Category: Agriculture

MIL-OSI: FFB Bancorp Announces Second Quarter 2025 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

FRESNO, Calif., July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FFB Bancorp (the “Company”) (OTCQX: FFBB), the parent company of FFB Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $6.04 million, or $1.94 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $8.08 million, or $2.54 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2024, and $8.10 million, or $2.55 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2025.

For the six months ended June 30, 2025, net income was $14.13 million, or $4.50 per diluted share, compared to $15.87 million, or $4.99 per diluted share, for the same period in 2024. All results are unaudited.

Second Quarter 2025 Summary: As of, or for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2024:

Operating revenue (net interest income, before the provision for credit losses, plus non-interest income) increased 11% to $27.35 million.
Pre-tax, pre-provision income increased 1% to $11.58 million.
Net income decreased 25% to $6.04 million.
Return on average equity (“ROAE”) was 13.75%.
Return on average assets (“ROAA”) was 1.59%.
Net interest margin contracted 22 basis points to 5.09% from 5.31%.
Total assets increased 2% to $1.47 billion.
Total portfolio of loans increased 13% to $1.09 billion.
Total deposits increased 6% to $1.23 billion.
Shareholder equity increased 17% to $173.91 million.
Book value per common share increased 22% to $56.87.
The Company’s tangible common equity ratio was 11.80%, while the Bank’s regulatory leverage capital ratio was 14.41%, and the total risk-based capital ratio was 20.61% at June 30, 2025.

“During the quarter FFB Bank was recognized as #1 in American Banker’s top-performing public banks with under $2B in assets and #34 in S&P Global’s 100 best-performing US community banks of 2024, for bank’s under $3B in assets,” said Steve Miller, President & CEO. “This recognition is a testament to the consistent success we’ve enjoyed, and a reminder of the results we expect and continue to strive toward. As we navigate the challenges this year has brought, we’re proud to build upon our history of success.”

“During the quarter we have made continued and timely progress on the matters outlined in our consent order, although ultimate compliance will be determined by our regulators. We are confident we can continue to address these items going forward. Although the added resource allocation to properly address the order will have near-term impacts to our performance, we feel that building a best in-class compliance and risk frame-work will enable the bank to drive results over the long-term.”

Update on Stock Repurchase Program:

On January 22, 2025, the Company announced that it had authorized a plan to utilize up to $15.0 million of capital to repurchase shares of the Company’s common stock. As of June 30, 2025, the Company has repurchased 133,021 shares, at an average price of $76.79, totaling $10.22 million. This represents approximately 5.33% of total shareholders’ equity at June 30, 2025. During the second quarter of 2025 the Company repurchased 91,106 shares, at an average price of $74.58, totaling $6.79 million. These purchases represent approximately 3.54% of total shareholders’ equity at June 30, 2025.

Under the terms of the repurchase plan, the Company may repurchase shares of the Company’s common stock from time to time, through December 31, 2025, in open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions. Repurchases under the plan may also be made pursuant to a trading plan under Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which would permit shares to be repurchased by the Company when the Company might otherwise be precluded from doing so because of self-imposed trading blackout periods or other regulatory restrictions. The timing, manner, price and exact amount of any repurchases by the Company will be determined at the Company’s discretion and depend on various factors including the performance of the Company’s stock price, general market and economic conditions, applicable legal and regulatory requirements, availability of funds, and other relevant factors. Through December 31, 2025, the repurchase plan may be discontinued, suspended or restarted at any time.

Results of Operations

Quarter ended June 30, 2025:

Operating revenue, consisting of net interest income before the provision for credit losses and non-interest income, increased 11% to $27.35 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $24.73 million for the second quarter a year ago, and decreased 4% from $28.48 million for the first quarter of 2025.

Net interest income, before the provision for credit losses, increased 5% to $18.11 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $17.31 million for the same quarter a year ago, and decreased 4% to $18.90 million from last quarter. “Net interest income has benefited from strong loan portfolio growth, partially offset by higher funding costs,” said Bhavneet Gill, Chief Financial Officer. “We have been able to capitalize on a higher yielding loan portfolio, but that yield was impacted by a $261,000 interest reversal as loans, totaling $11.86 million, were placed on non-accrual during the quarter.”

The Company’s net interest margin (“NIM”) decreased by 22 basis points to 5.09% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 5.31% for the second quarter of 2024, and decreased 26 basis points from 5.35% for the preceding quarter. “The decrease in NIM is primarily the result of an increase in deposit and borrowing interest expense, and the decrease in investment interest income. During the quarter, average non-interest bearing deposits decreased $37.67 million. The resulting shift in the deposit portfolio saw the cost of deposits increase 13 basis points,” noted Gill. “During the second quarter of 2025 we sold $48.05 million in investment securities to generate liquidity ahead of anticipated deposit outflows due to ISO partner exits. That transaction was the driver of the decrease in investment interest income in the current quarter and will result in lower investment income in future quarters.”

The yield on earning assets was 6.18% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 6.40% for the second quarter a year ago, and 6.31% for the previous quarter. The cost to fund earning assets increased to 1.09% for the second quarter of 2025 compared to 0.96% for the previous quarter, and 1.10% for the same quarter a year earlier. This increase is the result of an increase in brokered deposits and overnight borrowings during the quarter due to ISO deposit outflow that occurred in early June.

Total non-interest income was $9.24 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $7.42 million for the second quarter of 2024, and $9.58 million for the previous quarter. The increase in non-interest income, from the second quarter of 2024, was driven by more gain on the sale of loans, higher merchant services revenue, and a reduction in loss on sale of investments. The quarter-over-quarter decrease in non-interest income was attributed to a decrease in merchant services revenue, partially offset by more gain on the sale of loans.

Merchant services revenue increased 9% to $6.61 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $6.07 million from the second quarter of 2024. The increase over prior year was primarily related to higher volume across ISO partner sponsorship lines and higher gross revenue related to FFB Payments. Merchant services revenue decreased from $7.86 million when compared to the first quarter of 2025 as a result of seasonality and the loss of a significant FFB Payments direct merchant.

During the first and second quarters of 2025, ISO Partner Sponsorship volumes included $2.78 billion and $2.56 billion in volume, respectively, for the ISO partners that were exited in the second quarter of 2025. Additionally, the first and second quarters of 2025 included ISO Partner Sponsorship revenues of $990,000 and $1.09 million, respectively, from the ISO partners that were exited in the second quarter of 2025. “These ISO exits were driven by our efforts to comply with the Consent Order and designed to ensure best in class oversight. We anticipate replacing this volume and revenue through growth in FFB Payments and with our remaining ISO partners as we move forward,” said Miller.

Merchant ISO Processing Volumes(in thousands)
Source	Q2 2025		Q1 2025		Q4 2024		Q3 2024		Q2 2024
ISO Partner Sponsorship	$	5,347,695	$	5,007,998	$	4,891,643	$	4,556,868	$	4,391,365
FFB Payments – Sub-ISO Merchants		20,766		21,551		22,950		24,661		24,414
FFB Payments – Direct Merchants		71,746		97,095		91,133		64,512		76,059
Total volume	$	5,440,207	$	5,126,644	$	5,005,726	$	4,646,041	$	4,491,838

Merchant ISO Processing Revenues(in thousands)
Source of Revenue	Q2 2025		Q1 2025		Q4 2024		Q3 2024		Q2 2024
Net Revenue*:
ISO Partner Sponsorship	$	2,654	$	2,410	$	2,535	$	2,284	$	2,156

Gross Revenue:
FFB Payments – Sub-ISO Merchants		727		745		764		810		795
FFB Payments – Direct Merchants		3,228		4,709		4,262		2,476		3,117
		3,955		5,454		5,026		3,286		3,912
Gross Expense:
FFB Payments – Sub-ISO Merchants		708		616		638		723		675
FFB Payments – Direct Merchants		2,179		2,558		2,511		1,766		1,989
		2,887		3,174		3,149		2,489		2,664
Net Revenue:
FFB Payments – Sub-ISO Merchants		19		129		126		87		120
FFB Payments – Direct Merchants		1,049		2,151		1,751		710		1,128
FFB Payments Net Revenue		1,068		2,280		1,877		797		1,248
Net Merchant Services Income:	$	3,722	$	4,690	$	4,412	$	3,081	$	3,404
_{*ISO Partnership Sponsorship is recognized net of expense in Merchant Services Income. FFB Payments revenues are recognized gross in Merchant Services Income and Merchant Services expenses are recognized in Non-Interest Expense.}

Total deposit fee income increased 1% to $854,000 for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $847,000 for the second quarter of 2024, and increased 1% from $849,000 for the previous quarter.

There was a $1.45 million gain on the sale of loans during the second quarter of 2025, compared to a gain on the sale of loans of $509,000 during the second quarter 2024, and a gain on the sale of loans of $261,000 in the previous quarter. There was a $243,000 loss on the sale of investments during the second quarter of 2025, compared to a $459,000 loss recorded during the second quarter of 2024, and no loss recorded in the previous quarter. The gain on the sale of loans was the result of $16.95 million in SBA loans sold and a $31.77 million RE-multifamily loan sale package that was completed during the quarter. These sales contributed $968,000 and $482,000 in gain respectively.

Non-interest expense increased 19% to $15.77 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $13.29 million for the second quarter 2024, and decreased 4% from $16.47 million from the previous quarter. The increase on a year-over-year comparison was driven by increases in salaries and employee benefits expense, and increases in other operating expense, primarily data and software related expenses and professional fees. Compared to the first quarter of 2025 the decrease in non-interest expense was attributed to a decrease in merchant services operating expenses, marketing expense, director fess, and operational losses.

Salaries and employee benefits increased 19% to $8.00 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $6.72 million for the second quarter 2024. The increase year-over-year was primarily the result of expense associated with the increase in full-time employees. Full-time employees increased to 181 at June 30, 2025, compared to 147 full-time employees a year earlier, and 175 full-time employees from the previous quarter. Total salaries and employee benefits decreased 1% from $8.06 million in the previous quarter. The decrease when compared to the first quarter of 2025 is the result of a decrease in payroll tax expense and increased loan originations, partially offset by higher salary expense from additional full-time employees. Compensation related direct costs associated with loan originations offset salary and employee benefits expense upon loan origination.

Occupancy and equipment expenses decreased 19% from a year ago, representing 2% of non-interest expense, and remained consistent with the preceding quarter. Merchant operating expense totaled $2.89 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $2.66 million for the second quarter of 2024 and $3.17 million for the previous quarter. The change in merchant operating expense is attributed to fluctuations in volume and revenue for the FFB Payments lines of business. Merchant operating expenses include interchange fees, chargebacks, partnership fees, and other card brand fees.

Other operating expense increased 31% or $1.07 million to $4.53 million from a year earlier and decreased 7% or $357,000 from the previous quarter. The year-over-year increase was driven by increases of $458,000 in data and software related expense, $327,000 in professional fees, $136,000 in regulatory assessment expense, and $127,000 in marketing expense. The increase in data and software expense and professional fees, which include legal, audit, and consulting fees, are primarily due to actions taken to enhance the Company’s AML/CFT, compliance, and merchant services programs.

The efficiency ratio was 57.15% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 52.74% for the same quarter a year ago, and 57.83% for the preceding quarter. The efficiency ratio can fluctuate period-over-period based on changes in merchant services’ gross revenues and associated expenses. The Company also calculates an adjusted efficiency ratio where the merchant services’ gross expense, which is included in non-interest expense, is netted against merchant services’ revenue in non-interest income. The adjusted efficiency ratio was 52.14% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 47.15% for the same quarter a year ago, and 52.54% for the previous quarter.

“Over the last few quarters, we’ve made intentional investments in people and technology to ensure that the bank can efficiently scale moving forward, and specifically to support our payment ecosystem, product development, regional expansion, and compliance/risk management initiatives. We saw elevated legal, audit, and technology related expenses in the first half of the year mostly related to addressing the Consent Order,” said Miller.

Six months ended June 30, 2025:

For the six months ended June 30, 2025, operating revenue increased 15% to $55.83 million, compared to $48.34 million for the same period in 2024. For the six months ended June 30, 2025, net interest income before the provision for credit losses increased 11% to $37.01 million, compared to $33.44 million for the same period in 2024. The increase in revenue is attributed to growth in the loan portfolio, partially offset by a decrease in investment interest income, an increase in interest bearing liabilities, and the cost of funds. For the six months ended June 30, 2025, the yield on earning assets was 6.24% compared to 6.27% for the same period in 2024, while the cost to fund earning assets was 1.02% for the six months ended June 30, 2025, compared to 1.05% for the same period in 2024.

For the six months ended June 30, 2025, non-interest income increased 26% to $18.82 million compared to $14.90 million for the same period in 2024. Deposit fee income increased 4% to $1.70 million resulting from growth in business demand deposit accounts. The year-over-year growth in non-interest income was also largely attributable to the decrease in loss on sale of investments, an increase in the gain on sale of loans, and an increase in merchant services revenue.

For the six months ended June 30, 2025, operating expenses increased by 24% to $32.24 million from $25.99 million for the same period in 2024. Salaries and employee benefits expense increased 21% to $16.06 million as a result of the increase in FTE. There was a 21% increase in merchant services operating expenses, to $6.06 million, which represents 19% of total operating expenses for six months ended June 30, 2025. Other operating expenses increased 38% to $9.41 million due to a $711,000 increase in technology related expenses, increases of $683,000 in professional fees, and increase of $389,000 in marketing expense, and a $293,000 increase in operational losses.

For the six months ended June 30, 2025, the efficiency ratio was 57.49%, compared to 52.85% for the same period ended June 30, 2024. The adjusted efficiency ratio was 52.34%, compared to 47.48% for the same period ended June 30, 2024.

Balance Sheet Review

Total assets increased 2% to $1.47 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.44 billion at June 30, 2024, and decreased 6% compared to March 31, 2025.

The total portfolio of loans increased 13%, or $122.20 million, to $1.09 billion, compared to $969.76 million at June 30, 2024, and remained consistent with the $1.09 billion reported at March 31, 2025.

Commercial real estate loans increased 22% year-over-year to $683.74 million, representing 63% of total loans at June 30, 2025. The CRE portfolio includes approximately $254.16 million in multi-family loans originated by the Southern California team that the Company may consider selling at some point in the future for liquidity and concentration management. The multi-family portfolio includes $74.32 million in short-term bridge loans for transitional projects of multi-family properties. The short-term bridge loans are conservatively underwritten with minimum DSCR and liquidity requirements. The bank continues to market our bridge loan product in a more measured approach, keeping to our conservative underwriting standards. The real estate construction and land development loan portfolio decreased 84% from a year ago to $12.78 million, representing 1% of total loans, while residential RE 1-4 family loans totaled $17.07 million, or 2% of loans, at June 30, 2025, compared to $17.44 million one year ago.

The commercial and industrial (C&I) portfolio increased 15% to $266.81 million, at June 30, 2025, compared to $232.79 million a year earlier, and increased 3% from $260.06 million at March 31, 2025. C&I loans represented 24% of total loans at June 30, 2025. Agriculture loans represented 10% of the loan portfolio at June 30, 2025. At June 30, 2025, the SBA, USDA, and other government agencies guaranteed loans totaled $53.36 million, or 4.9% of the loan portfolio.

Investment securities totaled $254.18 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $345.49 million a year earlier, and decreased $59.65 million from $313.83 million at March 31, 2025. Investment securities were sold during the quarter to generate liquidity ahead of anticipated deposit outflows due to ISO partner exits. The investment portfolio consists of mortgage-backed and municipal securities, both tax exempt and taxable, treasury securities as well as other domestic debt. At June 30, 2025, the Company had a net unrealized loss position on its investment securities portfolio of $25.41 million, compared to a net unrealized loss of $24.50 million at March 31, 2025. The Company’s investment securities portfolio had an effective duration of 6.26 years at June 30, 2025, compared to 5.61 years at March 31, 2025.

Total deposits increased 6%, or $65.69 million, to $1.23 billion at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.17 billion from a year earlier, and decreased $85.73 million from $1.32 billion at March 31, 2025. Non-interest bearing demand deposits increased 4% to $759.30 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $731.03 million at June 30, 2024, and decreased $66.10 million from $825.40 million at March 31, 2025. Non-interest bearing demand deposits represented 61% of total deposits at June 30, 2025. During the second quarter of 2025 non-interest bearing demand deposits were reduced by $111.20 million due to ISO partner exits completed in early June 2025. Certificates of deposits increased 49%, or $55.01 million, during the quarter primarily due to the addition of $51.00 million in brokered deposits that mature over the next 12 months.

Included in non-interest bearing deposits at June 30, 2025 are $75.83 million from ISO partners for merchant reserves, $45.24 million from ISO partners for settlement, and $11.61 million in ISO partner operating accounts, totaling $132.68 million. These deposits represent 17.5% of non-interest bearing deposits and 10.7% of total deposits.

Within the $132.68 million in ISO partner deposits retained as of June 30, 2025 are $29.56 million in deposits for ISO partners being exited in the second half of 2025. The Bank plans to replace these non-interest bearing deposits with growth from new Bank customers in its markets and from the existing ISO partners it will continue to support. In the short-term, the new deposit growth will likely be made up of a higher percentage of interest bearing deposits.

There was $16.00 million in short-term borrowings at June 30, 2025, compared to $68.00 million at June 30, 2024, and $10.00 million at March 31, 2025. The Company primarily utilizes FHLB advances and the Federal Reserve discount window for short-term borrowings. The following table summarizes the Company’s primary and secondary sources of liquidity which were available at June 30, 2025:

Liquidity Source (in thousands)	June 30, 2025		March 31, 2025

Cash and cash equivalents	$	77,244	$	103,071
Unpledged investment securities, fair value		67,952		104,732
FHLB advance capacity		293,198		338,036
Federal Reserve discount window capacity		162,755		130,590
Correspondent bank unsecured lines of credit		71,500		71,500
	$	672,649	$	747,929

The total primary and secondary liquidity of $672.65 million at June 30, 2025 represents a decrease of $75.28 million in primary and secondary liquidity quarter-over-quarter. The decreases in unpledged investment securities and the FHLB advance capacity are the result of investment and loan sales that occurred during the quarter.

