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Category: India

  • Zimbabwe women set for historic ICC Championship debut with New Zealand tour in 2026

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Zimbabwe women’s cricket team is set to make its long-awaited debut in the ICC Women’s Championship, marking the beginning of their quest to qualify for the Women’s ODI World Cup for the first time in their history.

    Their campaign will begin with a white-ball tour of New Zealand in February–March 2026, which includes both ODI and T20I series.

    The tour will feature three ODIs — scheduled for March 5, 8, and 11 in Dunedin — officially marking Zimbabwe’s entry into the ICC Women’s Championship. These matches will not only be Zimbabwe’s first-ever Women’s ODIs against New Zealand but also their first appearance in the expanded 2025–29 Championship cycle, which now features 11 teams instead of 10.

    The fourth edition of the Championship will serve as the qualification pathway to the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup.

    Ahead of the ODIs, Zimbabwe will also contest a three-match T20I series in Hamilton on February 25, 27, and March 1, marking their debut against New Zealand in Women’s T20Is.

    Zimbabwe’s inclusion in the ICC Women’s Championship represents a significant leap forward for the country’s women’s cricket program.

    Speaking on the occasion, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Managing Director Givemore Makoni hailed the development as a historic milestone.

    “It is a proud and exciting moment for us as Zimbabwe Women prepare to compete at the highest level of the global game,” Makoni said. “This is not only a testament to how far our women’s cricket has come but also a strong endorsement of our vision and investment in developing the women’s game.”

    As part of the Championship cycle, Zimbabwe will host four three-match ODI series at home — against South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Ireland — and play away series against India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and now New Zealand. It’s a schedule that promises both exposure and challenge as the team aims to establish itself among the top-tier nations in women’s cricket.

    To date, Zimbabwe Women have played ODIs against only six teams, with Full Member fixtures limited to matches against Bangladesh, Ireland, and Pakistan. The tour of New Zealand will open a new chapter in their international journey.

    With Zimbabwe’s entry, 11 of the 12 ICC Full Members are now part of the Women’s Championship. Afghanistan remains the sole exception, as its women’s cricket program came to a halt following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and subsequent restrictions on women’s sports in the country.

    IANS

  • Indian stock market opens higher, all eyes on US reciprocal tariff deadline

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The domestic benchmark indices opened higher on Thursday amid mixed global cues, as buying was seen in the metal, auto, and financial services sectors in early trade.

    At around 9:26 a.m., the Sensex was trading 239.27 points, or 0.29 per cent, higher at 82,994.78, while the Nifty added 84.20 points, or 0.33 per cent, to reach 25,328.95.

    According to analysts, with a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, global markets are in risk-on mode. However, since the reciprocal tariff issue remains unresolved, a sustained rally may be difficult.

    Nifty Bank was up 41.50 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 56,662.65 in early trade. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 58,993.20 after gaining 111.50 points, or 0.19 per cent. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index stood at 18,785.05, up 57.20 points, or 0.31 per cent.

    Technically, the price action also traced an inside day, indicating that the possibility of a large, single-day trending move is rising, experts said.

    Meanwhile, in the Sensex pack, BEL, Eternal, Tata Motors, PowerGrid, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel, L&T, Bajaj Finserv, Bharti Airtel, and Titan were the top gainers. On the other hand, Tech Mahindra, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Trent, and ICICI Bank were among the top losers.

    Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers on June 25, offloading equities worth ₹2,427.74 crore. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) remained buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹2,372.96 crore.

    In the Asian markets, Japan, China, Bangkok, and Jakarta were trading in the green, whereas Seoul and Hong Kong were in the red.

    In the previous trading session, the Dow Jones in the US closed at 42,982.43, down 106.59 points, or 0.25 per cent. The S&P 500 ended with a slight loss of 0.02 points at 6,092.16, while the Nasdaq closed at 19,973.55, up 61.02 points, or 0.31 per cent.

    —IANS

  • Trump says US to hold nuclear talks with Iran next week

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would likely seek a commitment from Iran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks next week and credited U.S. strikes on Iran with bringing a swift end to the war between Israel and Tehran.

    Trump said his decision to unleash huge bunker-busting bombs in Sunday’s attack had devastated Iran’s nuclear program and called the outcome “a victory for everybody”.

    “It was very severe. It was obliteration,” he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran’s path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months.

    Meanwhile, anxious Iranians and Israelis sought to resume normal life after 12 days of the most intense confrontation ever between the two foes and a ceasefire that took effect Tuesday.

    Speaking in The Hague where he attended a NATO summit on Wednesday, Trump said he did not see Iran again engaging in nuclear weapons development. Tehran has for decades denied accusations by Western leaders that it is seeking nuclear arms.

    “We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don’t know. To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary,” Trump said.

    “I’ll tell you, the last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover,” he said, referring to Western accusations that Iran has been enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade purity.

    Later on Wednesday, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement that the U.S. air strikes had “severely damaged” Iran’s nuclear program, but he stopped short of declaring that the program had been destroyed.

    The agency confirmed a “body of credible evidence” that several key Iranian facilities were destroyed and would take years to rebuild, he said.

    Israel’s nuclear agency assessed the strikes had “set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years”. The White House also circulated the Israeli assessment, although Trump said he was not relying on Israeli intelligence.

    Trump said he was confident Tehran would pursue a diplomatic path towards reconciliation. The president gave no details on the discussions next week such as the venue and participants.

    If Iran tried to rebuild its nuclear programme, “we won’t let that happen. Number one, militarily we won’t,” he said, adding that he thought “we’ll end up having something of a relationship with Iran” to resolve the issue.

    The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, dismissed what he called the “hourglass approach” of assessing damage to Iran’s nuclear programme in terms of months needed to rebuild as besides the point for an issue that needed a long-term solution.

    “In any case, the technological knowledge is there and the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny. So we need to work together with them,” he said. His priority was returning international inspectors to Iranian nuclear sites, which he said was the only way to find out precisely what state they were in.

    IRAN PRESIDENT HINTS AT DOMESTIC REFORMS

    Israel’s bombing campaign, launched with a surprise attack on June 13, wiped out the top echelon of Iran’s military leadership and killed leading nuclear scientists. Iran responded with missiles that pierced Israel’s defences in large numbers for the first time.

    Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed and nearly 5,000 injured in Iran, where the extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed because of tight restrictions on media. Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel.

    Israel claimed to have achieved its goals of destroying Iran’s nuclear sites and missiles; Iran claimed to have forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defences.

    Israel’s demonstration that it could target Iran’s senior leadership seemingly at will posed perhaps the biggest challenge yet for Iran’s clerical rulers, at a critical juncture when they must find a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, now 86 and in power for 36 years.

    Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate elected last year in a challenge to years of dominance by hardliners, said it could result in reform.

    “This war and the empathy that it fostered between the people and officials is an opportunity to change the outlook of management and the behaviour of officials so that they can create unity,” he said in a statement carried by state media.

    Still, Iran’s authorities moved swiftly to demonstrate their control. The judiciary announced the execution of three men on Wednesday convicted of collaborating with Israel’s Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination. Iran had arrested 700 people accused of ties with Israel during the conflict, the state-affiliated Nournews reported.

