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Category: Farming

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of T-Mobile and UScellular

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Department’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of UScellular by T-Mobile:

    “After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined prudentially not to seek an injunction to prevent T-Mobile from closing on its proposed acquisition of UScellular. The investigation nevertheless raised concerns about competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services and the availability of wireless spectrum needed to fuel competition and entry. Specifically, as part of the investigation, the Department considered the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the potential for consumer benefits, and the potential impact of the further consolidation of wireless spectrum.

    “With respect to the potential impact on consumers, for years, Americans have witnessed the too-familiar pattern of local or regional companies that discern and cater to their customers’ needs vanishing in favor of the ‘one size fits all’ approach of national brands. UScellular, whose tagline was ‘America’s locally grown wireless,’ noted the ‘sea of sameness’ among the ‘Big 3’ national carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and resolved to be ‘fundamentally different’ in how it went to market. The company understood the unmet needs of customers whom they identified as ‘Heartland Families’ or ‘Farmtown Frugals’. UScellular met those needs by building networks, pricing plans, and service offerings that its customers valued, and which for many years the Big 3 often did not offer. To the chagrin of its Big 3 competitors, UScellular maintained a sizable customer base within its network footprint by virtue of its strong emphasis on transparency, integrity, and localized customer service. Accordingly, as part of its investigation, the Department considered the impact of the potential disappearance of the services offered to those customers of UScellular — soon to become T-Mobile customers following the merger — that chose UScellular over T-Mobile or its national competitors.

    “In addition to the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the Department also investigated the potential for consumer benefits. Specifically, the Department considered how UScellular subscribers would fare if UScellular continued as a business without completing this transaction. That aspect of the investigation made clear that, due in part to its limited regional footprint and unique structural limitations, UScellular simply could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality. In contrast, T-Mobile has publicly committed that it will integrate the two networks in a way that provides UScellular customers with faster data speeds, while T-Mobile customers will obtain broader coverage in rural areas. Accordingly, the Department concluded the loss of the local offerings that UScellular customers value was outweighed by the immediate improvements in network quality promised by this proposed transaction. That conclusion is bolstered by the competitive realities of future investment in wireless networks and spectrum.

    “In sum, the Department evaluated the likelihood of harm to competition and the potential effects of the transaction on consumers and determined that, on balance, the potential harm and offsetting benefits of the transaction do not warrant an enforcement action. UScellular’s inability to maintain its competitive position would result in declining value to its subscriber base, whereas the transaction offers them hope that they will be able to experience the benefits of a more robust cellular network.

    “More broadly, the Department’s investigation made clear that we stand at a pivotal moment for the wireless industry. The transaction comes near the tail end of a decades-long trend toward consolidation-by-acquisition that has now left most consumers with meaningful choices among just the ‘Big 3’ national carriers. Economists and historians, appropriately, will debate whether this trend ultimately redounded to the benefit of competition and consumers, but the stark facts of today merit our immediate attention: together, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the United States.

    “As the Department observed in 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, ‘The merger would also leave the market vulnerable to increased coordination among the remaining three carriers. Increased coordination harms consumers through a combination of higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices.’ The Department also noted at the time that ‘competition between Sprint and T-Mobile to sell wireless service wholesale to [mobile virtual network operators] has benefited consumers by facilitating innovation by some MVNOs.’  These concerns remain highly relevant.

    “Spectrum, a national resource that belongs to the American people, is critical to competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services. This transaction, and two other deals contingent on its closing, will consolidate yet more spectrum in the Big 3’s oligopoly, which controls more than 80 percent of the mobile wireless spectrum in the country. The Department investigated these spectrum transfers and concluded that they would not result in sufficient harm to competition to warrant an enforcement action, yet the risks to future competition due to further spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 are acute. As revealed in the merging parties’ advocacy in defense of the proposed transaction, the increased revenues and profitability that the Big 3 obtain through transactions like these enable them to even more dramatically outbid independent rivals for spectrum at future auctions.

    “It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers.”

    *          *          *

    This statement is limited by the Department’s obligation to protect the confidentiality of certain information obtained in its investigations. As in most of its investigations, the Department’s evaluation has been highly fact-specific, and many of the relevant underlying facts are not public. Consequently, readers should not draw overly broad conclusions regarding how the Department is likely in the future to analyze other collaborations or activities, or transactions involving particular firms. Enforcement decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and the analysis and conclusions discussed in this statement do not bind the Department in any future enforcement actions. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of T-Mobile and UScellular

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Department’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of UScellular by T-Mobile:

    “After a thorough investigation, the Antitrust Division determined prudentially not to seek an injunction to prevent T-Mobile from closing on its proposed acquisition of UScellular. The investigation nevertheless raised concerns about competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services and the availability of wireless spectrum needed to fuel competition and entry. Specifically, as part of the investigation, the Department considered the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the potential for consumer benefits, and the potential impact of the further consolidation of wireless spectrum.

    “With respect to the potential impact on consumers, for years, Americans have witnessed the too-familiar pattern of local or regional companies that discern and cater to their customers’ needs vanishing in favor of the ‘one size fits all’ approach of national brands. UScellular, whose tagline was ‘America’s locally grown wireless,’ noted the ‘sea of sameness’ among the ‘Big 3’ national carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and resolved to be ‘fundamentally different’ in how it went to market. The company understood the unmet needs of customers whom they identified as ‘Heartland Families’ or ‘Farmtown Frugals’. UScellular met those needs by building networks, pricing plans, and service offerings that its customers valued, and which for many years the Big 3 often did not offer. To the chagrin of its Big 3 competitors, UScellular maintained a sizable customer base within its network footprint by virtue of its strong emphasis on transparency, integrity, and localized customer service. Accordingly, as part of its investigation, the Department considered the impact of the potential disappearance of the services offered to those customers of UScellular — soon to become T-Mobile customers following the merger — that chose UScellular over T-Mobile or its national competitors.

    “In addition to the potential impact on consumers resulting from the elimination of UScellular from the market, the Department also investigated the potential for consumer benefits. Specifically, the Department considered how UScellular subscribers would fare if UScellular continued as a business without completing this transaction. That aspect of the investigation made clear that, due in part to its limited regional footprint and unique structural limitations, UScellular simply could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality. In contrast, T-Mobile has publicly committed that it will integrate the two networks in a way that provides UScellular customers with faster data speeds, while T-Mobile customers will obtain broader coverage in rural areas. Accordingly, the Department concluded the loss of the local offerings that UScellular customers value was outweighed by the immediate improvements in network quality promised by this proposed transaction. That conclusion is bolstered by the competitive realities of future investment in wireless networks and spectrum.

    “In sum, the Department evaluated the likelihood of harm to competition and the potential effects of the transaction on consumers and determined that, on balance, the potential harm and offsetting benefits of the transaction do not warrant an enforcement action. UScellular’s inability to maintain its competitive position would result in declining value to its subscriber base, whereas the transaction offers them hope that they will be able to experience the benefits of a more robust cellular network.

    “More broadly, the Department’s investigation made clear that we stand at a pivotal moment for the wireless industry. The transaction comes near the tail end of a decades-long trend toward consolidation-by-acquisition that has now left most consumers with meaningful choices among just the ‘Big 3’ national carriers. Economists and historians, appropriately, will debate whether this trend ultimately redounded to the benefit of competition and consumers, but the stark facts of today merit our immediate attention: together, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the United States.

    “As the Department observed in 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, ‘The merger would also leave the market vulnerable to increased coordination among the remaining three carriers. Increased coordination harms consumers through a combination of higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices.’ The Department also noted at the time that ‘competition between Sprint and T-Mobile to sell wireless service wholesale to [mobile virtual network operators] has benefited consumers by facilitating innovation by some MVNOs.’  These concerns remain highly relevant.

    “Spectrum, a national resource that belongs to the American people, is critical to competition in the relevant markets for mobile wireless services. This transaction, and two other deals contingent on its closing, will consolidate yet more spectrum in the Big 3’s oligopoly, which controls more than 80 percent of the mobile wireless spectrum in the country. The Department investigated these spectrum transfers and concluded that they would not result in sufficient harm to competition to warrant an enforcement action, yet the risks to future competition due to further spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 are acute. As revealed in the merging parties’ advocacy in defense of the proposed transaction, the increased revenues and profitability that the Big 3 obtain through transactions like these enable them to even more dramatically outbid independent rivals for spectrum at future auctions.

    “It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers.”

    *          *          *

    This statement is limited by the Department’s obligation to protect the confidentiality of certain information obtained in its investigations. As in most of its investigations, the Department’s evaluation has been highly fact-specific, and many of the relevant underlying facts are not public. Consequently, readers should not draw overly broad conclusions regarding how the Department is likely in the future to analyze other collaborations or activities, or transactions involving particular firms. Enforcement decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and the analysis and conclusions discussed in this statement do not bind the Department in any future enforcement actions. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Taxpayer-Funded Benefits Are for American Citizens — Not Illegals

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    Today, at the direction of President Donald J. Trump, the Administration is taking the biggest step in more than 30 years to protect taxpayer-funded benefits for American citizens — NOT illegal aliens. The move, which preserves roughly $40 billion in benefits for American citizens, overturns decades of bureaucratic defiance and builds on President Trump’s executive order directing an END to the subsidization of open borders.
    Under President Trump, hardworking Americans will no longer be forced to front the cost of benefits for illegals:
    The Department of Health and Human Services is restricting illegal aliens from 13 additional public programs, including Head Start, health workforce scholarships and loans, mental health and substance abuse support, family planning, and more.
    The Department of Education is ending free tuition for illegal aliens at post-secondary career and technical education programs.
    The Department of Agriculture is restricting illegal aliens from federally funded food assistance programs.
    The Department of Labor is barring illegal aliens from accessing federal workforce development resources and grants.
    The Department of Justice is closing longstanding loopholes that have allowed illegal aliens to access taxpayer-funded benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor moves to prevent illegal immigrants from utilizing taxpayer-funded workforce programs

    Source: US Department of Labor

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration today announced new guidance to ensure illegal immigrants are not allowed access to federal workforce development resources and related grants. Coinciding with similar measures being taken across the federal government, this announcement is the department’s latest effort to carry out President Trump’s executive order 14218, Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.

    Under this guidance, all grantees funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and related programs must verify valid work authorization before providing participant-level services. This action replaces the Biden Administration’s guidance that incentivized illegal immigration and reinforces the department’s commitment to ensuring taxpayer-funded workforce resources remain focused on strengthening the American workforce.

    “America’s workforce is stronger than ever under President Trump’s leadership because he is committed to upholding the rule of law and putting American workers first,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “Our updated guidance makes clear that taxpayer-funded workforce services are reserved for individuals who are authorized to work in the United States, as required by federal law. By ensuring these programs serve their intended purpose, we’re protecting good-paying jobs for American workers and reaffirming this Administration’s commitment to securing our borders and ending illegal immigration.” 

    This guidance directs the public workforce development system to update all policies and procedures to verify work authorization and maintain proper documentation in participant case files. This ensures employers can have confidence that partnering with the workforce system will help them hire workers who are both equipped with the skills to succeed and have the necessary approval to work in the United States.

    The guidance applies to programs including WIOA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth programs (including statewide employment and training services funded by the Governor reserve), WIOA National Dislocated Worker Grants, Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service, Reentry Employment Opportunities and other programs authorized under Section 169 of WIOA, YouthBuild, the National Farmworker Jobs Program, and the Senior Community Service Employment Program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Speaks on the Anniversary of Vermont Floods 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch’s Disaster AID Act filed on the anniversaries of Vermont’s July 2023 and July 2024 floods    
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) commemorated the anniversaries of the July 2023 and July 2024 floods today from the Senate Floor. Senator Welch also urged Congress to take up his Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act, new legislation filed this morning that would cut red tape at FEMA and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The Disaster AID Act will support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns, and expedite funding for disaster response. 
    “We had back-to-back floods in 2023 and 2024, doing about a billion dollars-worth of damage. By the end of last year, every county in Vermont—all 14 counties—were hit by flooding. That billion dollars in damages affected homes, it affected businesses, it affected farms,” said Senator Welch. “We’re far from alone in Vermont in having suffered enormous damage from wild weather events… This type of wild weather event can hit any one of our states at any time of its own choosing, and all of our states have been affected at one time or another.”  
    “So, my hope is that we can come together as a Congress to fix FEMA so that its capacity to help our communities—when they have been hurt so hard through no fault of their own—that they’ll be able to get the capacity to make decisions, act, and get their community back on its feet.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 

    Over the course of consecutive summers in July 2023 and July 2024, Vermont experienced severe storms which caused catastrophic flooding, washouts, and mudslides. Homes, farms, businesses, and public infrastructure were destroyed, and communities were left reeling. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction, FEMA provided lifesaving on-the-ground assistance, working with local organizations and the state. In the long-term, however, FEMA’s response has not met the needs of communities.    
    Many of Vermont’s towns operate with limited resources and lack the administrative capacity needed to navigate the complex web of federal disaster assistance—especially in the aftermath of a brutal flood. FEMA has failed to provide necessary support and burdensome FEMA policies have slowed or blocked communities from accessing federal funds. Towns were not empowered to capitalize on their understanding of conditions on the ground. To make matters worse, under the Trump Administration, communities must now contend with uncertain federal funding streams, including for reimbursement of projects already approved and under way.   
    Last week, Senator Welch visited with Vermonters in communities across the state that were impacted by the July 2023 and July 2024 floods—including in Killington, Ludlow, Weston, Barre and Montpelier.  He will travel across northern Vermont in the coming weeks. 
    Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his piece, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process.   
    In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.    
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Comments on Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a) Program Implementation