Shareholders’ equity increased 17% to $173.91 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $148.64 million from a year ago, and decreased slightly from the $174.71 million reported at March 31, 2025. Book value per common share increased 22% to $56.87, at June 30, 2025, compared to $46.79 at June 30, 2024, and increased 2% from $55.52 at March 31, 2025. The tangible common equity ratio was 11.80% at June 30, 2025, compared to 10.30% a year earlier, and 11.20% at March 31, 2025. Book value improved as a result of quarterly net income and a reduction in shares outstanding through the bank’s strategic share repurchase program.

At the Bank level, unrealized losses and gains reflected in AOCI are not included in regulatory capital. As a result, Tier-1 capital at the Bank for regulatory purposes was $222.14 million at quarter end excluding the unrealized loss. The regulatory leverage capital ratio was 14.41% for the current quarter, while the total risk-based capital ratio was 20.61%, exceeding regulatory minimums to be considered well-capitalized.

Asset Quality

Nonperforming assets, which consists of nonperforming loans and other real estate owned, increased to $27.23 million, or 1.85% of total assets, at June 30, 2025, compared to $15.37 million, or 0.98% of total assets, from the previous quarter. Of the $26.29 million in nonperforming loans, $10.98 million are covered by SBA guarantees. Total delinquent loans decreased to $2.86 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $19.12 million at March 31, 2025. The increase in nonperforming loans is primarily the result of two multi-family loans, which are real estate secured, totaling $10.00 million to a related group of borrowers. These loans were included in the delinquent balances for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. As a result of their non-accrual status, the balance of the loans exceeding the real estate collateral value is reserved for in the allowance for credit loss, resulting in $1.62 million of additional reserve. The Bank is working closely with the borrowers as they work through stabilization and sale of the properties.

Past due loans 30-60 days were $1.80 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $17.53 million at March 31, 2025, and $1.05 million at June 30, 2024. There were $1.02 million past due loans from 60-90 days at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.54 million at March 31, 2025 and $175,000 in past due loans from 60-90 days a year earlier. Past due loans 90+ days at quarter end totaled $46,000 at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.05 million, at June 30, 2024. Of the $2.86 million in past due loans at June 30, 2025, $965,000 were purchased government guaranteed loans, which are guaranteed by the SBA for the full payment of the principal plus interest.

Delinquent Loan Summary	Organic		Purchased Govt. Guaranteed		Total
(in thousands)	Organic		Purchased Govt. Guaranteed		Total

Delinquent accruing loans 30-59 days	$	877	$	919	$	1,796
Delinquent accruing loans 60-89 days		1,020		—		1,020
Delinquent accruing loans 90+ days		—		46		46
Total delinquent accruing loans	$	1,897	$	965	$	2,862

Non-Accrual Loan Summary	Organic		Purchased Govt. Guaranteed		Total
(in thousands)	Organic		Purchased Govt. Guaranteed		Total

Loans on non-accrual	$	26,285	$	—	$	26,285
Non-accrual loans with SBA guarantees		10,979		—		10,979
Net Bank exposure to non-accrual loans	$	15,306	$	—	$	15,306

There was a $3.16 million provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $291,000 provision for credit losses in the second quarter a year ago, and a $1.16 million provision for credit losses booked in the first quarter of 2025. The provision recorded during the second quarter of 2025 is the result of changes in loan portfolio concentrations, net charge-offs recognized, and a $10.92 million increase in total non-accrual loans which were individually evaluated in the allowance for credit losses.

The ratio of allowance for credit losses to total loans was 1.40% at June 30, 2025, compared to 1.11% a year earlier and 1.18% at March 31, 2025. The Company individually evaluates non-accrual loans in the allowance for credit losses which has resulted in carrying a higher level of reserve.

During the second quarter of 2025 the Bank recorded $949,000 in other real estate owned (“OREO”). This OREO was the result of a loan foreclosure completed during the quarter where the bank acquired a single-family-residence property as payment through collateral. The property is in good condition and is anticipated to sell during the second half of 2025.

“As SBA loans have historically been the primary driver of nonperforming loans, the portfolio is watched very closely. Rates have increased so rapidly over the last two years putting pressure on borrowers. A majority of the loans within the portfolio are floating rate loans tied to WSJ Prime and reset quarterly. Borrowers saw a 50bps reduction in their rates on January 1, 2025 and additional rate relief may occur during the second half of 2025,” added Miller. “The ratio of allowance for credit losses to the total, non-guaranteed, loan portfolio was 1.48%, as of June 30, 2025, and our total non-guaranteed exposure on these SBA loans is $44.61 million spread over 222 loans.”

“We incurred net charge offs of $605,000 during the current quarter, compared to $27,000 in net recoveries in the second quarter a year ago, and $167,000 in net charge offs in the previous quarter,” said Miller. “Our loan portfolio increased 13% from a year ago with commercial real estate (“CRE”) loans representing 63% of the total loan portfolio. Within the CRE portfolio, there are $49.90 million in loans for CRE office as shown in the table below. Since the majority of our CRE office exposure is concentrated in the Central Valley, we are experiencing less volatility than city center CRE markets. Our credit metrics remain strong as we continue to maintain conservative underwriting standards.”

(in thousands)	CRE Office Exposure of June 30, 2025
Region	Owner-Occupied		Non-Owner Occupied		Total
Central Valley	$	24,611	$	17,268	$	41,879
Southern California		2,262		350		2,612
Other California		4,463		417		4,880
Total California		31,336		18,035		49,371
Out of California		—		524		524
Total CRE Office	$	31,336	$	18,559	$	49,895

About FFB Bancorp

FFB Bancorp, formerly Communities First Financial Corporation, a bank holding company established in 2014, is the parent company of FFB Bank, founded in 2005 in Fresno, California. As a leading SBA Lender in California’s Central Valley and one of the few direct acquiring banks in the United States, FFB Bank offers clients a range of personal and business checking accounts, payment processes, and loan programs. Among the Bank’s awards and accomplishments, it was ranked #1 on American Banker’s list of the Top 20 Publicly Traded Banks under $2 Billion in Assets for 2024. The Bank was also ranked by S&P Global as the #34 best performing US community bank under $3 billion in assets. The Company has also received recognition as part of the OTCQX Best 50 Companies for 2019, 2023, and 2024. For additional information, you can visit the Company’s website at www.ffb.bank or by contacting a representative at 559-439-0200.

Forward Looking Statements

This earnings release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance, nor should they be relied upon as representing management’s views as of any subsequent date. The forward-looking statements are based on managements’ expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially include, without limitation, the Company’s ability to effectively execute its business plans; the impact of the Consent Order on our financial condition and results of operations; changes in general economic and financial market conditions; changes in interest rates, and in particular, actions taken by the Federal Reserve to try and control inflation; changes in the competitive environment; continuing consolidation in the financial services industry; new litigation or changes in existing litigation; losses, customer bankruptcy, claims and assessments; changes in banking regulations or other regulatory or legislative requirements affecting the Company’s business; international developments; the tariff strategy of the Trump administration, and its related effects on the agriculture industry and connected businesses in the Central Valley; and changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other regulatory agencies. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to the forward-looking statements included herein to reflect events or circumstances after today, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Member FDIC

Select Financial Information and Ratios	For the Quarter Ended:									Year to Date as of:
Select Financial Information and Ratios	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024			June 30, 2025			June 30, 2024
BALANCE SHEET – ENDING BALANCES:
Total assets	$	1,473,927		$	1,560,376		$	1,443,723
Total portfolio loans		1,091,964			1,092,441			969,764
Investment securities		254,177			313,826			345,491
Total deposits		1,234,648			1,320,381			1,168,957
Shareholders equity, net		173,908			174,711			148,640

INCOME STATEMENT DATA
Operating revenue		27,349			28,476			24,729			55,825			48,340
Operating expense		15,768			16,467			13,285			32,235			25,986
Pre-tax, pre-provision income		11,581			12,009			11,444			23,590			22,354
Net income after tax		6,036			8,098			8,076			14,134			15,866

SHARE DATA
Basic earnings per share	$	1.95		$	2.56		$	2.54		$	4.51		$	5.00
Fully diluted EPS	$	1.94		$	2.55		$	2.54		$	4.50		$	4.99
Book value per common share	$	56.87		$	55.52		$	46.79
Common shares outstanding		3,057,874			3,146,727			3,176,611
Fully diluted shares		3,104,067			3,175,178			3,183,844			3,139,346			3,178,974
FFBB – Stock price	$	78.00		$	76.50		$	89.00

RATIOS
Return on average assets		1.59	%		2.14	%		2.31	%		1.86	%		2.32	%
Return on average equity		13.75	%		18.83	%		22.89	%		16.26	%		23.08	%
Efficiency ratio		57.15	%		57.83	%		52.74	%		57.49	%		52.85	%
Adjusted efficiency ratio		52.14	%		52.54	%		47.15	%		52.34	%		47.48	%
Yield on earning assets		6.18	%		6.31	%		6.40	%		6.24	%		6.27	%
Yield on investment securities		4.13	%		4.36	%		4.60	%		4.25	%		4.54	%
Yield on portfolio loans		6.70	%		6.81	%		6.89	%		6.75	%		6.79	%
Cost to fund earning assets		1.09	%		0.96	%		1.10	%		1.02	%		1.05	%
Cost of interest-bearing deposits		2.81	%		2.60	%		2.75	%		2.71	%		2.73	%
Net Interest Margin		5.09	%		5.35	%		5.31	%		5.22	%		5.22	%
Equity to assets		11.80	%		11.20	%		10.30	%
Net loan to deposit ratio		88.44	%		82.74	%		82.96	%
Full time equivalent employees		181			175			147

BALANCE SHEET – AVERAGES
Total assets		1,525,601			1,531,573			1,407,255			1,528,570			1,377,447
Total portfolio loans		1,112,380			1,076,848			954,871			1,094,712			940,216
Investment securities		289,127			325,699			334,416			307,312			325,117
Total deposits		1,281,357			1,300,550			1,199,124			1,290,901			1,164,121
Shareholders equity, net		176,074			174,410			141,881			175,247			138,251

Consolidated Balance Sheet (unaudited)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
(in thousands)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
ASSETS
Cash and due from banks	$	55,897		$	83,033		$	46,477
Interest bearing deposits in banks		21,347			20,038			26,842
CDs in other banks		1,722			1,724			1,683
Investment securities		254,177			313,826			345,491
Loans held for sale		—			—			—

Construction & land development		12,784			12,649			79,132
Residential RE 1-4 family		17,066			17,146			17,439
Commercial real estate		683,743			696,625			562,548
Agriculture		109,926			104,616			77,518
Commercial and industrial		266,810			260,063			232,786
Consumer and other		1,635			1,342			341
Portfolio loans		1,091,964			1,092,441			969,764
Deferred fees & discounts		(3,541	)		(3,946	)		(4,106	)
Allowance for credit losses		(15,330	)		(12,913	)		(10,749	)
Loans, net		1,073,093			1,075,582			954,909

Non-marketable equity investments		9,809			8,890			8,440
Cash value of life insurance		12,594			12,496			12,211
Other real estate owned		949			—			—
Accrued interest and other assets		44,339			44,787			47,670
Total assets	$	1,473,927		$	1,560,376		$	1,443,723

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Non-interest bearing deposits	$	759,300		$	825,404		$	731,030
Interest checking		75,815			109,555			75,907
Savings		49,657			54,686			51,052
Money market		183,071			218,940			184,495
Certificates of deposits		166,805			111,796			126,473
Total deposits		1,234,648			1,320,381			1,168,957
Short-term borrowings		16,000			10,000			68,000
Long-term debt		38,086			38,046			39,678
Other liabilities		11,285			17,238			18,448
Total liabilities		1,300,019			1,385,665			1,295,083

Common stock		29,501			35,693			37,430
Retained earnings		162,272			156,235			129,856
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(17,865	)		(17,217	)		(18,646	)
Shareholders’ equity		173,908			174,711			148,640
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	1,473,927		$	1,560,376		$	1,443,723

Consolidated Income Statement (unaudited)	Quarter ended:								Year ended:
(in thousands)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025		June 30, 2024			June 30, 2025			June 30, 2024

INTEREST INCOME:
Loan interest income	$	18,582		$	18,069	$	16,354		$	36,651		$	31,726
Investment income		2,978			3,499		3,823			6,477			7,335
Int. on fed funds & CDs in other banks		270			574		316			844			572
Dividends from non-marketable equity		141			132		394			272			523
Total interest income		21,971			22,274		20,887			44,244			40,156

INTEREST EXPENSE:
Int. on deposits		3,288			2,891		3,008			6,178			5,526
Int. on short-term borrowings		126			31		109			158			258
Int. on long-term debt		451			451		464			902			929
Total interest expense		3,865			3,373		3,581			7,238			6,713
Net interest income		18,106			18,901		17,306			37,006			33,443
PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES		3,157			1,164		291			4,321			670
Net interest income after provision		14,949			17,737		17,015			32,685			32,773

NON-INTEREST INCOME:
Total deposit fee income		854			849		847			1,703			1,643
Debit / credit card interchange income		215			191		186			407			353
Merchant services income		6,609			7,864		6,068			14,473			12,137
Gain on sale of loans		1,446			261		509			1,707			961
Loss on sale of investments		(243	)		—		(459	)		(243	)		(833	)
Other operating income		362			410		272			772			636
Total non-interest income		9,243			9,575		7,423			18,819			14,897

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE:
Salaries & employee benefits		8,002			8,056		6,724			16,058			13,306
Occupancy expense		352			353		437			705			820
Merchant services operating expense		2,887			3,174		2,664			6,060			5,023
Other operating expense		4,527			4,884		3,460			9,412			6,837
Total non-interest expense		15,768			16,467		13,285			32,235			25,986

Income before provision for income tax		8,424			10,845		11,153			19,269			21,684
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES		2,388			2,747		3,077			5,135			5,818
Net income	$	6,036		$	8,098	$	8,076		$	14,134		$	15,866

ASSET QUALITY	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
(in thousands)	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			June 30, 2024
Delinquent accruing loans 30-60 days	$	1,796		$	17,533		$	1,046
Delinquent accruing loans 60-90 days		1,020			1,537			175
Delinquent accruing loans 90+ days		46			46			1,052
Total delinquent accruing loans	$	2,862		$	19,116		$	2,273

Loans on non-accrual	$	26,285		$	15,366		$	11,250
Other real estate owned		949			—			—
Nonperforming assets	$	27,234		$	15,366		$	11,250

Delinquent 30-60 / Total Loans		0.16	%		1.60	%		0.11	%
Delinquent 60-90 / Total Loans		0.09	%		0.14	%		0.02	%
Delinquent 90+ / Total Loans		—	%		—	%		0.11	%
Delinquent Loans / Total Loans		0.26	%		1.75	%		0.23	%
Non-accrual / Total Loans		2.41	%		1.41	%		1.16	%
Nonperforming assets to total assets		1.85	%		0.98	%		0.78	%

Year-to-date charge-off activity
Charge-offs	$	772		$	167		$	—
Recoveries		—			—			31
Net charge-offs (recoveries)	$	772		$	167		$	(31	)
Annualized net loan losses to average loans		0.14	%		0.06	%		(0.01	)%

CREDIT LOSS RESERVE RATIOS:
Allowance for credit losses	$	15,330		$	12,913		$	10,749

Total loans	$	1,091,964		$	1,092,441		$	969,764
Purchased govt. guaranteed loans	$	15,138		$	16,081		$	18,141
Originated govt. guaranteed loans	$	38,224		$	45,285		$	41,201

ACL / Total loans		1.40	%		1.18	%		1.11	%
ACL / Loans less 100% govt. gte. loans (purchased)		1.42	%		1.20	%		1.13	%
ACL / Loans less all govt. guaranteed loans		1.48	%		1.25	%		1.18	%
ACL / Total assets		1.04	%		0.83	%		0.74	%

SELECT FINANCIAL TREND INFORMATION	For the Quarter Ended:
SELECT FINANCIAL TREND INFORMATION	June 30, 2025			March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024			September 30, 2024			June 30, 2024
BALANCE SHEET – PERIOD END
Total assets	$	1,473,927		$	1,560,376		$	1,504,128		$	1,512,241		$	1,443,723
Loans held for sale		—			—			—			—			—
Loans held for investment		1,091,964			1,092,441			1,071,079			998,222			969,764
Investment securities		254,177			313,826			322,186			345,428			345,491

Non-interest bearing deposits		759,300			825,404			828,508			826,708			731,030
Interest bearing deposits		475,348			494,977			455,869			460,241			437,927
Total deposits		1,234,648			1,320,381			1,284,377			1,286,949			1,168,957
Short-term borrowings		16,000			10,000			—			—			68,000
Long-term debt		38,086			38,046			38,007			37,967			39,678

Total equity		191,773			191,928			186,574			176,350			167,286
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(17,865	)		(17,217	)		(18,182	)		(12,715	)		(18,646	)
Shareholders’ equity		173,908			174,711			168,392			163,635			148,640

QUARTERLY INCOME STATEMENT
Interest income	$	21,971		$	22,274		$	22,403		$	21,404		$	20,887
Interest expense		3,865			3,373			3,591			3,617			3,581
Net interest income		18,106			18,901			18,812			17,787			17,306
Non-interest income		9,243			9,575			9,435			7,616			7,423
Gross revenue		27,349			28,476			28,247			25,403			24,729

Provision for credit losses		3,157			1,164			1,671			762			291

Non-interest expense		15,768			16,467			13,270			12,735			13,285
Net income before tax		8,424			10,845			13,306			11,906			11,153
Tax provision		2,388			2,747			3,588			3,343			3,077
Net income after tax		6,036			8,098			9,718			8,563			8,076