    During the war, both Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump publicly suggested that it could end with the toppling of Iran’s entire system of clerical rule, established in its 1979 revolution.

    But after the ceasefire, Trump said he did not want to see “regime change” in Iran, which he said would bring chaos at a time when he wanted the situation to settle down.

    RELIEF, APPREHENSION, EXHAUSTION

    In both Iran and Israel, residents expressed relief at the end of the fighting, but also apprehension.

    “We came back after the ceasefire was announced. People are relieved that the war has stopped, but there’s a lot of uncertainty about what comes next,” said Farah, 67, who returned to Tehran from nearby Lavasan, where she had fled to escape Israeli bombing.

    In Tel Aviv, Rony Hoter-Ishay Meyer, 38, said the war’s end brought mixed emotions: relief that children could return to school and normal life resume, but exhaustion from the stress.

    “Those past two weeks were catastrophic in Israel, and we are very much exhausted and we need to get back to our normal energy.”

    (Reuters)

  • Trump wants more drones and missiles, fewer F-35s in $893 billion budget request

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump wants a pay raise for troops, more high-tech missiles and drones in next year’s defense budget, while cutting Navy jobs, and buying fewer ships and fighter jets to save money, according to budget materials posted Wednesday.

    At $892.6 billion, the defense and national security budget request is flat compared with this year.

    The budget, which also includes nuclear weapons-related activities carried out by the Department of Energy and increases funding for homeland security, puts Trump’s mark on the military by pulling funds away from weaponry and services to fund his priorities.

    The White House said the funding will be used to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, and revitalize the defense industrial base.

    Most of the funding for Trump’s marquee Golden Dome missile defense shield was included in a separate budget request and is not part of the latest proposal sent to Congress.

    In the 2026 budget Trump requested fewer F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin LMT.N and only three warships. Procurement of a Virginia-class made by General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries and 15 other ships are expected to be included in a separate appropriation bill, the Navy said.

    The budget asks for a 3.8% pay raise for troops, but also trims costs by retiring older weaponry including ships and planes that are more expensive to operate. Under the plan, the Navy will reduce its civilian employee workforce by 7,286 people.

    Compared to Biden’s budget from his last year in office, which had asked for 68 F-35 jets in fiscal 2025, Trump’s fiscal 2026 request seeks only 47 of the fighter jets.

    The budget has already sparked debate on Capitol Hill where the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense subcommittee’s draft bill for fiscal-year 2026 boosts the F-35 buy to 69, one more than Biden’s 2025 request.

    The Pentagon continues prioritizing purchasing munitions and key weapons systems.

    The Air Force is continuing its investment the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range and Long Range Anti-Ship missile which have longer ranges and can be more effective in the Pacific.

    On the other hand, the budget seeks far fewer Precision Strike Missile, which will replace the Army Tactical Missile (ATACM) used in Ukraine.

    Lockheed Martin makes all three missiles.

    The budget also boosts spending on small drones – in part because of lessons learned in Ukraine where unmanned aircraft have proven to be an integral part of low-cost, yet highly effective warfighting.

    The detailed request comes as Republicans debate defense spending priorities in their sweeping $150 billion defense package contained in the pending “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”. The act has already been passed the House of Representatives and will give an initial $25 billion boost to Trump’s controversial Golden Dome missile defense shield.

    Defense spending usually accounts for about half of the U.S. discretionary budget; the rest goes to transportation, education, diplomacy and other departments.

    (Reuters)

  • Trump calls for Israeli PM’s trial to be cancelled

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his corruption trial, saying the U.S. would save him like it did his country.

    Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust – all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty.

    “Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel),” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday.

    Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete.

    Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is “not currently on the table.” He also said that “no such request had been made,” according to the reports.

    Trump extolled Netanyahu as a “warrior” but also said in his post: “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu.”

    That appeared to be a reference to U.S. involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.

    It was unclear if Trump meant the U.S. could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle.

    The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a “witch hunt,” a term Trump has frequently applied to U.S. attempts to prosecute him.

    The warm words contrasted with the rare rebuke he issued on Tuesday over Israel’s post-ceasefire strikes on Iran.

    “Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. The biggest load that we’ve seen. I’m not happy with Israel,” he told reporters.

    Iran and Israel, he added, had been fighting “so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.”

    (Reuters)

  • Inter Milan strike late to progress with 2-0 win over River Plate

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Inter Milan scored twice in the last 18 minutes to beat River Plate 2-0 on Wednesday and progress to the knockout stage of the Club World Cup as Group E winners and send the Argentines home.

    Francesco Esposito scored Inter’s first goal seven minutes after River had been reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of Lucas Martinez Quarta, and Alessandro Bastoni added the second in stoppage time.

    The 20-times Italian champions will face Brazilian club Fluminense in the last 16 in Charlotte on Monday with Monterrey, who beat Urawa Red Diamonds 4-0, going through in second place a point ahead of River.

    Martinez Quarta was shown the red card for bringing down Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the last defender with his teammate Gonzalo Montiel also dismissed for two yellow cards after a fracas in stoppage time.

    -Reuters

  • Mamdani’s stunning upset in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary carries risks, rewards for national Democrats

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s unexpected upset in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday exhilarated progressive activists, who had banded together to prevent the more moderate former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo from triumphing.

    But the surprise outcome also generated excitement from a very different group of people: national Republicans.

    Soon after it became clear that Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker, was likely to prevail, Republican Vice President JD Vance sent congratulations on social media to the “new leader of the Democratic Party.” The Republican’s congressional campaign arm called him an “antisemitic socialist radical” and promised to tie him to every vulnerable Democrat in next year’s midterm elections.

    And on Wednesday, Republican President Donald Trump – a native New Yorker – piled on, writing on social media, “It’s finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor.”

    The reactions underscore both the risks and the rewards for the Democratic Party – still trying to find its footing five months into Trump’s term – in having an unabashed left-wing nominee running in the country’s biggest city this fall.

    Mamdani’s campaign, which drew plaudits for its cheery tone and clever viral videos, could help energize young voters, a demographic that Democrats are desperate to reach in 2026 and beyond. His rise from a virtual unknown was fueled by a relentless focus on affordability, an issue Democrats struggled to address during last year’s presidential race.

    “Cost of living is the issue of our time,” Neera Tanden, the chief executive of Democratic think tank Center for American Progress wrote on X in response to Mamdani’s win. “It’s the through line animating all politics. Smart political leaders respond to it.”

    His history-making candidacy – Mamdani, born in Uganda to Indian parents, would be the city’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor – could also drive engagement among Asian and especially Muslim voters, some of whom soured on the party after the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

    “These elections aren’t about left, right or center, they’re about whether you’re a change to the status quo. People don’t want more of the same, they want someone who plays a different game,” said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.

    But Mamdani’s criticism of Israel and his democratic socialism are also likely to show up frequently in Republican attack ads. Much of the Democratic establishment had lined up behind Cuomo, including former President Bill Clinton, partly out of unease over Mamdani’s platform. Mamdani has repeatedly said he is not antisemitic.

    “I think he’s an easy target for Republicans who want to use scare tactics to talk about the Muslim mayor from New York City who’s uber-left,” said Patrick Egan, a political science professor at New York University. But Egan noted, Mamdani has also proven to be an adept politician.