    Source: Independent Petroleum Association of America

    Headline: Comments on Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a) Program Implementation

    Jul 9, 2025 Comments on Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a) Program Implementation

    The American Petroleum Institute (“API”), the American Exploration and Production Council (“AXPC”), the Independent Petroleum Association of America (“IPAA”), GPA Midstream Association, Marcellus Shale Coalition, the North Dakota Petroleum Council (“NDPC”), the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, the Texas Oil and Gas Association (“TXOGA”), and Utah Petroleum Alliance (“UPA”) (collectively, the “Associations”) appreciates the opportunity to provide comments in response to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s (“FWS” or “the Service”) request for information (“RFI”) issued on June 9, 2025. This RFI sought feedback on improvements to the development and implementation of survival permits associated with Conservation Benefit Agreements (CBAs) and Incidental Take Permits (ITPs) associated with Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) under Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We appreciate the Trump Administration’s desire to achieve a meaningful reduction in regulatory burdens while continuing to meet statutory obligations, advance American energy independence, and ensure the responsible stewardship of the nation’s public lands and resources. …

    Voluntary conservation agreements such as HCPs and CBAs are helpful mechanisms to minimize impacts to species and habitat and contribute to overall species conservation goals, while avoiding unwarranted access restrictions that could obstruct national energy security objectives. A significant value of these plans lies in their ability to streamline or even proactively preempt the often-lengthy Incidental Take Permit process, a benefit that works both in favor of industry and the Service. Though not applicable in all situations and for all species, the Associations’ members already successfully leverage various CBAs and HCPs for species such as the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, the Lesser Prairie Chicken, the Texas Hornshell Mussel, and the Monarch Butterfly. Critical learnings from these initiatives can be applied to future conservation plans, as per the suggestions delivered below. …

    Continue Reading

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Nigeria: Violence and widespread displacement leave Benue facing a humanitarian disaster

    Source: Amnesty International –

    • At least 510,182 internally displaced people (IDPs) across Benue state
    • Dire conditions in IDP camps
    • Children and pregnant women amongst most vulnerable

    The Nigerian authorities must take urgent steps to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the central state of Benue where attacks by gunmen have displaced at least 500,000 people, many of whom are languishing in squalid camps without access to sufficient water, poor sanitation, food and healthcare, Amnesty International said today.

    In the most recent attack on 14 June, gunmen raided the town of Yelewata, killing more than 100 people and forcing over 3,941 more to flee their homes. The smell of decomposing bodies hung in the air during a visit to the affected community by Amnesty International in the aftermath of the attacks. Signs of the recent violence were unmistakable with bullet shells littering the ground, and mass graves that had been newly dug to bury the dead.

    Survivors were seen carrying bags of grain, bundles of firewood and other household items as they sought safety and shelter in camps for internally displaced persons (IDP). According to interviews with IDPs in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum, Kwande, Logo, Guma and Makurdi IDP camps, as well as a makeshift IDP camp at Makurdi Modern Market, communities who come under attack are often left to fend for themselves with security forces only arriving long after the gunmen had left.

    “The Nigerian authorities have failed the people of Benue state again and again. Rampant attacks by gunmen have deprived thousands of people of their rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, freedom of movement and access to livelihoods. Survivors of these harrowing attacks face the fresh torment of being displaced in overcrowded, unhygienic camps where disease runs rampant and essentials such as  food and clean water are scarce,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

    “The situation risks creating a humanitarian disaster, which the authorities must urgently address by ensuring that people’s essential needs are met by providing desperately needed aid.”

    Besides interviews with IDPs, Amnesty International also spoke to camps officials, medical workers and non-governmental organizations in the affected areas. It found that communities across Benue state, including Gwer West, Gwer-East, Agatu, Apa, Ukum, Kwande, Logo,and Guma, continue to face a brutal pattern of violence.

    This is typically unleashed at night, although daytime attacks also occur, with gunmen systematically overrunning villages, using firearms to carry out indiscriminate or targeted killings from a distance. This is accompanied by brutal close-range violence with machetes and knives used to inflict grievous injuries, including hand amputations.

    The Nigerian authorities have failed the people of Benue state again and again.

    Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria

    Misery of the IDP camps

    As of 31 December 2024, an estimated 500,182 people had fled to IDPs camps in Benue state to escape years of attacks by gunmen. More than 10,000 additional people have been displaced since the start of 2025 following attacks on communities in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum (Gbagir), Kwande (Anwase), Logo, and Guma (Yelewata, Agan, and Gbajimba), among others.

    Amnesty International’s visits to IDP camps reveal wholly inadequate shelter, exposing IDPs to harsh weather, overcrowding, and heightened risks of disease, as well as gender-based violence, including rape and domestic violence.

    Access to healthcare is also a major challenge in the IDP camps with a lack of treatment for the most common diseases and ailments, such as malaria, typhoid, and stomach ulcers. According to a camp official, births occur almost daily in the IDP camps, with many pregnant women requiring medical attention but also contracting infections because of inadequate hygiene facilities.

    An IDP told Amnesty International: “If we don’t get drugs, we just sit and watch the sick person helplessly.”

    Many children are unable to exercise their right to an education in the camps.

    “Our children no longer go to school and there are no arrangements by the authorities to teach children in the IDP camp. The government should bring an end to insecurity in our local government area and Benue state. Before that, provide us with food and proper shelter at the IDP camps,” an IDP told Amnesty International.

    A camp official told Amnesty International that a makeshift school built in one of the camps had been shut down for over three years because camp authorities could not continue paying ad-hoc teachers their stipends. 

    There are hundreds of minors who fled their homes due to attacks and now live without parental care. The children were separated from their families while fleeing attacks on their villages and communities. The authorities have been unable to provide these vulnerable children with a safe place to live and essential services. Two female IDPs told Amnesty International:

    The authorities’ persistent failure to hold suspected perpetrators to account is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Authorities must now end the growing culture of impunity for these attacks.

    Isa Sanusi

    “When we arrived, they [my children] left. I do not know where they have gone. I can’t speak with them; I don’t have a phone….I have 8 children and because we do not have enough space here in the IDP camp, many of them have left me and I do not know where they are.”

    Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate steps to provide sufficient and accessible humanitarian support to the survivors of these attacks. Authorities must take steps to domesticate and effectively implement the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons within the country’s legal system.

    “The authorities’ persistent failure to hold suspected perpetrators to account is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Authorities must now end the growing culture of impunity for these attacks.”

    “We call on the authorities to ensure that all people displaced because of the attacks in Benue state are provided with adequate relief, including protection, shelter, food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare. Authorities must ensure that all people who have suffered losses from the crisis are also provided with adequate compensation,” said Isa Sanusi.

    Background

    Amnesty International Nigeria has been monitoring the escalating bandit attacks and clashes between herders and farmers in Benue state since 2016. In 2020, the organization investigated the authorities’ failure to protect rural communities from attacks, and in 2025, it investigated the mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups.

    Nigeria is state party to a number of treaties that guarantee the human rights of everybody in the country regardless of the circumstances. This includes the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which requires Nigerian authorities to ensure equal access to amongst others the rights to housing, health, food, water, sanitation and education.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The statutory right of first refusal on the purchase of forests in Slovenia is an infringement of EU law – E-002543/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002543/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Matej Tonin (PPE)

    In Slovenia there is an established right of first refusal for the purchase of forests in the case of complexes of more than 30 hectares located in Slovenia. This right of first refusal is granted to Slovenian State Forests (Slovenski državni gozdovi, d.o.o. (SiDG)), the company that manages and administers forests owned by the state.

    I believe that such a broadly defined possibility to exercise a right of first refusal infringes EU law on three separate grounds:

    (1) Because it restricts the free movement of capital between Member States;

    (2) Because it constitutes an infringement of EU competition rules, as well as being unlawful State aid to a public company; and

    (3) Because there is no valid reason to establish such a right of first refusal, nor can such a right be in the public interest.

    Two applicants have already notified the Commission of an infringement of EU law, namely Jurij Rudež 6/12/2023 CPLT (2024)00008 and the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia 16/01/2024 (2024)00467T.

    I would like to ask the Commission:

    Could such a broadly defined and legally guaranteed right of first refusal constitute an infringement of EU law?

    Submitted: 25.6.2025

    Last updated: 10 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: The One Big Beautiful Bill is Great for People Who Go to Work Every Day

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, Speaker Johnson joined Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday to discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill being signed into law and address the devastating floods in central Texas. 

    “As I said on the House floor the other day, it takes a lot longer to build a lie than to tell the simple truth. Our Republicans are going to be out across the country telling the simple truth,” Speaker Johnson said. “And guess what? It will be demonstrated. Everyone will have more take home pay. They’ll have more jobs and opportunity. The economy will be doing better and we’ll be able to point to that as the obvious result of what we did. “

    Click here to watch the full interview

    On the One Big Beautiful Bill’s impact on working class families:

    What we did in this bill is we made permanent the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts, and that was geared for lower- and middle-class Americans. In spite of everything they said, the bottom 20% of earners saw their lowest federal tax rate in 40 years. Now we’re building upon that. We just made that permanent and we’re building upon it because now we’ve cut taxes on overtime and tips and have more tax relief for seniors. And we’re giving everybody a tax cut, and that’s going to help the economy. It’s going to be jet fuel for small business owners, entrepreneurs, risk takers, the people that provide the jobs, manufacturers, farmers get assistance here, and that will lift the economy. 

    The Council of Joint Economic Advisors is expecting a 3%, growth rate in the economy. That will be incredible. They’re expecting 4 million additional jobs to be added. The average American, the typical American household, will have $13,000 more in take home pay. This is a great thing for people who go to work every day. They’re going to feel that. And we’re excited about the upcoming election cycle in 2026 because people will be riding an economic high just as, as we did after the first two years of the first Trump Administration – this time’s on steroids.

    On the One Big Beautiful Bill growing the U.S. economy:

    If you make between $30,000 and $80,000 a year, you’re going to have a 15% less federal tax rate. You are going to save more money, you’re going to keep more of your hard-earned money, and that’s not going away. So, by making all these tax cut permanent, it’s the largest tax bill, the most important, most consequential tax bill that Congress has ever passed because of what it does for people who go out and work hard every day. We’re going to make it easier on them. And all the other pro-growth policies in this bill. We also, at the same time, achieve the largest savings for the taxpayers in US history, about $1.6 trillion in savings. All those things are going to have a great effect.

    By the way, in the bill, we’re also going to secure the border permanently. We’re going to return to American energy dominance again, which is going to also be jet fuel of the economy. We’re going to take care of the peace through strength because we’re going to give important investments in our military industrial complex, which will help us in our competition with China. There is so much in this bill, it would be difficult for us to cover it in one segment, but people are going to feel that and we’re super excited about what we were able to deliver.

    On the devastating floods in Central Texas:

    In a moment like this, we feel just as helpless as everyone else does. I’ve talked to my colleagues there in Texas, Chip Roy and August Pfluger. You know that’s Chip’s district, August’s daughters were at the camp. We also had Buddy Carter of Georgia who had grandchildren there. It touches so many families, and all we know to do at this moment is pray. Every available resource has been deployed. The president, of course, is dialed in and watching this developed moment by moment as we are. And we will handle supplemental funding requests as they come in. But right now, they’re still trying to do rescue and recovery and our hearts go out to all of them.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cammack, Gonzales Lead Letter Urging HHS to Fast-Track Livestock Treatment Approvals

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) and Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) led a group of Republican lawmakers in sending a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging coordination between HHS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and pharmaceutical manufacturers to fast-track approvals and labeling of anti-parasitic treatments for livestock in response to the outbreak and growing threat of a New World Screwworm (NWS) infestation in Mexico.

    The letter highlights the serious health and economic risks posed by NWS, which is moving north through Mexico and approaching the U.S. border. Lawmakers are urging HHS to expedite approvals for antiparasitic treatments—such as ivermectin, doramectin, permethrin, and coumaphos—that are proven effective abroad but lack proper U.S. labeling. They cite the successful 2016 emergency approval of doramectin as a model and call for coordinated action with USDA and EPA to match USDA’s new five-prong strategy, including the sterile fly facility planned in South Texas.

    “Time is of the essence, as there are safe, effective treatments already in use around the world that U.S. producers cannot legally deploy because of outdated or incomplete labeling. By working hand-in-hand with USDA and EPA, HHS can cut through bureaucratic red tape to ensure that veterinarians, ranchers, and wildlife managers have the tools they need before an outbreak hits,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “For months, Congressman Gonzales and I have been actively engaged in combatting this threat. Over a month ago, we hosted a roundtable with fellow members of Congress, major stakeholders, and partners to determine the best path forward. We’ve developed an action plan and are working with our partners to execute executive and legislative action. It is now time for action at the federal level to match that urgency.”

