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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Man who assaulted and killed a dog walker has sentence increased

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Man who assaulted and killed a dog walker has sentence increased

    A man who sexually assaulted and murdered a woman walking her dog in a random attack has had his sentence increased after the Solicitor General intervened.  

    Harrison Lawrence-Van Pooss (21), from Margate, Kent, has had his sentence increased after it was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP, under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.  

    The court heard that in August 2023, Claire Knights from Canterbury, went for a walk with her dog around the Minnis Bay area of Birchington.  
     
    As Claire was walking back to her car, she was pushed off the path by Lawrence-Van Pooss ,who then violently sexually assaulted her. 

    The offender beat Claire around the head and pushed her into a dyke where she drowned.  

    Claire’s body was concealed by the reeds and grasses and was not found for two days before her son and his friends discovered her body in the dyke.  

    During enquiries, investigators uncovered that Lawrence-Van Pooss attacked Claire a day after he had been caught upskirting a different woman.  

    He was confronted but went on the run before he could be arrested. Lawrence-Van Pooss then hid by the beach overnight before his attack on Claire the following afternoon.  

    When he was found and arrested by police, Lawrence-Van Pooss had Claire’s dog with him. He had earlier taken the dog to a shop to buy dog treats.  

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:  

    Lawrence-Van Pooss’ attack on Claire Knights was horrific. He assaulted and brutally murdered her, in a totally random attack. I welcome the court’s decision to increase Van-Poos’ sentence and I would like to express my deepest sympathies to Claire’s family and loved ones.  

    On 28 February 2025, Harrison Lawrence-Van Pooss was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years and 183 days after he pleaded guilty to murder and voyeurism offences at Canterbury Crown Court.  

    On 25 July 2025, Lawrence-Van Pooss’ sentence was quashed and substituted with a new sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years and 229 days after it was referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two men prosecuted for dumping waste in village

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Two men prosecuted for dumping waste in village

    Muddy tracks led to nearby house where excavation work had taken place. Environment Agency prosecution resulted in fines and costs totalling £6,400.

    Farmer discovers dumped waste when looking to graze sheep on land.

    The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted two men for illegally dumping excavation waste at a site in West Haddon, Northamptonshire.

    At Leicester Magistrates Court on Wednesday 23 July 2025, Richard Allen, 59, of Capeleira, Obidos, in Portugal, was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £400 to the victims of the offence.

    He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,000 and a victim surcharge of £800.

    At a previous hearing, on Wednesday 25 June 2025, David Thomas George Warden, 50, of Welland Avenue, Gartree, Market Harborough, was fined £350 and ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £350.

    Both pleaded guilty to knowingly causing and depositing controlled waste between 24 and 30 April 2024, on land off Ryehills Lane, West Haddon, without the necessary environmental permit.

    Both also admitted to charges relating to failing to comply with waste transfer regulations.

    Farmer discovered dumped waste

    The court was told that officers from the Environment Agency were alerted by a farmer who discovered the dumped waste when looking to graze sheep on the land off Ryehills Lane.

    The farmer found that the field had been covered in numerous mounds of excavation waste making it unsuitable for grazing.

    Due to the wet weather, muddy tyre tracks leading away from the site led officers to a nearby house where excavation work had taken place.

    That property was owned by Richard Allen’s daughter and son-in-law who informed officers that Allen had gained planning permission to build a house in the grounds of their property.

    Allen informed the investigation that he had employed Warden’s company Sky CFG to carry out the building works. He also alleged he had gained permission, some three years previously, to dump the top soil on the Ryehills’ site.

    However, Allen was unable to name the person from whom he had obtained permission.

    The owners of the land confirmed there was no such agreement in place for anyone to deposit waste onto their field. In any event, regardless of whether permission had been granted, there was no environmental permit in place at the site to allow waste to be deposited there. 

    Both Allen and Warden said they had little knowledge of the environmental regulations despite having experience of waste disposal as part of their day-to-day businesses.

    The court was told that some remediation work had taken place at the site albeit most of the soil had been spread across the field and that the land was now fit to graze animals.

    A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:

    This case shows that operators in the waste sector should realise we will not tolerate illegal waste activities.

    We will take enforcement action to protect the environment, people and legitimate businesses. 

    Anyone with suspicions of waste crime can call our incident hotline, 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.

    Background information

    Charges

    Richard Allen

    • Between 24 April 2023 and 30 April 2023, knowingly cause controlled waste namely excavation waste consisting of sand and soil to be deposited on land off Ryehills Lane, West Haddon when there was not in force an environmental permit authorising such a deposit contrary to section 33(1) (a) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended.

    • Between 1 August 2023 and 30 September 2023 failed to comply with the duty of care imposed by section 34(1)(c)(ii) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that, being a person that is a waste broker of controlled waste, namely, a quantity of excavation waste consisting of sand and soil, did fail to take such measures as were reasonable in the circumstances to secure that, on transfer of the waste, that there was such a written description of the waste as to enable other persons to avoid any contravention of section 33 contrary to section 34(1)(c)(ii) and (6) Environmental Protection Act 1990.

    David Thomas George Warden

    • Between 24 April 2023 and 30 April 2023, did deposit controlled waste namely excavation waste consisting of sand and soil in or on land at Ryehills Lane, West Haddon when there was no environmental permit in force authorising such a deposit contrary to section 33 (1) (a) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended.

    • Between 24 April 2023 and 30 April 2023 failed to comply with the duty of care imposed by section 34(1)(c)(ii) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that, being a person that produces controlled waste, namely, a quantity of excavation waste consisting of sand and soil, did fail to take such measures as were reasonable in the circumstances to secure that, on transfer of the waste, that there was such a written description of the waste as to enable other persons to avoid any contravention of section 33 contrary to section 34(1)(c)(ii) and (6) Environmental Protection Act 1990.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Van-tastic! Clean green ice cream machines!

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Councillor Sally Haydon, ice cream seller Kelly Pitcher, Emily Bullimore, BID street operations
    and trading manager and Marie Wellington, street trading and event technical officer    .

    Cool running is all the rage on the waterfront with Plymouth’s ice cream vans now clean and green, thanks to a Council initiative.

    Plymouth City Council has installed five electric chargers at key points on Hoe Road so that ice cream vans can run on clean, green electricity rather than chugging out fumes from their engines.

    It means that the ice cream sellers who have concessions there not only save on fuel costs – as running freezers on their engines all day is expensive, but it also cuts the amount of fumes coming out of the exhaust – not a nice combination with your cone.

    The project has been warmly welcomed by the sellers, especially as the Council installed chargers that meant that some sellers could convert their vehicles with transformers rather than fork out around £150,000 for a new van.

    Cabinet member for community safety, Councillor Sally Haydon instigated the idea and the Council’s street trading team worked with the vendors and liaised with contractors to make it happen.

    The cabinet for the chargers

    The installation was a challenge as there were a number of services beneath the pavement, with one charger installed on a specially made build-out from the pavement.

    The Council employed a company called Kerbo Charge to install the cables and infrastructure – the first time the company has operated in the city. Metpow provided the submetering of energy use so that the Council can remotely monitor carbon emissions as well as charge for the energy used.

    It took a while to get the logistics sorted but with some Government lolly – £40,000 through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – sprinkles of support from Plymouth Waterfront Partnership and a magnum of ingenuity from South West Highways to make it happen on a busy and popular road.

    Councillor Haydon said: “There’s nothing like an ice-cream on the Hoe in the summer. It is one of the great joys of Plymouth life. But diesel fumes is hardly the nicest topping with your 99.

    “Make no cones about it – we now have a greener waterfront overlooking our amazing Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and we are helping our ice cream sellers to save fuel and money!”

    Ice cream seller Kelly Pitcher welcomed the move, especially as it means the van is cooler on warm days. She said: “We don’t have to keep the engine running which means the van doesn’t get so hot inside – which is great for me.

    “It is definitely quieter to run and we have had regulars already commenting on how much quieter it is and less fumes. We’re really happy to see this happen.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Meets ASEAN Secretary General

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Horn in Beijing on Friday.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, said China has always given priority to ASEAN in its neighbourhood diplomacy and supports ASEAN’s aspiration to play a more active role in international and regional affairs.

    Guided by the outcome of the Central Meeting on Neighboring Countries held in April this year, China is willing to work with ASEAN member states to build an even closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, he said.

    Under the current circumstances, China and ASEAN should focus on cooperation in three key areas, Wang said.

    First, the two sides should work together to uphold free trade and the multilateral trading system. Wang Yi noted that as the major forces of the Global South, China and ASEAN should strengthen solidarity and cooperation, oppose unilateralism, uphold WTO rules, and ensure the credibility and integrity of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

    Second, both sides should fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, building a new narrative of peace, friendship and cooperation in the South China Sea, Wang said.

    Third, the two sides should work together to maintain regional peace and stability. “The recent border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, which resulted in casualties, are regrettable and worrying,” Wang said, adding that China, as a mutual friend and neighbor of both countries, is willing to maintain an impartial stance and continue to play a constructive role in de-escalating tensions.

    Kao Kim Horn, for his part, expressed gratitude to China for its firm support for ASEAN’s centrality in regional cooperation and the building of the ASEAN Community.

    ASEAN hopes to use the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2026 as an opportunity to strengthen strategic alignment and deepen practical cooperation in all fields with China, he said.

    Speaking about the tension on the border between Cambodia and Thailand these days, Kao Kim Horn thanked China for its active efforts to promote reconciliation and peace talks. -0-

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: UN chief welcomes China, EU commitment to strengthen cooperation on climate change

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    UNITED NATIONS, July 25 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the commitment of China and the European Union (EU) to strengthen cooperation on climate change and ensure a global just transition, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq said on Thursday.

    “The Secretary-General believes that it is critical for China and the European Union, as the world’s two largest economies, to continue working together to ensure that the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil becomes a major turning point in global efforts to tackle the climate crisis,” Hack said in a statement.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates his call for all G20 countries to submit NDCs [nationally determined contributions to combat climate change by 2035],” he said.

    On Thursday, leaders of China and the EU issued a joint statement on stepping up efforts to combat climate change following the 25th China-EU summit in Beijing. At the meeting, the two sides acknowledged that strengthening China-EU cooperation on climate change will benefit the well-being of both peoples and is of great and special significance to upholding multilateralism and advancing global climate governance. –0–

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s model for protecting cultural heritage presented in think tank report

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    ZHENGZHOU, July 25 (Xinhua) — The Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with the Xinhua News Agency, released a report on Friday detailing China’s innovative model of cultural heritage protection.

    China’s concept and practice of cultural heritage protection in the new era are best reflected in an innovative model called “OPEN”, the report said. It stands for original contribution, prioritizing protection, strengthening cooperation and necessary guarantees.

    The innovative model, according to the authors of the report, not only enriched the theory of cultural heritage protection during China’s modernization, but also contributed to the efforts of other countries in the world to protect, preserve and utilize cultural heritage.

    A new report, titled “Cooperatively Protecting the Treasures of Human Civilization: China’s Concept and Practice of Cultural Heritage Preservation in the New Era,” provides a detailed explanation of China’s vibrant and vibrant practice in this area. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese representative rejects US baseless accusations against Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    UNITED NATIONS, July 25 (Xinhua) — China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Thursday rejected U.S. accusations against China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) at a Security Council meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

    “China firmly opposes and categorically rejects the groundless accusations made by the US representative regarding China’s Xinjiang region,” the Chinese diplomat said.

    At present, Xinjiang enjoys social stability, economic prosperity, and people live in peace and contentment. It is the best period of development in its history. The United States has made great efforts to stir up the so-called Xinjiang issue in a vain attempt to interfere in China’s internal affairs and curb its development, but in doing so, it has only exposed its true nature of hegemonic ambitions and double standards, Fu Cong noted.

    Over the past six years, more than 100 countries, including many Islamic countries, have voiced their support for China’s just position at the general debate of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. They are unequivocally opposed to the politicization of human rights issues and the use of human rights as a pretext for interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, the Chinese envoy said.

    “This is a loud and clear signal that the US plan to contain China using the so-called Xinjiang issue has largely failed, and its sinister intention to provoke bloc confrontation by discrediting and suppressing China has failed completely,” he said.

    Fu Cong asked, “If the US really cares about Muslim rights, why does it turn a blind eye to the living hell in Gaza? Why does the US ignore the historical injustices suffered by the Palestinian people?”

    The United States, he said, ignores its own chronic problems at home, such as gun violence, racial discrimination, and the violation of the rights and dignity of its own citizens. Under the guise of protecting human rights, Washington unjustifiably interferes in the internal affairs of other countries and violates the rights of countless people in the developing world.

    “We call on the United States to examine its own vices and misdeeds, change course, and make greater efforts to take practical, positive action in the interests of international peace and security,” he said. –0–

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran, European countries resume nuclear talks in Istanbul

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TEHRAN, July 25 (Xinhua) — Nuclear talks between Iran and the European “troika” of Germany, France and Britain began in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Friday morning, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

    The Iranian delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi.

    Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the official IRNA news agency that the talks would be an opportunity for the three European countries to correct their attitude toward Iran and test their approach to the country’s nuclear program.

    Speaking earlier at a weekly press conference, Baghaei said the talks would focus on lifting sanctions and issues related to Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program, noting that Iran would seriously present its demands at the upcoming meeting.

    Since September last year, Iran and the EU three have held six rounds of talks on a range of issues, including Tehran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Plastic Greenpeace climbers abseil from Forth Bridge to block INEOS tanker in plastics protest An international team of Greenpeace activists has abseiled from Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge to block an INEOS tanker from delivering its cargo of fracked American gas to the Grangemouth petrochemical… by Graham Thompson July 25, 2025

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    An international team of Greenpeace activists has abseiled from Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge to block an INEOS tanker from delivering its cargo of fracked American gas to the Grangemouth petrochemical facility. 

    The Greenpeace protest is aimed at chemicals giant INEOS, owned by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, which is opposing efforts by UN Member States to secure a Global Plastics Treaty to curb plastic pollution [1]. INEOS is the UK’s biggest plastics manufacturer, producing 30-35 billion nurdles (pellets) daily at its Grangemouth plant – enough to make 60 million plastic bottles.

    The action comes less than a fortnight before governments meet in Geneva, Switzerland, for the sixth and final round of negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty (5-14 August). Greenpeace is calling for these talks to agree to a cut in global plastic production of at least 75% by 2040, and for the UN to exclude lobbyists from INEOS and other fossil fuels companies from the treaty negotiations. Plastics producers including INEOS have collectively sent hundreds of lobbyists to exert their influence at every stage of the talks so far. Lobbyists have used tactics such as intimidation and harassment, to block an agreement that includes caps on plastic production.

    The 10 climbers are confronting the giant INEOS tanker ‘INDEPENDENCE’. The vessel spent the last 10 days crossing the Atlantic carrying 27,500 cubic metres of ethane bound for Grangemouth where it will be used by INEOS in the production of virgin plastic.

    Amy Cameron, Programme Director at Greenpeace UK said:

    “Plastic pollution has reached a crisis point: it’s poisoning our land, seas, air, even our bodies. The Global Plastics Treaty offers us a once in a generation chance to tackle the problem for good, so it’s no surprise INEOS and its billionaire boss, Jim Ratcliffe, are doing everything they can to stop it.

    Ratcliffe tries to distract us with sports teams and sponsorships, but we’re not going to let him fill our planet with plastic, so he can fill his pockets with profit. Ratcliffe is trying to block a strong Global Plastics Treaty, so today we’re blocking him.”

    An international team of Greenpeace activists abseil from Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge to block an INEOS tanker from delivering its cargo of fracked American gas to the Grangemouth petrochemical facility. The Greenpeace protest is aimed at chemicals giant INEOS, owned by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, which is opposing efforts by UN Member States to secure a Global Plastics Treaty to curb plastic pollution. INEOS is the UK’s biggest plastics manufacturer, producing (pellets) daily at its Grangemouth plant – enough to make 60 million plastic bottles.© Luca Marino / Greenpeace

    The highly-trained Greenpeace climbers [2] abseiled from beneath the bridge’s service walkway, unfurling six giant ‘Plastics Treaty Now’ banners. They will remain suspended 25 metres above the main shipping lane of the River Forth [3], preventing the tanker from reaching port with its hazardous cargo. They are supported by a rescue crew on the bridge and a boat team in the river below. 

    The Greenpeace protest comes during Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland. Over the past three years, INEOS Energy has made investments exceeding $3bn in the US oil and gas sector, and the US petrochemicals industry is investing heavily in new chemical and plastics production projects. Like INEOS, US Fossil Fuel giants are attempting to weaken the Global Plastics Treaty to avoid caps on virgin plastic production. 

    ENDS

    Contact: 

    Greenpeace UK press office: press.uk@greenpeace.org / 020 7865 8255

    Greenpeace press officer on the ground at Forth Road Bridge: Kai Tabacek – 07984 127025

    Greenpeace spokespeople are available for interviews on the ground in Scotland and in London

    Please find all photos and videos of the protest HERE. Additional pictures and footage will be added as they become available.

    Notes to editors

    1. Speaking at the EFRA Parliamentary Committee on 8th July, on the UK Government’s priorities for the final plastics treaty negotiations, INEOS’s Technology Director, Peter Williams firmly opposed production caps because of potential “unintended consequences.”
    2. The international team of Greenpeace activists include climbers from: UK, Argentina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands and Taiwan.
    3. The main span of the iconic Forth Road Bridge is a little over a kilometre long, around 50 metres above water level. The highly-trained Greenpeace climbers are spaced at intervals of around 20 metres in an attempt to block the INEOS tanker. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mobilisation is urgently needed to avoid further deaths from northern Nigeria malnutrition crisis

    Source: APO


    .

    • In northern Nigeria, our teams are seeing an ever-increasing number of children in need of treatment for malnutrition.
    • We have begun a preventive campaign in Mashi local government area, distributing nutrition supplements for 66,000 children.
    • Urgent mobilisation is needed to save lives from this malnutrition crisis.

    Northern Nigeria is currently facing an alarming malnutrition crisis. In Katsina state, for instance, where Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been present since 2021, the teams are seeing an ever-increasing number of malnourished children in our therapeutic feeding centres, with increasingly severe conditions and higher mortality rates.

    In collaboration with the local authorities, we have begun distributing nutrition supplements for 66,000 children in the local government area of Mashi, as a method for emergency prevention. In the context of drastic cuts in international funding, the need for prevention and treatment of malnutrition is enormous in northern Nigeria, and urgent mobilisation is required.

    By the end of June 2025, nearly 70,000 children with malnutrition had already received medical care from our teams in Katsina state, including nearly 10,000 who were hospitalised in serious condition. Without taking into account the new healthcare facilities opened by MSF during the year in the state, this represents an increase of approximately one-third compared to last year.

    In addition, between January and June 2025, the number of children with nutritional oedema,1 the most severe and deadly form of malnutrition, rose by 208 per cent compared with the same period in 2024. Unfortunately, 652 children have already died in our facilities since the beginning of 2025 due to a lack of timely access to care.

    A worrying sign of the growing severity of this major public health emergency, is that adults—particularly women, including pregnant and breastfeeding women—are also affected. A screening carried out in July, in all five MSF malnutrition centres in Katsina state, on 750 mothers of patients, revealed that more than half of adult caregivers were acutely malnourished, including 13 per cent with severe acute malnutrition.

    To cope with the massive influx of children expected by the end of the lean season in October, we have increased our support to the local authorities in several states in north Nigeria where we provide care to communities. In Katsina state for instance, we opened a new outpatient therapeutic feeding centre in Mashi and an additional inpatient therapeutic feeding centre in Turai, to provide a total of 900 beds in two hospitals where MSF teams work.

    “The year 2024 marked a turning point in northern Nigeria’s nutritional crisis, with an increase of 25 per cent from the previous year,” says Ahmed Aldikhari, country representative of MSF in Nigeria. “But the true scale of the crisis exceeds all predictions. We are currently witnessing massive budget cuts, particularly from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, which are having a real impact on the treatment of malnourished children.”

    Earlier this week, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced it will be forced to suspend all emergency food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria by the end of July due to “critical funding shortfalls”.2

    “At the same time, we observe ever-increasing needs, such as in Katsina state, where an increasing number of people cannot afford to buy food anymore, even though it is available in markets,” says Aldikhari.

    A food security survey carried out by humanitarian organisations in the local government area of Kaita, in Katsina state, before the lean season began at the start of 2025 revealed that over 90 per cent of households had reduced the number of meals they ate each day.

    Across the north, other factors worsening the malnutrition crisis include disease outbreaks, which are worsened by low vaccine coverage, availability, and accessibility of basic health services, and other socioeconomic indices complicated by insecurity and violence.

    “The most urgent way to reduce the risk of immediate death from malnutrition is to ensure families have access to food,” says Emmanuel Berbain, nutrition adviser at MSF. “This can be done through large-scale distribution of food or nutrition supplements, as we are currently doing in the Mashi area, or through cash distributions when and where it is possible.” 

    The capacity to care for and treat malnourished children must also be expanded, both by increasing the number of beds in health facilities, and by providing funding and access to ready-to-use therapeutic food. These actions must be undertaken as a priority in areas where the needs, such as the number of malnourished children, are greatest.

    People over the age of five, who are also increasingly affected by malnutrition but are currently not covered by any assistance, should also be included in prevention programmes.

    On 8 July, His Excellency Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima publicly sounded the alarm on the scale of malnutrition in Nigeria, warning that it deprives almost 40 per cent of children under the age of five of their full physical and cognitive potential. He described the situation as a national emergency requiring urgent and collective action.

    MSF treated over 300,000 children with malnutrition in seven northern states in 2024, a 25 per cent increase from 2023. In the northwest alone, where MSF tackles malnutrition in the states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, and Zamfara, we have already treated almost 100,000 children suffering from severe and moderate acute malnutrition in outpatient treatment centres in the first six months of 2025, and hospitalised around 25,000 malnourished children.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston Parks awarded coveted Green Flag awards

    Source: City of Preston

    Preston Parks awarded coveted Green Flag Awards as they are officially recognised as some of the country’s best parks

    Preston City Council is delighted to have retained the following Green Flag Awards for the city’s green spaces this year:

    • Ashton Park
    • Avenham and Miller Parks
    • Fishwick Recreation Ground and Local Nature Reserve
    • Haslam Park
    • Winckley Square

    Winckley Square has also retained its Green Heritage accreditation, supported by Historic England, and Haslam Park has retained the Green Flag Community Award courtesy of the Friends Group.

    The sites are some of the 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

    Missing from the list this year is Preston’s oldest park, Moor Park, which is currently undergoing its own transformation. An important project includes de-silting and extending the historic lake, as well as the reinstatement of the Serpentine Bridge, alongside wider park enhancements to the play area and football pavilion. We’re hoping Moor Park will make the list for Green Flags again once the project is complete.

    Councillor Freddie Bailey, Cabinet member for environment and community safety, said:

    “The news that Preston’s parks and green spaces have once again met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for our parks and green spaces so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy them.”

    Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, added:

    “Congratulations to everyone involved in Preston who have worked tirelessly to ensure the high standards required for these Green Flag Awards.

    “Quality parks and green spaces make the country a healthier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest.

    “Crucially, Preston is offering vital green spaces for communities in residents to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”

    The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

    More information

    The Green Flag Award Scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

    Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award.  Awards are given on an annual basis, and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status.  A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation. 

    Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We set the standard for the management of parks and beaches, inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and live more sustainably. We run campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Eco-Schools, Love Parks Week (25th July – 3rd August 2025), Buy Nothing New Month, Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces, the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches and blue spaces, and the Green Key for sustainable tourism and hospitality.

    About Historic England

    We are Historic England, the public body that protects and brings life to the heritage that matters to us all, so it lives on and is loved for longer. From the extraordinary to the everyday, our historic places and spaces matter. From community centres to cathedrals, homes to high streets, markets to mills – there are special places we all choose to hold onto, the legacy we want to pass on and the stories we continue to tell. That’s why we work together with people across England to discover, protect and bring new life to our shared historic environment, providing advice, knowledge, support and services

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mansion House reopens and residents invited for ‘behind-the-scenes’ tours

    Source: City of York

    York Mansion House, the 300-year-old Georgian landmark, is set to reopen its doors this August following the successful completion of the first phase of a major £1.3 million restoration project.

    To mark this milestone, ninety City of York residents will be offered the opportunity to explore the newly-restored areas through a series of exclusive, free ‘behind-the-scenes’ tours.

    Organised by Buttress Architects in partnership with City of York Council, the tours will take place on Tuesday 12 August, offering a unique glimpse into the craftsmanship and conservation efforts that have gone into preserving one of York’s most iconic civic buildings. The tours follow the Georgian Festival (7-11 August) and celebrate the Mansion House’s reopening in its 300th anniversary year.

    Led by Hannah Bellerby, Senior Architect at Buttress, and Richard Pollitt, Mansion House Manager and Curator, the tours will guide visitors through the building’s most significant spaces and will explain more about the repair work undertaken. Most of the restoration has focused on protecting the fabric of the building following a comprehensive inspection, as well as external repairs. The Mansion House is now even more accessible than before, and the experts will explain further what has been improved and restored behind the scenes.

    The tours will start in the state room before taking in the Lord Mayor’s drawing room, the principal staircase, the dining room, the butler’s pantry, the historic kitchen, the basement vault, external passageway, courtyard, and both the rear and front elevations.

    The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Martin Rowley BEM, said:

    “Work to build the house began in 1725 and was completed in 1732, making it one of the earliest civic buildings in England in the classical style.

    “As city’s civic hub, the Mansion House holds and displays an important collection of items which tell York’s history and we’re delighted to welcome you back.”

    Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said:

    “These tours will give residents an exclusive insight into the essential maintenance, accessibility upgrades and safety improvements to secure the Mansion House’s future as a cultural and civic asset.

