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  • MIL-OSI Economics: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Working Group announces Small Business Champions, discusses digitalization and MC14 plan

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Small Business Champions

    The winners of the 2025 Small Business Champions Competition are Silaiwali (India), a company which empowers women artisans by upcycling waste fabric from garment factories into handcrafted products, and NetZero Pallets (Viet Nam), which specializes in converting biomass into carbon-neutral shipping pallet materials.

    The fifth edition of the competition was held under the theme “Completing the Loop: Helping Small Businesses Contribute to the Circular Economy.” It was jointly organized by the Informal Working Group on MSMEs, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and in partnership with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for the first time.

    At the award ceremony, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala congratulated the winners and reiterated the vital role of MSMEs in global value chains and supply chains. She emphasized that small businesses are a bedrock of innovation and agility, and that the Small Business Champions Award reflects their invaluable contributions to sustainable development. She also stressed the importance of supporting MSMEs in times of uncertainty, as they often face significant trade barriers, particularly in accessing knowledge and finance. “They’re the ones that need the stability and predictability of the world trading system the most. We cannot do without their voice,” she said.

    ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton and ICC Secretary General John Denton also delivered opening remarks. Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Pedro Manuel Moreno, addressed the ceremony via video message. All three speakers reaffirmed their organizations’ commitment to fostering a supportive business ecosystem where MSMEs can thrive and actively contribute to the circular economy.

    The award ceremony can be watched here.

    Digitalization, other thematic issues

    Lively discussions focused on capacity building for MSMEs through digital transformation, with members and international organizations sharing experiences in helping small businesses reduce costs and improve efficiency.

    The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) introduced its Cross-Border Paperless Trade Database, developed with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), as a hub offering innovative resources and legal support. China presented its single-window customs platform designed to simplify cross-border procedures for MSMEs. The International Trade Centre (ITC) provided an update on its digital trade policy and regulatory work. It also outlined its work on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through the “One Trade Africa” project, which supports African MSMEs in participating in trade. Georgia proposed a peer-learning session to explore how to scale up digital solutions and streamline regulations.

    Building on previous thematic sessions, members also discussed good regulatory practices (GRPs) and the informal sector. They emphasized the importance of ensuring interoperability between regulatory frameworks to facilitate MSME trade. Participants expressed support for continued dialogue on informal MSMEs and recommended monitoring relevant developments in other international forums.

    MC14 strategies, implementation of 2020 MSME Package

    Following discussions at the March meeting, the Coordinator, Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados, proposed tentative outcomes and issues to be developed in the lead-up to MC14. Group members agreed to focus on a primary deliverable: a joint study report by the World Customs Organization, ICC and the WTO on the integration of MSMEs into Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programmes (INF/MSME/W/62/Rev.2), as adopted by the Group in March.

    Additional outcomes will include the Coordinator’s reports summarizing the Group’s work between MC13 and MC14, a summary of exemplary small enterprises and a review of key findings from the thematic discussions.

    The MSME Group Coordinator announced new funding from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Organization for Trade Development and Standards Cooperation (ODCCN) for the Trade4MSMEs website to ensure its operation for the next six years. This contribution has already enabled the translation of the website into Mandarin, thereby enhancing its accessibility to a broader international audience.

    In addition, members agreed to continue deliberating on a possible policy guidance document (a compendium) for good regulatory practices (GRPs). Further discussion is also planned on how to advance joint work with the Trade and Gender Initiative, particularly in improving access to finance for women-led MSMEs.

    The Group also reviewed progress in implementing its December 2020 MSME Package — a set of policy recommendations aimed at supporting MSMEs. Several members, along with the WTO Secretariat, provided updates on their respective actions in support of the package’s implementation.

    Strengthening engagement with private sector

    A special session open to the business community took place on 25 June. Small traders were invited to share their views on the impact of recent trade tensions on their businesses, their engagement in good regulatory practices, and other challenges they face.

    The Coordinator reflected on key takeaways from the constructive discussion. Businesses described a challenging landscape created by economic uncertainty and ongoing trade tensions, including regarding tariffs. They also noted benefits from newly implemented efficiencies and other significant challenges, especially in relation to planning and day-to-day operations.

    While good regulatory practice (GRP) initiatives exist, MSMEs reported that they are often not adequately informed or consulted. They also noted that GRPs tend to be fragmented and country-specific, lacking global harmonization. Small businesses further highlighted limited access to tariff and trade regulation information, lack of clarity regarding customs regulations, and high shipping costs as major trade obstacles. They called for easier access to tariff information and greater support from national authorities.

    Members welcomed the discussion and proposed further discussions on how to incorporate feedback from the business community into the Group’s future agenda.

    Next

    The next meeting of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs is scheduled for 3 October 2025.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Notice of Availability: Draft Programmatic Agreement and Request for Public Comments

    Annapolis City Dock Flood Mitigation UndertakingPHILADELPHIA– The City of Annapolis, Maryland has applied through the Maryland Department of Emergency Management to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program for a flood resiliency and stormwater improvement undertaking in the downtown Annapolis area in Anne Arundel County, Maryland

    The proposed undertaking consists of four separate, yet connected projects (HMGP-4491-0043-MD, LPDM-PJ-03-MD-2023-002, HMGP-4261-0013-MD, LPDM-PJ-03-MD-2024-003) that involve the design and construction of a comprehensive stormwater and flood mitigation system at the City Dock area

    The overall undertaking includes storm drain realignment; construction of three pump stations including wet wells, electric control building, and backup generator; deployable flood barriers; and grading modifications

     The purpose of this undertaking is to implement strategies to protect historic downtown Annapolis, the US Naval Academy, and surrounding areas against flooding to advance the City’s economy and safeguard the City’s cultural and historic heritage

    The City Dock is a busy hub in the historic heart of Annapolis City that has served as an important port within Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay region for at least 350 years

    The project is needed because the City Dock is vulnerable to flooding, which threatens its structural integrity and functionality, importance to the local economy, and use by the community as well as the safety of those using the area

    FEMA is considering the effects of this undertaking on historic properties pursuant to 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800, the regulations implementing Section 106 of NHPA (Section 106) (54 U

    S

    C

    §§ 300101-306108)

    FEMA, consistent with Section 106 and 36 CFR § 800

    16(d), has defined the undertaking’s Area of Potential Effects (APE)

    The APE is the geographic area within which an undertaking may directly or indirectly cause alterations in the character or use of historic properties, if any such properties exist

    A historic property is any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included on, or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)

    FEMA determined the undertaking has the potential to affect historic properties including National Historic Landmarks (NHL), which are historic properties that illustrate the heritage of the United States

    In accordance with 36 CFR § 800

    10 and Section 110(f) of the NHPA, FEMA must, to the maximum extent possible, undertake such planning and actions as may be necessary to minimize harm to any NHL that may be directly and adversely affected by an undertaking

    The undertaking’s construction schedule and access constraints within the APE limit surveys to fully identify and evaluate historic and cultural resources to determine if they are historic properties, determine if the undertaking would have adverse effects on historic properties, or fully avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects, prior to completing the appropriate NEPA documentation and FEMA’s approval of the undertaking

    When completing the Section 106 process prior to making a final decision on a particular undertaking is not practical, the regulations allow an agency to pursue a “project” Programmatic Agreement (PA) under 36 CFR § 800

    14(b)(1)(ii)

    Accordingly, to outline the phased Section 106 process, account for inadvertent discoveries and effects, and to create a proposal to resolve potential adverse effects, FEMA intends to execute a PA in accordance with Stipulation II

    C

    6

    c of the Maryland Statewide Programmatic Agreement

    In accordance with the terms of the PA, studies shall be undertaken to identify both aboveground and belowground historic properties within the APE, evaluate the undertaking’s effects on these historic properties, and complete efforts to minimize or avoid adverse effects

    The City of Annapolis or its contractors will complete further site identification and evaluation efforts for the undertaking and archaeological monitoring

    The PA outlines consultation procedures for evaluating the NRHP eligibility of newly identified historic properties including archaeological sites, assessing the undertaking’s effects on all historic properties, and resolving adverse effects, if needed

    FEMA seeks to notify the public of this undertaking and involve potential consulting parties in the Section 106 process, including implementation of the PA

    According to 36 CFR § 800

    2, the following parties have consultative roles in the Section 106 process for undertakings not on tribal lands: the State Historic Preservation Officer (and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)), Indian Tribes (Tribes) and Native Hawaiian organizations, representatives of local governments with jurisdiction over the area in which the effects of an undertaking may occur, applicants for federal assistance, and additional consulting parties (individuals and organizations with a demonstrated interest in the undertaking)

    Individuals or organizations with a demonstrated interest in this undertaking should contact FEMA using the instructions below

    The Draft PA is available for review and comment, and can be viewed on and/or downloaded here or from the City of Annapolis website

    The comment period on the Draft PA will conclude 30 days from today, June 27, 2025

    Written comments on the Draft PA, or Section 106 comments on potential effects to historic properties can be mailed or emailed to the contact listed below

    If no substantive comments are received, FEMA will seek to execute the Draft PA

     Contact Information:ATTENTION: Annapolis City Dock Section 106 CommentsFEMA Region 3 Environmental and Historic Preservation615 Chestnut Street, 6th FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19106Email: FEMA-R3-EHP-PublicComment@fema

    dhs

    govSelect documents are included in the Draft PA exhibits

    FEMA will provide additional documents upon request; please contact us by email at FEMA-R3-EHP-PublicComment@fema

    dhs

    gov

    ###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters

     FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia

     Follow us on X at @femaregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin

    com/company/femaregion3
    erika

    osullivan
    Fri, 06/27/2025 – 16:12

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Free Ice Cream and More at the Museum’s Annual Social

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Free Ice Cream and More at the Museum’s Annual Social

    Free Ice Cream and More at the Museum’s Annual Social
    jejohnson6

    Free ice cream and watermelon will be happening at the museum’s annual Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Social. You can enjoy the festivities from 2-4 p.m., on July 4. Due to construction at the museum, the event will take place at the Morgan Cabin, located next to the museum building.

    As our way of saying thank you for your support, the museum staff and the Friends of the Mountain Gateway Museum are excited to offer ice cream with toppings and watermelon for you to enjoy before the annual Old Fort 4th of July Parade.

