Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson’s Keynote Remarks at the CCP AGM 2025

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    It is a pleasure to join CCP Global for your Annual General Meeting. Joining you today marks the third time that I have had the opportunity to address this important group at the center of the global derivatives markets. Addressing this body in Madrid, Spain in June of 2022 marked one of the earliest keynote addresses that I delivered during my time in service as a Commissioner only months after I joined the Commission.[1] 
    During my speech in Madrid, I reflected on then-recent market stress resulting from geopolitical events and a global pandemic. In February and March of 2020, our markets faced concerning shocks from the rise of a global pandemic[2] and regulatory responses to contain it.[3] Markets witnessed unprecedented volatility coupled with extreme volumes of trading and at times tight liquidity, placing extraordinary pressure on market infrastructures. Responding to these events, central counterparties CCPs carefully assessed initial and variation margin requirements and ultimately increased initial margin requirements (particularly for equity products) as an integral part of their market risk mitigating solutions.
    Facing these challenges, CCPs navigated the risks presented, deploying the carefully developed tools at hand with deep and continuous engagement with global regulators. As a result of effective reforms adopted almost a decade before the pressures of recent geopolitical events and a global pandemic at the start of this decade, our financial system demonstrated remarkable resilience.  As noted by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) – “Banks and FMIs, particularly CCPs, held up well and were largely able to absorb rather than amplify the shock.”[4]
    In many ways, market conditions during these events stress tested CCP resilience reforms implemented pursuant to the 2009 G20 Pittsburg Summit and the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure (PFMI) codified under local laws such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and European Market Infrastructure Regulation.[5]
    Turning back to the present, it is fitting that we gather here today in a building that has served as a gathering place for government and industry for hundreds of years. My understanding is that the building began as a convent in 1411, but later, in the 17th Century became the meeting place for the administrative board for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. And, in the mid-1600s, became known as a City Hall and served as the seat of Amsterdam’s government. 
    In the spirit of reflecting on the significant contributions of the CCP Global community and the issues that you will discuss and explore during your general meeting, I hope to highlight the work of the advisory committees of the CFTC. Over the last few years, your members have supported and served on a number of the CFTC advisory committees. Having a full complement of five Commissioners for the last three and a half-years means that we put lots of you to work. As the current remaining Commissioners, Acting Chair Pham and I are continuing our commitment to advance important multi-stakeholder dialogues through our role as advisory committee sponsors. I am hopeful that we may even find a path to collaborate with joint sessions hosted by the two advisory committees that we sponsor.   
    Today, please allow me to focus my remarks on the importance of our Commission’s advisory committees and highlight some of the suggestions put forth by the Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC) following deep engagement on these issues, especially those focused on operational resiliency and derivatives clearing organizations (DCOs) system safeguards, and DCO wind down and recovery plans.
    I know that many of you are familiar with the MRAC and other CFTC advisory committees from your service and support as members of their Committees and Subcommittees. The MRAC was established on May 6, 2014 in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) after the Commission determined that MRAC was necessary and in the public’s interest.[6] MRAC’s purpose is to support the Commission in “promoting [] integrity, resilience, and vibrancy of the U.S. derivatives markets through sound regulation, as well as the monitoring and management of systemic risk.”[7] Since MRAC’s inception, each sponsoring Commissioner has recognized the vital role this advisory committee plays in the development of Commission rules and regulations and utilized MRAC to put forth important reports and recommendations.[8] 
    The MRAC has a diverse membership with deep experience across all corners of the derivatives space, including representatives of clearinghouses, exchanges, intermediaries, market makers, end-users, academia, public interest advocates, and regulators. Diversity of membership in our advisory committees is critically important to their success and will be vital as we address jurisdiction over emerging markets and novel asset classes as well as the continuous evolution of complex liquidity and market risk issues. Without perspectives from every side of the integral issues that these committees address, we run the risk of limiting our supervision and oversight and missing out on the opportunity to effectively address emerging risks to market stability and integrity.
    The benefits of multi-stakeholder gatherings to address emerging market risks cannot be overstated. Sharing a wide variety of perspectives across our markets to engage in deep, thoughtful, and actionable solutions enables regulators and market participants to be prepared to navigate risks with minimal disruptions and maximum resiliency for strong and vibrant derivatives markets in the U.S. and across the world. 
    This, in essence, is why I believe you all meet here on an annual basis as well – because you recognize the value of deliberative engagement. Allow me to share briefly on two issues that are top of mind for me and that the MRAC has made significant progress addressing– operational resilience of our derivatives markets and orderly wind down and recovery for DCOs.
    Navigating the Cyber Landscape for CCPs
    Cybersecurity risks are growing in our markets and must be proactively managed and addressed. In its 2024 Systemic Risk Barometer Survey, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) noted that cyber risk was a top five systemic risk to the global economy.[9] Similarly, in May 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that in the past 20 years, the financial sector has suffered over 20,000 cyber-attacks resulting in $12 billion in losses, and noted that there is a growing inequality between cyber resilient organizations and those that lack the resilience to withstand and prevent attacks.[10] Recent events demonstrate the chaos that cybersecurity events can cause for our markets, resulting in billions in losses.
    As many of you are aware, in January of 2023, ION Cleared Derivatives (ION) experienced a significant cyberattack. ION provides important back-office services for many global futures commission merchants (FCMs) and other market participants. ION’s effective operations and successful provision of these critical services enable many market participants to clear and settle a significant volume of global transactions on a daily basis. The cyberattack on ION triggered a series of disruptions across markets. Those who rely on ION to perform critical functions were taken offline and many had to rely on manual trade processing. The outage similarly delayed the Commission’s ability to deliver timely the Commitments to Traders reports.
    Two years later, in a very different corner of markets, on February 21, 2025, Bybit, a popular cryptocurrency exchange, lost nearly $1.5 billion in losses in mostly Ether from a hacking incident.[11] The Bybit hack represented one of the single largest losses by any cryptocurrency exchange since the first Bitcoin was mined. 
    The hackers identified a vulnerability in Bybit’s transaction approval process hosted through smart contract logic in off chain infrastructure. What appeared to be a routine transfer from Bybit’s Ethereum cold wallet ended up being a rerouting of the transaction to the hacker’s wallets. What kinds of vulnerabilities have enabled hackers to capture hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency? Commonly deployed tactics include phishing, supply chain compromises, and private key thefts. 
    In the context of the Bybit hack, reports indicate that the hackers accessed critical Bybit systems through a third party provided critical infrastructure system and used this access point to inject malicious software that detected and modified outgoing transactions in real time.[12] Hackers appear to have gained access to an off chain Safe user interface provided by a third-party service provider.[13]
    To provide guardrails for these types of issues, in December 2023, the Commission unanimously approved a proposed rule that would create an operational resilience framework for FCMs, swap dealers (SDs) and major swap participants (MSPs) to “identify, monitor, manage, and assess risks relating to information and technology security, third-party relationships, and emergencies or other significant disruptions to normal business operations”.[14] The proposed rule included three components: (1) an information and technology security program; (2) a third-party relationship program; and (3) a business continuity and disaster recovery plan. Each of these components was designed to deliver frameworks to establish protections to FCMs, SDs, and MSPs and, in an event like the ION Derivatives cyberattack, a plan to continue business as normal while post-mortem checks are completed.
    I want to highlight one of the risks that the proposed ORF seeks to address – concentration risks associated with critical third-party service providers. As early back as 2019, the FSB released a report on third-party dependencies in cloud services and considerations on financial stability implications, including implications of market concentration on competition.[15] These risks can be heightened for smaller or medium sized firms, who may lack both the resources to develop technology in house as well as the bargaining power to negotiate with limited service providers in many cases. 
    Evidence, as well as our experience in working towards the operational resilience framework, indicates that this may be more pronounced in the markets we regulate where there may be even more limited vendors that can provide the sophisticated technologies often used in the derivatives industry. This is not only a potential issue for compliance with regulations and risk management, but also a business risk for market participants.
    The Central Counterparty (CCP) Risk & Governance Subcommittee of MRAC recognized the need for a rule like ORF to create a regulatory framework for cybersecurity preparedness and business continuity for cyberattacks and built out a proposal to expand the scope to include DCOs and bolster system safeguards for critical third-party service providers.[16]
    MRAC’s Recommendation on DCO System Safeguards for Critical Third-Party Service Providers
    The DCO System Safeguards recommendations are an example of MRAC’s proactive response to a potential risk identified. The recommendations also highlight the value of the CFTC advisory committees and the potential for diverse stakeholders who may have divergent perspectives to work together to make real progress towards making our markets more resilient. 
    A technology and operations workstream of the CCP Risk & Governance Subcommittee began evaluating issues related to cybersecurity and third-party risk management in early 2023. In March of that year, MRAC held a “first-of-its-kind” public meeting to discuss the cybersecurity event at ION Cleared Derivatives that led to a ripple effect across our markets. This was the first chance for experts across our industry to come together following the ION cyberattack to evaluate the event and begin to map out next steps to ensure cyber preparedness among market participants, service providers, and other sources that have the potential to impact our markets. 
    At the meeting, Futures Industry Association (FIA) President and CEO Walt Lukken announced the creation of a new Cyber Risk Taskforce, the National Futures Association (NFA) President and CEO Tom Sexton discussed NFA’s role in standard setting to mitigate cyberthreats, and we heard from other experts including those from the White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and of course, the CFTC, on strategies to enhance the security and resilience of financial markets in the face of new and evolving cyber threats. 
    Later the same year, the FIA Cyber Risk Taskforce issued an After Action Report outlining the challenges facing our markets.[17] Key findings in the report include a lack of communication amongst market participants in the wake of a cyber incident and the need to connect our market with the broader financial sector to learn from and share the best operational resilience strategies for cyber events. The After Action Report made six recommendations based on their findings: (1) the creation of an “Industry Resilience Committee” to help develop information channels with respect to operational and cyber resilience; (2) connecting our industry with sector-wide specialist groups who focus on operational resilience across our markets; (3) a self-reflective review of our market participant’s policies and procedures for cyber incidents; (4) the establishment of procedures for sharing critical data and information during cyber incidents; (5) identification of ways to assess risk to create more robust operational resilience frameworks; and (6) participation in regularly held cyber preparedness exercises.[18]
    The CCP Risk & Governance Committee recognized that there may have been some important gaps in operational resilience and took up the mantle to continue to examine areas not fully addressed by the Commission. The Subcommittee’s recommendations highlight the importance of cyber resilience in DCOs and the need for a more robust regulatory framework. These recommendations, which the MRAC voted to advance to the Commission, would improve upon the existing framework and require that DCOs establish, implement, and maintain a third-party relationship management program. 
    The CCP Risk & Governance Committee’s report focuses on CFTC Rule 39.18, which establishes system safeguard standards for DCOs and addresses outsourcing but does not expressly discuss third-party relationships. The CCP Risk and Governance recommendations build upon the framework of Rule 39.18 by adding a third-party risk management program to (b)(2). The proposal suggests that a robust third party relationship management program that identifies, assesses, mitigates, and monitors the full risks that are associated with using third party arrangements for critical services should include robust risk management frameworks like policies and procedures that cover the lifecycle of the relationship, personnel assigned to onboarding and diligence of the third party relationships, risk-based monitoring, and more. 
    The recommendations build upon the philosophy of the DCO Core Principles, lessons learned and best practices from voices across the industry, and international standard setting bodies. As noted in the report,

    These principles are intended to reflect lessons learned from industry efforts and best practices in derivatives, the guidance notes in Form DCO, the NFA interpretive guidance, lessons learned from the wider context of third-party relationship management, as well as the principles enunciated in the PFMIs. Incorporating these principles in Commission regulations would enable the Commission to update its regulatory framework with respect to critical third party service providers and to bring its regulations in line with internationally accepted standards, while maintaining a principles based approach to regulation.[19]