    “They’ll find out about how the building’s environmental performance and accessibility is now the best it’s ever been – that’s good for the environment and residents!

    “Working with our architects at Buttress and building contractor Birch, we’ve solved issues that this 300 year old building has presented so that it can reopen on 6 August ahead of the Georgian Festival. Please book your tickets for these special free tours now, or please book a regular visit at a time that suits you.”

    Hannah Bellerby from Buttress commented:

    “We’re excited to welcome local residents to see the results of our conservation works which help to ensure the longevity of the Mansion House for future generations to enjoy.

    “Our focus has been on preserving the building’s historical integrity while ensuring it remains accessible and sustainable. This is a much-loved civic treasure, and its reopening – 300 years after its completion in 1725 – is a truly special moment.”

    One of the most exciting discoveries during the restoration was made in the Lord Mayor’s drawing room, where seven layers of historic wallpaper were uncovered dating back to the 18th century. These layers, found on a narrow strip of wall, were then carefully removed and separated by wallpaper conservator Allyson McDermott and magnified to reveal the evolving decorative styles of the room over the centuries – providing invaluable insight for the restoration team.

    A paint analysis, undertaken by Hirst Conservation, also found what appears to be a full archaeological paint record to the interior spaces of the hallway and principal staircase which allowed for an informed decision to be made on the redecoration of the spaces based on physical evidence.

    Buttress Architects were appointed in October 2024 to lead the restoration, providing specialist heritage consultancy and conservation architecture. The second phase of works is expected to conclude in December 2025.

    Reserve a place on one of the free public tours.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Applauds France’s Decision to Recognize Palestinian Statehood, Calls for Renewed Push Toward Peace

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    CHICAGO, IL – Today, Congressman Jonathan Jackson (IL-01) issued the following statement in response to France’s announcement that it will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September:  

    “I commend President Emmanuel Macron and the French government for their courageous and principled decision to recognize Palestinian statehood. This historic step reaffirms France’s commitment to justice, diplomacy, and a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  

    “A two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine coexisting in security and mutual recognition, remains the only viable path to lasting peace. France’s leadership moves the world closer to that reality. The United States and the international community must follow this example by supporting dialogue, de-escalation, and a negotiated settlement that upholds the rights and dignity of all people in the region.  

    “Now is the time for bold action. Let us seize this moment to advance peace, stability, and hope for future generations. We must break this cycle of violence and work towards a lasting peace and prosperity.  The work is not a singular act, but rather a commitment made to bring our world together. “

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Why is France recognising Palestinian statehood and who else has?

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    French President Emmanuel Macron has announced he will recognise Palestinian statehood, drawing angry rebukes from Israel and the United States and opening the door for other major nations to potentially like Britain and Canada to perhaps follow suit.

    Below are some details about Macron’s announcement, driven by a rising global outcry over starvation and devastation in Gaza amid Israel’s war against Hamas militants, as well as other nations’ position on having Palestinian statehood recognised.

    WHAT DID MACRON SAY?

    Macron published a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press ahead with recognition and work to convince other partners to do the same. He said he would make a formal announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next month.

    France is now the first major Western country to shift its diplomatic stance on a Palestinian state, after Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognised one last year.

    WHY IS THIS SIGNIFICANT?

    The decision to recognise Palestinian statehood is mostly symbolic, with Israel occupying the territories where the Palestinians have long aimed to establish that state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.

    But the move by France, which is home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities, could fuel a movement so far dominated by smaller nations generally more critical of Israel.

    It also makes Israel appear more isolated on the international stage over the war in Gaza, which is suffering from a wave of hunger that the World Health Organization’s chief said this week amounts to man-made mass starvation.

    Israel says it is committed to allowing aid into Gaza but must control it to prevent it being diverted by militants. It says it has let enough food into Gaza during the war and blames Hamas for the suffering of Gaza’s 2.2 million people.

    WHY DID MACRON DO THIS?

    Macron had been leaning towards the move for months as part of a bid to keep the idea of a two-state solution alive, despite the pressure not to do so. He decided to do it ahead of a U.N. conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on the matter next week to try to sway other countries considering that step, or those that are wavering.

    WHAT IMPACT COULD IT HAVE ON FRENCH TIES WITH ISRAEL

    Ahead of Macron’s announcement, Israeli officials had spent months lobbying to prevent what some had called “a nuclear bomb” for bilateral relations.

    Sources familiar with the matter say Israel’s warnings to France had ranged from scaling back intelligence-sharing to complicating Paris’ regional initiatives – even hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.

    WHO COULD BE NEXT?

    France’s decision may put pressure on major countries like Britain, Germany, Australia, Canada and Japan to take the same path. In the immediate term, Malta and Belgium could be the next countries within the European Union to do so.

    A British cabinet minister said on Friday that Britain supports eventual recognition of a Palestinian state, but the immediate priority should be alleviating the suffering in Gaza and securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

    Germany said on Friday it was not planning to recognise Palestinian statehood in the short term, rather its priority waas to make “long-overdue progress” towards a two-state solution – Israel and a Palestinian state co-existing in peace.

    WHO ELSE HAS RECOGNISED PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD?

    Last year, Ireland, Norway and Spain recognised a Palestinian state with its borders to be demarcated as they were prior to the 1967 Middle East war, when Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

    However, they also recognised that those borders may change in any eventual talks to reach a final settlement, and that their decisions did not diminish their belief in Israel’s fundamental right to exist in peace and security.

    About 144 of the 193 member states of the United Nations recognise Palestine as a state, including most of the global south as well as Russia, China and India. But only a handful of the 27 European Union members do so, mostly former Communist countries as well as Sweden and Cyprus.

    The U.N. General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in November 2012 by upgrading its observer status at the world body to “non-member state” from “entity.”

    HOW DID THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL, AND PALESTINIANS REACT?

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the decision by France, one of Israel’s closest allies and a G7 member, saying such a move “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy”.

    Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described it as “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism”. He added that Israel would not allow the establishment of a “Palestinian entity that would harm our security, endanger our existence”.

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States “strongly rejects (Macron’s) plan to recognise a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly.”

    “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace,” Rubio posted on X. “It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th” – a reference to Hamas’ 2023 cross-border attack on Israel that set off the Gaza war.

    Thanking France, the Palestinian Authority’s Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh said Macron’s decision reflected “France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”.

    The Palestine Liberation Organization recognised Israel’s right to exist in peace at the start of the U.S.-backed peace process in 1993 that set up the Palestinian Authority in what Palestinians hoped would be a stepping stone towards statehood.

    But Hamas and other Palestinian Islamist militants who have long dominated Gaza and frequently clash with Israeli forces in the West Bank reject recognition of Israel.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: United Kingdom helps Guatemala to combat plastic pollution

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    World news story

    United Kingdom helps Guatemala to combat plastic pollution

    Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) Paul Huggins participated in the launch of Guatemala’s National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP).

    During the event, he offered closing remarks highlighting the United Kingdom’s commitment to the Global Plastics Action Partnership (GPAP), of which Guatemala has been a member since January 2025, and underscored the importance of international collaborations in addressing global environmental challenges. 

    DHM Huggins praised Guatemala’s leadership in creating inclusive, evidence-based policies and welcomed its recent membership in the UK-founded High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC). He also reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to concluding negotiations for a legally binding global treaty on plastics by August of this year. 

    The event was attended by the Minister of Environment, Patricia Orantes; the Vice Minister for Climate Change, Edwin Castellanos, and representatives of partner organizations and implementers of the NPAP in Guatemala.

    The UK, through the Blue Planet Fund and in collaboration with other partners has contributed £24 million to the GPAP program since 2018, supporting initiatives that promote the circular economy and improve the conditions of informal waste workers.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Development Minister sets out new United Kingdom (UK) approach to development at G20 meeting in South Africa

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    • Development Minister Baroness Chapman will reset the UK’s approach to international development at the G20 Development Meeting in South Africa today (Friday, 25 July).
    • Economic development underpins the UK’s new approach, as the Minister visits a South African food producer supported by the FCDO’s development arm BII.
    • The UK is supporting countries to transition from traditional aid to innovative financing for development, as the Minister visits a centre for survivors of gender-based violence funded by both the UK and the private sector.

    The UK is resetting its relationship with countries in the Global South and helping countries exit the need for aid, as Baroness Chapman attends the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting in South Africa today (Friday 25 July 2025).

    This follows the publication of ODA allocations earlier this week (Tuesday 22 July 2025), which indicate how the UK is going to spend its aid budget for the next year.

    The UK will move from being a donor to a genuine partner and investor, ensuring every pound spent on aid delivers for the UK taxpayer and the people we support.

    Economic development underpins the UK’s new approach, to help countries grow fairer, more resilient economies and ultimately exit the need for aid, in support of the government’s Plan for Change.

    The Minister saw this in action yesterday (Thursday 24 July 2025) as she visited an Agristar farm which produces macadamia nuts in Mbombela, eastern South Africa. British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution, is supporting Agristar to expand – supporting jobs and growth and helping to stock British supermarket shelves. 

    The Minister also visited a UK supported care centre for survivors of gender-based violence in Mbombela, alongside South African Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disability, Sindisiwe Lydia Chikunga. The centre is supported by a multi-donor fund which has seen increased backing from South African and international private investors. The innovative funding approach has supported over 200 community-based organisations in South Africa working to prevent violence in schools and communities and provide response services for survivors of gender-based violence. This demonstrates the UK and South Africa’s shared commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    By mobilising private finance and empowering partners to take charge of their own development, the UK is moving away from a paternalistic approach to aid.

    Minister for Development, Baroness Chapman said:

    We want to help countries move beyond aid. In South Africa, I’ve seen the impact we can have with genuine partnerships, rather than paternalism. Our work is supporting jobs and generating global economic growth – and bringing high quality South African produce to UK shops. 

    At the G20 in South Africa, I have one simple message: the world has changed and so must we. The UK is taking a new approach to development, responding to the needs of our partners and delivering real impact and value for money for UK taxpayers.

    At the G20, the Minister is due to discuss the UK’s new approach to international development with counterparts from Egypt, India and Germany.

    The Agristar farm in Mbombela, which the Minister visited yesterday, has benefitted from UK investment as part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). BII support has enabled the macadamia nut producer to expand its operations across Africa, invest in measures to mitigate climate risks, and support nearly 400 jobs. BII is also supporting Agristar’s expansion into Malawi.

    BII, which aims to make a return on its investments, has so far supported 92 companies in South Africa and over 35,000 jobs.   

    Its success highlights how the UK’s investment in international development is driving green growth and jobs, boosting global prosperity and stability to help create the conditions to deliver the government’s Plan for Change at home.   

    The Minister will also announce today a new £2 million commitment to support local agribusiness projects by partnering with South African investment funds to drive more private finance for the farming sector.

    In G20 talks on tackling illicit financial flows, the Minister will highlight how money and assets siphoned away as part of criminal activity deprive lower-income countries of vital resources which could otherwise support growth and development. The Foreign Secretary is leading a campaign against illicit finance, mobilising the best UK expertise and international partnerships, so dirty money has nowhere to hide. This is also vital to deterring threats to the safety and security of Britain, as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    – on behalf of United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DAO 05/25 letter: Green Book Review 2025: Findings

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    DAO 05/25 letter: Green Book Review 2025: Findings

    ‘Dear Accounting Officer’ letters provide advice on accountability, regularity, propriety, value for money and annual accounting exercises.

    Documents

    DAO 05/25 letter: Green Book Review 2025: Findings

    PDF, 119 KB, 4 pages

    This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

    Request an accessible format.
    If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital.communications@hmtreasury.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    Details

    In January 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a review of the Green Book and how it is used to support fair, objective and transparent appraisal of projects outside of London and the south-east of England. The conclusions of the Green Book Review were published alongside the Spending Review on 11 June 2025.  It sets out that the Green Book, and the way that it is used, need to change.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 July 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Commission highlights progress and challenges in EU anti-fraud efforts in 2024 PIF Report

    Source: European Anti-Fraud Offfice

    Press release 22/2025
    PDF version 

    Today the European Commission adopted its 2024 Annual Report on the protection of the EU’s financial interests (‘PIF’ report). The report shows the progress made by the anti-fraud bodies at EU and national level in strengthening their coordination, promoting the digitalisation of the fight against fraud, and reporting detected cases of fraud and irregularities to the Commission. As the Commission focuses on further strengthening the EU anti-fraud architecture and fostering the digitalisation of the fight against fraud, it recommends Member States to pursue a similar path at national level.

    The 2024 PIF report takes stock of the various initiatives adopted at EU and national level to strengthen the EU anti-fraud governance and the fight against fraud affecting the EU’s financial interests through digital tools and innovative technologies. This process takes a renewed momentum with the structured reflection process for the review of the EU Anti-Fraud Architecture launched by the Commission on 16 July 2025.

