NewzIntel.com

Category: Energy

  • MIL-OSI USA: We expect rapid electricity demand growth in Texas and the mid-Atlantic

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    July 31, 2025

    In our most recent Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we forecast nationwide U.S. retail electricity sales to ultimate customers will grow at an annual rate of 2.2% in both 2025 and 2026, compared with average growth of 0.8% between 2020 and 2024. The forecast reflects rapid electricity demand growth in Texas and several mid-Atlantic states, where the grid is managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the PJM Interconnection, respectively. We expect electricity demand in ERCOT to grow at an average rate of 11% in 2025 and 2026 while the PJM region grows by 4%.

    After relatively little change in U.S. electricity demand between 2005 and 2020, retail sales of electricity have begun growing again, driven by rising demand in the commercial and industrial sectors. Developers have proposed numerous data centers and large manufacturing facilities that could consume significant amounts of electricity, and many of these projects are concentrated in the ERCOT and PJM regions. But, the timing of these facilities’ initial operations remains uncertain.

    We publish short-term forecasts for electricity sales to ultimate customers for each of the nine census divisions and for the entire United States. We directly incorporate ERCOT’s and PJM‘s monthly projections for power demand into our sales forecasts for the relevant regions. The portion of the power grid that ERCOT operates is located within the West South Central Census Division, which consists of Texas and three neighboring states: Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. In Texas, electricity is delivered to end-use customers by four large investor-owned utilities and several municipal utilities.

    We expect electricity demand within ERCOT to increase by 7% in 2025 and by 14% in 2026 when some large data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities come online. We expect retail electricity sales in the broader West South Central Census Division to grow by 5% this year and 9% in 2026.

    Dozens of utilities deliver electricity on the PJM Interconnection portion of the grid, which covers 13 states in parts of the Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, and East North Central Census Divisions. Within the area covered by PJM, the Northern Virginia market contains the highest concentration of data centers in the world, according to analysis conducted for Virginia’s state government. The growing demand for power by these new customers could increase electricity sales in PJM by 3% in 2025 and 4% in 2026.

    Principal contributor: Tyler Hodge

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Arctic Pablo Coin Presale Roars Past $3.16M as Final Countdown Begins: 16k% Gains Projected

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Arctic Pablo Coin ($APC) presale has entered its 34th stage, breaking past $3.16 million raised and delivering early investors a jaw-dropping 4,033% ROI. With only two stages left before the presale ends, urgency is at an all-time high as analysts project potential 16,029% gains if the coin hits its long-term target of $0.10. For those searching for the top crypto presale to join now, the window to act is closing fast.

    A Meme Coin With Teeth, Not Just Talk

    Arctic Pablo Coin started as a meme coin with a story, but it has evolved into a full-blown crypto ecosystem. Unlike countless meme projects that rely solely on hype, $APC blends viral appeal with a deflationary token model, staking rewards, and community-driven governance. The project has burned millions of tokens, building scarcity while keeping long-term holders hungry for more.

    The narrative? Arctic Pablo is an adventurer exploring icy blockchain frontiers, and its followers are along for the treasure hunt. That kind of branding, paired with robust tokenomics, explains why Arctic Pablo has become a top crypto presale to join now as it inches toward the finish line.

    Tokenomics That Bite Into Supply

    The Arctic Pablo Coin presale isn’t just raising funds—it’s reshaping supply and demand dynamics. Weekly token burns eliminate unsold tokens, permanently reducing supply and creating upward pressure on price. Staking rewards offer a 66% APY for early supporters, while liquidity is locked to prevent rug pulls and maintain investor trust.

    At Stage 34’s presale price of $0.00062, early buyers are positioned to see 1,190% gains at launch when APC lists at $0.008, with long-term projections eyeing 16,029%. That kind of growth potential has catapulted APC into conversations as one of the top crypto presales to join now, giving retail investors a rare early-access opportunity.

    Presale Mechanics That Reward Early Action

    Each stage of the presale runs for one week, with automatic price increases when stages unlock. That means every delay in buying costs investors both tokens and potential ROI. With Stage 34 already live and Stage 35 on deck, the presale is only two steps from its conclusion. Early birds are stacking tokens while they’re still cheap because, in crypto, hesitation often equals regret.

    This staged model is what has helped APC raise $3.16 million and counting, even as meme coin markets become increasingly crowded. The numbers speak for themselves: this isn’t just another presale; it’s one structured to reward speed and conviction.

    Community Energy That Can’t Be Ignored

    Arctic Pablo Coin has built one of the most engaged meme coin communities in 2025, spreading its arctic-themed adventure narrative across Twitter, Telegram, Discord, and beyond. Investors are sharing memes, price predictions, and presale milestones in real time, fueling a grassroots movement that’s helping drive momentum.

    This organic hype is why Arctic Pablo has gained a reputation as one of the top crypto presales to join now. Unlike corporate-driven projects, this is a community-powered movement—a critical factor in meme coin success stories.

    The Final Call Before the Snowball Rolls

    With only two stages left and billions of tokens already burned, Arctic Pablo Coin presale is entering its endgame. The presale price of $0.00062 offers a direct path to 1,190% ROI at launch—with much more upside if long-term predictions hold. For those still sitting on the fence, the clock is ticking.

    If history has shown anything, meme coins with this kind of narrative power, deflationary supply, and community backing often become market movers. Arctic Pablo is proving to be no different. For investors seeking the top crypto presale to join now, this is a chance to jump on before the snowball becomes an avalanche.

    For More Information:

    Arctic Pablo Coin: https://www.arcticpablo.com/ 

    Telegram: https://t.me/ArcticPabloOfficial 

    Twitter: https://x.com/arcticpabloHQ 

    About Arctic Pablo Coin

    Arctic Pablo Coin ($APC) is a blockchain-based meme coin designed to combine digital storytelling, decentralized finance, and community governance. Built on deflationary tokenomics, NFT integration, and staking incentives, APC aims to evolve meme culture into a functional crypto ecosystem.

    Contact:
    Team@arcticpablo.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Arctic Pablo Coin. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Pacific tsunami: modern early warning systems prevent the catastrophic death tolls of the past

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ian Main, Professor of Seismology and Rock Physics, University of Edinburgh

    The earthquake in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula on July 30 2025 may have been one of the most severe on record, with a magnitude of 8.8. But innovations in science and technology gave governments vital time to warn and evacuate their people from the resulting tsunami.

    Millions of people escaped to higher ground before the tsunami hit.

    The 2004 Boxing Day 9.3 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Sumatra, which caused approximately 230,000 deaths, some as far away as Somalia on the other side of the Indian Ocean, shows how important these warnings are.

    Early warning systems were not in place for the Indian Ocean in time for the 2004 disaster. But there is now a system in place, with 27 countries participating in the group effort.

    The 2004 tsunami was particularly tragic because tsunami waves travel at a steady speed in the open ocean, about as fast as a jet plane. This means they can take several hours to reach shore across an ocean, with plenty of time for warning.

    An early warning system for the Pacific Ocean, based in Hawaii, was created in 1948 following a deadly tsunami two years before. On April 1 1946, the magnitude 8.6 Aleutian Islands earthquake in the northern Pacific Ocean generated a tsunami that devastated parts of Hawaii hours later, leading to 146 fatalities.

    The death toll was exacerbated by the leading wave being downwards. This happens in around 50% of tsunamis, and exposes the seashore in a similar way to when the tide goes out, but exposing a larger area than normal. People sometimes investigate out of curiosity, bringing them closer to the danger.

    The accuracy and response times of early tsunami warnings have significantly improved since 1948.

    How tsunamis happen

    To understand the work involved in protecting coastal communities, first you need to understand how tsunamis are generated.

    Tsunamis are caused by displacement of mass on the sea floor after an earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. This provides an energy source to set off a wave in the deep sea, not just near the surface like in the ocean waves we see whipped up by the wind and storms. Most are small. The Japanese word tsunami translates somewhat innocuously as “harbour wave”.

    Detailed global mapping of the sea floor, pioneered by US geologist Marie Tharpe between 1957 and 1978, helped establish the modern theory of plate tectonics. It also improved the physical models for how the tsunami will travel in the ocean.

    Wave height increases as it approaches the shore, and the topography of the sea floor can result in a complicated pattern of wave interference and concentration of the energy in stream-like patterns. The establishment of sea-floor observatories led to better data for the pressure at the sea floor (related to wave height) and satellite networks now directly monitor wave height globally using radar signals from space.

    One of the factors that has helped scientists predict the range of a tsunami includes the setting up of the worldwide standard station network of seismometers in 1963, which allowed better estimations of earthquake location and magnitude.

    These were superseded by the digital broadband global network of seismometers in 1978, which allowed more detail on the source to be calculated quickly. This includes a better estimate of earthquake size, the source rupture area and orientation in three dimensions.

    It also tells scientists about the slip, which controls the pattern of displacement on the sea floor. This data is used to forecast the time of landing, the amplitude of the wave on the shoreline, and its height in areas where the wave travels further inland.

    The Pacific Ocean warning system now has 46 countries contributing data. It also uses physical and statistical models for estimating tsunami height. The models developed as scientists learnt more about earthquake sources, mapped features on the sea floor and tested model forecasts against outcomes.

    Today’s technology

    The early warning systems we have today are due to a decades-long commitment to global research collaboration and open data. Scientists have also improved their forecast methods. Recently they started using trained AI algorithms which could improve the timeliness and accuracy.

    Pioneered by the US Geological Survey, rapid data sharing is now used routinely to estimate earthquake parameters and make them available to the public soon after the rupture stops. This can be within minutes for an initial estimate then updated over the next few hours as more data comes in.

    However, the forecast wave height is inherently uncertain, variable from place to place, and may turn out to be more or less than expected. Similarly, large earthquakes are rare, making it hard to estimate how likely they are on average, and therefore to design appropriate mitigation measures.

    The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan destroyed or overtopped the eight-metre high protective sea walls that had been put in place based on such hazard estimates. There were over 19,000 fatalities. As a consequence, their height has been increased to 12-15 metres in some areas.

    Early warning systems also rely on rapid communication to the public, including mass alerts communicated by mobile phone, coordination by the relevant authorities across borders, clear advice, and advance evacuation plans and occasional alarm tests or drills. Although tsunami waves slow down to the speed of a car as they approach the shore, it is impossible to outrun one, so it is better to act quickly and calmly.

    The effectiveness of warnings also means accepting a degree of inconvenience in false alarms where the tsunami height is less than that forecast, because this is inevitable with the uncertainties involved. For good reason, authorities issuing alerts will err on the side of caution.

    To give an example, nuclear power plants on Japan’s eastern seaboard were shut down on July 30.

    So far it looks like the Pacific early warning system – combined with effective levels of preparedness and action by service providers and decision makers – has worked well in reducing the number of casualties that might have happened without it.

    There will always be a level of uncertainty we will have to live with. On balance, it is a small price to pay for avoiding a catastrophe.

    Ian Main is professor of Seismology and Rock Physics at the University of Edinburgh. He receives funding from UK Research and Innovation Research Council, a member of the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation Expert panel on external hazards, and acts as an independent reviewer for the Energy Industry-funded SeIsmic hazard and Ground Motion Assessment research program SIGMA3.

    – ref. Pacific tsunami: modern early warning systems prevent the catastrophic death tolls of the past – https://theconversation.com/pacific-tsunami-modern-early-warning-systems-prevent-the-catastrophic-death-tolls-of-the-past-262283

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal Statement on Trump Administration Revoking Approval of Ocean Areas Designated for Wind Power

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

    Carbajal Statement on Trump Administration Revoking Approval of Ocean Areas Designated for Wind Power

    Washington, July 30, 2025

    U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the Trump administration’s decision to revoke approval for millions of acres of ocean to be set aside for offshore wind development. 