    “When people get exposed to this guy, they tend to like him,” he said.

    NO APOLOGY

    Basil Smikle, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, said heavy-handed attacks on Mamdani could backfire by energizing “a lot of the Democratic voters to want to push more against Trump.”

    “I don’t think it hurts Democrats in the long run,” he said. “I actually think it helps them.”

    For his part, Mamdani seemed ready to embrace his role as a party leader, telling supporters in his victory speech that he would govern the city “as a model for the Democratic Party – a party where we fight for working people with no apology.” He vowed to use his mayoral power to “reject Donald Trump’s fascism.”

    Democratic voters say they want a new generation of leaders and a party that concentrates on economic issues, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this month.

    “The Democratic Party is trying to figure itself out,” said Christina Greer, a political science professor at Fordham University in New York.

    While Mamdani enters the general election as the favorite in a city dominated by Democrats, the race is more unsettled than usual.

    Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, is running as an independent after his popularity plummeted following his indictment on corruption charges and the subsequent decision by Trump’s Justice Department to drop the case. Cuomo also retains the ability to run as an independent, though he has not yet decided whether to do so.

    The Republican candidate is Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels. Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor, is running as an independent, as well.

    The primary had become a two-man race by Election Day between Mamdani and Cuomo, echoing other Democratic nominating contests in which the party’s establishment and liberal wings have wrestled for power. But it was also a generational clash between Mamdani and Cuomo, the 67-year-old scion of a New York political family.

    That said, Cuomo carried plenty of personal baggage, four years after he resigned the governorship amid allegations of sexual harassment, which he has denied.

    “Some people were voting for Mamdani to express their displeasure for Cuomo,” Greer said.

    Mamdani’s unlikely ascension bore some of the same hallmarks of similar rises for two other democratic socialists, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both of whom endorsed his campaign.

    Sanders, an independent, emerged as a leading Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 and 2020, while Ocasio-Cortez pulled off an upset in 2018 by defeating a longtime incumbent Democrat.

    (Reuters)

  • India’s Defence Minister rejects coexistence of terror and peace at SCO Summit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called for united and decisive action against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the possession of non-state actors and terrorist groups during his address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in China’s Qingdao.

    He underlined that peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terror and highlighted radicalisation, extremism and a growing trust deficit as the foremost challenges facing the region.

    “I believe that the biggest challenges that we are facing in our region are related to peace, security and trust deficit. And the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalisation, extremism and terrorism,” Singh said.

    “Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups,” he said, stressing that only a collective and resolute stand can ensure safety and security for all.

    The Defence Minister said that it is “imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilise terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences.” The Defence Minister warned that nations using cross-border terrorism as a tool of state policy must face consequences.

    “Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations,” he asserted.

    Reiterating India’s zero tolerance towards terrorism, Singh said, “India’s zero tolerance for terrorism is manifest today through its actions. This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe, and we will not hesitate to target them.”

    Highlighting the need for global action to prevent the radicalisation of youth, Singh said the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) has played a key role in coordinating counter-radicalisation efforts.

    He added that the joint statement issued during India’s chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State on ‘Countering Radicalisation leading to Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism’ reflects the organisation’s shared commitment.

    Singh urged member states to act against the use of modern technology by terrorists, particularly the use of drones for smuggling weapons and narcotics.

    “In our interconnected world, traditional borders are no longer the sole barriers against threats. Instead, we face an intricate web of challenges that range from transnational terrorism and cyber-attacks to hybrid warfare,” he said.

    “These threats do not respect national boundaries, and they demand a unified response rooted in transparency, mutual trust, and collaboration.”

    Recalling the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed by ‘The Resistance Front’, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based UN-designated terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Rajnath Singh said the pattern of the attack mirrored previous strikes by LeT in India.

    “In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross-border terrorist attacks, India on May 7, 2025, successfully launched Op Sindoor to dismantle cross-border terrorist infrastructure,” he said.

    Singh called for accountability for those behind terrorist acts.

    “We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, accountable and bring them to justice. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomever committed. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally,” he said.

    The Defence Minister underscored the importance of multilateralism, emphasising India’s belief in dialogue and cooperation to prevent conflicts.

    “India believes that reformed multilateralism can help build cooperation to prevent conflict between countries by creating mechanisms for dialogue and collaboration. No country, however large and powerful, can manage alone,” he said, invoking the ancient Indian ethos of ‘Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu’ (May all people be happy).

    He reiterated India’s consistent support for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

    “Our immediate priorities in Afghanistan include providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and contributing to Afghanistan’s overall developmental needs. As Afghanistan’s largest regional development partner, India continues to implement capacity-building initiatives for the Afghan people,” Singh said.

    He concluded with a call for greater cooperation among SCO members, stating that India supports “greater cooperation and mutual trust among SCO members. We should collectively aspire to fulfil the aspirations and expectations of our people as well as tackle today’s challenges. We must all be in lockstep in our endeavour to strengthen stability and security in our neighbourhood.” (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Money Market Operations as on June 25, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 6,07,638.82 5.16 0.01-6.55
         I. Call Money 16,775.52 5.29 4.75-5.35
         II. Triparty Repo 4,09,038.35 5.25 5.20-5.28
         III. Market Repo 1,80,038.55 4.94 0.01-5.40
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 1,786.40 5.49 5.40-6.55
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 41.23 5.12 4.90-5.25
         II. Term Money@@ 381.00 – 5.70-6.20
         III. Triparty Repo 1,758.05 5.47 5.24-5.58
         IV. Market Repo 0.00 – –
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Wed, 25/06/2025 1 Thu, 26/06/2025 1,309.00 5.75
    4. SDFΔ# Wed, 25/06/2025 1 Thu, 26/06/2025 2,55,293.00 5.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -2,53,984.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       6,433.53  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     6,433.53  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -2,47,550.47  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on June 25, 2025 9,35,907.86  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending June 27, 2025 9,54,173.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ June 25, 2025 0.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on May 30, 2025 5,84,684.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2025-2026/592

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • Gunmen attack Mexican Street Festival, leaving 12 dead

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    At least 12 people were killed and nearly 20 others wounded in a brutal overnight attack in the Mexican city of Irapuato, located in the state of Guanajuato, after gunmen opened fire during a festive street celebration honouring St. John the Baptist, local authorities have confirmed.

    The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday (local time) as residents gathered to dance and drink in a community housing complex. A video circulating on social media captured moments of joy– a live band playing, people dancing before panic erupted as gunshots rang out, sending the crowd fleeing in terror.

    Rodolfo Gomez Cervantes, a local official from Irapuato, addressed a press conference on Wednesday, confirming that the death toll had risen to 12 and that about 20 others were receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the attack.

    Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the violence and called for swift justice. “It is very unfortunate what happened. An investigation is underway,” she said in a statement, as federal and state security forces scrambled to piece together what transpired and identify those responsible.

    Guanajuato, a state situated northwest of Mexico City, has become one of Mexico’s most violent regions in recent years. Criminal groups have been waging deadly turf wars for control over drug routes, extortion networks, and other illicit enterprises.

    The state recorded 1,435 homicides in the first five months of 2025 — more than double the number seen in any other Mexican state, according to local media reports.