    “Fast-tracking approvals for anti-parasitic treatments for livestock is another important step we must take to protect our livestock industry from the New World screwworm. From introducing the STOP Screwworms Act and leading funding efforts through my seat on the House Appropriations Committee to working alongside USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to launch a facility focused on screwworm eradication efforts—I am determined to do everything possible to eliminate this deadly parasite,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “Thank you, Rep. Kat Cammack, for your partnership in moving forward critical treatments to protect America’s livestock.”

    A copy of the full letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of CJS, Ag-FDA, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider draft fiscal year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch appropriations acts.

    Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below:

    “Thank you very much Chair Collins, and congratulations to you on your first markup as Chair. I really appreciate the opportunity to work with you on this committee. I also want to thank Senators Moran and Van Hollen—our CJS subcommittee leaders; Senators Hoeven and Shaheen—our Ag Subcommittee leaders; and Senators Mullin and Heinrich for your work on the Leg branch—and for all the work that went into these bills today.

    “We have an important job here today, to come together and work through our differences, so we can fund the government, help our families, and make our country safer and stronger. Help people, solve problems. That’s the job that I’ve been here for, for a long time.  

    “And over the past few years, we have—together in this committee, as Chair Collins alluded to—established a strong track record on this Committee of coming together, despite serious disagreements, to do just that with strong bipartisan bills.

    “Now, the challenges we face—and the threats to this very process—are greater than ever before with a president and an administration intent on ignoring the laws that we write and seizing more power for themselves.

    “And of course, for the first time ever, we are operating now on a partisan, full-year continuing resolution for all twelve of our funding bills, which turned over more say on how our constituents’ taxpayer dollars get spent to unelected bureaucrats than any of us should be comfortable with.

    “In the face of these immense challenges and threats, I believe it’s more important than ever that we ensure our constituents’ voices are heard, by passing these bipartisan, full-year spending bills. We cannot afford another disastrous slush fund CR that lets political appointees and bureaucrats—who have never been to any of our states—call the shots.

    “So, I’m glad we are here today taking an important step to do the hard work of finding common ground and advancing three funding bills that provide crucial investments to our country.

    “These are not the bills I would have written my own. I’d like to do a lot more to help our struggling families and rural communities, and develop cutting-edge technologies and science here in America. And I will obviously keep pushing to do as much as I can, at every opportunity.

    “But I also want to say that it is important that we do understand that we work together on this committee, do compromise, and pass our bills together.

    “I also want to say at the top that I share Ranking Member Van Hollen’s outrage that this administration has—on a dime—attempted to reprogram funding secured for the FBI headquarters after this committee provided funds and a competitive selection process was run.

    “It is emphatically not how things should work. But, yet again, we are seeing this President thumb his nose at Congress and do what he wants. This is really something that we should have been able to address in this bill—along with a lot else—and I am really disappointed that we could not.

    “So, while I will be voting yes to advance this bill and keep the conversation going, and support this bipartisan process, it is an issue that I will continue to press on with Ranking Member Van Hollen.

    “And I just say, I would caution this committee—if my Republican colleagues simply stand by and watch this, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to envision a future Democratic President who decides we don’t need to fund an FBI agency or building in another state and change the funding around, so I hope none of us want to help set that precedent for future presidents or generations.

    “But at the end of the day, I do believe these bills are all a good compromise starting point—delivering critical resources to continue key programs and make targeted new investments, rejecting some of the truly harmful proposed cuts by the President, and steering clear of the extreme partisan policies he’s requested and that we’ve seen in some of the House bills over the last few years.

    “At the end of the day, there is no question in my mind: these compromise bills offer a far better outcome for families back home than the alternatives of either the House, or another disastrous CR.

    “The three bills before us reject efforts to slash meals for hundreds of thousands of seniors, funding to keep people safe, investments in cutting-edge scientific research, and a whole lot more.

    “And more than that—these bills make essential investments to keep our country strong: from funding that keeps our families fed, food supply secure, and farms flourishing to funding that drives cutting-edge scientific research that is happening in our states, or fuels growing industries and small businesses.

    “There is also funding for our communities to keep our families safe.

    “There is funding to help each of us serve the folks who sent us here—investments in staff who help with constituent services, experts who provide crucial insights into legislation, Capitol operations and security that protect everyone who works here and comes to visit, and important investments in member security, as well.

    “In light of the tragic assassination and attack on lawmakers in Minnesota recently, it is painfully clear we must do more to address the threat of political violence that really tears at the heart of this democracy. So I’m pleased to see some progress and new investments there—it is clear we’ve got to do more, I will make sure we continue that conversation.

    “Bottom line, what we are doing here today is how the process should work: members coming together, writing bills with bipartisan input—and I hope we can continue this process with all of our bills.

    “The challenges that we face are really immense, and it is so important that we do the job that we were sent here to do.

    “But for us to be able to work in a bipartisan way effectively, that requires us to work with each other. To not just write bipartisan funding bills—but to defend them from partisan cuts sought by the President and the OMB director.

    “We need to make sure decisions about what to fund—and yes, what to rescind—are made here in Congress, on a bipartisan basis, and within our annual funding process.

    “We cannot allow bipartisan funding bills with partisan rescission packages. It will not work.

    “And that is why I will repeat my commitment to all of my colleagues: my colleagues and I on this side of the dais, we stand ready to discuss rescissions as part of these bipartisan spending bills—as part of these bills. And just as this committee has always done. Working together across the aisle to look where it makes sense to cut, or rescind, or reform. I believe that is the path to our collective success, and I hope my colleagues work with us on this offer and reject the rescissions package next week. 

    “So as we mark up this legislation today, I hope we all keep our eye on what comes next. We have nine more bills to get across the finish line, and these are decisions that will help us get there. And there are decisions that will make that task a lot harder—if not impossible.

    “I spoke about this last week at the hearing with Director Vought.

    “This mark up, these bills—they show the potential of this Committee when it works best.

    “We have a powerful role here, where we can do a lot of good for the communities we represent.

    “But I will warn everyone again, this Committee is not powerful just ‘because.’ It is powerful because we are able to work together to secure investments that actually become law.

    “But if we choose to ignore that, this Committee can, and will, lose its power.

    “If we start passing partisan cuts to bipartisan deals—how are we ever supposed to work together?

    “That is not hypothetical—that is a real question that will be posed by any party-line rescissions package.

    “There are two roads before us right now: there is the road we peered down at the last hearing. The road where this becomes the Rescissions Committee—looking at package after package of cuts, fighting over how much of the last deal that we will unravel, fighting over whose projects gets canceled, whose community gets robbed. 

    “And there is the road that we are taking a step down today—the bipartisan road. Where we actually work together—where we stand together—and get investments back home to the people who sent us here. I know where I want us to go.

    “And so, as we vote on these compromise bills today, I hope all of my colleagues will not just join me in advancing these bills, but also join me in reflecting on how we got here, and how we can best move forward.

    “We cannot take for granted the spirit of trust—the spirit of trust—that makes it possible for us to write bills together. It’s easy to damage, pretty hard to repair.

    “Thank you, Madam Chair.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Andrea Salinas Introduces Bill to Improve Workforce Training for SNAP Recipients

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Today, U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) reintroduced the SNAP E&T Data and Technical Assistance (DATA) Act, legislation to improve workforce training programs for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries and help put them on the path to self-sufficiency. 

    “SNAP is critical to ensuring that children, veterans, and seniors across Oregon don’t go hungry. This bill would improve employment and training opportunities for SNAP recipients to put them on the pathway to self-sufficiency,” said Rep. Salinas. “Given that Congressional Republicans just slashed SNAP benefits and imposed harsh work requirements, this bill is more important than ever to provide people with the tools they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.”

    State SNAP agencies are required to administer Employment and Training (E&T) programs for beneficiaries. These programs help participants gain skills, education, training, and experience that lead to good stable jobs. Through SNAP E&T, states are able to provide additional support services – such as transportation and child care – to help participants overcome barriers to joining or moving up in the workforce. However, many states do not have a user-friendly way to collect data on SNAP E&T programs or conduct robust analyses to improve program performance.

    The SNAP E&T DATA Act would codify and expand Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Data and Technical Assistance Grants to improve performance of Employment and Training programs. Specifically, the bill would: 

    • Support state and local agencies in the development of E&T data collection systems and processes that enhance states’ ability to review and analyze program services and outcomes for continuous program improvement.
    • Provide additional funds for technical assistance, so that states can become more effective, data driven E&T providers.
    • Encourage participation among states that have not yet received such grants.
    • Encourage data improvements that 1) facilitate co-enrollment and coordination with other federally supported workforce development programs and 2) support interoperability between SNAP E&T data systems and other state longitudinal data infrastructure, such as that for K-12 education, postsecondary education, and existing workforce development programs.

    In 2023, the Oregon Department of Human Services was awarded $1.5 million to assess and improve E&T participation and more accurately track program outcomes. Rep. Salinas’ legislation would significantly expand federal support for data collection on the effectiveness of SNAP E&T programs in Oregon.

    The SNAP E&T DATA Act is endorsed by the Data Quality Campaign and America Forward.

    “America Forward Coalition members who work with states, local governments, and participants in the SNAP Employment and Training program require accurate and accessible data to deliver the strongest possible SNAP E&T opportunities that advance economic mobility. We applaud Representative Andrea Salinas and urge Congress to include this critical legislation in the Farm Bill to enable continuous improvement, strengthen transparency, and break down barriers to participation in SNAP E&T,” said Chase Sackett, Policy Director, America Forward. 

    “Everyone should have the information they need to make informed decisions about their workforce pathways, support individuals navigating these pathways, and create policies that might help others navigate smoother pathways. DQC applauds the efforts of Rep. Salinas to ensure that the SNAP E&T program has the data infrastructure necessary so that it fulfills its role in helping individuals improve their economic mobility,” said Kate Tromble, Vice President of Federal Policy, Data Quality Campaign. 

    To read a one-page description of this legislation, click here.

     To read the full text of this legislation, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Signs Legislation into Law Promoting Economic Development

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JULY 10, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, at bill signing ceremonies in St. Louis, Governor Mike Kehoe signed House Bills (HB) 199 and 1041 into law.

    Governor Kehoe joined St. Louis local business and community leaders and elected officials at Union Station to sign HB 199, which allows a special entertainment district to be established in downtown St. Louis. The legislation, sponsored by Representative Bill Falkner and Senator David Gregory, also modifies over 30 additional provisions relating to political subdivisions.

    • Allows the St. Charles Conventions and Sports Facilities Authority to receive a state tax incremental financing (TIF) district without first having a local TIF.
    • Allows Benton, Camden, Miller, and Morgan counties, as well as the City of Lake Ozark, to establish entertainment districts.
    • Extends eligibility to the St. Louis Port Authority for the Waterways and Ports Trust Fund.
    • Clarifies that the Kansas City Mayor must appoint commissioners to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority from candidate panels submitted by the Clay or Platte County Commissions when their respective seats on the board become vacant.
    • Enables the establishment of a Clay County Sports Complex Authority, with similar powers and processes to those of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.

    “I’m proud to be born and raised in St. Louis and remain committed to revitalizing downtown,” said Governor Kehoe. “This special entertainment district marks a new chapter for business and community leaders to promote tourism, public safety, and economic growth in St. Louis.”

    At Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis Brewery, Governor Kehoe joined Missouri brewers from across the state to sign Representative Dane Diehl’s and Senator Kurtis Gregory’s HB 1041, which modifies regulations for alcoholic beverages.

    • Reduces the malt liquor tax from $1.86 per barrel to $0.62 per barrel for all malt liquors produced at American Breweries.
    • Expands current law to allow wine, beer, malt liquor, and spirits to be donated by manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and unlicensed persons to charitable or religious organizations and educational institutions for auction or raffle.
    • Expands current law to allow cash rebate coupons for wine and liquor sales.
    • Increases revenues deposited into the Missouri Wine and Grape Fund from $0.12/gallon of wine sold to $0.21/gallon, allowing the Missouri Wine and Grape Board to use the additional revenue to support the University of Missouri’s Grape and Wine Institute.
    • Allows entities licensed to sell liquor by the drink for consumption on their licensed premises to be open 24 hours a day and serve alcohol from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m. the following day during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    “We are proud to sign this legislation today, rightly branded as the American Beer Act, to help support and strengthen Missouri breweries, farmers, suppliers, and retailers who brew and sell American beer,” said Governor Kehoe. “Our state has a long history of being home to some of the best brewers in the nation, and by taking this action today to support breweries at a state level, Missouri is setting an example of supporting companies that are investing in American manufacturing, jobs, and communities.”

    For more information on the legislation and additional provisions signed into law, visit house.mo.gov and senate.mo.gov. Photos from the bill signing will be uploaded to Governor Kehoe’s Flickr page. Additional bill signings will continue to take place over the next several days. For more information on the bill signings, view Governor Kehoe’s schedule.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Introduces Legislation to Improve Livestock Indemnity Program and Support Iowa Cattle Producers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    HULL, IOWA – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) introduced legislation – the Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act – to make needed updates to the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) so that Iowa cattle and livestock producers receive a fair market price for their livestock.

    Under current law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency only makes annual updates to LIP payment rates. Feenstra’s legislation would make these price updates quarterly to accurately account for turbulent and unpredictable market conditions.