    For more information about this event, visit the Mountain Gateway Museum’s website at www.mgmnc.org or contact Brittany Joachim at 828-668-9259 or brittany.bennett@dncr.nc.gov.

    The museum is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday; closed on Monday and state holidays. Admission is free.

    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 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tobacco Farm Life Museum Reopens to the Public

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Tobacco Farm Life Museum Reopens to the Public

    Tobacco Farm Life Museum Reopens to the Public
    jejohnson6

    The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is getting ready to open the doors to one of its newest sites — one that already has a long history in the state.

    The Tobacco Farm Life Museum, which grew out of farm tours hosted at the site in the 1980s, preserves and presents the history and heritage of the North Carolina farming community. That mission will continue under the state’s Division of History Museums with additional resources and efforts to improve exhibits and the grounds to tell stories of agricultural heritage. To celebrate the updates to the site, the museum will host a public grand reopening on Saturday, July 5 at 10 a.m. There will be crafts to include coloring a quilt square that will then be used to create a community art piece, interactive activities like a ”hornworm hunt” across the museum and more available until 4 p.m. that day; supported by the Kiwanis Club of Kenly. The public is also invited to explore the exhibit gallery and grounds during a soft opening preview July 1-3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

    “This reopening represents more than the completion of site enhancements,” said North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “It’s about reconnecting people with the history, stories and values that built this region.”

    At the heart of the site is a 6,000-square-foot museum that helps preserve and interpret the agricultural heritage of eastern North Carolina, particularly the lives and culture of farm families from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Inside, visitors will find new interpretive panels on some of the displays, as well as a new, temporary exhibit featuring tobacco miniatures. The inches-tall models of tobacco barns, sleds and other related paraphernalia are a small-scale showcase of the tobacco industry that shaped the region.

    The site’s 4.5-acre grounds will also be open for exploring and learning about the seven historic structures on the site. A hard-packed gravel walkway throughout the grounds provides accessibility during the self-guided tours.

    In addition to the reopening of the site, the museum also has a new website — tobaccofarmlifemuseum.nc.gov. Public programs are expected to return later in the year; facility rentals will remain paused for the immediate future.

    Maria Vann, who as director of regional history museums oversees the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, described the museum as a vital resource for insights into life of farming families.

    “We’ve been working to develop new programs and updating our facilities but there will be more ahead!” Vann said. “For now, we are just excited about being able to share the museum again with our community.”

    Tobacco Farm Life Museum is located at 709 N Church St. in Kenly. It will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the latest updates, follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram, @TobaccoFarmLifeMuseum, and after June 21 at tobaccofarmlifemuseum.nc.gov.

    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 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Taos Man in 2019 Double Homicide

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A federal jury convicted a Taos man of two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the June 2019 killings of two members of the Taos Pueblo. The verdict came after an eight-day trial and approximately six hours of deliberation.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on June 1, 2019, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, both enrolled members of the Taos Pueblo, were reported missing after their last known contact on May 30, 2019. Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety officers responded to John Doe 1’s residence, where they discovered John Doe 2’s pickup truck crashed into trees near the home. Officers entered the residence and found the bodies of both men, stacked and partially concealed under wire fencing. Forensic experts confirmed both victims died from extensive blunt force trauma. Investigators documented evidence from both inside and outside the residence, including large amounts of blood spatter, vehicle tracks, and property damage.

    The investigation tied Joshua Gonzales, 38, a non-Indian, to the murders. After the murders, Gonzales confessed to a witness, providing a detailed account of the killings, including that he used a wooden table leg as the murder weapon and describing the injuries he inflicted, details that matched the forensic findings. The victim’s niece testified that he was the last person seen with John Doe 1 and recounted how he attempted to manufacture a false alibi and threatened her to remain silent. She also testified that Gonzales had a key to the residence, which could only be locked from the outside.

    Additional evidence included bloody footprints at the scene, DNA analysis, surveillance video and cell phone records.  Investigators established a timeline placing Gonzales at the scene and showed that he possessed one of the victim’s cell phones the morning after the murders. Further, Gonzales fled the scene in John Doe 2’s truck, which he crashed while attempting to leave the area.

    Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Gonzales remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Gonzales faces up to life in prison.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    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 Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, New Mexico State Police, Espanola Police Department, Taos Police Department, Taos County Sheriff’s Department, and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Probasco and Samuel Hurtado are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor awards more than $23M in new grants to help homeless, at-risk veterans reenter workforce

    Source: US Department of Labor

    Categories24/7 OSI, labor, MIL-OSI, United States Government, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor

    Alethieia House Inc.

    Birmingham

    AL

    AL: Autauga, Bullock, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery

    $358,996

    Teens Empowerment Awareness with Resolutions Inc.

    Tuskegee

    AL

    AL: Macon, Lee, Russell

    $300,000

    St. Francis House Inc.

    Little Rock

    AR

    AR: Pulaski

    $183,965

    Valley of the Sun Young Men’s Christian Association

    Phoenix

    AZ

    AZ: Maricopa

    $500,000

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Prescott

    AZ

    AZ: Yavapai

    $320,000

    WestCare California Inc.

    Fresno

    CA

    CA: San Joaquin

    $300,000

    WestCare California Inc.

    Fresno

    CA

    CA: Fresno, Madera

    $400,000

    Emmanuel’s House Inc.

    Hesperia

    CA

    CA: San Bernardino, Riverside 

    $500,000

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Inglewood

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles

    $240,000

    Managed Career Solutions Spc.

    Los Angeles

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura

    $500,000

    Volunteers of America of Los Angeles

    Los Angeles

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles

    $500,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito

    $336,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Fresno, Madera

    $396,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Amador, San Joaquin, Calaveras, Stanislaus

    $440,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    FL: Hillsborough, Polk, Hardee

    $400,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura

    $408,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    WA: Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Thurston

    $499,999

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    FL: Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard

    $500,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    FL: Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota

    $392,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    MN: Benton, Carlton, Lake, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Todd, Wright

    WI: Barron, Buffalo, Chippewa, 
    Clark, Crawford, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon

    $304,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    WI: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Rock, Sauk

    $320,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    NC: Bladen, Brunswick, Chatham, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland

    $496,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    NE: Burt, Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Lancaster, Otoe, Sarpy, Saunders, Washington

    $272,000

    The Salvation Army

    Rancho Palos Verdes

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara

    $500,000

    The Salvation Army

    Rancho Palos Verdes

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino

    $500,000

    Vietnam Veterans of San Diego

    San Diego

    CA

    CA: Imperial

    $237,070

    Goodwill Of Silicon Valley

    San Jose

    CA

    CA: Santa Clara

    $500,000

    Goodwill Industries of Orange County California

    Santa Ana

    CA

    CA: Orange

    $240,000

    The Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Development Board

    Centennial

    CO

    CO: Arapahoe, Douglas

    $165,000

    Volunteers of America Colorado

    Denver

    CO

    CO: Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson

    $445,473

    Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, Inc.

    Bridgeport

    CT

    CT: Fairfield

    $260,000

    PowerTechs Incorporated

    Wilmington

    DE

    TN: Davidson

    $483,112

    Abilities Inc. of Florida

    Clearwater

    FL

    FL: Pinellas

    $300,000

    Salt Outreach, Inc.

    Orlando

    FL

    FL: Orange, Osceola, Seminole

    $350,000

    Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency, Inc.

    Atlanta

    GA

    GA: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett

    $475,000

    Get to Work Foundation Inc.

    Villa Rica

    GA

    NC:  Iredell, Mecklenburg, Union, Rowan, Cabarrus

    $500,000

    Get to Work Foundation Inc.

    Villa Rica

    GA

    GA: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale

    $500,000

    Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas

    Wichita

    KS

    KS: Sedgwick

    $500,000

    Vietnam Veterans Workshop Inc.

    Boston

    MA

    MA: Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk

    $500,000

    AMVETS National Service Foundation

    Hyattsville

    MD

    AZ: Maricopa

    $500,000

    AMVETS National Service Foundation

    Hyattsville

    MD

    UT: Salt Lake

    $500,000

    Southwest Economic Solutions Corporation

    Detroit

    MI

    MI: Wayne

    $160,000

    Volunteers of America Michigan Inc.

    Southfield

    MI

    MI: Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa

    $256,761

    Connections to Success Inc.

    St. Charles

    MO

    MO: Boone

    $152,000

    Harbor Homes Inc.

    Nashua

    NH

    NH: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan

    $200,000

    Center For Family Services Inc.

    Camden

    NJ

    NJ: Camden

    $220,000

    WestCare Nevada Inc.

    Reno

    NV

    NV: Washoe 

    $500,000

    Black Veterans for Social Justice Inc.

    Brooklyn

    NY

    NY: Bronx, New York, Westchester

    $500,000

    Services for the UnderServed Inc.

    New York

    NY

    NY:  Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, New York

    $178,459

    Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana

    Columbus

    OH

    IN: Lake, Jasper, La Porte

    $290,240

    Easter Seals Oregon

    Portland

    OR

    OR: Jackson, Josephine

    $300,000

    Easter Seals Oregon

    Portland

    OR

    OR: Crook, Deschutes

    $320,000

    Veterans Multi-Service Center Inc.

    Philadelphia

    PA

    PA: Centre, Clinton. Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Snyder, Union

    $278,632

    America Works of Tennessee Inc.

    Memphis

    TN

    TN: Shelby, Jackson
    AR: Crittenden

    $360,000

    Volunteers of America Texas Inc.

    Euless

    TX

    TX: Dallas, Tarrant

    $500,000

    SER-Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc.

    Houston

    TX

    TX: Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery

    $312,000

    American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program Inc.

    San Antonio

    TX

    TX: Bexar

    $500,000

    Family Endeavors Inc., dba Endeavors

    San Antonio

    TX

    AZ: Cochise

    $399,999

    River City Comprehensive Counseling Services

    Henrico

    VA

    VA: Richmond city

    $405,516

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Richmond

    VA

    DC: District of Columbia
    MD: Montgomery

    $260,000

    Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington

    Yakima

    WA

    WA: Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima

    $500,000

    Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency Inc.

    Petersburg

    WV

    WV: Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Lewis, Marion, Marshall, Mineral, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood

    $500,000

    Volunteers Of America Northern Rockies

    Sheridan

    WY

    MT: Custer, Dawson, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure, Wibaux, Yellowstone

    $200,000

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor awards more than $23M in new grants to help homeless, at-risk veterans reenter workforce

    Source: US Department of Labor

    Categories24/7 OSI, labor, MIL-OSI, United States Government, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor

    Alethieia House Inc.