    This latest massacre comes just a day after five people were killed in separate violent incidents across Guanajuato, according to the state attorney general’s office. It also follows a similar attack last month, when gunmen stormed a Catholic Church event in the town of San Bartolo de Berrios, killing seven attendees.

    Authorities have yet to name suspects or confirm which criminal organisation may be behind the recent violence in Irapuato. Investigations are underway. (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Devastate Local Public Radio, TV Stations Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Rescissions package that Senate Republicans are debating—and House Republicans passed—would rescind every dollar of federal support for 1500+ local public radio and TV stations nationwide 

    Sweeping cuts would hit rural stations hardest, force layoffs nationwide, and even jeopardize lifesaving emergency alerts people count on 

    Washington, D.C. – Ahead of a hearing on President Trump’s $9.4 billion rescissions request with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a new fact sheet detailing how the request to zero out $1.1 billion in funding Congress has already appropriated on a bipartisan basis for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) would hurt communities nationwide who count on the programming offered by the over 1500+ public radio and TV stations the funding supports.

    1500+ STATIONS ACROSS AMERICA SET TO LOSE CRITICAL SUPPORT IF PACKAGE PASSES 

     [Full map and CPB data available here] 

    The rescissions package requested by President Trump that the House of Representatives passed in full earlier this month would rescind two years of advance funding Congress has provided for CPB to support public media in fiscal years 2026 and 2027—ripping away support that over 1500 public radio and TV stations all over the country rely on to keep broadcasts on air and deliver impartial news and critical updates that people count on every day.  

    For 50+ years, Congress has provided advance appropriations for CPB to help insulate stations’ programming decisions from politics—and to provide them with the certainty they need to keep the lights on. 

    ALL 50 STATES TO LOSE OUT SIGNIFICANTLY 

    Every state in the country is set to lose critical funding for local public radio and TV stations if the CPB funding is rescinded.  

    FUNDING ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK 

    State  Funding 
    Alabama  $5,408,997  
    Alaska  $12,023,34  
    Arizona  $7,424,661  
    Arkansas  $3,187,528  
    California  $57,105,735 
    Colorado  $7,655,017  
    Connecticut  $3,017,018  
    Delaware  $133,048  
    District of Columbia  $18,275,757 
    Florida  $24,944,99  
    Georgia  $6,558,857  
    Hawaii  $4,292,969  
    Idaho  $3,341,916  
    Illinois  $12,818,816 
    Indiana  $9,388,508  
    Iowa  $4,723,772  
    Kansas  $3,989,434  
    Kentucky  $6,627,021  
    Louisiana  $6,530,752  
    Maine  $2,895,498  
    Maryland  $6,357,641  
    Massachusetts  $22,549,33  
    Michigan  $11,818,761  
    Minnesota  $17,228,752 
    Mississippi  $2,824,520  
    Missouri  $8,677,805  
    Montana  $2,837,807  
    Nebraska  $6,297,290  
    Nevada  $3,881,471  
    New Hampshire  $1,795,240  
    New Jersey  $2,282,024  
    New Mexico  $5,841,697  
    New York  $42,556,210  
    North Carolina  $8,236,216  
    North Dakota  $2,564,579  
    Ohio  $13,341,101  
    Oklahoma  $3,485,600  
    Oregon  $7,468,534  
    Pennsylvania  $14,492,945  
    Rhode Island  $1,082,244  
    South Carolina  $3,488,714  
    South Dakota  $3,038,524  
    Tennessee  $7,365,199  
    Texas  $17,719,507  
    Utah  $7,103,835  
    Vermont  $2,043,510  
    Virginia  $99,465,449  
    Washington  $10,106,644  
    West Virginia  $1,790,242  
    Wisconsin  $8,498,812  
    Wyoming  $1,870,865 

    The totals above detail the funding each state received in fiscal year 2024—the latest full year of data available. [CPB DATA] 

    LIFESAVING EMERGENCY ALERTS IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY 

    When disasters and other threats strike, public radio and TV stations nationwide not only provide critical updates to those affected who may be cut off from other communications channels, they also play an instrumental role in delivering emergency alerts. 

    Since 2013, public TV stations have helped the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system deliver emergency alerts to people’s cell phones via the stations’ own transmitters when cell companies’ connections fail. In 2024, over 11,000 alerts were issued by federal, state, and local authorities via the PBS WARN system. 

    Similarly, the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is managed by NPR, helps send presidential emergency alerts to local public radio stations nationwide—allowing critical communications to reach people, even when the internet or cellular connections fail.  

    Here are just a few recent examples of how CPB-funded stations and systems have helped disaster survivors: 

    • When wildfires ravaged southern California earlier this year, public media stations provided real-time updates and information to over 18 million people—and issued 100+ geo-targeted Wireless Emergency Alerts, like fire weather warnings, evacuation warnings and orders, and curfew notices. 
    • When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, one local public radio station provided essential real-time updates and news as internet and cell services were down. 
    • When severe floods swept across central and eastern Kentucky this year—causing people to lose power and internet connections—local public radio let people know the latest weather reports, evacuation orders, where to take shelter, and how to apply for aid. 

    Zeroing out all CPB funding will seriously jeopardize stations’ ability to continue serving critical, lifesaving alerts and cut resources specifically provided to maintain and strengthen these emergency alert systems. 

    RURAL COMMUNITIES HIT HARDEST 

    Nearly half of all CPB grantees serve rural communities—and these rural stations are disproportionately reliant on CPB funding to keep their broadcast on air. Federal funding supports an average of 17% of rural stations’ revenue versus 9% for non-rural stations.  

    In total, 120 rural stations rely on federal funding for at least 25% of their revenue—and over 30 stations count on it for at least half. Some stations in the most remote parts of the country depend on federal support for even more of their revenue and could be forced to immediately shut down operations if CPB is defunded. 

    If this support is ripped away, stations will be forced to cut back on programming, lay off staff, and even take their broadcasts off the air.  

    “Should the Senate go along with the House and claw back this funding,

    we’re going to see probably a third of our public radio stations go dark.” 

    — Ed Ulman, CEO of Alaska Public Media 

    “We are in a rural area, so a lot of areas don’t have cellphone service.  

    A lot of people do rely on the radio to get much of their information.”  

    — Station Manager at KGVA 88.1 in Montana 

    EDUCATIONAL TOOLS FOR KIDS DEFUNDED 

    Rescinding all CPB funding would rip away federal investments in all manner of educational programming for kids. CPB grants support local programming across the country to educate young Americans about civics, provide educational tools and programming, and much more. Rescinding the funding would also cut off all federal support for PBS LearningMedia, a free digital learning website accessed by more than 1.4 million users each month, which supports teachers and helps students learn and understand new and complex concepts. 

    AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THIS FUNDING 

    A recent survey from the Pew Research Center found that by a two-to-one margin, the American people overwhelmingly favor continuing federal funding for NPR and PBS, which receive support via CPB grants.  

    CUTTING THIS SUPPORT WILL DO NOTHING TO TACKLE OUR NATIONAL DEBT 

    Eliminating support for these stations will do next to nothing to address our annual deficit or growing national debt. The $1.1 billion Congress has already provided for two years of funding for public media represents less than 0.16% of all federal spending in fiscal year 2025 alone.  