    “When severe storms strike or animal disease spreads, Iowa cattle producers deserve a fair price for deceased livestock. However, under current law, payment rates from the Livestock Indemnity Program are only updated once a year – a lengthy period that does not accurately reflect unpredictable market conditions or support family farms,” said Rep. Feenstra. “My bill – the Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act – will cut that timeframe down to every three months so that our producers receive a fair and more accurate price for their livestock. Allowing the free market to work as intended will ensure that cattle producers are fairly compensated for losses out of their control.” 

    “Livestock producers work tirelessly to prevent disease, mitigate risk, and remain resilient in the face of disaster. Yet, even with every precaution, losses still occur. That’s why regular updates to payment rates in the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) are essential to help producers recover. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association appreciates Congressman Feenstra’s commitment to cattlemen and ensuring LIP payments reflect the current market value of livestock,” said Rob Medberry, President of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

    The National Milk Producers Federation also supports this legislation.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The Bangladesh delta is under a dangerous level of strain, analysis reveals

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Md Sarwar Hossain, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science & Sustainability, University of Glasgow

    The Ganges delta in Bangladesh. Emre Akkoyun/Shutterstock

    Bangladesh is known as the land of rivers and flooding, despite almost all of its water originating outside the territory. The fact that 80% of rivers that flow through Bangladesh have their sources in a neighbouring country, can make access to freshwater in Bangladesh fraught. And the country’s fast-growing cities and farms – and the warming global climate – are turning up the pressure.

    In a recent analysis, my colleagues and I found that four out of the ten rivers that flow through Bangladesh have failed to meet a set of conditions known as their “safe operating space”, meaning that the flow of water in these rivers is below the minimum necessary to sustain the social-ecological systems that rely on them. These rivers included the Ganges and Old Brahmaputra, as well as Gorai and Halda.

    This puts a safe and reliable food and water supply not to mention the livelihoods of millions of fishers, farmers and other people in the region, at risk.

    Water flow on the remaining six rivers may be close to a dangerous state too, due to the construction of hydropower dams and reservoirs, as well as booming irrigated agriculture.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The concept of a safe operating space was devised by Stockholm University researchers in 2009 and typically assesses the Earth’s health as a whole by defining boundaries such as climate warming, water use and biodiversity loss which become dangerous to humanity once exceeded. A 2023 update to this research found that six of the nine defined planetary boundaries have been transgressed.

    Since the Bangladesh delta is one of the world’s largest and most densely populated (home to around 170 million people), we thought it prudent to apply this thinking to the rivers here. We found that food, fisheries and the world’s largest intertidal mangrove forest, a haven for rich biodiversity, are all under strain from water demand in growing cities such as Dhaka.

    The knock-on effects

    During all seasons but winter, river flows in the Bangladesh delta have fallen over the past three decades.

    No river in the Bangladesh delta is within its safe operating space.
    Kabir et al. (2024)

    Our analysis highlights the limits of existing political solutions. The ability of the Ganges river to support life and society is severely strained, despite the Ganges water sharing treaty between India and Bangladesh, which was signed in 1996.

    Rivers in Bangladesh have shaped the economy, environment and culture of South Asia since the dawn of human civilisation here. And humans are not the only species suffering. Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha), related to the herring, is a fish popular for its flavour and delicate texture. It contributes 12% to national fish production in Bangladesh but has become extinct in the upper reaches of the Ganges due to the reduction of water flow.

    Excessive water extraction upstream, primarily through the Farakka barrage, a dam just over the border in the Indian state of West Bengal, has also raised the salinity of the Gorai river. A healthy river flow maintains a liveable balance of salt and freshwater. As river flows have been restricted, salinity has crept up, particularly in coastal regions that are also beset by sea level rise. This damages freshwater fisheries, farm yields and threatens a population of freshwater dolphins in the Ganges.

    Low river flows and increasing salinisation now threaten the destruction of the world’s largest mangrove forest, the loss of which would disrupt the regional climate of Bangladesh, India and Nepal. It would also release a lot of stored carbon to the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and the melting of snow and ice in the Himalayan mountain chain.

    Resilience to climate change

    Solving this problem is no simple task. It will require cooperation across national boundaries and international support to ensure fair treaties capable of managing the rivers sustainably, restoring their associated ecosystems and maintaining river flows within their safe operating spaces.

    The mighty Ganges is running dry in some parts of Bangladesh during the hotter months.
    Md Sarwar Hossain

    This is particularly challenging in the Bangladesh delta, which contains rivers that drain many countries, including China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The political regimes in each country might oppose transboundary negotiations, which could nevertheless resolve conflict over water which is needed to sustain nearly 700 million people.

    There have been success stories, however. The Mekong river commission between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam is a useful template for bilateral and multilateral treaties with India and Nepal for the Ganges, and China and Bhutan for the Jamuna river.

    Tax-based water sharing can help resolve conflicts and decide water allocation between countries in the river basin. The countries using more water would pay more tax and the revenue would be redistributed among the other countries who share rivers in the treaty. Additionally, water sharing should be based on the historical river flow disregarding existing infrastructure and projections of future changes.

    Reducing deforestation, alternating land use and restoring wetlands could enhance resilience to flooding and drought and ensure water security in the Bangladesh delta. Ultimately, to secure a safe operating space for the rivers here is to secure a safe future for society too.

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

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

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

    – ref. The Bangladesh delta is under a dangerous level of strain, analysis reveals – https://theconversation.com/the-bangladesh-delta-is-under-a-dangerous-level-of-strain-analysis-reveals-241097

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Crop Report for the Period July 1 to July 7, 2025

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 10, 2025

    Growing conditions throughout Saskatchewan continue to vary. Rainfall and warm temperatures in some areas are allowing crops to progress nicely, while other areas continue to experience dry conditions which is stressing crops and leading to rapid development.

    There was less rainfall last week than the week prior, with the Hanley area receiving the most in the province with 44 millmetres (mm). The Serath area received the second highest rainfall with 33 mm, followed closely by the Lampman and Semans areas with 32 mm and 28 mm, respectively. Other areas received much needed rainfall, but producers are hoping for more in the coming weeks.

    Limited rainfall in many areas has caused soil moisture levels to drop since last week. Currently, provincial cropland topsoil moisture is 55 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and 12 per cent very short. For hayland, topsoil moisture is 43 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and 19 per cent very short. Finally, moisture levels in pasture topsoil is 33 per cent adequate, 40 per cent short and 27 per cent very short.

    Crop staging varies throughout the province and within regions as a result of irregular rainfall. Many fields are at relatively uniform stages, but producers are noting that some fields have inconsistent staging due to dry conditions early in the growing season which is making spray timing challenging.

    Pasture conditions in the province range from poor to good condition this year as some producers are satisfied with pastures, while others are disappointed. Currently, only one per cent of pastures are in excellent condition, while 24 per cent are good, 37 per cent are fair, 29 per cent are poor, and nine per cent are in very poor condition.

    Livestock producers are continuing to make progress with their first cut of hay this year. Currently, 28 per cent of hay crops have been cut and 22 per cent have been baled or silaged, while 50 per cent of hay remains standing. Quality varies, with 11 per cent of first hay cuts being excellent quality, 48 per cent good, 30 per cent fair and 11 per cent poor quality. No producers have started second cuts of hay yet.

    Like last week, dry conditions and hot temperatures caused the most widespread crop damage, but damage is considered minor in many cases. Wind also continues to cause minor damage to crops, while a few areas received hail that caused minor damage. Minor insect and wildlife damage is being reported in various crop types, with gophers, grasshoppers and cabbage seed pod weevil causing the most damage. This is causing some producers to apply insecticides to fields with high insect activity. Similarly, producers in areas that have received moderate to high rainfall over the last few weeks are applying preventative fungicides to some of their pulse, cereal and oilseed crops.

    As July progresses, producers will continue scouting crops for staging and pests, while applying insecticides and fungicides as necessary. Producers throughout the province are hoping for timely rainfall to accommodate the high crop water usage requirements during this time

    A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online.

    Follow the 2025 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Major Renewable Energy Project Approved for Madison County

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul announced today that the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) has issued a final siting permit to Cypress Creek Renewables to develop and operate Oxbow Hill Solar, a 140-megawatt (MW) solar array in the Town of Fenner in Madison County. The project will create good-paying jobs, improve grid reliability, invest in crucial infrastructure, and increase tax revenues for local schools and other community priorities.

    “We are extremely pleased to announce the latest investment in solar technology, upholding our commitment to improving grid reliability and building a clean energy economy,” Governor Hochul said. “The projects we have approved over the last few years are a testament to New York’s commitment to sustainability and resiliency.”

    The Oxbow Hill Solar facility will contribute 140 MW of clean, renewable energy to New York’s electric grid while offsetting over 177,000 metric tons of CO2 and providing power for approximately 23,000 average-sized homes.

    The new solar facility will consist of the solar array and associated support equipment, along with an interconnection substation, fencing, access roads and an operations and maintenance building. The facility will interconnect to the New York electrical grid via the Fenner Wind to Whitman Road 115 kV transmission line that is owned and operated by National Grid. Oxbow Hill is sited on a portion of the existing Fenner Wind Farm, making it the first ORES permit where a solar facility is co-located with a wind facility.

    This project was approved in less than the one-year timeframe required under the law, and was issued after a thorough, timely, and transparent review process that included public comment periods and hearings.

    Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission Executive Director Zeryai Hagos said, “As the state approaches 4 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy, a monumental achievement, we are reminded that we still have work to do to address New York’s growing energy needs. ORES will continue to advance New York’s nation-leading clean energy policies while being responsive to community feedback and protecting the environment.”

    This project is anticipated to create a total of 330 jobs during construction and marks 24 clean energy projects approved by ORES since 2021, when it was created to accelerate permitting for renewable energy generation. New York State has approved 28 large-scale solar and wind projects since 2021, including 24 permitted by ORES and four approved by the NYS Siting Board under Article 10, the statute that governed solar and wind projects over 25-MW prior to the creation of ORES. The 28 permitted facilities represent 3.9 gigawatts of new clean, renewable energy.

    ORES’ decision for these facilities follows a detailed and transparent review process with robust public participation to ensure the proposed project meets or exceeds the requirements of Article VIII of the New York State Public Service Law and its implementing regulations. The application for the Oxbow Hill Solar project was deemed complete on November 18, 2024 with a draft permit issued by ORES on January 14, 2025. This solar power project meaningfully advances New York’s clean energy goals while establishing the State as a paradigm for efficient, transparent, and thorough siting permitting process of major renewable energy facilities.

    Today’s decisions may be obtained by going to the ORES website.

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “By strengthening New York’s energy economy, we position ourselves to not only meet the growing electricity demand, but to do so sustainably. The solar array in Madison County brings us one step closer in reaching our climate and energy goals. Each major renewable energy project helps deliver the critical climate action that our state urgently needs, while also creating hundreds of local jobs and new revenue for community priorities. At a time where the federal government threatens progress on clean energy, New York remains unwavering in its provision of renewable and efficient energy for years to come.”

    New York State’s Climate Agenda
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How China’s green transition is reshaping ethnic minority communities

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Reza Hasmath, Professor in Political Science, University of Alberta

    China has emerged as a global front-runner in the fight against climate change, with sweeping policies aimed at curbing environmental degradation and building a more sustainable future.

    Yet behind these green ambitions lies a more complicated human story. Ethnic minority communities — who make up roughly nine per cent of China’s total population and often inhabit ecologically sensitive regions like Tibet, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Inner Mongolia — are experiencing the transition in ways that involve significant trade-offs.

    Where they live, how they work and the cultural practices they depend on have all been shaped by state environmental policies, often without meaningful input or representation.

    My ongoing research examines the lesser seen consequences of China’s environmental agenda, focusing on how it affects the lives of ethnic minority communities across four critical dimensions: traditional livelihoods, internal migration, economic well-being and cultural identity.

    Disruptions to traditional livelihoods

    For centuries, many ethnic minorities in China have built their livelihoods around the land. Tibetan nomadic herders, Uyghur and Kazakh farmers and communities like the Yi, Qiang or Tu have long depended on agriculture, grazing and forest products not just for economic survival, but as a way of life deeply tied to ancestral customs and ecological knowledge.

    That fabric is now fraying. Climate change, rising temperatures and desertification have degraded pasturelands in Tibet and farmland in Xinjiang, undermining herding and agriculture.

    At the same time, state policies like the Grain for Green program, which converts farmland into forest to reduce erosion, have displaced upland farmers and restricted access to traditional lands.

    These disruptions are compounded by restrictions on small-scale logging and non-timber forest product collection. These practices have long sustained communities such as the Hani, Dai and Yi.

    Although these initiatives aim for environmental conservation, they often lack provisions for alternative livelihood options, rendering affected ethnic minority communities vulnerable to economic hardship.

    Internal migration

    As China’s environmental and development policies reshape rural regions, ethnic minority communities are increasingly affected by internal migration. Some ethnic minority families move voluntarily for work, while others are displaced by large-scale infrastructure or conservation projects.

    In Tibet, expanded rail and road networks have boosted trade, but contributed to the migration of herding communities. In Yunnan, dam construction has displaced villages inhabited by ethnic groups such as the Nu, Lisu, Hani and Bai, often with minimal consultation.

