I am glad that such an event, organized by our university, helps to fill this gap. The residents of Leningrad accomplished a real feat, having endured the siege for 900 days. It is very important to remember this, because the tragic events had a huge impact on world history and the history of our country, – Andrey Ushakov noted.

    Third-year student of the Institute of Mathematics, Economics and Telecommunications Anastasia Nikitina is a third-generation St. Petersburg resident. Their family also has a tradition of laying flowers at the Broken Ring memorial on May 9.

    The memory of the heroism of the city where I was born and live is very dear to me. I think it is important that today we have gathered together to lay flowers at the Piskarevskoye Memorial. I admire that the Polytechnic pays great attention to preserving the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. For example, my mother and I watch the student video blog “Memory of Glory is Alive” with great interest. The stories on the information pedestals located on the territory of the university are also informative, – said Anastasia Nikitina.

    Deputy Director of the Institute of Mechanics and Technology Maxim Ivanov annually takes part in the “Immortal Regiment” campaign with his family and tries to visit the Piskarevskoye Cemetery.

    My parents have been telling me about the contribution of Polytechnicians to the Victory since childhood. After all, they met at the Polytechnic and studied together at the mechanical engineering department. It is important that our university has another campaign dedicated to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. It is nice to see that many students are participating in it. After all, we are passing on the memory of our ancestors, which should live forever, – shared Maxim Ivanov.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Nanjing honors Soviet heroes who died in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    NANJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — An event dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and cultural exchanges among the youth of China, Russia and Belarus was held at the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen’s Martyrs’ Memorial Museum in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, on Wednesday, honoring the memory of Soviet heroes who died in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

    The event was attended by representatives of the Russian Consulate General in Shanghai and the Belarusian Consulate General in Shanghai, as well as students and schoolchildren from the three countries.

    The event participants jointly honored the memory of Soviet heroes who died in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression by laying wreaths and flowers at the monument and memorial steles on the museum grounds.

    Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the Nanjing City Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Jin Weidong noted that more than 80 years ago, during the most difficult period of the Chinese People’s Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the government and people of the Soviet Union extended a helping hand in a timely manner. During this assistance, 236 Soviet airmen sacrificed their lives for the just cause of the anti-fascist struggle and the liberation of the Chinese people.

    “Their heroic deeds and high spirit will forever remain engraved in the hearts of the Chinese people and peoples around the world,” he stressed, expressing hope that through cultural interaction, the youth of China, Russia and Belarus will be able to better understand each other’s cultures, strengthen mutual understanding, deepen friendly ties and lay a solid foundation for future in-depth cooperation and exchanges.

    According to Dmitry Lukyantsev, the Russian Consul General in Shanghai, the short but capacious word “Victory” for any Russian or Chinese stands for the courage and heroism of millions of soldiers, the intense and hard work in the rear. “This word is a symbol of pride, courage, dignity and fortitude of our peoples,” he said.

    “In 45 cities of China, including Nanjing, about 50 monuments to Soviet soldiers who died in the anti-Japanese war of the Chinese people have been erected. In the PRC, the memory of the fallen Soviet soldiers is carefully honored, their graves are carefully looked after. We are grateful to the Chinese government for this,” said Olga Krivets, Vice Consul of Belarus in Shanghai.

    The event also released updated information on the 18 Soviet volunteers who died in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

    The updated and supplemented list of fallen heroes includes their full names, dates of birth and death, military ranks and specific positions.

    Established in 2009, the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen’s Martyrs’ Memorial Museum is China’s first memorial museum for international airmen who died in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

    Its collection contains rich historical materials on the air forces of China, the Soviet Union, the United States and other countries that fought together against the Japanese invaders in China during World War II. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: India confirms airstrikes in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    NEW DELHI, May 7 (Xinhua) — The Indian government on Wednesday confirmed airstrikes on nine identified “terrorist training camps” in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

    According to local media, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored the airstrikes.

    Reports said the airstrikes were carried out as part of Operation Sindoor, which targets women whose husbands were killed on April 22 in Pahalgam district of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

    The attack, which left 26 people dead, was described as the worst attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir in decades and has escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.

    The Indian Ministry of Defence announced in a press release the launch of Operation Sindoor, targeting “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir from where “terrorist attacks” against India were planned and carried out.

    “A total of nine targets were struck. Our actions were targeted, measured and non-escalatory. No Pakistani military installations were attacked. India demonstrated considerable restraint in the choice of targets and the methods of their execution,” the statement said.

    The move comes in response to the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which left 25 Indians and one Nepalese national dead.

    The head of the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistani army’s media wing, said on Wednesday that at least eight civilians, including a child, had been killed, 35 others were injured and two were missing in missiles fired by India. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Get together for good mental health

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The theme this year is ‘community’ and celebrates the communities and networks that help people to thrive and to nurture good mental health.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “Our city has lots of strong and supportive communities. Whether it’s sports, crafts, walking or meeting for coffee, these community groups help us feel connected. They give us a place to belong, support us when things are hard, and give us a sense of purpose.

    “We can all play a part in creating that kind of environment – whether it’s checking on a friend or simply starting a conversation. It’s so important that we create a safe space to talk about mental health with no shame or stigma attached.

    “One way the council will be getting involved is by taking part in ‘Wear It Green’ day on Thursday 15 May. We’ll be lighting up the Civic Centre atrium lights in green to show our support for mental health and that it’s ok to reach out and ask for help.

    “There are also a number of other events taking place across the city this Mental Health Awareness Week, and I would urge everyone to get involved.”

    City libraries offer a range of regular community groups, including:

    • Monday 12 May – Relaxed Reading Group at Wednesfield Library, 5.30pm to 6.30pm
    • Tuesday 13 May – Relaxed Reading Group at Bob Jones Community Hub, 6pm to 7pm
    • Wednesday 14 May – board games at Tettenhall Library, 2.30pm to 4.30pm
    • Thursday 15 May – local history group at Bilston Library, 11am to 12.30pm
    • Thursday 15 May – City Walking Tour starting from Central Library, 2pm to 3pm
    • Friday 16 May – Relaxed Reading Group at Low Hill library, 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

    And Wolves Foundation will be inviting people to meet local mental health services and find out about support available at a special event at North Bank Bar, Molineux Stadium from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday 15 May.

    Meanwhile, people who are having a difficult time or are worried about someone else are being reminded they are not alone – there are lots of options for support:

    • For self-care, the NHS Every Mind Matters website, provides a range of tools and advice on how people can look after their wellbeing and support those around them.
    • People who need someone to talk to are encouraged to call SANE on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm to 10.30pm), Samaritans on 116 123 (24 hours), Rethink Mental Illness on 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm) or Mind on 0300 123 3393.
    • Anyone who needs urgent help with their mental health should call NHS 111 and select option 2 to be connected to mental health support, or text 07860 025281.
    • Wolverhampton Sanctuary Hub offers out of hours support. Book a face to face appointment by calling freephone 0808 802 2288, texting 07860 065168 or emailing wolverhamptonsanctuaryhub@rethink.org.
    • NHS Talking Therapies offers brief psychological therapy for people experiencing common mental health problems including anxiety, depression, stress and low mood – visit Wolverhampton Talking Therapies.
    • Hub of Hope offers a wide range of local support in your community – visit Hub of Hope.

    Remember too, that your GP is there to help you with your mental health as well as your physical health.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise: Economic Growth Through Reconciliation is Top Priority