    If President Trump and congressional Republicans want to tackle the deficit and our national debt, they can start by not passing their so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which will add $4 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES NAMES 50 GLOBAL FINALISTS IN 2025 MAYORS CHALLENGE Including Lower Hutt

    Source: Bloomberg Philanthropies

    Finalists from 33 countries will receive $50,000 and support to test breakthrough ideas for improving life in cities – In January 2026, 25 winning cities will receive $1 million each to bring their idea to life.

    New York, NY – (June 25, 2025) – Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced the 50 finalists of its latest Mayors Challenge, a competition to spur local government innovation that improves lives in cities around the world. The sixth Challenge elevates municipalities that have proposed the boldest ideas to bolster essential municipal services.

    From Boise to Belfast, Ansan to Addis Ababa, Toronto to Taipei, the 50 finalists, selected from more than 630 applications, hail from 33 countries and represent over 80 million residents. Their ideas aim to increase public transit ridership, lower household energy costs, expand urban green space, speed service response, strengthen sanitation, improve youth safety, safeguard water supply, and more.

    Each finalist city will receive $50,000 to prototype their idea. They will also participate in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Ideas Camp in July to hone and test their concepts with feedback from experts and fellow peers. In January 2026, the 25 city halls with the most promising ideas will each be awarded $1 million and operational assistance to bring their proposals to life.

    “Local government is where people meet policy—and where government improves lives and builds trust,” said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “That’s why municipal innovation isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about solving hard problems under pressure, often with imperfect tools and finite resources. These Mayors Challenge finalists stand out because they’re not just thinking creatively—they’re designing solutions that reckon with the complexity of implementation and the urgency of their residents’ needs. Their proposals reflect a new standard for public sector achievement: ambitious, yes, but also grounded, disciplined, and ripe for real impact.”

    The 630 ideas submitted to the Mayors Challenge reflect some of the greatest public service challenges facing cities today—as well as the creativity that animates local governments across the globe. A third of U.S. and Canada applicants, for example, devised solutions addressing housing and shelter. Nearly half of the applicants from Africa proposed upgrades to waste collection and management. One out of five applicants from the Asia-Pacific region focused on cleaner water, air, and infrastructure, and 22 percent of European applicants sought ways to reduce poverty or enhance social inclusion.

    The 50 finalist ideas were selected for their originality, potential for impact, and credible vision for delivery. Artificial intelligence was featured in the plans of a number of finalists, including South Bend, Indiana, which envisioned a cutting-edge 311 system that anticipates complaints for non-emergency issues, such as potholes, allowing officials to address problems before a resident report. More analog innovations also rose to the top: In Yonkers, New York, city officials proposed a powerful new hyper-local civic brigade to help older neighbors age happily and healthfully in place.

    The 50 finalist cities are:

    • Abha, Saudi Arabia
    • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
    • Ansan, South Korea
    • As-Salt, Jordan
    • Barcelona, Spain
    • Beaverton, U.S
    • Beira, Mozambique
    • Belfast, United Kingdom
    • Benin City, Nigeria
    • Boise, U.S.
    • Boston, U.S.
    • Budapest, Hungary
    • Cap-Haïtien, Haiti
    • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Cartagena, Colombia
    • Cauayan, Philippines
    • Choma, Zambia
    • Cuenca, Ecuador
    • Detroit, U.S.
    • Fez, Morocco
    • Fukuoka, Japan
    • Ghaziabad, India
    • Ghent, Belgium
    • Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, India
    • Helsinki, Finland
    • Honolulu, U.S.
    • Kanifing, Gambia
    • Kyiv, Ukraine
    • Lafayette, U.S.
    • Lower Hutt, New Zealand
    • Maceió, Brazil
    • Marseille, France
    • Medellín, Colombia
    • Mexico City, Mexico
    • Naga, Philippines
    • Ndola, Zambia
    • Netanya, Israel
    • Nouakchott, Mauritania
    • Pasig, Philippines
    • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • San Francisco, U.S.
    • Seattle, U.S.
    • Seoul, South Korea
    • Sialkot, Pakistan
    • South Bend, U.S.
    • Surabaya, Indonesia
    • Taipei, Taiwan
    • Toronto, Canada
    • Turku, Finland
    • Yonkers, U.S.

    In this round of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, more funding will be distributed and more cities will be assisted than in the previous five Challenges which each selected between five to 15 winners. 

    “Local government and mayors’ offices are the beating heart of innovation and change in our urban environments,” said Professor Lesley Lokko OBE, Founder and Chair of the African Futures Institute and 2025 Mayors Challenge advisory committee member. “It has been an honour to join Bloomberg Philanthropies’ advisory committee for the organization’s sixth Mayors Challenge, an initiative dedicated to empowering and supporting city makers around the world. I look forward to working with these 50 finalists as they advance in this extraordinary competition—strengthening their ideas which each represent the inventiveness citizens everywhere should expect from their governments—and the future of what municipal delivery has the power and potential to be.”

    “For more than a decade, Bloomberg Philanthropies has provided unprecedented support to drive local government innovation in cities across the country and around the world,” said Admiral Michael G. Mullen, President & CEO of MGM Consulting and 2025 Mayors Challenge advisory committee member. “The organization’s sixth Mayors Challenge will invest in the future of urban delivery from the ground floor of communities—and I am thrilled to join its advisory committee and work with these finalist cities on accelerating their ideas – from safeguarding water supply to carving out community spaces to integrating AI to improve student routes, and more.”

    The new Mayors Challenge builds on more than 10 years of work led by Bloomberg Philanthropies to discover, nurture, and drive innovation in cities. The awards to date across five previous rounds of competition have provided 38 winning cities with funding and technical assistance to realize their ideas for addressing civic issues. By supporting the replication of the most successful winning ideas, Bloomberg Philanthropies has expanded the impact of the Mayors Challenge to 337 other cities globally, reaching over 100 million residents around the world.

    “Bloomberg Philanthropies has provided invaluable support for cities to develop and implement innovative solutions that improve the lives of residents in ways they can feel,” said Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit, Michigan. “Detroit is honored to be among the 50 municipalities selected from over 630 applications for the organization’s Mayors Challenge. As a finalist, we will work with renowned experts and peers to advance our proposal to create a powerful, single entry that connects currently scattered information – such as inspection dates, taxes, and utilities – on all 400,000 Detroit properties to revolutionize how owners can access this vital information, as well as how our city plans and provides its most essential services.”

    “Seoul is honored to be selected as one of the 50 finalists for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge competition,” said Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul, South Korea. “As a finalist, we will further our proposal to launch powerful educational campaigns and new support systems that will protect youth safety and prevent online child exploitation through the development of an AI-based mobile app that detects risks and alerts parents – while working alongside other cities to set a new standard for the future of urban policy.”

    “City halls deliver the most fundamental public services—from reliable public transport to affordable housing, clean water, sustainable environments, emergency response, and more,” said Mayor Gergely Karácsony of Budapest, Hungary. “Recognizing their potential and reach, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge rewards and equips those with the most inventive ideas to lead transformations of the essential programs their communities rely on. We are honored that Budapest is one of the 50 finalists selected to further our idea to build a city-run food processing plant that can turn surplus fruits and vegetables from local markets into nutritious meals for schools and senior homes.”