    Relocation into urban areas introduces new pressures: overcrowded infrastructure, limited services and increased competition for employment. These conditions can exacerbate the marginalization of ethnic minorities and heighten social tensions.

    The effects are especially stark in Xinjiang. Uyghur communities have been relocated to new urban zones where efforts framed as economic development often fracture social structures and push assimilation.

    Coupled with securitization measures, such transitions risk eroding cultural identity and deepening socio-economic disparities, particularly among ethnic minority women.

    Ultimately, internal migration fragments extended family networks, an essential characteristic for many ethnic minority cultures. Without inclusive planning, these relocations can entrench the very inequities that sustainability efforts seek to address.

    A double-edged economy

    Green transition policies promise new livelihoods through eco-tourism, conservation work and renewable energy sectors. For some communities, these transitions have created new pathways.

    Pilot programs in ecologically sensitive zones such as Qinghai have involved Tibetan herders as conservation workers, combining ecological protection with livelihood maintenance.

    These examples remain exceptions. Most affected communities lack training and access to green jobs. The Grain for Green program offers short-term land conversion subsidies, but little in the way of long-term retraining. As a result, some households plunge deeper into poverty after losing access to their farmland or pasture.

    Ironically, relocated families sometimes end up in low-paid construction jobs tied to the very projects that displaced them. This circular dependency — displaced by green projects, then employed in their construction — offers no route to upward mobility and deepens socio-economic marginalization.

    Cultural displacement

    Perhaps the most intangible impact of China’s green transition is cultural. In many ethnic minority communities, livelihoods are intertwined with the environment; rituals follow the seasons and sacred sites mark the land.

    Conservation bans and resettlement disrupt ancestral customs and erase mobility patterns, as seen with the sedentarization of Tibetan nomads.

    Eco-tourism campaigns and “heritage villages” try to preserve culture. However, they often turn it into a spectacle. Traditions become performances curated for tourists, while the deeper practices — language, inter-generational teaching and land-based rituals — fade.

    Well-meaning efforts to promote ethnic minority festivals in the name of boosting tourism have also sometimes led to the standardization of diverse traditions into single narratives, minimizing internal variation in customs and flattening community voices.

    A more inclusive green transition?

    There is no doubt that China’s climate ambition is transforming its economy and the daily lives of millions. From the Tibetan Plateau to the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang and across the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia, environmental protection is impacting the people whose lives are rooted in these fragile ecosystems.

    Making this transition equitable means ensuring ethnic minorities shape, not merely receive, state policy. That includes integrating local ecological knowledge into conservation planning, providing long-term training for displaced populations and ensuring that relocation compensation reflects economic losses, as well as social and cultural costs.

    China frames its environmental vision through the concept of “ecological civilization,” a philosophy rooted in Confucian ideals and socialist principles that seeks to harmonize human development with nature. At its best, this model aspires to align economic growth with ecological balance.

    For ecological civilization to fulfil its promise, it must be inclusive and prioritize cultural rights alongside environmental goals. Environmental policymakers must recognize that sustainability is about both reducing emissions and preserving the dignity, heritage and agency of all communities.

    China’s green transition has the potential to be a global model. To lead by example, however, it must confront not only the climate crisis, but also the deeper challenge of inclusion.

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

    – ref. How China’s green transition is reshaping ethnic minority communities – https://theconversation.com/how-chinas-green-transition-is-reshaping-ethnic-minority-communities-259793

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Introduces Bill to Reform FEMA 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    Welch’s Disaster AID Act filed on the anniversaries of Vermont’s July 2023 and July 2024 floods  
    Legislation would cut red tape and improve processes for FEMA’s Public Assistance and long-term recovery efforts 
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today introduced the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act, new legislation to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Senator Welch filed the Disaster AID Act on the anniversary of the July 2023 and July 2024 floods in Vermont. The bill was inspired and shaped by the disaster recovery experiences of communities around the you saw a lot of agonized republicans they all voted for it but a lot of across Vermont. 
    Senator Welch’s bill will cut red tape at FEMA and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The bill will support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns and expedite funding for disaster response. 
    “FEMA does lifesaving and important work after a disaster, but we need to find a way to fix the agency so it works better to help communities recover in the weeks, months, and years after a disaster. Vermont saw it firsthand: there’s too much red tape, and the long-term recovery process is inefficient,” said Senator Welch when he unveiled the bill. “My commonsense bill is inspired by the experiences of flood-impacted Vermont communities that had to wait too long—and jump through far too many hoops—to get the federal support needed to build back after a disaster.”   
    Last week, Senator Welch visited with Vermonters and community leaders impacted by the July 2023 and July 2024 floods across Vermont—including in Killington, Ludlow, Weston, Barre and Montpelier.   
    Over the course of consecutive summers in July 2023 and July 2024, Vermont experienced severe storms which caused catastrophic flooding, washouts, and mudslides. Homes, farms, businesses, and public infrastructure were destroyed, and communities were left reeling. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction, FEMA provided lifesaving on-the-ground assistance, working with local organizations and the state. In the long-term, however, FEMA’s response has not met the needs of communities.   
    Many of Vermont’s towns operate with limited resources and lack the administrative capacity needed to navigate the complex web of federal disaster assistance—especially in the aftermath of a brutal flood. FEMA has failed to provide necessary support and burdensome FEMA policies have slowed or blocked communities from accessing federal funds. Towns were not empowered to capitalize on their understanding of conditions on the ground. To make matters worse, under the Trump Administration, communities must now contend with uncertain federal funding streams, including for reimbursement of projects already approved and under way.  
    Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act will cut red tape and ease cumbersome requirements that restrict state and local governments from tailoring solutions to local circumstances. The bill will also provide technical and financial resources for small towns and communities that lack administrative capacity, and restrain future administrations from arbitrarily turning off the funding spigot for communities in the midst of disaster recovery.  
    The Disaster AID Act is supported by leaders across Vermont, including Vermont Governor Phil Scott; Kristin Atwood, Barton Town Clerk; Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns; Michele Braun, Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River; Chris Campany, Executive Director of the Windham Regional Commission, and Chair of the VAPDA Emergency Management Committee; Jon Copans, Executive Director, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience; Ben Doyle, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont; Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC); Thom Lauzon, Mayor of Barre City; Kristen Leahy, Zoning and Floodplain Administrator and Resilience & Adaption Coordinator for Hardwick; Jim Linville, Selectboard Vice Chair and Recovery Director of Weston; Julie Moore, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; Stephanie Smith, Vermont Hazard Mitigation Officer; Justin Smith, Municipal Administrator for the Town of Lyndon; and Beverley Wemple, Director of the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute.   
    “After facing devastating floods over the last two summers, Vermonters have seen firsthand, the value of federal support and assistance from FEMA workers. However, we’ve also experienced gaps between response and recovery, and we need to make changes that better support responders on the ground and those trying to rebuild. I appreciate Senator Welch taking on the challenge to create an expedited, more efficient, and flexible emergency management system,” said Governor Phil Scott.  
    “The Town of Barton, Vermont, has been hit two years in a row on the same date by disastrous flooding. The unknowns of funding around that have us delaying needed normal maintenance until FEMA funds are received to cover flooding repairs, and slowing down the repairs to make sure those funds flow in before the next project is underway. This unknown funding element has the Town worrying as we look to the future instead of confident FEMA will have our backs. Our ability to prepare for and mitigate the next storm is significantly impacted by our unwillingness to overextend ourselves in case FEMA funding does not come through. This puts us at greater risk of damage if another storm were to come before we have completed recovery from the prior two,” said Kristin Atwood, Barton Town Clerk.   
    “Vermont municipalities can’t prepare for or recover from a disaster without the federal government’s help. Nearly every municipal leader impacted by recent flooding in Vermont has told me that FEMA has been difficult to work with. I’m pleased to see Senator Welch proposing reforms to address these concerns. The ballooning federal bureaucracy, rotating FEMA staff, inconsistent funding, and requirement to take on debt have combined to make recovering from the flooding here in Vermont another disaster. The Disaster AID Act addresses these challenges by providing technical assistance to municipalities before a disaster hits, providing disaster aid immediately to reduce the debt towns need to take on, and cutting down on the red tape communities need to navigate to access federal assistance,” said Ted Brady, Executive Director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.   
    “Having helped dozens of towns to recover from devastating floods, we know firsthand that FEMA’s procedures are a barrier to accessing critical funds. Friends of the Winooski River appreciates Senator Welch’s efforts to improve access to the resources our communities desperately need for flood recovery and future health and safety,” said Michele Braun, Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River.  
    “FEMA provides critical resources and structure for disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, but it needs reform to make it work better for people and their communities. I don’t think there’s disagreement there, including among FEMA rank and file personnel. Congress needs to act. What is needed, and what this bill would do, is build state and local capacity to prepare, mitigate, respond, and recover while making more efficient and effective use of federal resources,” said Chris Campany, Executive Director of the Windham Regional Commission, and Chair of the Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies (VAPDA) Emergency Management Committee.  
    “While it is far from perfect, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has repeatedly proven to be a critical part of disaster response here in Central Vermont.  I commend Senator Peter Welch for his efforts to improve FEMA’s process and provide support to small municipalities as we struggle to navigate the bureaucracy to help our communities recover.  The Disaster Assistance and Decentralization Act takes important steps to reform and strengthen federal disaster response so that cities and towns across the country can recover more quickly and make critical investments in future resilience,” said Jon Copans, Executive Director, Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience.  
    “One thing that became clear very quickly after the 2023 flood is that if you’ve seen one small town dealing with a disaster, you’ve seen one small town dealing with a disaster. The impacts on homes, businesses, and infrastructure, were all significant, but they were different depending on the community—and the capacity of municipalities to respond and support residents varied widely. While FEMA representatives were on the ground and well-intentioned, the truth is they were often more prepared to tell people what they couldn’t do because of regulations than to help them rebuild their lives. We need the federal government to meet people where they are—regardless of the size of the community or the scale of the disaster—and provide tailored technical assistance, financial support, and, most importantly, hope.” said Ben Doyle, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont.  
    “We are very appreciative of Senator Welch’s proposal to reform FEMA and how it interacts with Vermonters. His proposal explicitly enables regional planning commissions to work as agents of municipalities when interacting with FEMA. We were pleased to offer this idea and even more pleased to help our communities,” said Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC).   
    “The City of Barre was hit hard by the 2023 and 2024 floods, and we are grateful to the many people who have and continue to help us rebuild better and stronger. While we’ve made significant progress, there’s much more work to be done. We are grateful to Senator Welch for proposing a commonsense solution that would provide technical assistance, simplified procedures and support for long-term resiliency to municipalities that are in need. We need to fix FEMA, not kill it,” said Thom Lauzon, Mayor of Barre City.   
    “Hardwick has faced devastating impacts from back-to-back floods in 2023 and 2024, with repeated damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure along the Lamoille River. One example is 41 Brush Street, a residential property now hanging precariously over the riverbank due to severe erosion. The home is slated for a FEMA-funded buyout, and additional stabilization is needed to protect surrounding properties. FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program is essential for communities like ours, not only for rebuilding but for implementing long-term solutions that reduce future risk. Without sustained and accessible funding, rural towns will be left in a cycle of damage and short-term fixes. Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act provides a path toward more timely and effective recovery, especially for Vermont’s hardest-hit towns,” said Kristen Leahy, Zoning and Floodplain Administrator and Resilience & Adaption Coordinator for Hardwick.  
    “The support for small towns in Senator Welch’s Disaster AID Act is crucial in enabling towns in Vermont and nationwide to obtain the expert assistance they require in responding to disasters, as well as identifying, designing and funding mitigation projects. Five months after the July 2023 flood in Weston, we applied for and received an MTAP grant that allowed us to retain professional help to guide us through the grant maze and get a head start on modeling the flooding and designing mitigation projects. Our hope is that with passage of the Disaster AID Act, this sort of assistance will be available soon after the next (inevitable) disaster event so our town fathers and mothers aren’t wringing their hands trying to figure out what to do, how to do it and how to pay for it,” said Jim Linville, Selectboard Vice Chair and Recovery Director of Weston.  
    “Vermont has experienced multiple federally-declared disasters since 2023 which laid bare Vermont municipalities’ need for additional technical assistance,” said ANR Secretary Julie Moore. “The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization Act would help fill this critical need. In particular, we are grateful to Sen. Welch for his continued efforts to simplify procedures for complex relocation projects for critical facilities, such as the wastewater treatment facilities in Johnson, Hardwick and Ludlow – all of which have experienced repeated flood damage.”  
    “The BRIC program greatly improved Vermont’s ability to do the planning and scoping work necessary in order to develop important flood reduction projects in our communities,” said Stephanie Smith, Vermont Hazard Mitigation Section Chief. “This legislation represents a fundamental shift in the way we administer hazard mitigation funding that would allow us to successfully and efficiently utilize federal resources to reduce future flood risk in Vermont.”  
    “Like many rural towns in Vermont, Lyndon is not blessed with a large staff to handle the volume of paperwork required to receive funding from FEMA when a disaster occurs.  Many towns in rural Vermont are not even fortunate enough to have a Municipal Administrator or Manager in place to handle the paper trail and are forced to rely solely on volunteers in their community. We understand and support the necessity of ensuring that funds are being properly spent and accounted for.  However, there is a strong need to create a system where communities have one point of contact throughout the entirety of a declared disaster. Small Vermont communities such as ours, do not have the resources or the personnel work hours to start and re-start the process of disaster re-imbursement from scratch because a FEMA PDMG has reached their 50-week time limit and must move on,” said Justin Smith, Municipal Administrator for the Town of Lyndon. “Taking away a single employee from their normal day to day responsibilities to devote to disaster recovery severely understaffs any rural community, and extending this length of time attempting to get a new PDMG or multiple PDMGs up to speed is time and money that rural communities don’t have the luxury of wasting.”  
    “The Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act will provide critical assistance to communities impacted by flooding and other disasters. The bill’s provisions will get assistance into the hands of those who need it more rapidly following disasters. In Vermont and communities across the country, investments in hazard mitigation projects enabled by the Act, like reconnecting rivers to floodplains that store and dissipate the energy of floodwaters, will make communities safer and ensure we are prepared for the future in a way that also supports healthy ecosystems,” said Beverley Wemple, Director of the University of Vermont’s Water Resources Institute. “Thank you, Senator Welch, for introducing this important piece of legislation that will support all Americans in meeting the challenges of future natural disasters.”  
    • • •  
    Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his piece, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process.    
    In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.   
    Learn more about the Disaster AID Act.  
    Read a section-by-section summary of the Disaster AID Act.  
    Read the bill text of the Disaster AID Act. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After Calls from Senator Budd, USDA Opens Aid Applications for Farmers to Receive Natural Disaster Recovery Assistance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened applications for natural disaster recovery assistance for farmers. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).