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss how President Trump is working toward economic growth through fair trade, tax cut permanency, and negotiations with foreign countries for fair treatment. Leader Scalise also outlined the important work House committees are doing on reconciliation this month to codify President Trump’s agenda to reduce wasteful spending, ensure tax rates do not go up, put American energy first to lower prices, secure the border, and protect hardworking families.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview. 
    On achieving fair trade for the United States:“Well, I’m on board with it. And in fact, President Trump talked about all of these items, clearly talked about the border a lot. He talked about inflation, he talked about gas prices. He talked about getting our economy moving again. But he talked about getting fair trade with our friends and enemies around the world. And this was something he’s talked about. Really, you go back to 2016, it’s something he’s felt strongly about for a long time. Everybody, I think, knew this was going to be something the President would confront. And look, when we get out of this and we have new agreements, you know, you’ve heard Scott Bessent, over 75 countries want to renegotiate. There are a lot of countries that are in the process of negotiating a better trade deal right now. If we end up with no trade tariffs for either side, look, countries were hitting us with tariffs left and right, and we weren’t hitting them with anything. Right now, their tariffs are still higher. But if they drop their tariffs and we drop ours, I think we’re going to end up with a better economy.”On President Trump negotiating tariffs and tax cut permanency: “We know that there are countries that are talking to the White House about a new deal. You know, are they close to announcing a new deal with some of these countries? And I think it’s only going to be a few – you get Japan, you get India, you get one or two more. Everybody’s going to know, okay, that’s the template for every other country. It’s not like you’re just going to get one-off deals, and everybody else is going to be waiting for their own separate deal. I think, you know, the way it goes with the first few countries is going to be the type of deal you’re going to be seeing with other countries, too. China is going to be a unique situation because of how they treat intellectual property, how they don’t play by their own rules, they manipulate currency. But when you see, hopefully, a new set of trade deals coming where you drop tariffs on both sides, that’s what I think a lot of us would like to see. Then you’ll get a lot more stability.“The other part of that, and that’s something that we’re in the middle of right now, and that is this budget reconciliation bill. If we lock in tax rates, meaning no tax increases, and you not only renew current tax rates for 10 years, but permanently. If we get a permanent American tax code where rates aren’t going to be subject to going up depending on who’s in Congress, I think that will bring even more stability to the economy and trillions of new investment that is just sitting on the sidelines right now.”On stabilizing tax rates for hardworking families:“That’s, that’s what I’m pushing for [is to extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017]. I don’t want to see anybody’s tax rates go up. You know, we’re looking at a reduction for people that make tips. Obviously, no tax on tips has been a hallmark of what President Trump talked about during the campaign. And you know, [Chairman] Jason Smith and his committee is working to follow through on that. But let’s start with a baseline that nobody’s tax rates go up, meaning we keep all your rates the same. Then we can look at additional pro-growth items.“I’m saying nobody’s tax rates should go up. Nobody’s tax rates should go up. Well, look, I mean, every committee’s working through this process right now, but I think if you look at what we know is going to work to create economic growth, to bring more investment into the country. It’s lower tax rates, not higher tax rates.“Well, and we’re working on a lot of pay-fors, and in fact, the economic growth just from renewing current rates, the growth you’ll get in the economy. I’ve heard numbers from private sector groups saying there’s three, four trillion dollars sitting on the sidelines waiting for us to act. And I know CBO doesn’t recognize a lot of that kind of growth, but that’s real growth. That’s real economic activity and real wage increases for hardworking families. They will surely see it. You know, when you go to the grocery store, you will see lower food costs. That matters to families. That’s who we’re focused on.”On maximizing economic growth under President Trump’s leadership:“A lot of those things are predicated on the uncertainty with tariffs. We all know that President Trump talked about that at the State of the Union. But people like me do not think that this is going to be sustaining itself for months from now. If you fast forward two months from now – tariffs and tax rates – if you fast forward two months from now and we have a stabilized tax code and we have agreements with other countries, maybe not all 75, but let’s say you get agreements with eight countries, four countries that are major trading partners with America that drop their tariffs down. That will tell you where a lot of the off-ramps are going to go with other countries, too. And I think you’ll see the markets react to that. Will it happen? I think it will because I know how President Trump negotiates deals. He’s got a proven track record, and I think we’ve got to give him the benefit of the doubt based on his history and how he knows how to make deals. He’s here to get deals for the American workers and the American people.”On the lack of transparency in healthcare pricing:“Well, when I talk about transparency, and I’ve been very clear about this, as you mentioned, in health care, it’s the only form of pricing that you cannot find out what something costs. You know, American consumers are the best shoppers in the world. And yet, if you tried to find out what a gallbladder operation or what a heart surgery might cost, any other procedure, you can’t find it out. You can call a hospital, and they won’t give you a price. You can call five hospitals, they won’t give you any prices. That’s got to change. We want to see price transparency there. So you know what something costs. Now, if you attach political items to a cost, not, okay, here’s the price of a good, and then here’s the sales tax to that item. You know, those are fixed costs. If you’re going to start attaching other things to it that are based on political decisions, you know, that’s a different situation. We’ve never had a tariff line item for anything. And by the way, again, tariffs have been hit against us in America for decades, for generations. And presidents have just let it happen, Republican and Democrat alike. President Trump is the first President to say let’s get treated fairly.”On politically-motivated companies sharing price hikes:“That seems more political. But think about this – when you go to the pump to buy gasoline, did you see them putting an item when Joe Biden shut off American energy and prices went up, did you see them put an item going, you’re paying $4 instead of $2 a gallon because of Joe Biden’s anti-American energy policies? They didn’t do that.“But that wasn’t Shell or Chevron or the gas companies doing that, but people knew why the higher price was there. “Well, are they also going to put in when China steals our intellectual property, and that jacks up the cost of items because we’re paying for all of the IP that China is stealing, they don’t put that on an item, too.“Well, businesses can communicate with their customers however they want. That’s between a business and their customer. But then again, you know it’s why a lot of businesses don’t delve into political issues because you know some of their customers might not appreciate that, that’s again going to be some choices they have to make.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Highlights Committee Reconciliation Markups

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Troy Downing (R-Mont.) to discuss the budget reconciliation committee markup process starting this week to pass an America First agenda, as we mark a productive 100 days under President Trump’s leadership. Leader Scalise outlined how budget reconciliation will unleash American energy to lower costs at the pump, stop tax hikes, secure our border, bolster our military, and protect small businesses. Leader Scalise also highlighted how Democrats refuse to partner with Republicans on these commonsense measures, instead prioritizing their anger with President Trump.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On House Committees beginning the reconciliation markup process:“Well, anybody who’s been following since the day President Trump took the oath of office for this second term knows that President Donald Trump has been working nonstop at a feverish pace to deliver results for the American people. I don’t think we’ve seen a president in 100 days get more things accomplished, follow through on more promises to get this country back on track. And we’re only 100 days in. Obviously, the things that we’ve been working with this president on are really going to be starting off in a much bigger way with this one big, beautiful bill.“The budget reconciliation process formally starts today with the reconciliation bill. Seven committees go to work this week. Next week, another four committees will continue doing that important work. And this has been about a year in the making. This is not something that happened overnight. All of our committees have been meeting both individually. We’ve been meeting with the President for about a year to get to this moment and start delivering on those things that we all ran on.”On Democrats’ anger over Republicans’ wins:“These are not just campaign promises that Donald Trump talked about on a campaign trail. This is also something that House Republicans said we would do. We said we would prevent a massive tax increase on American families. If Congress takes no action, there would be a four-and-a-half trillion dollar tax hike on families.“If you listen to Democrats who are all going to vote no on this package, let’s make no mistake about it, they’ve been clear from the beginning, they just want to obstruct everything. You saw it at the State of the Union when President Trump said, look, this 13-year-old boy beat cancer. And they all just sat there on their hands, angry because President Trump was highlighting somebody else’s success. And I think the American people got disgusted when they realized a whole major party in America is just going to oppose anything President Trump does because they hate him as an individual, even when it’s good for America. And believe me, preventing a tax increase on over 90% of American families is good for America. But every Democrat will vote no because they want a tax increase on American families. Every Democrat will vote no on a bill that’s going to secure America’s border.”On House Republicans delivering on an America First agenda: “You’ve seen President Trump deliver through executive action on things he can do. And it’s resulted in amazing results. Over 95% reduction in border crossings illegally, deportation of hardened criminals, violent gang members, murderers, rapists, finally sent back to prisons in their country where they belong, where many of them came from. And what are Democrats doing? Democrats aren’t celebrating that they’re flying to other countries to try to get hardened gang members in prisons released back into the United States. It’s lunacy. But that’s where their party is, because they are void of any ideas. They are a leaderless party. The Democrat Party literally has no leader except AOC and [Jasmine] Crockett, and Bernie Sanders. And that’s what their parties become. They’re just opposed to everything.“They don’t want to produce more American energy. But the good news is we do. That’s also going to be in this bill that we start debating to allow America to produce more energy so that we and our friends don’t have to be dependent on foreign nations like Russia or Iran for oil and natural gas. We can do more of it. We can lower costs for families. We can create more jobs at home. We can ensure that more manufacturing can be done in America. That’s all going to be part of this bill. We’re also going to make our military more competitive. Everybody knows China has been incredibly aggressive, not just their naval fleet developing hypersonic weapons. And America had fallen behind under Joe Biden. And Donald Trump said we are going to address these inadequacies. And if you look at what’s in this bill, again, addressing major problems to make our country competitive again militarily. And every Democrat will vote no on that as well. And the good news is Republicans said, well, if Democrats are just going to block everything, if Democrats want a tax hike, if Democrats do not want secure borders, if Democrats want to make our country more dependent on foreign nations for our energy, that’s why they lost the election. Those days are gone.”On President Trump’s success in his first 100 days back in office:“We can actually fix all of these problems without any Democrat support. We’d welcome their votes, we’d welcome their input. But they’ve chosen to just go the other way because their far-left radical base won’t let them work with Donald Trump on anything that’s good for America. But that hasn’t deterred President Trump. President Trump is resolute in fighting for those hardworking families who have been struggling. Again, the tax increase, when they talk about millionaires and billionaires, it’s over 90% of Americans who would see a tax increase if no action was taken. That’s families making $50,000, $60,000 a year. That’s not the rich. That’s the people who are just barely getting by, who have been struggling under the weight of the failures of Joe Biden’s economy. The waitress who’s maybe working two jobs, barely getting by. And President Trump and this Republican Congress are going to deliver on no tax on tips so that that single mom who’s maybe working two jobs can have a little bit more money in her pocket and be able to take her kids on a vacation or invest in her kids’ college. That’s what we’re doing this week as we watch the Democrats oppose everything just because they have become a party derelict of any ideas. This is a Congress of leadership and action working with a President who’s probably done more in 100 days than any other president we’ve ever seen. And the best is yet to come.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise’s 100 Days of Trump Recap: House Republicans Deliver America First Wins