BALANCE SHEET – AVERAGE BALANCE
Total assets	$	1,525,601		$	1,531,573		$	1,529,439		$	1,477,259		$	1,704,255
Loans held for sale		—			—			—			—			—
Loans held for investment		1,112,380			1,076,848			1,038,215			982,152			954,871
Investment securities		289,127			325,699			333,135			343,096			334,416

Non-interest bearing deposits		812,753			850,426			838,748			822,200			758,977
Interest bearing deposits		468,604			450,124			460,321			432,143			440,147
Total deposits		1,281,357			1,300,550			1,299,069			1,254,343			1,199,124
Short-term borrowings		11,110			2,856			951			—			10,053
Long-term debt		38,068			38,028			37,989			39,479			39,660

Shareholders’ equity		176,074			174,410			167,268			161,363			141,881

Contact:	Steve Miller – President & CEO
	Bhavneet Gill – EVP & CFO
	(559) 439-0200

The MIL Network –

July 24, 2025

MIL-OSI Economics: Canada contributes CAD 250,000 for food, animal and plant health standards

Source: WTO

Headline: Canada contributes CAD 250,000 for food, animal and plant health standards

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed Canada’s donation: “Compliance with international standards enhances food security in both importing and exporting countries by facilitating trade in agricultural products. The long-term impact of STDF-related programs will benefit producers, traders and governments along global and regional value chains, helping them raise export revenues, income levels and living standards. The STDF will continue to facilitate inclusive and safe trade worldwide, in close partnership with Canada.”
Heath MacDonald, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, said: “The Government of Canada will continue to support global efforts to adopt international standards for food safety and animal and plant health. Investing in larger-scale capacity building projects, like the Standards and Trade Development Facility, will help improve food security, reduce poverty, and promote sustainable economic growth around the world.”
Beyond participation in the STDF Working Group, Canadian officials have shared expertise to strengthen the delivery of STDF projects. This includes innovative projects to pilot the use of Codex Guidelines on voluntary third-party assurance programmes (vTPA) in Africa and Central America for more effective risk-based food safety systems. For instance, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) hosted a learning visit for regulators from Honduras and Belize in 2024, and co-organized webinars in March and April 2025 attended by more than 100 experts, many in Africa, to share insights from Canada’s risk-based food safety model. Additionally, the CFIA will host a learning visit for regulators from Rwanda and Uganda in September 2025, as a follow up to the April 2025 webinar and to further share information on this model.
This donation underscores Canada’s major and long-standing commitment to the STDF’s programme goal, bringing its total contributions to CHF 7.6 million since 2005.
Canada has contributed over CHF 15 million to WTO trust funds over the past 23 years.
The STDF is a global multi-stakeholder partnership that promotes safe and inclusive trade. It was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), and the WTO, which houses and manages the partnership.
In support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the STDF responds to evolving SPS needs, drives inclusive trade and contributes to sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, food security and resilience to climate change.
Developing economies and least developed countries are encouraged to apply to the STDF for SPS project and project preparation grants. Information on how to apply is available here.
To date, the STDF has funded over 260 safe trade projects benefiting developing and least developed country economies.

MIL OSI Economics –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jobs unlocked as first wave of hydrogen projects sign contracts

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Jobs unlocked as first wave of hydrogen projects sign contracts

10 projects from the first phase of the government’s flagship hydrogen programme can begin construction.

Spades in the ground as 10 of the UK’s first commercial-scale green hydrogen projects sign contracts, boosting growth as part of Plan for Change
homegrown, green hydrogen to fuel range of British business and industry with clean power, from tissue manufacturing and waste disposal to breweries and bus services
projects to unlock more than 700 good jobs across Britain in the clean energy industries of the future, while delivering on clean energy mission and industrial strategy

Skilled jobs will be created in Britain’s industrial heartlands, as the first commercial-scale green hydrogen projects in the country sign long-term contracts to fuel heavy industry with clean, homegrown energy.

In an update to the hydrogen market, the government has confirmed that 10 projects from the first phase of its flagship hydrogen programme – Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) – can begin construction, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.  

This means spades can now enter the ground across the country in a major boost to the UK’s hydrogen industry, creating highly skilled jobs in industrial cities and regions such as South Wales, Bradford (North West), North Scotland and Teesside (North East).

These projects will support British industry to move away from using fossil fuels towards domestically-produced low-carbon hydrogen, reducing emissions heavy industry – such as steel, glass and heavy transport – ensuring decarbonisation is a route to reindustrialisation.

The HyMarnham project in Newark, Nottinghamshire has already started construction. The project is transforming the old High Marnham coal-fired power station into a clean energy hub by using hydrogen to decarbonise waste disposal operations.

Cromarty Hydrogen Project in Northeast Scotland is another of the 10 projects. The project’s 3 5MW electrolysers – which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen – will power local industrial users, including distilleries.

Taken together, the projects are expected to create over 700 jobs, including roles for apprentices, graduates, pipefitters and engineers. They are also expected to bring in over £400 million of private capital investment which has been committed between 2024 and 2026 – driving economic growth and British innovation through the Plan for Change.

The update comes as Andrex and Kleenex producer Kimberly-Clark announces that it will be the first major consumer goods company in the UK to make a significant commitment to green hydrogen. Kimberly-Clark, together with energy partners HYRO, Carlton Power, and Schroders Greencoat, will invest a combined £125 million into HAR1 projects at two plants in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and Northfleet, Kent.

Minister for Industry, Sarah Jones, said:

This government is rolling out hydrogen out at scale for the first time, with 10 of the first projects now shovel-ready to start powering businesses with clean, homegrown energy from Teesside to Devon.

Hydrogen will help us cut industrial emissions and support Britain’s industrial renewal by creating thousands of jobs in our industrial heartlands as part of the Plan for Change.

Neil McDermott, Chief Executive of Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), said:

LCCC is proud to have signed the UK’s first Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreements, supporting the development of projects under the Hydrogen Production Business Model.

These agreements provide revenue stability for producers, and a clear signal that low-carbon hydrogen has a key role to play in the UK’s future energy system.

We look forward to working closely with project developers to bring these projects into operation.

Dan Howell, Managing Director at Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland said:

We are delighted to be the first UK consumer goods manufacturer to really embrace green hydrogen, showing that manufacturing industries can take the lead and overcome the technical challenge and adopt green hydrogen at scale. This initiative builds on the investments and progress we’ve already made with innovative technologies for our business, our consumers and our customers.

Today’s announcement follows the Spending Review which saw an extra £500 million confirmed for the first ever hydrogen transport and storage network as part of Britain’s industrial renewal, connecting hydrogen producers with vital end users, including power stations and industry for the first time.

The government has also announced that it will consult on transmission-level hydrogen blending – assessing the economic and technical feasibility for hydrogen to be blended into the networks that are the backbone of Britain’s gas system, before it is safely transported into homes and businesses.

Hydrogen transmission blending has the potential to reduce costs for hydrogen production projects and the wider energy system, and the consultation will also gather evidence to assess whether hydrogen blending could lower consumers’ energy bills.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:

Signing these contracts demonstrates the confidence and commitment of both the government and industry in building a sustainable hydrogen sector.

Our members are at the forefront of this transition, and their projects will play a vital role in meeting the UK’s net-zero targets while driving economic growth and job creation.

Dr Emma Guthrie, CEO of the Hydrogen Energy Association, said:

This announcement marks a significant and encouraging milestone for the UK’s hydrogen sector.

The signing of contracts for 10 projects under HAR1 provides vital momentum and confidence for industry and investors alike.

We look forward to seeing these projects move into the next phase, helping to scale up the UK’s low carbon hydrogen economy.

Pierre de Raphélis-Soissan, CEO of Hynamics UK who are developing the Tees Green Hydrogen project, said:

We are delighted that Tees Green Hydrogen has successfully signed a contract as part of the Hydrogen Allocation Round.

We are committed to advancing low carbon hydrogen solutions that not only support the UK’s energy transition but also contribute to a sustainable future for our communities.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the journey towards industrial decarbonisation within the Tees Valley region.

Gareth Mills and Kevin Selleslags, on behalf of Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen (BLCH) said:

Signing our contract to take the largest HAR 1 project forward is a significant step.

Thanks to the government’s investment, we’re able to continue to progress our plans to transform Birkshall from a former fossil fuel gas site powering Bradford’s homes and businesses to a flagship low carbon hydrogen production facility and fuelling station.

The scheme will not only help the area decarbonise with cleaner fuel but will vitally create around £120 million and support 125 jobs in the regional economy.

Alistair Collins, Director at HyMarnham Power, said:

As one of the first HAR1 projects now commissioning electrolyser systems, we’re proud to demonstrate what government support can unlock, real infrastructure, green hydrogen production and a tangible contribution to the UK’s net zero and energy security goals.

Lucy Whitford, RES’ Managing Director, UK&I, said:

Green hydrogen, created using British low carbon energy, will revolutionise how we power industry, helping the UK to build a globally competitive, zero carbon economy in the process.

We are proud of the success of HYRO’s Northfleet project, which will show how we can make green hydrogen a reality.

Notes to editors

HAR1 projects are expected to access over £2 billion over 15 years in revenue support from the Hydrogen Production Business Model and over £90 million in capital expenditure support via the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.

Further details of the 10 projects which have signed to HAR1 are detailed in the table below, with contracts available on the LCCC registry.

Government is working collaboratively with the project developer of the final HAR1 project to ensure they are ready to sign the Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreement as soon as possible.

See the transmission blending consultation.

Project name	Developer	Constituency	Summary
Cromarty Hydrogen Project	Scottish Power & Storegga	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Cromarty Green Hydrogen Project is located in northeast Scotland and is being developed by Scottish Power and Storegga. The project will use electricity from nearby wind farms produce hydrogen that could be sold to local industrial offtakers, including distilleries.
Bradford Low Carbon	Hygen	Bradford East	Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen is located within the city centre of Bradford, Yorkshire and is being developed by Hygen in partnership with Ryze. The project will use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen for use in a range of offtakers in the mobility sector. JCB and Wrightbus are key potential customers.
West Wales Hydrogen Project	Morgen & Trafigura	Mid and South Pembrokeshire	West Wales Hydrogen Project is located in Milford Haven, West Wales, and is being developed by MorGen and Trafigura. The project will produce hydrogen could be sold to local industrial offtakers including Natural Gas facilities to decarbonise their operations.
High Marnham	JG Pears & GeoPura	Newark	HyMarnham is located on the site of an old coal power station in the East Midlands and is being developed by JG Pears and GeoPura. Hydrogen produced is expected to be used by GeoPura to supply their remote power generation units and by JG Pears as part of their waste disposal operations.
Whitelee Green Hydrogen	Scottish Power	Kilmarnock and Loudoun	Whitelee Green Hydrogen is located in central Scotland, 14 miles south of Glasgow and is being developed by Scottish Power. The project will use electricity from Whitelee Wind Farm to produce hydrogen to be sold to local distilleries and transportation companies to decarbonise their operations.
Green Hydrogen 3	HYRO	Gravesham	Green Hydrogen 3 is located in Northfleet, South east, and is developed by HYRO. Electricity will be sourced through a renewable Power Purchase Agreement and aims to be used to produce hydrogen for use in a paper mill to power industrial boilers.
Trafford	Carlton Power	Stretford and Urmston (Greater Manchester)	Trafford Hydrogen Project is located in Trafford, Manchester and is being developed by Carlton Power. The project will produce hydrogen to be sold to a range of local industrial offtakers.
Barrow		Barrow-in-Furness (Cumbria)	Barrow Hydrogen is located in Cumbria and is being developed by Carlton Power. The project could provide low carbon hydrogen to the neighbouring Kimberly Clark tissue manufacturing site.
Langage		South West Devon (Plymouth)	Langage green hydrogen is located in Plymouth and is being developed by Carlton Power. The project will supply hydrogen to companies located in Langage Energy Park which could utilise Hydrogen in place of gas in industrial processes such as minerals processing.
Tees Green	EDF/Hynamics	Redcar (Teesside)	The Tees Green hydrogen project is located in Teeside. Low carbon hydrogen will be produced from electricity generated in the Teesside Offshore Wind Farm for use in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, helping decarbonise the aviation industry in the future.

Published 23 July 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Once Again Díaz-Balart Delivers for South Florida

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

MIAMI, FL – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Dean of the Florida Delegation and House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, and Chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee, issued the following statement in celebration of the groundbreaking ceremony for PortMiami’s new Phytosanitary and Cold Chain Processing Facility:

“This groundbreaking is more than just a milestone; it’s a promise fulfilled. In 2020, I secured $44 million in federal funding for the Phytosanitary and Cold Chain Processing facility. This ensures that PortMiami, one of the main economic drivers in South Florida, has the capability to guarantee the safety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers from South America that transit through the port.

This project is another example of my track record in delivering for our community and the state of Florida. I remain committed to advocating for priorities that foster economic growth, support local jobs, and enhance U.S. national security.

The efforts today were made possible through partnership with local leaders, including former Port Director Juan Kuryla, former Aviation Director Lester Sola, and then-County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez, as well as current PortMiami Director and CEO Hydi Webb, who helped identify barriers and craft targeted solutions. I look forward to continuing this important collaboration to better serve our region.”

Background

Recognizing that U.S. ports could not fairly compete for infrastructure funding under national programs, Congressman Díaz-Balart, while Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations, created for the first time ever a dedicated federal funding stream specifically for seaports, known as the Port Infrastructure Development Program in the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations bill. From the $293 million total he secured, he ensured that $93 million would be prioritized for top-tier ports in need of critical infrastructure, like a modern fumigation facility. The funds Congressman Díaz-Balart obtained for the PortMiami Phytosanitary and Cold Chain facility are $44 million.

The groundbreaking is taking place five years later due to the land being temporarily used for the debris removal and cleanup from the 2021 Surfside condo collapse tragedy.

Once complete, the facility will support the safe and efficient flow of agricultural products, including the large volume of flowers Florida receives, as well as food products free from pests and diseases. It will offer specialized treatment and cold storage for a wide range of goods, including fruits, vegetables, spices, meats, seafood, frozen items, pharmaceuticals, biological samples, and cosmetics.

The project will enhance the region’s capacity to handle sensitive commodities and expand PortMiami’s competitiveness in global trade. U.S. seaports are not only drivers of economic growth, but they are also critical to national security.

For years, PortMiami, one of the busiest and most strategic ports in the country, had been operating at a disadvantage. While other ports could process thousands of pallets at once, PortMiami’s space was limited to fumigating just 20 pallets per trailer, and paying a U.S. Department of Agriculture fee each time. This inefficiency placed our region’s competitiveness and supply chain integrity at risk.

Former Port Director Juan Kuryla, then-Aviation Director Lester Sola, and the County under then-Mayor Carlos A. Giménez were able to identify land at Miami International Airport for the construction of this renowned facility. A seamless transition for the Port and MIA Cargo, this facility expands capacity for the Port, reduces costs, and ensures faster, safer handling of perishable goods, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, meats, and more.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Office of the Governor – News Release – Gov. Green, First Lady, DHS Director Urge Families to Apply for SUN Bucks

Source: US State of Hawaii

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2025

HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green, M.D., First Lady Jaime Kanani Green and Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Ryan Yamane, gathered today to raise awareness about the SUN Bucks Summer EBT program and encourage families to apply before the fast-approaching August 3, 2025 deadline.

SUN Bucks is a new and permanent program that provides $177 per eligible child in food benefits to help families during the summer months when access to school meals is limited. The program is a joint effort between the state of Hawai‘i and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that aims to bridge the summer nutrition gap for keiki across the islands.

“Today is about something simple, but incredibly important — making sure our children have enough to eat,” said Governor Green. “SUN Bucks is a reminder that when we invest in our keiki, we invest in the future of our state. These benefits don’t just help families — they strengthen our local economy by putting dollars directly into our grocery stores, farmers markets and food systems.”

First Lady Green, who has championed the effort since its launch in 2024, emphasized her commitment to ending childhood hunger across Hawai‘i.

“In Hawai‘i, we care for one another — we mālama our keiki, our kūpuna and our ‘ohana,” she said. “SUN Bucks reflects those values. It’s about ensuring every child has what they need nutritionally to grow and thrive — not just during the school year, but all year long. No child in Hawai‘i should ever go hungry and this program helps us live up to that kuleana.”

According to DHS, more than 80,000 children statewide have already received benefits, representing over $14 million in food assistance. However, thousands more may still be eligible.

“We’re proud of the progress so far — but we also know many families still need support,” said DHS Director Yamane. “If your child was approved for free or reduced-price meals, or your family received SNAP or TANF, you’re already eligible and don’t need to apply. But if you’re not sure, don’t wait — visit sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov or call 1-888-975-7328. We’re here to help.”

Eligible families that don’t automatically qualify have until August 3, 2025, to submit an application. Cards are mailed to qualifying households and can be used anywhere EBT is accepted, including local farmers markets through the Da Bux program.

For more information or to apply, visit sunbucks.dhs.hawaii.gov or call 1-888-975-SEBT (7328).

Photos from today’s news conference can be found here.
Video footage from today’s news conference can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) unveils massive online open course for waterbird management in African wetlands

Source: APO – Report:

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A new massive online open course (MOOC) developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and partners is set to support the sustainable management of wetlands and waterbirds in the Sahel and North Africa.

The new course, ‘Identifying and counting waterbirds in North Africa and the Sahel – how and why?’, provides training in essential skills for international waterbird monitoring and insights into the ecological challenges facing wetland habitats.

It was produced by the RESSOURCE+ Project as part of the FAO-led Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme, and was designed in collaboration with Tour du Valat and the French Biodiversity Agency.

A MOOC is a free online course that offers unlimited participation and is open to everyone, although this new course targets in particular French-speaking participants from North African and Sahelian countries.

“By strengthening the national and local capacities in the participating countries, this massive online open course will foster sustainable wetland management and biodiversity conservation,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

Skills for waterbird monitoring

Registration is now open until 1 December 2025 for the first session of the course.