    Operational resilience, and especially third-party risk management, is a key issue for me, which I continue to track closely and to discuss frequently with my colleagues at the CFTC and at other agencies, as well as with market participants that we regulate, and at events like these. I frequently request that we take these issues seriously and continue to consider actionable steps to address them. As I’ve noted previously, “effectively combatting cyber threats will require a coordinated effort among regulators and industry,” and I am committed to continuing to foster conversations about how we can work together to make our markets safer and more resilient.[20]
    I expect that MRAC will continue to consider issues related to cyber resilience and third-party risk management, including as the risks continue to evolve and AI-enhanced cybersecurity creates new or heightened risks.
    DCO Recovery and Wind Down: Parallelism with International Standards
    Similarly, the CCP Risk and Governance Subcommittee has outlined supplemental reforms that complement Commission staff work that aims to ensure recovery and orderly wind-down of DCOs as part of the post-crisis reforms and important robust preventative resilience framework. Since reforms adopted in the U.S. under the Dodd-Frank Act, international standard-setting bodies have adopted principles, guidance, and standards to support and inform national policymakers on CCP regulation.[21] The Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO and together with CPMI, CPMI-IOSCO) and the FSB have published numerous reports on these issues on resilience, recovery, and resolution.[22] In 2012, CPMI-IOSCO published a report setting forth 24 principles that financial market infrastructures, like CCPs, should apply, with the goal of enhancing safety and efficiency.[23] The principles, called the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures (or PFMI), set forth four foundational pillars for managing financial risk associated with CCPs: governance arrangements of CCPs, comprehensive risk management frameworks, financial resources allocated to loss absorption, and stress testing for both credit and liquidity exposures. 
    The FSB issued guidelines[24] as well and worked together with CPMI-IOSCO to assess CCP financial resources in connection with recovery and resolution.[25] In the following years, the Commission took up a similar path, issuing a proposed rule that would apply guidelines and requirements for recovery and orderly wind down plans that are already required for systemically important DCOs (SIDCOs) and Subpart C DCOs to all DCOs.[26] 
    The Proposed DCO Recovery and Wind-Down Rule is robust and important to the Commission and its market participants. Again, MRAC and the CCP Risk & Governance Subcommittee identified four main areas to recommend enhancements: supervisory stress testing of recovery and wind-down plans; conducting recovery scenarios and analysis; inclusion of non-default loss (NDL) in recovery and wind-down plans; and porting of customer positions and collateral during a CCP resolution and clearing member default.[27]
    The MRAC’s Recommendations on DCO Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning
    At its April 2024 meeting, the MRAC approved another set of recommendations from the CCP Risk & Governance Subcommittee on DCO recovery and orderly wind-down plans and advanced them to the Commission. The recovery and resolution workstream worked on these recommendations in parallel with the Commission developing the Proposed DCO Recovery and Wind-Down Rule and aimed to support the staff in its drafting and the Commission in its consideration of such a rule. 
    The report included background about the importance of DCOs and CCPs in derivatives markets and actions taken both domestically and internationally to strengthen their resilience, some of which I have shared with you here today. The recommendations in the report demonstrate the depth of expertise available to the Commission through advisory committees and the inclusive nature of all participating viewpoints. For example, the recommendation to implement supervisory stress tests came with a caveat – while subcommittee members representing end-users, FCMs, and academia believed that stress tests should be required to take place annually, subcommittee members representing DCOs did not believe that the frequency of reverse stress tests should be annual but should be determined by Commission staff.[28] This is a prime example of why continued participation and robust discussion amongst all viewpoints is a necessity when evaluating the complex issues that face our markets. Although the Commission has yet to complete a final rulemaking on this topic, I hope that the recommendations made by MRAC in this report can provide a roadmap for future engagement.
    The Work Continues
    I will not have sufficient time today to share all of the details about all of the reports or recommendations that that MRAC has advanced during my time at the Commission, but if you will indulge me, I would like to say a word about some of the other projects that have been completed over the past two years. 
    The Market Structure Subcommittee developed a report and recommendations on the Treasury cash-futures basis trade and effective risk management practices, which the MRAC voted to advance to the Commission. The report takes a thoughtful and comprehensive look at the basis trade, including its mechanics and parties involved, the disruptions experienced in March 2020 during broader COVID-19-related market turmoil, and its impacts on the broader economy), and identifies both benefits and risks before the recommending effective risk management practices associated with the cash-futures basis trade.[29] 
    At the most recent MRAC meeting, Josh Frost, then-Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets at the Treasury Department, and members of the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee spoke about the importance of Treasury markets and their role in price discovery and liquidity across the financial system, drawing on perspectives from a number of participants in the ecosystem, including both asset managers and hedge funds that participate in the basis trade. This discussion was a good example of the importance of the work of the MRAC on topics that have real implications for our market ecosystem, and the value of bringing together different voices to achieve a deeper, more informed understanding of important issues and how best we can address them.
    To take one more example, earlier last year, the MRAC Market Structure Subcommittee issued a report sharing results from a survey of data on FCMs spanning 2003-2023,[30] which showed some interesting trends in capacity and concentration. At a recent trade association meeting, FIA Boca, I described issues that I believe are critical for the Commission to consider as we begin to explore clearing U.S. Treasuries. 
    The data collected in the MRAC Market Structure Subcommittee report outlines industry concentration in the market for FCM services despite the growth of the industry. For example, the survey showed a disproportionate amount of increase in bank-affiliated FCMs and increased concentration of broker-dealer-FCMs that are dully registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All of the top ten industry positions in terms of holdings of customer funds were associated with banks or broker-dealers, and they accounted for more than 80% of all customer funds.
    Conclusion
    We must continue to support our advisory committees and robust multi-stakeholder engagement. Each significantly benefit the stability and integrity of our markets. 
    Before closing, I would like to personally thank everyone that has supported the MRAC in any way, through service as an MRAC member, participation on a workstream to advance a set of recommendations to the Commission, by serving as an expert presenter at a meeting, or just tuning into the CFTC YouTube page to watch a meeting – thank you for dedicating your time. If you have not served on an advisory committee, I encourage you to consider service and the potential to contribute to the important engagement that service offers. 
    The broader CFTC community is part of what makes this agency so special and enables us to punch above our weight. It has been an honor to work with and learn from all of you, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together next. 

    [1] Commissioner Johnson to Deliver Keynote Address at the 2022 CCP12 Annual General Meeting in Madrid (June 22, 2022), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventjohnson062222; Commissioner Johnson to Provide a Keynote Speech and Participate in a Fireside Chat at the CCP-12 Annual General Meeting (June 14, 2023), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventjohnson061523. As in my previous speeches, the views I express today are my own and not the views of the Commission, my fellow Commissioners or the staff of the CFTC.
    [2] Opening Remarks of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, at the WHO Media Briefing on COVID-19 (March 11, 2020), https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19—11-march-2020.
    [3] Sir Jon Cunliffe, Keynote Address at the FIA & SIFMA Asset Management Derivatives Forum 2022 (Feb. 9, 2022), https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/speech/2022/february/jon-cunliffe-keynote-address-fia-sifma-asset-management-derivatives-forum.
    [4] FSB Interim Report, Lessons Learnt from the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Financial Stability Perspective (July 13, 2021), https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P281021-2.pdf.
    [5] See CFTC Regulation 39.13, applying a principles-based approach to managing procyclicality, and Article 41 of EMIR and Article 28 of the Regulatory Technical Standards, requiring CCPs to implement specific margin procyclicality mitigants.
    [6] Market Risk Advisory Committee, 79 Fed. Reg. 25844 (May 6, 2014), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/05/06/2014-10325/market-risk-advisory-committee.
    [7] CFTC, Renewal Chart of the Market Risk Advisory Committee (Apr. 16, 2024) (accessible at https://www.cftc.gov/About/AdvisoryCommittees/MRAC).
    [8] See, e.g.,  Opening Statement of Acting Chairman Rostin Behnam before the Market Risk Advisory Committee (Feb. 23, 2021), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/behnamstatement022321 (“Advisory committees like MRAC are vehicles for change, challenge, and perhaps most importantly, debate and consensus.”); Statement of Commissioner Sharon Bowen before the Market Risk Advisory Committee (Apr. 2, 2025), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/bowenstatement040215 (“The information and recommendations from this Committee will be invaluable”). For a list of reports and recommendations set forth by the MRAC, see Market Risk Advisory Committee, CFTC, https://www.cftc.gov/About/AdvisoryCommittees/MRAC.  
    [9] DTCC, Systemic Risk Barometer Survey, 2024 Risk Forecast (2024), https://www.dtcc.com/-/media/downloads/Systemic-Risk/29873-Systemic_Risk-2024.
    [10] World Economic Forum, Global financial stability at risk due to cyber threats, IMF warns. Here’s what to know (May 15, 2024), https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/05/financial-sector-cyber-attack-threat-imf-cybersecurity/; see also World Economic Forum, Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024 (January 11, 2024), https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2024/. 
    [11] Vicky Ge Huang and Robert McMillan, How the Biggest Crypto Hack Ever Nearly Destroyed the World’s No. 2 Exchange, WSJ (Mar. 6, 2025), https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/how-the-biggest-crypto-hack-ever-nearly-destroyed-the-worlds-no-2-exchange-ee273a3a?msockid=26f265067f5965a63f6273047e1464d0.  
    [12] Alexandra Andhov, Inside The Bybit Hacking Incident: Lessons From The Breach, Forbes (Apr. 1, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/04/01/inside-the-bybit-hacking-incident-lessons-from-the-breach/; see also Sandy Carter, Latest On The Bybit Record Breaking 1.4 Billion Dollar Crypto Hack, Forbes (Feb. 21, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/02/21/latest-on-the-bybit-record-breaking-14-billion-dollar-crypto-hack/.  
    [13] Taylar Rajic, The ByBit Heist and the Future of U.S. Crypto Regulation, CSIS (Mar. 18, 2025), https://www.csis.org/analysis/bybit-heist-and-future-us-crypto-regulation.
    [14] CFTC, Operational Resilience Framework for Futures Commission Merchants, Swap Dealers, and Major Swap Participants, 89 Fed. Reg. 4706 (proposed Jan. 24, 2024). 
    [15] Third-party dependencies in cloud services, Considerations on financial stability implications, FSB (Dec. 9, 2019), https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P091219-2.pdf. 
    [16] Recommendations on DCO System Safeguards Standards for Third Party Service Providers, Central Counterparty Risk and Governance (CCP) Subcommittee, Market Risk Advisory Committee of the U.S. CFTC (Dec. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac121024). 
    [17] FIA Taskforce On Cyber Risk After Action Report and Findings, FIA (Sept. 2023), https://www.fia.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/FIA_Taskforce%20on%20Cyber%20Risk_Recommendations_SEPT2023_Final2.pdf.
    [18] Id.
    [19] Recommendations on DCO System Safeguards Standards for Third Party Service Providers, Central Counterparty (CCP) Risk and Governance Subcommittee, MRAC (Dec. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).
    [20] Keynote Remarks of Commissioner Kristin Johnson at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (May 29, 2025), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/opajohnson19.
    [21] Recommendations on Derivatives Clearing Organizations Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning, CCP Risk and Governance Subcommittee, MRAC (Aug. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).
    [22] Id. 
    [23] CPMI-IOSCO, Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures (April 16, 2012), https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d101.htm; see also CPMI-IOSCO, Resilience and Recovery of Central Counterparties (CCPs): Further Guidance on the PFMI – Consultative Report (August 16, 2016), https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d149.htm; CPMI-IOSCO, Implementation Monitoring of PFMI: Level 3 Assessment – Report on the Financial Risk Management and Recovery Practices of 10 Derivatives CCPs (August 16, 2016), https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d148.htm.
    [24] FSB, Guidance on Central Counterparty Resolution and Resolution Planning (July 5, 2017) https://www.fsb.org/2017/07/guidance-on-central-counterparty-resolution-and-resolution-planning-2/; FSB, Guidance on Financial Resources to Support CCP Resolution and on the Treatment of CCP Equity in Resolution (November 16, 2020), https://www.fsb.org/2020/11/guidance-on-financial-resources-to-support-ccp-resolution-and-on-the-treatment-of-ccp-equity-in-resolution/.
    [25] FSB, Central Counterparty Financial Resources for Recovery and Resolution (March 10, 2022), https://www.fsb.org/2022/03/central-counterparty-financial-resources-for-recovery-and-resolution/.
    [26] CFTC, Derivatives Clearing Organizations Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning, 88 Fed. Reg. 48968 (proposed July 28, 2023) (Proposed DCO Recovery and Wind-Down Rule).
    [27] Recommendations on Derivatives Clearing Organizations Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning, CCP Risk and Governance Subcommittee, MRAC (Aug. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).
    [28] Id.
    [29] The Treasury Cash-Futures Basis Trade and Effective Risk Management Practices, MRAC (Dec. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac121024).
    [30] Market Structure Subcommittee Data and Analysis Regarding FCM Capacity, MRAC (Apr. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).