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we reach the first 100 days under President Trump’s leadership, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement highlighting the progress House Republicans have made in furthering President Trump’s America First agenda:  “Just 100 days into his second term, President Trump has already taken historic action at a whirlwind pace to turn our country around, reversing so much damage done by the Biden Administration and following through on his promise to put America first. Illegal border crossings have drastically declined, criminal aliens are being deported en masse, consumer prices and inflation are dropping, companies are investing trillions of dollars back into America, domestic energy production is being unleashed, gas prices are dropping, and much more. “House Republicans are working hard to do our part to further President Trump’s America First agenda, passing legislation to secure our border, keep families safe, unleash American energy, support American job growth, and increase government efficiency. We passed legislation like the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation signed into law by President Trump, to protect our citizens from criminal illegal aliens. We also passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to prevent men from competing in women’s sports. To ensure only American citizens are voting in federal elections, we passed the SAVE Act, and to safeguard American energy, we passed legislation such as the Protecting American Energy Production Act.”Additionally, House Republicans have passed 10 CRAs overturning costly and unnecessary regulations from the Biden Administration that crush American businesses, raise costs, and take away consumer choice, as well as the Midnight Rules Relief Act to keep the administrative state out of our homes. When partisan judges attempted to hinder President Trump from carrying out the policy agenda he was elected to deliver, we passed the No Rogue Rulings Act to prevent them from issuing nationwide injunctions. “These are just a few things House Republicans have accomplished working with President Trump, but we are far from done. Congress has a critical role to play in helping the President renew the American dream and make our nation great again, particularly through the reconciliation process. We are currently drafting one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in history in one big, beautiful bill that will deliver on President Trump’s full agenda. Republicans won’t stop fighting to take President Trump’s great vision for our nation – an America that is safe, strong, free, and full of opportunity – and make it a reality, for Americans today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.”Make America Safe Again ✅Border 

    H.R. 29 (Collins) – Laken Riley Act: Holds the Biden Administration accountable for their role in these tragedies through their open border policies, requires detention of illegal aliens who commit theft and mandates ICE take them into custody, and allows a state to sue the Federal government on behalf of their citizens for not enforcing the border laws, particularly in the case of parole.

    Passed 264-159

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 48-159

    Senate version became law on 1/29/25

    H.R. 30 (Mace) – Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act: Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make illegal immigrants who are convicted of, who admit having committed, or who admit committing sex offenses or domestic violence inadmissible and deportable from the United States.

    Passed 274-145

    Republicans: 213-0
    Democrats: 61-145

    H.R. 27 (Griffith) – HALT Fentanyl Act: Permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, guarantees law enforcement has the resources to keep these drugs off the street, and allows for further research of FRS.

    Passed 312-108

    Republicans: 214-1
    Democrats: 98-107

    H.R. 35 (Ciscomani) – Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act: Creates new criminal offenses for operating a vehicle within 100 miles of the southern border while fleeing from Border Patrol agents, or any law enforcement officer assisting the U.S. Border Patrol, including serious jail time and prohibition from ever receiving legal status in the United States.

    Passed 264-155

    Republicans: 214-0
    Democrats: 50-155

    Online Safety

    S. 146 (Sen. Cruz) – TAKE IT DOWN Act: Prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.

    Passed 409-2

    Republicans: 207-2
    Democrats: 202-0

    Foreign Relations

    H.R. 23 (Roy) – Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act: Imposes sanctions on the ICC or any foreign actor who supports their effort to arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons of the United States and its allies, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant.

    Passed 243-140-1

    Republicans: 198-0-1
    Democrats: 45-140

    H.R. 1048 (Baumgartner) – DETERRENT Act: Protects our institutions of higher education from foreign interference by strengthening disclosure requirements for foreign gifts and contracts, and in some cases, banning contracts between these schools and certain foreign entities of concern.

    Passed 241-169

    Republicans: 210-1
    Democrats: 31-168

    H.R. 33 (Smith-MO) – United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act: Strengthens the U.S. economic alliance with Taiwan and enhances our competitive position by providing targeted and expedited relief from double taxation on cross-border investment between America and Taiwan through tax code changes and authorizing the President to broker and enter into a tax agreement relative to Taiwan.

    Passed 423-1

    Republicans: 213-1
    Democrats: 210-0

    Women’s Sports

    H.R. 28 (Steube) – Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act: Prevents schools from allowing biological males to compete in school athletic programs for women or girls by stating that sex in an athletic competition must be defined by genetics at birth, and withholding federal funding from schools that facilitate athletic programs where biological men compete against biological women.

    Passed 218-206-1

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 2-206-1

    Life

    H.R. 21 (Wagner) – Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: Secures medical protections for babies that survive an attempted abortion, requiring health care providers to administer the same medical care they would to a fetus born prematurely at the same age, transport the child to the hospital, and report violations to law enforcement.

    Passed 217-204

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 1-204

    Make America Grow Again ✅Energy 

    H.R. 26 (Pfluger) – Protecting American Energy Production Act: Prevents a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to protect American energy production, and expresses that states have primacy over energy production on state and private land.

    Passed 226-188

    Republicans: 210-0
    Democrats: 16-188

    S.J. Res. 11 (Sen. Kennedy) – Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources CRA: Disapproves the Biden BOEM’s rule requiring oil and gas lessees and operators to submit an archaeological report for certain exploration or development activities on the Outer Continental Shelf to protect marine archeological resources like shipwrecks and so-called “cultural resources,” blocking increases in domestic energy production, weakening energy independence, and raising costs for consumers.

    Passed 221-202-1

    Republicans: 212-1-1
    Democrats: 9-201

    Signed into law 3/14/25

    H.J. Res. 35 (Pfluger) – Waste Emissions Charge CRA: Disapproves the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s “Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems,” rule that imposes a significant fee (WEC) on methane emissions from oil and natural gas facilities that exceed specific levels, preventing the rule from raising costs for consumers, reducing domestic energy production, and increasing reliance on foreign energy sources.

    Passed 220-206

    Republicans: 214-1
    Democrats: 6-205

    Signed into law 3/14/25

    Budget

    H.Con. Res. 14 (Arrington) – Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034: Establishes a congressional budget for the U.S. Government that delivers for Americans by cutting waste and government spending, reducing burdensome regulations, providing tax cuts that support families and small businesses, supporting domestic energy production and security, and securing the border.

    Passed 217-215

    Republicans: 217-1
    Democrats: 0-214

    Passed in Senate 4/5/25

    Senate Amendment to H.Con. Res. 14 (Arrington) – Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034: Establishes a congressional budget for the U.S. Government that delivers for Americans by cutting waste and government spending, reducing burdensome regulations, providing tax cuts that support families and small businesses, supporting domestic energy production and security, and securing the border.

    Passed 216-214

    Republicans: 216-2
    Democrats: 0-212

    Crypto

    H.J. Res. 25 (Carey) – Digital Asset Sales CRA: Overturns Biden’s rule that would require brokers to report gross proceeds from crypto sales and other digital asset transactions, including data about the taxpayers involved, increasing tax filing burdens, stifling innovation, and raising privacy concerns over the sharing of taxpayers’ personal information.

    Passed 292-132-1

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 76-132-1

    Signed into law 4/10/25

    Consumer Financial Protection

    S.J. Res. 28 (Sen. Ricketts) – Digital Wallets CRA: Reverses the Biden Administration CFPB’s rule “Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications,” that would allow the CFPB more oversight power over non-bank entities that complete 50 million digital transactions a year, providing no benefit to consumers or the market and placing significant burdens on businesses that use digital payments.

    Passed 219-211

    Republicans: 219-0
    Democrats: 0-211

    Passed Senate 3/5/25

    S.J. Res. 18 (Sen. Scott-SC) – Overdraft Price Controls CRA: Nullifies the Biden CFPB’s final rule “Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions,” preventing the price cap limitations on overdraft fees from taking effect, ensuring overdraft services remain accessible for American consumers.

    Passed 217-211

    Republicans: 217-1
    Democrats: 0-210

    Passed Senate 3/27/25 

    Make America Free Again ✅Consumer Choice

    H.J. Res 20 (Palmer) – Gas Water Heaters CRA: Expresses congressional disapproval of the Biden Department of Energy’s  “Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Gas-fired Instantaneous Water Heaters,” rule that effectively bans certain natural gas water heaters from the market, burdening consumers and threatening their choice.

    Passed 221-198

    Republicans: 210-0
    Democrats: 11-198

    Passed Senate 4/10/25

    H.J. Res. 24 (Bice) – Walk-in Coolers & Freezers CRA: Overturns the Biden Administration’s “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-In Coolers and Walk-In Freezers” rule imposing new or amended energy efficiency standards for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers that are not technologically feasible and economically justified.

    Passed 203-182

    Republicans: 197-0
    Democrats: 6-182

    Passed Senate 4/3/25

    H.J. Res. 75 (Goldman-TX) – Commercial Fridges & Freezers CRA: Overturns the Biden Administration’s “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers” rule imposing new or amended energy efficiency standards for commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers that are not technologically feasible and economically justified.

    Passed 214-193

    Republicans: 209-0
    Democrats: 5-193

    H.J. Res. 61 (Griffith) – Rubber Tire Manufacturing CRA: Overturns the Biden EPA’s harmful “NESHAP for Rubber Tire Manufacturing” rule that establishes new emissions standards for rubber tire manufacturing, preventing it from increasing compliance costs for the industry and placing a heavier financial burden on smaller businesses, which would result in higher prices for consumers.