    Birmingham

    AL

    AL: Autauga, Bullock, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery

    $358,996

    Teens Empowerment Awareness with Resolutions Inc.

    Tuskegee

    AL

    AL: Macon, Lee, Russell

    $300,000

    St. Francis House Inc.

    Little Rock

    AR

    AR: Pulaski

    $183,965

    Valley of the Sun Young Men’s Christian Association

    Phoenix

    AZ

    AZ: Maricopa

    $500,000

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Prescott

    AZ

    AZ: Yavapai

    $320,000

    WestCare California Inc.

    Fresno

    CA

    CA: San Joaquin

    $300,000

    WestCare California Inc.

    Fresno

    CA

    CA: Fresno, Madera

    $400,000

    Emmanuel’s House Inc.

    Hesperia

    CA

    CA: San Bernardino, Riverside 

    $500,000

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Inglewood

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles

    $240,000

    Managed Career Solutions Spc.

    Los Angeles

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura

    $500,000

    Volunteers of America of Los Angeles

    Los Angeles

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles

    $500,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito

    $336,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Fresno, Madera

    $396,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Amador, San Joaquin, Calaveras, Stanislaus

    $440,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    FL: Hillsborough, Polk, Hardee

    $400,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    CA: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura

    $408,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    WA: Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Thurston

    $499,999

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    FL: Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard

    $500,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    FL: Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota

    $392,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    MN: Benton, Carlton, Lake, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Todd, Wright

    WI: Barron, Buffalo, Chippewa, 
    Clark, Crawford, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon

    $304,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    WI: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Rock, Sauk

    $320,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    NC: Bladen, Brunswick, Chatham, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland

    $496,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc. 

    Marina

    CA

    NE: Burt, Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Lancaster, Otoe, Sarpy, Saunders, Washington

    $272,000

    The Salvation Army

    Rancho Palos Verdes

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara

    $500,000

    The Salvation Army

    Rancho Palos Verdes

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino

    $500,000

    Vietnam Veterans of San Diego

    San Diego

    CA

    CA: Imperial

    $237,070

    Goodwill Of Silicon Valley

    San Jose

    CA

    CA: Santa Clara

    $500,000

    Goodwill Industries of Orange County California

    Santa Ana

    CA

    CA: Orange

    $240,000

    The Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Development Board

    Centennial

    CO

    CO: Arapahoe, Douglas

    $165,000

    Volunteers of America Colorado

    Denver

    CO

    CO: Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson

    $445,473

    Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, Inc.

    Bridgeport

    CT

    CT: Fairfield

    $260,000

    PowerTechs Incorporated

    Wilmington

    DE

    TN: Davidson

    $483,112

    Abilities Inc. of Florida

    Clearwater

    FL

    FL: Pinellas

    $300,000

    Salt Outreach, Inc.

    Orlando

    FL

    FL: Orange, Osceola, Seminole

    $350,000

    Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency, Inc.

    Atlanta

    GA

    GA: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett

    $475,000

    Get to Work Foundation Inc.

    Villa Rica

    GA

    NC:  Iredell, Mecklenburg, Union, Rowan, Cabarrus

    $500,000

    Get to Work Foundation Inc.

    Villa Rica

    GA

    GA: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale

    $500,000

    Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas

    Wichita

    KS

    KS: Sedgwick

    $500,000

    Vietnam Veterans Workshop Inc.

    Boston

    MA

    MA: Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk

    $500,000

    AMVETS National Service Foundation

    Hyattsville

    MD

    AZ: Maricopa

    $500,000

    AMVETS National Service Foundation

    Hyattsville

    MD

    UT: Salt Lake

    $500,000

    Southwest Economic Solutions Corporation

    Detroit

    MI

    MI: Wayne

    $160,000

    Volunteers of America Michigan Inc.

    Southfield

    MI

    MI: Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa

    $256,761

    Connections to Success Inc.

    St. Charles

    MO

    MO: Boone

    $152,000

    Harbor Homes Inc.

    Nashua

    NH

    NH: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan

    $200,000

    Center For Family Services Inc.

    Camden

    NJ

    NJ: Camden

    $220,000

    WestCare Nevada Inc.

    Reno

    NV

    NV: Washoe 

    $500,000

    Black Veterans for Social Justice Inc.

    Brooklyn

    NY

    NY: Bronx, New York, Westchester

    $500,000

    Services for the UnderServed Inc.

    New York

    NY

    NY:  Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, New York

    $178,459

    Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana

    Columbus

    OH

    IN: Lake, Jasper, La Porte

    $290,240

    Easter Seals Oregon

    Portland

    OR

    OR: Jackson, Josephine

    $300,000

    Easter Seals Oregon

    Portland

    OR

    OR: Crook, Deschutes

    $320,000

    Veterans Multi-Service Center Inc.

    Philadelphia

    PA

    PA: Centre, Clinton. Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Snyder, Union

    $278,632

    America Works of Tennessee Inc.

    Memphis

    TN

    TN: Shelby, Jackson
    AR: Crittenden

    $360,000

    Volunteers of America Texas Inc.

    Euless

    TX

    TX: Dallas, Tarrant

    $500,000

    SER-Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc.

    Houston

    TX

    TX: Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery

    $312,000

    American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program Inc.

    San Antonio

    TX

    TX: Bexar

    $500,000

    Family Endeavors Inc., dba Endeavors

    San Antonio

    TX

    AZ: Cochise

    $399,999

    River City Comprehensive Counseling Services

    Henrico

    VA

    VA: Richmond city

    $405,516

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Richmond

    VA

    DC: District of Columbia
    MD: Montgomery

    $260,000

    Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington

    Yakima

    WA

    WA: Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima

    $500,000

    Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency Inc.

    Petersburg

    WV

    WV: Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Lewis, Marion, Marshall, Mineral, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood

    $500,000

    Volunteers Of America Northern Rockies

    Sheridan

    WY

    MT: Custer, Dawson, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure, Wibaux, Yellowstone

    $200,000

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor awards more than $37M in continued grants to help homeless, at-risk veterans reenter workforce

    Source: US Department of Labor

    Categories24/7 OSI, labor, MIL-OSI, United States Government, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor

    Volunteers of America Southeast Inc.  

    Mobile

    AL

    GA: Baldwin, Bibb, Crisp, Houston, Laurens, Muscogee, Peach

    $214,654

    United States Veterans Initiative

    Phoenix

    AZ

    AZ: Maricopa

    $300,000

    Insights Housing

    Berkeley

    CA

    CA: Alameda, Amador, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Solano

    $500,000

    America Works of California Inc. 

    Fresno

    CA

    CA: San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside

    $300,000

    America Works of California Inc. 

    Fresno

    CA

    CA: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Solano

    $200,000

    JVS SoCal

    Los Angeles

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles, Orange

    $498,000

    Volunteers of America of Los Angeles

    Los Angeles

    CA

    CA: Los Angeles

    $480,000

    United State Veterans Initiative Inc.

    March Air Reserve Base

    CA

    CA: Riverside, San Bernardino

    $427,794

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc.

    Marina

    CA

    IA: Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, O’Brien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth, Wright

    $500,000

    Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists Inc.

    Marina

    CA

    WI: Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Shawano, Sheboygan, Washington, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago   

    $270,000

    Veteran Employment Services

    Monterey

    CA

    CO: Boulder, Larimer, Weld

    $347,000

    Swords to Plowshares Veterans Rights Organization

    Oakland

    CA

    CA: Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano

    $500,000

    Able-Disabled Advocacy Inc. 

    San Diego

    CA

    CA: San Diego

    $476,000

    Swords to Plowshares Veterans Rights Organization

    San Francisco

    CA

    CA: San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara

    $150,000

    Colorado Coalition for the Homeless

    Denver

    CO

    CO: Denver

    $500,000

    Boley Centers Inc. 

    St. Petersburg

    FL

    FL: Pasco

    $413,183

    Tampa Bay Academy of Hope

    Tampa

    FL

    FL: Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Sumter

    $500,000

    Get to Work Foundation Inc. 

    Douglasville

    GA

    GA: Bartow, Carroll, Chattooga, Coweta, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk

    $300,000

    Of Color Inc. 

    Chicago

    IL

    IL: Cook

    $478,081

    Transitional Living Services Inc. 

    Crystal Lake

    IL

    IL: Boone, Cook, Lake, McHenry, Winnebago

    $300,000

    ECHO Housing Corporation

    Evansville

    IN

    IN: Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick

    $251,892

    Crossroads Rehabilitation Center Inc. 

    Indianapolis

    IN

    IN: Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Shelby

    $378,200

    Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana

    Indianapolis

    IN

    IN: Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Shelby

    $364,035

    Mountain Comprehensive Care Center Inc. 

    Prestonsburg

    KY

    KY: Anderson, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Breathitt, Carter, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Garrard, Greenup, Harlan, Jackson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, McCreary, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, Woodford

    $238,112

    Volunteers of America Massachusetts

    Jamaica Plain

    MA

    MA: Barnstable, Bristol, Plymouth

    $443,832

    Volunteers of America Massachusetts

    Jamaica Plain

    MA

    MA: Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk

    $461,154

    Veterans Inc. 

    Worcester

    MA

    MA: Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Worcester

    $345,600

    Veterans Inc. 

    Worcester

    MA

    ME: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Sagadahoc, York

    $105,000

    Veterans Inc. 

    Worcester

    MA

    MT: Beaverhead, Big Horn, Broadwater, Carbon, Cascade, Custer, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, Mineral, Missoula, Park, Pondera, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Rosebud, Sanders, Silver Bow, Teton, Toole, Valley, Wheatland, Yellowstone
    ND: Barnes, Benson, Bottineau, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Emmons, Grand Forks, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Pembina, Ramsey, Richland, Rolette, Sioux, Stark, Stutsman, Traill, Walsh, Ward, Wells, Williams 

    $500,000

    Veterans Inc. 

    Worcester

    MA

    MA: Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth  RI: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington

    $360,000

    St. James A.M.E. Zion Church

    Salisbury

    MD

    MD: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester

    $310,000

    Easter Seals Serving DC / MD / VA Inc. 