    MIL OSI USA News

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    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    ⦁【Bitcoin Miner S19 XP+ Hyd】: Investment amount: $1,000, total net profit: $1,000 + $135.
    ⦁【Litecoin Miner L7】: Investment amount: $5,000, total net profit: $5,000 + $2325.
    ⦁【WhatsMiner M63S+】: Investment amount: $8,000, total net profit: $8,000 + $5,120.
    ⦁【On-rack Filecoin Miner】: Investment amount: $30,000, total net profit: $30,000 + $26,250.
    (For more new contracts, please visit the official website of PBK Miner platform: pbkminer.com/)

    You can get the profit the next day after purchasing the contract. When the profit reaches 100 USD, you can choose to withdraw it to your wallet or continue to purchase other contracts.
    Affiliate Program
    Now, PBK Miner also launched an affiliate program where you can earn money by recommending the site to others. You can start making money even without investing. After inviting a certain number of active referrals, you will be paid up to $30,000 per month. There is no limit to the number of referrals, and your earning potential is unlimited!

    In summary:
    If you are looking for ways to increase your passive income, cloud mining is a great option. If used properly, these opportunities can help you grow your cryptocurrency wealth in “autopilot” mode with minimal time investment. At the very least, they should be more time-efficient than any type of active trading. Passive income is the goal of every investor and trader, and with PBKMiner, maximizing your passive income potential is easier than ever.
    For more details, please visit the official website of the platform: https://pbkminer.com/
    Company email: info@pbkminer.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: In 2025, users will use XRP, BTC, Dogecoin, USDC, etc. to earn $78,000 per day in PBK Miner

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are created through a distributed computing process called “mining”. Miners (network participants) participate in mining to verify the legitimacy of transactions on the blockchain and ensure network security by preventing double spending. In return for their hard work, miners will be rewarded with a certain amount of Bitcoin (BTC).

    There are many ways to mine cryptocurrency, this article will discuss how you can start mobile cryptocurrency mining with DOGE from the comfort of your home and make $88,000 or more per day.

    About PBK Miner
    PBK Miner takes cloud mining to the extreme, making it perfect for beginners. The platform’s user-friendly interface ensures that even cryptocurrency novices can easily get started. For PBK Miner, laziness is not a disadvantage, but a path to success. As a pioneer in cloud mining services, PBK Miner has more than 100 mining farms and more than 500,000 mining equipment around the world, all of which are driven by new renewable energy cycles, and has won the recognition and support of more than 8 million users with its stable income and security.

    Security and Sustainability
    In the world of mining, trust and security are of utmost importance. PBK Miner understands this and puts user safety first. PBK Miner is committed to transparency and legality, ensuring that your investment is protected, allowing you to focus on profitability. All mines use clean energy, making cloud mining carbon neutral. Renewable energy protects the environment from pollution and brings super-value returns, allowing every investor to enjoy opportunities and benefits.

    Platform advantages:
    ⦁ Get an instant bonus of $10 after registration (you can get $0.6 for daily check-in).
    ⦁ High profit level and daily payout.
    ⦁ No other service fees or management fees.
    ⦁ The platform uses more than 10 cryptocurrencies (such as DOGE, XRP, BTC, ETH, SOL, USDC, USDT, BCH, etc.) for settlement
    ⦁The company’s affiliate program allows you to refer your friends and earn up to $30,000 in referral bonuses.
    ⦁Security with McAfee®. Security with Cloudflare®. 100% uptime guarantee and excellent 24/7 live technical support.

    Step 1: Register an Account
    In this example, we have selected PBK Miner as our cloud mining provider. Go to the provider of your choice and sign up to create a new account. PBK Miner offers a simple sign-up process where you only need to enter your email address and create an account to participate. After signing up, users can immediately start mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
    Step 2: Purchase a mining contract
    Currently, PBK Miner also offers a variety of mining contract options, such as $100, $500, and $1,000 contracts, each with a unique return on investment (ROI) and a specific contract period.
    You can earn more passive income by participating in the following contracts:
    ⦁【Experience Contract】: Investment amount: $100, total net profit: $100 + $7.
    ⦁【Bitcoin Miner S21 Imm】: Investment amount: $500, total net profit: $500 + $32.5.
    ⦁【Bitcoin Miner S19 XP+ Hyd】: Investment amount: $1,000, total net profit: $1,000 + $135.
    ⦁【Litecoin Miner L7】: Investment amount: $5,000, total net profit: $5,000 + $2325.
    ⦁【WhatsMiner M63S+】: Investment amount: $8,000, total net profit: $8,000 + $5,120.
    ⦁【On-rack Filecoin Miner】: Investment amount: $30,000, total net profit: $30,000 + $26,250.
    (For more new contracts, please visit the official website of PBK Miner platform: pbkminer.com/)

    You can get the profit the next day after purchasing the contract. When the profit reaches 100 USD, you can choose to withdraw it to your wallet or continue to purchase other contracts.
    Affiliate Program
    Now, PBK Miner also launched an affiliate program where you can earn money by recommending the site to others. You can start making money even without investing. After inviting a certain number of active referrals, you will be paid up to $30,000 per month. There is no limit to the number of referrals, and your earning potential is unlimited!

    In summary:
    If you are looking for ways to increase your passive income, cloud mining is a great option. If used properly, these opportunities can help you grow your cryptocurrency wealth in “autopilot” mode with minimal time investment. At the very least, they should be more time-efficient than any type of active trading. Passive income is the goal of every investor and trader, and with PBKMiner, maximizing your passive income potential is easier than ever.
    For more details, please visit the official website of the platform: https://pbkminer.com/
    Company email: info@pbkminer.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iranian FM condemns Israeli strikes at UNHRC meeting

    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

    GENEVA, June 20 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Israel’s strikes on his country in Geneva on Friday.

    Speaking at the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), A. Araghchi said that the Jewish state had launched “unprovoked aggression” against Iran.

    A. Araghchi arrived in Geneva for a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Great Britain, France and Germany, which was also attended by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

    In his speech at the UN Human Rights Council meeting, A. Araghchi noted that Israel is committing “a terrible genocide in Palestine,” and is now carrying out aggression against Iran.

    The Jewish state is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

    He recalled that Iran’s nuclear facilities were also attacked, despite the fact that they are under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

    Such strikes not only violate international law, but could also trigger serious radioactive leaks with catastrophic consequences for the environment and public health, he added.

    A. Araghchi also recalled that on June 15, Iran was supposed to hold a meeting with the United States dedicated to a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear problem. The Israeli shelling, according to him, is a betrayal of diplomacy and a blow to the UN system. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Canada’s new government has a mandate for change. A stronger Canada depends on a strong and effective public service – one that is focused on execution, delivery, and impact.

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the public service:

    Jean-François Tremblay, currently Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, becomes Senior Official at the Privy Council Office, effective June 30, 2025, while he prepares for his upcoming role as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

    Mollie Johnson, currently Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans and Consultations) and, concurrently, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Clean Growth), Privy Council Office, becomes Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, effective June 30, 2025.

    Nancy Hamzawi, currently Executive Vice-President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, becomes President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, effective June 20, 2025.

    Alison O’Leary, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, effective June 30, 2025.

    The Prime Minister also announced that Kaili Levesque, Associate Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, will provide direct support to the Secretary of State (Nature), and that Mark Schaan, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Artificial Intelligence), Privy Council Office, will provide direct support to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation.

    The Prime Minister took the opportunity to congratulate Heather Jeffrey, former President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, on her recent retirement from the public service. He thanked her and Suzy McDonald, Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, for their dedication and service to Canadians throughout their careers and wished them all the best in the future.

    Biographical Notes

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Bill Package to Improve Public Safety

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced a pair of bipartisan bills, the H.R. 4024, Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act and H.R. 4022, Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act, to improve public safety nationwide. This package aims to address the staffing shortages at local law enforcement departments and removes the limitations on the provision of Medicaid funding for patients in an institution for mental disease (IMD) in order to improve behavioral health.

    “The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act and Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act are bipartisan commitments to strengthening our communities by addressing critical law enforcement staffing shortages and expanding access to behavioral health care,” said Rep. Carbajal. “By investing in these essential resources, we are ensuring that local communities have the support they need to safeguard people’s both physical safety and mental well-being.” 

    “Law enforcement staffing shortages and lack of access to behavioral healthcare are negatively impacting our communities and these two bipartisan bills will help address those gaps,” said Rep. Bacon. “We can provide peace of mind to communities by supporting these resources.”

    The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act aims to help local police departments mitigate staffing shortages. The legislation also provides an emergency boost to the federal grant program that provides funding to departments for recruitment and hiring. The bipartisan bill has a Senate companion led by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

    With an infusion of an additional $162 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, the bill would double the amount of federal grant funding available for local departments this fiscal year.

    The bipartisan bill also establishes a new vetting requirement for officers hired using the supplemental funding provided in the bill, creating the first-ever statutory requirement for background checks and mental health evaluations. Currently, federal law does not require agencies to perform background checks on new recruits through the COPS Hiring Program.

    The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), California’s largest law enforcement organization.

    “Policing staff shortages are a nationwide problem and law enforcement agencies are struggling to retain good veteran officers and to find the best and brightest candidates to protect their communities.  This legislation provides a needed one-time boost of $162 million for the hiring program administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The additional funds can be used to hire or rehire law enforcement officers as well as pay for the required background checks and psychological examinations.  We are grateful to have Representatives Carbajal and Bacon lead this important effort,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police.

    “The City of Santa Barbara appreciates our Congressman’s deep understanding of the behavioral health system and how to increase access to critical treatment and services while ensuring that the approach to such services are holistic and community-centered. As a City that has made significant investments in coordinated community crisis response through our Police Department’s Co-Response Team as well as accessibility to mental health services through our downtown daytime navigation center, we feel strongly that this legislation will create more pathways for positive client outcomes and increase overall public health, safety and well-being,” said Kelly Gordon, City of Santa Barbara Police Chief.

    The Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act would remove the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) payment prohibition for states that have submitted a plan to: increase access to outpatient and community-based behavioral health care; increase availability of crisis stabilization services; and improve data sharing and coordination between physical health, mental health and addiction treatment providers, and first-responders.

    Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act is endorsed by County of Ventura, County of Santa Barbara, Ventura County District Attorney, Ventura County Sheriff, Santa Barbara County Sheriff, Santa Barbara Police Department, Behavioral Health and Wellness, California State Association of Counties, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), and Major County Sheriffs of America.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Champions Effort to Improve Rural Veterans’ Access to Healthcare

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    “Red tape should not stop our veterans from accessing care when and where they need it”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani reintroduced a bipartisan effort that would ensure that veterans living in rural communities have permanent, cross-state access to certified healthcare providers for their required disability claim exams.  

    “Allowing certified healthcare providers to perform required disability exams across state lines has proven to be successful in expediting veterans’ claims, especially for those living in rural communities where access to care may be limited,” said Ciscomani, who represents nearly 80,000 veterans in southeastern Arizona. “Red tape should not stop our veterans from accessing care when and where they need it, which is why I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort to ensure veterans can receive care where they need, whether that means crossing state lines or crossing the street.” 

    In 2020, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act was signed into law, allowing certain exam providers to temporarily practice across state lines. However, this authority is currently only available to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists, and expires in January 2026. 

    Ciscomani’s bill, the Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act (H.R. 3951) would make this authority permanent and expand the categories of providers who can perform cross-state disability exams to increase access to care. The bill would also require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a mechanism for providers to submit evidence that a veteran brings with them to the examination to the VA, a process which is currently not in place. 

    Ciscomani is joined by Reps. Don Davis (D-NC) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) in this effort. 

    “Accessible compensation and pension examinations are critical for helping veterans obtain their disability benefits. Congress must act to eliminate long wait times, particularly in areas lacking licensed providers,” said Davis. “The Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act is a vital step forward, significantly enhancing our capacity to serve veterans, especially those in rural communities.” 