    “This is another backwards policy decision by the Trump administration that will hurt our wind energy sector and the thousands of jobs it supports,” said Rep. Carbajal. “Wind power is no longer theoretical—it’s vital to our economy and energy security. Undermining renewables not only hurts American workers and businesses, it hands the future of clean energy to global competitors like China. This is an America Last policy approach.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: World’s first framework for digital governance adopted by UN

    Source: Government of Sweden

    On 22 September, the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the first framework for global governance of digital technology, was adopted in connection with the UN Summit of the Future in New York. The Swedish Government was represented by Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch. The GDC is one of the most concrete aspects of the multilateral Pact for the Future adopted by UN Member States ahead of the 2024 General Assembly. Other key discussions addressed the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, energy policy, development issues and how to achieve the global climate goals.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari attends 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna on 17 September

    Source: Government of Sweden

    On 17 September, Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari is attending the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference. Sweden’s participation is focused on highlighting Sweden’s new nuclear energy policy in the international arena, and also the consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion for Ukraine.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Free webinar to help local hospitality and retail businesses beat the power bills

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    The City of Greater Bendigo is holding a free webinar to provide local hospitality and retail businesses with energy saving advice.

    The Smart Energy Solutions for Hospitality and Retail Businesses webinar will take place from 4 to 5pm on Wednesday August 6 as part of the City’s Beat the Power Bills program.

    City of Greater Bendigo Climate Change and Environment Acting Manager Ian McBurney said the session is tailored specifically for small to medium operators in cafes, restaurants, bars, shops, and service-based retail.

    “It will provide practical advice on understanding energy bills, identifying costly inefficiencies in day-to-day operations, and assessing the value of upgrades like solar, batteries, or switching off gas,” Mr McBurney said.

    “The webinar will be presented by the City’s Zero Emissions Business Officer Tim Drylie and will cut through the jargon and provide hospitality and retail owners with the facts they need to make informed, cost-saving decisions.”

    The webinar is free to attend. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden and the United States enter into new nuclear power agreement

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Sweden and the United States have entered into a new agreement to further the development of new nuclear power. Minister for Energy, Business and Industry Ebba Busch has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral nuclear cooperation in Washington, D.C. with US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. This agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between Sweden and the United States to support the development of new nuclear power. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 5 reasons why wind farms are costing more in Australia – and what to do about it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magnus Söderberg, Professor and Director, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University

    Saeed Khan/Getty

    Building a solar farm in Australia is getting about 8% cheaper each year as panel prices fall and technology improves, according to an official new report. Battery storage costs are falling even more sharply, dropping 20% over the past year alone.

    But the same can’t be said for wind farms, the second-largest source of renewable energy in Australia. Onshore wind costs actually rose about 8% in 2023–24 and another 6% in 2024–25.

    The findings are contained in the GenCost 2024–25 report by CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator, released this week.

    Rising costs are putting real pressure on the wind industry, undermining investor confidence. Developers of offshore wind projects are walking away, and even cheaper on-shore wind projects are under strain. Even as wind energy becomes a mainstay in China, the United States and Germany, the industry faces real headwinds in Australia.

    This is surprising. Wind, like solar, was projected to get steadily cheaper. The fuel is free and turbines are getting better and better. Instead, wind in Australia has remained stubbornly expensive. Solving the problem will be challenging. But solutions have to be found fast if Australia is to reach the goal of 82% renewable power in the grid by 2030 – now less than five years away.

    Australia has no offshore wind projects up and running – and cost spikes may put planned projects at risk.
    Obatala-photography/Shutterstock

    Five reasons why this is happening

    Here’s what’s going on:

    1. Global supply chains have been disrupted

    The cost of steel, copper, fibreglass and other materials vital for wind turbines shot up during the pandemic. As a result, turbine prices rose almost 40% between 2020 and 2022. While input costs have fallen, turbine prices remain high. Solar panels can be churned out in factories, but modern wind turbines are massive, complex structures that require specialised manufacturing and logistics. That makes them more sensitive to global price fluctuations.

    2. Good wind is often in remote places

    Australia’s best wind resources are typically far from cities and existing grid infrastructure. Connecting far-flung wind farms such as Tasmania’s Robbins Island to the grid can require new and very expensive transmission lines. Remote sites mean extra costs such as temporary worker accommodation. The GenCost report notes this has added about 4% to wind project budgets in 2024–25 compared with the year before.

    Many other countries rely heavily on offshore wind, because wind blows more strongly and reliably over oceans. Unfortunately, spiking costs are likely to further delay the arrival of offshore wind in Australia. GenCost projects the first offshore wind projects in Australia will face even steeper costs.

    Good wind resources are often located in remote areas of Australia.
    Brook Mitchell/Stringer via Getty

    3. Local construction and labour costs have soared

    Australia faces a shortage of workers with the skills to build and maintain wind farms, resulting in higher wages and recruitment costs. Wind developers say construction costs have become a real issue. Wind farms are more labour-intensive than solar.

    4. Interest rates have raised financing costs

    Wind farms require large upfront investments and lengthy construction periods. Even a small increase in interest rates can make them unviable – and interest rates have been high for some time.

    5. Reliability concerns, regulatory delay and community opposition

    According to US researchers, technical issues have emerged for some new wind turbines, creating unexpected costs for developers. The long, complex process of getting permits, carrying out environmental assessments and building community support is pushing out project timelines, increasing costs and uncertainty for developers.

    Will solar take over?

    Solar faces far fewer challenges. Solar panels are mass-produced, meaning costs are steadily driven down through economies of scale. Panels can be deployed quickly and solar farms tend to face less community opposition.

    Wind turbines have to spin to function, while solar panels have no moving parts (though systems that track the Sun do). As a result, solar farms require less maintenance and are more reliable.

    It’s no surprise large-scale solar has been on a record-breaking run, growing 20-fold between 2018 and 2023.

    Solar panels make electricity during daylight hours, especially in summer. By contrast, wind tends to produce more power at night and during winter months. This is why wind is so useful to a green grid.

    Generating power from both wind and sunshine can slash how much storage is needed to ensure grid reliability, lowering overall system costs. A balanced mix of wind, solar and storage will meet Australia’s electricity needs more efficiently and reliably than just solar and storage, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency and independent researchers.

    Could wind come back?

    Making wind more viable will take work. Potential solutions do exist, such as expanding the skilled workforce and investing in specialised ships and equipment to install turbines offshore.

    Shipping large turbines from Denmark or China is expensive. To avoid these costs, it could make sense to encourage local manufacturing of large and heavy parts such as the main tower.

    Other options include finding lower-cost turbine suppliers and streamlining regulatory processes.

    Rising material and labour costs have driven up the cost of wind turbines. Pictured: turbine blades in China’s Jiangsu province in 2022 about to be shipped to Australia.
    Xu Congjun/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    The newly announced expansion of the government’s Capacity Investment Scheme could help reduce risks and give certainty, alongside public investment in new transmission lines.

    If nothing is done or if new measures don’t help, wind is likely to stall while solar and storage race ahead.

    That’s not the worst outcome. Australia could get a long way by relying on batteries and pumped hydro to store power from solar during the day and release it in the evenings, as California is doing. But this strategy involves trade offs, such as higher storage-capacity needs and the risk of insufficient power during long cloudy periods.

    For Australia to optimise its mix of renewables and storage, policymakers will have to tackle wind’s cost challenges. Effective action could lower costs, accelerate project timelines and bolster flagging investor confidence.

    Magnus Söderberg 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. 5 reasons why wind farms are costing more in Australia – and what to do about it – https://theconversation.com/5-reasons-why-wind-farms-are-costing-more-in-australia-and-what-to-do-about-it-262126

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 31, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 31, 2025.

    5 reasons why wind farms are costing more in Australia – and what to do about it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magnus Söderberg, Professor and Director, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University Saeed Khan/Getty Building a solar farm in Australia is getting about 8% cheaper each year as panel prices fall and technology improves, according to an official new report. Battery storage costs are

    Sporty spice: how romance fiction is adding a new dynamic to sports fandom
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University Sports fans might love their teams, cheer or curse each game’s result and admire their favourite athletes, but we rarely associate sports with romance. However, that may be slowly changing thanks to the recent spike in the popularity

    Just as NZ began collecting meaningful data on rainbow communities, census changes threaten their visibility
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lori Leigh, Research Fellow in Public Health, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand’s 2023 census was the first to collect data on gender identity and sexual orientation, showing one in 20 adults identify as LGBTQIA+. But just as reports from this more inclusive census are being

    Big tech says AI could boost Australia’s economy by $115 billion a year. Does the evidence stack up?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney Imaginima / Getty Images AI is on the agenda in Canberra. In August, the Productivity Commission will release an interim report on harnessing data and digital technology such as AI “to boost productivity growth, accelerate innovation and

    Progress on Closing the Gap is stagnant or going backwards. Here are 3 things to help fix it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeleine Pugin, Research Fellow, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University The Productivity Commission’s latest data on Closing the Gap progress represents an unsurprisingly grim overview of the socioeconomic inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Closing the Gap is the plan federal and

    More than 2 in 5 young Australians are lonely, our new report shows. This is what could help
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle H. Lim, Associate Professor, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney Oliver Rossi/Getty Images Loneliness is not a word often associated with young people. We tend to think of our youth as a time spent with family, friends and being engaged with school and work

    How migrant business owners turn their identity into an asset, despite some bumps along the way
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shea X. Fan, Associate Professor, Human Resource Management, Deakin University Odua Images/Shutterstock Too often, it’s anti-immigration sentiment dominating headlines in Australia. But a quieter story is going untold. Migrants are not just fitting into Australian society, they’re actively reshaping it through entrepreneurship. Starting a business is difficult

    The Man from Hong Kong at 50: how the first ever Australian–Hong Kong co-production became a cult classic
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Ferris, Senior Lecturer, Media Arts & Production, University of Technology Sydney LMPC via Getty Images A cinematic firecracker of a film exploded onto international screens 50 years ago this week, blending martial arts mayhem, Bond-esque set pieces, casual racism – and a distinctly Australian swagger. From

    Rules for calculating climate risk in financial reporting by NZ businesses need revisiting – new research
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martien Lubberink, Associate Professor of Accounting and Capital, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Andrew MacDonald/Getty Images The recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision on climate action marked a significant step forward in formalising an idea many already accept: climate inaction is not merely

    Climate justice victory at the ICJ – the student journey from USP lectures to The Hague
    By Vahefonua Tupola in Suva The University of the South Pacific (USP) is at the heart of a global legal victory with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivering a historic opinion last week affirming that states have binding legal obligations to protect the environment from human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. The case, hailed as a

    Climate justice victory at the ICJ – the student journey from USP lectures to The Hague
    By Vahefonua Tupola in Suva The University of the South Pacific (USP) is at the heart of a global legal victory with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivering a historic opinion last week affirming that states have binding legal obligations to protect the environment from human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. The case, hailed as a

    Kamchatka earthquake is among top 10 strongest ever recorded. Here’s what they have in common
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University Today at about 11:30am local time, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the country’s far east. Originating at a depth of roughly 20 kilometres, today’s powerful earthquake – among the ten strongest in recorded

    Kamchatka earthquake is among top 10 strongest ever recorded. Here’s what they have in common
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University Today at about 11:30am local time, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the country’s far east. Originating at a depth of roughly 20 kilometres, today’s powerful earthquake – among the ten strongest in recorded

    Tsunami warnings are triggering mass evacuations across the Pacific – even though the waves look small. Here’s why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience, The University of Melbourne Last night, one of the ten largest earthquakes ever recorded struck Kamchatka, the sparsely populated Russian peninsula facing the Pacific. The magnitude 8.8 quake had its epicentre in the sea just