    Silver Spring

    MD

    MD: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, St. Mary’s, Washington  
    VA: Fauquier, Loudoun, Stafford

    $500,000

    Easter Seals Serving DC / MD / VA Inc. 

    Silver Spring

    MD

    MD: Baltimore, Baltimore City, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s
    DC: Washington
    VA: Alexandria City, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax City, Falls Church City, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Prince William

    $500,000

    Michigan Ability Partners

    Ann Arbor

    MI

    MI: Jackson, Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne

    $174,405

    Southwest Economic Solutions Corporation

    Detroit

    MI

    MI: Macomb, St. Clair, Wayne

    $200,000

    Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

    St. Paul

    MN

    MN: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington

    $440,000

    Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry Inc. 

    Asheville

    NC

    NC: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey 
    Tribal Areas: Eastern Cherokee Reservation

    $500,000

    Veterans Multi-Service Center Inc. 

    Vineland

    NJ

    NJ: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem

    DE: Kent, New Castle, Sussex

    $270,698

    United Veterans Beacon House Inc. 

    Bay Shore

    NY

    NY: Nassau, Queens, Suffolk

    $120,000

    America Works of New York Inc. 

    New York

    NY

    NY: Nassau, Suffolk

    $300,000

    America Works of New York Inc. 

    New York

    NY

    NY: Kings, Queens, Richmond, Bronx, New York

    $500,000

    Easter Seals TriState LLC

    Cincinnati

    OH

    OH: Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren

    $321,015

    Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana

    Cincinnati

    OH

    IN: Dearborn, Franklin     

    KY: Boone, Caldwell, Kenton   

    OH: Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren

    $410,019

    Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana

    Cleveland

    OH

    OH: Cuyahoga, Erie, Lake, Lorain

    $457,773

    Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana

    Columbus

    OH

    OH: Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, Union

    $365,822

    Volunteers of America Oklahoma Inc. 

    Tulsa

    OK

    OK: Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Hughes, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Tulsa 

    $429,569

    Goodwill Industries of Lane and South Coast Counties

    Eugene

    OR

    OR: Lane

    $159,073

    Easter Seals Oregon

    Portland

    OR

    OR: Douglas, Lane

    $378,390

    Easter Seals Oregon

    Portland

    OR

    OR: Marion, Polk, Yamhill

    $344,100

    Veterans Multi-Service Center Inc. 

    Philadelphia

    PA

    PA: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia

    $495,951

    Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania Inc. 

    Pittsburgh

    PA

    PA: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland

    $416,193

    Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard Inc. 

    Pittsburgh

    PA

    PA: Allegheny, Butler, Washington, Westmoreland

    $427,000

    Commission on Economic Opportunity

    Wilkes-Barre

    PA

    PA: Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Wayne, Wyoming

    $200,000

    Fast Forward

    Columbia

    SC

    SC: Richland, Lexington, Fairfield

    $400,000

    Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina Inc. 

    Greenville

    SC

    SC: Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg

    $225,818

    Unity Partners dba Project Unity

    Bryan

    TX

    TX: Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson, Washington

    $419,870

    Citizens Development Center

    Dallas

    TX

    TX: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall, Tarrant

    $320,000

    Adaptive Construction Solutions Inc.  

    Houston

    TX

    TX: Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Liberty, Waller, Austin, Chambers, Colorado, Walker, Wharton, Matagorda

    $377,777

    Adaptive Construction Solutions Inc.  

    Houston

    TX

    TX: Bell, Bosque, Brown, Burleson, Callahan, Coleman, Collin, Comanche, Coryell, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Erath, Falls, Fisher, Freestone, Grimes, Hamilton, Haskell, Hill, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Jones, Kaufman, Kent, Knox, Lampasas, Leon, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Mitchell, Navarro, Nolan, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Runnels, San Saba, Scurry, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor, Throckmorton, Washington, Wise

    $245,432

    The Houston Launch Pad

    Houston

    TX

    TX: Angelina, Bell, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Chambers, Crockett, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Tom Green, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton   

    $500,000

    American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program Inc.

    San Antonio

    TX

    TX: Collin, Dallas, Rockwall, Tarrant

    $500,000

    American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program Inc.

    San Antonio

    TX

    TX: Travis

    $500,000

    Castle Cares Community Ministry Inc.

    West Columbia

    TX

    TX: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Jefferson, Matagorda

    $434,105

    Focused Outreach Richmond Inc.

    Richmond

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    Center for Veterans Issues Inc.

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    WI: Milwaukee, Waukesha

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fourth of July at the North Carolina State Capitol

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Fourth of July at the North Carolina State Capitol

    Fourth of July at the North Carolina State Capitol
    jejohnson6

    This 4th of July, a Raleigh tradition continues with music and a ceremony on the Capitol grounds! From 11 a.m.-3 p.m., the State Capitol is hosting a free, fun-filled family event featuring musical performances and several hands-on activities for children to enjoy. Pie the redcoat or King George III or dress up like a Revolutionary era citizen! The State Capitol is administered by the N.C. Division of State Historic Sites within the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    The Capitol will host a ceremony that includes an outdoor naturalization for new citizens, a reading from the Declaration of Independence, and a wreath laying at the George Washington monument by the Sons of the American Revolution. The Raleigh Concert Band will perform at 11:30 a.m. until the ceremony begins on the east grounds at noon.

    Following the ceremony, visitors are invited inside to tour the building and see a special single-day exhibit “To Preserve the Blessings of Liberty: State Constitutions of North Carolina” from the State Archives of North Carolina. The exhibit features the 1776 State Constitution and Declaration of Rights, the 1868 State Constitution, and a letter from John Adams’ commonly known as “Thoughts on Government.” Archivists from the State Archives will accompany the documents and will be available to answer questions from visitors.

    The State Capitol’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history, architecture, and function of the 1840 building and Union Square. It is within the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and located at One Edenton Street, Raleigh. To learn more about the history of the North Carolina State Capitol, please visit www.historicsites.nc.gov/capitol.

    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 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Library of N.C. Announces $2.5 Million in Federal Grants to Local Libraries

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: State Library of N.C. Announces $2.5 Million in Federal Grants to Local Libraries

    State Library of N.C. Announces $2.5 Million in Federal Grants to Local Libraries
    jejohnson6

    The State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, is proud to announce awards to local libraries. Across the state, 41 awards have been issued for a total of $2,539,474 in grant funds from the State Library of North Carolina with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) to support new or expanded library programs and services, as well as limited ongoing projects.

    “The projects funded with Library Services and Technology Act grants over the next year will meet a vast array of local needs. They will update and improve access to digital literacy and technology, support early literacy, and assist with efforts to provide community resources for job hunters, workforce development, telehealth, and more,” said North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “These projects will meet critical local needs for which other funding sources are generally not available.”

    The grants were awarded based on criteria that advance the State Library of North Carolina’s goals of Community Engagement, Expanding Access, and Responsive Organizations. These projects will support the critical work of libraries, including developing early literacy programs, providing educational opportunities for health and wellness, establishing new spaces for learning and collaboration, and broadening access to materials through digitization and preservation.

    Edgecombe County Memorial Library will use its grant to provide Edgecombe County residents with programs to improve their physical and mental health at the Tarboro and Pinetops locations. Participants will learn about physical fitness, nutrition, chronic illnesses, and mental health through programs and resources.

    To respond to the evolving needs of the community for more private meeting spaces, the Haywood County Library will use the funding to add two study booths at the Waynesville branch. With occupancy for two and four people, these meeting spaces will allow individuals and small groups to meet and work both in person and virtually as they may also utilize the library’s internet access.

    Stanly Community College Library will use its grant to provide Chromebooks to support students in their education. By providing access to these devices, the library aims to ensure that all students are connected to the technology and resources they need for learning, collaboration, and academic success.

    A full list of awardees and abstracts appears at: https://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/services-libraries/grants-libraries/lsta-grant-information.

    These grant awards are made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-259195-OLS-25).

    About the State Library of North Carolina
    The State Library of North Carolina enriches the lives of North Carolinians through access to information resources, strengthens communities through exceptional library services, and inspires and supports literacy and lifelong learning for all North Carolinians.

    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 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Nirmala Sitharaman reviews public sector banks’ performance, urges focus on financial inclusion and innovation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday chaired a high-level annual review meeting with the Managing Directors and CEOs of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in New Delhi. Meeting focused on financial strength, inclusive lending, cyber security, and customer-centric innovation. The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services, M. Nagaraju, and senior officials, alongside PSB leadership.

    Sitharaman commended the PSBs for their robust financial performance, particularly in FY 2024–25, where they recorded a record net profit of ₹1.78 lakh crore. Over the period from FY 2022–23 to FY 2024–25, the total business of PSBs grew from ₹203 lakh crore to ₹251 lakh crore, while net Non-Performing Assets (NNPAs) dropped to a multi-year low of 0.52%, reflecting improved asset quality and risk management. Dividend payouts also rose significantly, from ₹20,964 crore to ₹34,990 crore, with the Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) standing strong at 16.15% as of March 2025.

    The Finance Minister emphasized the need for sustained deposit mobilization to support ongoing credit growth, urging PSBs to leverage their branch networks and deepen outreach in semi-urban and rural areas through special drives. She also directed banks to identify emerging commercial growth sectors for the next decade to boost profitability and to deepen corporate lending in productive sectors while maintaining stringent underwriting and risk management standards. Lending to the energy sector, particularly in renewable and sustainable areas, was highlighted as a national priority, with banks advised to develop credit models to support indigenously designed small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as announced in the Union Budget 2025-26.

    Financial inclusion remained a key focus, with Sitharaman directing PSBs to actively participate in a three-month saturation campaign starting July 1, covering 2.7 lakh Gram Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies. The campaign will prioritize KYC compliance, re-KYC, and unclaimed deposits, alongside promoting schemes like PM Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima, and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. Banks were also instructed to scale up efforts under schemes such as PM MUDRA Yojana, PM Vishwakarma, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, PM Vidyalaxmi, and the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, with a special focus on agricultural credit in 100 low-productivity districts under the PM Dhan Dhanya Yojana to enhance local economic potential.

    The review highlighted progress under the New Credit Assessment Model for MSMEs, launched on March 6, 2025, with 1.97 lakh loans sanctioned worth ₹60,000 crore. Smt. Sitharaman urged banks to strengthen this model to improve capital access for small and medium businesses. Additionally, under the Stand Up India scheme, 2.28 lakh loans worth ₹51,192 crore have been sanctioned, and under the PM Vidya Lakshmi scheme, 6,682 applications worth ₹1,751 crore have been approved. The Finance Minister called for greater focus on these schemes to support entrepreneurship and higher education.