    Passed 216-202

    Republicans: 209-1
    Democrats: 7-201

    H.J. Res. 42 (Clyde) – Energy Conservation Standards CRA: Disapproves the Biden DOE’s “Energy Conservation-Appliance Standards, Certification and Labeling” rule which expands certification and labeling for the Department of Energy’s conservation standards program and could slow the introduction of products to market, reduce options for consumers, and affect supply chains and inventories.

    Passed 222-203

    Republicans: 215-0
    Democrats: 7-203 

    Make America Efficient Again ✅
    Reining In Executive Actions

    H.R. 77 (Biggs-AZ) – Midnight Rules Relief Act: Amends the Congressional Review Act to allow Congress to disapprove multiple rules through one joint resolution if those rules were issued during the last year of a President’s term in office.

    Passed 212-208

    Republicans: 211-1
    Democrats: 1-207

    Election Security

    H.R. 22 (Roy) – SAVE Act: Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, requiring individuals to provide proof of United States citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.

    Passed 220-208

    Republicans: 216-0
    Democrats: 4-208

    Judicial Oversight

    H.R. 1526 (Issa) – NORRA of 2025: Prevents partisan judges from abusing their authority and issuing politically motivated nationwide injunctions that inhibit the President from carrying out the policy agenda the American people elected him to implement by blocking federal judges from issuing injunctions that extend beyond specific parties involved in a case.

    Passed 219-213

    Republicans: 219-1
    Democrats: 0-212

    Fraud

    H.R. 1156 (Smith-MO) – Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act: Extends the statute of limitations to ten years for fraudulent unemployment claims funded by federal pandemic unemployment programs by amending the CARES Act, allowing federal law enforcement to continue prosecuting fraudsters and criminals and recover billions of taxpayer dollars lost to fraud during COVID-19.

    Passed 295-127

    Republicans: 212-0
    Democrats: 83-127

    Public Lands

    H.R. 471 (Westerman) – Fix Our Forests Act: Expedites and improves forest management activities on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands, tribal lands, and National Forest System lands, deters frivolous litigation that delays important projects, promotes collaboration across jurisdictions, prioritizes treatments in the forests with highest risk of wildfire, and encourages active forest management.

    Passed 279-141

    Republicans: 215-0
    Democrats: 64-141

    Appropriations

    H.R. 1968 (Cole) – Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Extends government funding through September 30, 2025, keeping the government open and serving the American people while we fight to reduce wasteful government spending and lower our debt.

    Passed 217-213

    Republicans: 216-1
    Democrats: 1-212

    Signed into law 3/15/25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Highlights Republican Work on Reconciliation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Chairman Roger Williams (R-Texas) to discuss the progress Republicans have made on reconciliation which will champion small businesses, avoid tax hikes for 95% of Americans, unleash American energy production to bolster the economy, and strengthen our military. Leader Scalise touted our Committee Chairmen’s wins, as eight of 11 Committees will have completed their reconciliation markups by the end of the week.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On protecting small businesses through reconciliation:“It was great to hear from our Chairman of the Small Business Committee, Roger Williams. Nobody understands the value of small businesses, the importance of promoting small businesses in America better than Roger. And as chairman, he has ushered in policies and bills through that committee to allow small businesses to thrive.“If you look at the work we’re doing with the one big, beautiful bill, the reconciliation package, this is a bill that will grow more small businesses across America. It’ll create more jobs across America. It’ll create stability. If you think about the idea that if Congress were to take no action this year, there would be a four-and-a-half trillion dollar tax increase on American families. Over 95% of Americans would see a tax increase. And yet, every Democrat in Washington will be voting no on that package and would like to see every family pay more in taxes. There are so many other provisions that are so critical to getting our economy back on track, to lowering inflation, to lowering the cost of things at the grocery store, at the gas pump, that are in this bill. And we are still moving through.”On House and Senate Republicans unifying around President Trump’s agenda:“Last week, I applaud, seven Committees in Congress did their work, completely finished their work on reconciliation here in the House. Today, the Natural Resources Committee will take up their portion of the bill. That’ll be eight committees out of 11 that will already be done with all of their work this week. Then next week, the final three committees, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, will take up and finish their work to get this big, beautiful bill not only through the House process, but over to the Senate. The Speaker and I met with [Chairman] Jason Smith and [Chairman] Brett Guthrie last week in the White House with President Trump to go through some of the final details that we are getting agreement on. We’ve been working incredibly closely with the White House and with the Senate every step of the way because this bill is critically important to American families. This bill is a big piece of carrying through that Trump agenda, the mandate that the American people gave us when they elected not just Donald Trump in the White House, but a Republican House and a Republican Senate to go deliver for the families who have been struggling for way too long.”On wins in the one big, beautiful bill:“We do that with this one big, beautiful bill. Everything from tax stability in the tax code so that nobody sees a tax increase, bringing trillions of dollars of private investment back into the economy, opening up more energy production in America to reverse some of the damage Joe Biden did. Everywhere from ANWR in Alaska, some of the great work that Congressman Begich just came into Congress, vowing to fight for the citizens of Alaska and open up more areas for production there. That’s going to be in this bill. All the way down to the Gulf of America, opening up more areas for lease sales and production in the Gulf as well. All of those things are going to be in the bill. More defense funding, more border security, giving protection and technology to our border patrol agents. All of that is in the bill, too. Confronting the debt ceiling, dealing with rules and regulatory reform, all in this powerful bill. What the Education and Workforce Committee did to protect students from higher student debt. We actually protect students so that they’re not saddled with high student loans when they graduate from college. That’s in this bill as well, standing up and holding accountable the universities that were failing kids for so many years, saddling them with $200,000, $300,000 in debt without the ability to pay it back.“So many good provisions. We’re going to be bringing that bill to the floor once it’s all finished next week, and then we compile it in Budget Committee and bring it as one big, beautiful bill to the House floor and then pass it on to the Senate so that they can continue this work.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Couple’s historic wedding day is picture perfect

    Source: City of Leeds

    When happy couple Charlotte and Matthew Harrison tied the knot in Temple Newsam House’s stunning Picture Gallery, it was a love story more than a century in the making.

    The historic ceremony saw the newlyweds become the first people to be married in the gallery’s beautiful surroundings in over a hundred years.

    Originally designed centuries ago to act as an “indoor garden” for the house’s aristocratic residents, the room’s spectacular floral theme instead became the ideal backdrop for what was a dream wedding day.

    The couple, who met five years ago, chose the house as a venue after falling in love with the colourful gallery, which has only recently been made available for ceremonies.

    Charlotte said: “We spend a lot of our time at Temple Newsam both together and with friends and when we heard they did weddings, we thought we’d check it out before making a decision.

    “We love visiting stately homes and historic sites and when we saw the picture gallery we immediately fell in love and immediately knew it was just us. The room is absolutely stunning and steeped in history and was the perfect backdrop for our wedding.”

    She added: “The wedding day was everything I have ever dreamed of and more. All of our guests commented on what a beautiful venue it was and how much they enjoyed the wedding. It was genuinely a dream come true.”

    The couple were joined on their special day by family, friends and 20-month-old son Blake.

    After meeting online during the Covid pandemic, Charlotte and Matthew had their first date at The Red Kite in Wakefield, where Matthew’s difficulties parking his car followed by some takeaway donuts made for an evening that was both sweet and memorable.

    Almost five years later, Matthew, 33, popped the question on Christmas Eve at their home in Apperley Bridge, with a custom-designed ring and specially made scratch card.

    Charlotte said: “It’s our family Christmas tradition to get scratch cards so I didn’t think anything of it- it looked super realistic- and then it had three ring symbols and Matt got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.”

    Now the couple’s romantic story has become part of Leeds history, entering the record books at the 500-year-old mansion as the first couple to be married in the Picture Gallery since the house passed into public ownership in 1922.

    Matthew said: “We’re honoured to be the first couple to be married there in over a century. We didn’t realise what a historic moment it was not just for us, but for Temple Newsam too and to be a part of that just made our day even more special. Temple Newsam has always held a fond place in our lives but the fact we can now be a part of its history is truly humbling.”

    Charlotte added: “On a personal note, as a bit of a history nerd I’m genuinely thrilled that I can be a part of the history of the house.”

    A Grade I listed mansion house, Temple Newsam House is one of the country’s finest examples of its kind, seen as equally significant to Hampton Court, and was a family home for much of its history.

    Owned by Leeds City Council since 1922, Temple Newsam has built one of the most significant decorative art collections in the UK.

    Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have played our part in this special and historic occasion and to have made Charlotte and Matthew’s special day so memorable.

    “Our museums and galleries really are a beautiful setting for a wedding and it’s wonderful to see couples tying the knot there and becoming part of the story of these amazing sites.”

    To find out more about weddings at Temple Newsam, visit: Weddings at Temple Newsam | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

    More details about wedding at other Leeds Museums and Galleries sites can be found at: Weddings | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: RAAC pilot works

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    PILOT WORKS on five council properties affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) could be set to go ahead if councillors approve a tender next week.

    Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood regeneration, housing and estate management committee will be asked to agree that Morrison Construction (trading as Galliford Try) carry out the remedial works.

    The housing service has identified five empty properties of different types across the city affected by RAAC as the test bed for solutions to the issues caused by the material.