Participants will learn how to access networks of waterbird observers, collect and interpret data, and identify and count around 210 waterbird species in North Africa and the Sahel region.

The course provides 40 hours of online training, structured into six modules and featuring 35 animated sequences, 10 video interviews with experts, over 5 000 photos and video clips of birds, and 210 factsheets designed to facilitate species identification, along with numerous quizzes, tests and further learning resources.

It should take roughly six weeks to complete the training, which is self-paced, enabling participants to fit the course around their schedules. Participants are eligible for certification provided they successfully complete the course within three months.

During the first six weeks, the course designers will be on call to respond to participants’ questions through the chat function. Additional MOOC sessions are planned for 2026 and beyond.

The RESSOURCE+ Project

The RESSOURCE+ Project supports governments and communities in conserving wetlands and waterbirds in Sahelian countries. The project aims to promote waterbird monitoring, sustainable levels of hunting and effective wetland conservation policies in the Sahel. It is co-funded by the French Facility for Global Environment and the European Union through the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme.

The RESSOURCE+ Project is led by FAO with support from technical partners recognized for their expertise, in collaboration with national authorities, wildlife institutions, NGOs and local communities.

– on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ16: Conservation of geopark in Sai Kung

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

Question:

There are views that the geopark in Sai Kung (geopark), as part of Hong Kong’s precious natural and geological heritage, has ecological conservation, scientific research and tourism education values. However, it has been reported that with the increase in the number of tourists recently, the pollution problem of the geopark has been worsening, posing challenges to the natural environment and the sustainable development of scenic areas. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the current numbers and distribution of litter bins and waste separation facilities in the geopark, as well as the frequency of waste removal and conveyance at such facilities; in view of the waste disposal pressure arising from the surge in the number of tourists, whether the Government has specific plans to increase the number of temporary cleansing facilities, optimise the waste conveyance routes or introduce smart waste monitoring equipment to enhance the efficiency of disposal; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it has launched publicity and educational measures on the conservation of the geopark (such as by placing publicity notices in the geopark and producing guidebooks); whether it will make use of multimedia to step up multilingual publicity and introduce interactive environmental education experience projects, and publicise “Leave No Trace” tourism through travel agencies and at the entrances of scenic areas; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) regarding littering in the geopark, of the relevant law enforcement manpower and frequency of inspections at present, as well as the number of relevant prosecutions instituted in the past three years; whether it will consider installing additional surveillance devices at the key areas where littering is often detected; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4) whether the Government will establish an interdepartmental working group (comprising the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Environmental Protection Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, etc) to co-ordinate the geopark’s waste management; whether it will promote tripartite co-operation among the Government, environmental groups and local villagers/business operators in handling refuse in the geopark, such as by encouraging business operators in neighbouring areas to take part in the cleaning work, recruiting community volunteers to go to the geopark for cleaning on a regular basis, or introducing an “Environmental Contribution Award Scheme” to attract the input of community resources; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) in the light of the ecological sensitivity of the geopark, whether the Government has plans to assess its visitor carrying capacity, and formulate measures such as booking of time slots or limiting visitor flows to strike a balance between visitor demand and environmental conservation; whether the Government will, in the long run, devise a Development Strategy for Hong Kong Geopark and incorporate waste management into its contents, while formulating systematic improvement proposals by combining ecological restoration, low-carbon tourism facilities (e.g. setting up distribution points for degradable rubbish bags) and the environmental impact assessment mechanism; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (Hong Kong Geopark) consists of two geological regions, the Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region and Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region. Most of the geopark attractions are located within country parks and special areas, and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is responsible for the regular management work. In response to the question raised by Hon Stanley Li, a detailed reply is provided as follows:

(1) The AFCD has been committed to keeping the country parks clean and educating the public to cherish nature. Since 2015, through the “take your litter home” campaign, visitors have been encouraged to cultivate a sense of stewardship towards the natural environmental. To tie in with this initiative, litter bins and recycling bins along hiking trails have been removed since the end of 2017, while litter collection facilities are retained at recreational sites (e.g. barbecue sites and campsites) for use by visitors if needed. The AFCD collects litter from recreational sites, hiking trails and public toilets. The litter is then either transported to landfills or handed over to recycling service contractors for processing. The AFCD would flexibly adjust the arrangement for and frequency of litter collection and handling according to actual needs at different locations in country parks, as well as the usage and hygiene conditions of popular sites. In particular, during long holidays and weekends, the AFCD would strengthen relevant cleaning work. In response to the recent upsurge of visitors at some popular Hong Kong Geopark attractions, the AFCD has enhanced cleaning and management efforts, and the environmental conditions at these sites remain generally good.

(2) In regard to the issue of countryside litter, it is crucial to promote the message of reducing waste at source and caring for nature to the public. The AFCD has organised a variety of education activities, such as roving exhibitions, nature interpretation services, etc, to raise public awareness on responsible hiking practices. These messages have also been disseminated through multimedia, such as online videos (website: www.youtube.com/@HongKongCountryParks) and social media channels (Hong Kong Country Parks Facebook: www.facebook.com/hongkongcountryparks), in a lively manner to continuously raise the public’s awareness. Posters, promotion banners and signages have been displayed at suitable locations in Hong Kong Geopark and at the entrances and exits of hiking trails to remind visitors to take their litter away and observe hiking etiquette. In collaboration with the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, seminars and field trips have been organised for tourist guides to enhance their understanding of Hong Kong Geopark attractions, and the message of “take your litter home”. The AFCD has also co-operated with the Economic and Trade Offices in the Mainland and the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province to publicise relevant messages through social media channels in the Mainland, and will continue to promote the relevant messages of “leave no trace” through various channels and initiatives.

(3) According to the Country Parks and Special Areas Regulations (Cap. 208A), anyone who litters in country parks or special areas commits an offence and is liable to prosecution. Upon conviction, the offender may be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned for three months. In addition, under the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance (Cap. 570), any person who violates the above offence may be subject to a fixed fine of $3,000. Currently, about 150 AFCD staff conduct regular patrols and law enforcement actions in country parks and special areas over the territory. Patrols and law enforcement are part of the regular management work of country parks, and there is no detailed breakdown of the manpower and the number of patrols conducted at each country park and special area for combatting littering offences. The number of patrols conducted, prosecution instituted and fixed penalty notice issued for littering by the AFCD in country parks and special areas across the territory over the past three years are tabulated as follows:

Year	Number of patrol	Number of prosecution (within Hong Kong Geopark)	Number of fixed penalty notice (within Hong Kong Geopark)
2022	13 024	1 (0)	13 (0)
2023	13 891	0 (0)	8 (0)
2024	14 266	0 (0)	7 (1)

In light of the recent upsurge of visitors at Hong Kong Geopark Sai Kung High Island Reservoir East Dam, the AFCD has been enhancing efforts in reminding visitors to keep countryside clean by displaying banners at suitable locations, including entrances and exits of hiking trails, and using local and Mainland social media platforms (e.g. Xiaohongshu), as well as taking law enforcement actions against littering and other offences within country parks. The AFCD will continue to review and adjust the patrolling arrangements in country parks from time to time in the light of actual circumstances, and arrange special operations or utilise technology such as smart surveillance when necessary to strengthen law enforcement work against illegal activities within country parks.

(4) Most Hong Kong Geopark attractions are located within the country parks, and the cleaning work is conducted by the AFCD. When litter is identified in public areas outside the country parks, it will be referred to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for cleanup. The AFCD has been working closely with various stakeholders to conserve the geological heritage and natural environment of Hong Kong Geopark. This includes assisting villages around the attractions of the park to follow up on environmental hygiene issues. To raise awareness among the youth about protecting the natural environment, the AFCD has invited students to collect litter during field trips to Hong Kong Geopark. In addition, the AFCD has encouraged and co-ordinated volunteer cleanup activities in Hong Kong Geopark. Since last year, over 20 such activities have been organised.

(5) Important geological and ecological sites of Hong Kong Geopark are protected under legislation including the Country Parks Ordinance and the Marine Parks Ordinance. The main objectives of Hong Kong Geopark are nature conservation, education and sustainable development. When planning and establishing Hong Kong Geopark in the early years, the Government formulated guiding principles to avoid the construction of facilities that would adversely affect the environment. The planning of suitable facilities depends on the actual conditions of different attractions, including their capacity to accommodate higher number of visitors and their ecological sensitivity. For example, sites with higher visitor carrying capacity such as the High Island Reservoir East Dam and Sharp Island, visitor facilities to facilitate visit and education purposes are provided therein; for areas that require preservation in their natural state, such as the coastline along Fa Shan of High Island, the Ung Kong Group and the Ninepin Group, visitor facilities like public piers or trails are avoided, and visitors are encouraged to enjoy sightseeing there by boat tours instead.

In response to the recent surge in visitor numbers at popular attractions within Hong Kong Geopark, the AFCD is reviewing the carrying capacity of these popular sites and will develop management strategies, such as co-ordinated traffic control measures with relevant authorities, and enhanced visitor management measures when necessary to prevent overcrowding. During peak hiking seasons, the AFCD will also increase the frequency of patrols, enhance cleaning and management efforts, and strengthen the promotion of hiking etiquette to ensure visitor safety and protection of nature, thereby achieving the co-existence of ecotourism and nature conservation.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 23, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nick Park to Join Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for The Harris Reopening – Public Invited to Take Part in Special Celebration
Source: City of Preston

The Harris, Preston’s iconic Grade I listed building, will reopen to the public on Sunday, 28 September 2025 following a major transformation.

Oscar-winning animator Nick Park, creator of Wallace & Gromit and proud Prestonian, will join The Mayor of Preston and Councillor Hindle, Cabinet Member for Arts and Culture to officially cut the ribbon and welcome visitors back into the building after its ambitious refurbishment.

To mark the occasion, ten local residents will have the unique chance to meet Nick Park in person and take part in the opening day festivities. The Harris is now calling for nominations from the public to put forward someone who deserves this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Councillor Anna Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council said:

“We’re thrilled to welcome Nick Park to The Harris to celebrate this momentous day. This is more than a reopening, it’s a new chapter for a space that belongs to the people of Preston. We want local residents to be right at the heart of it.”

Meet Nick Park – How to Nominate

Nominations open on Wednesday, 23 July and will close on Monday, 1 September 2025.
Anyone with a Preston postcode (PR) can be nominated, and a short explanation of why they deserve the opportunity must be provided.

Forms will be available online via The Harris – Nominations to Meet Nick Park, and in person at the library.

Ten winners will be selected at random and will:
- Meet and greet with Nick Park.
- Join Nick Park and The Mayor of Preston during the official ribbon-cutting on Sunday, 28 September.
Free Public Tickets for Opening Day

The Harris will open its doors to the public on Sunday 28 September following the 10am ribbon-cutting ceremony.

To manage crowds, entry will be free but ticketed, with timed slots available throughout the day. Tickets will be available to book online from Monday, 1 September 2025.

Plan your visit

‘Wallace & Gromit in A Case at the Museum’ will run from Sunday, 28 September 2025 to Monday, 5 January 2026 at The Harris. For more information see The Harris Announces Reopening Exhibition: ‘Wallace & Gromit in A Case at the Museum’.

About The Harris

Opened in 1893, the Grade I listed building is owned and managed by Preston City Council. Based in Preston, Lancashire, The Harris is one of the leading museums, galleries and libraries in the region and an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. Host to art collections of national significance, exciting activities and events for all ages and an award-winning contemporary art programme, The Harris is Preston’s landmark cultural hub.

Currently delivering Harris Your Place project, made possible with National Lottery Heritage Fund; UK Government Towns Fund; Preston City Council; Lancashire County Council; the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal; DCMS; Arts Council England, public donations and a wide range of Trusts and Foundations including Garfield Weston Foundation, Wolfson Foundation, The Harris Charity, Harris Trust and Friends of the Harris.

The magnificent Grade I Listed building is poised to reopen on Sunday, 28 September 2025. To learn more about The Harris, please visit: The Harris.

About Aardman

Aardman is an employee-owned company, based in Bristol (UK) and co-founded in 1976 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. An independent, multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® award winning studio, it produces feature films, series, advertising, games and interactive entertainment. Current animated productions include series 7 of Shaun the Sheep and a third series of The Very Small Creatures.

Its productions are global in appeal, novel, entertaining, brilliantly characterised and full of charm reflecting the unique talent, energy and personal commitment of the Aardman team. The studio’s work – which includes the creation of much-loved characters including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Morph – is often imitated, and yet the company continues to lead the field producing a rare brand of visually stunning, comedic content for cinema, broadcasters, digital platforms and live experiences around the world. Recent celebrated projects include the brand-new Wallace & Gromit film Vengeance Most Fowl which premiered on BBC One on Christmas Day 2024 and was released on Netflix globally on the 3rd of January 2025.  The BAFTA® nominated feature film Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Academy Award® nominated short film Robin Robin, International Emmy® award winning Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, BAFTA® nominated preschool series The Very Small Creatures and the recent CGI comedy series for kids Lloyd of the Flies.

The studio runs the Aardman Academy, its world-class training facility delivering excellence in film and animation training and mentoring for students around the world. The Aardman Academy offers a variety of courses from intensive one-day workshops to its flagship seven-month In-Studio Stop Motion course. All courses are delivered by industry-leading tutors and mentors with decades of experience. The Aardman Academy is an integral part of the business, representing the studio’s inclusive ethos and commitment to nurturing the animation talent of the future.

In November 2018 it became an Employee-Owned Organisation, to ensure Aardman remains independent and to secure the creative legacy and culture of the company for many decades to come.

Visit Aardman for more information.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Conversation between Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Current issues of the region’s socio-economic development were discussed.

Conversation between Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak

From the transcript:

M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, good afternoon!

Thank you for showing the hospital, the emergency department, modern, new, with all the necessary equipment, built in two and a half months. This is pleasing. The speed with which it was all done and the professionalism are visible. We also heard this from the people who visit it.

More and more tourists are coming to the Altai Republic. Soon, literally in a few days, the International Ecological Conference will take place. Distinguished guests will arrive.

Last year, a decision was made (we discussed this with you) to build a modern, now international airport. The funds are there, they are planned, there is an investor. And it is very important to provide for the entire complex development around it, the logistics infrastructure – this is a transport hub, access roads, service maintenance and much more.

First of all, I want to ask how this work is going? Please.

A. Turchak: Mikhail Vladimirovich, first of all, thank you for giving our airport the status of an international airport. Today, a modern international checkpoint has already been opened on the territory of the airport terminal. In general, as you correctly said, the tourist flow is growing, and the airport infrastructure can no longer cope with it. Therefore, by 2028, within the framework of the concession agreement, we will complete the modernization of the entire airfield infrastructure and build a new terminal. Our goal is to increase passenger traffic to 1.3 million passengers per year by 2030.

By road. You are absolutely right, connectivity is necessary, because tourists come to us not only by air, but also by car.

Regarding the road sector, in 2024, under the national project, we allocated about 6.6 billion rubles for this and brought 196 km of our roads into compliance. And it is very important that 10 km are directly in the Gorno-Altaisk agglomeration itself, which includes our capital Gorno-Altaisk and the suburban Mayminsky district. This year, we plan to bring 101 km and 12 bridges into compliance. The topic of bridges is very important for our republic, I reported to you about it last time. We are systematically moving towards putting the bridge sector in order. This year, our road fund is 3.5 billion.

This year, with your support, the reconstruction of the Chuysky tract will begin – this is a 21 km section to Manzherok, which will solve the problem of traffic jams, especially during the high tourist season, and reduce accidents.

One project I wanted to report to you about, you supported it last year, is the construction of the Platovsky Bridge by shifting funds to the left. We are handing it over ahead of schedule. This is the first bridge that has been built in the republic in the last six years.

We continue working with the Ministry of Transport to bypass Maima and, in general, Gorno-Altaisk, the entire Gorno-Altaisk agglomeration. We need to take transit transport beyond the boundaries of the agglomeration. In this part, the Ministry of Transport will support us. Once again, I would like to thank you very much for supporting the development of our transport infrastructure.

M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, I know that you are very actively involved in infrastructure. It is important to keep everything under personal control here. So that the logistics infrastructure, the new airport will allow for the expansion of tourism opportunities, and also contribute to the growth of the number of residents.

Another task is the construction of social, in particular educational, facilities. You are also actively involved in this.

The federal budget for three years provides funds for the construction of a school in Gorno-Altaisk, as well as a lyceum of about 2.5 billion rubles. Much is being done for healthcare as well. The hospital admissions department that we looked at today is one example.

Please tell us what else is being done and built in the fields of education and medicine.

A. Turchak: Mikhail Vladimirovich, at the last meeting I reported to you that one of the main challenges I faced was the large number of long-term construction projects that existed at that time. I want to thank you. With your support, additional funds were allocated. We commissioned the seventh school in Gorno-Altaisk – a long-awaited facility that was built on the direct instructions of the President. The start of construction of this facility is 2021. We commissioned it in January of this year. A unique school.

M. Mishustin: Were the problems mainly due to contractors?

A. Turchak: The problems were due to the poor quality of the project. We had to redesign, undergo a new assessment, then the cost of materials increased, and so on. Nevertheless, the school was completed, it became such a good gift for the 200th anniversary of Gorno-Altaisk, which we celebrated.

The only school in the city where children from the 1st grade study the Altai language. The school has a very large sports core. Two sports halls inside the school, a large stadium, several playgrounds where children can practice national sports.

Another long-term construction project is a sports and fitness complex with a games room. We also completed it in December last year. Residents were waiting for it with impatience.

The Cultural Development Center, which I reported to you about, has also been completed. In July, we opened it with the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. The first cultural institution built in the city in the last 13 years.

Also, with your support, the issue of reconstruction of the 12th school has moved from dead center. Not just reconstruction, but, in fact, the construction of a new building. We will introduce this facility by 2027 – the federal budget has allocated 615 million for it, and the republican budget – 345 million rubles.