    “Veterans bravely served our nation – but the unfortunate reality is that it can be hard to access examinations or VA specialists in many communities,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “Our VET MEDS Act was signed into law to extend improved access to VA-certified examiners in rural communities – and this bipartisan bill will make those changes permanent, while making it less difficult for veterans to submit evidence to the VA that substantiates their benefits claims.” 

    Read the full bill text here

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Presidential Permit Authorizing the City of Eagle Pass, Texas, to Expand and Continue to Maintain and Operate a Vehicular and Pedestrian Border Crossing at the Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry

    Source: US Whitehouse

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America (the “President”), I hereby grant permission, subject to the conditions set forth herein, to the City of Eagle Pass, Texas (the “permittee”), to expand and continue to maintain and operate a vehicular and pedestrian crossing at the Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry located on the United States border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, as described in the “Camino Real International Bridge Expansion Presidential Permit Application” dated November 26, 2024, by the permittee to the Secretary of State and made complete with additional information provided by the permittee on March 9, 2025 (collectively, the “Application”), in accordance with 33 U.S.C. 535d and associated procedures.

    The term “Border facilities” as used in this permit consists of the bridge over the Rio Grande, including six vehicle lanes in a second span adjacent to the existing Camino Real International Bridge Land Port of Entry, its approaches, and any land, structures, installations, or equipment appurtenant thereto located approximately half a mile south of the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Bridge and immediately north of the Eagle Pass Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge on the United States side of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico.

    This permit is subject to the following conditions:

    Article 1.  The Border facilities herein described, and all aspects of their operation are subject to all the conditions, provisions, and requirements of this permit and any subsequent Presidential amendment to it.  The construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities shall be in all material respects as described in the Application.

    Article 2.  The standards for and the manner of construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities are subject to inspection by the representatives of appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies.  The permittee shall grant officers and employees of such agencies that are duly authorized and performing their official duties free and unrestricted access to said Border facilities.

    Article 3.  The permittee shall comply with all applicable Federal laws and regulations regarding the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities.

    Article 4.  (1)  The permittee shall take or cause to be taken all appropriate measures to mitigate adverse impacts on or disruption of the human environment in connection with the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities.  Mitigation measures are those that avoid, minimize, or compensate for adverse impacts.

    (2)  The permittee shall hold harmless and indemnify the United States for any claimed or adjudged liability arising out of construction, maintenance, and operation of the Border facilities, including environmental contamination from the release, threatened release, or discharge of hazardous substances or hazardous waste.

    (3)  The permittee is responsible for obtaining any required Federal, State, and local permits, approvals, and authorizations prior to commencing construction activities.  The permittee shall implement the mitigation identified in any environmental decision documents prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Federal permits, including stormwater permits and permits issued in accordance with section 402 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1342).  The permittee shall comply with applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws.

    Article 5.  The permittee shall immediately notify the President or his designee of any decision to transfer custody and control of the Border facilities or any part thereof to any executive department or agency (agency) of the United States Government.  Said notice shall identify the transferee agency and seek the approval of the President for the transfer of the permit.  In the event of approval by the President of such transfer, this permit shall remain in force and effect, and the Border facilities shall be subject to all the conditions, permissions, and requirements of this permit and any amendments thereof.  The permittee may transfer ownership or control of the Border facilities to a non-Federal entity or individual only upon the prior express approval of such transfer by the President, which approval may include such conditions, permissions, and requirements that the President, in the President’s discretion, determines are appropriate and necessary for inclusion in the permit, to be effective on the date of transfer.

    Article 6.  The permittee is responsible for acquiring and maintaining any right-of-way grants or easements, permits, and other authorizations as may become necessary or appropriate.  To ensure the safe operation of the Border facilities, the permittee shall maintain them and every part of them in a condition of good repair and in compliance with applicable law and use of best management practices.

    Article 7.  To the extent authorized by law, and consistent with any Donation Acceptance Agreements (DAAs) already executed with the permittee under the Donation Acceptance Authority found in 6 U.S.C. 301a and section 559 of title V of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76), as amended, as continued by 6 U.S.C. 301b, the permittee shall provide to the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Commissioner) of the Department of Homeland Security and the heads of any other relevant agencies, at no cost to the United States, suitable inspection facilities, infrastructure improvements, equipment, and maintenance, as set forth in the DAAs.  Nothing in this permit obligates such agencies to provide a particular level of services or staffing for such inspection facilities or for any other aspect of the port of entry associated with the Border facilities.

    Article 8.  Before beginning design activities, the permittee shall provide a Donation Acceptance Proposal for the approval of the Commissioner, the Administrator of General Services, and the Secretary of Transportation detailing the permittee’s plans for the construction and staffing of suitable inspection facilitates, infrastructure improvements, equipment, and maintenance at no cost to the United States upon commencement of operations utilizing the construction expansion and thereafter.  Relevant agencies will coordinate with the permittee to further refine the above conditions, as necessary, within 1 year of permit issuance.

    Article 9.  Before initiating construction, the permittee shall obtain the concurrence of the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico.

    Article 10.  The permittee shall not initiate construction until the Department of State has provided notification to the permittee that the Department of State has completed its exchange of diplomatic notes with the Government of Mexico regarding authorization.  The permittee shall provide written notification to the President or his designee at the time that the construction authorized by this permit begins, at the time as such construction is completed, interrupted, or discontinued, and at other times as may be requested by the President.

    Article 11.  Upon request, the permittee shall provide appropriate information to the President or his designee with regard to the Border facilities.  Such requests could include requests for information concerning current conditions, environmental compliance, mitigation, or anticipated changes in ownership or control, construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of the Border facilities.

    Article 12.  The permittee shall file any applicable statements and reports required by applicable Federal law in connection with the Border facilities.

    Article 13.  The permittee shall make no substantial change inconsistent with the Application to the Border facilities, in the location of the Border facilities, or in the operation authorized by this permit, unless such changes have been approved by the President.  The President may terminate, revoke, or amend this permit at any time at his sole discretion.  The permittee’s obligation to implement any amendment to this permit is subject to the availability of funds.  If the permittee permanently closes the Camino Real International Bridge and it is no longer used as an international crossing, then this permit shall terminate, and the permittee may manage, utilize, or dispose of the Border facilities in accordance with applicable authorities.  This permit shall continue in full force and effect for only so long as the permittee continues the operations hereby authorized.

    Article 14.  This permit shall expire 5 years from the date of its issuance if the permittee has not commenced construction of the Border facilities by that date.

    Article 15.  This permit is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

    twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                                  DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lipari Foods Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk in “Dark Chocolate Nonpareils”

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    June 20, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    June 20, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesAllergens
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Undeclared milk allergen

    Company Name:
    Lipari Foods
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    JLM

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Dark chocolate nonpareils

    Company Announcement
    Lipari Foods of Warren, MI, is recalling its 14-ounce packages of JLM Branded “Dark Chocolate Nonpareils” food treats because they may contain undeclared milk. People who have allergies to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.
    The recalled “Dark Chocolate Nonpareils” were distributed nationwide in retail stores.
    The product comes in a 14-ounce, clear plastic tub marked with lot # 28202501A, 29202501A, 23202504A, 14202505A, 15202505A, and 03202506A on the bottom label.
    No illnesses have been reported to date to Lipari Foods in connection with this problem.
    The recall was initiated after being notified by Weaver Nut Company that they were recalling their “Dark Chocolate Nonpareils” due to possible undeclared milk. It was discovered that the potential milk-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk.
    Consumers who have purchased the 14-ounce packages of “Dark Chocolate Nonpareils” are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Lipari Foods at (586) 447-3500 ext:9720.
    About Lipari Foods
    Lipari Foods was founded in 1963 by Jim Lipari, who began his career delivering unique products from the back of his Buick station wagon. Today Lipari Foods is a leading independent “perimeter of the store” distributor, delivering a wide range of quality international specialty, bakery, dairy, deli, packaging, seafood, meat, grocery, foodservice, confectionery and convenience food and beverage products to 16,000+ customers across 32 states.

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    Lipari Foods
    (586) 447-3500 ext:9720

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    06/20/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Brown sues Toppenish grower for discriminating against Washington farmworkers and women

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today filed a civil rights lawsuit against Toppenish-based Cornerstone Ranches and its affiliates, alleging the hops and apple grower discriminated against local and female farmworkers by unlawfully terminating them and replacing them with foreign H-2A agricultural workers.

    Cornerstone fired local workers after holding them to unfair productivity standards and other requirements not applied to H-2A workers, laid off local workers while H-2A employees continued to work, and regularly reduced local workers’ hours and schedules.

    During the fall harvest season of 2021, local workers performed about 91% of farm labor hours at Cornerstone Ranches. By the same period two years later, their share of the work had shrunk to 59% of farm labor hours. Cornerstone more than doubled the number of H-2A workers that it hired from 2021 to 2023, all the while telling local workers that no work was available.

    These actions dramatically reduced Cornerstone’s female workforce in violation of the Washington Law Against Discrimination. The average weekly hours worked by females in Cornerstone’s farm labor workforce dropped by 39%, when comparing June 2022 to April 2023 with the same period a year later. All of the H-2A agricultural workers that replaced them were male.

    Additionally, the lawsuit says Cornerstone violated the Consumer Protection Act by, among other things, misleading local job seekers by telling them there was no work available and by failing to disclose the pay rate and hours of H-2A contract jobs to local workers, as required by law.

    “The H-2A program was never intended to be a back-door source of labor when there are qualified workers here in Washington eager to take on the jobs, but that’s exactly how Cornerstone has used it,” Brown said. “The Attorney General’s Office is committed to fighting for the rights of local farmworkers and ensuring that employers follow the law.”

    The federal H-2A program is meant to address temporary labor shortages by allowing employers to hire seasonal agricultural workers from other countries. To be eligible for the H-2A program, employers must certify that there is a shortage of U.S.-based workers who are willing, qualified, and able to work.

    As part of the program, employers must offer local workers the same benefits, wages, guarantee of hours, and working conditions offered to foreign H-2A workers, which Cornerstone failed to do.

    Cornerstone Ranches, Cornerstone Orchards, and Cornerstone Farm Management, collectively referred to as Cornerstone, produce more than 1 million pounds of hops and 30 million pounds of apples every year. Despite displacing the local workforce, the grower presents itself on its website and on social media as an independent farm that cares deeply about the Yakima Valley community and local workers, describing its employees as “family” and praising its “amazing team.” And after Cornerstone praised a specific local worker on its public Facebook account, it later fired that person while continuing to employ H-2A workers.

    The Attorney General’s Office wants to hear from people who worked at Cornerstone since 2020. Contact the Civil Rights Division by emailing cornerstone@atg.wa.gov or by calling 1-833-660-4877 and selecting Option 6.

    In the lawsuit, filed in Yakima County Superior Court, the state asks the court to declare that Cornerstone violated the Washington Law Against Discrimination and the Consumer Protection Act, permanently block the employer from continuing its unlawful practices, and provide relief for Washingtonians who were harmed.

    Assistant Attorneys General Alyson Dimmitt Gnam and Alexia Diorio, Investigator Jennifer Sievert, and Paralegal Anna Alfonso are handling the case for Washington state.

    -30-

    The Wing Luke Civil Rights Division works to protect the rights of all Washington residents by enforcing state and federal anti-discrimination laws. It is named for Wing Luke, who served as an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Washington in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He went on to become the first person of color elected to the Seattle City Council and the first Asian American elected to public office in the Pacific Northwest.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: El procurador general Brown demanda a un productor de Toppenish por discriminar a trabajadores agrícolas y mujeres de Washington

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – El procurador general Nick Brown presentó hoy una demanda por derechos civiles contra Cornerstone Ranches de Toppenish, y sus filiales, alegando que el productor de lúpulo (jape) y manzana discriminó a trabajadores agrícolas locales y mujeres al despedirlos ilegalmente y reemplazarlos con trabajadores agrícolas extranjeros con visa H-2A.

    Cornerstone despidió a trabajadores locales tras exigirles estándares mínimos de rendimiento injustos y otros requisitos que no se aplican a los trabajadores H-2A, despidió a trabajadores locales mientras los empleados H-2A continuaban trabajando y redujo regularmente las horas y los horarios de los trabajadores locales.