    NAPLAN is just one test. Here’s what to do if your child’s results were in the bottom bands
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Larsen, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of New England Rawpixel/ Getty Images The latest round of NAPLAN results are out, along with a string of news reports about “students falling behind” and “failing”, and experts sounding the “alarm” about school progress. In March, all Australian students

    Inflation slows again — but is it enough for the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney Doublelee/Shutterstock Inflation is moving in the right direction, but new figures released today may not be soft enough to trigger a cut in official interest rates in August. The Australian Bureau of Statistics released the June quarter

    With the UK and France moving toward recognising Palestine, will Australia now follow suit?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University One of the smallest and most exclusive clubs in the world belongs to states. The US Department of State puts the number of independent recognised states at 197, while others count 200. The United Nations, meanwhile, has 193

    With the UK and France moving toward recognising Palestine, will Australia follow suit?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University One of the smallest and most exclusive clubs in the world belongs to states. The US Department of State puts the number of independent recognised states at 197, while others count 200. The United Nations, meanwhile, has 193

    An underwater observatory keeping the pulse of the Southern Ocean for nearly 30 years yields fresh results
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Traill, PhD Candidate Southern Ocean biogeochemistry, University of Tasmania Elizabeth Shadwick In a world affected by climate change, the Southern Ocean plays an outsized role. It absorbs up to 40% of the human-caused emissions taken up by the oceans while also being home to some of

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace – Luxon opens the door to billions in taxpayer-funded oil field decommissioning costs

    Source: Greenpeace

    In an act of climate denial, the Luxon Government is today planning to pass legislation to try to restart offshore oil and gas exploration, but they are also slipping in a further amendment that opens the door to taxpayers picking up the billion dollar tab to decommission oil and gas infrastructure.
    “Attempting to restart offshore oil and gas exploration is bad enough, given advice from the International Energy Agency that we can’t burn existing known fossil fuel reserves if we are to avoid dangerous global heating. When you’re in a hole the first step to escape is to stop digging,” says Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director Dr. Russel Norman.
    “The environment movement will fight any new offshore oil and gas exploration just like we did when John Key was Prime Minister.
    “But this legislation is even worse: Luxon is proposing to overturn existing law that makes oil companies automatically responsible for the costs of decommissioning oil and gas fields.”
    Under existing law, even if an existing operator onsells an end-of-life oil and gas field to a shell company, which then goes bankrupt when faced with the costs of decommissioning, the original operator is still responsible for the cost.
    “Luxon is changing the legislation so that the Minister of Resources and the Minister of Finance are given total ministerial discretion to approve the onselling of the depleted field, and if they approve and the final operator goes bankrupt, the original oil field operator is NOT responsible for the decommissioning costs. The government will end up with the cost.
    “New Zealand taxpayers will be the ones that will be picking up the cost of cleaning up after oil companies abandon exhausted oil fields. Costs that could run into billions of dollars,” says Dr. Norman.
    “New Zealand has already learnt an expensive lesson in how the oil industry operates. The Tui oil field passed through a number of hands before it was finally sold to an offshore oil company Tamarind that had little money, and Tamarind went bankrupt when faced with the cost of decommissioning the exhausted field. New Zealand taxpayers were stung for $300million to clean up the mess and plug the wells, which was only completed in June 2025.
    “After the Tui field fiasco, the law was changed to make sure oil field operators were responsible for the clean up costs, regardless of how many shell companies to which it was onsold.
    “The oil industry hated the changes to the law on liability for decommissioning costs as much as they hated the ending of offshore oil and gas exploration. And now they have their chance to pass on the costs to the taxpayers and you can be sure they will take it.
    “As the New Zealand oil and gas industry enters its sunset phase, the costs of plugging the wells and cleaning up all the seafloor pipes etc will run into the billions.
    “This fossil fuel-obsessed government has given in to pressure from the oil industry and opened the door to making taxpayers pick up the costs of cleaning up after them.
    “This is part of a trend by this backward-looking Luxon government which has allocated $200m to help invest in new gas fields.
    “Last month, it brought embarrassing shame to New Zealand by pulling out of the international Beyond Oil and Gas coalition, which has pledged to phase out fossil fuels.”
    “New Zealand will have energy security, lower prices and low emissions by investing in solar, wind, geothermal, storage, efficiency and demand side management. That is our future, not the nonsense being promoted by Luxon and Shane Jones.”
    Resources
    The 2021 amendments to make oil companies responsible for decommissioning costs:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Strong engagement for Sweden’s mobilised efforts to boost global competitiveness and foreign trade

    Source: Government of Sweden

    On 9 April, Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell gathered leading actors in Team Sweden for a high-level meeting. The aim was to jointly foster better conditions for improved global competitiveness and foreign trade, and bolster Sweden’s position internationally. The Government organised the meeting to discuss the work already in progress and the joint path forward.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Renewables capacity doubles in first half

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

    A farmer works amid photovoltaic panels at a solar power station in the Yi-Hui-Miao Autonomous County of Weining, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, July 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s newly installed wind and solar power capacity nearly doubled year-on-year during the first half of this year, as the country ramps up its transition to cleaner energy sources, data from the China Electricity Council showed.

    Newly added power generation capacity during the first six months reached 290 million kilowatts, with new solar installations rising 107.1 percent year-on-year to 210 million kilowatts, and new wind power installations up 98.9 percent to 50 million kilowatts, it said.

    China’s renewable energy sector is expected to maintain rapid growth, with average annual new installed capacity reaching 200-300 million kilowatts during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), said Zhang Lin, head of the council’s planning and development department, during a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

    The near doubling of China’s wind and solar capacity in the first half is a clear signal of the country’s accelerating commitment to its energy transition goals, said Lin Boqiang, head of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University.

    “These installation figures demonstrate China’s ability to rapidly deploy renewable energy technologies at scale, positioning it as a global leader in clean energy investment and deployment.”

    According to the council, China’s power generation capacity is projected to hit a record high in 2025, fueled by a rapid expansion of renewable energy sources.

    New power generation capacity is expected to exceed 500 gigawatts in 2025, with new renewable energy capacity reaching approximately 400 GW, a result of China’s accelerated green energy transition and increasing investment in grid construction, the CEC said.

    Total installed power generation capacity is forecast to reach around 3.9 terawatts by the end of 2025, a year-on-year increase of approximately 16.5 percent. Nonfossil fuel sources are expected to account for 2.4 TW, or about 61 percent of total capacity, said Jiang Debin, deputy director of the council’s statistics and data center.

    The CEC also anticipates steady growth in China’s electricity demand in 2025, with total consumption expected to increase by 5-6 percent. Electricity demand is projected to grow faster in the second half of the year compared to the first, it said.

    China’s maximum power load once again set a new historical record on July 16, surpassing 1.5 billion kilowatts for the first time and reaching a peak of 1.506 billion kilowatts, according to the National Energy Administration.

    This represents an increase of 55 million kilowatts compared to last year’s peak load, the third time a historical record has been broken in July, it said.

    According to Chen Yaning, head of the council’s power supply and demand analysis department, the record reflects steady expansion in China’s electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity.

    Fueled by robust and sustained economic activity, power demand surged across the nation in the first half of this year, with industrial output, commercial operations and residential consumption all contributing to the heightened electricity needs, she said.

    “Equipment manufacturing and consumer goods manufacturing related to new quality productive forces have maintained strong resilience,” said Chen.

    The internet and related services sector saw a 27.4 percent year-on-year increase in electricity consumption, driven by the rapid development of mobile internet, big data and cloud computing.

    The charging and battery swapping services sector for electric vehicles saw a 42.4 percent increase in electricity consumption in the first half of the year, fueled by the rapid growth of the EV market.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Trump hits Brazil with tariffs, sanctions but key sectors excluded

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped a 50% tariff on most Brazilian goods to fight what he has called a “witch hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro, but softened the blow by excluding sectors such as aircraft, energy and orange juice from heavier levies.

    Trump announced the tariffs, some of the steepest levied on any economy in the U.S. trade war, as his administration also unveiled sanctions on the Brazilian supreme court justice who has been overseeing Bolsonaro’s trial on charges of plotting a coup.

    “Alexandre de Moraes has taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against U.S. and Brazilian citizens and companies,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

    Bessent said Moraes “is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions — including against former President Jair Bolsonaro.”

    Last week, the Brazilian justice levied search warrants and restraining orders against Bolsonaro over allegations he courted Trump‘s interference in his criminal case, in which he is accused of plotting to stop President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in 2023.

    Trump‘s final tariff order and the sanctions followed weeks of sparring with Lula, who has likened the U.S. president, a close ideological ally of Bolsonaro’s, to an unwanted “emperor.”

    On Wednesday, Lula and his government closed ranks behind Moraes, calling the U.S. sanctions “unacceptable.”

    “The Brazilian government considers the use of political arguments to defend the trade measures announced by the U.S. government against Brazilian exports to be unjustifiable,” it said in a statement.

    Lula added that Brazil was willing to negotiate trade with the U.S., but that it would not give up on the tools it had at hand to defend itself, hinting that retaliation was possible.

    Still, Trump‘s tariff order threatened that if Brazil were to retaliate, the U.S. would also up the ante.

    DIPLOMACY AT WORK

    Despite Trump‘s effort to use the tariffs to alter the trajectory of a pivotal criminal trial, the range of exemptions came as a relief for many in Brasilia, who since Trump announced the tariff earlier this month had been urging protections for major exporters caught in the crossfire.

    “We’re not facing the worst-case scenario,” Brazilian Treasury Secretary Rogerio Ceron told reporters.

    The new tariffs will go into effect on August 6, not on Friday as Trump announced originally.

    Trump‘s executive order formalizing a 50% tariff excluded dozens of key Brazilian exports to the United States, including civil aircraft, pig iron, precious metals, wood pulp, energy and fertilizers.

    Planemaker Embraer EMBR3.SA, whose chief executive has met with officials in Washington and U.S. clients in recent days to plead its case for relief, said an initial review indicated that a 10% tariff imposed by Trump in April remains in place, with the exclusion applying to the additional 40%.

    The exceptions are likely a response to concerns from U.S. companies, rather than a step back from Trump‘s efforts to influence Brazilian politics, said Rafael Favetti, a partner at political consultancy Fatto Inteligencia Politica in Brasilia.

    “This also shows that Brazilian diplomacy did its work correctly by working to raise awareness among U.S. companies,” he said.

    Brazil‘s minister of foreign affairs, Mauro Vieira, said he met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday to express the nation’s willingness to discuss tariffs after negotiations stalled in June, though he stressed Bolsonaro’s legal troubles were not up for debate.

    It remains unclear what Brazilian authorities “are bringing to the negotiating table to, for instance, open the domestic market,” Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients.

    IMPACT SMALLER THAN EXPECTED

    The effective tariff rate on Brazilian shipments to the U.S. should be around 30.8%, lower than previously expected due to the exemptions, according to Goldman.

    Oil shipments to the U.S., which had been suspended, are set to restart after being spared, lobby group IBP said. Meanwhile, mining lobby Ibram said the exemptions covered 75% of mining exports.

    However, it was still too soon to celebrate, said former Brazilian trade secretary Welber Barral, estimating that Brazil exports some 3,000 different products to the United States.

    “There will be an impact,” Barral said.

    Trump‘s tariff exemptions did not shield two of Brazil‘s key exports to the U.S., beef and coffee.

    Meatpackers expect to log $1 billion in losses in the second half of the year on the new tariffs, lobby group Abiec, which represents beef producers including JBS JBS3.SA and Marfrig MRFG3.SA, said.

    Coffee exporters will also continue to push for exemptions, they said in a statement.

    The government said it was readying measures to protect Brazil‘s businesses and workers.

    If Brazil were to retaliate against Trump‘s measures, that “would generate a larger negative impact” on activity and inflation, Goldman said.

    “The political inclination may be to retaliate, but exporters and business associations have been urging the Brazilian administration to engage, negotiate and de-escalate.”