Regarding the Republican Classical Lyceum, which you are monitoring. All work is on schedule, the completion date is 2026. The budget provides 3.3 billion, of which 2.7 billion is the federal budget. And the uniqueness of this project is that the developer additionally attracted its own 500 million rubles to complete the construction of the campus of this lyceum. It will be a truly unique educational institution, in which gifted children from the most remote corners of our republic will be able not only to receive a quality education, but also to develop their talents in various fields.

This year we have planned to carry out major repairs of 11 rural schools and the first gymnasium in Gorno-Altaisk. More than 700 million rubles from the federal budget are allocated for these purposes.

In addition, we are building another new school for 360 students in the Chemalsky District. This is a comprehensive rural development program that is actively operating in our republic.

We also repair kindergartens, primarily in rural areas. We have repaired four in a year and are building three new ones. 920 million rubles are allocated for these purposes from the federal and republican budgets. In general, we keep the issues of modernization and improvement of educational infrastructure under control and work on them with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. Our colleagues support us.

M. Mishustin: Modern schools, kindergartens, educational institutions, hospitals, clinics – this is very important for people and makes it possible to attract investors. And for the republic, by decision of the President, an individual program of socio-economic development has been formed. Quite significant funds are provided until 2030.

Tell us what is planned within this program?

A. Turchak: If possible, one more thing on the topic of healthcare. Today, the Minister of Health reported to you on the overall situation in the republic. We examined the admission and diagnostic department of our republican hospital, equipped with a modern operating unit, modern diagnostic equipment – MRI, CT, ultrasound. We are the first region to implement this project this year. Indeed, the timing of its implementation is quite unique. In almost less than three months, this facility was erected, and 80% of the structures, materials, and equipment itself were of domestic production. By your decision, we received 744 million rubles from the federal budget for this project, including the MRI machine, which was also introduced this year on your instructions, and now our residents do not need to travel to other regions for such high-tech examination.

I would like to talk about the perinatal center. I approached you with this question last year. Our current perinatal center is located in a maternity hospital built in 1975. You gave the order to work out a step-by-step, phased plan for the implementation of this project. I would like to report on the work done.

As of today, we have worked out a medical and technical assignment together with the Ministry of Health. The concept for the construction of a new perinatal center is ready. Mikhail Albertovich Murashko saw it and supported it. And, if possible, I would like to separately report to you our proposals on how to gradually put everything related to obstetrics in our republic in order.

M. Mishustin: Yesterday we inspected the perinatal center in Chita. A wonderful and, in fact, methodological center not only for the Zabaikalsky Krai, but also for the entire Far East. And most importantly, the people who work there, mostly women, really help with obstetrics, and warmly welcome mothers and fathers. It seems to me that it is very important to support you in the construction of this center.

A. Turchak: Thank you very much.

According to the individual development program. We have good results for the first five-year plan. 2 thousand jobs have been created. 2.5 billion in extra-budgetary investments have been attracted. During the period of the individual program, the region has become one of the leaders in terms of investment growth rates in fixed capital.

In terms of specific results, 120 projects in the agro-industrial complex were supported, 8 accommodation facilities, 8 sites for processing milk, meat, wood, and producing dietary supplements were created. The Industrial Development Fund and the SME Fund were recapitalized, and 66 preferential loans were issued.

According to the new program. In the current 2025, we will support the development of the material and technical base of at least four agricultural enterprises. First of all, these are projects in the dairy industry. I can give one example. Our agroholding “Ekoniva” will build a dairy complex in the Ust-Kansky district. Moreover, the owner of this project in the recent past is a citizen of Germany, who has now acquired Russian citizenship and is registered for tax purposes in the Altai Republic.

Farmers will also be provided with a subsidy to support and develop crop production, meat and milk processing. We will support 22 SME projects, 4 tourism infrastructure projects and, most importantly, personnel training – we plan to train at least 150 specialists per year.

Dear Mikhail Vladimirovich, the implementation of individual programs is impossible without solving the main issue in the republic. And the main issue in the republic– I reported to you at the last meeting – this is land.

I would like to thank you for your support: last year you supported our proposal to lift the moratorium on mass inspections of the intended use of land. Thanks to this decision, a land amnesty was launched in the region, which is aimed at legalizing the illegal accommodation facilities that were identified.

Together with Rosreestr, the FMS worked. They identified about one and a half thousand accommodation facilities that were not registered with the tax authorities, that is, they did not pay either land tax or property tax. More than half went for legalization – 800 voluntarily submitted applications, and are now preparing their documents.

The amnesty ends with the inclusion of these accommodation facilities in the register. Accordingly, in addition to direct tax revenues, we will receive at least half a billion rubles of our own income. I reported to you today that we will spend a third of them on supporting healthcare, in particular, on developing the emergency medical service.

In this regard, I would like to make one request to you – to use a similar approach to reduce the level of shadow employment and legalize labor relations in the region. If possible, I would like to ask you to instruct Rostrud, just as we did for the land, to conduct unscheduled monitoring and supervisory activities for the Altai Republic with the involvement of employees of territorial bodies of Rostrud from other regions, because our own forces are not enough. In this way, we would also bring this topic out of the shadows. Thank you for your support.

M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, the plans are serious. I wish you success in their implementation.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
World Court is poised to mark the future course of climate litigation

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The United Nations’ highest court will deliver an opinion on Wednesday that is likely to determine the course of future climate action across the world.

Known as an advisory opinion, the deliberation of the 15 judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is legally non-binding. It nevertheless carries legal and political weight and future climate cases would be unable to ignore it, legal experts say.

“The advisory opinion is probably the most consequential in the history of the court because it clarifies international law obligations to avoid catastrophic harm that would imperil the survival of humankind,” said Payam Akhavan, an international law professor.

In two weeks of hearings last December at the ICJ, also known as the World Court, Akhavan represented low-lying, small island states that face an existential threat from rising sea levels.

In all, over a hundred states and international organisations gave their views on the two questions the U.N. General Assembly had asked the judges to consider.

They were: what are countries’ obligations under international law to protect the climate from greenhouse gas emissions; and what are the legal consequences for countries that harm the climate system?

Wealthy countries of the Global North told the judges that existing climate treaties, including the 2015 Paris Agreement, which are largely non-binding, should be the basis for deciding their responsibilities.

Developing nations and small island states argued for stronger measures, in some cases legally binding, to curb emissions and for the biggest emitters of climate-warming greenhouse gases to provide financial aid.

PARIS AGREEMENT AND AN UPSURGE IN LITIGATION

In 2015, at the conclusion of U.N. talks in Paris, more than 190 countries committed to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

The agreement has failed to curb the growth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Late last year, in the most recent “Emissions Gap Report,” which takes stock of countries’ promises to tackle climate change compared with what is needed, the U.N said that current climate policies will result in global warming of more than 3 C (5.4 F) above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

As campaigners seek to hold companies and governments to account, climate‑related litigation has intensified, with nearly 3,000 cases filed across almost 60 countries, according to June figures from London’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

So far, the results have been mixed.

A German court in May threw out a case between a Peruvian farmer and German energy giant RWE RWEG.DE, but his lawyers and environmentalists said the case, which dragged on for a decade, was a still victory for climate cases that could spur similar lawsuits.

Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which holds jurisdiction over 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries, said in another advisory opinion its members must cooperate to tackle climate change.

Campaigners say Wednesday’s court opinion should be a turning point and that, even if the ruling itself is advisory, it should provide for the determination that U.N. member states have broken the international law they have signed up to uphold.

“The court can affirm that climate inaction, especially by major emitters, is not merely a policy failure but a breach of international law,” said Fijian Vishal Prasad, one of the law students that lobbied the government of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean to bring the case to the ICJ.

Although it is theoretically possible to ignore an ICJ ruling, lawyers say countries are typically reluctant to do so.

“This opinion is applying binding international law, which countries have already committed to. National and regional courts will be looking to this opinion as a persuasive authority and this will inform judgments with binding consequences under their own legal systems,” Joie Chowdhury, senior attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, said.

The court will start reading out its opinion at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).

(Reuters)

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New survey shows just 27% of all waste crime incidents reported
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

New survey shows just 27% of all waste crime incidents reported

Environment Agency publishes results of National Waste Crime Survey 2025, showing almost three quarters of all waste crimes go unreported
Landowners and farmers are being urged to help the Environment Agency stop waste crime as new research shows only 12% reported the most recent incidents which affected them.

The findings were revealed today (Wednesday 23 July) in the results of the Environment Agency’s National Waste Crime Survey 2025, which also show more than half (57%) of landowners and farmers are estimated to have been affected by waste crime.

Networks of organised criminal groups operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means. The waste industry, landowners and farmers who took part in the survey estimate 35% of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups, attracted by financial gains.

Last year, three men were convicted following a major investigation led by the Environment Agency into large-scale illegal deposits of more than 26,000 tonnes of waste – the equivalent weight of around 2,170 double-decker buses – at 17 sites across the country. Organised criminal gang members approached waste facilities and offered to dispose of baled waste at reduced costs, which they later abandoned.

The Environment Agency is determined to stop waste crime, protect the environment, and pursue criminals. It’s essential to know when and where these offences are happening – and the survey shows only just more than a quarter (27%) of all waste crimes are reported.

To ensure it has the best possible information to identify and stop the culprits, the Environment Agency is appealing to landowners and farmers to report every incident to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Reports of any known or suspected illegal waste activity can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency Deputy Director for Waste & Resources Regulation, said:

Waste criminals’ toxic crimes cause widespread and significant harm to people, places and the economy. The Environment Agency is determined to use all our powers and resources to stop waste criminals, but we cannot achieve this alone.

Our survey shows almost three quarters of waste offences go unreported, so we urge industry and the public to help us stop waste criminals faster by sharing what they know about the people carrying out these heinous crimes.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:

Through our Plan for Change, this government will crack down on the waste cowboys, seize and crush fly-tippers’ vans, and clean up Britain.

With the shocking scale of this challenge revealed today, we are tightening the net on the organised crime groups who exploit our broken waste system.

We will not stand and watch while our countryside is polluted by criminals who undercut decent businesses.

Sam Corp, Head of Regulation at the Environmental Services Association, said:

With more than half of British landowners now reporting that they have fallen victim to the illegal dumping of waste, the survey findings are further evidence of the waste crime epidemic facing the UK, much of which is perpetrated by organised crime groups.

It is essential that we all exercise our duty of care to ensure waste does not fall into criminal hands and that, across society, we report all waste crime when we see it to help the authorities identify and stop the culprits.

Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications & External Affairs at CIWM, said:

Waste crime causes misery and anxiety to communities wherever it occurs. It also damages local economies and undermines the professional recycling, resources and waste sector.

These latest National Waste Crime Survey figures show the extent of the challenge we face and the need for renewed focus and action. We can all do something to tackle waste crime and to bring those responsible to account.

CIWM encourages everyone to report suspicious activity or any incidents involving the illegal tipping of waste materials – wherever and whenever you see it. By reporting it to your local authorities or to the Environment Agency, you’re increasing the chance of prosecution and of swift action to maintain the quality of local environments on which our economy depends.

Conducted in February, the survey is used to help better understand the nature and scale of waste crime, as perceived by those experiencing it, including landowners, farmers and the waste industry.

The survey’s results show waste criminals are active across the country, with respondents estimating 20% of all waste produced may be illegally managed at some point in the supply chain – enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times.

Waste industry respondents who had suffered waste crime reported incurring significant costs, with 52% experiencing losses exceeding £50,000 due to illegal waste sites, 44% from illegal waste exports, and 32% from large-scale fly-tipping.

Under their Plan for Change, the government has confirmed rogue operators caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison under new legislation. This will act as a strong deterrent and ensure the full force of the law comes down hard on those trashing the nation’s communities.

The Environment Agency fully supports legitimate operators and is working hard in collaboration with other partners to stop illegal waste management. In one recent successful prosecution, a former teacher who filled two quarries in Hertfordshire with enough illegal waste to fill the Royal Albert Hall nearly three times over was ordered to pay almost £79,000 following an Environment Agency investigation.

And, in another prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, a County Durham man was jailed for 44 weeks in February for operating an illegal waste site without an environmental permit.

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Published 23 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: View from The Hill: Nationals’ mavericks ensure the Coalition is the issue in parliament’s first week

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

For almost as long anyone can remember, the Nationals have caused the Coalition grief on climate and energy policy. Still, for Barnaby Joyce to bring on a fresh load of trouble – with a private member’s bill to scrap Australia’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 – in Sussan Ley’s first parliamentary week as opposition leader was beyond provocative.

And for Michael McCormack to support him reinforced the impression the Nationals don’t give a fig about the wider interests of a Coalition confronting very dark days.

The bill will go nowhere but the issue will tear at the opposition.

Both Joyce and McCormack are former leaders, and they are former rivals. In 2021 Joyce overthrew McCormack as leader. McCormack used to be a supporter of net zero. Joyce, a deputy prime minister, did a deal with then prime minister Scott Morrison for the Nationals to back net zero before Morrison went to the Glasgow COP conference in 2021. The Nationals are their own game of snakes and ladders.

Now Joyce says he never supported the net zero target – which is sort of correct, because his own position during that deal (involving the trade off of promised huge infrastructure spending) was near impossible to fathom.

On why stir the issue in the first parliamentary week, Joyce says, “Now is the time, when the agenda has not been set”.

McCormack says he supported net zero in 2021 because Australia was suffering the trade restrictions imposed by China and needed to expand its exports to Europe, where many countries required the commitment. The farmers in his Riverina electorate wanted him to support it, he says.

Despite disclaimers, this undermines the authority of Nationals leader David Littleproud, already weakened by the events around the temporary split in the Coalition after the election. The Nationals obtained their several policy demands (that didn’t relate to net zero) but Littleproud came in for a good deal of criticism.

The Nationals are split over net zero, but it is looking increasingly difficult for those who want to preserve the commitment to hold the line. Joyce says he hopes the numbers are there in the party room to ditch it, and he suspects they are but “I don’t know”. McCormack believes the numbers are there.

While Littleproud says he is waiting for the party’s own review, under net zero opponent senator Matt Canavan, he suggested the net zero commitment was “trying to achieve the impossible rather than doing what’s sensible”.

The Liberals are divided too, but those wanting to end the commitment are in a minority. Former frontbencher Jane Hume spoke out on Wednesday, stressing how important the commitment was. “Over and over, the electorate has told us that they want to see a net zero energy future,” she told Sky. “My personal opinion is that this is profoundly important for not just the electorate, but also for our country.”

But if the Nationals repudiated the net zero target, that would embolden the Liberal critics and probably add to their number. It would drive a wedge into the Coalition, and might be serious enough to split it.

The Ley critics within the Liberals won’t be shedding any tears over the damage, now and later, that this issue will do her. Neither will Littleproud – it’s well known the two are not close.

Ley herself can only say the opposition has a working group looking at energy and emissions reduction policy. But she knows this is simply a holding position. It’s impossible to think that the working group, headed by energy spokesman Dan Tehan, can come up with any policy position that unites two diametrically opposed positions.

Tehan said of Joyce and McCormack, “They’re two steers fighting in the neighbour’s paddock”. The flaw with this dismissal is that the steers are actually part of the broad Coalition herd.

In the first question time of the new parliament, the opposition wasn’t able to score any hits on the government. The prime minister and other ministers were able to shrug off questions about Labor’s proposed tax on unrealised capital gains on big superannuation balances, and other issues. Energy Minister Chris Bowen had been handed ammunition to deploy against the opposition.

The overwhelming message of the day was that the opposition had made itself the issue. From the Coalition’s point of view, the problem is this damaging conversation will go on a long time.

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

– ref. View from The Hill: Nationals’ mavericks ensure the Coalition is the issue in parliament’s first week – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-nationals-mavericks-ensure-the-coalition-is-the-issue-in-parliaments-first-week-261099

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Malaria Surge in Southern Africa

Source: APO – Report:

.

Malaria is on the rise in southern Africa, with several countries – including Botswana, eSwatini, Namibia and Zimbabwe – reporting new outbreaks, underscoring the ongoing challenges in eradicating the disease in Africa.

Data from the Surveillance and Disease Intelligence Division of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reveals a dramatic spike in Zimbabwe, where suspected cases have increased in 2025. As of epidemiological week 23, of 2025, Zimbabwe has reported 111,998 cases and 310 deaths (case fatality rate [CFR]: 0.27%) as compared to 29,031 cases with 49 deaths (CFR: 0.17%) in the same period in 2024.

“This surge is no coincidence,” says Dr Memory Mapfumo, an epidemiologist at the Africa CDC. “Prolonged rains have fuelled mosquito breeding, while activities like gold panning, fishing and artisanal mining are exposing more individuals to risk, especially during peak mosquito activity hours.” A contributing factor is the interconnectedness of the countries, which drives transmission.

Across Zimbabwe, 115 out of 1,705 health facilities have been affected, highlighting the widespread impact of the disease on healthcare infrastructure. Since the start of 2025, Mashonaland Central Province has accounted for 32% of all malaria cases, while Manicaland reported 25% of the malaria-related deaths.

The situation is worsened by the low use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), leaving communities exposed and placing further strain on already stretched health systems. This reflects a broader challenge across southern Africa, where shifting climate patterns and expanding high-risk livelihoods are driving a growing malaria threat, necessitating quicker, more targeted and sustained responses.

However, malaria is endemic across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in regions with high temperatures and rainfall, which create ideal breeding grounds for Anopheles mosquitoes, the vector that transmits the malaria parasite. The central part of the continent – both north and south of the equator – experiences the highest malaria incidence. Other factors include the tropical climate, as well as displacement and limited access to preventive measures.

Southern Africa, although comparatively less affected, remains vulnerable to the disease due to climatic conditions that favour mosquito breeding, cross-border population movements and localised outbreaks in high-risk areas. The region’s malaria burden fluctuates with rainfall patterns, human activities such as mining and agriculture, and gaps in healthcare access, making sustained intervention crucial for reducing transmission.