    To enhance customer experience, banks were directed to ensure faster grievance redressal, offer simplified digital platforms, and provide multilingual services both online and offline. Maintaining clean, customer-friendly branches and expanding in metro and urban centers to keep pace with urbanization were also emphasized. Sitharaman stressed the importance of filling all existing and upcoming vacancies promptly to improve service delivery and encouraged banks to expand their presence in underserved areas like the Northeast and strengthen the Business Correspondent network for last-mile banking access. Additionally, banks were advised to expand operations in GIFT City to tap into global financial opportunities and increase participation in the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX).

  • India’s agriculture and alied sectors show robust growth, reports MoSPI

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Friday released its annual publication, “Statistical Report on Value of Output from Agriculture and Allied Sectors (2011-12 to 2023-24)”. Available on the ministry’s official website (https://mospi.gov.in), the comprehensive report details the value of output from crop, livestock, forestry, logging, and fishing and aquaculture sectors at both current and constant (2011-12) prices. This follows the release of major aggregates at the national level in the National Accounts Statistics on February 28, 2025.

    The Gross Value Added (GVA) of agriculture and allied sectors at current prices surged by approximately 225%, rising from ₹1,502 thousand crore in 2011-12 to ₹4,878 thousand crore in 2023-24. At constant prices, the Gross Value of Output (GVO) from these sectors grew steadily from ₹1,908 thousand crore in 2011-12 to ₹2,949 thousand crore in 2023-24, reflecting a 54.6% increase over the period.

    The crop sector, contributing ₹1,595 thousand crore, remains the largest component of the total GVO at constant prices, accounting for 54.1% in 2023-24. Within this sector, cereals and fruits & vegetables together made up 52.5% of the crop GVO. Among cereals, paddy and wheat dominated, constituting about 85% of the cereal GVO in 2023-24. Five states—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, and Haryana—contributed nearly 53% of the cereal GVO, with Uttar Pradesh retaining its top position despite a slight decline in share from 18.6% in 2011-12 to 17.2% in 2023-24.

    In the fruit category, banana overtook mango in 2023-24, recording a GVO of ₹47.0 thousand crore compared to mango’s ₹46.1 thousand crore. Mango had been the leading fruit contributor from 2011-12 to 2021-22. Potato continued to lead the vegetable group, with its GVO rising from ₹21.3 thousand crore in 2011-12 to ₹37.2 thousand crore in 2023-24. Floriculture saw significant growth, nearly doubling from ₹17.4 thousand crore to ₹28.1 thousand crore over the same period, signaling increased commercial interest and diversification in horticulture.

    State-wise contributions to the GVO of fruits, vegetables, and floriculture have shifted noticeably between 2011-12 and 2023-24, reflecting changes in production dynamics and regional agricultural growth. In the condiments and spices category, Madhya Pradesh emerged as the top contributor in 2023-24 with a 19.2% share, followed by Karnataka (16.6%) and Gujarat (15.5%).

    The livestock sector recorded strong growth, with its GVO increasing from ₹488 thousand crore in 2011-12 to ₹919 thousand crore in 2023-24. Milk remained the dominant component, though its share slightly decreased from 67.2% to 65.9% over the period, while the meat group’s share rose from 19.7% to 24.1%.

    The forestry and logging sector showed consistent growth, with its GVO rising from ₹149 thousand crore in 2011-12 to ₹227 thousand crore in 2023-24. The share of industrial wood in this sector surged from 49.9% to 70.2% over the same period. Meanwhile, the fishing and aquaculture sub-sector grew in importance, with its contribution to agricultural GVA increasing from 4.2% in 2011-12 to 7.0% in 2023-24. The share of inland fish decreased from 57.7% to 50.2%, while marine fish increased from 42.3% to 49.8%. West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh remained key contributors to the fisheries GVO, with significant shifts observed between 2011-12 and 2022-23.

  • Operation Sindhu: Over 4,400 Indians evacuated from Iran and Israel, says MEA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a press release issued on Friday, announced the successful completion of Operation Sindhu—a major evacuation effort launched by the Government of India to bring back its nationals from conflict-affected regions in Iran and Israel. The operation, which commenced on June 18, was undertaken in response to the escalating security situation in West Asia.

    According to the MEA, a total of 4,415 Indian nationals were evacuated—3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel—using 19 special evacuation flights, including three Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft. The coordinated efforts were supported by Indian diplomatic missions across the region and were made possible with the cooperation of several foreign governments.

    The press release also noted that in addition to Indian citizens, 14 Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, 9 Nepali nationals, 4 Sri Lankan nationals, and one Iranian spouse of an Indian national were also safely evacuated. Among those rescued were over 1,500 women and 500 children, underscoring the humanitarian nature and urgency of the mission.

    For the Iran segment of the operation, Indian embassies in Tehran, Yerevan, and Ashgabat coordinated the movement of Indian nationals across land borders into Armenia and Turkmenistan on June 17 and 18. The first evacuation flights began on June 18. A key breakthrough occurred on June 20, when Iran agreed to reopen its airspace for evacuation flights following India’s request. This enabled the operation to proceed swiftly via Mashhad. Between June 18 and 26, 15 evacuation flights brought Indian citizens back to New Delhi from Yerevan, Ashgabat, and Mashhad. The evacuees included a diverse group of individuals—students, workers, professionals, pilgrims, and fishermen—from more than 15 Indian states.

    The Israel phase of Operation Sindhu began on June 23. Indian embassies in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Amman, and Cairo facilitated the safe passage of Indian nationals into Jordan and Egypt through land corridors. From Amman and Sharm al Sheikh, 818 Indian citizens were evacuated via four special flights between June 22 and 25, including three IAF-operated C-17 aircraft.

    The MEA stated that the evacuation efforts were paused on June 25, following the reopening of regional airspace. It added that any further action would be determined based on developments in the ongoing West Asia crisis.

    “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Operation Sindhu is yet another demonstration of the Government’s unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of Indian citizens abroad,” the MEA said. The ministry also extended its gratitude to the governments of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Armenia, and Turkmenistan for their crucial support and cooperation.

    Indian diplomatic missions remain in close contact with local authorities and Indian communities across the West Asia region to ensure their continued safety and well-being, the release concluded.

  • Operation Sindhu: Over 4,400 Indians evacuated from Iran and Israel, says MEA

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a press release issued on Friday, announced the successful completion of Operation Sindhu—a major evacuation effort launched by the Government of India to bring back its nationals from conflict-affected regions in Iran and Israel. The operation, which commenced on June 18, was undertaken in response to the escalating security situation in West Asia.

    According to the MEA, a total of 4,415 Indian nationals were evacuated—3,597 from Iran and 818 from Israel—using 19 special evacuation flights, including three Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft. The coordinated efforts were supported by Indian diplomatic missions across the region and were made possible with the cooperation of several foreign governments.

    The press release also noted that in addition to Indian citizens, 14 Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, 9 Nepali nationals, 4 Sri Lankan nationals, and one Iranian spouse of an Indian national were also safely evacuated. Among those rescued were over 1,500 women and 500 children, underscoring the humanitarian nature and urgency of the mission.

    For the Iran segment of the operation, Indian embassies in Tehran, Yerevan, and Ashgabat coordinated the movement of Indian nationals across land borders into Armenia and Turkmenistan on June 17 and 18. The first evacuation flights began on June 18. A key breakthrough occurred on June 20, when Iran agreed to reopen its airspace for evacuation flights following India’s request. This enabled the operation to proceed swiftly via Mashhad. Between June 18 and 26, 15 evacuation flights brought Indian citizens back to New Delhi from Yerevan, Ashgabat, and Mashhad. The evacuees included a diverse group of individuals—students, workers, professionals, pilgrims, and fishermen—from more than 15 Indian states.

    The Israel phase of Operation Sindhu began on June 23. Indian embassies in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Amman, and Cairo facilitated the safe passage of Indian nationals into Jordan and Egypt through land corridors. From Amman and Sharm al Sheikh, 818 Indian citizens were evacuated via four special flights between June 22 and 25, including three IAF-operated C-17 aircraft.

    The MEA stated that the evacuation efforts were paused on June 25, following the reopening of regional airspace. It added that any further action would be determined based on developments in the ongoing West Asia crisis.

    “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Operation Sindhu is yet another demonstration of the Government’s unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of Indian citizens abroad,” the MEA said. The ministry also extended its gratitude to the governments of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Armenia, and Turkmenistan for their crucial support and cooperation.

    Indian diplomatic missions remain in close contact with local authorities and Indian communities across the West Asia region to ensure their continued safety and well-being, the release concluded.

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    Jackson, MS – On June 17, 2025, a Newton County man pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor under the age of sixteen.

    According to court documents, in February of 2024, Javeon Deshaun Jefferson, 25, engaged in the sexual abuse of a minor in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, made the announcement.  The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    Jackson, MS – On June 17, 2025, a Newton County man pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor under the age of sixteen.

    According to court documents, in February of 2024, Javeon Deshaun Jefferson, 25, engaged in the sexual abuse of a minor in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, made the announcement.  The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: With Child Rights Violations at Record High, Speakers Urge Course Correction in Day-Long Security Council Debate

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    In the wake of unprecedented violence against children in 2024, the Security Council heard today that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war — and that urgent action is needed to correct this course — during a day-long debate on children and armed conflict.

    “The year 2024 marked a devastating new record,” reported Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, as the UN verified 41,370 grave violations against children — a “staggering” 25 per cent increase from 2023.  “Behind these numbers are the shattered stories, dreams and futures of 22,495 children, each of them profoundly affected by war, displacement and the collapse of protection systems that should have served as their shield,” she stressed.  Spotlighting the “sharp” rise in the number of children subjected to multiple grave violations — 3,137 in total — she said this is a “stark reminder of the compounded vulnerabilities children face in conflict settings”.

    Nearly 12,000 Children Killed or Maimed in 2024

    Detailing “the six grave violations the Security Council entrusted to my office”, she said that, in 2024, 11,967 children were killed or maimed — the highest number “since this mandate was established over two decades ago”.  Further, there were 7,402 cases of recruitment and use; 1,982 cases of sexual violence; 2,374 cases of attacks on schools and hospitals; thousands of children were forcibly abducted; and denied humanitarian access is now one of the greatest obstacles to protecting children in conflict zones.  “These atrocities against children span the globe,” she underscored, which demonstrates the universal, indiscriminate nature of these grave violations.