    Piotr Serafin, Commissioner for Budget, Anti-fraud and Public Administration, said: “The Commission has presented an ambitious new long-term budget that will equip Europe to become an independent, prosperous, secure, and thriving society and economy over the coming decade. To protect these resources from fraud, we need an EU anti-fraud architecture that can better address the challenges ahead, bridge existing gaps, and streamline cooperation between its various actors, at both EU and national level.”

    The report offers an overview of the development of anti-fraud legislation and policies across the EU. In 2024, for example, addressing conflicts of interest emerged as a common theme across several Member States. 

    According to the report, while the number of irregularities – 13 589 in total – reported by the competent EU and national authorities slightly decreased in 2024 compared to 2023, the number of reported cases of fraud increased to 1 364, 26% more than in 2023. This increase may be the result of the reiterated recommendations addressed by the Commission to the Member States in the past years to better report detected fraud. The Commission will continue monitoring this trend in the coming years also to assess whether Member States follow-up effectively on these detected cases, another frequently reiterated Commissions recommendation.

    To ensure further improvement of reporting and follow-up of cases of suspected fraud and irregularities, the Commission recommends that Member States establish appropriate communication channels between the actors involved. In the Commission’s view, the adoption of national anti-fraud strategies remains a pillar for anti-fraud governance at the national level. Every Member State shall adopt such a strategy, ideally integrating the development of IT tools and the use of innovative technologies at its core to fight fraud more effectively. 

    The 36th Annual Report on the protection of the EU’s financial interests, published today, is available on OLAF’s website.

    Background

    The EU and Member States share responsibility for protecting the EU’s financial interests and fighting fraud. Member State authorities manage more than 85 percent of EU expenditure and collect the EU’s traditional own resources. The Commission oversees both areas, sets standards, and verifies compliance.

    Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Art 325(5)), the Commission is required to produce an Annual Report on the Protection of the EU’s Financial Interests (known as the PIF Report), detailing the measures taken at European and national level to counter fraud affecting the EU budget. The report is based on information reported by the Member States, including data on detected irregularities and fraud. The analysis of this information allows assessing which areas are most at risk, thereby allowing for better targeted actions at both EU and national levels. The report is accompanied by six working documents, providing additional and detailed information on several topics addressed in the report itself.

    OLAF mission, mandate and competences:
    OLAF’s mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud with EU funds.    

    OLAF fulfils its mission by:
    •    carrying out independent investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds, so as to ensure that all EU taxpayers’ money reaches projects that can create jobs and growth in Europe;
    •    contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in the EU Institutions by investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU Institutions;
    •    developing a sound EU anti-fraud policy.

    In its independent investigative function, OLAF can investigate matters relating to fraud, corruption and other offences affecting the EU financial interests concerning:
    •    all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid;
    •    some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties;
    •    suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.

    Once OLAF has completed its investigation, it is for the competent EU and national authorities to examine and decide on the follow-up of OLAF’s recommendations. All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a competent national or EU court of law.

    For further details:

    Pierluigi CATERINO
    Spokesperson
    European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
    Phone: +32(0)2 29-52335  
    Email: olaf-media ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
    euantifraud.bsky.social

    If you’re a journalist and you wish to receive our press releases in your inbox, please leave us your contact data.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How bachata rose from Dominican Republic’s brothels and shantytowns to become a global sensation

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Wilfredo José Burgos Matos, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies, Lehman College, CUNY

    Once viewed by elites with disdain, bachata has become popular worldwide. Erika Santelices/AFP via Getty Images

    What began as songs about heartbreak in the brothels and barrios of the Dominican Republic in the 1960s has become a worldwide sensation.

    Even the Bee Gees have gotten a bachata spin. Prince Royce’s bilingual take on the 1977 hit “How Deep Is Your Love” has topped the Latin music charts this summer and proves bachata is no longer chasing the mainstream but reimagining the pop canon.

    Bachata dance classes, parties and festivals have sprung up across the U.S. in recent years, everywhere from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, and Omaha, Nebraska, to Oklahoma City.

    It’s easy to find abroad as well. Upcoming bachata festivals are happening in cities in Austria, Egypt, Australia and China.

    Instructors teach a bachata class in Warsaw, Poland, in July 2025.
    Neil Milton/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    I’m a scholar of Dominican culture and the senior researcher for the History of Dominican Music in the U.S. project at the City University of New York’s Dominican Studies Institute. I see bachata as a revealing window into modern post-1960s Dominican history – and one that spotlights the emotional truths and everyday experiences of poor and Black Dominicans in particular.

    Music from the margins

    Bachata was born in the Dominican countryside and later developed in the shantytowns of Santo Domingo, the capital. In most Latin American dictionaries, the word “bachata” is loosely defined as “revelry” or “a spree.”

    The distinctive sound is formed from guitars, bongos, bass and the güira – a percussion instrument also used in merengue music – and accompanied by typically romantic or bittersweet lyrics.

    The music was long associated with the lower classes and Black Dominicans.

    The genre’s first recording came in 1962, just over a year after Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, a brutal dictator who ruled the island for 31 years, was assassinated. Trujillo’s death marked the beginning of a new cultural and political era in the Dominican Republic, although democratic hopes were soon shattered by a military coup, civil war and a second U.S. intervention following an earlier one between 1916-1924.

    Urban and middle-class Dominicans looked down on bachata as the music played in brothels and favored by poor, rural people who started to migrate to urban areas in large numbers in the 1960s. It was played almost exclusively on Radio Guarachita, a Santo Domingo station run by Radhamés Aracena, a key promoter of the genre.

    Amid a country reeling from political upheaval, bachata emerged as a soundtrack to working-class survival. The guitar-based rhythms were shaped by Cuban bolero and son and Mexican ranchera music, while the lyrics chronicled daily struggles, grief and marginalization.

    In most Latin American dictionaries, the word ‘bachata’ is loosely defined as ‘revelry’ or ‘a spree.’ This reflects its early development in informal social spaces where friends gathered to sing their hearts out, share drinks and escape daily hardships.
    CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library, The Deborah Pacini Hernández Bachata Music Collection

    Bachata’s shifting language

    In the 1960s, bachata lyrics centered on heartache and were often directed at a romantic partner.

    “Understand me, you know I love only you. Don’t deny me the hope of kissing you again,” Rafael Encarnación sang in Spanish in his 1964 song “Muero Contigo,” or “I Die With You.”

    By the late 1970s and early 1980s, sexual innuendos were common, adding to the genre’s low standing among Dominican elites.

    “I gave you everything you ever wanted, but it was all useless because you went looking for another man,” Blas Durán sang in 1985. “I was left like the orange vendor – peeling so someone else could suck the fruit.”

    To reclaim respect for bachata, some artists, such as Luis Segura and Leonardo Paniagua, in the mid-1980s began calling their music música de amargue, or “music of romantic bitterness.”

    What began as a genre label gradually transformed into a sensibility. “Amargue” came to name a feeling marked by longing, loss and quiet introspection – akin to “feeling the blues” in the U.S.

    American blues similarly emerged from the hardships faced by Black Americans in the South and expressed themes of sorrow, resilience and reflection.

    By the 1990s, the stigma surrounding bachata began to fade, partly due to the international success of Dominican star Juan Luis Guerra and his album Bachata Rosa. The album sold more than 5 million copies worldwide by 1994, earned Guerra a Grammy Award for best tropical Latin album, and was certified platinum in the U.S.

    As acceptance of the genre grew, traditional bachateros in the Dominican Republic continued releasing bachata albums. However, Dominican pop, rock and other artists also began recording bachatas – such as 1990’s “Yo Quiero Andar” by Sonia Silvestre and 1998’s “Bufeo” by Luis “El Terror” Días.

    Aventura performs for a crowd in Madrid in 2024. It was the group’s first tour since their split in 2011.
    Ricardo Rubio/Europa Press via Getty Images

    Bachata goes mainstream

    Migration to the U.S. is a pivotal chapter in Dominican history after the 1960s. The U.S. Immigration Act of 1965 functioned as a de facto immigration policy and encouraged a large-scale exodus from the Dominican Republic.

    By the mid-1990s, a strong and vibrant Dominican diaspora was firmly established in New York City. The Bronx became the birthplace of Grupo Aventura, a group that revolutionized bachata by blending its traditional rhythms with urban genres such as hip-hop.

    “Obsesión,” released in 2002, was an international hit.

    Their music reflected the bicultural diaspora, often torn between nostalgia for their homeland and everyday challenges of urban American life. Against the backdrop of city life, bachata found a new voice that mirrored the immigrant experience. The genre shifted from a shared feeling of loss and longing to a celebration of cultural community.

    In 2002, the song “Obsesión” by Aventura and featuring Judy Santos topped music charts in France, Germany, Italy, the U.S. and elsewhere. The group Aventura and, later, lead singer Romeo Santos as a solo artist sold out Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium, respectively.

    As they rose in fame, Aventura became global ambassadors for Dominican culture and made bachata mainstream.

    Puerto Rican bachatero Toby Love performs during an event held by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on April 9, 2016, in New York City.
    Andrew Renneisen via Getty Images

    Global spin on bachata

    Bachata’s popularity has also spread to other countries in Latin America, and especially among working-class and Afro-descendant communities in Central America that see their own realities reflected in the music.

    At the same time, Dominican diasporic communities in countries such as Spain and Italy carried the genre with them, where it continued to evolve.

    In Spain, for example, bachata experienced a creative transformation. By the mid-2000s, bachata sensual had emerged as a dance style influenced by zouk and tango, emphasizing smooth, body-led movements and close partner connection.

    Around the same time, modern bachata also developed between Spain and New York City. This style is a departure from traditional bachata, which focuses on the box step and fast footwork, and incorporates more turns and other elements from salsa.

    In 2019 bachata was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which also lists Jamaican reggae and Mexican mariachi.

    Today, bachata’s influence is truly global. International conferences dedicated to the genre attract dancers, musicians and scholars from around the world. Puerto Rican, Colombian and other artists from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds continue to nurture and reinvent bachata.

    At the same time, more women, such as Andre Veloz, Judy Santos and Leslie Grace, are building careers as bachata performers and challenging a traditionally male-dominated genre.

    Natti Natasha performs at an album release party for ‘En Amargue,’ her 2025 album produced by bachata icon and former Aventura singer Romeo Santos.
    John Parra/WireImage via Getty Images

    Bachata holds a place not only on the world stage but in the hearts of Latino, Black, Asian and many other communities in the U.S. that recognize the genre’s power to tell stories of love, loss, migration and resilience.

    Wilfredo José Burgos Matos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How bachata rose from Dominican Republic’s brothels and shantytowns to become a global sensation – https://theconversation.com/how-bachata-rose-from-dominican-republics-brothels-and-shantytowns-to-become-a-global-sensation-260886

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump’s push for more deportations could boost demand for foreign farmworkers with ‘guest worker’ visas

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Scott Morgenstern, Professor of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh

    Mexican farmworkers with H-2A visas weed a North Carolina tobacco field in 2016. Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

    The U.S. has an important choice to make regarding agriculture.

    It can import more people to pick crops and do other kinds of agricultural labor, it can raise wages enough to lure more U.S. citizens and immigrants with legal status to take these jobs, or it can import more food. All three options contradict key Trump administration priorities: reducing immigration, keeping prices low and importing fewer goods and services.

    The big tax-and-spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, included US$170 billion to fund the detention and deportation of those living in the U.S. without authorization. And about 1 million of them work in agriculture, accounting for more than 40% of all farmworkers.

    As the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants ramps up, one emerging solution is to replace at least some deported farmworkers with foreigners who are given special visas that allow them to help with the harvest but require them to go home after their visas expire.

    Such “guest worker” programs have existed for decades, leading to today’s H-2A visa program. As of 2023, more than 310,000 foreigners, around 13% of the nation’s 2.4 million farmworkers, were employed through this program. About 90% of the foreign workers with these visas come from Mexico, and nearly all are men. The states where the largest numbers of them go are California, Florida, Georgia and Washington.

    As a professor of Latin American politics and U.S.-Latin American relations, I teach my students to consider the difficult trade-offs that governments face. If the Trump administration removes a significant share of the immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission from the agricultural labor force to try to meet its deportation goals, farm owners will have few options.

    Few options available

    First, farm owners could raise wages and improve working conditions enough to attract U.S. citizens and immigrants who are legal permanent residents or otherwise in the U.S. with legal status.

    But many agricultural employers say they can’t find enough people to hire who can legally work – at least without higher wages and much-improved job requirements. Without any undocumented immigrant farmworkers, the prices of U.S.-sourced crops and other agricultural products would spike, creating an incentive for more food to be imported.

    Second, farm owners could employ fewer people. That would require either growing different crops that require less labor or becoming more reliant on machinery to plant and harvest. But that would mean the U.S. could have to import more food. And automation for some crops is very expensive. For others, such as for berries, it’s currently impossible.

    It’s also possible that some farm owners could put their land to other uses, ceasing production, but that would also necessitate more imported food.

    Trump administration’s suggested fixes

    U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has predicted that farm owners will soon find plenty of U.S. citizens to employ.