    Kevin Cordell, committee convener said: “We want to be able to implement and test a practical, economic solution for each house-type in the council stock that contains RAAC and to establish suitability for possible future roll out across all our affected properties.

    “This tender allows us to move towards that with an experienced contractor who will work with the council’s in-house design team to share knowledge and find the most practical and best value solution.”

    If the committee, which meets on Monday (May 12), green lights the tender, the pilot remediation will involve installing a new roof structure directly below the existing one so that the RAAC is fully supported and therefore at no future structural risk.

    In addition to the pilot project, the RAAC in communal areas of five properties in Menzieshill, currently in a poor condition, will have their redundant roof-mounted water tanks decommissioned and the RAAC permanently remediated using the same method.

    The work, costing a total of £500,000 is expected to start in June, and be completed later in the summer.

    A report on the council’s response to RAAC was considered by the committee last May. It detailed plans for an ongoing inspection regime in properties where RAAC has been identified and agreed that a tender be brought forward to a future committee meeting.

    Where these properties are privately owned responsibility for maintenance lies with owners who have been recommended to seek their own advice regarding the condition of RAAC present within their property.

    Lynne Short, deputy convener of the committee added: “The report last May set out a course of action including further regular detailed inspections to monitor the condition of properties where RACC was found and dealing with those in need as part of capital programmes.

    “This tender delivers on that and in the meantime other properties will continue to be monitored.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Curb Federal Use of Toxic PFAS Chemicals

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    This week Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), alongside Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Pat Ryan (NY-18) introduced the PFAS-Free Procurement Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at reducing harmful chemical exposure by prohibiting the procurement of products containing perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), commonly known as PFAS. 

    These chemicals are linked to a variety of health issues, including cancer, liver damage, and developmental harm. The bill would prioritize the procurement of safer, PFAS-free products by prohibiting federal agencies from renewing or entering into contracts for products containing PFOS or PFOA, including nonstick cookware, cooking utensils, furniture, carpets, and rugs treated with stain-resistant coatings. The legislation takes effect six months after enactment and would apply to all contracts entered into after that date.

    “PFAS and other toxic forever chemicals continue to pose health risks to Granite Staters and communities nationwide. We must take comprehensive and commonsense action to combat PFAS contamination and ensure the well-being of Americans,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan legislation would require federal agencies to prioritize procuring PFAS-free products to protect federal employees and individuals who visit federal facilities, like veterans at VA and seniors at Social Security offices. The federal government should be a leader in addressing PFAS contamination, and this bipartisan legislation is an important step forward.”

    Pappas has been a leader in addressing PFAS and advocating for improved standards, increased investment, and a stronger national focus on PFAS contamination. In 2024, following his calls for EPA to establish water quality criteria and limits on industrial PFAS discharges into water and to water treatment plants as required by his Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act, EPA finally finalized a PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation which issues strict Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) for PFAS chemicals and announced $1 billion in funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law would be directed to help address PFAS contamination in both municipal systems and private wells, with a focus on small and rural communities.

    Pappas also leads the PFAS Research and Development Reauthorization Act, the PFAS Registry Act, and the No Taxation on PFAS Remediation Act.

    Full text of the PFAS-Free Procurement Act can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Speaks Out on Behalf of Veterans At Risk of Losing Their Homes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    During a House Veterans’ Affairs markup, Pappas advocated for veterans left out in the cold by the Trump administration’s cancellation of the VASP program.

    Today in a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee markup, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, spoke out against the ending of Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program and in support of an amendment to provide a foreclosure moratorium for veterans who are at risk of losing their homes following the end of the VASP program, and helped pass bipartisan legislation to establish a new home loan assistance program.

    During the markup, Congressman Pappas said, “We have to recognize that with VASP abruptly ending, that there’s a need to provide a safe landing for veterans today that are at risk of foreclosure. My office has heard from one such veteran who was hopeful that he would be able to enroll in VASP. He was seeking that with his loan servicer prior to VASP ending but wasn’t able to get that help. He’s a 100% disabled veteran from the First Gulf War. His name is Daniel Getchell. He is from Raymond, New Hampshire. His loan is in forbearance and he wanted to enroll in VASP, but again his servicer couldn’t put him in the program a few weeks ago. Without support, now he’s unsure whether he will be able to stay in his home and whether he and his service animals are going to have a safe place to go.”

    “We’re going to continue to assist this veteran to the degree that we can. But we are concerned with what this means. While we see a partial claims program stood up and implemented, we need to be giving veterans like Daniel, who are worried about losing their homes, a little breathing room in the interim. And so I think this moratorium is an important intermediate step we can take as we get to the point of having a bipartisan program that’s implemented.”

    The VASP program was created as a “last-resort” option for veterans and their family members facing foreclosure on VA-backed loans following the expiration of pandemic programs, which when coupled with rising interest rates, increased the risk of default for thousands of veterans. Before its termination, VASP was the only program of last resort that existed for veterans facing immediate foreclosure, and helped over 17,000 veterans since the program launched in 2024. By abruptly ending this program on May 1 with no alternative in place, 80,000 veterans and their families now face the prospect of losing their homes with no relief mechanism in place.

    Background: 

    In January, Pappas joined a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Acting Secretary Todd Hunter demanding answers about how VA is implementing President Trump’s Inaugural Executive Order to freeze hiring across the executive branch and how it is hurting veterans’ access to the health care and benefits they earned.

    In March, Pappas condemned reports that the Trump administration is planning to cut 80,000 staff from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which could have catastrophic consequences for America’s veterans and cause significant delays and disruptions for those seeking medical treatment, as well as support for housing, addiction, mental health, and other lifesaving services. These firings would also result in job losses for thousands of veterans, who make up 25% of VA’s workforce.

    In April, Pappas spoke out forcefully against the administration abruptly ending the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP) during a House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity markup. He joined a bicameral letter pressing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reverse his decision to abruptly end VASP.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Receives Award for His Commitment to Increasing Access to Health Care, Supporting Nurses

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    This week Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) received the National Health Leadership Award from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) for his advocacy on behalf of nurses, as well as his support for increasing access to health care, expanded tuition assistance for aspiring nurses, and the bipartisan Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act.

    The bipartisan I CAN Act would increase health care access, improve quality of care, and lower costs by removing the remaining barriers imposed by the federal government in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that prevent Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) from practicing the full scope of their education and clinical training to the level that is approved in the state where they practice.

    “Nurses in New Hampshire and across the country continue to answer the call and serve our communities and provide patients with the highest level of care,” said Congressman Pappas. “I’m committed to continuing to support their work in Congress by strengthening nursing workforce development, increasing tuition assistance for aspiring nurses, and more. Passing the I CAN Act would allow nurses to provide care in settings consistent with their training and ensure those services are covered by Medicaid, increasing health care access, reducing wait times, and lowering costs. I’m honored to receive this award and will continue to advocate for our CRNAs and all health care workers.”

    “Through his leadership, Representative Pappas continues to be a champion for patients’ access, including veterans, to healthcare,” said AANA President Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC. “He understands the important role CRNAs play in delivering quality, safe anesthesia care and has taken a leadership role on critical healthcare issues. Patients and veterans are unable to access timely anesthesia care. Representative Pappas knows care can’t wait and it is time to cut the red tape.”

    BACKGROUND:

    APRNs are nurses prepared at the master’s or doctoral level to provide primary, acute, chronic, and specialty care to patients of all ages and backgrounds, in all settings. Their qualifications enable them to treat and diagnose illnesses, advise the public on health issues, manage chronic disease, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medication, and direct non-pharmacologic treatments for their patients. Over 40 years of vigorous, peer-reviewed research has verified the safety, quality, satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness of APRN care. This has led the National Academy of Sciences to call for the removal of laws, regulations, and policies that prevent APRNs from providing the full scope of health care services they are educated and trained to provide. 

    Currently, several federal statutes and regulations, as well as certain state practice acts and institutional rules, require physician oversight and limit APRN practice. These barriers reduce access to care, create disruptions in care, increase the cost of care, and undermine efforts to improve the quality of care. Specifically, the I CAN Act would remove remaining barriers in the Medicare and Medicaid programs that prevent APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training. Importantly, this bill does not expand scope of practice or impede upon state law. Rather, the bill would simply ensure that the federal government honors state laws, including New Hampshire state law, ensuring that Medicare and Medicaid patients living in states where nurses have already been granted full practice authority are permitted to choose to seek care from a nurse practitioner.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: People’s Bank of China to boost financial support for certain sectors through refinancing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — The People’s Bank of China (PBOC, the central bank) on Wednesday pledged to step up financial support by refinancing sectors including scientific and technological innovation, service sector consumption and elderly care.

    The PBOC will increase its refinancing quota for scientific and technological innovation and upgrading by 300 billion yuan (about 41.7 billion US dollars), thus bringing it to 800 billion yuan, PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng said at a press conference.

    The PBOC will set up a 500 billion yuan refinancing mechanism to support consumption in the service and elderly care sectors to help commercial banks strengthen lending support to the sector, Pan Gongsheng said.

    He noted that the PBOC will also increase the refinancing quota by 300 billion yuan to support agriculture and small businesses. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China combines quotas of two monetary policy instruments to strengthen capital market

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — China’s central bank said Wednesday it will combine the quotas of two monetary policy tools to further support the capital market.