    “It is an honor to be selected as a finalist for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge,” said Mayor Sunita Dayal of Ghaziabad, India. “As we pursue our idea to improve our environment alongside bolstering our workforce – converting organic waste into white rooftop paint and compost to cool homes, green parks, and lower emissions while providing new job opportunities – we have a unique opportunity to incubate innovation that will move our communities forward.” 

    “Thank you to Bloomberg Philanthropies for seeing our vision to improve the quality of life for seniors across our city,” said Mayor Mike Spano of Yonkers, New York. “We are honored to be among 50 finalists selected for the prestigious global Mayors Challenge competition. As a finalist, we will look to create a fully sustainable model for community engagement – marshaling public and private partners as well as residents and students – coupled with innovative technology and tools to enable many more to age safely and gracefully in place.” 

    With the expansion of the Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange, future Mayors Challenge-winning ideas and other locally led solutions supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies will have new potential to scale—serving as models and catalysts for how governments solve problems across the globe. 

    To learn more about the 50 finalist proposals, visit mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org

    About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
    Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org,

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Electronic Health Records (EHR) Market Valued at USD 33.45 Billion in 2024, Set to Grow at 4.59% CAGR Through 2032 | AnalystView Market Insights

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Francisco, USA, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Electronic Health Records (EHR) market was valued at USD 33,451.20 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.59% from 2025 to 2032. This growth is driven by the global shift toward digital healthcare infrastructure, government mandates for record standardization, and the rising demand for efficient patient data management across hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory care centers. EHR systems are digital versions of a patient’s paper chart, offering real-time, patient-centered records that make information instantly and securely available to authorized users. They are critical for improving coordination between care providers, minimizing medical errors, and enhancing overall clinical outcomes.

    Government initiatives worldwide are playing a key role in promoting EHR adoption. Programs such as the U.S. HITECH Act, the EU’s digital health transformation goals, and India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission are pushing healthcare providers toward digitization. At the same time, the rise of value-based care, telehealth, and mobile health applications has increased the need for interoperable and cloud-based EHR systems. The market is witnessing significant technological advancements, including integration with AI, predictive analytics, and mobile platforms, which enable better clinical decision-making and patient engagement. However, challenges such as high implementation costs, data privacy concerns, and interoperability issues between different systems remain key hurdles, particularly in emerging markets.

    North America dominates the global EHR market, backed by strong digital infrastructure and initiatives like the U.S. HITECH Act, which allocated over $35 billion to promote EHR adoption. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific is emerging as the fastest-growing region, fueled by rising healthcare investments—India’s health budget rose 13% in 2023—and national digitization drives like China’s “Healthy China 2030.” Supportive policies, growing urbanization, and expanding patient volumes are accelerating EHR integration across the region, attracting global players and investors alike.

    Unlock in-depth insights and forecasts – Get your FREE sample report of the EHR market today: https://analystviewmarketinsights.com/request_sample/AV4020

    Key Players- Detailed Competitive Insights

    • Cerner Corporation
    • GE Healthcare
    • Veradigm LLC
    • Epic Systems Corporation
    • eClinicalWorks
    • Greenway Health, LLC
    • NextGen Healthcare, Inc.
    • Medical Information Technology, Inc.
    • CPSI
    • AdvancedMD, Inc.
    • Allscripts Healthcare Solutions
    • MEDHOST
    • Athenahealth
    • McKesson Corporation
    • Siemens Healthineers
    • Oracle Corporation

    Market Dynamics

    Drivers

    1. Government Mandates and Incentives: Many countries are accelerating Electronic Health Records (EHR) adoption through targeted policies. In the U.S., CMS’s Promoting Interoperability Program ties Medicare reimbursements to EHR usage. Germany’s Hospital Future Act allocated €4.3 billion for digital upgrades, while Australia’s My Health Record achieved over 90% population coverage. India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to create a unified health ID system, promoting seamless data exchange. These initiatives are driving global healthcare digitalization and fostering integrated patient care systems.
    2. Rising Demand for Streamlined Healthcare Delivery: For example, Mayo Clinic uses integrated EHRs to reduce duplication, streamline workflows, and access real-time patient data—cutting documentation time and improving care coordination across departments and specialties. 
    3. Growth in Telehealth and Remote Monitoring: The global shift toward telemedicine post-COVID-19 has increased the need for centralized digital records that can be accessed remotely. This trend is pushing both public and private healthcare providers to invest in cloud-based and interoperable EHR systems.
    4. Data-Driven Decision Making in Healthcare: As data becomes a core asset in personalized medicine and value-based care models, EHRs serve as critical repositories of patient history, lab reports, medications, and imaging data.

    Challenges

    • High Implementation and Maintenance Costs: The cost of deploying EHR software, training staff, and maintaining IT infrastructure can be prohibitive for small healthcare facilities, especially in developing nations.
    • Interoperability and Data Security Concerns: Although EHRs are designed to improve information sharing, achieving true interoperability across different systems remains a challenge. Moreover, the sensitive nature of health data makes security and compliance with data protection regulations (like HIPAA and GDPR) a critical issue.

    Opportunities

    • Integration with AI and analytics in EHRs enables predictive insights—such as Mount Sinai Hospital using AI models within EHRs to identify sepsis risk early, improving response time and patient outcomes. This innovation is driving demand for intelligent, data-driven systems.
    • Mobile and Cloud-Based EHRs: The adoption of mobile health apps and cloud platforms enables real-time access to health data, especially beneficial in rural and underserved regions.

    Regional Insights

    North America

    North America holds 42.50% of the global EHR market, driven by the U.S.’s early adoption and digital health funding. Epic Systems powers major hospital networks like Kaiser Permanente, while Canada’s Infoway initiative accelerates EHR integration, ensuring secure, interoperable data across provinces.

    Europe

    Europe is a mature yet fragmented market for EHRs. Countries like Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands are progressing well in EHR integration, while others lag due to privacy concerns and inconsistent digital policies. The EU’s push toward unified health records under the European Health Data Space initiative could streamline EHR adoption across member states.

    Asia-Pacific

    The Asia-Pacific region is projected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Rapid urbanization, increased healthcare spending, and the digitalization efforts in countries like India, China, and Australia are major contributors. Government-backed programs such as India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and China’s Smart Healthcare initiative are significantly driving EHR deployment.

    Latin America & Middle East

    Both regions are gradually embracing EHR systems. Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have initiated digital health reforms. However, budget constraints and a lack of infrastructure remain key barriers. International partnerships and private investments are expected to unlock growth potential in these markets.