    She declared on July 8 that the new Medicaid work requirements included in the same legislative package as the immigration enforcement funds would encourage huge numbers of U.S. citizens to start working in the fields instead of losing their health insurance through that government program.

    Farm trade groups say this scenario is far-fetched.

    For one thing, most adults enrolled in the Medicaid program who can work already do. Many others are unable to do so due to disabilities or caregiving obligations.

    Few people enrolled in Medicaid live close enough to a farm to work at one, and even those who do aren’t capable of doing farmwork. When farm owners tried putting people enrolled in a welfare program to work in the fields in the 1990s, it failed. Another experiment in the 1960s, which deployed teenagers, didn’t pan out either because the teens found the work too hard.

    It seems more likely that farm owners will try to hire many more foreign farmworkers to do temporary but legal jobs through the H-2A program.

    Although he has not made it an official policy, Trump seems to be moving toward this same conclusion.

    In June, for example, Trump said his administration was working on “some kind of a temporary pass” for immigrants lacking authorization to be in the U.S. who are working on farms and in hotels.

    Farmworkers with H-2A visas spend time in their employer-provided dormitory on April 28, 2020, in King City, Calif.
    Brent Stirton/Getty Images

    Established in 1952, numbers now rising quickly

    The guest worker system, established in 1952 and revised significantly in 1986, has become a mainstay of U.S. agriculture because it offers important benefits to both the farm owners who need workers and the foreign workers they hire.

    There is no cap on the number of potential workers. The number of H-2A visas issued is based only on how many employers request them. Farm owners may apply for visas after verifying that they are unable to locate enough workers who are U.S. citizens or present in the U.S. with authorization.

    To protect U.S. workers, the government mandates that H-2A workers earn an “adverse effect wage rate.” The Labor Department sets that hourly wage, which ranges from $10.36 in Puerto Rico to about $15 in several southern states, to more than $20 in California, Alaska and Hawaii. These wages are set at relatively high levels to avoid putting downward pressure on what other U.S. workers are paid for the same jobs.

    After certification, farm owners recruit workers in a foreign country who are offered a contract that includes transportation from their home country and a trip back – assuming they complete the contract.

    The program provides farm owners with a short-term labor force. It guarantees the foreign workers who obtain H-2A visas relatively high wages, as well as housing in the U.S. That combination has proven increasingly popular in recent years: The annual number of H-2A visas rose to 310,700 in 2023, a more than fivefold increase since 2010.

    Possible downsides

    Boosting the number of agricultural guest workers would help fill some gaps in the agricultural labor force and reduce the risk of crops going unharvested. But it seems clear to me that a sudden change would pose risks for workers and farm owners alike.

    Workers would be at risk because oversight of the H-2A program has historically been weak. Despite that lax track record, some unscrupulous farmers have been fined or barred from participating in the H-2A program because of unpaid wages and other abuses.

    Relying even more on guest farmworkers than the U.S. does today would also swap workers who have built lives and families north of the border with people who are in the U.S. on a temporary basis. Immigration opponents are unlikely to object to this trade-off, but to immigrant rights groups, this arrangement would be cruel and unfair to workers with years of service behind them.

    What’s more, the workers with guest visas can be at risk of exploitation and abuse. In 2022, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia described conditions for H-2A workers at an onion farm the government had investigated as “modern-day slavery.”

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office has researched the H-2A visa program and observed many problems it recommends be fixed.

    For farm owners, the downside of ramping up guest worker programs is that it could increase costs and make production less efficient and more costly. That’s because transporting Mexican farmworkers back and forth each year is complicated and expensive. Farm groups say that compliance with H-2A visa requirements is cumbersome. It can be particularly difficult for small farms to participate in this program.

    Some farm owners have objected to the costs of employing H-2A workers. Rollins has said that the Trump administration believes that the mandatory wages are too high.

    To be sure, these problems aren’t limited to agriculture. Hotels, restaurants and other hospitality businesses, which rely heavily on undocumented workers, can also temporarily employ some foreigners through the H-2B visa program – which is smaller than the H-2A program, limits the number of visas issued and is available only for jobs considered seasonal.

    Home health care providers and many other kinds of employers who rely on people who can’t legally work for them could also struggle. But so far, there is no temporary visa program available to help them fill those gaps.

    If the U.S. does deport millions of workers, the price of tomatoes, elder care, restaurant meals and roof repairs would probably rise substantially. A vast increase in the number of guest workers is a potential but partial solution, but it would multiply problems that are inherent in these temporary visa programs.

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

    – ref. Trump’s push for more deportations could boost demand for foreign farmworkers with ‘guest worker’ visas – https://theconversation.com/trumps-push-for-more-deportations-could-boost-demand-for-foreign-farmworkers-with-guest-worker-visas-259868

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Phillips 66 Reports Second-Quarter Results

    Source: Phillips

    Reported second-quarter earnings of $877 million or $2.15 per share; adjusted earnings of $973 million or $2.38 per share; including $239 million of pre-tax accelerated depreciation on Los Angeles Refinery
    Operated at 98% capacity utilization in Refining with 86% clean product yield
    Completed Midstream acquisition of EPIC NGL, now renamed Coastal Bend
    Announced sale of 65% interest in our Germany and Austria retail marketing business
    Generated $845 million of net operating cash flow, $1.9 billion excluding working capital
    Returned $906 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases

    HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) announced second-quarter earnings.
    “Phillips 66 delivered strong financial and operating results across our integrated value chain, reflecting the continued execution of our strategy. During the quarter, Refining ran at the highest utilization since 2018, achieved its lowest cost per barrel since 2021, strong market capture and record year-to-date clean product yield. Our results were made possible through disciplined execution and investment,” said Mark Lashier, chairman and CEO of Phillips 66.
    “We also continued our strong growth trajectory in Midstream, which generated approximately $1 billion of adjusted EBITDA following the acquisition of Coastal Bend. The Dos Picos II gas processing plant in the Midland Basin recently came online ahead of schedule and on budget. These assets further our stable earnings growth, enhance returns and increase shareholder value as we progress our wellhead-to-market strategy. Looking ahead, we are focused on organic Midstream growth as we advance toward our 2027 targets.”
    Financial Results Summary (in millions of dollars, except as indicated)

     

     

    2Q 2025

    1Q 2025

    Earnings

    $

    877

    487

    Adjusted Earnings (Loss)1

     

    973

    (368)

    Adjusted EBITDA1

     

    2,501

    736

    Earnings (Loss) Per Share

     

     

    Earnings Per Share – Diluted

     

    2.15

    1.18

    Adjusted Earnings (Loss) Per Share – Diluted1

     

    2.38

    (0.90)

    Cash Flow From Operations

     

    845

    187

    Cash Flow From Operations, Excluding Working Capital1

     

    1,920

    259

    Capital Expenditures & Investments

     

    587

    423

    Acquisitions, net of cash acquired

     

    2,220

    —

    Return of Capital to Shareholders

     

    906

    716

    Repurchases of common stock

     

    419

    247

    Dividends paid on common stock

     

    487

    469

    Cash and Cash Equivalents, including cash classified within Assets held for sale2

     

    1,144

    1,489

    Debt

     

    20,935

    18,803

    Debt-to-capital ratio

     

    42%

    40%

    Net debt-to-capital ratio1

     

    41%

    38%

    1 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are included within this release.

    2 Includes cash and cash equivalents of $92 million classified within Assets held for sale at June 30, 2025.

     

    Segment Financial and Operating Highlights (Millions of dollars, except as indicated)

     

     

    2Q 2025

    1Q 2025

    Change

    Earnings (Loss)1

    $

    877

    487

    390

    Midstream

     

    731

    751

    (20)

    Chemicals

     

    20

    113

    (93)

    Refining

     

    359

    (937)

    1,296

    Marketing and Specialties

     

    571

    1,282

    (711)

    Renewable Fuels

     

    (133)

    (185)

    52

    Corporate and Other

     

    (428)

    (376)

    (52)

    Income tax (expense) benefit

     

    (212)

    (122)

    (90)

    Noncontrolling interests

     

    (31)

    (39)

    8

     

     

     

     

    Adjusted Earnings (Loss)1,2

    $

    973

    (368)

    1,341

    Midstream

     

    731

    683

    48

    Chemicals

     

    20

    113

    (93)

    Refining

     

    392

    (937)

    1,329

    Marketing and Specialties

     

    660

    265

    395

    Renewable Fuels

     

    (133)

    (185)

    52

    Corporate and Other

     

    (383)

    (355)

    (28)

    Income tax (expense) benefit

     

    (283)

    78

    (361)

    Noncontrolling interests

     

    (31)

    (30)

    (1)

     

     

     

     

    Adjusted EBITDA2

    $

    2,501

    736

    1,765

    Midstream

     

    972

    885

    87

    Chemicals

     

    148

    244

    (96)

    Refining

     

    867

    (452)

    1,319

    Marketing and Specialties

     

    718

    315

    403

    Renewable Fuels

     

    (110)

    (162)

    52

    Corporate and Other

     

    (94)

    (94)

    —

     

     

     

     

    Operating Highlights

     

     

     

    Pipeline Throughput – Y-Grade to Market (MB/D)3

     

    956

    704

    252

    Chemicals Global O&P Capacity Utilization

     

    92%

    100%

    (8%)

    Refining

     

     

     

    Turnaround Expense4

     

    53

    270

    (217)

    Realized Margin ($/BBL)2

     

    11.25

    6.81

    4.44

    Crude Capacity Utilization

     

    98%

    80%

    18%

    Clean Product Yield

     

    86%

    87%

    (1%)

    Renewable Fuels Produced (MB/D)

     

    40

    44

    (4)

    1 Segment reporting is pre-tax.

     

     

     

    2 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are included within this release.

    3 Represents volumes delivered to fractionation hubs, including Mont Belvieu, Sweeny and Conway. Includes 100% of DCP Midstream Class A Segment and Phillips 66’s direct interest in DCP Sand Hills Pipeline, LLC and DCP Southern Hills Pipeline, LLC.

    4 Excludes turnaround expense of all equity affiliates.

     

     

     

    Second-Quarter 2025 Financial Results
    Reported earnings were $877 million for the second quarter of 2025 versus $487 million in the first quarter of 2025. Second-quarter earnings included pre-tax special item adjustments of $(89) million in the Marketing and Specialties segment, $(45) million impacting Corporate and Other and $(33) million in the Refining segment. Adjusted earnings for the second quarter were $973 million versus an adjusted loss of $368 million in the first quarter.

    Midstream second-quarter 2025 adjusted pre-tax income increased compared with the first quarter mainly due to higher volumes, largely driven by the acquisition of Coastal Bend, partially offset by seasonal maintenance expense and property taxes.

    Chemicals adjusted pre-tax income decreased mainly due to lower margins driven by lower sales prices.

    Refining adjusted pre-tax results increased mainly due to higher realized margins resulting from improved market crack spreads, as well as higher volumes and lower costs.

    Marketing and Specialties adjusted pre-tax income increased primarily due to higher margins and volumes.

    Renewable Fuels pre-tax results improved primarily due to higher realized margins including inventory impacts, as well as increased credits.

    Corporate and Other adjusted pre-tax loss increased mainly due to higher net interest expense, partially offset by impacts from our investment in NOVONIX.

    As of June 30, 2025, the company had $1.1 billion of cash and cash equivalents and $3.7 billion of committed capacity available under credit facilities.
    Business Highlights and Strategic Priorities Progress

    Advanced NGL wellhead-to-market strategy by acquiring Coastal Bend and nearing completion of a related pipeline expansion project, expected to increase capacity from 175 MBD to 225 MBD

    Expanded natural gas gathering and processing capacity with the startup of Dos Picos II, a 220 MMCF/D plant in the Midland Basin

    Maintained disciplined operations in Refining and achieved $5.46 per barrel in Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs 1, excluding adjusted turnaround expense in the second quarter and $6.17 per barrel year-to-date

    Achieved a record year-to-date clean product yield of 87%, reflecting a 2% increase from the same period in 2024

    On track to cease operations at the Los Angeles Refinery, as well as complete the Germany and Austria transaction by year-end.

    1 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are included within this release.