    The swap facility for securities, fund and insurance companies (SFISF), with an initial capacity of 500 billion yuan (about $69.4 billion), and the 300 billion yuan re-lending facility that supports share buybacks and share expansion, will be implemented within a total quota of 800 billion yuan, according to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC, the central bank).

    The decision, which took effect on Wednesday, is expected to make the two mechanisms more convenient and flexible to better meet the needs of different types of institutions and strengthen the inherent stability of the capital market, the PBOC said in a statement.

    Both instruments, launched in October last year to strengthen the capital market, operated in accordance with market principles and played a positive role in ensuring the stable operation of the capital market, the Central Bank said in a statement.

    The SFISF allows eligible securities, fund and insurance companies to use their assets, including bonds, ETFs and CSI 300 index stocks, as collateral in exchange for highly liquid assets such as government bonds and central bank bills.

    The PBOC has carried out two SFISF operations totaling 105 billion yuan, and more than 500 listed companies and major shareholders have reported using the refinancing mechanism to buy back shares or increase their holdings, according to PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU student Zlata Zolotykh took part in the all-Russian event “Victory Waltz”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    SPbGASU student Zlata Zolotykh took part in the All-Russian event “Victory Waltz”. The event is held with the support of the Association of Student Patriotic Clubs “I am proud”. Paying tribute to the memory and respect of the heroes, students of St. Petersburg universities performed a waltz in military uniforms and dresses of that time. The event took place in several locations in St. Petersburg. Our participant joined it on April 29 in the Picture Hall of the Vitebsk Railway Station, where the event was held with the support of Russian Railways.

    “Victory Day is a very important date for me. Even at school, I actively participated in events dedicated to this memorable day, especially in dance performances. Two of my great-grandfathers were participants in the war. Stepan Dmitrievich Ivanov, a sergeant, was a driver of a motorized brigade of the Leningrad Front. Vasily Sergeevich Pivovarov, a home front worker. The memory of them is carefully preserved in our family and passed down from generation to generation,” Zlata said.

    Having learned that our university could participate in this event, Zlata agreed without hesitation. It was a great honor for a student to honor the memory of those who fought for their homeland in the Great Patriotic War through dance.

    The preparation took place at the Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics for two weeks. Zlata’s partner was SPbUTUE student Georgy Moguchenok. During the preparation and at the performance itself, the dance couple was noted as one of the best.

    “I am not currently involved in dancing, but I have eight years of dance experience behind me, and I am very glad that I was able to immerse myself in this atmosphere again, especially on the occasion of such a great day,” said Zlata.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Frankel Leads Effort to Safeguard Aging Veterans from Dangerous Falls

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Lois Frankel (FL-22) introduced the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act, a bipartisan bill designed to help older Veterans avoid dangerous and costly falls. The legislation would require the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to maintain an Office of Falls Prevention and establish a dedicated falls prevention coordinator. It also launches a pilot program to integrate falls prevention services into VA home modification efforts and mandates risk assessments to identify Veterans most vulnerable to falling.

    “Falls are the number one cause of injury for Americans over 65, and for our aging Veterans—many of whom face additional health challenges—they can be especially dangerous and costly,” said Rep. Frankel. “This bipartisan bill will help the VA take smart, proactive steps to prevent falls before they happen. For the thousands of senior Veterans in South Florida and across the country, it means a better chance to live safely, independently, and with dignity. We owe our Veterans nothing less.”

    Veterans tend to experience more chronic health conditions than non-Veterans, putting them at greater risk for falls that often result in serious injury, hospitalization, or long-term disability. Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among adults over age 65, with approximately 1 million fall-related hospitalizations annually. They cost the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $80 billion per year—a steep increase from $50 billion just a few years ago.

    Common causes of falls include lower body weakness, balance and vision issues, vitamin D deficiency, use of certain medications, hearing loss, and home hazards. Preventing falls requires a comprehensive approach—including routine screenings, coordinated care, community-based prevention programs, and safe home environments.

    The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act would:

    • Maintain an Office of Falls Prevention and establish a falls prevention coordinator within the Veterans Health Administration;
    • Direct the falls prevention coordinator to collaborate with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop evidence-based, Veteran-specific research on falls prevention;
    • Require a comprehensive report on the Department’s Falls Prevention Initiatives;
    • Improve Safe Patient Handling Transfer Techniques to ensure safe movement for injured or paralyzed Veterans;
    • Create a pilot program to integrate falls prevention into VA home modification grant programs; and
    • Establish a Falls Assessment and Fall Prevention Service to identify at-risk Veterans and ensure care plans are tailored to their needs.

    The legislation is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and AARP.

    The full text of the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘New superstar’ makes snooker breakthrough

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

    Millions of snooker fans in China witnessed history as 28-year-old Zhao Xintong became the first Chinese player, as well as the first Asian, to win the World Snooker Championship final.

    Zhao, hailed as “a new superstar”, triumphed over Welsh player Mark Williams, a three-time champion, to win the trophy in the final in Sheffield, United Kingdom, with an 18-12 victory on Monday.

    Chinese player Zhao Xintong celebrates on Monday after winning the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in the United Kingdom. Zhao became the first Asian player to win the championship. ZHAI ZHENG / XINHUA

    Zhao is the youngest world champion since Shaun Murphy, who won in 2005 at the age of 22.

    Overwhelmed by his achievement, Zhao, draped in a Chinese flag, said: “I can’t believe what I’ve done. It’s like a dream. I was so nervous tonight — Mark is still a top player and put me under so much pressure. He’s the best. This is a very special moment for me, for Chinese snooker, for everyone.”

    The victory ignited an outpouring of jubilation across social media, with fans celebrating the long-awaited breakthrough, including one netizen who said, “Chinese snooker has found its worthy successor.” Fans also said Zhao’s historic achievement will inspire future generations of young Chinese players.

    Zhao’s success fulfilled a dream that had eluded his compatriot trailblazer Ding Junhui, who narrowly missed winning the title in 2016. That year, Ding became the first Asian player to reach the World Championship final, but he fell short against Mark Selby from the UK.

    The sport’s popularity in China has grown exponentially over the past two decades, helped by the success of Ding, who served as an inspiration for Zhao.

    Ding congratulated Zhao on Sina Weibo with a poignant post:

    “It brings me such joy to see that the threshold I once struggled to break through has now become a runway for others — and today, someone finally sprinted all the way to the finish line,” Ding said.

    “This glorious moment is the ultimate reward for Chinese snooker fans who’ve steadfastly supported us and waited for this day,” he added. “Zhao’s victory isn’t just his own — it’s the realization of a shared dream that generations of Chinese players have worked toward. I’m thrilled for him, and proud to witness the rise of China’s power on this stage.”

    Zhao dominated Sunday’s first two sessions at 11-6 and improved his advantage to 17-8 after the third session on Monday.

    With Zhao just one frame away from making history, the 50-year-old Williams launched a strong comeback, taking four frames in a row at the start of the final session.

    But the three-time world champion couldn’t hold off Zhao any further, as the Chinese player wrapped up the contest by winning the 30th frame with a break of 87.

    Williams offered high praise for Zhao.

    “I’m glad I’ll be too old when he’s dominating the game,” Williams said. “I’ve got nothing but admiration for what he’s done, coming through the qualifiers. … There’s a new superstar of the game.”

    Zhao will start next season at No 11 in the world rankings.

    He has joined nine other Chinese players in the world’s top 32, with England the only nation with more players ranked in the top echelon.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China orders tourism safety overhaul after boat accident

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

    China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued an emergency notice demanding strengthened safety measures in the cultural and tourism sector across the country following a fatal boat capsize accident in Guizhou province.

    The accident, which occurred on May 4, left 10 people dead and 70 others injured.

    The notice instructs local authorities to tighten the safety management of large-scale performances and conduct thorough inspections of critical facilities, including cableways, amusement rides, specialized vehicles and tourist boats.

    Travel agencies must adhere strictly to regulations for chartered tourist transport services, the notice stipulates.

    It emphasizes the importance of reinforcing fire safety measures at high-density venues, prioritizing the identification of unauthorized electricity use and obstructed emergency exits. Scenic-area management authorities should enhance their fire prevention efforts and strictly regulate open flames in outdoor areas.

    Additionally, the ministry has urged the intensified monitoring of and response to extreme weather conditions, requiring the timely issuance of warnings and implementation of emergency plans.

    Operators must suspend services and close attractions if safety conditions deteriorate, according to the document.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE DETERMINED TO JAM A RECKLESS AND EXTREME BUDGET DOWN THE THROATS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference with Whip Clark, Ranking Member Boyle, Ranking Member Pallone and Ranking Member Craig after House Democrats filed a discharge petition on the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act to protect the healthcare and nutritional assistance of hardworking Americans from devastating Republican cuts.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Good afternoon, everyone. It’s an honor and a privilege today to be joined by House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Frank Pallone, the once and future Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who of course is the leading champion in the House Democratic Caucus, in the Congress, for the healthcare of the American people. Certainly, Angie Craig, the top Democrat on the Ag Committee, who’s doing a tremendous job. And, of course, Brendan Boyle, the future Chair of the Budget Committee, who has been our point person on budget reconciliation. House Republicans are determined to jam a reckless and extreme budget down the throats that the American people that will enact the largest cut to Medicaid and the largest cut to SNAP in American history. Children, families, women, veterans, older Americans, people with disabilities and everyday Americans will be hurt. These proposed cuts to Medicaid and SNAP are unacceptable, unconscionable and un-American. Several so-called swing seat and moderate Republicans have indicated that they are opposed to these devastating proposed cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.