    TABLE OF CONTENT

    1. Electronic Health Records Market Overview
    1.1. Study Scope
    1.2. Market Estimation Years
    2. Executive Summary
    2.1. Market Snippet
    2.1.1. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet By Product
    2.1.2. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet By Type
    2.1.3. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet By Business Model
    2.1.4. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet By Application
    2.1.5. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet By End Use
    2.1.6. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet by Country
    2.1.7. Electronic Health Records Market Snippet by Region
    2.2. Competitive Insights
    3. Electronic Health Records Key Market Trends
    3.1. Electronic Health Records Market Drivers
    3.1.1. Impact Analysis of Market Drivers
    3.2. Electronic Health Records Market Restraints
    3.2.1. Impact Analysis of Market Restraints
    3.3. Electronic Health Records Market Opportunities
    3.4. Electronic Health Records Market Future Trends
    4. Electronic Health Records Industry Study
    4.1. PEST Analysis
    4.2. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
    4.3. Growth Prospect Mapping
    4.4. Regulatory Framework Analysis
    5. Electronic Health Records Market: Impact of Escalating Geopolitical Tensions
    5.1. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
    5.2. Impact of Russia-Ukraine War
    5.3. Impact of Middle East Conflicts
    6. Electronic Health Records Market Landscape
    6.1. Electronic Health Records Market Share Analysis, 2024
    6.2. Breakdown Data, by Key Manufacturer
    6.2.1. Established Players’ Analysis
    6.2.2. Emerging Players’ Analysis
    7. Electronic Health Records Market – By Product
    7.1. Overview
    7.1.1. Segment Share Analysis, By Product, 2024 & 2032 (%)
    7.1.2. On-premises
    7.1.3. Web & Cloud-Based EHR
    8. Electronic Health Records Market – By Type
    8.1. Overview
    8.1.1. Segment Share Analysis, By Type, 2024 & 2032 (%)
    8.1.2. Acute
    8.1.3. Outpatient
    8.1.4. Post Acute
    9. Electronic Health Records Market – By Business Model
    9.1. Overview
    9.1.1. Segment Share Analysis, By Business Model, 2024 & 2032 (%)
    9.1.2. Licensed Software
    9.1.3. Technology Resale
    9.1.4. Subscriptions
    9.1.5. Professional Services
    9.1.6. Others
    10. Electronic Health Records Market – By Application
    10.1. Overview
    10.1.1. Segment Share Analysis, By Application, 2024 & 2032 (%)
    10.1.2. Cardiology
    10.1.3. Neurology
    10.1.4. Radiology ………

    Reasons to Invest in the EHR Market

    1. Essential Role in Modern Healthcare Systems
      EHRs are no longer optional but a fundamental part of modern healthcare. As hospitals strive to improve patient care, safety, and efficiency, EHRs serve as a backbone for digital health ecosystems.
    2. Regulatory Push and Compliance Standards
      Investment in compliant EHR systems helps healthcare providers align with stringent data protection laws while avoiding penalties and securing patient trust.
    3. Increasing Healthcare Expenditure
      Globally, healthcare budgets are expanding. A significant portion is being directed toward digital infrastructure, making EHR vendors prime beneficiaries of government and institutional funding.
    4. Rising Adoption of Cloud and AI Technologies
      EHR vendors integrating cloud capabilities and AI features offer enhanced scalability, analytics, and patient engagement. These smart EHRs are more future-proof and attractive to investors.
    5. Long-Term Cost Benefits for Healthcare Providers
      Despite initial costs, EHR systems lead to long-term savings by reducing administrative workload, avoiding duplication of tests, and minimizing errors.

    Future Outlook

    The Electronic Health Records (EHR) market is poised for a tech-driven evolution, with AI integration, cloud-based platforms, and interoperability leading the way. By 2032, real-time data exchange, as seen in the U.K.’s NHS Federated Data Platform and India’s Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, will become standard.

    Growing cybersecurity investments and patient-centric innovations are redefining EHR functionality. With global healthcare systems embracing value-based care, the market is set for intelligent, adaptive, and patient-connected growth worldwide.

    Discover the Full Study : https://analystviewmarketinsights.com/reports/report-highlight-electronic-health-records-market

    Explore More Research Titles in the Healthcare Category by AnalystView Market Insights:

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Trade Strategy to protect and boost British business

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    New Trade Strategy to protect and boost British business

    The strategy will make the UK the most connected nation in the world while protecting vital industries from global threats and backing businesses to thrive.

    New Trade Strategy to protect and boost British business 

    • Trade Strategy sets out how UK will unlock £5 billion for businesses and expand UKEF capacity to £80 billion, delivering growth as part of the Plan for Change  

    • Trade defence toughened up with new and improved tools to better protect our vital industries from global threats  

    • UK sets its sights on quicker deals that firms can benefit from sooner, with a strong focus on services and high growth sectors 

    British Businesses will be given greater access to global markets more quickly as the UK tomorrow [Thursday 26 June] publishes its first Trade Strategy since leaving the EU. 

    The Strategy will make the UK the most connected nation in the world and secure billions worth of opportunities for businesses, helping deliver the economic growth needed to put money in people’s pockets, strengthen local economies, create jobs, and raise living standards.  

    It takes a more agile and targeted approach than the previous government’s, focusing on quicker, more practical deals that deliver faster benefits to UK businesses. It strengthens trade defences, expands export finance – especially for smaller firms – and aligns trade policy with national priorities like green growth and services. It’s a smarter, more responsive plan for a changing global economy. 

    The Trade Strategy:  

    • Unlocks £5 billion worth of opportunities for UK exporters through the new Ricardo Fund, which will tackle complex regulatory issues, shape global standards, and remove obstacles for UK businesses selling abroad.  

    • Expands UK Export Finance (UKEF)’s capacity by £20 billion to a total of £80 billion, announces a new Small Export Builder to give smaller firms better access to export protection insurance, and introduces improvements to help overseas buyers finance repeat orders from trusted UK suppliers in a more streamlined way.   

    • Vows to bolster our trade defence toolkit and make our trade remedies system more agile, assertive, and accountable to guard British businesses against global turbulence and the growing threat of unfair trading practices.   

    • Targets more mutual recognition of qualifications to boost the UK’s status as a services superpower – the 2nd biggest exporter of services in the world.  

    • Builds on existing clean energy and green sector agreements with partners including Norway, Japan and South Korea and explores new, deeper cooperation with markets such as Brazil, the Philippines and Mexico.    

    • Announces the UK will join the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), a temporary arbitration arrangement for resolving appeals to WTO trade disputes, demonstrating our commitment to an effective rules-based international trading system 

    The Trade Strategy comes amid a backdrop of turbulent economic waters, resurgent protectionism and unfair trading practices creating significant challenges for businesses and industries across the whole of the UK. Together with our modern Industrial Strategy – a plan to grow the UK’s growth-driving sectors – we are strengthening businesses at home and setting clear direction to ensure success abroad and create high-paid, secure jobs in every part of this country.  

    It follows three significant trade deals agreed last month with huge benefits for UK businesses, jobs and consumers. Not only does our deal with India add £4.8 billion to the economy and £2.2 billion to wages each year, its reduced and liberalised tariffs means more whisky and gin is likely to be sold to Indian consumers and British shoppers could see cheaper prices on things like clothes, footwear and food products.  

    Our landmark deal with the US, the only one they have agreed with any country, protects hundreds of thousands of British jobs from automotive workers in the West Midlands, to aeroplane builders in Wales, to steelmakers in Scunthorpe. It shows the government delivering on its promise to champion British businesses and put jobs and livelihoods first. 

    The EU agreement, meanwhile, cuts red tape and improves access to our biggest trading partner. It means Scottish salmon farmers can sell their fish more easily to the EU, Welsh sausages and lamb mince exports will no longer be blocked, and British pets can join their owners on holiday with less headache.   