    Investor Webcast
    Members of Phillips 66 executive management will host a webcast at noon ET to provide an update on the company’s strategic initiatives and discuss the company’s second-quarter performance. To access the webcast and view related presentation materials, go to phillips66.com/investors and click on “Events & Presentations.” For detailed supplemental information, go to phillips66.com/supplemental.
    About Phillips 66
    Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and markets products that drive the global economy. The company’s portfolio includes Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, Marketing and Specialties, and Renewable Fuels businesses. Headquartered in Houston, Phillips 66 has employees around the globe who are committed to safely and reliably providing energy and improving lives while pursuing a lower-carbon future. For more information, visit phillips66.com or follow @Phillips66Co on LinkedIn.
    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information—This news release includes the terms “adjusted earnings (loss),” “adjusted pre-tax income (loss),” “adjusted EBITDA,” “adjusted earnings (loss) per share,” “adjusted controllable cost,” “cash from operations, excluding working capital,” “net debt-to-capital ratio,” and “realized refining margin per barrel.” These are non-GAAP financial measures that are included to help facilitate comparisons of operating performance across periods, to help facilitate comparisons with other companies in our industry and to help facilitate determination of enterprise value. Where applicable, these measures exclude items that do not reflect the core operating results of our businesses in the current period or other adjustments to reflect how management analyzes results. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are included within this release.
    References in the release to earnings refer to net income attributable to Phillips 66.
    Basis of Presentation— Effective April 1, 2024, we changed the internal financial information reviewed by our chief executive officer to evaluate performance and allocate resources to our operating segments. This included changes in the composition of our operating segments, as well as measurement changes for certain activities between our operating segments. The primary effects of this realignment included establishment of a Renewable Fuels operating segment, which includes renewable fuels activities and assets historically reported in our Refining, Marketing and Specialties (M&S), and Midstream segments; change in method of allocating results for certain Gulf Coast distillate export activities from our M&S segment to our Refining segment; reclassification of certain crude oil and international clean products trading activities between our M&S segment and our Refining segment; and change in reporting of our investment in NOVONIX from our Midstream segment to Corporate and Other. Accordingly, prior period results have been recast for comparability.
    In the third quarter of 2024, we began presenting the line item “Capital expenditures and investments” on our consolidated statement of cash flows exclusive of acquisitions, net of cash acquired. Accordingly, prior period information has been reclassified for comparability.
    Cautionary Statement for the Purposes of the “Safe Harbor” Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995—This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws relating to Phillips 66’s operations, strategy and performance. Words such as “anticipated,” “estimated,” “expected,” “planned,” “scheduled,” “targeted,” “believe,” “continue,” “intend,” “will,” “would,” “objective,” “goal,” “project,” “efforts,” “strategies” and similar expressions that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicate forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on management’s expectations, estimates and projections as of the date they are made. These statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, and you should not unduly rely on them as they involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: changes in governmental policies relating to NGL, crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum or renewable fuels products pricing, regulation or taxation, including exports; our ability to timely obtain or maintain permits, including those necessary for capital projects; fluctuations in NGL, crude oil, refined petroleum products, renewable fuels, renewable feedstocks and natural gas prices, and refined product, marketing and petrochemical margins; the effects of any widespread public health crisis and its negative impact on commercial activity and demand for our products; changes to government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs including the renewable fuel standards program, low carbon fuel standards and tax credits for biofuels; liability resulting from pending or future litigation or other legal proceedings; liability for remedial actions, including removal and reclamation obligations under environmental regulations; unexpected changes in costs or technical requirements for constructing, modifying or operating our facilities or transporting our products; our ability to successfully complete, or any material delay in the completion of, any asset disposition, acquisition, shutdown or conversion that we may pursue, including receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals or permits related thereto; unexpected technological or commercial difficulties in manufacturing, refining or transporting our products, including chemical products; the level and success of producers’ drilling plans and the amount and quality of production volumes around our midstream assets; risks and uncertainties with respect to the actions of actual or potential competitive suppliers and transporters of refined petroleum products, renewable fuels or specialty products; changes in the cost or availability of adequate and reliable transportation for our NGL, crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum and renewable fuels products; failure to complete definitive agreements and feasibility studies for, and to complete construction of, announced and future capital projects on time or within budget; our ability to comply with governmental regulations or make capital expenditures to maintain compliance; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to our credit profile or illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets; damage to our facilities due to accidents, weather and climate events, civil unrest, insurrections, political events, terrorism or cyberattacks; domestic and international economic and political developments including armed hostilities, such as the war in Eastern Europe, instability in the financial services and banking sector, excess inflation, expropriation of assets and changes in fiscal policy, including interest rates; international monetary conditions and exchange controls; changes in estimates or projections used to assess fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and properties, plants and equipment and/or strategic decisions or other developments with respect to our asset portfolio that cause impairment charges; substantial investments required, or reduced demand for products, as a result of existing or future environmental rules and regulations, including greenhouse gas emissions reductions and reduced consumer demand for refined petroleum products; changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations (including alternative energy mandates) applicable to our business; political and societal concerns about climate change that could result in changes to our business or increase expenditures, including litigation-related expenses; the operation, financing and distribution decisions of our joint ventures that we do not control; the potential impact of activist shareholder actions or tactics; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Phillips 66’s businesses generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Phillips 66 is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Earnings (Loss)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    2025

     

    2024

     

    2Q

    1Q

    Jun YTD

     

    2Q

    Jun YTD

    Midstream

    $

    731

     

    751

     

    1,482

     

     

    767

     

    1,321

     

    Chemicals

     

    20

     

    113

     

    133

     

     

    222

     

    427

     

    Refining

     

    359

     

    (937

    )

    (578

    )

     

    302

     

    518

     

    Marketing and Specialties

     

    571

     

    1,282

     

    1,853

     

     

    415

     

    781

     

    Renewable Fuels

     

    (133

    )

    (185

    )

    (318

    )

     

    (55

    )

    (110

    )

    Corporate and Other

     

    (428

    )

    (376

    )

    (804

    )

     

    (340

    )

    (662

    )

    Pre-Tax Income (Loss)

     

    1,120

     

    648

     

    1,768

     

     

    1,311

     

    2,275

     

    Less: Income tax expense (benefit)

     

    212

     

    122

     

    334

     

     

    291

     

    494

     

    Less: Noncontrolling interests

     

    31

     

    39

     

    70

     

     

    5

     

    18

     

    Phillips 66

    $

    877

     

    487

     

    1,364

     

     

    1,015

     

    1,763

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Adjusted Earnings (Loss)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    2025

     

    2024

     

    2Q

    1Q

    Jun YTD

     

    2Q

    Jun YTD

    Midstream

    $

    731

     

    683

     

    1,414

     

     

    753

     

    1,366

     

    Chemicals

     

    20

     

    113

     

    133

     

     

    222

     

    427

     

    Refining

     

    392

     

    (937

    )

    (545

    )

     

    302

     

    615

     

    Marketing and Specialties

     

    660

     

    265

     

    925

     

     

    415

     

    722

     

    Renewable Fuels

     

    (133

    )

    (185

    )

    (318

    )

     

    (55

    )

    (110

    )

    Corporate and Other

     

    (383

    )

    (355

    )

    (738

    )

     

    (340

    )

    (662

    )

    Pre-Tax Income (Loss)

     

    1,287

     

    (416

    )

    871

     

     

    1,297

     

    2,358

     

    Less: Income tax expense (benefit)

     

    283

     

    (78

    )

    205

     

     

    278

     

    504

     

    Less: Noncontrolling interests

     

    31

     

    30

     

    61

     

     

    35

     

    48

     

    Phillips 66

    $

    973

     

    (368

    )

    605

     

     

    984

     

    1,806

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    Except as Indicated

     

    2025

     

    2024

     

    2Q

    1Q

    Jun YTD

     

    2Q

    Jun YTD

    Reconciliation of Consolidated Earnings to Adjusted Earnings (Loss)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Consolidated Earnings

    $

    877

     

    487

     

    1,364

     

     

    1,015

     

    1,763

     

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Impairments

     

    —

     

    21

     

    21

     

     

    224

     

    387

     

    Net (gain) loss on asset dispositions1

     

    89

     

    (1,085

    )

    (996

    )

     

    (238

    )

    (238

    )

    Legal accrual

     

    33

     

    —

     

    33

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Legal settlement

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    —

     

    (66

    )

    Professional advisory fees

     

    45

     

    —

     

    45

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Tax impact of adjustments2

     

    (40

    )

    200

     

    160

     

     

    13

     

    (10

    )

    Other tax impacts

     

    (31

    )

    —

     

    (31

    )

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Noncontrolling interests

     

    —

     

    9

     

    9

     

     

    (30

    )

    (30

    )

    Adjusted earnings (loss)

    $

    973

     

    (368

    )

    605

     

     

    984

     

    1,806

     

    Earnings per share of common stock (dollars)

    $

    2.15

     

    1.18

     

    3.32

     

     

    2.38

     

    4.10

     

    Adjusted earnings (loss) per share of common stock (dollars)

    $

    2.38

     

    (0.90

    )

    1.47

     

     

    2.31

     

    4.21

     

    Adjusted Weighted-Average Diluted Common Shares Outstanding (thousands)

     

    407,934

     

    409,182

     

    409,012

     

     

    425,734

     

    429,003

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Reconciliation of Segment Pre-Tax Income (Loss) to Adjusted Pre-Tax Income (Loss)

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Midstream Pre-Tax Income

    $

    731

     

    751

     

    1,482

     

     

    767

     

    1,321

     

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Impairments

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    224

     

    283

     

    Net gain on asset dispositions1

     

    —

     

    (68

    )

    (68

    )

     

    (238

    )

    (238

    )

    Adjusted pre-tax income

    $

    731

     

    683

     

    1,414

     

     

    753

     

    1,366

     

    Chemicals Pre-Tax Income

    $

    20

     

    113

     

    133

     

     

    222

     

    427

     

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    None

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Adjusted pre-tax income

    $

    20

     

    113

     

    133

     

     

    222

     

    427

     

    Refining Pre-Tax Income (Loss)

    $

    359

     

    (937

    )

    (578

    )

     

    302

     

    518

     

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Impairments

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    —

     

    104

     

    Legal settlement

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    —

     

    (7

    )

    Legal accrual

     

    33

     

    —

     

    33

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Adjusted pre-tax income (loss)

    $

    392

     

    (937

    )

    (545

    )

     

    (302

    )

    (615

    )

    Marketing and Specialties Pre-Tax Income

    $

    571

     

    1,282

     

    1,853

     

     

    415

     

    781

     

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Net (gain) loss on asset dispositions1

     

    89

     

    (1,017

    )

    (928

    )

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Legal settlement

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    —

     

    (59

    )

    Adjusted pre-tax income

    $

    660

     

    265

     

    925

     

     

    415

     

    722

     

    Renewable Fuels Pre-Tax Loss

    $

    (133

    )

    (185

    )

    (318

    )

     

    (55

    )

    (110

    )

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    None

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Adjusted pre-tax loss

    $

    (133

    )

    (185

    )

    (318

    )

     

    (55

    )

    (110

    )

    Corporate and Other Pre-Tax Loss

    $

    (428

    )

    (376

    )

    (804

    )

     

    (340

    )

    (662

    )

    Pre-tax adjustments:

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Impairments

     

    —

     

    21

     

    21

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Professional advisory fees

     

    45

     

    —

     

    45

     

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Adjusted pre-tax loss

    $

    (383

    )

    (355

    )

    (738

    )

     

    (340

    )

    (662

    )

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    1. Gain on disposition of our 49% non-operated equity interest in Coop Mineraloel AG in 1Q 2025. In connection with our pending disposition of our Germany and Austria retail marketing business, in the second quarter of 2025 we recognized a before-tax unrealized loss from foreign currency derivatives.

    2. We generally tax effect taxable U.S.-based special items using a combined federal and state annual statutory income tax rate of approximately 24%. Taxable special items attributable to foreign locations likewise generally use a local statutory income tax rate. Nontaxable events reflect zero income tax. These events include, but are not limited to, most goodwill impairments, transactions legislatively exempt from income tax, transactions related to entities for which we have made an assertion that the undistributed earnings are permanently reinvested, or transactions occurring in jurisdictions with a valuation allowance.