    House Democrats earlier today, led by Brendan Boyle in terms of the discharge petition and Frank Pallone and Angie Craig as it relates to the underlying legislation Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP, have given Republicans an opportunity to actually not simply talk about defending the best interests of the American people, but be about it. The discharge petition is now live on the House Floor. All we need are four Republicans to do the right thing, stand up for Medicaid and stand up for SNAP so they can stand up for the American people and we can stop the devastating cuts that Republicans are proposing to the healthcare of the American people and cuts that would literally take food out of the mouths of children and families. Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP. I thank Frank Pallone, Angie Craig and Brendan Boyle for their leadership on this effort. All we need are four House Republicans to join Democrats, in protecting the healthcare and nutritional assistance of the American people.

    Full press conference can be watched here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Inter edge Barca in seven-goal thriller to reach CL final

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

    Inter Milan advanced to the UEFA Champions League final after a dramatic 4-3 extra-time victory over Barcelona on Tuesday, securing a 7-6 aggregate win in the semifinal second leg at San Siro.

    Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg match between Inter Milan and Barcelona in Milan, Italy, May 6, 2025. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

    The seven-time finalists, who last reached the title match in 2023, will seek their fourth European crown when they face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain in the final at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.

    Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring in the 21st minute, finishing from close range after Federico Dimarco dispossessed Frenkie de Jong near the touchline, allowing Denzel Dumfries to whip in a precise cross.

    Martinez then won a penalty just before halftime after being brought down in the box, and Hakan Calhanoglu converted from the spot to give Inter a 2-0 lead.

    Barcelona then mounted a second-half comeback. Gerard Martin’s cross found Eric Garcia, who volleyed in from inside the area in the 54th minute. Six minutes later, Dani Olmo leveled the match with a powerful header, again from a Martin delivery. Raphinha appeared to win it for the visitors in the 87th minute, tapping home a rebound to make it 3-2.

    But Inter struck back deep into stoppage time. Dumfries delivered another low cross from the right that found Francesco Acerbi, whose finish forced extra time and reignited the home crowd.

    The winner came in the 99th minute, when Marcus Thuram broke down the right and cut the ball back for Mehdi Taremi, who laid it off to Davide Frattesi. The Italian midfielder curled a shot into the far corner to complete Inter’s stunning comeback and seal a place in the final.

    The two-legged tie produced 13 goals, equaling the record for the most in a Champions League knockout round matchup. Inter previously won the competition in 1964, 1965 and 2010.

    Barcelona, a five-time European champion, was denied a return to the final for the first time since 2015. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Celebrates Senate Passage of Congressional Review Act to Strike Down Biden Job-Killing Regulation, Resolution Goes to President Trump

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    The U.S. Senate passed Rep. Griffith’s H.J. Res. 61, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing.”

    This Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution overturns the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Rubber Tire Manufacturing National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) rule. Finalized November 29, 2024, at the conclusion of the Biden Administration, EPA could not even quantify whether public health would be protected and unreasonably requires rubber tire manufacturers to install regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs), which will cost American manufacturers millions and potentially lead to layoffs.

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) released the following statement:

    “House and Senate Republicans are acting decisively to repeal onerous regulations from the Biden EPA, like the rubber tire manufacturing rule, that do very little to serve public health. Like many of the regulations issued during the waning days of the Biden-Harris Administration, the rubber tire manufacturing emission standard utilized questionable emissions data and pointed to negligible health benefits as justification for the rule. Thanks to strong conservative leaders in the Senate, like Senators Tim Scott and Roger Wicker, Congress is exercising its authority to undo this harmful Biden EPA measure and provide relief to America’s rubber tire manufacturers.”

    BACKGROUND

    Rep. Griffith introduced H.J. Res. 61 in the last week of February. Rep. Griffith introduced the CRA alongside U.S. Senators Tim Scott and Roger Wicker.

    On March 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 61. Rep. Griffith spoke on the House floor defending the CRA.

    Following House passage, Rep. Griffith celebrated House passage with several House GOP leaders.

    H.J. Res. 61 must be signed by President Trump for the resolution to go into effect.

    On March 12, the Trump EPA announced reconsideration of air rules regulating American energy, manufacturing and chemical sectors.

    The Biden EPA rule would negatively impact the Goodyear facility in Danville, Virginia. 

    Last week, Rep. Griffith defended several CRAs on the House floor seeking to overturn Biden EPA measures that facilitated unfair electric vehicle mandates and imposed stricter car emissions standards on the American people.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REPS LIEU, JACOBS, SCHOLTEN, FROST AND ROSS REINTRODUCE REPRODUCTIVE DATA PRIVACY PROTECTION BILL

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County), Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL), and Congressman Deborah Ross (D-NC) reintroduced the Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act. This legislation would prevent law enforcement from improperly surveilling women receiving reproductive health care, including preventing access to health messaging apps, period trackers, and geolocation data. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, law enforcement agencies have used surveillance data to track and prosecute abortions. This legislation would protect Americans’ reproductive data privacy by limiting law enforcement access to reproductive and sexual health services data. The bill protects information related to abortion and IVF care, the use or purchase of contraceptives, pregnancy-related conditions, and more. 

    “Patients should be able to make medical decisions in consultation with their doctors without fear of law enforcement involvement,” said Rep. Lieu. “This fundamental right to privacy extends to the data used in medical settings and for treatment and care. We are reintroducing this bill because law enforcement should not have the ability to use private medical data against anyone seeking reproductive or sexual health care. Criminalizing women’s health is draconian and dangerous – and I am pleased to join my colleagues in fighting for these necessary protections.”

    “Prosecutors and law enforcement are weaponizing every tool at their disposal to investigate and enforce abortion bans and restrictions,” said Rep. Jacobs. “And now that people are increasingly turning to online abortion clinics for care, people are increasingly left wide open and vulnerable to the unregulated digital surveillance system. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act to ban law enforcement from using surveillance and other data collection methods to investigate or prosecute abortion patients or those helping them. Decisions about if, when, and how to grow a family should be private – and our data should be too.”

    “No one should have to fear that their private health decisions could be tracked, surveilled, or criminalized,” said Rep. Scholten. “In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we’ve seen law enforcement weaponize personal data to target people seeking reproductive care–including abortion, IVF, and even birth control. The Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act draws a clear line: your health data is yours, and it should never be used against you. I’m proud to co-lead this legislation to defend the fundamental right to privacy and protect women from dangerous overreach.” 

    “It’s sickening to see the same Republican leaders across our country who cry wolf about big government turn to big tech to access the private digital information and even the private messages of people seeking abortion care to go after them,” said Rep. Frost. “Florida has been at the forefront of efforts to criminalize abortion; imagine what GOP leaders could do with Floridians’ private texts and location information. We cannot let that happen. I’m proud to support the Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act in the continued fight to protect abortion access for anyone who needs it and keep our private medical decisions private.”

    “In my home state of North Carolina, we saw a dangerous 12-week abortion ban go into effect following the Dobbs decision,” said Rep. Ross. “Now, women are scared to get the health care they need, and doctors are facing retribution for doing their jobs. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act, which would prevent government and law enforcement entities from collecting data that would be used to prosecute or criminalize women seeking reproductive care. This bill offers essential protections for women in North Carolina and nationwide who are facing real threats to their health care.”

    This bill is endorsed by: Catholics for Choice, Reproductive Freedom For All, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, League of Women Voters, ACLU, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Center for Reproductive Rights, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Council of Jewish Women, Project on Government Oversight, Center for American Progress, National Network of Abortion Funds, Power To Decide, National Abortion Federation, All* Above All, and Guttmacher Institute.

     Cody Venzke, Senior Policy Counsel, ACLU:

    “Privacy ensures that we have the space to make decisions about our lives, including when and how to have children. The Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act is a critical step in bolstering privacy to combat increasingly invasive efforts to criminalize our most basic rights to reproductive care and to make fundamental decisions about our lives.” 

    Rachana Desai Martin, Chief of Government Relations and External Affairs, Center for Reproductive Rights: 

    “The Center is proud to endorse the Reproductive Data Privacy and Protection Act. With abortion banned in 12 states, we need stronger protections for people seeking abortions now more than ever. This bill would provide important new protections for our reproductive health data and serves as an important legislative check to ensure sensitive health information remains protected from abuse.”

     Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families: 

    “The growing number of state abortion restrictions means millions of women, especially women of color, are at risk of being criminalized for their pregnancy outcomes. We need strong protections for those seeking care as well as for those providing abortion care, in order to keep their personal information safe. No one should be prosecuted just for seeking the health care they need, and no one should have to live in fear that their personal data will be used against them. We are grateful for Rep. Lieu’s introduction of this bill to safeguard the privacy of pregnant people in the post-Dobbs landscape.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: India confirms air strikes on Pakistan-controlled Kashmir

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

    The Indian government on Wednesday confirmed carrying out air strikes on nine identified “terrorist-training camps” located in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored the air strikes, according to Indian media reports.