    “Our farmers are the lifeblood of our nation, sustaining our communities and our economy. When severe weather events, like Hurricane Helene, and drought struck North Carolina last year, it devastated our crops and shattered countless livelihoods. Unfortunately, this tragic pattern repeats itself whenever major natural disasters strike. Without swift disaster relief, agricultural producers face the stark reality of downsizing or closing their operations altogether. This is why I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for ensuring that critical aid reaches our farmers, in North Carolina and across the country, helping them recover and continue feeding America,” said Senator Budd.

    BACKGROUND

    In March, Senator Budd led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the USDA urging the department to expedite the rulemaking process on administering disaster relief aid for farmers, which was provided by Congress in December 2024. A lack of clarity in the federal government’s rulemaking process for natural disaster programs threatened the ability of farmers to fully utilize the allocated aid. In the letter, Senator Budd called on the Trump administration to ensure a fair and efficient disbursement of federal dollars for rural Americans to access emergency funding.

    In May, Senator Budd received news that his effort was successful when the USDA released a plan to get critical aid to agricultural producers impacted by natural disasters.

    ***

    Applications for Supplemental Disaster Assistance for agricultural producers open today, July 10, 2025.

    The SDRP will aid eligible producers for necessary expenses due to losses of revenue, quality, or production of crops due to weather-related events in 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering SDRP assistance in two stages. Producers can receive payments in both stages, if applicable, and for one or both years, depending on losses.

    For more information, please visit: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to New Jersey Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in New Jersey of the Aug. 11 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring June 8, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the New Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem; Kent and New Castle counties in Delaware as well as Delaware and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania.

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug. 11, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Farmsent Reveals its Superapp: A Swiss Knife dApp for Smart Agriculture with Wallet Abstraction and .grow Domains

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Jakarta, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Farmsent, a leading innovator in agricultural blockchain technology, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking Farmsent Superapp — a one-stop-shop dApp for farmers around the world. The Superapp is designed as a comprehensive toolkit for farmers, handling everything from onboarding and managing their commodities for sale to facilitating payment receipt for their produce and managing day-to-day microtransactions. This intuitive, non-custodial mobile application seamlessly integrates cutting-edge Web3 functionalities, including on-chain wallet abstraction powered by Arcana, and .grow Web3 domains, bringing unprecedented simplicity and security to agricultural trade.

    The Farmsent Superapp works as a powerful non-custodial wallet that ensures farmers retain full control over their digital assets, a core principle of Web3 empowerment. For its initial launch, the Superapp supports the peaq, Polygon, and Ethereum networks, enabling broad interoperability across the decentralized ecosystem.

    A cornerstone of the Superapp’s user experience is its integrated on-chain wallet abstraction, powered by Arcana. This innovative solution dramatically simplifies the complex world of crypto wallets by allowing farmers to log in using familiar methods like email or Google login, abstracting away the need for traditional seed phrases and private key management. This lowers the barrier to entry for millions of farmers, enabling seamless participation in the digital agricultural economy.

    Farmsent, a groundbreaking blockchain-based platform, is revolutionizing agriculture by empowering farmers directly. Having already onboarded over 200,000 farmers, it cuts out intermediaries, ensuring they receive fairer prices for their produce and gain control over their livelihoods. By integrating real-time data from soil sensors and weather stations, alongside transparent Decentralized Product Passports (DePPs), all available via the Superapp, Farmsent optimizes crop management and builds consumer trust. The platform also focuses on financial inclusion and streamlined logistics, fostering a thriving, farmer-centric ecosystem, with an ambitious goal of onboarding 2 million farmers by 2026.

    “Our vision at Farmsent has always been to empower farmers by bringing them directly into the modern economic landscape, cutting out unnecessary middlemen and ensuring fair value for their hard work,” said Sim Khela, Co-founder of Farmsent. “The Farmsent Superapp, with its intuitive design and robust Web3 integrations, is a monumental step towards achieving that. It’s technology serving humanity, putting food security front and center.”

    The Superapp further enhances user experience through the integration of .grow Web3 domains. Farmers can use easy-to-remember, human-readable domain names (e.g., ‘yog.grow’) linked directly to their decentralized wallet, simplifying transactions and making digital payments as straightforward as sending an email.

    Sandy Carter, COO of Unstoppable Domains, added, “The integration of .grow domains into the Farmsent Superapp is a perfect example of how Web3 domains create a truly user-friendly and inclusive internet. Giving farmers a simple, memorable ‘.grow’ identity to manage their digital assets and transactions is key to mass adoption and building the future of decentralized agriculture.”

    Budi, an Indonesian farmer, one of the 600 people currently using the beta version of the Superapp, shared his excitement: “Before, crypto wallets seemed very complicated, with long addresses and seed phrases. With the Farmsent Superapp, I just log in with my email, and it’s so easy to manage my sales and receive payments. Using my ‘.grow’ address makes it even simpler for buyers. This truly helps me focus on what I do best: farming.”

    Mayur Relekar, Founder of Arcana, praised the collaboration: “Arcana is thrilled to see our wallet abstraction SDK being utilized to onboard farmers onto the Web3 ecosystem through the Farmsent Superapp. Our goal is to make Web3 accessible to everyone, and by abstracting away the complexities of traditional crypto, Farmsent is pioneering financial inclusion for a vital global industry.”

    The Farmsent Superapp promises to deliver unparalleled transparency, efficiency, and empowerment to the agricultural sector, showcasing the transformative potential of Web3 technologies in addressing real-world challenges.

    *** END OF THE PRESS RELEASE ***

    About Farmsent: Farmsent revolutionizes agriculture by combining a cutting-edge blockchain platform with advanced agricultural technology solutions. Their platform directly connects farmers and buyers, fostering transparency, sustainability, and fair trade. Simultaneously, their innovative sensors and data analytics provide real-time insights for optimized crop management and efficiency. By ensuring traceability and fair pricing, Farmsent empowers farmers, builds consumer trust, and promotes a more ethical and sustainable food system.

    For more information, visit Farmsent, follow farmsent on Twitter/X for updates, and join the conversation on Discord.

    About Arcana Network: Arcana Network is a full-stack platform for Web3 app development, offering modular SDKs that enable seamless onboarding, identity, and privacy solutions. Their wallet abstraction solutions make Web3 accessible to mainstream users by simplifying wallet management and transactions.

    www.arcana.network

    About Unstoppable Domains: Unstoppable Domains is a leading platform for Web3 domains, building decentralized digital identities for users on the blockchain. These domains simplify crypto addresses, replace complex usernames, and provide universal login across Web3 applications.

    www.unstoppabledomains.com

    About peaq

    peaq is the Machine Economy computer and operating system leading a global infrastructure revolution, empowering people to own and earn from the devices, robots, vehicles, and infrastructure they use. peaq is designed to be the go-to backbone for the human-centric Machine Economy, and is already home to more than 60 applications in 20+ industries and to the millions of devices and machines that run on them. peaq serves as permissionless, borderless digital infrastructure for increasingly intelligent machines to serve all of humanity in the Age of AI and automation. An economy that anyone can opt-in to and share in the Age of Abundance.

    For more information, visit peaq or follow peaq on Twitter/X for updates.

    For Media Inquiries: Sim Khela Co-Founder, Farmsent sim@farmsent.io

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Child hospitalised as bird flu cases climb in Cambodia

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Divya Venkatesh, BBSRC Discovery Fellow, University of Oxford

    Tom…foto/Shutterstock.com

    Cambodia’s Ministry of Health recently confirmed the country’s twelfth human case of H5N1 avian influenza so far this year. The patient, a five-year-old boy from Kampot province, is currently in intensive care with severe respiratory symptoms.

    The announcement, on July 3, came just days after a 19-month-old child in neighbouring Takeo province died from the same virus.

    To date, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission. But the steady increase in cases has renewed attention to the risks posed by H5N1. This highly pathogenic bird flu virus spreads rapidly among poultry and occasionally jumps to humans – often with deadly consequences.

    Since 2003, there have been at least 954 reported human infections globally, nearly half of them fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Experts have long considered H5N1 a serious pandemic threat due to its high mortality rate and potential to evolve.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The recent Cambodian cases are linked to the 2.3.2.1e lineage of H5N1 (previously known as 2.3.2.1c), a strain that has circulated for decades in poultry across Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. From 2005 to 2014, Cambodia saw sporadic but severe human infections – then almost a decade passed without new cases.

    That changed in 2023 when six human cases were reported. The numbers have since climbed: ten in 2024, and now 12 in the first half of 2025. Of these recent infections, at least 12 – about 43% – have been fatal. A troubling pattern is also emerging: seven of this year’s cases occurred in June alone, according to the WHO’s latest Disease Outbreak News update.

    Animal pandemic

    Globally, however, a different H5N1 lineage – 2.3.4.4b – has dominated in recent years. This strain sparked a devastating wave of avian outbreaks starting in 2021, sweeping across continents and decimating wild bird and poultry populations. It also spread to mammals, leading scientists to label it an “animal pandemic”.

    Although it no longer causes mass die-offs, 2.3.4.4b remains widespread and dangerous, particularly because of its capacity to infect mammals. It has been linked to about 70 human cases in the US alone, with only one death recorded so far, and is under investigation for suspected mammal-to-mammal transmission in species, including US dairy cattle and seals.

    Bird flu strain 2.3.4.4b is suspected of mammal-to-mammal transmission.
    BearFotos/Shutterstock

    Influenza viruses are notoriously prone to genetic reassortment – a process by which two or more strains infect the same host and exchange genetic material. These events can sometimes generate new, more transmissible or deadly variants. In April 2024, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported the emergence of a reassortant virus in Vietnam. This new strain combines surface proteins from the long-standing 2.3.2.1e virus with internal genes from the globally dominant 2.3.4.4b.

    Evidence suggests that this reassortant virus may be driving the rise in Cambodian human infections.

    A 2024 study, which has not yet undergone peer review, found that the new virus carries genetic markers that could enhance its ability to infect humans – although it is not yet considered human-adapted. According to the study’s authors, this reassortant form has become the predominant strain found in poultry across the region in recent years.

    So far, all confirmed human cases in Cambodia have been linked to direct contact with infected or dead poultry – often in small, rural backyards. This suggests that the country’s “one health” strategy, which aims to integrate human, animal and environmental health responses, is functioning as intended. Although some gaps clearly remain.

    Food safety and food security remain serious concerns across much of Cambodia and south-east Asia. Limited veterinary oversight, informal poultry markets, lack of compensation for poultry losses due to disease, and poor biosecurity may offer the virus opportunities to persist and evolve – and potentially reach more people.

    Since the COVID pandemic, advances in disease surveillance and reporting have made it easier to detect and confirm human infections, Dr Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran, head of the Pathogen Evolution Lab at Hong Kong University, told me over email. However, he notes that surveillance remains heavily concentrated in urban areas and the commercial poultry sector, while rural settings and interactions with wild birds are poorly monitored.

    Expanding surveillance to these overlooked areas will be vital, he says, if the world hopes to better understand – and prepare for – the next potential influenza pandemic.

    Divya Venkatesh receives funding from BBSRC.

    – ref. Child hospitalised as bird flu cases climb in Cambodia – https://theconversation.com/child-hospitalised-as-bird-flu-cases-climb-in-cambodia-260565

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria: Violence and widespread displacement leave Benue facing a humanitarian disaster

    Source: APO


    .

    • At least 510,182 internally displaced people (IDPs) across Benue state
    • Dire conditions in IDP camps
    • Children and pregnant women amongst most vulnerable

    The Nigerian authorities must take urgent steps to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the central state of Benue where attacks by gunmen have displaced at least 500,000 people, many of whom are languishing in squalid camps without access to sufficient water, poor sanitation, food and healthcare, Amnesty International said today.