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    Except as Indicated

     

    2025

     

    2Q

    1Q

    Reconciliation of Consolidated Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA Attributable to Phillips 66

     

     

    Net Income

    $

    908

     

    526

     

    Plus:

     

     

    Income tax expense

     

    212

     

    122

     

    Net interest expense

     

    230

     

    187

     

    Depreciation and amortization

     

    816

     

    791

     

    Phillips 66 EBITDA

    $

    2,166

     

    1,626

     

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Impairments

     

    —

     

    21

     

    Net (gain) loss on asset dispositions

     

    89

     

    (1,085

    )

    Legal accrual

     

    33

     

    —

     

    Professional advisory fees

     

    45

     

    —

     

    Total Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax)

     

    167

     

    (1,064

    )

    Change in Fair Value of NOVONIX Investment

     

    2

     

    15

     

    Phillips 66 EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items and Change in Fair Value of NOVONIX Investment

    $

    2,335

     

    577

     

    Other Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates income taxes

     

    17

     

    18

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates net interest

     

    15

     

    14

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates depreciation and amortization

     

    184

     

    187

     

    Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests

     

    (50

    )

    (60

    )

    Phillips 66 Adjusted EBITDA

    $

    2,501

     

    736

     

     

     

     

    Reconciliation of Segment Income before Income Taxes to Adjusted EBITDA

     

     

    Midstream Income before income taxes

    $

    731

     

    751

     

    Plus:

     

     

    Depreciation and amortization

     

    260

     

    233

     

    Midstream EBITDA

    $

    991

     

    984

     

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Net gain on asset dispositions

     

    —

     

    (68

    )

    Midstream EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items

    $

    991

     

    916

     

    Other Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates income taxes

     

    4

     

    3

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates net interest

     

    3

     

    3

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates depreciation and amortization

     

    24

     

    23

     

    Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests

     

    (50

    )

    (60

    )

    Midstream Adjusted EBITDA

    $

    972

     

    885

     

    Chemicals Income before income taxes

    $

    20

     

    113

     

    Plus:

     

     

    None

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Chemicals EBITDA

    $

    20

     

    113

     

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    None

    —

     

    —

     

    Chemicals EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items

    $

    20

     

    113

     

    Other Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates income taxes

     

    13

     

    13

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates net interest

     

    (1

    )

    (1

    )

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates depreciation and amortization

     

    116

     

    119

     

    Chemicals Adjusted EBITDA

    $

    148

     

    244

     

    Refining Income (loss) before income taxes

    $

    359

     

    (937

    )

    Plus:

     

     

    Depreciation and amortization

     

    443

     

    456

     

    Refining EBITDA

    $

    802

     

    (481

    )

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Legal accrual

     

    33

     

    —

     

    Refining EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items

    $

    835

     

    (481

    )

    Other Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates income taxes

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates net interest

     

    3

     

    2

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates depreciation and amortization

     

    29

     

    27

     

    Refining Adjusted EBITDA

    $

    867

     

    (452

    )

    Marketing and Specialties Income before income taxes

    $

    571

     

    1,282

     

    Plus:

     

     

    Depreciation and amortization

     

    33

     

    20

     

    Marketing and Specialties EBITDA

    $

    604

     

    1,302

     

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Net gain on asset disposition

     

    89

     

    (1,017

    )

    Marketing and Specialties EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items

    $

    693

     

    285

     

    Other Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates income taxes

     

    —

     

    2

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates net interest

     

    10

     

    10

     

    Proportional share of selected equity affiliates depreciation and amortization

     

    15

     

    18

     

    Marketing and Specialties Adjusted EBITDA

    $

    718

     

    315

     

    Renewable Fuels Loss before income taxes

    $

    (133

    )

    (185

    )

    Plus:

     

     

    Depreciation and amortization

     

    23

     

    23

     

    Renewable Fuels EBITDA

    $

    (110

    )

    (162

    )

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    None

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Renewable Fuels EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items

    $

    (110

    )

    (162

    )

    Corporate and Other Loss before income taxes

    $

    (428

    )

    (376

    )

    Plus:

     

     

    Net interest expense

     

    230

     

    187

     

    Depreciation and amortization

     

    57

     

    59

     

    Corporate and Other EBITDA

    $

    (141

    )

    (130

    )

    Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

    Impairments

     

    —

     

    21

     

    Professional advisory fees

     

    45

     

    —

     

    Total Special Item Adjustments (pre-tax)

     

    45

     

    21

     

    Change in Fair Value of NOVONIX Investment

     

    2

     

    15

     

    Corporate EBITDA, Adjusted for Special Items and Change in
    Fair Value of NOVONIX Investment

    $

    (94

    )

    (94

    )

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Millions of Dollars
    Except as Indicated

     

    June 30, 2025

    March 31, 2025

    Debt-to-Capital Ratio

     

     

    Total Debt

    $

    20,935

     

    18,803

     

    Total Equity

     

    28,626

     

     

    28,353

     

    Debt-to-Capital Ratio

     

    42

    %

     

    40

    %

    Cash and Cash Equivalents, including cash classified within Assets held for sale1

     

    1,144

     

     

    1,489

     

    Net Debt-to-Capital Ratio

     

    41

    %

     

    38

    %

    1. Includes cash and cash equivalents of $92 million classified within Assets held for sale at June 30, 2025.

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    Except as Indicated

     

    2025

     

    2Q

    1Q

    Reconciliation of Refining Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes to Realized Refining Margins

     

     

    Income (loss) before income taxes

    $

    359

     

    (937

    )

    Plus:

     

     

    Taxes other than income taxes

     

    94

     

    110

     

    Depreciation, amortization and impairments

     

    446

     

    457

     

    Selling, general and administrative expenses

     

    32

     

    46

     

    Operating expenses

     

    848

     

    1,074

     

    Equity in earnings of affiliates

     

    2

     

    105

     

    Other segment expense, net

     

    (47

    )

    (5

    )

    Proportional share of refining gross margins contributed by equity affiliates

     

    234

     

    141

     

    Special items:

     

     

    None

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Realized refining margins

    $

    1,968

     

    991

     

    Total processed inputs (thousands of barrels)

     

    152,005

     

    124,453

     

    Adjusted total processed inputs (thousands of barrels)*

     

    174,772

     

    145,559

     

    Income (loss) before income taxes (dollars per barrel)**

    $

    2.36

     

    (7.53

    )

    Realized refining margins (dollars per barrel)***

    $

    11.25

     

    6.81

     

    *Adjusted total processed inputs include our proportional share of processed inputs of an equity affiliate.

    **Income (loss) before income taxes divided by total processed inputs.

    ***Realized refining margins per barrel, as presented, are calculated using the underlying realized refining margin amounts, in dollars, divided by adjusted total processed inputs, in barrels. As such, recalculated per barrel amounts using the rounded margins and barrels presented may differ from the presented per barrel amounts.

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    Except as Indicated

     

    2025

     

    2Q

    1Q

    June YTD

    Reconciliation of Refining Operating and SG&A Expenses to Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs

     

     

     

    Turnaround expenses

    $

    53

     

    270

    323

     

    Other operating expenses

     

    795

     

    804

    1,599

     

    Total operating expenses

     

    848

     

    1,074

    1,922

     

    Selling, general and administrative expenses

     

    32

     

    46

    78

     

    Refining Controllable Costs

     

    880

     

    1,120

    2,000

     

    Plus:

     

     

     

    Proportional share of equity affiliate turnaround expenses1

     

    24

     

    27

    51

     

    Proportional share of equity affiliate other operating and SG&A expenses1

     

    161

     

    173

    334

     

    Total proportional share of equity affiliate operating and SG&A expenses1

     

    185

     

    200

    385

     

    Special item adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

     

    Legal accrual

     

    (33

    )

    —

    (33

    )

    Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs

     

    1,032

     

    1,320

    2,352

     

     

     

     

     

    Total processed inputs (MB)

     

    152,005

     

    124,453

    276,458

     

    Adjusted total processed inputs (MB)2

     

    174,772

     

    145,559

    320,331

     

     

     

     

     

    Refining turnaround expense ($/BBL)3

     

    0.35

     

    2.17

    1.17

     

    Refining controllable costs, excluding turnaround expense ($/BBL)3

     

    5.44

     

    6.83

    6.07

     

    Refining Controllable Costs per Barrel ($/BBL)3

     

    5.79

     

    9.00

    7.24

     

     

     

     

     

    Refining adjusted turnaround expense ($/BBL)4

     

    0.44

     

    2.04

    1.17

     

    Refining adjusted controllable costs, excluding adjusted turnaround expense ($/BBL)4

     

    5.46

     

    7.03

    6.17

     

    Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs ($/BBL)4

     

    5.90

     

    9.07

    7.34

     

     

     

     

     

    1. Represents proportional share of operating and SG&A of equity affiliates for our Refining segment that are reflected as a component of equity in earnings of affiliates on our consolidated statement of income.

    2. Adjusted total processed inputs include our proportional share of processed inputs of an equity affiliate.

    3. Denominator is total processed inputs.

    4. Denominator is adjusted total processed inputs.

     

    Millions of Dollars

     

    Except as Indicated

     

    2024

    2023

    2022

    2021

    Reconciliation of Refining Operating and SG&A Expenses to Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs

     

     

     

     

    Turnaround expenses

    $

    484

     

    538

     

    772

     

    497

     

    Other operating expenses

     

    3,243

     

    3,707

     

    3,958

     

    3,663

     

    Total operating expenses

     

    3,727

     

    4,245

     

    4,730

     

    4,160

     

    Selling, general and administrative expenses

     

    209

     

    169

     

    152

     

    131

     

    Refining Controllable Costs

     

    3,936

     

    4,414

     

    4,882

     

    4,291

     

    Plus:

     

     

     

     

    Proportional share of equity affiliate turnaround expenses1

     

    68

     

    93

     

    118

     

    118

     

    Proportional share of equity affiliate other operating and SG&A expenses1

     

    626

     

    641

     

    721

     

    619

     

    Total proportional share of equity affiliate operating and SG&A expenses1

     

    694

     

    734

     

    839

     

    737

     

    Special item adjustments (pre-tax):

     

     

     

     

    Hurricane-related (costs) recovery

     

    —

     

    —

     

    21

     

    (40

    )

    Winter-storm-related costs

     

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

    (17

    )

    Alliance shutdown-related costs

     

    —

     

    —

     

    (20

    )

    (32

    )

    Legal accrual

     

    (22

    )

    (30

    )

    —

     

    —

     

    Los Angeles Refinery cessation costs

     

    (44

    )

    —

     

    —

     

    —

     

    Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs

     

    4,564

     

    5,118

     

    5,722

     

    4,939

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Total processed inputs (MB)

     

    588,316

     

    607,958

     

    612,741

     

    638,145

     

    Adjusted total processed inputs (MB)2

     

    680,043

     

    685,435

     

    691,855

     

    715,780

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Refining turnaround expense ($/BBL)3

     

    0.82

     

    0.88

     

    1.26

     

    0.78

     

    Refining controllable costs, excluding turnaround expense ($/BBL)3

     

    5.87

     

    6.38

     

    6.71

     

    5.95

     

    Refining Controllable Costs per Barrel ($/BBL)3

     

    6.69

     

    7.26

     

    7.97

     

    6.72

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Refining adjusted turnaround expense ($/BBL)4

     

    0.81

     

    0.92

     

    1.29

     

    0.86

     

    Refining adjusted controllable costs, excluding adjusted turnaround expense ($/BBL)4

     

    5.90

     

    6.55

     

    6.98

     

    6.04

     

    Refining Adjusted Controllable Costs ($/BBL)4

     

    6.71

     

    7.47

     

    8.27

     

    6.90

     

     

     

     

     

     

    1. Represents proportional share of operating and SG&A of equity affiliates for our Refining segment that are reflected as a component of equity in earnings of affiliates on our consolidated statement of income.

    2. Adjusted total processed inputs include our proportional share of processed inputs of an equity affiliate.

    3. Denominator is total processed inputs.

    4. Denominator is adjusted total processed inputs.

    Source: Phillips 66

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Centenary Colour Runner raises thousands for Caudwell Children

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Friday, 25th July 2025

    Caudwell Children’s annual Colour Runner has successfully raised over £7,500 for disabled and autistic children as part of the city’s Centenary celebrations with donations still coming in.

    It comes after 169 participants ran, walked or wheeled through Hanley Park at the event on Saturday 19 July – as they were covered in environmentally friendly paints on a fully accessible 5km fun run.

    Developed as a fundraiser in support of Caudwell Children, the run saw people of all ages come together to raise vital funds to provide a range of practical and emotional support services for children and young people.

    The event formed part of Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary celebrations – marking 100 years of city status – and also commemorated Caudwell Children’s 25th anniversary.

    Kathryn Turner-Morgan, Challenges Manager at Caudwell Children said “We were incredibly excited to bring back the Caudwell Children Colour Runner for our 25th Anniversary and to celebrate Stoke on Trent’s Centenary, we couldn’t have asked for a better day.

    “Despite the weather, 169 children and their families came rain or shine to celebrate Caudwell Children with 5K of colour explosions! It was incredible to see so many children smiling and laughing throughout the event! Be sure to keep your eyes out for 2026.”

    The event was sponsored by Ken Jervis and Synectics Solutions.

    David Norwood, Managing Director at Ken Jervis, who sponsored the Colour Runner, said: “Ken Jervis are grateful to have had the opportunity to sponsor, and to be a part of, such a wonderful event. Everyone involved has done a spectacular job with the organisation and the buzz on the day itself was exceptional.

    “Ken Jervis can’t thank everyone enough for making the event a huge success and a big well done to those who ran the race! We’re more than sure the money raised will help no end and we’re proud to have been a part of it.”

    Councillor Steve Watkins, Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “The Colour Runner was a fantastic event to attend and a brilliant addition to our Centenary celebrations. I am proud it has formed part of the celebrations this year and I want to thank Caudwell Children for organising it.

    “Caudwell Children do incredible work supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities and the funds raised will go towards supporting more of this amazing work. I look forward to seeing this success continue at future Colour Runner events.”

    For more information about Caudwell Children and the work they do, go to: https://www.caudwellchildren.com/

    For more on our Centenary events, visit: https://sot100.org.uk/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Student with rare disorder graduates after nine years

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Theo Hanson on the day of his ARU graduation ceremony

    Theo Hanson, an Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) student who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, is celebrating his graduation after first beginning his degree in 2016.

    Theo, 28, has lived with hereditary sensory neuropathy (HSN) all his life, leaving him unable to feel pain or touch. This lack of feeling in his body puts him at risk of accidental injury or infections.