“As climate change accelerates, we are witnessing shifts in temperature and rainfall that are expanding the range of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, introducing vectors into previously unaffected regions,” said Dr Merawi Aragaw, head of Africa CDC’s Surveillance and Disease Intelligence.

He emphasised that this is not only a regional issue but a global challenge that calls for coordinated international efforts. “Sustained vector control measures – including environmental management, strengthening surveillance, drug and diagnostic resistance monitoring, and fostering cross-border collaboration – will be critical in mitigating the growing threat of vector-borne diseases, especially malaria,” said Dr Merawi.

The regional surge underscores a broader global trend, with malaria cases worldwide climbing to 263 million in 2023, up from 252 million the previous year, and Africa accounting for 95% of all malaria-related deaths. Despite these alarming figures, there have been significant successes: Cabo Verde was certified malaria-free in 2023, and Egypt is poised to achieve the same in 2024.

Yet for many countries in southern Africa, the road to elimination remains steep, with outbreaks threatening to reverse years of progress.

Take Botswana, which since epidemiological weeks 1–23 of 2025 has recorded 2,223 cases and 11 deaths, compared to 218 cases and no deaths in the same period in 2024. Okavango has been hit hardest, accounting for 69% of the cases. Since the outbreak began in November 2024, a total of 2,344 cases have been reported, with sporadic outbreaks appearing in non-endemic districts.

Flooding caused by heavy rains has contributed significantly to the outbreak by creating favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. Furthermore, many local residents remain unaware of the risks, contributing to delayed responses when symptoms first appear. To counter this, Botswana’s Ministry of Health has intensified case management and surveillance, launched community engagement campaigns, and distributed ITNs. However, efforts have been hindered by inadequate funding and community resistance to the interventions.

Although the Kingdom of eSwatini is in the malaria elimination phase, eSwatini, too, is grappling with an upsurge in malaria cases. The Ministry of Health recently issued a press notice to draw attention to the issue. From July 2024 to March 2025, the kingdom has recorded 187 malaria cases. Children under 15 years account for 15% of the reported cases, which has led to increased school absenteeism.

Twenty per cent of cases have been among farmers, especially those involved in illegal farming activities in the mountains. These farmers often work at night, guarding their crops without any protective measures, leaving them exposed to mosquito bites. The majority of cases are concentrated in the Hhohho and Lubombo regions, prompting the Ministry of Health to increase its response efforts, including indoor residual spraying (IRS) and the distribution of ITNs.

Despite these interventions, eSwatini’s malaria elimination programme faces significant hurdles. There are challenges in achieving complete coverage of IRS and ITN distribution, and many individuals still fail to adopt protective behaviours. Nonetheless, the government remains committed to eliminating malaria and addressing the underlying causes, such as illegal farming and inadequate community awareness.

Namibia is another country witnessing a significant rise in malaria cases, with over 89,959 cases and 146 deaths reported since November 2024 from 37 of 121 districts. Of these cases, 18% (15,954 cases) are imported from neighbouring countries experiencing malaria outbreaks, and 82% are local.

The hardest-hit districts in Namibia include Katima Mulilo, Nkurenkuru, Andara, Outapi and Rundu. Malaria continues to have a severe impact on children above five years and pregnant women, who represent 11% and 3% of the reported cases, respectively. Most cases reported were among males (58%).

Of major significance is the interconnectedness of southern Africa, which complicates malaria control efforts, especially in border regions.

In Botswana, districts bordering Namibia and Zimbabwe are particularly vulnerable to cross-border transmission, with malaria spreading easily between neighbouring countries with ongoing outbreaks. This highlights the importance of regional cooperation and cross-border surveillance in combating the disease. Efforts to enhance case management, improve surveillance and increase the use of ITNs are critical in curbing transmission in these high-risk areas.

According to Africa CDC, the increase in malaria cases in the region highlights the pressing need for continued vigilance and investment in malaria control. Governments need to enhance their efforts to improve the use of ITNs, strengthen community engagement, and address the environmental and social factors driving the outbreaks, such as illegal farming and exposure to mosquito breeding grounds.

Equally important is the need for a concerted effort to address delays in reporting, ensuring the timely and accurate collection of data to inform public health interventions. Yet, while the fight against malaria remains an uphill battle, the successes in Cabo Verde and Egypt offer hope that with the right strategies, the elimination of malaria in southern Africa is possible.

– on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

MIL OSI Africa –

July 23, 2025
Rains, floods and rising heat: South Asia’s growing climate crisis

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

People in India and neighboring countries eagerly await the monsoon rains, which signal the end of the scorching summer heat and bring much-needed water for crops that sustain crores of people. However, the increasing frequency, intensity, unpredictability and eccentricity of extreme rainfall events are making things increasingly difficult for the people. In 2024 alone, hundreds of people died in India due to heavy rainfall. Across South Asia, hundreds more have already died this year. Experts warn that soaring temperatures and intense rain are also accelerating glacier melt in the Himalayas, triggering catastrophic floods and landslides.

The recent monsoon rains claimed more than 110 lives across Pakistan and many more are left injured and missing. The heavy rains and unstable weather conditions cause much damage to life and property almost every year in the neighbouring country. The Met Department has further warned of possible flooding, disruptions and damages. However, at the same time, several cities in Pakistan are also experiencing a spell of intense heat.

Similarly, around 100 people died in April this year after unseasonal heavy rain lashed parts of Nepal and India, although monsoon-related torrential rain usually starts in June in this part of the world. 82 people were reported to have died in rain-related incidents in Bihar alone over just two days in April, 2025. Just a week earlier Bihar catastrophe, deadly floods in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River killed several people and left dozens missing. It was said to have been triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in the Tibet region.

In India, several regions are currently grappling with heavy rainfall and widespread flooding, resulting in major disruptions and extensive damages. States such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana have been severely impacted by the monsoon-triggered floods. The relentless downpours cause rivers to overflow, inundate large areas and damage critical infrastructure, especially in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Similarly, cloud burst, lightning and storm-related incidents in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and some other parts of the country also cause deaths almost every year. The situations become worse as, while some parts of India face flash floods, several other parts of the country confront heatwave-like conditions.

Here, the question arises as to why India and its neighbouring countries face these kinds of unwarranted and untimely extreme weather conditions, which invariably cause a great deal of damage. Are these extreme weather conditions directly related to climate change?

The answer is yes, the flooding across South Asia, especially in India, Nepal and Pakistan has sometimes been extensive and severe, affecting millions of people and causing widespread damage and destructions. Intense monsoon rains combined with glacial melt-water trigger floods and landslides in several parts, resulting in displacement, loss of lives and major damage to infrastructure.

Pakistan is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries with its 25.5 crore people increasingly being exposed to extreme weather events. In 2022, devastating monsoon floods submerged one-third of the neighbouring country and claimed the lives of over 1,700 people.

Experts attribute this inconsistency in weather conditions to changing climate patterns and increased urbanisation, which reduce natural drainage and increase vulnerability to flooding. This is the reason why residents are often found struggling with power outages and property damage, and local authorities are seen working around the clock to manage the crisis and provide relief in affected areas. But most of the time, things appear to be going out of control.

Floods are not an uncommon occurrence in India and across South Asia during this time of year as the region receives the bulk of its annual rainfall during this season only. However, climate change has made monsoon patterns increasingly unpredictable, bringing intense downpours within short periods, which are followed by extended dry spells that negatively impact crops, making things tougher for the farmers and also for the governments to manage things.

Adding to the challenge, scientists now warn that a weather phenomenon also known as an atmospheric river, which is some kind of storm only, is exacerbating the situation. Fueled by global warming, these storms carry significantly more moisture, which lead to heavier and more destructive rainfall events across the region.

These watery storms are also termed as flying rivers. These massive and invisible bands of water vapour are formed over warm oceans when seawater evaporates. They travel from the tropics to cooler regions and release heavy rain or snow that triggers floods and avalanches. Carrying about 90% of the water vapour moving across Earth’s mid-latitudes, these atmospheric rivers, experts say, can have nearly twice the flow of the Amazon River. As the Earth is warming more rapidly because of the climate change, scientists say that atmospheric rivers are becoming longer, wider, more intense and erratic, which significantly increase the flood risk for crores of people in this region and around the world.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that in recent years, weather conditions involving heavy rainfall and strong winds have increasingly been triggered by Western Disturbances also, which affect various parts of the country during same or different months. Notably, the frequency of these disturbances has risen, a trend directly linked to rising global temperatures. A new analysis by Climate Trends, a Delhi-based climate research organization indicates that changes in the behaviour of these weather systems are leading to heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides in hilly states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Moreover, major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and others are facing an increasing risk of urban flooding due to a combination of changing climate patterns, unplanned urbanisation and inadequate drainage systems. Intense and unseasonal rainfall events, often occurring within short durations, overwhelm city infrastructure, leading to severe waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and damages to property. Rising temperatures and the growing frequency of extreme weather events further compound the problem. Experts warn that without sustainable urban planning and climate-resilient infrastructure, these cities will remain highly vulnerable to frequent and more intense flooding in the years to come.

In May this year, heavy rains brought Bengaluru to a standstill. Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi have also experienced devastating flash floods in recent years, which highlight the growing impact of extreme weather on India’s urban centres. Without doubt, climate vulnerability in this part of the world including India, is a growing concern, driven by the increasing frequency of hydro-meteorological extreme events occurring throughout the year.

India receives 80% of its annual rainfall during the June-September monsoon, which is vital for farmers. However, the way weather conditions are becoming increasingly erratic and eccentric with unseasonal heavy rains, flash floods and heat-related droughts being often experienced in this part of world, make life miserable, which calls for urgent actions not only from the concerned governments but also from all stake-holders including people in general.

July 23, 2025
Rains, floods and rising heat: South Asia’s growing climate crisis

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

People in India and neighboring countries eagerly await the monsoon rains, which signal the end of the scorching summer heat and bring much-needed water for crops that sustain crores of people. However, the increasing frequency, intensity, unpredictability and eccentricity of extreme rainfall events are making things increasingly difficult for the people. In 2024 alone, hundreds of people died in India due to heavy rainfall. Across South Asia, hundreds more have already died this year. Experts warn that soaring temperatures and intense rain are also accelerating glacier melt in the Himalayas, triggering catastrophic floods and landslides.

The recent monsoon rains claimed more than 110 lives across Pakistan and many more are left injured and missing. The heavy rains and unstable weather conditions cause much damage to life and property almost every year in the neighbouring country. The Met Department has further warned of possible flooding, disruptions and damages. However, at the same time, several cities in Pakistan are also experiencing a spell of intense heat.

Similarly, around 100 people died in April this year after unseasonal heavy rain lashed parts of Nepal and India, although monsoon-related torrential rain usually starts in June in this part of the world. 82 people were reported to have died in rain-related incidents in Bihar alone over just two days in April, 2025. Just a week earlier Bihar catastrophe, deadly floods in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River killed several people and left dozens missing. It was said to have been triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in the Tibet region.

In India, several regions are currently grappling with heavy rainfall and widespread flooding, resulting in major disruptions and extensive damages. States such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana have been severely impacted by the monsoon-triggered floods. The relentless downpours cause rivers to overflow, inundate large areas and damage critical infrastructure, especially in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Similarly, cloud burst, lightning and storm-related incidents in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and some other parts of the country also cause deaths almost every year. The situations become worse as, while some parts of India face flash floods, several other parts of the country confront heatwave-like conditions.

Here, the question arises as to why India and its neighbouring countries face these kinds of unwarranted and untimely extreme weather conditions, which invariably cause a great deal of damage. Are these extreme weather conditions directly related to climate change?

The answer is yes, the flooding across South Asia, especially in India, Nepal and Pakistan has sometimes been extensive and severe, affecting millions of people and causing widespread damage and destructions. Intense monsoon rains combined with glacial melt-water trigger floods and landslides in several parts, resulting in displacement, loss of lives and major damage to infrastructure.

Pakistan is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries with its 25.5 crore people increasingly being exposed to extreme weather events. In 2022, devastating monsoon floods submerged one-third of the neighbouring country and claimed the lives of over 1,700 people.

Experts attribute this inconsistency in weather conditions to changing climate patterns and increased urbanisation, which reduce natural drainage and increase vulnerability to flooding. This is the reason why residents are often found struggling with power outages and property damage, and local authorities are seen working around the clock to manage the crisis and provide relief in affected areas. But most of the time, things appear to be going out of control.

Floods are not an uncommon occurrence in India and across South Asia during this time of year as the region receives the bulk of its annual rainfall during this season only. However, climate change has made monsoon patterns increasingly unpredictable, bringing intense downpours within short periods, which are followed by extended dry spells that negatively impact crops, making things tougher for the farmers and also for the governments to manage things.

Adding to the challenge, scientists now warn that a weather phenomenon also known as an atmospheric river, which is some kind of storm only, is exacerbating the situation. Fueled by global warming, these storms carry significantly more moisture, which lead to heavier and more destructive rainfall events across the region.

These watery storms are also termed as flying rivers. These massive and invisible bands of water vapour are formed over warm oceans when seawater evaporates. They travel from the tropics to cooler regions and release heavy rain or snow that triggers floods and avalanches. Carrying about 90% of the water vapour moving across Earth’s mid-latitudes, these atmospheric rivers, experts say, can have nearly twice the flow of the Amazon River. As the Earth is warming more rapidly because of the climate change, scientists say that atmospheric rivers are becoming longer, wider, more intense and erratic, which significantly increase the flood risk for crores of people in this region and around the world.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that in recent years, weather conditions involving heavy rainfall and strong winds have increasingly been triggered by Western Disturbances also, which affect various parts of the country during same or different months. Notably, the frequency of these disturbances has risen, a trend directly linked to rising global temperatures. A new analysis by Climate Trends, a Delhi-based climate research organization indicates that changes in the behaviour of these weather systems are leading to heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides in hilly states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Moreover, major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and others are facing an increasing risk of urban flooding due to a combination of changing climate patterns, unplanned urbanisation and inadequate drainage systems. Intense and unseasonal rainfall events, often occurring within short durations, overwhelm city infrastructure, leading to severe waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and damages to property. Rising temperatures and the growing frequency of extreme weather events further compound the problem. Experts warn that without sustainable urban planning and climate-resilient infrastructure, these cities will remain highly vulnerable to frequent and more intense flooding in the years to come.

In May this year, heavy rains brought Bengaluru to a standstill. Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi have also experienced devastating flash floods in recent years, which highlight the growing impact of extreme weather on India’s urban centres. Without doubt, climate vulnerability in this part of the world including India, is a growing concern, driven by the increasing frequency of hydro-meteorological extreme events occurring throughout the year.

India receives 80% of its annual rainfall during the June-September monsoon, which is vital for farmers. However, the way weather conditions are becoming increasingly erratic and eccentric with unseasonal heavy rains, flash floods and heat-related droughts being often experienced in this part of world, make life miserable, which calls for urgent actions not only from the concerned governments but also from all stake-holders including people in general.

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: July 22nd, 2025 Heinrich Announces Committee Passage of $6.5 Million to Combat Crime, Save Lives, & Keep New Mexicans Safe
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. With Committee approval of this bill, Heinrich secured support for over $6.5 million for nine local projects in New Mexico.

“While this Appropriations bill isn’t perfect, it includes resources and investments I negotiated for New Mexico that will help our law enforcement officers solve and reduce violent crime, keep our communities safe, and save lives,” said Heinrich, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This legislation will allocate additional resources to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities, including funding to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. Additionally, the bill creates a fentanyl tracking system, builds on my work to prevent firearm straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking, and makes opioid use disorder medications more accessible to New Mexicans. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will always fight for investments that put New Mexico communities first.”

Next, the bill will be considered by the full United States Senate.

Congressionally Directed Spending

Heinrich successfully included $6,521,000 in investments for the following 9 local projects in the bill:
- $1,668,000 for the New Mexico Statewide Sexual Assault Program to increase capacity at the Helpline and Work Force Trauma Institute.
- $1,050,000 for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for forensic analysis and crime scene reconstruction equipment.
- $1,000,000 for the Las Cruces Police Department to establish an Evidence Processing Lab for local law enforcement agencies.
- $908,000 for the Albuquerque Police Department to purchase crime scene processing equipment at the Metropolitan Forensic Science Center.
- $629,000 for the City of Farmington to acquire forensic DNA and narcotics identification equipment, training, and personnel.
- $533,000 for Eastern New Mexico University Campus to enhance lighting and safety on campus.
- $350,000 for New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence to expand its youth gun violence prevention programs.
- $268,000 for the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to purchase mobile security trailers.
- $115,000 for Gallup Police Department to purchase crime scene reconstruction equipment.
Additionally, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) successfully included $1,000,000 for the New Mexico Medical Investigator to enhance the DNA Processing Laboratory.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Key Points and Highlights

Combatting Crimes on Tribal Lands: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue to allocate additional resources to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, including providing sufficient funding to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities. Heinrich helped secure $95,000,000 within the Crime Victims Fund specifically for law enforcement efforts on Tribal lands and in order for federal, state, and tribal governments to coordinate on these critical public safety initiatives.

Fentanyl Tracking System: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to develop a comprehensive fentanyl tracking system. That tracking system would include documentation of seizure location, chemical composition, probable or known manufacturing location, and probable or known point of entry into the United States. Currently, fentanyl interdiction is compiled at land ports of entry by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but the DEA does not have readily accessible tracking data on the movement of illicit drugs within the U.S. or their point of origin. Requiring the compilation and organization of that data will complement DHS’ work and improve our country’s work to effectively combat the fentanyl crisis.