    Also noting that Government forces “remained the principal perpetrators” of the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access, she stressed:  “We cannot continue to stand by and watch with no action what is happening to the children globally — and especially in Gaza.”  She therefore urged the international community, inter alia, to call on all parties to conflict to engage with the UN to develop, sign and fully implement action plans that end and prevent these violations.  Adding that the children and armed conflict mandate has proven its value, she urged:  “Let us prove that it matters — that they, our children, matter.”

    Explosives Leading Cause of Child Casualties

    Also briefing the Council was Sheema Sen Gupta, Director of Child Protection and Migration of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who stated that today’s report “once again confirms what too many children already know — that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war”.  She highlighted two “deeply disturbing” trends.  First, the increased use of explosive weapons in populated areas is now the leading cause of child casualties in many of the world’s conflicts, accounting for over 70 per cent of all incidents of killing and maiming. Second is the surge in sexual violence, and she reported that verified cases of such violence against children increased by 35 per cent in 2024.

    On that, she noted that nearly 10,000 cases of sexual violence were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the first two months of 2025, with children constituting over 40 per cent of those affected.  Nevertheless, this agenda “remains a source of hope”, with over 16,000 children receiving protection and reintegration support in 2024.  Calling on all parties to conflict to stop the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, she also underlined the need to protect and expand humanitarian space.  “Fund this agenda,” she added, stressing:  “Children are not collateral damage.”

    Growing Up in War

    Next, Sila — a 17-year-old girl from Idlib, Syria — said that she is part of a generation of thousands of children that has lived through war and knows nothing of safety.  “Rather, I know nothing but smoke, shelling, displacement and fear,” she said.  Stating that she came to the Council to talk about the pain that remains after war, she described a childhood in which her home was a suitcase as bombings forced her family to constantly move.  “My childhood was full of fear and anxiety, and I was deprived of people I loved,” she said.  She added: “Imagine that you go to school, and you hear the sound of the plane over your head, and you don’t know if the projectile will hit your school or your home.”

    War does not end when the bombing stops, she added.  “The real danger remains after the war — the landmines, the unexploded shells and the life that turns into death traps,” she said, pointing out that “many people lost their limbs — or even their lives — without participating in any battle”.  Now, she works with a humanitarian organization to raise awareness about the dangers posed by remnants of war.  “It’s our turn to speak and raise our voices, and to educate others,” she said. She stressed:  “Today, I did not come as a victim — I came as a witness.” As such, she asked for the international community’s support so that children can achieve their dreams and opportunities.

    “It is my fervent hope that today’s debate will be an opportunity not just to express outrage, but to follow through with tangible action,” stressed Vindhya Vasini Persaud, Minister for Human Services and Social Security of Guyana and Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity as the floor opened.  Similarly, Greece’s representative, Chair of the Working Group on this agenda item, welcomed today’s report as a call “not just for reflection on one of the gravest affronts to international law, but also for action”.  He asked those present:  “Do we live up to our promises to children?”

    Mandate Holder’s Response Muted

    Most statements suggested otherwise.  Algeria’s representative posed his own question: “How can we ignore the 7,188 verified grave violations attributed to Israeli forces?”  Stressing that the response of the Special Representative’s office to this matter has been “strikingly insufficient”, he said that its statements “fall critically short of the decisive and sustained condemnation warranted by the immense scale of the crisis”.  He concluded:  “The protection of children in conflict demands a more vigorous — a more vocal — response to the unparalleled crisis in Gaza.”

    The representative of the United Kingdom, for his part, pointed to the Palestinians killed trying to reach “the few aid sites permitted by Israel”.  “This is unacceptable,” he stated, calling on Israel to abide by its obligations to protect children and to enable aid to enter Gaza at scale.  China’s representative also called on Israel to lift its humanitarian blockade.  The representative of Sierra Leone — expressing similar concern over the “appalling humanitarian situation confronting children in Gaza” — emphasized that it is States — especially those exercising territorial control — that must ensure the protection of civilians.

    The representative of the Russian Federation also emphasized States’ leading role in this context, emphasizing:  “This is why this theme — more than any other theme — requires intergovernmental cooperation and must, under no circumstances, be politicized.”  However, he said that the structures assisting the Council in this regard “have not demonstrated themselves to be paragons of impartiality”, as the report continues to include “unverified figures about children in Ukraine”.  Further spotlighting a “continuous reduction in Russian child victims in the report”, he said that it does not include figures of the children killed or maimed by Ukraine’s armed forces.

    Pakistan’s representative, meanwhile, pointed out that it took the killing of thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza for the situation to be included in the last year’s report.  And while welcoming this year’s removal of references to his country as a situation of concern — “a long-overdue correction” — he expressed regret that the previously documented plight of children in “the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir” was omitted without justification.

    Report Offers ‘Sobering Snapshot’

    Nevertheless, the representative of the United States said that the report is a “sobering snapshot”, which “serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency and necessity of strengthening the international community’s child-protection capacity”.  Observing that “alarm bells should be ringing everywhere”, Slovenia’s representative stressed:  “We need to do better.”  Panama’s representative said that there is an “urgent need to broaden social-integration programmes with a focus on young people to rebuild their futures”.  The representative of France called for capacity-building to protect children in peacekeeping operations.

    Offering another proposal, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that “listening to and empowering survivors must be the starting point of any survivor-centred response”, for which he expressed support.  To that end, Seoul has contributed $8.6 million to prevent gender-based violence and assist survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  In that vein, Denmark’s representative urged that all monitoring, prevention and response efforts account for the gendered impact of grave violations, as they have “distinct and profound effects on girls and boys”.

    Somalia’s representative, however, concluded:  “It is only by striving to end wars — and by investing earnestly in the prevention of new ones — that we can hope to guarantee a world where no child is left to bear the wounds of war.”  Similarly, Ukraine’s representative said that “one simple thing” is needed to stop the Russian Federation from killing and maiming children in Ukraine — “a full, unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days as a first step towards just and lasting peace”.  The representative of Lebanon, too, said that children have suffered from the ravages of numerous wars that have broken out on Lebanese territory:  “They pay a hefty toll for the mistakes of adults.”

    He, along with other Member States, also drew attention to the high number of violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  “What is happening in Gaza now is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and humanitarian values,” said Saudi Arabia’s representative.  However, Israel’s representative — pointing to “one of the most outrageous statements I have ever seen in official UN documents” — noted that the Secretary-General has called on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to develop action plans with the UN, and on Israel to sign a matching one. Adding that the report “switches the roles of victim and aggressor”, he rejected the “grotesque false equivalence between a sovereign democracy and a terror regime”.

    Success Stories

    Yet, there were positive notes.  The observer for the African Union reported that the bloc has adopted a comprehensive legal and policy framework for protecting children, particularly in conflict situations.  El Salvador’s representative pointed to her country’s “drastically” reduced homicide rates and provision of psychosocial care, education and reintegration programmes to victims of violence.  The representative of the Philippines, for her part, welcomed the removal of her country as a situation of concern in the next report, which is a testament to its whole-of-Government approach and sustained, strategic collaboration with the UN.  She stated:  “We hope that the Philippines’ story will serve as an inspiration of what we, as a global community, can do for children everywhere — to let children be children.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: With Child Rights Violations at Record High, Speakers Urge Course Correction in Day-Long Security Council Debate

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    In the wake of unprecedented violence against children in 2024, the Security Council heard today that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war — and that urgent action is needed to correct this course — during a day-long debate on children and armed conflict.

    “The year 2024 marked a devastating new record,” reported Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, as the UN verified 41,370 grave violations against children — a “staggering” 25 per cent increase from 2023.  “Behind these numbers are the shattered stories, dreams and futures of 22,495 children, each of them profoundly affected by war, displacement and the collapse of protection systems that should have served as their shield,” she stressed.  Spotlighting the “sharp” rise in the number of children subjected to multiple grave violations — 3,137 in total — she said this is a “stark reminder of the compounded vulnerabilities children face in conflict settings”.

    Nearly 12,000 Children Killed or Maimed in 2024

    Detailing “the six grave violations the Security Council entrusted to my office”, she said that, in 2024, 11,967 children were killed or maimed — the highest number “since this mandate was established over two decades ago”.  Further, there were 7,402 cases of recruitment and use; 1,982 cases of sexual violence; 2,374 cases of attacks on schools and hospitals; thousands of children were forcibly abducted; and denied humanitarian access is now one of the greatest obstacles to protecting children in conflict zones.  “These atrocities against children span the globe,” she underscored, which demonstrates the universal, indiscriminate nature of these grave violations.

    Also noting that Government forces “remained the principal perpetrators” of the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access, she stressed:  “We cannot continue to stand by and watch with no action what is happening to the children globally — and especially in Gaza.”  She therefore urged the international community, inter alia, to call on all parties to conflict to engage with the UN to develop, sign and fully implement action plans that end and prevent these violations.  Adding that the children and armed conflict mandate has proven its value, she urged:  “Let us prove that it matters — that they, our children, matter.”

    Explosives Leading Cause of Child Casualties

    Also briefing the Council was Sheema Sen Gupta, Director of Child Protection and Migration of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who stated that today’s report “once again confirms what too many children already know — that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war”.  She highlighted two “deeply disturbing” trends.  First, the increased use of explosive weapons in populated areas is now the leading cause of child casualties in many of the world’s conflicts, accounting for over 70 per cent of all incidents of killing and maiming. Second is the surge in sexual violence, and she reported that verified cases of such violence against children increased by 35 per cent in 2024.

    On that, she noted that nearly 10,000 cases of sexual violence were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the first two months of 2025, with children constituting over 40 per cent of those affected.  Nevertheless, this agenda “remains a source of hope”, with over 16,000 children receiving protection and reintegration support in 2024.  Calling on all parties to conflict to stop the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, she also underlined the need to protect and expand humanitarian space.  “Fund this agenda,” she added, stressing:  “Children are not collateral damage.”