    The air strikes were carried out under “Operation Sindoor”, which was dedicated to the women whose husbands were killed in the Pahalgam area of the Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22, the reports said.

    A total of 26 people were killed in the attack, which was described as the worst attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled Kashmir in past several decades. The incident led to escalating tensions between the two South Asian nations.

    India’s Ministry of Defense said in a press release that the Indian armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor”, hitting “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir from where “terror attacks” against India had been planned and directed.

    “Altogether nine sites have been targeted. Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India had demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” said the statement.

    It added these steps came in the wake of the Pahalgam attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22, in which 25 Indian and one Nepali citizen were killed.

    Meanwhile, one of the biggest private airlines in India, IndiGo posted on X that its flights to and from certain airports located near international border with Pakistan had been impacted.

    On Wednesday, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said that at least eight civilians, including a child, were killed, 35 others injured and two missing after India fired missiles at multiple locations in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 8 killed, 35 injured, 2 missing after Indian missile strikes hit 6 locations in Pakistan

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

    Photo taken with a mobile phone on May 7, 2025 shows a building destroyed in an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At least eight civilians, including a child, were killed, 35 others injured, and two reported missing early Wednesday after India fired missiles at six locations in Pakistan, including areas in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, said the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of the ISPR, the media wing of the Pakistani military, said in a video statement that India created 24 impacts at six civilian locations.

    Chaudhry said that the Indian strikes destroyed four mosques and severely damaged several houses and a hospital.

    The director general said that the missiles targeted locations in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Shakargarh and Sheikhupura areas in the eastern Punjab province, as well as Muzaffarabad and Kotli districts in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.

    The ISPR chief said that Pakistan Air Force jets were airborne and ensured that no Indian aircraft violated Pakistani airspace, adding that the missiles were launched from within Indian airspace.

    “Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this (attack) at a time and place of its choosing. This provocation will not go unanswered,” he said.

    A state of emergency was declared in hospitals across the affected areas, while Pakistan had suspended its airspace for 48 hours and closed education institutions in Punjab.

    The director general said that the Pakistan Air Force and Army are responding effectively to the Indian assault.

    Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that Pakistan has shot down five Indian fighter jets and three drones in its defense in accordance with international laws and the UN charter.

    Earlier, Pakistan’s foreign office strongly condemned the missile strikes by India early Wednesday at civilian locations in Pakistan, including areas in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, calling it an unprovoked and blatant act of aggression.

    The foreign office said that the Indian Air Force targeted civilian areas in Pakistan using standoff weapons while remaining within Indian airspace, resulting in the deaths of civilians, including women and children.

    It denounced the strikes as a “flagrant violation of the UN charter, international law, and established norms of inter-state relations,” and warned that the Indian action posed a serious threat to regional stability and commercial air traffic.

    “India’s reckless action has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict,” said the foreign office, emphasizing that Pakistan reserves the right to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.”

    Pakistani President Asif Zardari condemned the Indian strikes targeting civilian populations across the border and said that Pakistan would give a strong and befitting response to Indian aggression.

    “Indian provocations will be met with full force and with an unwavering commitment to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said the president, adding that the entire Pakistani nation stands united behind its brave armed forces, who are fully prepared and capable of defending the motherland.

    The country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the strikes, saying, “Pakistan has every right to respond to this act of war imposed by India and a befitting reply is being given.”

    “The entire nation stands with our armed forces. The morale and spirit of the Pakistani people are high,” the prime minister added, vowing that the enemy would never succeed in its nefarious designs.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Indian Air Force to hold war games along border with Pakistan

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

    Amid escalating tensions, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will hold large-scale military drills on Wednesday in the western state of Rajasthan, along the international border with Pakistan, local media reports said Tuesday.

    “The drills will begin at 9:30 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday and end around five-and-a-half hours later. Flights departing or landing at the airport close to the border will be suspended,” a New Delhi-based television news channel NDTV said, quoting a NOTAM, or Notice to Airmen, issued Tuesday evening.

    Another media report said a two-day mega military exercise will involve all the frontline fighter jets, including Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguar aircraft.

    Separately, states are scheduled to conduct mock drills on Wednesday to evaluate civil defence preparedness. Officials said a civil defence exercise and rehearsal across the 244 categorized civil defence districts will be organised.

    According to state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR), the mock drill will assess the effectiveness of air raid warning systems, the operationalization of hotline or radio communication links with the IAF, besides testing the functionality of control rooms.

    “The exercise also includes training of civilians and students on civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack. Besides the provision of crash blackout measures, provision for early camouflaging of vital installations and update of the evacuation plan and its rehearsal are also included in the mock drill,” the broadcaster said.

    The war games are being conducted amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over last month’s attack in which gunmen killed 26 people in Baisaran area of Pahalgam town, about 89 km east of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

    New Delhi blames Islamabad for supporting the gunmen behind the attack, a charge denied by it.

    The Indian government on Wednesday confirmed carrying out air strikes on nine identified “terrorist-training camps” located in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally monitored the air strikes, according to Indian media reports.

    The air strikes were carried out under “Operation Sindoor,” which was dedicated to the women whose husbands were killed in the Pahalgam area of the Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22, the reports said.

    “Altogether nine sites have been targeted. Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India had demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution,” India’s Ministry of Defence said in a press release.

    The director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said that at least eight civilians, including a child, were killed, 35 others injured and two missing after India fired missiles at multiple locations in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

    Pakistan has shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation for overnight airstrikes conducted by India at multiple locations within Pakistan, the country’s defence minister said early Wednesday.

    Pakistan’s foreign office called it an unprovoked and blatant act of aggression, denouncing the strikes as a “flagrant violation of the UN charter, international law, and established norms of inter-state relations.”

    “India’s reckless action has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict,” said the foreign office, emphasizing that Pakistan reserves the right to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s central bank vows more financial support for certain sectors via relending

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

    China’s central bank vowed on Wednesday more financial support through relending for sectors including tech innovation, service consumption and elderly care.

    The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, will add the quota of relending for technological innovation and upgrading by 300 billion yuan (about 41.7 billion U.S. dollars) to a total of 800 billion yuan, PBOC governor Pan Gongsheng told a press conference.

    The central bank will establish a 500-billion-yuan relending facility to support service consumption and elderly care, guiding commercial banks to enhance credit support for these sectors, Pan said.

    He noted that the central bank will also add 300 billion yuan in relending quota to support agriculture and small businesses. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Valadao Recognize May as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and David Valadao (R-CA), co-chairs of the House Asthma and Allergy Caucus, today introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate May “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.”
     
    “Allergies and asthma impact Americans from every corner of the country, across age groups, sex, and race, myself included – though we know it is historically underserved communities that are impacted the most. My home state of Michigan has one of the highest prevalence rates of asthma in the country,” said Rep. Dingell. “I’m proud to designate May Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month to support increased education and efforts to improve the quality of life for Americans living with these conditions.”

    “In California’s Central Valley alone, over half a million people live with asthma and millions more suffer from seasonal or yearly allergies,” said Congressman Valadao. “As co-chair of the Congressional Asthma and Allergy Caucus, I’m proud to join Congresswoman Dingell to help educate the American people about the quality-of-life issues and dangers surrounding asthma and allergies.”

    The resolution is endorsed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

    “We’d like to thank Reps. Dingell and Valadao for their leadership of the Asthma and Allergy Caucus and for introducing the Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month Resolution,” said Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “On World Asthma Day, we take a moment to reflect on the fact that 10 people die each day from asthma. By raising awareness and leading policy change, the members of the Asthma and Allergy Caucus are doing the work that can save lives and improve the health of the 28 million Americans who have asthma. Given that asthma costs the U.S. $82 billion, continuing support for policies and programs that improve health outcomes for people with asthma provides a significant return on investment.”
     
    Rep. Dingell is a co-lead of the Elijah E. Cummings Family Asthma Act, which would expand federal, state, and local efforts to improve care for individuals with asthma.
     
    View the full text of the resolution here and below.
     
    RESOLUTION
    Expressing support for the designation of May 2025 as “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month”.

    Whereas 4,900,000 children in the United States currently have asthma;

    Whereas nearly 28,000,000 people in the United States, have asthma and the numbers are increasing each year;

    Whereas, in 2018, on average, children missed more than 7,900,000 days of school and adults missed 10,900,000 days of work because of asthma;

    Whereas asthma is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases among children;

    Whereas 1,500,000 individuals per year visit emergency departments because of asthma’s effects;

    Whereas asthma is a leading cause of hospitalizations and school absences due to a chronic disease among children;

    Whereas the total economic cost of asthma in the United States was $81,900,000,000 per year from 2008 to 2013;

    Whereas fewer than half of people with asthma report being given an asthma action plan, which is key to the prevention of asthma attacks;

    Whereas Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous individuals in the United States face the highest burden of asthma;

    Whereas asthma is a manageable disease that claimed the lives of over 3,500 Americans in 2021;

    Whereas 20,300,000 people in the United States have food allergies, including about 4,300,000 children;

    Whereas food allergy has increased among United States children over the past 20 years, with the greatest increase in Black children;

    Whereas children with food allergies are 2 to 4 times more likely to have asthma or other allergic diseases; and

    Whereas May would be an appropriation month to designate as “Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month”: 

    Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month” and calls upon the American people to observe such month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

    MIL OSI USA News –