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: ING posts 2Q2025 net result of €1,675 million, with strong growth in lending volumes and fee income

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ING posts 2Q2025 net result of €1,675 million, with strong growth in lending volumes and fee income

     
    2Q2025 profit before tax of €2,369 million with a CET1 ratio of 13.3%
    • Well on track to reach our targets, one year into our ‘Growing the difference’ strategy
    • Continued strong increase in mobile primary customers of over 300,000 to 14.9 million
    • Resilient total income, supported by higher customer balances, with particularly strong growth of our mortgage portfolio
    • Further growth in fee income in both Retail and Wholesale Banking, up 12% year-on-year
    • ING will pay an interim cash dividend of €0.35 per ordinary share
     

    CEO statement
    “During the second quarter of 2025, we have continued to successfully execute our strategy, which we set out one year ago, by accelerating growth, increasing impact and delivering value,” said Steven van Rijswijk, CEO of ING. “The quarter started with heightened market volatility, as well as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, which still continue to this day. In that context, we are pleased that our customer base has shown significant growth and that our volumes have increased as we further diversified our income streams, with fees now making up almost 20% of our total income. We are well on track to reach our financial targets for 2027.

    “We have seen continued commercial momentum, with significant core lending growth, continued strong deposit gathering and a double-digit increase in fee income. Commercial NII declined year-on-year due to margin pressure and currency fluctuations, leaving total income stable.

    “In Retail Banking, we have gained over 300,000 mobile primary customers during the quarter, and 1.1 million, or 8% growth, year-on-year, with Germany, Spain, Italy, and Romania leading this growth. Net core lending growth has reached a quarterly record of €11.3 billion, including €7.2 billion in mortgages, mainly in the Netherlands, Australia and Germany, and €3.2 billion in Business Banking, driven by higher loan demand from our SME clients. We have attracted €8.9 billion in net customer deposits, partly from seasonal holiday allowances, and achieved a 12% increase year-on-year in retail fee income, primarily from higher investment activity.

    “In Wholesale Banking, net core lending growth was €4.1 billion, driven by strong momentum in Working Capital Solutions and in short-term trade-related financing. Demand for long-term corporate loans has remained subdued due to economic uncertainty, which impacted total income. Fee income has risen 12% year-on-year, driven by Lending, Global Capital Markets and Payments & Cash Management.

    “Costs have developed as expected, increasing moderately year-on-year. Prudent expense management remains a priority and the impact of inflation and investments was partly offset by efficiency measures. As part of this, we are making ongoing improvements to our KYC processes and we have announced the restructuring of our Wholesale Banking workforce, while continuing to invest in our commercial and product capabilities in both Retail and Wholesale Banking.

    “Risk costs were below our through-the-cycle average, reflecting the quality of our loan portfolio. Our CET1 ratio was 13.3%, including the impact of the share buyback programme, which was announced in May 2025 and is well underway. Our 4-quarter rolling average return on equity came out at 12.7%.

    “We continue to find ways to support our customers on their journeys to net zero. We have increased our sustainable volume mobilised to €67.8 billion for the first half of 2025, a 19% increase compared to the first half of 2024. In the Netherlands, we have introduced a new mortgage pricing model tied to energy labels that offers lower interest rates when eligible customers improve the energy label for their homes.

    “We are pleased with our results during a volatile first half of 2025. Although macroeconomic conditions remain challenging we are confident that our strategy sets us on course to become the best European bank and deliver on our targets. I want to thank our customers and clients for their continued trust in us and our employees for their continued dedication.”
     
    Further information
    All publications related to ING’s 2Q 2025 results can be found at the quarterly results page on ING.com.
    For more on investor information, go to www.ing.com/investors.

    A short ING ON AIR video with CEO Steven van Rijswijk discussing our 2Q 2025 results is available on Youtube.
    For further information on ING, please visit www.ing.com. Frequent news updates can be found in the Newsroom or via the @ING_news feed on X. Photos of ING operations, buildings and our executives are available for download at Flickr.
     
    Investor conference call and webcast
    Steven van Rijswijk, Tanate Phutrakul and Ljiljana Čortan will discuss the results in an Investor conference call on 31 July 2025 at 9:00 a.m. CET. Members of the investment community can join the conference call at +31 20 708 5074 (NL), or +44 330 551 0202 (UK) (registration required via invitation) and via live audio webcast at www.ing.com.
     
    Investor enquiries
    E: investor.relations@ing.com

    Press enquiries
    T: +31 20 576 5000
    E: media.relations@ing.com
     
     

    ING PROFILE 
    ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is: empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank’s more than 60,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 100 countries. 

    ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N). 

    ING aims to put sustainability at the heart of what we do. Our policies and actions are assessed by independent research and ratings providers, which give updates on them annually. ING’s ESG rating by MSCI was reconfirmed by MSCI as ‘AA’ in August 2024 for the fifth year. As of June 2025, in Sustainalytics’ view, ING’s management of ESG material risk is ‘Strong’ with an ESG risk rating of 18.0 (low risk). ING Group shares are also included in major sustainability and ESG index products of leading providers. Here are some examples: Euronext, STOXX, Morningstar and FTSE Russell. Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that’s not. Follow our progress on ing.com/climate.

    IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION
    Elements of this press release contain or may contain information about ING Groep N.V. and/ or ING Bank N.V. within the meaning of Article 7(1) to (4) of EU Regulation No 596/2014 (‘Market Abuse Regulation’). 

    ING Group’s annual accounts are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (‘IFRS- EU’). In preparing the financial information in this document, except as described otherwise, the same accounting principles are applied as in the 2024 ING Group consolidated annual accounts. All figures in this document are unaudited. Small differences are possible in the tables due to rounding. 

    Certain of the statements contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation: (1) changes in general economic conditions and customer behaviour, in particular economic conditions in ING’s core markets, including changes affecting currency exchange rates and the regional and global economic impact of the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and related international response measures (2) changes affecting interest rate levels (3) any default of a major market participant and related market disruption (4) changes in performance of financial markets, including in Europe and developing markets (5) fiscal uncertainty in Europe and the United States (6) discontinuation of or changes in ‘benchmark’ indices (7) inflation and deflation in our principal markets (8) changes in conditions in the credit and capital markets generally, including changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness (9) failures of banks falling under the scope of state compensation schemes (10) non-compliance with or changes in laws and regulations, including those concerning financial services, financial economic crimes and tax laws, and the interpretation and application thereof (11) geopolitical risks, political instabilities and policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, including in connection with the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and the related international response measures (12) legal and regulatory risks in certain countries with less developed legal and regulatory frameworks (13) prudential supervision and regulations, including in relation to stress tests and regulatory restrictions on dividends and distributions (also among members of the group) (14) ING’s ability to meet minimum capital and other prudential regulatory requirements (15) changes in regulation of US commodities and derivatives businesses of ING and its customers (16) application of bank recovery and resolution regimes, including write down and conversion powers in relation to our securities (17) outcome of current and future litigation, enforcement proceedings, investigations or other regulatory actions, including claims by customers or stakeholders who feel misled or treated unfairly, and other conduct issues (18) changes in tax laws and regulations and risks of non-compliance or investigation in connection with tax laws, including FATCA (19) operational and IT risks, such as system disruptions or failures, breaches of security, cyber-attacks, human error, changes in operational practices or inadequate controls including in respect of third parties with which we do business and including any risks as a result of incomplete, inaccurate, or otherwise flawed outputs from the algorithms and data sets utilized in artificial intelligence (20) risks and challenges related to cybercrime including the effects of cyberattacks and changes in legislation and regulation related to cybersecurity and data privacy, including such risks and challenges as a consequence of the use of emerging technologies, such as advanced forms of artificial intelligence and quantum computing (21) changes in general competitive factors, including ability to increase or maintain market share (22) inability to protect our intellectual property and infringement claims by third parties (23) inability of counterparties to meet financial obligations or ability to enforce rights against such counterparties (24) changes in credit ratings (25) business, operational, regulatory, reputation, transition and other risks and challenges in connection with climate change, diversity, equity and inclusion and other ESG-related matters, including data gathering and reporting and also including managing the conflicting laws and requirements of governments, regulators and authorities with respect to these topics (26) inability to attract and retain key personnel (27) future liabilities under defined benefit retirement plans (28) failure to manage business risks, including in connection with use of models, use of derivatives, or maintaining appropriate policies and guidelines (29) changes in capital and credit markets, including interbank funding, as well as customer deposits, which provide the liquidity and capital required to fund our operations, and (30) the other risks and uncertainties detailed in the most recent annual report of ING Groep N.V. (including the Risk Factors contained therein) and ING’s more recent disclosures, including press releases, which are available on www.ING.com. 

    This document may contain ESG-related material that has been prepared by ING on the basis of publicly available information, internally developed data and other third-party sources believed to be reliable. ING has not sought to independently verify information obtained from public and third-party sources and makes no representations or warranties as to accuracy, completeness, reasonableness or reliability of such information. 

    Materiality, as used in the context of ESG, is distinct from, and should not be confused with, such term as defined in the Market Abuse Regulation or as defined for Securities and Exchange Commission (‘SEC’) reporting purposes. Any issues identified as material for purposes of ESG in this document are therefore not necessarily material as defined in the Market Abuse Regulation or for SEC reporting purposes. In addition, there is currently no single, globally recognized set of accepted definitions in assessing whether activities are “green” or “sustainable.” Without limiting any of the statements contained herein, we make no representation or warranty as to whether any of our securities constitutes a green or sustainable security or conforms to present or future investor expectations or objectives for green or sustainable investing. For information on characteristics of a security, use of proceeds, a description of applicable project(s) and/or any other relevant information, please reference the offering documents for such security. 

    This document may contain inactive textual addresses to internet websites operated by us and third parties. Reference to such websites is made for information purposes only, and information found at such websites is not incorporated by reference into this document. ING does not make any representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of, or take any responsibility for, any information found at any websites operated by third parties. ING specifically disclaims any liability with respect to any information found at websites operated by third parties. ING cannot guarantee that websites operated by third parties remain available following the publication of this document, or that any information found at such websites will not change following the filing of this document. Many of those factors are beyond ING’s control. 

    Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of ING speak only as of the date they are made, and ING assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or for any other reason. 

    This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Completion of Affordable Housing in Brooklyn

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of Shepherd-Glenmore, a new $61 million affordable and supportive housing development in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. Developed by Housing Plus and Spatial Equity, Shepherd-Glenmore features 123 affordable apartments in a LEED Gold building located adjacent to the Shepherd Avenue C train station. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 7,700 affordable homes in Brooklyn. Shepherd-Glenmore continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “Shepherd-Glenmore marks a significant step forward in our mission to provide safe, affordable and supportive housing for all New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “This development transforms a once-dilapidated site into a vibrant, energy-efficient community, provides easy access to public transit, and offers critical supportive services to those who need it most. Through our $25 billion housing plan and partnerships with dedicated partners, we continue to make New York a more affordable and inclusive place of opportunity where people can thrive.”

    Developed on the site of a former junkyard that was demolished as part of construction, Shepherd-Glenmore apartments are affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income.

    Supportive services and rental subsidies for 74 apartments are provided by Housing Plus and are funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Services include case management, crisis intervention, mental health and wellness services, employment and education services, recreation and socialization services, and referral services. Additionally, eight apartments will be set aside for independent seniors through the New York City Affordable Independent Residence for Seniors Program, who will receive rental assistance through HCR project based rental vouchers.

    Shepherd-Glenmore was made possible with help from New York City’s rezoning of East New York, requiring that 31 units remain permanently affordable as part of the New York City Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Program.

    Shepherd-Glenmore was designed to meet Energy Star Multifamily New Construction and LEED Gold criteria. The development features a roof-top solar array to generate on-site electricity and is designed and built to high standards of building envelope performance and indoor quality standards.