    Despite the risks associated with his condition, his parents encouraged him to try and live independently, and he joined ARU in 2016 through Clearing.

    Theo, who lives in Cambridge, initially found that living away from home threw up challenges he had not anticipated. In 2018, his tutors encouraged him to take a year out and he flourished on rejoining ARU.

    He became a course representative and even took on a “parental” role to students during the Covid pandemic, helping students who were struggling with the restrictions.

    There were further personal and health challenges to overcome. The death of someone who helped look after him when he was young impacted Theo’s studies, and he needed to have his toes amputated due to a severe bone infection.

    However, Theo has now finally crossed the stage to formally receive his BA (Hons) degree in Computer Games Design – and he did so on the very same day his younger brother graduated from his degree in History at ARU.

    “Most people with HSN don’t even get to enter higher education, let alone to complete it. The main reason for that is that, by my age, they are usually too injured or impaired. Luckily, my version of the condition has manifested itself in a way that my brain function and level of injury is not as impaired or as severe as some others that have the condition.

    “There are two ways of dealing with someone like me, you either coddle them completely or, as my parents did, treat me like the rest of my brothers and I was encouraged to live independently. University seemed a natural step.

    “Finally finishing my degree feels incredible – I didn’t think I would ever get here. I have seen friends go on to become lecturers and I have had other friends come back to do a Masters.

    “Socially I have learned a lot. I lived in student accommodation and so I met new people every year, and the course was amazing. The lecturers were really helpful and always on hand to provide advice, and all the support staff too who helped me with submissions were lovely.”

    ARU Computer Games Design graduate Theo Hanson

    Theo has already had some of his work highlighted in PC Gamer magazine and following graduation, he’s keen to pursue work to improve accessibility in gaming.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Kazakhstan has become the largest source of tourists in Central Asia for China’s Hainan Province

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) — Kazakhstan has become the largest source of tourists in Central Asia for China’s island province of Hainan, according to a Hainan tourism presentation held in Astana on Wednesday.

    According to the results of the first half of this year, the famous resort province of Hainan received a total of 40.2 thousand citizens of Kazakhstan, which was 41.4 percent more in annual terms. Thus, Kazakhstan entered the world’s top four sources of travelers for Hainan, according to statistics.

    According to information posted on the official website of the Hainan Provincial Government, the tourism presentation in Astana introduced those present to health and wellness tourism products and demonstrated the province’s new image as an international center for tourism consumption.

    The rapid development of tourism cooperation between Hainan Province and Kazakhstan is due to regular air traffic. Currently, a number of Kazakhstan airlines have launched direct flights connecting cities in Kazakhstan and Hainan Province.

    Air Astana is making great efforts to promote cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in air transport. In the future, the airline plans to intensify cooperation with Hainan travel agencies and launch more flights to provide passengers with better quality services, the airline said.

    The presentation is organized by the Hainan Province Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, Physical Culture and Sports. The event was held as part of the Year of China Tourism in Kazakhstan. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s Foreign Trade Volume Exceeds 280 Billion Yuan in H1

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    URUMQI, July 25 (Xinhua) — Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s foreign trade volume hit a record high of 280.82 billion yuan in the first half of this year, up 28 percent year on year, local customs officials said.

    In particular, the autonomous region’s foreign trade turnover in June amounted to 53.17 billion yuan.

    In the first half of this year, Xinjiang’s list of trading partners included 222 countries and regions of the world. At the same time, Xinjiang significantly increased its trade turnover with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. The said figure increased by 17.9 percent year-on-year to 237.59 billion yuan. Its share in the region’s foreign trade turnover exceeded 80 percent.

    Statistics show that Xinjiang has supplied mainly agricultural products, electromechanical products, sports equipment and machinery to the international market since the beginning of this year. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lightning: An EC-145 helicopter of the Kazakh Armed Forces with three crew members on board has disappeared in the Almaty region, searches are underway — RIA Novosti

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Xinhua | 25. 07. 2025

    Key words: Kazakhstan

    Source: Xinhua

    Lightning: An EC-145 helicopter of the Kazakh Armed Forces with three crew members on board has gone missing in the Almaty region, searches are underway — RIA Novosti Lightning: An EC-145 helicopter of the Kazakh Armed Forces with three crew members on board has gone missing in the Almaty region, searches are underway — RIA Novosti

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Soyuz-2.1b rocket with two Ionosfera-M heliogeophysical satellites and 18 small satellites launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Vladivostok, July 25 (Xinhua) — The Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle carrying two Ionosfera-M heliogeophysical satellites and 18 small satellites was launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome at 08:54 Moscow time on Friday, the Russian state corporation Roscosmos reported on its website.

    An hour after the launch, two heliogeophysical satellites “Ionosfera-M” were launched into the designated orbit and separated from the “Fregat” booster block. Eighteen small spacecraft also went into their orbits.

    The Ionosfera-M devices were created to observe physical phenomena that arise in the Earth’s ionosphere as a result of active natural and anthropogenic influences, changes in the spatio-temporal structure of the ionosphere, disturbances in electromagnetic fields, the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere and the distribution of ozone in its upper layers, and to monitor the radiation situation.

    The satellites will take photographs of the Earth, track the location of aircraft and ships, and study space processes. Several satellites will be used to study the space-Earth radio link and participate in experiments on the control of small satellites in low Earth orbit. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Students win physics, maths medals

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Two teams of Hong Kong students achieved outstanding results in the 55th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO 2025) and the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO 2025) by winning six gold medals, four silver and one bronze.

     

    The IPhO 2025, hosted by France, was held from July 18 to 24, with 415 students from 89 countries or regions taking part.

     

    The four gold medallists were Bill Fu from Inno Secondary School (Kowloon Tong), Edison Fu from Queen’s College, Lincoln Liu from Sha Tin College and Qiao Lok-hei from St Paul’s Co-educational College, while Garfield Leung from Evangel College took home silver.

     

    Meanwhile, the IMO 2025 was held in Australia from July 10 to 20. Among the 630 participating students from 110 countries or regions, the Hong Kong team won two gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal.

     

    Kwan Yung-ho from Diocesan Boys’ School and Lincoln Liu from Sha Tin College clinched the gold medal.

     

    The silver medal went to Chan Kwan-yu and Sze Long from St Paul’s Co-educational College and Jerry Xu from Victoria Shanghai Academy, while Chong Tsz-sing from Diocesan Boys’ School bagged a bronze medal.

     

    Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin congratulated the Hong Kong teams on their outstanding performance.

     

    Ms Choi said: “The impressive results achieved by the Hong Kong teams bear testament to the concerted efforts of the Government and various stakeholders in promoting STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics) and gifted education.”

     

    The Education Bureau will continue to strengthen the promotion of STEAM and gifted education in primary and secondary schools, and encourage the effective use of the school-based student talent pool to identify and nurture more students with talent, she added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Launch from Vostochny: Russian scientists receive a new tool for studying the ionosphere

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On July 25, at 08:54 Moscow time, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage was launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, which delivered two heliogeophysical spacecraft Ionosfera-M No. 3 and No. 4, as well as a group of 18 small space satellites, to their calculated orbits.

    The launch of the Ionosfera-M series satellites completed the formation of a group of four devices of the Ionozond space complex, which will monitor the geophysical environment to conduct fundamental scientific research and solve applied problems.

    The complex was created in the interests of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Service of Russia for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring. The Ionosfera-M satellites are designed for a comprehensive study of the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. They will observe various physical processes in the ionosphere, including natural and man-made impacts, changes in electromagnetic fields, atmospheric composition, and ozone distribution. The data obtained will be used by Roshydromet in combination with ground-based observations. The Russian Academy of Sciences plans to conduct ground-space experiments to study the ionosphere’s response to natural phenomena such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.

    Also, 18 small satellites have been launched into orbit. Nine of them were created by Geoscan and will be engaged in photographing the Earth, tracking the movement of ships and aircraft, exploring near space and much more. Some of the devices are intended for educational purposes.

    Ivan Bortnik, Advisor to the General Director of the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, highly appreciated the significance of today’s launch: “This is a great achievement for Roscosmos – the completion of the formation of the Ionosfera-M satellite group for research by our scientists, representatives of fundamental science. Also in this launch are many devices from private satellite-building companies. One of the devices from the Geoscan company is included inSpace Pi project, this is important for the Innovation Promotion Fund and for the Polytechnic University as the founder and leader of the project. This is the first of a series of satellites with which schoolchildren will be able to hunt for supernovae. We, as the Innovation Promotion Fund, held a competition and determined the winners who will begin to manufacture such devices; I hope that they will fly next year.”

    According to Ivan Bortnik, the nanosatellite “239Alferov” of the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 and the Lyceum “Physics and Technology School named after Zh. I. Alferov” will open a new direction of the Space Pi project – the launch of target devices. This is the first of a series of satellites equipped with X-ray sensors that will hunt for supernovae. This will be possible thanks to the network of ground stations created by the company “Geoscan”, covering almost the entire territory of Russia.

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Israel-OPT: UN conference must act to end Israel’s genocide, occupation and apartheid – Amnesty briefing

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Amnesty’s briefing urges action to pressure Israel to end its ongoing genocide in Gaza, lift the humanitarian blockade, and dismantle its unlawful occupation and apartheid system over Palestinians

    ‘With the very survival of Palestinians at stake, there’s no time to waste with false promises or platitudes’ – Agnès Callamard

    Amnesty International has called for next week’s high-level UN conference to discuss the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the two-state solution to focus squarely on the immediate and effective enforcement of international law – including governments’ obligations to prevent and punish genocide and apartheid, and to end Israel’s unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.

    In a new briefing, Amnesty outlines a series of recommendations for governments to take meaningful action and exert the necessary pressure on Israel to end its ongoing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, lift the inhumane humanitarian blockade and dismantle its unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory and its system of apartheid imposed on all Palestinians whose rights it controls.

    Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

    “If the ministers gathering in New York next week are truly committed to forging just, comprehensive and lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians, the first priority must be to take concrete action to end Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and its unlawful military occupation of Palestinian territory, which has fuelled mass violations against Palestinians and enabled and entrenched Israel’s cruel system of apartheid.

    “The current catastrophic crisis created by Israel in Gaza is unbearable, and states must act with urgency and resolve. Statements, condemnation and limited government actions are failing to protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.

    “Genuine and meaningful action by governments must begin, first and foremost, with the demand for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, as well as the lifting of Israel’s illegal blockade. Without these fundamental urgent steps, any process aimed at addressing the future of Palestinians lacks credibility. How such process be considered meaningful when Palestinians are being slaughtered, starved and forcibly displaced into ever-shrinking pockets of land on a daily basis?

    “Governments must be unequivocal: Israel is not above the law and accountability is a priority. They must seize the opportunity presented by this conference to end their active or tacit support for Israeli violations or their self-imposed inertia. The conference must lead to a clear commitment by all states to suspend all economic activity that contributes to or is directly linked to Israel’s illegal occupation, its system of apartheid or its genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

    “With the very survival of Palestinians at stake, there’s no time to waste with false promises or platitudes. As people continue to take to the streets to demand global action and as more and more states are recognising Israel’s genocide for what it is, an empty, performative exercise would not be just tone-deaf, it would be unconscionable.

    “For this conference to be anything more than a charade, governments must heed our calls. They must turn words into action that is firmly rooted in international law and protection of human rights.”

    Among the recommendations, Amnesty is urgently calling on governments to:

    • Demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, ensure full, unimpeded access to all areas of Gaza and firmly reject Israel’s military-controlled, non-neutral aid distribution model. A principled, UN-led humanitarian response must be immediately restored, and funding for impartial humanitarian organisations must be maintained and expanded.
    • End any trade or transfers that contribute to or are linked to the genocide, apartheid or the unlawful occupation. This includes in the first place banning all weapons and surveillance equipment transfers and any military assistance to Israel. States must end preferential trade agreements and cooperation deals with Israel, including the EU-Israel Trade Agreement.
    • Adopt targeted sanctions against those Israeli officials most implicated in international crimes and cooperate with the International Criminal Court, including by implementing its arrest warrants.
    • Commit to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the rehabilitation of its people while opposing any forced displacement of Palestinians within or outside of Gaza.
    • Establish mechanisms for reparations and rehabilitation of Palestinians, with Israel bearing the primary financial responsibility.

    Amnesty is also urgently calling on corporations and civil society:

    • Corporations must refuse any involvement in, or direct linkage to Israel’s unlawful actions and ensure that they are not contributing to serious human rights violations themselves.
    • Civil society and the public at large must continue mobilising and campaigning to demand that governments abide by their legal obligations under international law and denounce companies, banks and other economic actors that contribute to or are directly linked to Israel’s violations of international law, and demand that they stop.

    Co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution will take place in New York from 28 to 29 July. Agnès Callamard and other Amnesty International spokespeople will be available for interviews.

    Amnesty’s Briefing and Recommendations: July 2025 High-Level Conference on the Question of Palestine and the Two-State Solution available here.

    MIL OSI NGO –