    Durante la temporada de cosecha de otoño de 2021, los trabajadores locales realizaron aproximadamente el 91 % de las horas de trabajo agrícola en Cornerstone Ranches. Para el mismo período, dos años después, su participación en el trabajo se había reducido al 
    59 % de las horas de trabajo agrícola. Cornerstone duplicó con creces el número de trabajadores H-2A que contrató entre 2021 y 2023, mientras les decía a los trabajadores locales que no había trabajo disponible.

    Estas acciones redujeron drásticamente la fuerza laboral femenina de Cornerstone, en violación de la Ley de Washington contra la Discriminación. El promedio de horas semanales trabajadas por las mujeres en la fuerza laboral agrícola de Cornerstone se redujo un 39 %, al comparar el período comprendido entre junio de 2022 y abril de 2023 con el mismo período un año después. Todos los trabajadores agrícolas con visa H-2A que reemplazaron a las mujeres eran hombres.

    Además, la demanda alega que Cornerstone violó la Ley de Protección al Consumidor al engañar a las personas locales buscando trabajo al decirles que no había trabajo disponible. Cornerstone tampoco informó a los trabajadores locales sobre el pago por horas y las horas de los contratos de trabajadores H-2A, entre otras cosas, según lo exige la ley.

    “El programa H-2A nunca tuvo la intención de ser una fuente clandestina de mano de obra cuando hay trabajadores calificados aquí en Washington que desean asumir los puestos de trabajo, pero así es exactamente como Cornerstone lo ha utilizado”, dijo Brown. “La Oficina del Procurador General se compromete a defender los derechos de los trabajadores agrícolas locales y garantizar que los empleadores cumplan con la ley”.

    El programa federal H-2A busca abordar la escasez temporal de mano de obra, permitiendo a los empleadores contratar trabajadores agrícolas temporales de otros países. Para calificar para el programa H-2A, los empleadores deben demostrar que existe una escasez de trabajadores locales que estén dispuestos y calificados y puedan trabajar.

    Como parte del programa, los empleadores deben ofrecer a los trabajadores locales los mismos beneficios, salarios, garantía de horas y condiciones laborales que a los trabajadores extranjeros con visa H-2A, algo que Cornerstone no hizo.

    Cornerstone Ranches, Cornerstone Orchards y Cornerstone Farm Management, conocidos colectivamente como Cornerstone, producen más de 1 millón de libras de lúpulo (jape) y 30 millones de libras de manzanas al año. A pesar de desplazar a la mano de obra local, la compañía se presenta en su sitio web y redes sociales como un rancho independiente que se preocupa profundamente por la comunidad de Yakima Valley y los trabajadores locales, describe a sus empleados como “familia” y elogia a su “increíble equipo”. Después de que Cornerstone elogiara a un trabajador local en su cuenta pública de Facebook, lo despidieron después, pero continuó empleando a trabajadores H-2A.

    La Oficina del Procurador General desea conocer la opinión de quienes trabajaron en Cornerstone desde 2020. Comuníquese con la Civil Rights Division (División de Derechos Civiles) enviando un correo electrónico a Cornerstone@atg.wa.gov o llamando al 1-833-660-4877 y seleccionando la opción 6.

    En la demanda, presentada ante el Yakima County Superior Court (Tribunal Superior del Condado de Yakima), el estado solicita al tribunal que declare que Cornerstone violó la Washington Law Against Discrimination y la Consumer Protection Act, que impida permanentemente que el empleador continúe con sus prácticas ilegales y que brinde compensación económica a los residentes de Washington perjudicados.

    Las subprocuradoras generales Alyson Dimmitt Gnam y Alexia Diorio, la investigadora Jennifer Sievert y la asistente jurídica Anna Alfonso están a cargo del caso en representación del estado de Washington.

    -30-

    El Procurador General de Washington sirve al pueblo y al estado de Washington. Como la oficina judicial más grande de Washington, la Oficina del Procurador General brinda representación legal a todas las agencias, juntas y comisiones estatales de Washington. Además, la oficina sirve directamente a la gente al hacer cumplir las leyes de protección de los consumidores, de derechos civiles y de protección al medioambiente. La oficina también persigue el abuso de personas mayores, el fraude de Medicaid, y atiende los casos de depredadores sexuales violentos en 38 de los 39 condados de Washington. Para obtener más información, visite www.atg.wa.gov.
     

    Contacto para la prensa:
    press@atg.wa.gov
    Contactos generales: Haga clic aquí

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Takes Action on Four Bills

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Takes Action on Four Bills

    Governor Stein Takes Action on Four Bills
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein vetoed three bills: Senate Bill 50, Senate Bill 153, and House Bill 318. He also signed House Bill 126 into law.

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his veto of Senate Bill 50:  

    “This bill makes North Carolinians less safe and undermines responsible gun ownership. Therefore, I am vetoing it. The bill eliminates training requirements associated with concealed carry permits and reduces the age to carry a concealed weapon from 21 to 18 years old. Authorizing teenagers to carry a concealed weapon with no training whatsoever is dangerous. The bill would also make the job of a law enforcement officer more difficult and less safe. We can and should protect the right to bear arms without recklessly endangering law enforcement officers and our people.”

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his veto of Senate Bill 153:  

    “Senate Bill 153 would also make us less safe, so I am vetoing this legislation. At a time when our law enforcement is already stretched thin, this bill takes state law enforcement officers away from their existing state duties and forces them to act as federal immigration agents. Furthermore, under current law, people without lawful immigration status already are prevented from receiving Medicaid, SNAP, Section 8, and other benefits.”  

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his veto of House Bill 318:

    “I am vetoing House Bill 318 because it is unconstitutional. I support the bill’s efforts to require sheriffs to contact federal immigration authorities about people in their custody charged with sexual battery, armed robbery, arson, assault on public officials and court personnel, and other dangerous crimes. People who commit these crimes should be held accountable, whether or not they are here without legal authorization, and those charged with serious offenses ought to receive increased scrutiny from federal immigration officials.

    “My oath of office requires that I uphold the Constitution of the United States. Therefore, I cannot sign this bill because it would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released. The Fourth Circuit is clear that local law enforcement officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation. But let me be clear: anyone who commits a serious crime in North Carolina must be prosecuted and held accountable regardless of their immigration status.”

    North Carolinians are speaking out in support of Governor Stein’s vetoes.  

    Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood on Senate Bill 50:

    “I am and always have been an advocate of the Second Amendment, and if anything the permitting process creates an enhancement to the Second Amendment. This bill is counterproductive to the public safety of North Carolinians, and leaders from both parties have recognized that. I’m pleased to see that Governor Stein has vetoed this bill and hope common sense prevails.”  

    Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead on Senate Bill 50:  

    “As a sheriff sworn to protect, I commend Governor Josh Stein for vetoing Senate Bill 50. This legislation would have made it harder, not easier, for law enforcement to keep our communities safe. The Governor puts public safety first, and I stand with him in that decision.”

    Guilford County Sheriff Danny H. Rogers on Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 318:

    “As the Sheriff of Guilford County, I will always prioritize the safety of our citizens and ensure that no one lives in fear or intimidation from the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. I stand alongside Governor Stein in his decision to veto House Bill 318 and Senate Bill 153. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office is committed to enhancing the quality of life for all community members. We do that by building trust, not fear, within our communities.”  

    Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough on Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 318:  

    “At a time when constitutional and due process rights are under attack, we must say something and stand up. I stand with the Governor.”

    Kami Chavis, Professor of Law and former Assistant United States Attorney on House Bill 318:  

    “This bill Sis problematic and likely unconstitutional. It would unreasonably prolong the time that someone would spend in detention even in an event that charges are dropped or unfounded, such that a person could be held by law enforcement even when there are no grounds to do so.”

    Pender Sharp, Wilson County farmer on Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 318:  

    “As a farmer, we want the communities we feed to be safe places to raise our families. People must be held accountable for their crimes, but everyone deserves due process. I support the Governor’s common-sense veto on this bill that is designed to promote hate.”  

    Dr. Karen Smith, MD, FAAFP, Hoke County family medicine physician on Senate Bill 153:

    “As a family medicine physician, I am not only committed to my community, but to the health and welfare of all North Carolinians. Over my 34-year career, I have had the opportunity to see progress, and I don’t want to see the state go backwards. Senate Bill 153 could create significant public health challenges, including barring access to critical mental health services and medication assistance programs.”  

    Jun 20, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Venezuelan National and Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal Officer

    Source: US State of California

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced today that Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, a citizen of Venezuela residing illegally in Bellevue, Nebraska, was charged on June 19, 2025, by criminal complaint with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer.

    Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation possessed an active immigration-related warrant for Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest and encountered him in Sarpy County near his residence while he was driving. The agents initiated a traffic stop with lights and sirens. Hurtado-Cariaco pulled over and exited his vehicle with his arms raised. The agents gave instructive commands to Hurtado-Cariaco and attempted to place him in hand cuffs.

    According to the complaint, Hurtado-Cariaco, a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, began to fight with one Special Agent where both landed on the ground. Hurtado-Cariaco was able to throw the agent off him launching the agent through the air resulting in the agent forcefully striking their head and elbow on the pavement injuring them. A second Special Agent engaged with Hurtado-Cariaco to subdue and detain him. Hurtado-Cariaco resisted with both landing on the ground. While both agents tried to control Hurtado-Cariaco while on the ground, he maneuvered behind the injured agent and placed that agent in a chokehold. Hurtado-Cariaco ignored commands from the other agent and continued to choke the agent on the ground. The second agent placed Hurtado-Cariaco in a chokehold to stop the assault. Hurtado-Cariaco released his chokehold on the agent and then used his leverage, broke away from the second agent, and ran. The agents pursued Hurtado-Cariaco by foot, locating him at his apartment in Bellevue and arrested without further incident.

    After the arrest, the injured agent was transported to the hospital for treatment.

    “Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder.”

    “The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice.”

    “Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods.  “Federal law enforcement officers are tasked with enforcing the laws of the United States and they must be able to do so safely. These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest.”

    Hurtado-Cariaco appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson on June 20, 2025. Magistrate Judge Carson ordered Hurtado-Cariaco detained. A criminal complaint is a charging document that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.  Hurtado-Cariaco was arrested on June 18, 2025, in Sarpy County, Nebraska.

    This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

    Read the complaint.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuelan National and Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal Officer

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced today that Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, a citizen of Venezuela residing illegally in Bellevue, Nebraska, was charged on June 19, 2025, by criminal complaint with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer.

    Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation possessed an active immigration-related warrant for Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest and encountered him in Sarpy County near his residence while he was driving. The agents initiated a traffic stop with lights and sirens. Hurtado-Cariaco pulled over and exited his vehicle with his arms raised. The agents gave instructive commands to Hurtado-Cariaco and attempted to place him in hand cuffs.

    According to the complaint, Hurtado-Cariaco, a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, began to fight with one Special Agent where both landed on the ground. Hurtado-Cariaco was able to throw the agent off him launching the agent through the air resulting in the agent forcefully striking their head and elbow on the pavement injuring them. A second Special Agent engaged with Hurtado-Cariaco to subdue and detain him. Hurtado-Cariaco resisted with both landing on the ground. While both agents tried to control Hurtado-Cariaco while on the ground, he maneuvered behind the injured agent and placed that agent in a chokehold. Hurtado-Cariaco ignored commands from the other agent and continued to choke the agent on the ground. The second agent placed Hurtado-Cariaco in a chokehold to stop the assault. Hurtado-Cariaco released his chokehold on the agent and then used his leverage, broke away from the second agent, and ran. The agents pursued Hurtado-Cariaco by foot, locating him at his apartment in Bellevue and arrested without further incident.

    After the arrest, the injured agent was transported to the hospital for treatment.

    “Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder.”

    “The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice.”

    “Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods.  “Federal law enforcement officers are tasked with enforcing the laws of the United States and they must be able to do so safely. These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest.”

    Hurtado-Cariaco appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson on June 20, 2025. Magistrate Judge Carson ordered Hurtado-Cariaco detained. A criminal complaint is a charging document that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.  Hurtado-Cariaco was arrested on June 18, 2025, in Sarpy County, Nebraska.

    This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

    Read the complaint.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Price Consolidates for 200 Days, PFMCrypto Launches XRP Mining Contract to Unlock a New Profit Model for XRP

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Farington, England, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — What Is PFMCrypto XRP Cloud Mining?