    In the most recent attack on 14 June, gunmen raided the town of Yelewata, killing more than 100 people and forcing over 3,941 more to flee their homes. The smell of decomposing bodies hung in the air during a visit to the affected community by Amnesty International in the aftermath of the attacks. Signs of the recent violence were unmistakable with bullet shells littering the ground, and mass graves that had been newly dug to bury the dead.

    Survivors were seen carrying bags of grain, bundles of firewood and other household items as they sought safety and shelter in camps for internally displaced persons (IDP). According to interviews with IDPs in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum, Kwande, Logo, Guma and Makurdi IDP camps, as well as a makeshift IDP camp at Makurdi Modern Market, communities who come under attack are often left to fend for themselves with security forces only arriving long after the gunmen had left.

    “The Nigerian authorities have failed the people of Benue state again and again. Rampant attacks by gunmen have deprived thousands of people of their rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, freedom of movement and access to livelihoods. Survivors of these harrowing attacks face the fresh torment of being displaced in overcrowded, unhygienic camps where disease runs rampant and essentials such as  food and clean water are scarce,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

    “The situation risks creating a humanitarian disaster, which the authorities must urgently address by ensuring that people’s essential needs are met by providing desperately needed aid.”

    Besides interviews with IDPs, Amnesty International also spoke to camps officials, medical workers and non-governmental organizations in the affected areas. It found that communities across Benue state, including Gwer West, Gwer-East, Agatu, Apa, Ukum, Kwande, Logo,and Guma, continue to face a brutal pattern of violence.

    This is typically unleashed at night, although daytime attacks also occur, with gunmen systematically overrunning villages, using firearms to carry out indiscriminate or targeted killings from a distance. This is accompanied by brutal close-range violence with machetes and knives used to inflict grievous injuries, including hand amputations.

    Misery of the IDP camps

    As of 31 December 2024, an estimated 500,182 people had fled to IDPs camps in Benue state to escape years of attacks by gunmen. More than 10,000 additional people have been displaced since the start of 2025 following attacks on communities in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum (Gbagir), Kwande (Anwase), Logo, and Guma (Yelewata, Agan, and Gbajimba), among others.

    Amnesty International’s visits to IDP camps reveal wholly inadequate shelter, exposing IDPs to harsh weather, overcrowding, and heightened risks of disease, as well as gender-based violence, including rape and domestic violence.

    Access to healthcare is also a major challenge in the IDP camps with a lack of treatment for the most common diseases and ailments, such as malaria, typhoid, and stomach ulcers. According to a camp official, births occur almost daily in the IDP camps, with many pregnant women requiring medical attention but also contracting infections because of inadequate hygiene facilities.

    An IDP told Amnesty International: “If we don’t get drugs, we just sit and watch the sick person helplessly.”

    Many children are unable to exercise their right to an education in the camps.

    “Our children no longer go to school and there are no arrangements by the authorities to teach children in the IDP camp. The government should bring an end to insecurity in our local government area and Benue state. Before that, provide us with food and proper shelter at the IDP camps,” an IDP told Amnesty International.

    A camp official told Amnesty International that a makeshift school built in one of the camps had been shut down for over three years because camp authorities could not continue paying ad-hoc teachers their stipends. 

    There are hundreds of minors who fled their homes due to attacks and now live without parental care. The children were separated from their families while fleeing attacks on their villages and communities. The authorities have been unable to provide these vulnerable children with a safe place to live and essential services. Two female IDPs told Amnesty International:

    “When we arrived, they [my children] left. I do not know where they have gone. I can’t speak with them; I don’t have a phone….I have 8 children and because we do not have enough space here in the IDP camp, many of them have left me and I do not know where they are.”

    Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate steps to provide sufficient and accessible humanitarian support to the survivors of these attacks. Authorities must take steps to domesticate and effectively implement the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons within the country’s legal system.

    “The authorities’ persistent failure to hold suspected perpetrators to account is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Authorities must now end the growing culture of impunity for these attacks.”

    “We call on the authorities to ensure that all people displaced because of the attacks in Benue state are provided with adequate relief, including protection, shelter, food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare. Authorities must ensure that all people who have suffered losses from the crisis are also provided with adequate compensation,” said Isa Sanusi.

    Background

    Amnesty International Nigeria has been monitoring the escalating bandit attacks and clashes between herders and farmers in Benue state since 2016. In 2020, the organization investigated the authorities’ failure to protect rural communities from attacks, and in 2025, it investigated the mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups.

    Nigeria is state party to a number of treaties that guarantee the human rights of everybody in the country regardless of the circumstances. This includes the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which requires Nigerian authorities to ensure equal access to amongst others the rights to housing, health, food, water, sanitation and education.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Benin: Launch of the third edition of the information and awareness campaign for women small-scale cross-border traders along the Abidjan – Lagos corridor

    Source: APO

    On Tuesday 8th of July 2025, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Department of Human Development and Social Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, officially launched the Cotonou stage of the third edition of the information and awareness-raising campaign for women small-scale cross-border traders along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.

    The aim of this initiative is to build on the achievements of previous events held on the Tema-Paga and Dakar-Banjul-Bissau corridors. The aim is to increase women traders’ knowledge of the legislation governing cross-border trade, existing Community initiatives and the tools developed for them, particularly in terms of border transparency and the fight against gender-based violence.

    In Cotonou, the activities began with field visits, notably to the modern market and to an SME run by a woman entrepreneur specialising in the manufacture of cosmetic products distributed nationally and sub-regionally. A visit to the Sèmè-Kraké juxtaposed control post is also planned, with a view to reinforcing exchanges between the various players involved.

    The official launch ceremony was held at the Golden Tulip hotel. It was co-chaired by Benin’s Ministries of Social Affairs and Microfinance, and of Industry and Trade. It was also attended by Her Excellency Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, and His Excellency Amadou DIONGUE, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin.

    Other participants included the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance, the Director of the ECOWAS National Office in Benin, representatives of the Cotonou Chamber of Commerce, associations of small-scale cross-border traders, and technical and financial partners.

    This third edition marks a major step forward in the ECOWAS’ commitment to the economic empowerment of women and to improving the fluidity of cross-border trade in the West African region.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Stakeholder Support for the Big, Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Stakeholder Support for the Big, Beautiful Bill Act

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, President Trump signed H.R. 1, the Big, Beautiful Bill Act, into law. This legislation delivers tax relief for working families and small businesses, protects nuclear energy investments, and strengthens the agriculture industry. 

    Here’s what they are saying about the Big, Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1): 

    Michelle Hennings, Executive Director, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, said, “We want to recognize Congressman Newhouse’s efforts to make sure our growers have the support they need to continue supplying the nation and the world with top quality wheat. The increase in the wheat reference price will more closely match the actual cost of production, giving much-needed support to growers who are struggling to make a profit when prices are low. We are also appreciative of the Congressman’s work to protect crop insurance, making it more affordable for farmers to adequately cover their crops in the face of drought or other natural disasters.” 

    Bob Schuetz, CEO, Energy Northwest, said, “I am pleased that Congress acknowledges the key role of nuclear power for America’s energy future. While policymaking involves hard choices, Representative Newhouse has consistently championed the U.S. as a leader in advanced nuclear technology. I am excited about actively pursuing the expansion of carbon-free and reliable electricity, marking the next chapter for nuclear energy in America.” 

    Former Congressman Rodney Davis, Head of Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said, “The One Big Beautiful Bill not only prevented the largest tax increase on the American people in history, it made permanent critical pro-growth provisions that will enable businesses of all sizes, especially small businesses, to grow and thrive. This will strengthen America’s economy and result in greater economic prosperity for all. We thank Congressman Newhouse for his leadership and for supporting this crucial legislation.” 

    David Reeploeg, Vice President for Federal Programs, TRIDEC, said, “Congressman Newhouse worked incredibly hard to prevent nuclear energy tax credits from being removed from H.R. 1. Retaining these tax credits will help our existing nuclear energy facilities while also supporting advanced nuclear development, which is an area where we see huge opportunities for the Tri-Cities. Not only do the power plants create direct jobs, they also provide the baseload energy needed to attract industry and create even more family wage jobs. We sincerely appreciate Congressman Newhouse’s understanding of how important these tax credits, and nuclear energy, are for his district.” 

    Ted Tschirky, 2025 President, National Potato Council, and grower from Pasco, said, “We give great credit to Congressman Newhouse and the Chairmen of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees for taking the opportunity to deliver on key priorities for the specialty crop industry. The tax certainty provided by the bill, coupled with the historic enhancements in essential Farm Bill programs serving specialty crops will significantly improve our competitiveness against foreign competition well into the future.” 

    Clay Sell, CEO, X-energy, said, “For next-generation advanced nuclear companies, tax credits are more than just financial incentives—they’re a catalyst for market entry. For early movers, these credits significantly reduce capital risk, unlock private investment, and enable us to compete on a level footing with other energy technologies. Without them, commercialization slows and investor confidence erodes. With them, we’re positioned to scale faster and deliver reliable, always-on abundant power to the market.” 

    Bill Lampson, Chairman and CEO, Lampson International LLC, said, “Congressman Dan Newhouse’s support of the Big Beautiful Bill was essential for all Americans to avoid the Largest Tax Hike in history, which would have crippled future investments of all types. In our case, we have watched the construction industry struggle with the high cost of overly burdensome regulations, costly and lengthy permitting process and high taxes of all types.  The Big Beautiful Bill will allow the construction industry to flourish and create real jobs for many that would have otherwise gone without opportunity.   We are so thankful to have a Congressman who truly cares about the ability of his constituents to make a decent living and care for their families.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newhouse Statement on Secretary of Agriculture Joining CFIUS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Newhouse Statement on Secretary of Agriculture Joining CFIUS

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding placing the United States Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

    “Over the past few years, we have learned about the significant threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to our supply chains and economy here at home. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, I have worked to ensure the CCP does not take roots on American farmland and around sensitive national security sites. Today, I’m encouraged to see the Secretary of Agriculture finally take a seat at the CFIUS table, and I look forward to working with Secretary Brooke Rollins to keep the CCP out of our backyards and away from American farms.” 

    This Memorandum between the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Agriculture implements a provision Rep. Newhouse secured in the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to add the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS.

    Specifically, it implements Section 787 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42).  

    Read the Memorandum here. 

    Background 

    Rep. Newhouse has led the effort in Congress to add the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS. 

    In addition to securing the provision in the appropriations legislation, Rep. Newhouse passed a bill out of the House of Representatives in September 2024 to add the Secretary to CFIUS. 

    In addition to securing the provision in the appropriations legislation, Rep. Newhouse passed a bill out of the House of Representatives in September 2024 to add the Secretary to CFIUS. 

    Rep. Newhouse is a founding member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party tasked working on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by the CCP and develop a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy, and our values. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, WY Delegation Introduce Legislation to Modernize Wyoming School Trust Fund Investments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
    Washington, D.C. –  Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), alongside Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY), today introduced the Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act, legislation to amend Wyoming’s State Act of Admission to provide the state’s permanent school land fund with enhanced investment flexibility, potentially increasing annual returns for K-12 education.
    “Wyoming’s school trust fund represents one of our state’s most valuable assets for supporting public education and the next generation of Cowboy students,” said Senator Lummis. “My legislation would allow Wyoming to modernize our investment policies while maintaining the strong protections that have served this fund for more than a century. I believe we can do better for our kids by investing that money more strategically and increasing Wyoming’s returns. That result would mean millions of dollars more every year for Wyoming classrooms, without raising taxes or touching Wyoming’s principal.”
    “Wyoming has done an incredible job investing in the future of our students,” said Senator Barrasso. “The Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act will help build on this success by giving our state more flexibility when it comes to investing our permanent school land fund. Diversifying investments of this vital fund will increase resources for students and teachers across Wyoming.”
    “Wyoming’s students deserve every opportunity we can provide, and that starts with strengthening the long-term stability of our education funding,” said Representative Hageman. “The Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act is a commonsense, forward-looking solution that honors our constitutional protections while unlocking the full potential of our permanent school land fund. By allowing for modern investment strategies, we can responsibly increase returns and better support K-12 education. This is about keeping our promises to future generations and ensuring that Wyoming’s children benefit from the resources entrusted to the state over a century ago.”
    “This long-overdue proposal is a natural extension of some of the reforms I undertook while serving as State Treasurer,” said Governor Gordon. “I support this effort to generate additional returns for Wyoming schools while preserving the permanent trust fund structure.”
    “This is a game-changer for Wyoming’s public schools,” said Superintendent Degenfelder. “By modernizing our investment policies, we are unlocking the full potential of our school trust lands. It is a common-sense solution that is anticipated to provide a sustainable increase in funding for our classrooms, without raising taxes.” 
    “Since Wyoming became a state, financial markets and investment strategies have evolved dramatically,” said Representative Bear, Wyoming House District 31. “Today, responsible and prudent management of public funds requires far more flexibility than was imaginable in 1890. Congress has both the authority and the duty to ensure that Wyoming’s state government can effectively safeguard taxpayer assets and uphold citizens’ freedoms—now and for generations to come.”
    Background:
    Wyoming’s State Act of Admission, established by Congress upon statehood in 1890, governs how the state manages federally granted school lands. Proceeds from school trust land sales, exchanges, or disposals must be deposited into a permanent land fund under strict federal regulation. Current law prohibits investing principal funds, and only accrued interest can be used for K-12 education funding.
    Wyoming’s permanent school trust fund currently holds $5.4 billion. The fund generates approximately 5% annual interest under current investment restrictions. Enhanced investment flexibility could significantly boost annual education funding without touching the principal. Proposed legislation would modernize investment policies to potentially increase returns from 5% to 8.3%.
    The bill preserves all constitutional protections for education funding while maintaining principal protection. Only investment returns can be spent, which keeps all existing controls on land disposal and exchanges unchanged, fully maintaining the longtime permanent trust fund structure. 
    Read the full bill here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Diane Winston, Professor and Knight Center Chair in Media & Religion, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

    Rev. Jimmy Swaggart preaches at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena on March 29, 1987. AP Photo/Mark Avery, file

    Jimmy Swaggart, one of the most popular and enduring of the 1980s televangelists, died on July 1, 2025, but his legacy lives.