    Amenities include 5,000 square feet of outdoor recreation space, community garden, 24-hour security, a fitness room and a wellness room.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s state and federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Programs generated more than $21 million in equity and $24 million in subsidy for the development. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development provided more than $13 million in subsidy.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Shepherd-Glenmore is a shining example of how partnerships between State and local government can create high-quality, affordable housing that uplifts communities. With 123 energy-efficient apartments, including 74 with supportive services for New Yorkers at-risk of homelessness, this development provides a stable foundation that will help its residents, particularly those most in need, succeed in the future. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, HCR is proud to advance projects like this that align with our commitment to creating and preserving 100,000 affordable homes statewide.”

    Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Safe and affordable housing should be accessible to all New Yorkers regardless of their background. Investing in high-quality and affordable housing is critical to ensuring the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers. I am proud that the Shepherd-Glenmore project supports our seniors and delivers real results for East New York. I will continue fighting for more funding that supports affordable housing projects like this one so all New Yorkers have access to the comfortable and safe homes they deserve.”

    State Senator Julia Salazar said, “New York City desperately needs more affordable housing, and so I applaud the completion of Shepherd-Glenmore here in Brooklyn. The new building has more than 120 affordable apartments, 74 of which will have supportive services for formerly homeless and those at-risk of homelessness. I look forward to the day New Yorkers can begin moving in.”

    HousingPlus CEO Karen Ford said, “Permanent supportive housing ensures that families with significant barriers are able to obtain and maintain safety and stability. We are thankful to our state leadership, including Governor Hochul and HCR for helping to bring these supportive units to East New York.”

    Spatial Equity Principal Teghvir Sethi said, “Shepherd Glenmore represents transformation: a derelict junkyard reimagined into LEED Gold housing for seniors, families and individuals to build new lives in rent stabilized, state-of-the-art homes. We are grateful to Governor Hochul, HCR, Mayor Adams, HPD, and Wells Fargo for their support of non-profit and MWBE developers joining the fight in the city’s housing crisis.”

    Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “The combination of affordable housing and supportive services is fundamental to helping individuals experiencing homelessness get the assistance they need to remain stably housed. Shepherd-Glenmore will serve some of our most vulnerable fellow New Yorkers and we are grateful to play a role in the creation of these permanent supportive housing units. Congratulations to our state and local partners, and everyone involved in the completion of this much-needed project.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives, capital funding, and new protections for renters and homeowners. Building on this commitment, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes more than $1.5 billion in new State funding for housing, a Housing Access Voucher pilot program, and new policies to improve affordability for tenants and homebuyers. These measures complement the Governor’s five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan, included in the FY23 Enacted Budget, to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 60,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY25 and FY26 Enacted Budgets also strengthened the Governor’s Pro-Housing Community Program — which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. Currently, more than 300 communities have received Pro-Housing certification, including the City of New York.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Technical Support Empowers Local Governments and Tribes To Boost Energy Efficiency and Cut Costs

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Provides Expertise to Local Governments and Tribes Through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

    From capital cities in the East to Alaskan villages in the West, NREL is advancing community-driven energy solutions from coast to coast through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program.

    The EECBG Program has allocated noncompetitive funding for energy projects and programs in hundreds of communities. Community grant recipients can use funding for projects and programs that cut energy costs, improve energy efficiency, and create jobs. 

    Recipients also receive vouchers to access support from NREL experts with a wide array of technical expertise in order to advance their priorities using EECBG funding. NREL, leveraging the wealth of the laboratory’s modeling and analysis capabilities, began working with dozens of communities to deliver this support in the fall of 2024.

    “Already, DOE’s EECBG Program is helping so many different areas of the country,” said Nathan Wiltse, decision support analysis group manager and EECBG technical lead for NREL. “Through the program, big cities and small towns can set their course in realizing their energy goals. Their drive and enthusiasm has been encouraging, and our NREL team is proud to be a part of their journey through the technical assistance we provide with DOE’s guidance.”

    DOE-funded EECBG Program support—provided by NREL—spans multiple sectors, tapping into technical knowledge and expertise that provide local governments with actionable insights for their self-identified priorities, helping them improve energy affordability and more in their jurisdictions.

    Improving Mobility Options in Encinitas, California

    A bus crosses an intersection in Encinitas, California. Encinitas is considering microtransit in addition to more traditional public transportation methods like buses. Photo from the city of Encinitas

    The beach city of Encinitas in San Diego County, California, is served by a regional rail service, with many workers commuting into the city. Tourism is also a big economic driver for the city, with many recreation opportunities and annual arts and cultural events.

    To better support commuters, tourists, and residents, the city is looking to expand its public mobility options through microtransit. Microtransit systems commonly use smaller vehicles like minivans, which operate in a defined service area and provide rides to users on request. Instead of having fixed routes, like more traditional bus and rail services, microtransit generally provides varying point-to-point services as requested by riders.

    According to NREL research, microtransit provides a low-cost and convenient alternative to personal car use. Applying this strategy for public transportation can then save costs for riders while improving air quality in communities.

    “For a relatively small city like Encinitas, more traditional public transportation methods may not be the best fit,” said Andy Duvall, NREL researcher and voucher support subject matter expert. “Exploring microtransit could provide a variety of financial and environmental benefits for residents, visitors, and the community.”

    With EECBG voucher technical assistance, NREL will assist Encinitas in developing a microtransit program by conducting analysis that gives the community a better understanding of its current transportation landscape and viable microtransit options and funding strategies. This support will be rooted in community engagement, with community workshops and data collection built in to learn about the residents’ challenges with public transit, specific issues, and ideas for solutions that will bolster the economy.

    Increasing Household Energy Efficiency in Chenega, Alaska

    Chenega, Alaska, is only accessible by air or water. Photo from the Native Village of Chenega

    Chenega, home to the Native Village of Chenega, is located on an island in Southern Alaska. The community spans less than 30 square miles and has 19 residential buildings. Though small in size, Chenega has big goals to improve energy efficiency for residents, with a target of reducing the Tribe’s energy usage by 50% by 2050 or sooner, significantly cutting energy costs.

    The Native Village of Chenega and the Chenega Corporation want to use their EECBG funding to help implement a community-wide energy efficiency program. To help Chenega plan for this program, NREL is organizing energy audits for a majority of homes in the community. Energy audits consist of a thorough inspection of a home both inside and out to identify potential comfort or safety problems and energy-saving opportunities. Through this process, Chenega will get a better understanding of which upgrades will be most cost-effective for their residents.

    “Our technical assistance is helping Chenega set the foundation for more work to come that will cut energy costs for their community,” said Wiltse, who has over a decade of experience as a buildings researcher and economist in Alaska.

    Chenega aims to use the results from these energy audits to apply for grant funding to implement the upgrades. The community also wants to use the audits to satisfy pre-installation requirements for DOE’s Tribal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates, which can provide rebates of up to $14,000 per household for efficiency and appliance upgrades.

    Reducing Energy Use and Costs in Sugar Land, Texas

    As Sugar Land, Texas, charts out its future energy projects, one of the city’s top priorities is reducing energy use and saving money for residents. To embed this commitment into daily operations, the city is developing a strategic energy plan focused on increasing efficiency, cutting waste, and lowering energy consumption across public buildings and infrastructure. To make this comprehensive energy plan succeed, the city needs more information on its current energy landscape.

    Using tools like NREL’s State and Local Planning for Energy Platform, researchers are helping Sugar Land understand its current energy consumption and potential efficiency opportunities. With expert guidance from NREL, the city will move step by step through a hands-on energy planning process, from setting goals to evaluating project feasibility and prioritizing actions. Researchers will also analyze energy savings potential and financial impacts of various energy efficiency strategies across the city.

    “Our research and analysis will help the city understand which energy efficiency strategies will be most cost-effective,” said Vanessa Mathews, NREL researcher. “Sugar Land can use this information to apply for funding opportunities and take meaningful steps towards its energy goals.”

    Through the energy planning process, the city will identify clear, actionable steps to better understand its energy costs, evaluate the costs and benefits of potential efficiency projects, and explore reliable and affordable energy options and potential funding sources to inform the city’s future budget decisions.

    Learn more about NREL’s technical assistance for EECBG.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How the UK’s cold weather payments need to change to help prevent people freezing in winter

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Thomas Longden, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University

    DimaBerlin/Shutterstock

    The UK government recently expanded the warm home discount by removing restrictions that had previously excluded many people who can’t always afford to heat their homes. Now, the payment of £150 will be received by 2.7 million more households than last winter.

    The UK government has also reversed its decision to limit winter fuel payments to only the poorest pensioners. This could benefit up to 9 million people.

    The UK government has two other mechanisms for reducing heating costs over winter. The warm home discount and winter fuel payment are both one-off payments that help people pay their heating bills. The cold weather payment aims to support people during spells of very cold weather.

    Recipients of specific means-tested benefits in England, Wales and Northern Ireland automatically receive £25 after cold weather occurs in their region. Another policy applies in Scotland, where some people get a single winter heating payment.

    While these changes to the winter fuel payment and warm home discount are welcome, the cold weather payment has long been seen as an outdated, old-fashioned scheme in need of change. For example, it is paid after cold weather happens. Our research indicates that it can be improved by changing this.

    The wide use of smart meters means that researchers like us can now produce data-driven studies that improve our understanding of energy use and expenditure during cold weather. Our recent studies of prepayment meter customers’ energy use indicate ways to improve the cold weather payments.

    Analysis of electricity and gas smart-meter data from 11,500 Utilita Energy prepayment customers showed that 63% of households self-disconnected from energy supply at least once a year. In this study, published in Energy Research & Social Science, we found that more homes self-disconnected from gas during cold periods than at other times. There was no evidence to show that the cold weather payment as presently designed reduced this risk.

    Also using smart meter data from energy company Utilita Energy, a recent study published in the journal Energy Economics shows that prepayment gas customers in regions with high fuel poverty tend to struggle at temperatures below −4°C. Below this temperature, prepayment gas customers need to top up more often and with higher amounts. People using prepayment tend to top-up their credit in advance of cold weather.

    Cold weather payments could be sent directly to customers with smart meters.
    Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock

    In colder weather, more people use emergency credit and disconnect from power more often. Emergency credit is provided by the utility as a short-term loan. Self-disconnections occur when the household has no credit left and they have no energy supply.

    The government’s payment is triggered when the average temperature falls below 0°C for seven consecutive days. As this metric is not reported by news media or meteorology services, it’s hard to know when the cold weather payment will be received. The easiest way to find out if a payment will be made, after cold weather, requires people to enter their postcode at a Department for Work and Pensions website.

    If people are unsure if severe weather is forecast, they may not increase their top-up in advance. They may, however, self-ration or limit energy use to save money.

    The cold weather payment is only paid once even when there are multiple periods of cold. This “overlap penalty” severely affects those living in northern England and particularly Yorkshire, which is a colder region where cold weather spells are more common.

    Cause for reform

    The payment should be made in advance of cold weather, and utility companies could pay it directly to customers who have smart meters. Credits could be applied for those using other types of meters. This is likely to reduce self-disconnections and self-rationing during very cold nights.

    Payments should be triggered by the minimum night-time temperature. The temperature measure used at present is confusing and the money is not paid until up to two weeks after extremely cold weather, which is problematic for those on tight budgets.

    To better match the support needed during cold weather, the amount paid should be increased to £10 a day for every day that minimum temperatures are forecast to be below −4°C. This would improve energy security for people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    A policy will only be effective when it is clearly communicated and understood by those it applies to. To prevent self-rationing, people need to know that payment support has arrived, otherwise they may hesitate to turn up the heating on the coldest days of winter, with all the risks that involves.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Thomas Longden has recently received funding from Energy Consumers Australia and Original Power – a community-focused, Aboriginal organisation. He is a member of the ACT Climate Change Council and the NSW branch of the Economic Society of Australia.