    PFMCrypto cloud mining is a remote digital asset mining platform that enables users to earn cryptocurrency by renting computing power from PFMCrypto’s eco-friendly, high-performance mining farms. Supporting a broad array of coins—including XRP, DOGE, BTC, LTC, SOL, etc. —PFMCrypto removes the technical and financial obstacles traditionally associated with crypto mining, making passive income more accessible than ever.

    Check the official website for details: https://pfmcrypto.net

    Key Highlights of the XRP Cloud Mining Contract:

    – Strategic Launch Timing: The contract was launched during a period of XRP price consolidation, offering investors a way to profit regardless of short-term market moves.

    – Stable Passive Returns: PFMCrypto’s new XRP contract provides fixed daily payouts with guaranteed principal return, appealing to both traders and long-term holders.

    – No Technical Barriers: The XRP mining model requires no hardware or maintenance—any user can participate instantly.

    New Profit Model: XRP Mining Meets AI Optimization

    PFMCrypto’s AI-powered mining architecture now supports XRP-specific contracts, leveraging intelligent allocation of hash power to maximize yields while reducing risk. This model is especially timely, given that XRP has traded in a narrow band for months, signaling the perfect moment for alternative yield strategies.

    Rather than waiting for a price breakout, PFMCrypto users can now earn XRP daily through smart mining contracts—without buying more tokens or attempting to time the market.

    Why This XRP Mining Contract Stands Out?

    – 100% Remote Access: No rigs, no tech know-how—just log in and activate a plan.

    – Principal Security: Contract terms guarantee full capital return after expiration.

    – AI-Driven Returns: Yield optimization ensures users earn even during price stagnation.

    – Daily Earnings: Predictable XRP payouts improve cash flow and reduce volatility exposure.

    Join PFMCrypto and receive a $10 sign-up bonus to begin XRP mining immediately.

    PFMCrypto’s CEO commented,

    “We view XRP’s consolidation not as stagnation, but as opportunity. Our new mining contract allows the XRP community to unlock value from this asset in a consistent, low-risk way.”

    Proven Mining Models for XRP Investors

    PFMCrypto’s XRP mining contracts have already shown strong user interest across multiple tiers. Sample return rates include:

    2-Day Plan: +6.0% return and $2 Bonus

    5-Day Plan: +6.15% return

    15-Day Plan: +20.7% return

    30-Day Plan: +47.1% return

    These results are based on historical contract data and reflect PFMCrypto’s commitment to transparency and performance.

    How to Start Mining XRP with PFMCrypto

    1. Sign Up: New users receive a $10 welcome bonus and $0.60 daily login rewards.
    2. Select a Contract: Choose from flexible XRP mining durations to match your investment goals.
    3. Start Earning: PFMCrypto’s AI-driven engine takes care of the rest—earning begins immediately upon activation.

    About PFMCrypto

    Founded in 2018, PFMCrypto is a leading provider of AI-powered cloud mining services. With over 9.2 million users in 190+ countries, the platform has paid out more than $1 billion in crypto rewards. Its offerings span BTC, LTC, XRP, DOGE, and more—enabling secure, hardware-free mining experiences backed by top-tier infrastructure.

    Explore the future of XRP mining at https://pfmcrypto.net 

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Welcomes Summer 2025 Interns

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–Eight interns joined U.S. Senator Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) offices in Washington, D.C., and Boise for the Summer 2025 term.

    “These young individuals joining my office for the summer will directly experience the inner workings of the U.S. Senate during President Trump’s historic second term,” said Crapo.  “They will actively engage with Idaho’s constituents, expand their knowledge of the federal policymaking process and grow hard and soft skills important for their next career step.  I am delighted to have them on board for this summer and look forward to their success.”

    Five interns are serving in the Washington, D.C., Office:

    1. Erika Amaral-Pelayo is a native of Kuna, Idaho, entering her junior year at the University of Idaho.  She is majoring in political science with minors in Spanish and business economics. 
    1. Jaden Tilley is a native of Orofino, Idaho, and a student at Brigham Young University.  He is majoring in political science.
    1. Ethan Gilpin is a native of Montana and is currently attending Montana State University.  He is studying economics and finance.
    1. Kylie Keysor is a native of north California and is enrolled at Brigham Young University.  She is majoring in business.
    1. Catherine Lucia is a native of Virginia with family in Preston, Idaho.  She is a junior at Brigham Young University, studying communication disorders with a political science minor.

    Three interns are serving in the Boise Office:

    1. Lucy Ford is a native of Hailey, Idaho, starting her junior year at Boise State University.  She is studying government with aspirations of attending graduate school. 
    1. Michael McCurry is a native of Boise, Idaho, and a U.S. Army veteran, entering his senior year at Boise State University.  He is majoring in political science.
    1. Ryan Collins is a native of Kuna, Idaho, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.  He earned his B.S. in political science from Arizona State University and is interested in attending law school.

    Crapo hosts interns in his Washington, D.C., office as well as in the various regional offices throughout Idaho.  The applications for the spring 2026 term close on October 15, 2025.  Students interested in positions for the spring, summer or fall semesters can find more information about the application process, internship expectations and deadlines for applying on the Senator’s official website at: https://www.crapo.senate.gov/services/for-students/internships.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Newton County Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for illegally possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction.

    Jason A. Duncan, 40, was charged with three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment, which replaces a complaint filed on June 3, 2025, alleges that Duncan possessed a Palmetto State Armory rifle and a Taurus pistol on Aug. 19, 2024, a Hi-Point pistol on Oct. 3, 2024, and Glock pistol on Jan. 23, 2025. Duncan has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Joplin, Seneca, and Springfield, Mo., Police Departments.

    Operation Take Back America

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

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cherokee County Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking Teens

    Source: US FBI

    TYLER, Texas – A Jacksonville man has been sentenced to life in federal prison for sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Desnique Deshawn Herndon, 28, was sentenced to seven life sentences by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on June 18, 2025.  In 2023, Herndon was convicted by a jury of six counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children following a five-day trial before Judge Barker.  Herndon remained in custody between the time of trial and sentencing.

    “Victimizing children through commercial sex trafficking is reprehensible and will be prosecuted vigorously in East Texas,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.  “We will not stand by and watch the lives of young people ruined by predators like Herndon to satisfy the wanton interests of commercial sex customers. Herndon’s life sentence demonstrates our society’s intolerance for such callous disregard for others. I want to thank our many law enforcement partners for their diligent work on this case.”

    “Sex trafficking is one of the most appalling crimes in our society, exploiting the most vulnerable among us. HSI remains committed to identifying traffickers, dismantling their criminal networks, and providing critical support to survivors,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “Through our victim-centered investigations, we will spare no resource to protect communities and seek justice for those victimized by this modern-day slavery. “

    According to information presented in court, beginning in 2019, Herndon engaged in trafficking multiple teenage girls for commercial sex acts. Herndon recruited the girls by social media, deceived them by promising riches, and placed them in hotels in the Tyler area.  He then posted advertisements on sex trafficking websites showing explicit photos of the girls and offering commercial sex acts. Some of Herndon’s victims were as young as 13 years old. During trial, jurors heard testimony that Herndon used co-conspirators to continue to run his operation while he was in jail so that the victims could earn money to pay his bond.

    Three of Herndon’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the offenses. Malcolm Kadeem Roberts, 29, of Tyler, was sentenced on November 16, 2023, to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  Roberts was also sentenced to 75 years in state prison in Smith County District Court for aggravated sexual assault of a child charges in relation to one of the minor victims in this case.  Tavarus D. Watkins, 29, of Jacksonville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on November 16, 2023, for interstate transport of a minor for illegal sexual activity. Patrick Lamont Cross, Jr, 28, of Palestine, pleaded guilty on August 22, 2022, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  Cross is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2025.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations’ Tyler Resident Agency, North Texas Trafficking Task Force, FBI Tyler Resident Agency, Texas DPS Criminal Investigations Division, Texas Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Unit, Tyler Police Department, Henderson County Sherriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sherriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Panola County Sheriff’s Office, Palestine Police Department, Abilene Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Locker and Alan Jackson, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Jiral.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: The assisted dying debate has been about safety not sanctity – here’s why I think the bill passed the test

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Colin Gavaghan, Professor of Digital Futures, University of Bristol Law School, University of Bristol

    KieferPix/Shutterstock

    British MPs’ approval of the assisted dying bill made history – and revealed a rare kind of parliamentary debate. While the bill must still pass through the House of Lords, it is now widely expected to become law in England and Wales.

    What stood out even more than the result was the tone of the debate. Despite passionate disagreement, MPs conducted themselves with respect and thoughtfulness – a striking contrast to today’s often polarised political climate. That, in itself, felt like a moment of democratic maturity.

    Unsurprisingly, MPs in favour of the bill made familiar arguments, focusing on choice, dignity and the desire to avoid unbearable suffering at the end of life. What stood out, though, was how little opposition there was to the principle of assisted dying.

    Gone were the sweeping religious or philosophical arguments that once dominated such debates. Very few MPs spoke about the sanctity of life or raised moral objections to the idea of assisted dying itself.

    Instead, many of those who voiced concerns focused on this particular bill, especially its safeguards. Their worry wasn’t whether we should allow assisted dying, but whether the law goes far enough to protect the vulnerable. It’s a valid concern, and one likely to shape scrutiny as the bill heads to the Lords.

    So, how safe is the bill as currently drafted? Does it protect against the risks of coercion, misdiagnosis, or vulnerable people being pushed toward ending their lives? As a researcher of end-of-life issues and an expert witness in Seales v Attorney General, the leading New Zealand case on assisted dying, I believe the choice that the bill will introduce in England and Wales seems a lot less vulnerable to pressure and coercion than the sorts of life-ending choices the law has long allowed.

    As Kim Leadbeater pointed out in her speech, no decision involving people near the end of life is ever entirely without risk. Diagnoses can be wrong. External influences, both subtle and overt, are impossible to eliminate completely.

    But what’s important is that the safeguards around assisted dying, as proposed, are stricter than those in many other medical decisions that the law already permits.

    For instance, adults in the UK currently have the legal right to refuse life-saving treatment. That includes cases where the treatment could restore them to full health.

    The classic example is a Jehovah’s Witness refusing a blood transfusion. Courts have consistently upheld the right of mentally competent people to make that choice, even when the outcome is death.

    This remains true even if the person’s situation arises from a previous suicide attempt. The central legal question is not why they want to die, but whether they are mentally capable of understanding and weighing their options.

    The assisted dying bill sets a far narrower scope. It only applies to people with an “inevitably progressive illness or disease which cannot be reversed by treatment” and which is likely to lead to death within six months. In other words, people who are already extremely ill.

    Yes, doctors might occasionally misjudge a prognosis. But the law will still only apply to those facing certain death in the near future, a very different group from those currently allowed to refuse care.

    Pressure or coercion

    No major life decision happens in a vacuum. We are all influenced by people around us: family, friends, culture, religion. But legally, coercion only becomes a problem when someone’s ability to choose freely is overwhelmed.

    In medical law, that’s not always easy to determine. Is a devout patient refusing treatment out of genuine belief or pressure from their religious community? Is someone declining chemotherapy being subtly manipulated by family members with ulterior motives?

    These grey areas are familiar – and they already exist. But the safeguards proposed in the assisted dying bill are arguably stronger than those surrounding many current end-of-life choices.

    Two doctors will be required to independently assess whether the person is making the request voluntarily and without coercion. A multi-disciplinary panel will also need to confirm this.

    On top of that, the bill introduces serious new criminal offences: up to 14 years in prison for anyone who pressures someone into requesting assisted dying, and a life sentence for those who unlawfully administer the drugs.

    Self-coercion

    Some MPs raised concerns about “self-coercion”: the idea that someone might choose assisted dying not because they genuinely want it, but because they feel like a burden to others.

    It’s a deeply human worry. Most of us would be horrified to think an elderly parent or terminally ill partner felt they had to die to make life easier for us.

    One proposed amendment tried to address this, suggesting that people should only be allowed access to assisted dying if their motivation was “for their own sake rather than for the benefit of others.”

    It’s easy to understand the intent behind that. But ultimately, I would argue it’s probably right that the amendment was rejected.

    UK courts have long upheld the principle that patients don’t need to justify their values. The test is whether they are mentally competent: whether they understand the information and can weigh it up to make a decision.