    Along with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he drew an audience in the millions, amassed a personal fortune and introduced a new generation of Americans to a potent mix of religion and politics.

    Swaggart was an old-time evangelist whose focus was “saving souls.” But he also preached on conservative social issues, warning followers about the evils of abortion, homosexuality and godless communism.

    [Swaggart also denounced] what he called “false cults,” including Catholicism, Judaism and Mormonism. In fact, his denunciations of other religions, as well as his attacks on rival preachers, made him a more polarizing figure than his politicized brethren.

    As a reporter, I covered Swaggart in the 1980s. Now, as a scholar of American religion, I argue that while Swaggart did not build institutions like Falwell’s Moral Majority or Robertson’s 700 Club, he helped to spread right-wing positions on social issues, such as sexual orientation and abortion, and to shape the image of televangelists in popular culture..

    Swaggart’s cousins

    Born into a hardscrabble life in a small Louisiana town, Swaggart grew up alongside his cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, the future rockabilly pioneer, and future country singer Mickey Gilley.

    All three loved music and singing. They polished their playing on an uncle’s piano and sneaked into African American nightclubs to hear the jazz and blues forbidden by their parents.

    Jimmy Swaggart delivering a sermon at the Flora Blanca Stadium in El Salvador.
    Cindy Karp/Getty Images

    While Gilley and Lewis turned their musical talent into recording and performing careers, Swaggart felt called to the ministry. He dropped out of high school, married at 17, began preaching at 20 and was ordained at 26.

    He was licensed by the Assemblies of God, a Pentecostal denomination that believes the Holy Spirit endows believers with spiritual gifts that include speaking in tongues and faith healing.

    The glory years

    Pentecostals were nicknamed Holy Rollers because of their tendency to shake, quake and roll on the floor when feeling the Holy Spirit. Their preachers excelled at rousing audiences’ ardor, and Swaggart commanded the stage better than most. He paced, pounced and poured forth sweat while begging listeners to turn from sin and accept Jesus.

    Starting small, he drew crowds while preaching on a flatbed trailer throughout the South. His following grew, and in 1969 he opened the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.

    Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart leaves his office complex in Baton Rouge, La., on Jan. 7, 1977.
    AP Photo

    At capacity, the church held 10,000 worshippers, who represented a broad swath of America: young girls and grannies, white and Black, bankers and farmers. His sermons began calmly but built to a fever pitch. CBS newsman Dan Rather once called him the “country’s greatest speaker.”

    During services, Swaggart also sang and played piano. In 1982, Newsweek magazine noted his musical chops, naming him the “King of Honky Tonk Heaven.” His music crossed gospel, country and honky-tonk – songs with a strong rhythmic beat – and he sold 17 million albums over his lifetime.

    By 1975, Swaggart’s on-stage charisma powered the launch of a television ministry that would reach millions within a decade. Viewers were captivated by his soulful tunes and fire-and-brimstone sermons. At its height, Swaggart’s show was televised in 140 countries, including Peru, the Philippines and South Africa.

    His ministry also became the largest mail-order business in Louisiana, selling books, tapes, T-shirts and biblical memorabilia. Thanks to the US$150 million raised annually from donations and sales, Swaggart lived in an opulent mansion, possessed a private jet previously owned by the Rockefellers, sported a yellow gold vintage Rolex and drove a Jaguar.

    The downfall

    Swaggart disliked competition and had a history of humiliating rival preachers. Wary of the Rev. Marvin Gorman, a Pentecostal minister whose church also was in Louisiana, Swaggart accused the man of adultery. Gorman admitted his infidelity and was defrocked.

    Gorman had heard rumors about Swaggart’s own indiscretions, and he and his son decided to tail the famed evangelist. In 1988, they caught Swaggart at a motel with a prostitute, and Gorman reported the incident to Swaggart’s denomination. He also gave news outlets photos of Swaggart and the prostitute. In a tearful, televised apology, Swaggart pleaded for a second chance.

    While his fans were willing, the Assemblies of God had conditions: Swaggart received the standard two-year suspension for sexual immorality. Defying the ruling, Swaggart went back to work after three months, and the denomination defrocked him.

    A parishioner overcome with grief lies on steps to the altar after Jimmy Swaggart’s confession of sexual indiscretions.
    Thomas S. England/Getty Images

    Swaggart might have succeeded as an independent minister, but in 1991 the police stopped his car for driving on the wrong side of the road. Inside they found the preacher with a prostitute. This time, Swaggart did not ask for forgiveness. Instead, he informed his congregation, “The Lord told me it’s flat none of your business.”

    Afterward, Swaggart never regained his former standing. His mail-order business dried up, donations fell, and attendance at services cratered. But up until his death, he kept on, in his own words, as an “old-fashioned, Holy Ghost-filled, shouting, weeping, soul-winning, Gospel-preaching preacher.”

    Swaggart’s legacy

    Swaggart, like other 1980s televangelists, brought right-wing politics into American homes. But unlike Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, Swaggart was less interested in winning elections than saving souls. In fact, when Robertson considered a presidential run in 1988, Swaggart initially tried to dissuade him – then changed his mind and supported him.

    Swaggart’s calls for a return to conservative Christian norms live on – not just in Sunday sermons but also in today’s world of tradwives, abortion restrictions and calls to repeal gay marriage. His music lives on, too. The day before he died, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame inducted him as a member.

    But his legacy also survives in popular culture. In recent years, both reality television and scripted series have starred preachers shaped in the image of Swaggart and his peers. Most exaggerate his worst characteristics for shock and comedic effect.

    “Preachers of L.A.,” a 2013 reality show that profiled six Los Angeles pastors, featured blinged-out ministers whose sermons mixed hip-hop with the Bible. The fictional “Greenleaf” followed the scandals of an extended family’s Memphis megachurch, while “The Righteous Gemstones,” a dark spoof of Southern preachers, turned a family ministry into a site for sex, murder and moneymaking.

    But these imitations can’t match the reality. Swaggart was a larger-than-life minister whose story – from small-town wannabe to disgraced pastor, to preaching to those who would listen – had it all: sex, politics, music and religion.

    For those who want a taste of the real thing, The King of Honky Tonk Heaven lives on. You can see his old services and Bible studies streaming daily on his network.

    Diane Winston 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. Jimmy Swaggart’s rise and fall shaped the landscape of American televangelism – https://theconversation.com/jimmy-swaggarts-rise-and-fall-shaped-the-landscape-of-american-televangelism-260377

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Wildfire smoke can make your outdoor workout hazardous to your health – an exercise scientist explains how to gauge the risk

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By John C. Quindry, Professor of Integrative Physiology and Athletic Training, University of Montana

    Air pollution from wildfire smoke can worsen heart and lung disease. helivideo/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    As the summer’s sunny days take hold, many people turn to outdoor exercise.

    But in parts of North America, pleasant weather often aligns with wildfire season. As summers get drier, both the frequency and the intensity of wildfires have grown, producing more polluting smoke.

    A fire’s smoke can spread across several states, leaving people at risk for the health consequences of air pollution.

    Exercisers and health experts are asking whether the benefits of outdoor exercise are negated when the skies are hazy with wildfire smoke.

    How does air pollution make people sick?

    Air pollution’s components depend on its source. For instance, traffic-related air pollution consists largely of vehicle exhaust and brake and tire wear, while industrial pollution contains significant amounts of ozone.

    Wildfires produce huge quantities of airborne particles, also called fine particulate matter. These particles are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – about a tenth the size of a pollen grain.

    Particles of that size, which air quality experts refer to as PM2.5, raise serious health concerns because they are tiny enough to be carried to the air sacs in the deepest parts of the lungs. From there, they can cross into the blood stream, leading to bodywide inflammation – essentially, the immune system’s fight response – which can promote or aggravate multiple chronic illnesses.

    Research shows that long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to lung diseases, heart disease and other conditions. Since these illnesses take decades to develop, scientists think that the health problems caused by wildfire smoke inhalation accumulate after years of exposure.

    One-time smoke exposures may have cumulative effects

    My research team and others are investigating how short-term smoke exposure might also influence long-term health outcomes such as heart and lung diseases.

    Particulate matter from wildfire smoke can aggravate chronic illnesses.

    To estimate the effects of exposure from a single fire event, environmental scientists can study a variety of factors such as immune system markers of inflammation, signs of physiologic stress and changes in heart, blood vessel and nervous system function. How exactly smoke exposures worsen disease is still poorly understood, but these immediate responses in the body may also be linked to developing chronic disease.

    In a study published in June 2025, my colleagues and I examined these outcomes in healthy participants who exercised during a wildfire simulation in our air inhalation lab. The air was filtered to contain high concentrations of PM2.5 particles produced by burning local pine trees – the equivalent to being downwind of a major wildfire.

    We asked 20 generally healthy participants in their mid-20s to exercise on a stationary cycle at about half their maximum effort for two hours while breathing the smoke. We found that participants’ blood vessel and nervous system function declined immediately after their smoky exercise session. These stress indicators bounced back to normal within an hour of returning to a clean air environment.

    Half of our study participants had a heightened response to physiological stress, which scientists think may signify a heightened risk of chronic diseases. We selected them based on a stress test administered before the experiment: Specifically, their blood pressure spiked when their hands were dipped in ice water for two minutes. The stress-responsive participants experienced significantly stronger declines in blood vessel and nervous system function than people in the typical response group, suggesting that exercise in a very smoky climate may affect some people more than others.

    While it isn’t possible to predict who is most at risk, our study underscores the need to think carefully about exposure to wildfire smoke.

    How smoky is too smoky for outdoor exercise?

    Unfortunately, precise air quality thresholds based on factors such as age and medical condition do not exist. But some simple guidelines and considerations can help.

    The first step is to check the air quality where you live at the government website AirNow. It uses a scale called the Air Quality Index, created by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1999 – which ranks air quality regionally on a scale from 0 to 500. The website is searchable by ZIP code. The reading for a given region reflects the contribution of several pollutants, including PM2.5 levels.

    The Air Quality Index ranks air quality at six levels.
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    When the air quality is ranked “good,” the decision is simple – get out there and enjoy the outdoors. And there is little debate that people should generally limit their outdoor exposure when air quality levels cross into the “unhealthy” threshold – or at least be aware that doing so poses health risks.

    The risks and benefits of exercising outdoors when air quality is in the “moderate” and “unhealthy for sensitive” ranges are less clear, particularly for people who don’t have chronic health conditions.

    Gauging your risk

    One major factor in deciding when and whether to exercise outdoors is your health status. AirNow recommends that people with chronic conditions err on the side of caution and remain indoors when smoke levels cause the air quality rating to approach the “unhealthy for sensitive” category.

    That advice may be obvious for people with diagnosed lung conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, given that particles from wildfire smoke aggravate the lungs. But studies suggest it’s true for milder disease states, too. For example, a large study of people with elevated but not clinically high blood pressure indicated that those who lived downwind of air pollution were more likely to develop high blood pressure and, ultimately, heart disease.

    Another consideration is the time of day. As the afternoon heats up, the column of air we breathe expands, diluting the particulate counts. And afternoon winds frequently blow stagnant air out of the valleys and downtown areas where particulate matter can concentrate during the cooler parts of the day. That means evening workouts may be safer than early-morning ones, though direct confirmation with air quality readings is key.

    Also important is the intensity at which you exercise. Higher-intensity exercise means deeper, more frequent breathing, which likely elevates your exposure to harmful air. So you might choose a shorter jog over a longer run when air quality is moderate or poor.

    My lab is currently working to quantify how much pollution a person breathes in while exercising in smoky conditions, based on their exercise intensity, exercise duration and local particulate counts. This line of research is still in its infancy, but our early findings and other published research suggest that when wildfire smoke puts air quality into the “moderate” and “unhealthy for sensitive” range, people can dial down the effects of smoke exposure by decreasing their exercise intensity or the time they spend outside.

    John C. Quindry received funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the National Institutes of Health – INBRE/RAIN.

    – ref. Wildfire smoke can make your outdoor workout hazardous to your health – an exercise scientist explains how to gauge the risk – https://theconversation.com/wildfire-smoke-can-make-your-outdoor-workout-hazardous-to-your-health-an-exercise-scientist-explains-how-to-gauge-the-risk-255812

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