    Brenda Boardman is affiliated in the UK with the End Fuel Poverty Coalition and the Labour Party. Her research on pre-payment meter households was co-funded by Utilita Giving.

    Tina Fawcett currently receives funding from UKRI. Her research on pre-payment meter households was co-funded by Utilita Giving.

    – ref. How the UK’s cold weather payments need to change to help prevent people freezing in winter – https://theconversation.com/how-the-uks-cold-weather-payments-need-to-change-to-help-prevent-people-freezing-in-winter-259339

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Markey, Merkley, Whitehouse Press Top Trump Officials on Rising Electricity Prices for Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 30, 2025

    Consumers face higher electricity prices than when Biden left office, despite Trump campaign promise to cut energy and electricity prices in half 

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), joined by Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), pressed Trump administration officials on rising electricity prices for Americans. Despite Donald Trump’s campaign promise to “cut the price of energy and electricity in half,” consumers are facing higher electricity prices than when President Biden left office.

    “The Administration must reverse its path of increased energy prices and instead work to cut energy costs for American families,” wrote the lawmakers.

    The lawmakers wrote to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., pressing for answers as to why President Trump has failed to lower energy prices and what the administration’s plan is to bring down those costs.

    “We write to you – a broad swath of the cabinet – because the increase in energy costs is driven by a broad swath of policies across the Trump Administration,” wrote the lawmakers.

    According to the most recent data from the Consumer Price Index, under the Trump administration, electricity prices are up nearly 5 percent from the start of the year and up by almost a full percentage point in June 2025. Prices are expected to climb even further, with the average electric bill in the U.S. during this year’s air conditioning season projected to hit record highs.

    “At the same time, the Trump Administration is cutting programs that help families afford higher electricity costs and lower their energy usage, all while utility CEOs receive massive payouts,” wrote the lawmakers. “A combination of the Administration’s regulatory decisions, the impacts of tariffs, and the Administration’s reversal of key energy investments is driving up energy bills for Americans around the country.”

    The lawmakers cited key examples of Trump administration actions which have exacerbated the energy cost crisis, including:

    • The President’s “Big Beautiful Bill” makes cuts to existing clean energy and manufacturing tax credits that will lead to the estimated loss of 1.6 million jobs and elimination of $980 billion in GDP growth. The final law will result in an estimated $280 increase in average American household energy costs per year over the next decade.
    • President Trump’s efforts to sell more gas overseas risk creating a domestic price surge due to draining domestic supplies.
    • The Trump Administration is forcing states to keep defunct, unwanted, and unneeded coal plants open in several states, foisting tens of millions of dollars of new maintenance and retention costs onto consumers in 15 states.
    • President Trump’s chaotic and poorly planned tariffs policy is increasing costs for building materials for transmission lines and electrical equipment, and “virtually every other segment of the supply chain,” imposing additional costs on consumers.
    • The Administration has proposed entirely eliminating funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) after firing the entirety of the program’s staff, which provides $4 billion in assistance to approximately 6 million low-income families who rely on this funding to pay their utility bills.
    • The Energy Department is in the process of rolling back energy efficiency and water conservation standards, which save households close to $600 annually on water and gas bills.

    The lawmakers pressed for answers to better understand how the Administration plans to lower prices for consumers by August 11, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: High Noon Announces Recall of its Vodka Seltzer Beach Pack (12 Pack) Due to Inclusion of CELSIUS® ASTRO VIBE ™ Energy Drink Cans that were Inadvertently Filled with Vodka Seltzer

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    July 29, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    July 30, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & Beverages
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Cans contain alcohol

    Company Name:
    High Noon
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    High Noon, Celsius

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Energy Drink

    Company Announcement
    MODESTO, CA, July 29, 2025 – High Noon is recalling two production lots of High Noon Beach Variety packs (12-pack/12 fluid ounce cans). Some of these packs contain cans that are filled with High Noon vodka seltzer alcohol and are mislabeled as CELSIUS® ASTRO VIBE™ Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition with a silver top. Consumption of the liquid in these cans will result in unintentional alcohol ingestion.
    No illnesses or adverse events have been reported for this recall to date.
    Product Details: This labeling error is confined to the two lots listed below:

    Product Description 

    Retail UPC 

    Lot Codes 

    Product Images

    High Noon BeachVariety Packs 

    High Noon UPC:085000040065

    L CCC 17JL25 14:00 toL CCC 17JL25 23:59 L CCC 18JL25 00:00 toL CCC 18JL25 03:00  Lot Codes are on theexterior of the 12-pack.See below:

    See Image Below

    CELSIUS ASTROVIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition 

    CELSIUS UPC8 89392 00134 1

    L CCB02JL25 2:55 to L CCB02JL25 3:11 The lot codes arelasered on thebottom of the can.

    See Image Below

    This recall is exclusively for the affected High Noon Beach Variety 12-packs with the lot codes listed above, which were shipped to distributors in FL, MI, NY, OH, OK, SC, VA & WI. Distributors shipped product to retailers in FL, NY, OH, SC, VA & WI. Product was shipped between July 21, 2025 – July 23, 2025.
    Even if not purchased in a High Noon Beach Variety pack, consumers should be advised to ensure their CELSIUS ASTRO VIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition does not contain the lot codes (L CCB 02JL25 2:55 to L CCB 02JL25 3:11), prior to consuming.
    Consumers are advised to dispose of the CELSIUS ASTRO VIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition cans with the impacted lot codes (L CCB 02JL25 2:55 to L CCB 02JL25 3:11) and not consume the liquid. High Noon Beach Variety packs with different lot codes than above are not affected by this recall and are safe to consume.
    The recall was initiated after High Noon discovered that a shared packaging supplier mistakenly shipped empty CELSIUS cans to High Noon.
    As a reminder, consumers are advised to dispose of the CELSIUS ASTRO VIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition silver lid cans with the impacted lot codes (L CCB 02JL25 2:55 to L CCB 02JL25 3:11) and not consume the liquid.
    Consumers who have purchased the identified High Noon Beach Variety 12-packs or mislabeled CELSIUS ASTRO VIBE Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition (with lot codes: L CCB 02JL25 2:55 to L CCB 02JL25 3:11), should contact High Noon Consumer Relations at consumerrelations@highnoonvodka.com to get more information on next steps, including refunds.
    This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

    Company Contact Information

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    07/30/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tsunami alert highlights worth of global early warning system

    Source: United Nations 2

    While the UN-backed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported 
    that there had been no damage to Japan’s nuclear facilities after an 8.8 magnitude quake was recorded off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, coastal communities have been taking no chances and evacuating to higher ground or moving further inland.

    Alerts were sent out within a few minutes of the Russia quake, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) confirmed. Although the authorities have now downgraded the threat across Japan as waves of 1.3 metres (4ft 2in) have been recorded, the advice is for people to stay in shelters until the danger diminishes from continuing sea surges.

    “It is very complex; we are observing the tsunami data in real time, so we need people to stay at the shelter until the tsunami is completed,” said tsunami engineer Professor Fumihiko Imamura from Tohoku University.

    Deadly legacy

    In the Asian island nation, memories are still raw from the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami which killed more than 18,000 people.

    Just last year, the 7.6 magnitude Noto quake left approximately 500 dead and damaged 150,000 homes.

    The disaster also caused a major accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. 

    Today’s developments come amid reports that the latest earthquake was among the 10 most powerful ever recorded, hence why the authorities are monitoring its impact so closely.

    So far, alerts have been triggered off the west coast of the United States, in South America from Chile to Mexico and from Papua New Guinea to Vanuatu in the Pacific. 

    “A 8.8 magnitude earthquake is a very large earthquake,” explained Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

    “As you go from magnitude eight to nine, or seven to eight, at every step the strength of the earthquake increases exponentially. So, an earthquake which is magnitude eight as opposed to seven would be 30 times bigger.” 

    Faster than a jet liner

    Speaking to UN News, Mr. Kishore highlighted the huge distances tsunamis can cover, picking up enormous energy they then dump on coastal communities. 

    Their progress can be as fast as a passenger jet and can be tracked by deep sea pressure change sensors, or tsunameters, that are connected to surface buoys which relay information in real time to satellites. This data is then modelled by national weather centres, influencing whether alerts are issued.

    “It’s a real threat because the tsunamis travel really fast from one coast to the other,” continued Mr. Kishore. “The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was one of the most devastating in our memory, which travelled from all the way from the coast of Indonesia to the Sri Lankan shores within a little over an hour.”

    Lessons learned

    In addition to the coordination role of UNDRR in the global early warning system, other UN entities also closely involved include the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the UN agency for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO-IOC).  

    The IOC’s role is critical in making sure that countries that use tsunami-tracking instrumentation follow the same standard. 

    These efforts are in line with the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected from hazardous weather, water or climate events through lifesaving early warning systems.

    Today, one in three people – and mainly in least developed countries and Small Island Developing States – lacks access to adequate multi-hazard early warning systems.

    “Tsunami prevention really highlights how important it is to have multilateral action” such as sharing data to run the algorithms behind wave modelling systems, insisted the UN’s Mr. Kishore. 

    “There are countries which are separated by thousands of kilometres of ocean, but they are affected by the same hazard,” he continued. 

    “If you do not share information on observing these hazards, not just in the location where they have occurred, but on what is happening in the intermediate locations in the ocean…we will not be able to warn our citizens.”  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DeGette Statement Following OMB Attempt to Slash NIH, Biomedical Research

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

    DENVER, CO — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01), Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reversed course on directing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to only use appropriated dollars for salaries, administrative expenses, and expenses associated with the NIH Clinical Center which would have prohibited the investment of at least $15 billion in biomedical research.

    “The Office of Management and Budget may not change or disregard the law. Congress appropriated $47.3 billion for NIH in fiscal year 2024 appropriations, and it continued that funding level in the fiscal year 2025 continuing resolution. That funding was made available to support research, not just at NIH but at institutions across the country and around the world. OMB and its director, Russ Vought, may not change that reality with the stroke of a pen.

    “NIH-funded research has fueled treatments and cures for sickle cell disease, Hepatitis C, and cystic fibrosis. It has led to effective treatments for myriad cancers, leading in part to a reduction in the cancer death rate by a third in the past 30 years. Halting this progress means death and misery for millions of Americans with diseases that NIH seeks to cure. That is why Congress has continued to empower NIH. Congress has given OMB and NIH zero authority to curtail grantmaking.

    “Russ Vought’s latest attempt to strangle biomedical research is just a continuation of his disdain for Congress, science, and the American people. It was apparently a bridge too far, even for Donald Trump and the White House, which reportedly pushed back on the directive from OMB and Vought. There must be accountability for this directive, and Director Vought must testify before Congress to explain his illegal attempt to gut biomedical research.” 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Applauds Committee Passage of Bipartisan Legislation, Including Bill to Improve Access to Care in Rural Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded the committee passage of the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation Kaine introduced to reauthorize programs to improve access to health care in rural communities.

    “Everyone – regardless of their ZIP code – deserves access to high-quality medical care. But rural communities across Virginia and the country face unique challenges that can reduce or completely eliminate their access to that care. President Trump’s new law that will rip health care away from more than 15 million Americans and cut funding rural hospitals rely on to keep their doors open will only make those challenges worse. We were able to take a small step forward today in the HELP Committee to provide much-needed funding for health care in rural communities, and I will keep doing all that I can to reverse the dangerous health care policies of this Administration,” said Kaine. “I’m also glad that the HELP Committee passed my bipartisan bill with Senator Banks to improve over-the-counter (OTC) drug safety and modernize the FDA’s review of OTC medications, and my bipartisan bill with Senator Marshall and to help more employees harness a stake in the companies they work for.”