    Growing Up in War

    Next, Sila — a 17-year-old girl from Idlib, Syria — said that she is part of a generation of thousands of children that has lived through war and knows nothing of safety.  “Rather, I know nothing but smoke, shelling, displacement and fear,” she said.  Stating that she came to the Council to talk about the pain that remains after war, she described a childhood in which her home was a suitcase as bombings forced her family to constantly move.  “My childhood was full of fear and anxiety, and I was deprived of people I loved,” she said.  She added: “Imagine that you go to school, and you hear the sound of the plane over your head, and you don’t know if the projectile will hit your school or your home.”

    War does not end when the bombing stops, she added.  “The real danger remains after the war — the landmines, the unexploded shells and the life that turns into death traps,” she said, pointing out that “many people lost their limbs — or even their lives — without participating in any battle”.  Now, she works with a humanitarian organization to raise awareness about the dangers posed by remnants of war.  “It’s our turn to speak and raise our voices, and to educate others,” she said. She stressed:  “Today, I did not come as a victim — I came as a witness.” As such, she asked for the international community’s support so that children can achieve their dreams and opportunities.

    “It is my fervent hope that today’s debate will be an opportunity not just to express outrage, but to follow through with tangible action,” stressed Vindhya Vasini Persaud, Minister for Human Services and Social Security of Guyana and Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity as the floor opened.  Similarly, Greece’s representative, Chair of the Working Group on this agenda item, welcomed today’s report as a call “not just for reflection on one of the gravest affronts to international law, but also for action”.  He asked those present:  “Do we live up to our promises to children?”

    Mandate Holder’s Response Muted

    Most statements suggested otherwise.  Algeria’s representative posed his own question: “How can we ignore the 7,188 verified grave violations attributed to Israeli forces?”  Stressing that the response of the Special Representative’s office to this matter has been “strikingly insufficient”, he said that its statements “fall critically short of the decisive and sustained condemnation warranted by the immense scale of the crisis”.  He concluded:  “The protection of children in conflict demands a more vigorous — a more vocal — response to the unparalleled crisis in Gaza.”

    The representative of the United Kingdom, for his part, pointed to the Palestinians killed trying to reach “the few aid sites permitted by Israel”.  “This is unacceptable,” he stated, calling on Israel to abide by its obligations to protect children and to enable aid to enter Gaza at scale.  China’s representative also called on Israel to lift its humanitarian blockade.  The representative of Sierra Leone — expressing similar concern over the “appalling humanitarian situation confronting children in Gaza” — emphasized that it is States — especially those exercising territorial control — that must ensure the protection of civilians.

    The representative of the Russian Federation also emphasized States’ leading role in this context, emphasizing:  “This is why this theme — more than any other theme — requires intergovernmental cooperation and must, under no circumstances, be politicized.”  However, he said that the structures assisting the Council in this regard “have not demonstrated themselves to be paragons of impartiality”, as the report continues to include “unverified figures about children in Ukraine”.  Further spotlighting a “continuous reduction in Russian child victims in the report”, he said that it does not include figures of the children killed or maimed by Ukraine’s armed forces.

    Pakistan’s representative, meanwhile, pointed out that it took the killing of thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza for the situation to be included in the last year’s report.  And while welcoming this year’s removal of references to his country as a situation of concern — “a long-overdue correction” — he expressed regret that the previously documented plight of children in “the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir” was omitted without justification.

    Report Offers ‘Sobering Snapshot’

    Nevertheless, the representative of the United States said that the report is a “sobering snapshot”, which “serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency and necessity of strengthening the international community’s child-protection capacity”.  Observing that “alarm bells should be ringing everywhere”, Slovenia’s representative stressed:  “We need to do better.”  Panama’s representative said that there is an “urgent need to broaden social-integration programmes with a focus on young people to rebuild their futures”.  The representative of France called for capacity-building to protect children in peacekeeping operations.

    Offering another proposal, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that “listening to and empowering survivors must be the starting point of any survivor-centred response”, for which he expressed support.  To that end, Seoul has contributed $8.6 million to prevent gender-based violence and assist survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  In that vein, Denmark’s representative urged that all monitoring, prevention and response efforts account for the gendered impact of grave violations, as they have “distinct and profound effects on girls and boys”.

    Somalia’s representative, however, concluded:  “It is only by striving to end wars — and by investing earnestly in the prevention of new ones — that we can hope to guarantee a world where no child is left to bear the wounds of war.”  Similarly, Ukraine’s representative said that “one simple thing” is needed to stop the Russian Federation from killing and maiming children in Ukraine — “a full, unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days as a first step towards just and lasting peace”.  The representative of Lebanon, too, said that children have suffered from the ravages of numerous wars that have broken out on Lebanese territory:  “They pay a hefty toll for the mistakes of adults.”

    He, along with other Member States, also drew attention to the high number of violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  “What is happening in Gaza now is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and humanitarian values,” said Saudi Arabia’s representative.  However, Israel’s representative — pointing to “one of the most outrageous statements I have ever seen in official UN documents” — noted that the Secretary-General has called on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to develop action plans with the UN, and on Israel to sign a matching one. Adding that the report “switches the roles of victim and aggressor”, he rejected the “grotesque false equivalence between a sovereign democracy and a terror regime”.

    Success Stories

    Yet, there were positive notes.  The observer for the African Union reported that the bloc has adopted a comprehensive legal and policy framework for protecting children, particularly in conflict situations.  El Salvador’s representative pointed to her country’s “drastically” reduced homicide rates and provision of psychosocial care, education and reintegration programmes to victims of violence.  The representative of the Philippines, for her part, welcomed the removal of her country as a situation of concern in the next report, which is a testament to its whole-of-Government approach and sustained, strategic collaboration with the UN.  She stated:  “We hope that the Philippines’ story will serve as an inspiration of what we, as a global community, can do for children everywhere — to let children be children.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary unveils report on transforming India’s workforce

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudharybon Friday unveiled a report titled “Skills for the Future: Transforming India’s Workforce Landscape” in New. Developed by the Institute for Competitiveness (IFC), the report offers a comprehensive analysis of India’s skills ecosystem, emphasizing the need for a demand-driven, market-aligned, and outcome-oriented approach to skilling.

    Speaking at the event, Chaudhary highlighted the importance of aligning skilling initiatives with industry needs and evolving workforce demands. He emphasized that skilling should not be viewed solely as a supply-side intervention but as a holistic ecosystem that bridges education, vocational training, and industry requirements. He also proposed the development of a robust employability index to monitor the impact of education and skilling on youth employment in a rapidly changing economic and technological landscape. Additionally, he stressed the value of recognizing informal and experiential learning to strengthen pathways between education and industry.

    The report, an independent effort by IFC, draws on publicly available data, including unit-level analysis from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24. It reveals that 88% of India’s workforce is engaged in low-competency occupations, with only 10-12% in high-competency roles. The report identifies five key sectors—IT and ITeS, Textile and Apparel, Electronics, Healthcare and Life Sciences, and Beauty and Wellness—that account for over 66% of vocational training in India. Using a Competitiveness Framework Analysis, it also highlights five high-potential regions for these sectors, integrating data from PLFS, the PMKVY 4.0 dashboard, Sector Skill Councils, and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme to assess training, certification, and industry alignment.

    Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), commended the IFC’s efforts, underscoring the need for a robust body of academic literature on skilling supported by data and evidence. He called for deeper exploration of structural changes in the skilling, education, and work continuum to drive meaningful reforms.

  • Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary unveils report on transforming India’s workforce

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudharybon Friday unveiled a report titled “Skills for the Future: Transforming India’s Workforce Landscape” in New. Developed by the Institute for Competitiveness (IFC), the report offers a comprehensive analysis of India’s skills ecosystem, emphasizing the need for a demand-driven, market-aligned, and outcome-oriented approach to skilling.

    Speaking at the event, Chaudhary highlighted the importance of aligning skilling initiatives with industry needs and evolving workforce demands. He emphasized that skilling should not be viewed solely as a supply-side intervention but as a holistic ecosystem that bridges education, vocational training, and industry requirements. He also proposed the development of a robust employability index to monitor the impact of education and skilling on youth employment in a rapidly changing economic and technological landscape. Additionally, he stressed the value of recognizing informal and experiential learning to strengthen pathways between education and industry.

    The report, an independent effort by IFC, draws on publicly available data, including unit-level analysis from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24. It reveals that 88% of India’s workforce is engaged in low-competency occupations, with only 10-12% in high-competency roles. The report identifies five key sectors—IT and ITeS, Textile and Apparel, Electronics, Healthcare and Life Sciences, and Beauty and Wellness—that account for over 66% of vocational training in India. Using a Competitiveness Framework Analysis, it also highlights five high-potential regions for these sectors, integrating data from PLFS, the PMKVY 4.0 dashboard, Sector Skill Councils, and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme to assess training, certification, and industry alignment.

    Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), commended the IFC’s efforts, underscoring the need for a robust body of academic literature on skilling supported by data and evidence. He called for deeper exploration of structural changes in the skilling, education, and work continuum to drive meaningful reforms.

  • MIL-OSI Global: Back to the Future at 40: the trilogy has never been remade – let’s hope that doesn’t change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel O’Brien, Lecturer, Department of Literature Film and Theatre Studies, University of Essex

    It has now been four decades since Marty McFly first hit 88 miles per hour in a time-travelling DeLorean. Robert Zemeckis’s sci-fi adventure blockbuster didn’t just navigate the space-time continuum onscreen (thanks to the flux capacitor). It also found a lasting place in the hearts of its audience.

    Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone speak badly about the Back to the Future trilogy (aside from certain cast members, which I’ll touch on later). It has thankfully avoided the common traps of remakes and the sprawling expanded universe trend, which has diluted so many other beloved franchises (yes, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and The Lord of the Rings, I’m talking to you).

    Naturally, the success of Back to the Future has inspired a range of adaptations, including a computer game, an immersive Secret Cinema event, as well as a more recent West End stage musical. But each version stays true to the spirit of the original, reinforcing what feels like an unspoken rule in Hollywood: Back to the Future is off-limits to a cinematic or televised remake.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Zemeckis and Bob Gale, who co-wrote the screenplay for all three films, have repeatedly shut down the idea of a fourth instalment, declaring that the trilogy is complete. In fact, aside from a few delightful Back to the Future references in other shows made by the original stars themselves, the only remake you’re likely to come across is BBTF Project 85. It’s a multi-fan-made, shot-for-shot collaboration and true labour of love, created not for profit but out of pure admiration for the original.