    Judges and doctors don’t need to agree with the beliefs behind that decision. They don’t need to endorse a Jehovah’s Witness’s refusal of a transfusion. Nor must they accept that a life without “sparkle” is not worth living, as one woman once described her own situation before legally refusing treatment.

    The assisted dying bill won’t remove all risk. No law could. But in many ways, it introduces a choice that is less open to abuse and pressure than decisions we’ve already accepted as legal for decades.

    The debate isn’t over, and the House of Lords will no doubt return to these issues. But today’s vote was more than a political milestone. It was a moment of thoughtful, measured debate – and perhaps, a sign that we can tackle the hardest moral questions without descending into division.

    Colin Gavaghan is a member of ‘Lawyers for End of Life Choice’ and a board member of ‘Yes for Compassion’. He was an expert witness for the plaintiff in Seales v Attorney General.

    ref. The assisted dying debate has been about safety not sanctity – here’s why I think the bill passed the test – https://theconversation.com/the-assisted-dying-debate-has-been-about-safety-not-sanctity-heres-why-i-think-the-bill-passed-the-test-259476

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: Digging Out of Our Fiscal Hole

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak: It is necessary to ensure structural transformation and increased efficiency of the economy

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The discussion was also attended by the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Special Representative of the President for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries Kirill Dmitriev, Chairman of the State Corporation VEB.RF Igor Shuvalov, Chief Executive Officer of Alfa-Bank Vladimir Verkhoshinsky, Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft PJSC Alexander Dyukov, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AEON Infrastructure Corporation Roman Trotsenko.

    In 2024, the IMF recognized Russia as the world’s fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. In order to maintain and increase such results by 2030, it is necessary to continue growing steadily. This task, as Alexander Novak emphasized, will require serious efforts.

    “The President outlined the task of achieving growth rates of the Russian economy above the world average. For this purpose, the national project “Efficient and Competitive Economy” was formed and the President defined the national goal – a sustainable and dynamic economy. We need to create conditions for achieving economic growth,” said Alexander Novak.

    He added that the economy has been growing at a high rate over the past two years – above 4% per year. In the first four months of 2025, GDP growth was 1.5%. In April, according to the Ministry of Economic Development, it was 1.9%. There is a controlled cooling of the economy and a strict monetary policy is being implemented to combat inflation.

    “I am confident that as a result we will reach our potential for economic growth – 3% per year. To do this, it is necessary to structurally change and modernize the economy, increase the share of non-resource industries, support and ensure technological leadership. We are talking about such industries as microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding and aircraft construction, robotics, mechanical engineering and machine tool building, etc.,” said Alexander Novak.

    Speaking about systemic development, he stressed that it is also necessary to ensure the operation of basic industries that today form the basis of the economy. These are the fuel and energy complex, the forestry complex, transport, and infrastructure. At the same time, the task of increasing efficiency concerns all industries. To do this, it is necessary to introduce modern technologies, switch to platform digital solutions, and increase labor productivity. This will ensure investment growth. And the state, in turn, guarantees support for entrepreneurship through national projects, the creation and improvement of development institutions, and the training of professional personnel.

    “This work will be effective with the joint efforts of the federal center, regions and business, which will ensure sustainable economic growth, allowing it to be fourth in the world and move forward in the long term,” the Deputy Prime Minister concluded.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Implementation of AI will give BRICS economies about 2-3 trillion dollars by 2030

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko held a plenary session entitled “AI Science: A New Path to Leadership.” Leading Russian and foreign scientists discussed how AI science and innovation are shaping Russia’s new technological path to global leadership.

    At the session, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the expected effect of introducing AI into the economies of the BRICS countries by 2030 will be around 2–3 trillion dollars:

    “According to various estimates, the expected effect of using AI technologies in the BRICS countries is between 2 and 3 trillion dollars. There is something to fight for – the share of advanced generative AI systems in this market is currently about 20%. Those who are the first to see the “golden” directions in the development of AI will discover a new Klondike, and if we conduct exploratory research in all areas, we will increase our chances of getting there.”

    The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that in December 2024, at the AI Journey conference, President Vladimir Putin proposed holding an international foresight in Russia – a strategic session on the future of artificial intelligence – in order to determine the directions of technology development together with scientists from around the world.

    The foresight is being implemented by the International AI Alliance Network, an organization that unites industry associations from 14 countries. The Russian part of the foresight is supervised by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia and the Strategic Agency for Support and Formation of AI Developments (SAPFIR), a project office created on the basis of the Skolkovo Foundation, on behalf of the President of Russia.

    “In Russia, the President has set a national goal – ‘Technological Leadership’. One of the tasks is to form a new AI market for Russia. We are building a complete system – a foundation for Russia’s long-term leadership in AI science. At the same time, we understand that scientific leadership in AI is impossible without international cooperation and coordination of efforts. The future of AI should be built in cooperation, taking into account various scientific schools, cultures and approaches. For this reason, the results of the foresight are published openly, and every scientist in the world can make a contribution. The alliance plans to present the results to the UN and to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the annual AI Journey conference before November this year. This is our manifesto of openness, accessibility and trust for every member of the global AI community,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    Last year, Russian experts identified 10 key areas of fundamental scientific research in the field of AI. They formed the basis for discussion at this year’s international foresight. Several sessions of the scientific dialogue on the global prospects of AI have already been held in Morocco, the UAE, Serbia and China. One of the foresight iterations took place at the Sber tech hub in St. Petersburg.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized that the state’s task is to ensure the completeness of research and competencies in the field of AI. To this end, within the framework of the federal project “Artificial Intelligence”, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia is holding a grant competition among research centers, according to the results of which 13 teams were selected.

    “Investments in research centers have already demonstrated their success and effectiveness: 13 centers provide half of Russia’s entire scientific reserve in AI,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that the issue of personnel with knowledge of AI is also being addressed systematically.

    “Studying the effects of AI on humans, including dependence on AI decisions, is a meaningful scientific task, where major research is ahead. We are faced with a challenge: to provide not just education, but to cultivate a new type of thinking. To this end, a strategy for the development of education is being developed in Russia, which provides for the creation of a digital environment, individual educational, upbringing, career trajectories and assistants,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    An important topic of the session was international foresight – a joint initiative aimed at identifying priority areas of research and development of AI at the global level. Participants also discussed current issues of artificial intelligence development, consolidation of efforts at the international level, tools for accelerating scientific progress and new forms of financing.

    The discussion was attended by Professor Ajit Abraham from India, who created a unique network of machine intelligence laboratories, uniting more than 1,000 researchers from 100 countries.

    Another participant was the CEO of the AIRI Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Ivan Oseledets, one of the leading experts in the field of machine learning, the second most cited Russian mathematician, professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences, and laureate of the Russian Presidential Prize.

    The speakers also included First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Sberbank PJSC Alexander Vedyakhin, Vice-Rector for Research at Serbia’s Singidunum University Nebojsa Bakanin, Professor at China’s Anhui University Ye Tian, Rector of Innopolis University Alexander Gasnikov, and Skoltech Professor Anhui Fan from Vietnam.

    Speakers focused on the role of fundamental science and support for research initiatives, including issues of task-oriented machine learning algorithms (narrow AI), as well as computation and data for AI, fundamental and generative models, human-machine interactions, optimization and mathematics.

    The results of the discussions at the session will form the basis of a foresight study to identify fundamental scientific problems in the field of AI.

    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: Alexander Novak: Russia remains the largest investor for Kazakhstan, investment growth in 2024 amounted to 25%

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexander Novak met with First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

    “We consider Kazakhstan as our closest ally and strategic partner,” emphasized Alexander Novak. “Cooperation in the trade, economic and investment spheres is developing successfully, large-scale joint projects are being implemented in industry, energy, transport infrastructure, agriculture and the digital economy. Russia remains the largest investor in the Kazakh economy, with investment growth in 2024 amounting to 25% compared to 2023.”

    He highly praised the interaction between Russia and Kazakhstan in the format of the OPEC deal, which makes a decisive contribution to ensuring stability and predictability of the global oil market. The Deputy Prime Minister called for continued coordination of collective actions within OPEC, as they meet long-term national interests and contribute to strengthening the economies of the countries participating in the deal.

    The parties discussed the expansion of Russian-Kazakh cooperation in the electric power and oil and gas sectors, as well as the terms of Russian oil and gas supplies to Kazakhstan and in transit through its territory.

    Alexander Novak invited Roman Sklyar and the delegation of Kazakhstan to take part in the annual international forum “Russian Energy Week”, which will be held from October 15 to 17 in Moscow.

    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: Tatyana Golikova moderated the session “Healthy Longevity Without Compromises” at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    As Tatyana Golikova noted, the discussion is devoted to a question that worries all of humanity: how to prolong an active and healthy life. This is a task not only for scientists and doctors, but also for society as a whole.

    Ensuring healthy longevity is a priority task set for the country by the President of Russia.

    These issues were discussed at the first forum “Russia and the World: Healthy Longevity Trends” held on May 27-28. The forum was organized by the Russian Government with the assistance of the Roscongress Foundation, the Moscow Region Government, and the Ministry of Education and Science. It was attended by over 1,500 specialists and experts from various fields: politicians and public figures, scientists, healthcare and cultural specialists, media representatives, bloggers, healthy food manufacturers, dietary supplements, medical products, and others. Following the discussion, the first resolution was approved and posted on the Roscongress website.

    “Everyone has different potential. A person’s biological clock can run faster or slower. A systematic approach to increasing healthy life expectancy requires coordinated efforts at the state and expert levels,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    Tatyana Golikova spoke about some health-saving technologies used in Russia.

    The first is healthy longevity medicine – a comprehensive health-preserving strategy that combines innovative scientific research and its practical application.

    “The national project “New Health Preservation Technologies” has been implemented since 2025. It includes five federal projects. Currently, the main focus is on treating diseases and conditions that have already developed in humans. However, in recent years, preventive medicine has begun to actively develop, identifying risk factors for disease development. Healthy longevity medicine is aimed at identifying pre-risks for disease development and influencing them. And here we have a lot to do. At the moment, our system works to treat diseases. Such a reboot will help increase the quality of life of people and life expectancy,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    The main areas of scientific medical research on the topic of healthy longevity, which are currently being conducted in Russia:

    — a combination of regenerative biomedicine, research on which began in 2023 as part of the federal project “Medical Science for Humans”;

    — development of biomarkers and panels that allow determining biological age, as well as drugs that allow preventing the aging process of cells;

    — genetic research: predictive genetics, pharmacogenetics and nutrigenetics.

    The national project also includes research aimed at combating age-associated diseases and their complications, including neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

    “We are creating an accessible medical infrastructure for healthy longevity based on health centers and medical prevention offices. Last year alone, more than 38 million people applied to them. We are changing the functions of health centers and reorienting them to work on identifying pre-risks for the development of diseases and eliminating them,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.

    The second block of tasks in the area of healthy longevity is the social involvement of a person.

    “Numerous international studies have shown that strong social connections are directly related to increased life expectancy. An American study of 300,000 people showed that social isolation is a health risk and is comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Another study by British scientists, who observed 7,300 people for over 50 years, showed that 73% of people with good health met with friends at least once a week, visited public places, museums and theaters. It is important for healthy longevity to develop various types of relationships – family, friendship, professional, neighborly, as well as to participate in public organizations, volunteer activities, various communities,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    In addition, Tatyana Golikova emphasized that a healthy living environment plays an important role in prolonging longevity, a combination of ecology, eating habits, physical activity, lifestyle and strong social connections. All of these are the main factors in the formation of the so-called blue zones – regions with the highest concentration of long-livers. The experience of studying the inhabitants of these zones at one time gave impetus to the development of genetic research in the field of aging biology. In Russia, such research was also launched within the framework of the national project “New Health Preservation Technologies”.

    The session was attended by Vladimir Dadali, professor at the North-West State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, certified consultant in nutrition at the University of Natural Medicine (California, USA); Mikhail Kovalchuk, president of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”; Konstantin Kotenko, director of the Russian Scientific Center of Surgery named after Academician B.V. Petrovsky; Olga Krivonos, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Government of the Russian Federation; Elena Chichkanova, managing partner, communications director at Mayrveda.