    In addition to the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act, the HELP Committee passed several other pieces of Kaine-led legislation. The committee passed a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Over-the-Counter Monograph User Fee Program (OMUFA), which modernizes the FDA’s review of OTC medications with support from drug manufacturer user fees, until fiscal year (FY) 2030. Included in that text, the committee also passed the Kaine-led OTC Monograph Drug User Fee Transparency Act, mandating that the FDA annually provide information about OTC drug safety, adverse effects, the speed with which the FDA processes OTC monograph order requests, and other matters related to the safe and timely regulation of over-the-counter drugs. The legislation also requires that the FDA provide the Senate HELP Committee and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with a report after two years on the status of the OTC drug supply chain. The committee also passed the Retire through Ownership Act, led by Kaine and Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), which provides crucial guidance to facilitate the formation and continued operation of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). ESOPs allow all workers to directly share in the profits they help their company earn, leading to higher wages and more wealth-building.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 30th, 2025 Heinrich Joins Luján, Markey to Introduce Legislation to Modernize Gas Pipeline Safety Standards, Cut Methane Leaks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M., Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) to introduce the Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair Act of 2025 to modernize decades-old gas pipeline leak detection and repair requirements. The bill would codify a Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) rule that enhances the safety of natural gas pipelines by reducing methane emissions.

    The Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair Act of 2025 would update decades-old leak detection and repair requirements and enhance safety by:

    1. Increasing the frequency of leak surveys and requiring the use of readily available advanced leak detection technology;

    1. Revising the reporting minimum threshold for unintentional methane emissions;

    1. Minimizing methane emissions caused by venting or blowdowns by encouraging the use of equipment for methane capture; and

    1. Establishing clarified requirements for the repair of leaks that pose a risk to public safety or the environment.

    The PHMSA rule was drafted with robust stakeholder input and support in response to section 113 of the PIPES Act of 2020. The new requirements in the rule are based on 28 consensus recommendations from representatives of the pipeline sector. The codification of this rule would simultaneously reduce methane emissions while protecting public health, promoting U.S. innovation in new technologies, lowering energy costs for families by reducing inefficiency and waste, and supporting good-paying jobs for thousands of skilled workers across the country.

    The legislation is led by Luján and Markey. Alongside Heinrich, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and John Fetterman (D-Pa.).

    The legislation is supported by Pipeline Safety Trust, Environmental Defense Fund, Moms Clean Air Force, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Appalachian Voices.

    A full list of supporting quotes can be found here.

    The full bill text is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Gillibrand Announces EATS Act To Expand Snap Benefit Eligibility To More College Students

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    As Many As 290,000 New York College Students Would Become Newly Eligible For SNAP Benefits Under The EATS Act

    In 2023, 41% of college students experienced food insecurity

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand reintroduced the Enhance Access to SNAP (EATS) Act, which would expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility to all college students attending 2- and 4-year universities who meet traditional SNAP income and eligibility requirements. Current SNAP eligibility rules only include college students working 20 hours per week or participating in a federal or state work study, or those who meet very specific exemptions. The EATS Act would permanently ensure that low-income college students have equitable access to SNAP benefits by amending the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to include “attending an institution of higher education” as another form of qualification in addition to work. With this change, an estimated 470,000 New York college students would qualify for SNAP assistance, including as many as 290,000 newly eligible students.

    “No college student should have to scrounge for food or wonder where they’ll get their next meal,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Food insecurity is a crisis that plagues low-income college students in New York and beyond, and we must do more to combat it. The EATS Act would eliminate work-for-food barriers for low-income students and ensure that as many as 4 million college students nationwide can access the SNAP benefits they need to learn and thrive. This legislation is critical, and I’m committed to fighting for its passage.”

    According to The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs at Temple University, food insecurity is a serious problem on college campuses across the nation, especially for students of color, first generation students, low-income students, and students at community colleges. In 2023-2024, 41% of college students experienced food insecurity. Students of color were more likely to experience basic needs insecurity: 74% of Indigenous, 72% of Black, and 67% of Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian students experienced food insecurity, housing insecurity, and/or homelessness.

    Representatives Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Josh Harder (D-CA), and Alma Adams (D-NC) lead companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “Too many students are working toward a degree while quietly struggling with hunger,” said Rep. Gomez. “No student should have to choose between focusing on their finals or finding their next meal. It is essential that college students, especially first-generation students and students of color, don’t fall through the cracks. The EATS Act will expand access to SNAP benefits for students and ensure that hunger doesn’t stand in the way of a degree or a better life.”

    “There are many college students across the country that face food insecurity due to outdated and arbitrary restrictions that block access to SNAP benefits,” said Rep. Panetta. “The EATS Act would eliminate those barriers and expand eligibility so students, including those in California’s CalFresh program, can get the nutrition they need.  By removing these unnecessary hurdles, we can ensure that rather than worrying about where their next meal will come from, our students can focus on their education and future success.”

    “College students across the nation are going hungry, skipping meals, and can’t afford to make ends meet – it’s unacceptable. No student should have to choose between food and their textbooks,” said Rep. Costa. “Our legislation eliminates barriers and expands SNAP eligibility for college students, so they get the nutrition needed to be successful.” 

    “This is a commonsense bill – we know our students can’t learn if they’re hungry. One in three college students face food insecurity meaning millions of young people aren’t able to live up to their potential,” said Rep. Harder. “If we want to set future generations up for success, we have to make sure they are getting the nutrition they need. This bill does just that by extending access to SNAP to college students. It’s a no-brainer if we care about our future.”

    “As a former college professor of 40 years, I’ve seen students struggle with hunger firsthand and know how it impacts their health and academic achievement. They should be focusing on their education, not where their next meal is coming from, but harsh SNAP restrictions make that impossible for millions of college students, especially after the passage of Republicans’ One Big, Ugly Bill,” said Rep. Adams. “I’m proud to support the EATS Act so we can remove these outdated barriers to SNAP, make college more accessible to low-income families, and ensure no student goes to bed hungry.”

    “No student should have to choose between eating and learning. The EATS Act removes outdated and harmful barriers that have long prevented college students—including many student parents and students of color—from accessing SNAP. This bill is a step toward justice—toward a future where an empty stomach isn’t a prerequisite for learning, and where every student is healthy, housed, and fed,” said Shimica Gaskins, President & CEO, GRACE/End Child Poverty California.

    “All students should have the resources they need to meet their basic needs. But with one in five experiencing food insecurity and many lacking access to SNAP benefits, this is not their reality. It’s clear the system needs reformed,” said Jessica Thompson, Senior Vice President at The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS). “Removing the requirement to meet an additional exemption will improve students’ ability to access benefits and better support their academic success. That’s why TICAS is proud to endorse the EATS Act of 2025  – a critical step in addressing food insecurity for this overlooked population.”  

    “Far too many low-income college students are going hungry, all while juggling family, work, and a full course load in pursuit of economic mobility. Many are parents, caregivers, or older adults returning to school for a better future, but the current system, with its 20-hour per week work requirement, makes this nearly impossible. Balancing work, school, and other responsibilities leaves little time for these students to focus on their education, much less maintain their health or care for their loved ones. Hunger only compounds these challenges, preventing them from fully thriving,” said Crystal FitzSimons, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). “No student should have to choose between buying food and pursuing an education. Congress must pass the EATS Act to remove outdated barriers to SNAP eligibility and ensure every student has the food they need to learn and thrive.”

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier celebrates first LNG Canada shipments to Asia

    Premier David Eby is celebrating hundreds of jobs and billions in economic growth that come with the first shipments of liquefied natural gas from LNG Canada to Asia, marking a historic milestone for British Columbia diversifying its trade relationships and securing its clean energy future.

    “The first shipments of made-in-B.C. energy across the Pacific come at a pivotal time for our province and the country we love,” Premier Eby said. “Projects like LNG Canada are the reason that B.C. will be the economic engine of a more independent Canada. It creates good jobs, opportunities that let young people build a life here in the North and generates the revenue we need to improve public services everyone relies on.”

    LNG Canada is the largest private-sector investment in Canadian history, with $40 billion committed to building the export facility in Kitimat and associated infrastructure. The project is expected to contribute 0.4% to Canada’s GDP once fully operational.

    The Kitimat facility is one of the cleanest of its kind in the world, with emissions 35% lower than the best-performing global facilities, and 60% lower than the global average. Approximately $6 billion in contracts have gone to B.C. and Indigenous businesses. The project was built in partnership with the Haisla Nation and other Indigenous communities.

    “British Columbia will produce some of the lowest-emission LNG in the world. It is imperative that we get our clean-energy resources to global markets so that we can deliver a stronger, more diversified economy for people and communities to benefit from,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “LNG Canada’s first shipment to Asia is a major milestone and one that positions B.C. and Canada to meet growing global demand, while highlighting our commitment to responsible energy development.”

    Premier Eby’s recent trade mission to Asia confirmed strong demand for responsibly produced energy from B.C., demand that the LNG Canada project is helping to meet.

    The LNG Canada project has created thousands of good-paying jobs and new opportunities for people in the North and across Canada.

    Quick Facts:

    • At peak construction, there were more than 9,000 highly skilled workers at the LNG Canada site in Kitimat.   
    • More than 300 full-time permanent jobs have been created at the Kitimat facility.
    • Since the final investment decision, the project and associated pipeline have employed 65,000 workers over roughly a six-year construction period, including more than 40,000 Canadians who have worked on the site since the start of construction.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Construction Starts on DRI Project in Johnson City

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of construction on a $20 million mixed-use development at 435 Main Street in Johnson City as part of the Village’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award. The transformational project, which received nearly $1.2 million through the DRI, will create 55 new energy-efficient apartments and renovate 12,000 square feet of commercial space to support workforce training and educational expansion.

    “In order to attract and retain a growing workforce in our state, we need more housing. Period,” Governor Hochul said. “Johnson City is leading by example, transforming an underutilized historic high school into energy-efficient apartments and new space for workforce training opportunities. This kind of forward-thinking investment will support Johnson City’s vibrant downtown and strengthen the local economy for generations to come.”

    New York State Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “This project is a shining example of how the Downtown Revitalization Initiative is transforming communities like Johnson City. With 55 new energy-efficient apartments underway, we’re addressing the growing demand for quality housing across New York State while breathing new life into a site with deep roots in the community. Combined with the expansion of workforce training opportunities, this investment will help attract and retain talent, strengthen the local economy, and support a vibrant downtown for generations to come.”

    This project is set to be one of the largest and most impactful DRI investments to date in Johnson City’s Innovation District and builds on previous state-funded revitalization efforts. Upon completion, this historically significant former high school will be transformed into a dense and vibrant campus of buildings in downtown Johnson City. This addition of 55 energy-efficient apartments will expand the region’s housing options, helping to attract and retain a talented workforce in Johnson City and Broome County. The 12,000-square-foot commercial space—formerly the Johnson City High School gymnasium—will be renovated to accommodate the expansion of Broome-Tioga BOCES’ program for practical nursing. The project will also feature enhanced landscaping and parking lot improvements to support the revitalized space.

    In addition to the $1.125 million provided by the DRI, the project also received $250,000 from Empire State Development through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative (Greater Binghamton Fund). Johnson City was named the Southern Tier winner of the sixth round of the DRI in 2023. Several additional DRI-funded projects are underway across the Village, including:

    • Construction of a new mixed-use project – Homesteads on Grand – at 333 Grand Avenue.
    • Renovating the mixed-use building at 214 Main Street.
    • New parks and streetscape improvements, building on previous Greater Binghamton Fund investments.

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The 435 Main Street project is yet another innovative example of how the Governor’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative is fueling the economic engines that support local communities and foster growth. This transformational project will create a dynamic space focused on creating next-generation housing opportunities in Johnson City, and provide a focused, workforce training and educational space that will benefit both current and future generations of Southern Tier residents.”