Firearm Straw Purchases Prevention: Heinrich successfully included language calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to continue its public awareness campaign to reduce firearm straw purchases at the retail level and to educate would-be straw purchasers of the penalties associated with knowingly participating in an illegal firearm purchase. This language builds on Heinrich’s work to negotiate and author the provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that increased criminal penalties for straw purchases and made it illegal to traffic firearms out of the United States. To date, more than 1,000 defendants have been charged by the Department of Justice because of those provisions, removing hundreds of firearms from the streets.

Removing Barriers to Lifesaving Medication: Heinrich successfully included language directing the DEA to take further action to remove barriers to access for opioid use disorder medications such as buprenorphine. The data clearly shows that prescriptions of medications for opioid use disorder significantly reduce the risk of overdose death, but despite their demonstrated effectiveness, approximately 87% of those suffering from opioid use disorder do not have a prescription for these lifesaving medications. The inclusion of this language will assist local medical and mental health providers and make medications, including buprenorphine, more accessible to New Mexicans.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: July 22nd, 2025 Heinrich Announces Committee Passage of $6.5 Million to Combat Crime, Save Lives, & Keep New Mexicans Safe
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. With Committee approval of this bill, Heinrich secured support for over $6.5 million for nine local projects in New Mexico.

“While this Appropriations bill isn’t perfect, it includes resources and investments I negotiated for New Mexico that will help our law enforcement officers solve and reduce violent crime, keep our communities safe, and save lives,” said Heinrich, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This legislation will allocate additional resources to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities, including funding to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. Additionally, the bill creates a fentanyl tracking system, builds on my work to prevent firearm straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking, and makes opioid use disorder medications more accessible to New Mexicans. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will always fight for investments that put New Mexico communities first.”

Next, the bill will be considered by the full United States Senate.

Congressionally Directed Spending

Heinrich successfully included $6,521,000 in investments for the following 9 local projects in the bill:
- $1,668,000 for the New Mexico Statewide Sexual Assault Program to increase capacity at the Helpline and Work Force Trauma Institute.
- $1,050,000 for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for forensic analysis and crime scene reconstruction equipment.
- $1,000,000 for the Las Cruces Police Department to establish an Evidence Processing Lab for local law enforcement agencies.
- $908,000 for the Albuquerque Police Department to purchase crime scene processing equipment at the Metropolitan Forensic Science Center.
- $629,000 for the City of Farmington to acquire forensic DNA and narcotics identification equipment, training, and personnel.
- $533,000 for Eastern New Mexico University Campus to enhance lighting and safety on campus.
- $350,000 for New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence to expand its youth gun violence prevention programs.
- $268,000 for the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to purchase mobile security trailers.
- $115,000 for Gallup Police Department to purchase crime scene reconstruction equipment.
Additionally, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) successfully included $1,000,000 for the New Mexico Medical Investigator to enhance the DNA Processing Laboratory.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Key Points and Highlights

Combatting Crimes on Tribal Lands: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue to allocate additional resources to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, including providing sufficient funding to investigate, respond to, and prevent crimes in Tribal communities. Heinrich helped secure $95,000,000 within the Crime Victims Fund specifically for law enforcement efforts on Tribal lands and in order for federal, state, and tribal governments to coordinate on these critical public safety initiatives.

Fentanyl Tracking System: Heinrich successfully included language directing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to develop a comprehensive fentanyl tracking system. That tracking system would include documentation of seizure location, chemical composition, probable or known manufacturing location, and probable or known point of entry into the United States. Currently, fentanyl interdiction is compiled at land ports of entry by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but the DEA does not have readily accessible tracking data on the movement of illicit drugs within the U.S. or their point of origin. Requiring the compilation and organization of that data will complement DHS’ work and improve our country’s work to effectively combat the fentanyl crisis.

Firearm Straw Purchases Prevention: Heinrich successfully included language calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to continue its public awareness campaign to reduce firearm straw purchases at the retail level and to educate would-be straw purchasers of the penalties associated with knowingly participating in an illegal firearm purchase. This language builds on Heinrich’s work to negotiate and author the provision in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that increased criminal penalties for straw purchases and made it illegal to traffic firearms out of the United States. To date, more than 1,000 defendants have been charged by the Department of Justice because of those provisions, removing hundreds of firearms from the streets.

Removing Barriers to Lifesaving Medication: Heinrich successfully included language directing the DEA to take further action to remove barriers to access for opioid use disorder medications such as buprenorphine. The data clearly shows that prescriptions of medications for opioid use disorder significantly reduce the risk of overdose death, but despite their demonstrated effectiveness, approximately 87% of those suffering from opioid use disorder do not have a prescription for these lifesaving medications. The inclusion of this language will assist local medical and mental health providers and make medications, including buprenorphine, more accessible to New Mexicans.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Praises Trump’s Progress on Trade

Source: US State of Nebraska

. Pillen Praises Trump’s Progress on Trade

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen, the only farmer currently serving as a Governor in America, is praising the progress President Donald J. Trump and his Administration have made for our country through new trade deals. Today, the White House announced trade deals with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

“I believe — wholeheartedly — the future for family farms in America gets brighter every day that Donald J. Trump is President. These trade deals and negotiations have the potential to set up American farmers and manufacturers for generations. This is a historic moment in our country, and I’m honored to work with President Trump and other great leaders like Secretary of Agriculture Rollins.”

Last week, Governor Pillen hosted Shigeo Yamada, Japan’s Ambassador to the United States, in Lincoln. Japan is among America’s closest allies and a tremendous trading partner for Nebraska agriculture, particularly our beef and pork exports.

Promoting Nebraska agriculture and business in Southeast Asia has been a top priority for the Pillen Administration. Last year, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly led a successful trade mission to Indonesia.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Prime Ministers of Belarus and Tanzania held talks on promising areas of cooperation

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

MINSK, July 23 /Xinhua/ — Belarusian Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin and his Tanzanian counterpart Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa held talks in Minsk on Tuesday to develop political and interdepartmental dialogue, and discussed ways to develop bilateral trade and cooperation in food security, BelTA reported.

During the meeting, A. Turchin noted that Belarus views Tanzania as an important partner in East Africa. “We see significant prospects for expanding cooperation in such areas as mechanical engineering, petrochemistry, medical, food and military-technical industries, tourism,” he noted and added that Belarus is ready to supply a wide range of quarry, road construction, municipal and fire-fighting equipment.

Also, according to A. Turchin, Belarus is open to expanding supplies of coffee, tea, nuts, cotton, fruits and other products from Tanzania, including for processing and sale on the market of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The Prime Minister of Tanzania noted that Belarusian business could consider opportunities for closer cooperation with the Tanzanian side in the agricultural sector. “The main focus should be on cooperation in the sphere of trade and economy,” he said.

Following the negotiations, a number of agreements were concluded, in particular memorandums on political consultations, on cooperation in agriculture and on interaction in the field of education. A memorandum of cooperation was also signed between the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Tanzania. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ renews commitment to Pacific health, agriculture

Source: New Zealand Government

Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti this week attended the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Suva, Fiji, where he reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to Pacific-led priorities and announced new support for climate resilience and public health.

“This week’s Forum focused on strengthening regional ties and tackling key challenges like economic development, banking access, and labour mobility,” says Dr Reti.

While in Suva, Dr Reti launched Fiji’s NZ$3.2 million participation in the Pacific Climate-Smart Agriculture and Sustainable Land Management Partnership.

“This investment will help develop climate-resilient crops, restore soil health, and support sustainable farming practices in Fiji,” says Dr Reti.

He also announced NZ$4 million in support of Fiji’s response to its national HIV outbreak.

“Fiji is facing a serious public health crisis, and New Zealand is proud to stand alongside them. This funding will support efforts to reduce transmission, improve treatment, and fight stigma,” says Dr Reti.

Both initiatives align with the Duavata Partnership and are funded through New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation Programme.

“New Zealand is backing Pacific leadership and resilience on the issues that matter most.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Young Japanese voters embrace right-wing populist parties, leaving the prime minister on the brink

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Mark, Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University

Japan’s ruling coalition suffered the widely expected loss of its majority in the July 20 election, as young voters shifted to the populist right. As a result, Shigeru Ishiba’s prime ministership now hangs in the balance.

The election was for half of the 248 members of the House of Councillors, the upper house of the National Diet, Japan’s parliament. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured 39 seats, and its minor coalition partner, the Komeito Party, just eight. This left it three seats short of the 50 required to maintain its majority, as populist opposition parties made dramatic gains.

The LDP is now confronted with minorities in both houses of the Diet for the first time in the party’s 70-year history. It is a huge decline from its postwar dominance of Japanese politics.

In a press conference on Monday, Ishiba said he would not resign, as the LDP remained the largest party in the upper house. He also insisted he needed to stay in office to complete negotiations with the Trump administration, which had threatened to continue harsh trade tariffs after August 1.

But Ishiba is facing calls from disgruntled LDP Diet members to step down. He had already led the LDP into minority government in last October’s election for the lower house of the Diet, the House of Representatives. He called the snap election in the wake of securing LDP leadership last September.

Read more:
Why did Japan’s new leader trigger snap elections only a week after taking office? And what happens next?

However, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) was not responsible for this latest defeat – it managed only to retain its 22 seats. Instead, the LDP and Komeito instead lost out to the two rising populist parties: the centre-right Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), which went from four to 17 seats, and the far-right Sanseito party, which made the most dramatic gains, from one to 14 seats.

Main opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda now needs to again consider whether to bring on a motion of no confidence in the Ishiba cabinet in the lower house. Last month, he backed away from doing so. Such a motion would likely succeed with the support of the other opposition parties, and immediately trigger a snap lower house election. But it would also be highly risky, as it could allow the two right-wing parties to again overshadow the main opposition.

The young shift to the right

Exit polls showed younger people voted in greater numbers for the two right-wing parties. Their dissatisfaction erupted against the political status quo that has long favoured older generations. Older Japanese remain the main supporters for the two major parties, as well as the smaller Komeito and the declining Japanese Communist Party.

Many voters were angry about declining wages, persistent inflation, and a growing tax burden to fund the straining pension and welfare system that disproportionately benefits the elderly.

The leaders of the two right-wing parties, 56-year-old Yuichiro Tamaki and 47-year-old Sohei Kamiya, more effectively used social media to exploit this electoral discontent and push their populist messages.

Sanseito emerged at the start of the COVID pandemic in March 2020. It promoted anti-vaccination conspiracy theories and xenophobia through its campaign slogan of “Japanese First”.

As more people have expressed frustration with Japan’s record tourist numbers, Sanseito and the smaller far-right Conservative Party of Japan sought to scapegoat the relatively small foreign resident population of waging a “silent invasion”.

This includes spreading false stories about them causing local crime waves, depressing wages, hiking real estate prices, and abusing welfare.

The number of foreign-born residents, mostly from other Asian countries, has steadily risen to 3.8 million to meet the demands of the shrinking labour force. However, it still only comprises about 3% of Japan’s (ageing and shrinking) population.

Despite running and electing a majority of female candidates, Sanseito has also attracted criticism for wanting to end gender equality so as to raise the birth rate. It also wants to remove democratic protections from the postwar constitution and return to an imperial form of government.

The success of the two right-wing parties, along with the nationalist neoliberal Japan Innovation Party, threatens to transform Japanese politics.

However, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to cooperate effectively in the Diet with other parties to enact their policy agenda. This includes cutting the consumption tax rate while boosting subsidies to support families and farmers, and restricting immigration.

Uncertainty reigns

The increased political uncertainty will raise concerns about Japan’s ability to continue its strategic reorientation. It has pledged to increase its defence spending to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP). It also wants to increase security cooperation with Europe, India and Australia.

The LDP’s Diet members will hold a full party meeting on July 31 to assess the election. If a majority of LDP members across both houses and representatives of the party’s prefectural chapters petition for a leadership ballot, they could mount a spill against Ishiba.

Ishiba now needs to continue to negotiate with opposition parties to pass legislation in both houses of the Diet. US President Donald Trump’s sudden announcement that a “massive” deal has been struck with Japan for a reciprocal tariff rate of 15% may yet give him a temporary political reprieve.

But as his post-election approval rating hits a record low 23%, his ailing premiership looks even more vulnerable.

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

– ref. Young Japanese voters embrace right-wing populist parties, leaving the prime minister on the brink – https://theconversation.com/young-japanese-voters-embrace-right-wing-populist-parties-leaving-the-prime-minister-on-the-brink-261673

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 23, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 23, 2025.

Hard labour conditions of online moderators directly affect how well the internet is policed – new study
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tania Chatterjee, Joint PhD Candidate at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, The University of Queensland Getty Images/GCShutter Big tech platforms often present content moderation as a seamless, tech‑driven system. But human labour, often outsourced to countries such as India and the Philippines, plays a pivotal role in

Ghosted by a friend? 4 expert tips on how to handle the hurt
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan Willis, Associate Professor, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University martin-dm/Getty When we talk about “ghosting”, we usually think it relates to dating. But what happens when you’ve been ghosted by someone you’ve known for years – your childhood best friend, a parent, a

Labor’s new bill would cut HELP loans by 20%. But it also risks locking some graduates into a ‘debt treadmill’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University The Albanese government’s 20% cut to student debt is the first bill introduced to the new federal parliament. It is clever politics. In the government’s first term, the 3 million Australians with a student debt turned high indexation

ICJ climate crisis ruling: Will world’s top court back Pacific-led call to hold governments accountable?
By Jamie Tahana in The Hague for RNZ Pacific In 2019, a group of law students at the University of the South Pacific, frustrated at the slow pace with which the world’s governments were moving to address the climate crisis, had an idea — they would take the world’s governments to court. They arranged a

‘Maybe this is the last minutes you are living’: how the war is impacting young Ukrainians
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ashley Humphrey, Lecturer in Social Sciences, Monash University Now into its fourth year, the war that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has taken a devastating toll. An estimated 60,000 to 100,0000 Ukrainian lives have been lost and more than 10 million citizens displaced, and entire cities have

Auckland is NZ’s ‘primate city’ but its potential remains caged in by poor planning and vision
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images The recent report comparing Auckland to nine international peer cities delivered an uncomfortable truth: our largest city is falling behind, hampered by car dependency, low-density housing and “weak economic performance”. The Deloitte

Climate disasters are pushing people into homelessness – but there’s a lot we can do about it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Heffernan, Lecturer in Anthropology, Australian National University Almost half of all Australian properties are at risk of bushfire, while 17,500 face risk of coastal erosion. By 2030, more than 3 million will face riverine flood risk. Meanwhile, housing demand continues to outpace supply. With climate-related disasters

UK bans Gaza protest group – could the same thing happen in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University More than 100 people were arrested in the United Kingdom on the weekend for supporting Palestine Action, a protest group that opposes Britain’s support of Israel. Palestine Action was recently proscribed as a terrorist organisation, placing it in the

The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne, from Black Sabbath to Ozzfest to 30 years of retirement tours
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lachlan Goold, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music, University of the Sunshine Coast Ozzy Osbourne photographed in London in 1991. Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for

Could the latest ‘interstellar comet’ be an alien probe? Why spotting cosmic visitors is harder than you think
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Comet 3I/ATLAS International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/K. Meech/Jen Miller/Mahdi Zamani, CC BY On July 1, astronomers spotted an unusual high-speed object zooming towards the Sun. Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the surprising space traveller had one very special quality: its

Should Australia lower the voting age to 16 like the UK? We asked 5 experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University The government in the UK is introducing legislation into parliament to lower the voting age to 16. If passed, the new age rules will be in place for the next general election, expected

Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne HRAUN/Getty A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy

Ultra fast fashion could be taxed to oblivion in France. Could Australia follow suit?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre of Justice, Queensland University of Technology Ryan McVay/Getty For centuries, clothes were hard to produce and expensive. People wore them as long as possible. But manufacturing advances have steadily driven down the cost of production. These days,

Central bank independence and credibility matters. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Simon, Adjunct Fellow in Economics, Macquarie University Olga Kashubin/Shutterstock In the United States, President Donald Trump has been pressuring the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, to slash interest rates. This is partly to ease the interest payments on the ballooning US government debt.

Kneecap’s stance on Gaza extends a long history of the Irish supporting other oppressed peoples
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciara Smart, PhD Graduand in Australasian Irish History, University of Tasmania Love them or hate them, there’s no doubt Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap are having a moment. Their music – delivered in a powerful fusion of English and Irish – is known for its gritty lyrics about

Do countries have a duty to prevent climate harm? The world’s highest court is about to answer this crucial question
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a highly anticipated advisory opinion overnight to clarify state obligations related to climate change. It will answer two urgent questions: what are the obligations of states under international

Gaza not a religious issue – it’s a massive violation of international law, say accord critics
Asia Pacific Report Groups that have declined to join the government-sponsored “harmony accord” signed yesterday by some Muslim and Jewish groups, say that the proposed new council is “misaligned” with its aims. The signed accord was presented at Government House in Auckland. About 70 people attended, including representatives of the New Zealand Jewish Council, His

Flying the flags for Palestine – NZ protesters take message to Devonport
The Devonport Flagstaff About 200 people marched in Devonport last Saturday in support of Palestine. Pro-Palestine flags and placards were draped on the band rotunda at Windsor Reserve as speakers, including Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick and the people power manager of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand Margaret Taylor, a Devonport local, encouraged the crowd

View from The Hill: How much can Jim Chalmers get out of the economic reform roundtable?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra We’re now less than a month away from the start of the Albanese government’s “economic reform” (aka “productivity”) roundtable, but it has become quite hard to get a fix on exactly what this gathering will amount to. The guest list

Israeli settlers beat to death 2 Palestinians in latest lynchings
BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied West Bank Two young Palestinians were beaten to death on their land by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Friday. A funeral was held on Sunday for Sayfollah “Saif” Mussalet, 20, and Muhammad Shalabi, 23, who were brutally killed by a large group of settlers in

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China-Central Asia Poverty Alleviation Cooperation Center and China-Central Asia Education Exchange and Cooperation Center Open in Urumqi

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) — The China-Central Asia Poverty Alleviation Cooperation Center and the China-Central Asia Education Exchange and Cooperation Center were opened Monday in Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The decision to establish these two centers was announced on June 17 this year at the 2nd China-Central Asia Summit in Astana.