    The success of the Back to the Future trilogy can be attributed to several factors, not least the undeniable charisma and chemistry between Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The wholesome, inter-generational friendship of their characters is never explicitly explained, but also doesn’t need to be. It simply works. The dynamic between Doc and Marty captures a timeless, heartfelt bond between two generations who respect and learn from each other, much like the relationship between Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid (another trilogy that has since found itself in the rebooted camp).

    The original trailer for Back to the Future.

    Michael J. Fox was the original choice for Marty McFly but due to scheduling conflicts with his role on sitcom Family Ties, production began with Eric Stoltz in the role. Over half the film was shot before Zemeckis made the difficult decision to recast.

    As Stoltz later said in an interview, the change came because he “wasn’t giving the performance [Zemeckis] wanted for his film”. Stoltz, a talented performer, brought a darker, moodier and more intense interpretation to Marty, a version that was replaced by Fox’s lighter, more comedic approach, channelled through his effortless charm.

    Stoltz wasn’t the only cast member to leave Back to the Future with a sense of disappointment. Crispin Glover, who played George McFly, also famously fell out with Zemeckis and Gale over creative differences. One of which was Glover’s objection to the film’s ending that presented Marty’s family being financially wealthier in comparison to the start. Glover felt this idea sent a negative message of money equating to happiness. This artistic clash (and ironically, dispute over salary) ultimately led to him being recast in Back to the Future Parts II and III, with actor Jeffrey Weissman stepping in.

    In the sequels, Weissman wears a facial prosthetic designed from Glover’s likeness from the first film (where George is made to look older). This enraged Glover further, who responded by filing a lawsuit, arguing that the use of his image without consent was illegal.

    He has since been openly critical of Weissman’s “bad performance” and has expressed ongoing frustration that many viewers still mistakenly assume the “bad acting” to be his own. As he notes, this explicitly contrasts with the more obvious recasting of Jennifer Parker (Marty’s girlfriend) performed by Claudia Wells in the first film and later replaced by Elisabeth Shue in the sequels.

    The recasting reflects the first film’s unexpected success. Back to the Future was never intended to have a sequel, but the overwhelming popularity of the original prompted the rapid development of two back-to-back follow-ups released in 1989 and 1990.

    Once again, the film’s success can be credited to the electric chemistry between its leads and the unforgettable music, from Huey Lewis’s Power of Love to Chuck Berry’s “new sound” in Johnny B. Goode, and Alan Silvestri’s hauntingly triumphant score. Silvestri’s music seems to capture the spirit of wide-eyed adventure, nostalgia and wisdom all at once, like a journey through time, composed entirely for the ears, affording the trilogy a sense of timelessness.

    Back to printed media

    Another charm of the Back to the Future trilogy (which stood out to me in a more recent viewing) lies in its use of printed media, which inspired me to create my video essay, Back to Printed Media.

    Back to Printed Media.

    As indicated in the video, Back to the Future begins with the sound and image of clocks before panning to a framed newspaper article, a fitting introduction to how all three instalments use print to convey plot, emotion and shifts across timelines.

    Beyond newspapers, the trilogy gives prominence to photographs, handwritten letters, phone books, a sports almanac, transparent receipts of the future, and even printed faxes (in the future of 2015). This tactile world of ink and paper evokes a deep nostalgia, underscoring the emotional weight of physical communication, something that has steadily faded with the rise of digital screens and indeed the loss of physical touch.

    Doc even comments in the third instalment (when reading a letter from his future self) that he never knew he could write anything so touching.

    In an era where glowing rectangles dominate both our lives and our storytelling, Back to the Future offers a refreshing contrast. It reminds us of the human connection and the need to be with others, packaged in a blockbuster narrative about one of the most universal cinematic themes: finding your way back home.

    As a trilogy, Back to the Future has stood the test of time for four decades, and I’m confident it will continue to resonate with both new and nostalgic audiences well into the future.

    Daniel O’Brien 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. Back to the Future at 40: the trilogy has never been remade – let’s hope that doesn’t change – https://theconversation.com/back-to-the-future-at-40-the-trilogy-has-never-been-remade-lets-hope-that-doesnt-change-259725

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • PM Modi to inaugurate centenary celebrations of Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of revered Jain spiritual leader and social reformer Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering during the event, marking the formal launch of a year-long national tribute to honor the 100th birth anniversary of the esteemed scholar.

    Organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, the celebrations will feature a series of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country. These programs aim to commemorate Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj’s remarkable life and legacy while spreading his message of peace and non-violence.

    Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, a prolific author of over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, made significant contributions to the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India. His efforts also extended to promoting education, particularly in Prakrit, Jain philosophy, and classical languages, leaving an enduring impact on India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate centenary celebrations of Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of revered Jain spiritual leader and social reformer Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering during the event, marking the formal launch of a year-long national tribute to honor the 100th birth anniversary of the esteemed scholar.

    Organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, the celebrations will feature a series of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country. These programs aim to commemorate Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj’s remarkable life and legacy while spreading his message of peace and non-violence.

    Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, a prolific author of over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, made significant contributions to the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India. His efforts also extended to promoting education, particularly in Prakrit, Jain philosophy, and classical languages, leaving an enduring impact on India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate centenary celebrations of Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of revered Jain spiritual leader and social reformer Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj on June 28 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering during the event, marking the formal launch of a year-long national tribute to honor the 100th birth anniversary of the esteemed scholar.

    Organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, the celebrations will feature a series of cultural, literary, educational, and spiritual initiatives across the country. These programs aim to commemorate Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj’s remarkable life and legacy while spreading his message of peace and non-violence.

    Acharya Vidyanand Ji Maharaj, a prolific author of over 50 works on Jain philosophy and ethics, made significant contributions to the restoration and revival of ancient Jain temples across India. His efforts also extended to promoting education, particularly in Prakrit, Jain philosophy, and classical languages, leaving an enduring impact on India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Hurricane Helene set up future disasters, from landslides to flooding – cascading hazards like these are upending risk models

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University

    The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene. AP Photo/Allen G. Breed

    Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.

    Mudslides buried roads and reshaped river channels. Uprooted trees left soil on hillslopes exposed to the elements. Sediment that washed into rivers changed how water flows through the landscape, leaving some areas more prone to flooding and erosion.

    Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear – they evolve.

    These transformations are part of what scientists call cascading hazards. They occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards. A landslide triggered by a storm might clog a river, leading to downstream flooding months or years later. A wildfire can alter the soil and vegetation, setting the stage for debris flows with the next rainstorm.

    Satellite images before (top) and after Hurricane Helene (bottom) show how the storm altered landscape near Pensacola, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    Google Earth, CC BY

    I study these disasters as a geomorphologist. In a new paper in the journal Science, I and a team of scientists from 18 universities and the U.S. Geological Survey explain why hazard models – used to help communities prepare for disasters – can’t just rely on the past. Instead, they need to be nimble enough to forecast how hazards evolve in real time.

    The science behind cascading hazards

    Cascading hazards aren’t random. They emerge from physical processes that operate continuously across the landscape – sediment movement, weathering, erosion. Together, the atmosphere, biosphere and the earth are constantly reshaping the conditions that cause natural disasters.

    For instance, earthquakes fracture rock and shake loose soil. Even if landslides don’t occur during the quake itself, the ground may be weakened, leaving it primed for failure during later rainstorms.

    That’s exactly what happened after the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, which led to a surge in debris flows long after the initial seismic event.

    A strong aftershock after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province, China, in May 2008 triggered more landslides in central China.
    AP Photo/Andy Wong

    Earth’s surface retains a “memory” of these events. Sediment disturbed in an earthquake, wildfire or severe storm will move downslope over years or even decades, reshaping the landscape as it goes.

    The 1950 Assam earthquake in India is a striking example: It triggered thousands of landslides. The sediment from these landslides gradually moved through the river system, eventually causing flooding and changing river channels in Bangladesh some 20 years later.

    An intensifying threat in a changing world

    These risks present challenges for everything from emergency planning to home insurance. After repeated wildfire-mudslide combinations in California, some insurers pulled out of the state entirely, citing mounting risks and rising costs among the reasons.

    Cascading hazards are not new, but their impact is intensifying.

    Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires, storms and extreme rainfall. At the same time, urban development continues to expand into steep, hazard-prone terrain, exposing more people and infrastructure to evolving risks.

    The rising risk of interconnected climate disasters like these is overwhelming systems built for isolated events.

    Yet climate change is only part of the equation. Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.

    Mount St. Helens is a powerful example: More than four decades after its eruption in 1980, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to manage ash and sediment from the eruption to keep it from filling river channels in ways that could increase the flood risk in downstream communities.

    Rethinking risk and building resilience

    Traditionally, insurance companies and disaster managers have estimated hazard risk by looking at past events.

    But when the landscape has changed, the past may no longer be a reliable guide to the future. To address this, computer models based on the physics of how these events work are needed to help forecast hazard evolution in real time, much like weather models update with new atmospheric data.

    A March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range wiped out trees in its path.
    Brian Yanites, June 2025
    A drone image of the same March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range shows where it temporarily dammed the river below.
    Brian Yanites, June 2025

    Thanks to advances in Earth observation technology, such as satellite imagery, drone and lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, scientists can now track how hillslopes, rivers and vegetation change after disasters. These observations can feed into geomorphic models that simulate how loosened sediment moves and where hazards are likely to emerge next.

    Researchers are already coupling weather forecasts with post-wildfire debris flow models. Other models simulate how sediment pulses travel through river networks.

    Cascading hazards reveal that Earth’s surface is not a passive backdrop, but an active, evolving system. Each event reshapes the stage for the next.

    Understanding these connections is critical for building resilience so communities can withstand future storms, earthquakes and the problems created by debris flows. Better forecasts can inform building codes, guide infrastructure design and improve how risk is priced and managed. They can help communities anticipate long-term threats and adapt before the next disaster strikes.

    Most importantly, they challenge everyone to think beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster – and to recognize the slow, quiet transformations that build toward the next.

    Brian J. Yanites receives funding from the National Science Foundation.

    – ref. Hurricane Helene set up future disasters, from landslides to flooding – cascading hazards like these are upending risk models – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-helene-set-up-future-disasters-from-landslides-to-flooding-cascading-hazards-like-these-are-upending-risk-models-259502

    MIL OSI Analysis –