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Converting a century-old high school into 55 modern apartments with space dedicated to preparing a growing workforce, not only preserves a piece of Johnson City’s rich history—it creates new opportunities and incentives for residents to live in the heart of a burgeoning downtown. Housing is the bedrock of a strong economy and an essential component of Governor Hochul’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which is creating vibrant, walkable communities across New York. This cutting-edge $20 million project builds on more than 1,000 affordable homes we’ve created in Broome County in recent years, and provides a diverse mix of housing that is reshaping the Southern Tier.”

    State Senator Lea Webb said, “I’m proud to support the transformation of the former Johnson City High School through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and the Greater Binghamton Fund (GBF). This $250,000 investment will revitalize a long-vacant, historic property, bringing 55 energy-efficient, market-rate apartments and a cutting-edge facility for Broome-Tioga BOCES’ practical nursing program to the heart of Johnson City. This project reflects exactly the kind of smart, community-driven development we need: it strengthens our neighborhoods, expands access to education and career training, and helps build the skilled workforce essential to the future of Broome County.”

    Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said, “I am thrilled to see the revitalization of the former Johnson City HS finally getting underway. We have watched this beautiful historic building for many years, hoping to see this type of adaptive reuse. With new housing and expanded space for BOCES, this project certainly reflects the goals of our Downtown Revitalization Initiative. I’d like to commend everyone involved for their commitment to the Village, and to bringing this wonderful structure back to life for residents and students alike.”

    Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “This project is a win on every level. Restoring these historic buildings will improve the neighborhood while addressing two major challenges, our health care workforce shortage, and the need for quality housing. We’re proud to support efforts that move Broome County forward on both fronts.”

    Johnson City Mayor Martin Meaney said, “The revitalization and transformation of 435 Main Street, “the old high school” into apartments and the BOCES School for Licensed Practical Nursing is a wonderful addition to our downtown. This project has been in the planning stages for a long time and we are very excited to see it come to fruition!”

    William H. Lane Incorporated President & Chief Executive Officer Mark Lane said, “As an adolescent working summers for my father, I frequently visited this property to have tools repaired at McKilligan Industrial Supply, which operated out of this very building. To return five decades later as its developer, and to have the opportunity to transform this historic structure into an educational facility for our essential nurses, as well as residential apartments, is profoundly meaningful. The privilege of preserving this piece of history and giving it renewed purpose has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

    BOCES District Superintendent Rebecca Stone said, “Thanks to the incredible support of our community partners, including UHS, Guthrie and Broome County, Broome Tioga BOCES is proud to expand our Licensed Practical Nursing program into a larger facility. This opportunity not only allows us to better serve our adult students, but also helps the critical need for a skilled healthcare professionals in our region.”

    The Agency Executive Director Stacey Duncan said, “This transformative project embodies the intersection of historic preservation, forward-looking development, and the power of public-private partnership. It serves as a catalyst for economic vitality by supporting both new housing development and critical workforce training.”

    In the FY2025 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul made the “Pro-Housing Community” designation a requirement for cities, towns and villages to access up to $650 million in State discretionary programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward. To date, more than 300 municipalities across the State have become certified. To further support localities that are doing their part to address the housing crisis, Governor Hochul created a $100 million Pro-Housing Supply fund for certified Pro-Housing Communities to assist with critical infrastructure projects necessary to create new housing, such as sewer and water infrastructure upgrades.

    About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative
    The DRI was launched in 2016 to accelerate and bolster the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all 10 regions of the State to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for increased local investments. Led by the Department of State, DRI communities benefit from partnerships with and coordinated technical assistance provided by the Department of Housing and Community Renewal (HCR), Empire State Development (ESD) and the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). The DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation. Through eight rounds, the DRI has awarded a total of $900 million to 91 communities across every region of the State.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: ExxonMobil Partners with African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Diamond Sponsor – Showcasing Major Investments, Youth Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Africa Initiatives, and Highlighting Women in Energy

    Source: APO

    As a Diamond Sponsor at AEW, ExxonMobil reaffirms its long-standing commitment to Africa’s energy future through ambitious new investments, frontier exploration and impactful educational programs. The company will take a central role in shaping dialogue on the continent’s upstream outlook, LNG development and the transition to more inclusive energy systems.

    As the world’s largest publicly listed, private integrated energy company, ExxonMobil continues to be a leader in the frontier exploration space and deepen its footprint in Africa through a series of forward-looking, high-impact initiatives. In Nigeria, the company looks to make significant investment in the deepwater as part of a broader strategy to help increase national output. This comes on the heels of sustained production efforts at the Erha and Owowo fields, underlining the company’s strategic focus on optimizing existing deepwater assets.

    Further south, ExxonMobil is maintaining production from the prolific Kizomba deepwater development in Angola’s Block 15, where it recently signed a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) extension with the Angolan National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), extending operations until 2037. The company also renewed its PSC for Block 17, in partnership with TotalEnergies to ensure continued production from key offshore Block 17 fields.

    In East Africa, ExxonMobil is making headway with the long-anticipated Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique’s Area 4. The project – expected to reach a final investment decision in 2026 – aims to bring an additional 18 million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG to market, building on Mozambique’s emergence as a key global gas supplier.

    Beyond upstream operations, ExxonMobil is also investing in long-term capacity-building through the ExxonMobil Foundation’s STEM Africa program. Launched in 2024, the program partners with Junior Achievement Africa to deliver immersive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to students in Nigeria, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique. In its first year alone, the program reached over 3,000 students – 96% of whom expressed interest in pursuing STEM careers. In recognition of its impact, STEM Africa was awarded the Local Impact Award at the Big Five Board Awards in London earlier this month.

    “ExxonMobil’s role as a Diamond Sponsor at AEW 2025 is a testament to their bold, future-focused investments – from revitalizing offshore oilfields in Nigeria and Angola to advancing LNG capacity in Mozambique and exploring new frontiers in Africa’s Atlantic Coast,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Their STEM Africa initiative demonstrates an equally strong commitment to building local talent and empowering young Africans to lead tomorrow’s energy industry. This is the kind of strategic partnership Africa needs.”

    AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies will provide a premier platform for ExxonMobil to engage with African governments, investors, and stakeholders as the continent accelerates toward energy security and industrial growth. With a broad and growing portfolio, ExxonMobil continues to lead Africa into its next era of energy development.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    About African Energy Week:
    AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan First in Canada for Mining Investment Attractiveness: Fraser Institute

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 30, 2025

    Saskatchewan is again the top region in Canada for mining investment attractiveness, ranking first in the country according to the Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies. The 2024 report included responses from 350 companies rating 82 jurisdictions around the world. 

    In addition to its best-in-Canada ranking, Saskatchewan placed seventh globally, owing to its strong ranking in policy and regulatory perception. 

    “These results from the Fraser Institute speak to Saskatchewan’s strong and steady approach to attracting mining investment,” Energy and Resources Minister Colleen Young said. “We offer some of the best incentive programs in the country for mineral development and we continue to uphold our reputation of being responsive, stable and predictable as a jurisdiction where investors can move projects forward.”

    The 2024 survey measured all regions on two main areas – policy perception and mineral potential – to come up with an overall attractiveness ranking for investment. Saskatchewan placed first in Canada, and third globally, in policy perception, based on responses concerning policy certainty, environmental regulation, the legal system and skilled labour supply.

    Saskatchewan also ranked highly for its geological database – fourth in the world – which speaks to the Saskatchewan Geological Survey’s cutting-edge mapping technology and high-quality public geoscience data and its extensive library of core samples in its southern and northern Saskatchewan facilities.

    “Achieving the number one ranking in Canada is due to our ability to work constructively and collaboratively with government to enable policies that attract investment,” Saskatchewan Mining Association President Pam Schwann said.

    Last year Saskatchewan reached record highs in potash production, mining approximately 24.7 million tonnes of potassium chloride, while also reaching new records for uranium production and sales – 16,700 tonnes and $2.6 billion, respectively.

    The province is home to 27 of the 34 minerals on Canada’s critical minerals list. In addition to uranium and potash, there is strong potential in Saskatchewan for further growth in the critical minerals sector: helium production continues to increase, while key projects in lithium, copper and zinc are set to begin production over the next year. 

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Transportation Researchers Recognized for Leadership, Innovativeness, and Collaboration at Vehicle Technologies Office Annual Merit Reviews

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Transportation researchers from NREL received awards at the 2025 Annual Merit Review meeting for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO).

    Each year, VTO presents awards to individuals from partner institutions for contributions to overall program efforts and to recognize research, development, demonstration, and deployment achievements in specific areas.

    VTO Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award – Margo Melendez

    Margo Melendez, NREL’s chief transportation technology deployment and integration engineer, was recognized for her dedication to VTO’s Technology Integration (TI) program and her commitment to the Clean Cities and Communities mission. The award noted that “her leadership has formed an essential connection between DOE, NREL, and stakeholders across a wide range of alternative fuel and advanced transportation fields.”

    NREL’s Margo Melendez, recipient of a VTO Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award, with VTO Director Austin Brown and VTO Technology Integration manager Mark Smith.

    Clean Cities and Communities (CC&C) is a DOE partnership that fosters collaboration and innovation to advance transportation energy choices nationwide. More than 75 DOE-designated CC&C coalitions work in urban, suburban, and rural areas to deliver objective technical expertise based on a unique understanding of local markets. DOE’s VTO facilitates the administration of CC&C through its TI program.

    Melendez was recognized by VTO for her more than two decades of serving as a leader in the TI and CC&C national laboratory team. The award honored her work in guiding NREL teams that provide critical technical assistance to the CC&C partnership.

    She was also recognized for managing projects as part of a multimillion-dollar effort funded jointly by DOE, the California Energy Commission, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to advance the state of technology for natural gas vehicles.

    “In addition to the technical projects, the partnership among funding agencies to come together to establish common goals was unique,” Melendez said.

    She credited the many engineers and researchers at VTO for her success. “Their vision for innovation is inspiring, and their leadership has helped so many Americans, from researchers to vehicle operators,” she said.

    VTO Team Award – RouteE and FASTSim

    The NREL teams that developed Route Energy Prediction (RouteE) modeling tools and the Future Automotive Systems Technology Simulator (FASTSim) were recognized by VTO for their “remarkable ingenuity, collaboration, impactful contributions, and outstanding technical expertise.” RouteE and FASTSim can be used to minimize energy consumption, simulate powertrains, and estimate the impact of technology improvements on light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles.

    The tool development teams were recognized this year for having integrated new research approaches and continued collaborations with external partners, including Google Maps. The team’s work enabled Google Maps’ eco-routing feature.

    The award recognized a number of NREL transportation and mobility analysis researchers, including Chad Baker, Robin Steuteville, Nick Reinicke, Jeff Gonder, Shashi Peddireddy, Balashanmuga Priyan Rajamohan, Ananta Shrestha, Kyle Carow, Jake Holden, Rob Fitzgerald, and Josh Hoshiko and former NREL intern Natalie Schultz.

    VTO Team Award – Cooperative Driving Automation

    Two multilab Cooperative Driving Automation (CDA) projects were awarded VTO Team Awards, including one that involved NREL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory. These CDA projects were recognized for outstanding collaboration between laboratories and projects “to advance the understanding and implementation of CDA.”

    In these projects, researchers developed novel software, algorithms, and hardware needed to quantify the energy impacts and the sensitivity on different communication frameworks, as well as for specific CDA and active traffic management (ATM) applications.

    CDA enables multiple automobiles or other road vehicles and road users to communicate with one another and take cooperative actions to increase safety and smoothness of travel. The CDA project teams were recognized in particular for their current work on a shared scenario to demonstrate specific CDA controls.

    The NREL researchers recognized as part of these projects were transportation energy transition analysis researcher Nick Reinicke and computational science researcher Qichao Wang.

    Learn more about NREL’s transportation and mobility research. And sign up for NREL’s transportation and mobility research newsletter, Mobility Matters, to stay current on the latest news.

    MIL OSI USA News –