    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: Secretary Chavez-DeRemer marks 100 days championing American workers

    Source: US Department of Labor

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer today celebrated 100 days since she was sworn in as the 30th Labor Secretary, marking a key milestone in her efforts to advance President Trump’s America First agenda by quickly delivering on her mission to empower U.S. workers and employers.

    Since taking office, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer has hit the ground running to support the President’s bold, pro-growth policies that have spurred job creation, cut red tape, and ushered in a new Golden Age of economic opportunity for the American workforce.

    “From day one, I promised to put American workers first and deliver on President Trump’s commitment to revitalize our workforce,” said Secretary Chavez-DeRemer. “Since then, we’ve jumpstarted a new Golden Age for American workers by creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, cutting burdensome regulations, saving taxpayer dollars, and investing in the skills and training that power our economy. I remain committed to building a strong, resilient labor force where workers and businesses can continue to grow and succeed.”

    Launching the ‘America at Work’ listening tour

    In April, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer embarked on her America at Work listening tour to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing hardworking Americans. Throughout her tour, the Secretary has met with manufacturers, union leaders, tradesmen, construction workers, longshoremen, and various stakeholders to ensure real-world experiences help shape and modernize federal labor policies and practices. 

    From Oregon to Pennsylvania, she has engaged directly with American workers to learn more about how the federal government can assist in developing a skilled workforce and expanding opportunities for workers to achieve the American Dream. 

    For example, the Secretary joined Anheuser-Busch in Ohio to announce a $300 million manufacturing investment through its “Brewing Futures” initiative, which includes building a new regional Technical Excellence Center in Columbus.

    She also joined McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the company’s Archways to Opportunity educational program, which has created opportunities over the past decade for over 90,000 restaurant crew members by providing over $240 million in tuition assistance.

    Supporting job creation

    Since President Trump took office, the U.S. economy has added over 508,000 jobs, surpassing expectations for three consecutive months. Notably, native-born workers have accounted for all job gains, and trillions in private investments have fueled rapid job creation in critical sectors across the economy, including construction. 

    Expanding apprenticeships

    In April, President Trump signed an executive order calling on the Department of Labor to modernize workforce development programs and invest in opportunities to upskill workers to meet current labor market demands. The department has begun a full review of federal workforce programs to:

    • Expand pathways beyond four-year degrees.
    • Reach one million new active apprentices nationwide.
    • Increase transparency and accountability in workforce development programs by collecting relevant data.

    Since January 20, 2025, over 117,000 new apprentices have registered, and there are currently over 677,000 active apprentices nationwide.

    On April 30, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer celebrated National Apprenticeship Day by welcoming the International Association of Fire Fighters to the Department of Labor. The signing ceremony recognized IAFF’s new National Apprenticeship Guidelines Standards and honored the union’s commitment to training their firefighters and emergency personnel through the Registered Apprenticeship model, marking a significant step toward achieving the Administration’s goal of one million new active apprentices.

    Returning billions in COVID-era funds

    Under Secretary Chavez-DeRemer’s leadership, the Department of Labor has returned over $4.4 billion in unspent and unusable COVID-era funding to American taxpayers, ensuring the department is delivering on its commitment to root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and to be responsible stewards of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.

    Protecting unemployment benefits for American citizens

    In April, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer issued a warning to governors that states extending unemployment benefits to illegal immigrants would result in a loss of federal funding. The move reinforced the department’s commitment to uphold immigration law and prioritize benefits for American workers.

    Purging discriminatory DEI policies

    One of the first responsibilities Secretary Chavez-DeRemer fulfilled was carrying out President Trump’s executive order to eliminate unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and policies, including by overhauling the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs that focused primarily on DEI enforcement. 

    Restoring retirement plan flexibility

    In May, the Department of Labor rescinded a 2022 compliance bulletin that discouraged fiduciaries from including cryptocurrency options in 401(k) retirement plans. By rolling back this overreach, the Secretary ensured investment decisions were placed back in the hands of fiduciaries instead of D.C. bureaucrats.

    Launching opinion letter program to expand compliance assistance

    In June, the Department of Labor launched an opinion letter program to expand the its longstanding commitment to providing meaningful compliance assistance. This action represented a step forward in the Secretary’s mission to help workers, employers, and other stakeholders understand how federal labor laws apply in specific workplace situations.

    MIL OSI USA News

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

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

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

    President Trump’s second term

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

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

    Dismantling climate defense 

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

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

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

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

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

    Endangering ocean futures

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

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

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

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

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

    ‘Unleashing’ America’s fishing industry into collapse

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

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

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

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

    Taxing our health

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

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

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

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

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

    Time to resist 

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

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

    MIL OSI NGO

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Announces More Than $1.3 Million for Airport Improvements Across Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

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

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

    Specifically, the funding has been allocated as follows: 

    1. Belfast Municipal Airport (BST) – $389,500 to construct a new double pump fuel facility, which will assist the airport to be as self-sustaining as possible by generating revenue.
    1. Bethel Regional Airport (0B1) – $340,100 to update the existing airport master plan study and to construct a new 500-foot taxi lane west of the existing apron to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area.
    1. Millinocket Municipal Airport (MLT) – $317,970 to extend Taxiway D an additional 670 feet to serve the hangar development area.
    1. Eastport Municipal Airport (EPM) – $150,821 to rehabilitate the existing 1,575 square foot non-revenue generating parking lot at non-primary airport to extend its useful life.
    1. Central Maine Regional Airport (OWK) – $127,870 to reconstruct the existing Taxiway A edge lighting with LED and to reconstruct the runway end identifier lights system and precision approach path indicator system for Runway 15/33.

    Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped to secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Praise Ireland for Increasing Women’s Representation in Decision-Making, Raise Issues Concerning Historic Rights Violations and Sexual Violence

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Report

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

    Presentation of Report

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Statement by the National Human Rights Institution of Ireland

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

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

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

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

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

    Questions by a Committee Expert 

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

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

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

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

    Questions by a Committee Expert 

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

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

    Questions by Committee Experts 

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

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

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

    Questions by Committee Experts 

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

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

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

    Questions by Committee Experts 

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

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

    Questions by a Committee Expert

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Questions by Committee Experts

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Questions by a Committee Expert 

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

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

    Responses by the Delegation

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

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

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

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

    Concluding Remarks 

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

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

    ___________

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

     

    CEDAW25.015E

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. strengthens response to repeat violent offending

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Abbotsford Police Department:

    A total of $643,000 in SITE funding was allocated to support the Abbotsford Police Department’s Project Spotlight, an eight-month initiative targeting repeat violent offenders involved in violent property crimes.

    Combining uniformed and undercover resources, officers employed a variety of tactics including surveillance and patrols by vehicle, foot, bike and ATV. The project involved collaboration with loss prevention officers, business owners and criminal-justice partners to remove repeat violent offenders from the community and streamline justice processes.

    The project resulted in 272 individuals investigated, 108 people charged with 271 offences, and 122 warrant arrests. Officers also seized weapons, drugs, cash and stolen property, issued 106 violation tickets, prohibited eight impaired drivers and impounded several vehicles.

    Cranbrook RCMP:

    Two projects with more than $148,000 in funding were used to engage with a prolific repeat violent offender who had committed armed robbery. The investigation and subsequent arrest disrupted the individual’s ongoing criminal activities, resulting in seized firearms and yielding evidence that resulted in Criminal Code charges.

    Kelowna RCMP:

    Three projects with more than $216,000 in funding were used to support a joint Lake Country and Kelowna RCMP operation targeting a violent offender’s property.

    Surveillance led to investigations into various property crime offenders and drug traffickers, resulting in recovered stolen vehicles and the seizure of drugs (meth, cocaine, fentanyl) and weapons, including 20 firearms, ammunition and a live grenade.

    Twenty-two individuals were investigated during this time, of whom five individuals were charged with 16 offences. Since the search warrant was enforced, there was a notable decrease in activity at the residence and the surrounding area.

    Prince George RCMP:

    To address rising violent crime and street disorder linked to the opioid crisis, homelessness and public disruptions in downtown Prince George, the RCMP secured more than $93,000 in SITE funding to support overtime patrols from November 2023 to April 2024.

    Overtime members conducted high-visibility patrols in violent crime hot spots, assisted with the removal of illegal encampments and disrupted ongoing criminal activity. The initiative resulted in more than 380 individuals investigated, including 12 ReVOII-prioritized individuals, 50 arrests on outstanding warrants, five breach-related arrests and 32 individuals charged with a total of 86 charges. Officers also seized numerous weapons and illicit substances. Throughout the initiative, officers engaged directly with business owners and civilians, who expressed strong appreciation for the increased police presence and its impact on community safety.

    Surrey police service (SPS):

    The SPS has received more than $181,000 for two projects focused on dealing with repeat violent offenders in the community.

    In December 2024, the SPS was notified of the imminent release of a high-priority ReVOII individual from provincial custody.

    In response, the SPS swiftly implemented an operational plan to conduct surveillance of the individual over a weekend period. This proactive approach allowed officers to gather updated intelligence on the offender. Within two weeks, the individual breached probation conditions and was arrested by SPS officers. During the arrest, a knife and a conducted energy weapon were seized. At the conclusion of the SITE-funded initiative, the ReVOII offender remained in custody.

    Surrey RCMP:

    When police of jurisdiction, the Surrey RCMP received almost $314,000 in SITE funding for six projects focused on dealing with repeat violent offenders in the community.

    Projects involved visible, proactive police work in specific areas of the city to prevent crime. Some were also done in conjunction with the Metro Vancouver Transit Police and involved uniformed foot patrols around Surrey’s transit hubs. These patrols aimed to make people feel safer and deter violence.

    Projects also focused on taking quick action to deal with a violent repeat offender living in the community.

    Vancouver Police Department (VPD):

    In Vancouver, more than $2 million has been allocated to the VPD to support 16 police operations to address repeat offending in the downtown core, particularly street disorder and associated forms of violent crime, including projects focused in the Downtown Eastside.

    In September 2024, the Province committed up to $1 million in SITE funding to the VPD for Project Brighthaven (part of Task Force Barrage) to address public safety concerns related to violence and street disorder in the Gastown and Hastings area.

    On Feb. 20, 2025, the VPD reported that in Hastings Crossing, violent crime decreased 27% between Oct. 1, 2024, and Jan. 31, 2025, compared to the preceding four months and was down 18% compared to the same period one year previously.

    In Gastown, assaults involving weapons and assaults causing bodily harm decreased by 45% compared to the preceding four months and were down 59% compared to the same period one year previously.

    Thanks to the SITE initiative, January 2025 saw the fewest number of violent crimes and property crimes in Hastings Crossing in more than two years.

    Victoria Police Department (VicPD):

    VicPD secured more than $150,000 in SITE funding to implement three iterations of Project Lifter, an initiative targeting organized retail theft involving violence.

    Through overtime patrols, officers worked in partnership with 13 retailers and more than 30 loss-prevention officers over 11 days. The initiative focused on individuals engaged in violent thefts and incorporated outreach efforts to connect repeat offenders with housing, substance-use and other community supports.

    The projects led to 141 individuals being investigated, 113 individuals charged and 155 charges recommended to Crown. Police also made 31 arrests for warrants or breaches, including 13 individuals arrested multiple times and two identified as ReVOII-prioritized. Officers seized a range of weapons, and recovered more than $65,000 in stolen merchandise.

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Upper Applegate Road Fire in Oregon

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Upper Applegate Road Fire in Oregon

    FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Upper Applegate Road Fire in Oregon

    BOTHELL, Wash

     –  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Upper Applegate Road Fire burning in Jackson County, Oregon

     The state of Oregon’s request for a declaration under FEMA’s Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) program was approved by FEMA Region 10 Acting Administrator Vincent J

    Maykovich on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 8:49 p

    m

    PT

    He determined that the Upper Applegate Road Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster

     This is the third FMAG declaration in 2025 to help fight Oregon wildfires

     At the time of the state’s request, the wildfire threatened homes in and around the communities of Upper Applegate, Ruch, and Buncom

     The fire was also threatening communication infrastructure, electric utilities, trail and campground recreation sites, watershed, fishing and spawning sites, environmental resources, and cultural resources

     FMAGs make funding available to pay up to 75 percent of a state’s eligible firefighting costs for fires that threaten to become major disasters

    Eligible items can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire

    These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire

      
    joy

    li
    Fri, 06/20/2025 – 17:37

    MIL OSI USA News