The China-Central Asia Poverty Alleviation Cooperation Center is located in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the China-Central Asia Education Exchange and Cooperation Center is located in the Department of Education of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The opening ceremony of these institutions was attended by Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee Chen Xiaojiang, Secretary General of the China-Central Asia Format Sun Weidong and others, the Xinjiang Daily newspaper reported.

The opening of the above-mentioned centers marks a new stage of exchanges and cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the field of poverty alleviation and education. In addition, it will expand a new space for practical exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between Xinjiang and the regions of Central Asian countries, the newspaper writes.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Amo, Huffman Lead 62 Members in New Bill Blocking Trump’s Assault on NOAA Facilities

Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

The Stop NOAA Closures Act prevents Trump from arbitrarily closing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities, keeping communities safe from natural disasters.

WASHINGTON, DC– Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) and House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) led 62 representatives in introducing the Stop NOAA Closures Act, which would block President Trump’s dangerous plans to close NOAA facilities across the country. NOAA facilities predict extreme weather, protect New England fisheries, and help communities understand and adapt to climate change.

“From fishermen to farmers, Rhode Islanders rely on NOAA to respond to severe weather and predict and prepare for climate change,” said Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI). “I introduced the Stop NOAA Closures Act, alongside Ranking Member Huffman, to prevent Trump from shuttering the NOAA facilities that track developing disasters, protect our natural resources, and help communities get ready for the next storm. As Ranking Member of the Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee, I will keep fighting to make sure NOAA and the National Weather Service can continue their vital work protecting the lives, livelihoods, and property of the American people.”

“Let’s call this what it is: a full-blown assault on science and public safety. President Trump’s reckless plans to shutter NOAA facilities are dangerously irresponsible — especially as climate-fueled disasters grow more extreme, more frequent, and more costly,” said Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA). “NOAA is on the frontlines of forecasting hurricanes, tracking wildfires and floods, and issuing life-saving warnings before the next storm hits. Slashing NOAA’s capacity would mean slower warnings, less reliable forecasts, and more American families put in danger. I’m proud to co-lead the Stop NOAA Closures Act to stop this madness in its tracks and protect the science and services millions of Americans rely on every single day.”

This bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Bill Keating (D-MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), John Garamendi (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Lou Correa (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), George Latimer (D-NY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Dina Titus (D-NV), Mark Takano (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Maxine Dexter, MD (D-OR), Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN).

This legislation is endorsed by the Sierra Club, Oceana, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the League of Conservation Voters, Azul, Save the Bay, Climate Action Rhode Island, the Conservation Law Foundation Rhode Island, Clean Water Action Rhode Island, the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, the Turtle Island Restoration Network, Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund, ISciences, L.L.C., and the Woodwell Climate Research Center.

For additional quotes, click HERE.

Background

Congressman Amo, serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Environment on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Amo, Pocan, Krishnamoorthi, 49 Colleagues Slam Rubio’s Decision to Incinerate Food Aid

Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

WASHINGTON, DC – Friday, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI), Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI), Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) led a letter with 49 of their colleagues to Secretary of State Marco Rubio opposing his decision to withhold nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food aid and instead incinerate those supplies once they expire.

“As you know, these rations were designed to nourish vulnerable children in conflict-affected regions such as Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the Members wrote. “This action is not only morally indefensible, but also wasteful, strategically shortsighted, and completely counter to the entirety of your work while in the Senate.”

“We understand that instead of delivering this emergency assistance to malnourished children as originally intended, the State Department will destroy the biscuits at an additional cost to the taxpayer of $130,000,” the Members continued. “According to reporting in the Atlantic, USAID employees and inventory data say this food could have fed 1.5 million children for a week. Given the alarming rates of food insecurity and famine in regions like Gaza and Sudan, the decision to burn lifesaving aid produced by American farmers and paid for by American tax dollars amounts to a tragic abdication of our global humanitarian responsibilities and hurts our own global interests.”

“The United States has long led the world in humanitarian assistance, not only as a matter of compassion but also as a cornerstone of global stability and diplomacy,” the Members concluded. “Destroying aid that could save lives undermines that legacy and damages our standing in the international community. We urge you to immediately prioritize the distribution of all remaining and viable food assistance stockpiles. American leadership demands nothing less.”

A full copy of the letter can be found here.

The list of signers includes Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Nannete Barragán (D-CA), Donald Beyer (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-WA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Shontel Brown (D-OH), André Carson (D-IN), Greg Casar (D-TX), Ed Case (D-HI), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jason Crow (D-CO), Danny Davis (D-IL), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Laura Friedman (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Ro Khanna (D-CA), George Latimer (D-NY), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Scott Peters (D-CA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Eugene Vindman (D-VA), and Nikema Williams (D-GA).

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reps. McCollum, Huffman, Pingree, Craig, Omar, Morrison Demand Answers on Reverse of Mineral Withdrawal in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Dean of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Congresswoman Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Rollins and Interior Secretary Burgum demanding answers on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to overturn the 225,504-acre federal mineral withdrawal in the Rainy River Watershed on the Superior National Forest.

This move would blindside local communities, ignore scientific consensus, and put the profits of mining interests ahead of Minnesota’s clean water and world-renowned wilderness.

“This withdrawal is crucial for protecting the clean water, unparalleled recreation opportunities, and biodiverse wildlife habitat of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Boundary Waters)—the most visited National Wilderness Area in the nation,” the lawmakers wrote. “As Representatives for the people of the United States and champions for the Boundary Waters – a vast reserve of some of our nation’s purest water and one of our greatest outdoor treasures – we have significant concerns both the substance of this announcement and the manner in which it was communicated.”

The lawmakers slammed Secretary Rollins for announcing the decision using a vague and misleading social post, claiming to have reviewed the withdrawal and taken into account the extensive public input. Multiple environmental reviews and public letters from the U.S. Forest Service leadership have repeatedly concluded that opening the Superior National Forest to mineral development would pose unacceptable risks to the watershed’s cultural, economic, and natural resource values. Polls show that 70 percent of Minnesotans support permanent protection of the Boundary Waters.

“The people of Minnesota and Americans nationwide overwhelmingly support permanent protection for the headwaters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The use of an inaccurate tweet lacking substantive detail has generated confusion and concern among our constituents, who have already provided extensive public input in support of protecting the Boundary Waters through a mineral withdrawal,” added the lawmakers.

Unraveling the mineral withdrawal protecting these headwaters threatens pristine ecosystems and a vibrant recreational economy supporting nearly 96,000 jobs in Minnesota and generating $13.5 billion annually. The lawmakers asked Secretary Rollins and Secretary Burgum to address their concerns before any further action is taken on the Rainy River Mineral Withdrawal by either the USDA or the DOI.

Read the full letter here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Congressional Democrats Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

As originally released by the Committee on Education & Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA.-28), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

Co-leads of the legislation include Representative Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace.  The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures.  Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott.  “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process.  I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress.  Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique.  As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers.  That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,”said SenatorPadilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,”said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States.  The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse.  Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death.  Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000.  The Washington Center for Equitable Growthestimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates.  Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness.  And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03) , Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (D-TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (D-NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (D-CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12).

To read the fact sheet on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is availablehere.

To read the section-by-section summary of the bill is available here.

To read the bill text of the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

WATCH: Rep. Chu’s remarks on pushing for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, following yet another extreme heat wave in California, U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), joined by co-leads Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), stood alongside union leaders, including Yaisy Villalobos of the United Farm Workers (UFW), Dorothy Bryant of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Roy Houseman of the United Steelworkers (USW) to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish an enforceable federal workplace heat protection standard.

To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with common sense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill would also direct employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 in California after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

Ever since the United Farm Workers first shared Asunción Valdivia’s story with her, Rep. Judy Chu has been a tireless advocate to protect workers from dangerous heat exposure. She helped pass into law a state heat standard for outdoor workers when she was in the California state legislature. And she will continue to introduce this federal legislation each session of Congress until workers finally have a federal law protecting them from heat-related illness, injury, or death while on the job.

“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

“Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift. The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”

“From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round. From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, AFSCME, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, National Employment Law Project, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Auto Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, National Resources Defense Council, Service Employees International Union, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

“Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

“Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

“For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers.

“Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

“It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

“Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

“Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

This bill is originally cosponsored by 90 House Members, including Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03)*, Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12)*, Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

Full text of the bill is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Agricultural Supply Chain

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) led 16 of his colleagues in introducing legislation to remove regulatory roadblocks for heavy vehicle operators when renewing their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act enables seasonal drivers to renew their CDL online while providing greater flexibility in the types of commercial vehicles they can operate. As the American Trucking Association estimates a national truck driver shortage of 115,000 by the end of 2025, Rep. Mann’s legislation reforms the Farm-Related Restricted Commercial Driver’s License program by allowing states to develop an online registration and renewal system for farm-related service providers, enabling drivers to more easily renew their seasonal license.

“Successfully feeding, clothing, and fueling the world doesn’t stop when crops are harvested,” said Rep. Mann. “The entire agriculture supply chain relies on timely and reliable delivery every step of the way from production to consumption. If our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers can’t access the machinery they need to operate their farms or transport their products to storage, it would be impossible for them to fulfill their calling or deliver products to consumers. Our bill strengthens the entire agricultural supply chain by enacting commonsense reforms that make it easier for farm-service drivers to simply do their jobs and serve customers and consumers. Food security is national security that we can and should protect by removing regulatory burdens.”

Joining Rep. Mann in introducing the Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act are Reps. Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Ron Estes (KS-04), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Mark Messmer (IN-08), Derek Schmidt (KS-02), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Jack Berman (MI-01), John Rose (TN-06), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Mike Flood (NE-01), David Kustoff (TN-08), Craig Goldman (TX-12), Tim Burchett (TN-02), and Bruce Westerman (AR-04).

“This bill delivers commonsense wins that will make it easier for the ag sector to keep essential goods moving,” said Rep. Flood. “By streamlining the CDL process and clarifying federal definitions, we’re reducing red tape without compromising safety. This is a smart step toward strengthening our nation’s ag supply chain.”

“The work of Hoosier farmers never stops as they feed Americans and the world,” said Rep. Messmer. “I am proud to support Congressman Mann’s bill to get government red tape out of the way and let farmers do what they do best!”

The Seasonal Ag CDL Modernization Act is supported by the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Sorghum Producers, Kansas Soybean Association, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Agribusiness Association of Kentucky, Agribusiness Council of Indiana, Agricultural Council of Arkansas, Agricultural Retailers Association, Agriculture Transportation Coalition, American Cotton Shippers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Feed Industry Association, American Honey Producers Association, American Malting Barley Association, Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology, Far West Agribusiness Association, Farm Credit Council, Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association, Georgia Agribusiness Council, Idaho Grain Producers Association, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, Michigan Agri-Business Association, Minnesota Crop Production Retailers, Mississippi Agricultural Industry Council, Missouri Agribusiness Association, Montana Agricultural Business Association, National Aquaculture Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Grain and Feed Association, National Grange, National Farmers Union, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Producers Council, National Sunflower Association, National Sorghum Producers, Nebraska Agri-Business Association, Nebraska Cooperative Council, North American Millers’ Association, North American Renderers Association, North Carolina AgriBusiness Council, North Dakota Agricultural Association, North Dakota Grain Dealers Association, Louisiana Ag Industries Association, Ohio AgriBusiness Association, Pet Food Institute, Rocky Mountain Agribusiness Association, South Dakota Agri-Business Association, Southern Crop Production Association, Texas Ag Industries Association, Texas Grain & Feed Association, The Fertilizer Institute, USA Rice, U.S. Canola Association, US Rice Producers Association, Virginia Agribusiness Council, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, Wyoming Ag Business Association and the Wyoming Wheat Growers Association.

“This important legislation, championed by Representative Tracey Mann and the original co-sponsors, provides critical support for agricultural retailers who deliver essential products and services to our farms and livestock operations,” said Richard Gupton, the Senior Vice President of Public Policy for the Agricultural Retailers Association. “By modernizing outdated regulations, this bill empowers retailers to operate more efficiently and reliably, strengthening the entire agricultural supply chain and helping our rural communities thrive. Additionally, by allowing for increased load capacities, the proposal helps alleviate the industry’s chronic driver shortage, enabling businesses to make fewer trips with the same workforce and ensuring that essential goods reach their destinations in a timely manner.”

“The Agriculture Transportation Coalition has long recognized that there is nothing we produce in agriculture in the United States that cannot be sourced somewhere else in the world,” said Peter Friedmann, Executive Director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. “If we are unable to transport and deliver affordably and dependably, our international customers will buy from those other countries, and US farmers, ranchers, processors will lose those sales. The international agriculture supply chain begins at the farms here in the United States. The need to enhance transport efficiency at the very beginning of the supply chain, namely the harvest at the field, has never been greater. The Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act, will advance this essential component of the domestic and international export supply chain, to keep our agriculture competitive in the global and domestic marketplace. The AgTC strongly supports this bill.”

“As America’s oldest grassroots agriculture and rural life advocacy organization, the National Grange appreciates Representative Mann taking the lead on the Seasonal Ag CDL Modernization Act,” said Burton Eller, Executive Director of National Grange. “The seasonal ag CDL is a critical link in the success of our harvest chain in rural America.”

“The Seasonal Ag CDL Modernization Act is a major win for the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association and its members,” said Grace Howe, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association. “By extending the restricted seasonal CDL period and aligning licensing with the calendar year, it provides agribusinesses with more flexibility during peak planting and harvest seasons. This change reduces administrative burdens, streamlines compliance with federal and state rules, and ensures a more reliable seasonal workforce, and ultimately saving time, cutting costs, and supporting smoother operations across Wisconsin’s ag supply chain.”

“The Pet Food Institute (PFI), whose members make the vast majority of dog and cat food and treats in the U.S., supports Rep. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.) in proposing updates to the Farm-Related Service Industries Restricted CDL program that will set a new federal definition for implements of husbandry,” said PFI’s president and CEO, Dana Brooks. “U.S. pet food is predominantly made with ingredients produced on American farms, and pet food manufacturing is a major contributor to agricultural and rural economies. We recognize that modern agriculture depends on a broad array of vehicles and equipment to operate efficiently, to innovate and to continue producing safe, quality food for people and pets.”

“Montana agricultural businesses and producers already face major challenges, from weather and drought to delays getting product across our borders,” said Tanner Hoversland, Montana Agricultural Business Association Board Chair. “Legislation like the Seasonal Ag CDL Modernization Act is good government policy that makes improvements to this essential licensing process, and removes burdens instead of throwing up more roadblocks, especially for our rural operators. The Montana Agricultural Business Association and its members are grateful to Rep. Mann for introducing this commonsense proposal.”

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For more information about Representative Mann, visit: www.mann.house.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Justice Introduce Bipartisan Strengthening Local Food Security Act

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to strengthen the nation’s food supply chain network, bolster economic opportunities for local farmers and food producers, and increase access to fresh, local nutritious food in underserved communities and schools, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Jim Justice (R-WV) teamed up to introduce the Strengthening Local Food Security Act (S. 2338).
This new bill would create a permanent grant program for state and tribal governments to procure local foods for distribution to nearby hunger relief programs and schools.
The bipartisan proposal would leverage government procurement and purchasing power to increase access to locally-sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities and schools and in turn, help family farmers, fishermen, and local food producers grow their markets. This grant program would:
Support local economic development by creating new access to the hunger relief market for local farmers and fishermen, creating a new, reliable stream of orders for small, beginning, and underserved farmers, ranchers, and fishers, giving these businesses the financial security to invest and further expand.
Strengthen our domestic agriculture supply chain by investing in local food distribution. The bill would help build local businesses that support durable and resilient local food systems.
Combat food insecurity by providing fresh, nutritious, local food to underserved communities and schools, feeding more families and helping ease the strain on the hunger relief system.
“Food prices are up and food banks are experiencing rising demand. We’ve got to feed those in need. The Strengthening Local Food Security Act makes family farmers and fishermen part of the solution, putting fresh, healthy food on the table in a cost-effective manner that strengthens the local economy too,” said Senator Jack Reed. “This bill will feed students and families and plant seeds of economic development for farmers, fishermen, and others throughout the nation’s food supply chain.”
“In West Virginia, we know the value of hard work and locally grown food. The Strengthening Local Food Security Act helps our farmers, ranchers, and fishermen get more of their local food onto more tables. It puts money back into our communities and keeps people fed. That’s a win-win all around. I look forward to working to get this done for our local producers, food banks, and schools,” Senator Jim Justice said.
The Strengthening Local Food Security Act is supported by a wide range of farmers, food hubs, coalitions, and business networks from across the country, including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Farmers Union, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and the Farm Credit Council.
In Rhode Island, the bill is supported by several leading organizations, including: the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Food Policy Council.
“At a time when we’re serving more people than ever before, this type of legislation is critical, both for Rhode Island families and for our state’s economy,” said Melissa Cherney, incoming CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “We’re honored to support Senator Reed’s bill.”
“It’s always a good time to invest in Rhode Island’s farmers. This bill will increase fairness by opening valuable wholesale markets to our smaller-scale producers. Even better, it does so while supporting the state’s economy and feeding our communities,” said Nessa Richman, Network Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council.
“Over 40 percent of people in Rhode Island do not have enough to eat. This bill helps to address that issue by partnering with local farmers as part of the solution. Farm Fresh RI is excited by the opportunity to strengthen the agricultural supply chain, support local economic development and provide nutritious food to children and food insecure families,” said Jesse Rye, Executive Director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island.
“Farm Credit applauds Senators Reed and Justice for their leadership in introducing the Strengthening Local Food Security Act of 2025. This bill is a strategic investment in American agriculture—supporting farmers, strengthening supply chains, and helping schools and communities access locally produced food. This bill will help boost regional economies and improve food security across the country,” said Christy Seyfert, President and CEO, Farm Credit Council.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 23, 2025

Category: Agriculture

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