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said: 

    What works for business, works for Britain. It means more jobs, more opportunities, and more money in people’s pockets. 

    That’s why I’ve backed British industry through global headwinds – securing major trade deals with the US, India and the EU that protect jobs and drive growth right across the country. 

    Today’s Trade Strategy is a promise to British business: helping firms sell more, grow faster, and compete globally. It’s about delivering growth as part of our Plan for Change—and making sure working people feel the benefits.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:  

    The UK is an open trading nation but we must reconcile this with a new geopolitical reality and work in our own national interest  

    Our Trade Strategy will sharpen our trade defence so we can ensure British businesses are protected from harm, while also relentlessly pursuing every opportunity to sell to more markets under better terms than before.  

    Broad and complex trade deals like we secured with India will bring billions to our economy every year but to deliver the Plan for Change we will strike more agile, targeted deals that exploit the sectors which drive the most growth for our economy.

    It comes as the government works in partnership with industry to shape future steel trade measures which will prevent cheap imports from undercutting UK businesses, following the expiry of the current UK steel safeguard measure in June 2026. Collaboration with steel producers, consumers and unions will help ensure the new phase of our trade defences continue to protect UK businesses and jobs, while providing a fair and competitive market.  

    UKEF measures included in the Strategy accompanies news this week that up to £13 billion of direct lending will be used to help boost exports across key industrial sectors, marking a £3 billion uplift in UKEF’s facility.  

    Trade Minister Douglas Alexander said:  

    This new hard-headed, data driven, and agile approach to trade policy is guided by our pragmatic patriotism. In this changed and challenging world, we will promote what we can and protect what we must to advance the UK’s national interest.  

    Through our Trade Strategy, we are supporting our businesses to expand and export with a wider range of trade tools that harness our high-growth industries of the future to deliver this government’s Plan for Change.  

    As we target these agreements, we will take every step necessary to safeguard British businesses from the increasingly protectionist mood in much of the world by sharpening our defensive toolkit.

    To complement the Trade Strategy, we have also today published the Global Trade Outlook 2025 which explores the long-term trends that may shape the global economy and international trade in the coming decades.

    Shevaun Haviland, Director General at the BCC, said: 

    The Trade Strategy sets out a clear, evidence-based approach to raising the UK’s export game. It rightly targets our strength in services, and vital high-growth goods sectors while identifying key markets in the Indo-Pacific, Americas and European neighbourhood.

    A focus on sectoral and digital trade deals is also welcome, alongside a commitment to a functioning rules-based global trading system. 

    Place matters in trade. This strategy can generate economic growth in every nation and region of the UK, lowering tariffs and removing trade barriers. Our Chamber Network stands ready to build, invest and deliver on international trade as a partner of government and an engine for economic growth.

    Rain Newton-Smith, CEO, CBI said:

    Businesses are clear that positioning the UK as an outward looking nation is a show of strength in this increasingly fragmented world. Backing free trade is critical to facing the great global challenges and opportunities of our time.

    The UK must be bold and ambitious to be a key player in the global race for growth. Today’s Strategy offers a dynamic vision which will help the UK to position itself as one of the world’s leading locations for investment and trade. Leaning into that openness, our international commitments, and partnerships with like-minded allies will be integral to our success.

    We now need government and business to work together to turn this ambition into action and ensure that the UK seizes on the opportunities available within the global economy.

    Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK:  

    I welcome today’s announcement of the Trade Strategy. It provides a vital blueprint to ensure the UK’s continued role as a great trading nation and leading services exporter, with a focus on the sectors that will drive growth in the decades to come.  

    It also rightly recognises the challenges many exporters face at a time of heightened global uncertainty. This is a necessary first step in giving businesses the tools they need to thrive on the world stage. HSBC looks forward to supporting businesses to take advantage of the strategy and unlock the full benefits of international trade.

    Jon Holt, Group Chief Executive and UK Senior Partner, KPMG, said:    

    Our professional and business services industry is an international success story with our expertise in demand around the world. As a high-growth sector, we have long called for a Trade Strategy that enables UK businesses to take advantage of new global opportunities and expand into emerging markets.  

    Today we have a clear plan. From removing barriers to overseas markets, to making it easier for our highly skilled people to travel and work across borders, this approach will strengthen our connectivity, boost inward investment and make sure our sector remains globally competitive.

    The strategy’s success will depend on a strong partnership between business and Government.

    Stephen Phipson CBE, CEO of Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation said:

    Industry will welcome the Trade Strategy which, for the first time, aligns hard on the heels of the Industrial Strategy and is a perfect example of joined up thinking across Government which has long been missing.

    In particular, as well as a focus on new markets, it will help optimise market access and signposting for companies, especially SMEs, to take advantage of current trade deals with a new focus on strategic economic partnerships with key trading partners.

    At the same time, as well as helping boost exports, it will strengthen trade defences against the threat of dumping and support UK firms in reporting possible trade discrepancies to the Trade Remedies Authority.

    Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:  

    UK Automotive is a trade powerhouse, generating imports and exports worth £108 billion a year and typically Britain’s biggest exporter of manufactured goods. Free and fair trade is fundamental to our success and recent agreements with India, the US and, particularly, the EU signal that intention.

    Today’s trade strategy, aligned to the industrial strategy announced earlier this week, provides confidence to help our sector navigate the many headwinds we face and sets a foundation for future success.

    Balanced trading relationships that break down tariffs and regulatory barriers to trade will enable automotive companies to grow and get great British products into the hands of consumers all over the world, boosting jobs, business and prosperity at home.

    Heathrow’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Nigel Milton, said:   

    We welcome this Trade Strategy, which is set to provide greater support for exporters and champion the importance of free trade.   

    As the UK’s hub airport and largest port by value, we know firsthand how trade can serve as a powerful engine for economic growth.   

    With our unrivalled access to global markets Heathrow is the UK’s gateway to growth and we stand ready to support the Government and exporters from across the country with the rollout of the new strategy.

    Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary, said:

    This is an important step forward to a trade agenda with workers’ rights and good jobs at its heart.

    It’s right that the government is focusing on removing barriers to trade with our largest trading partner – the EU – on which thousands of quality jobs depend, and it’s vital that the government continues to show ambition in its trading reset with the bloc.

    Standing up for good jobs in sectors such as steel is essential and hugely welcome, especially with global trade wars leading to countries undercutting British products with cheaper foreign imports.

    The government has set out a path towards a values-based approach to trade, which supports international labour standards and human rights globally. We look forward to seeing the full detail and working with them to deliver this.

    John Pattinson, Founder and Managing Director of Air Covers Ltd, and a DBT Export Champion, said:   

    The UK Government plays a vital role in enabling and accelerating the journey to export – a critical driver of economic growth. At Air Covers, we have benefited greatly from our close partnership with DBT Wales.  

    The support we’ve received from DBT Wales, as well as from UK embassies and High Commissions around the world, has been instrumental to our expansion and success in international markets.  

    We believe that the UK Government’s Trade Strategy will open new opportunities for growth, both in established regions and emerging markets. For UK exporters, free trade agreements and the simplification of cross-border regulations are essential to unlocking global potential and maintaining a competitive edge.

    Julian David, CEO of techUK, said:

    TechUK welcomes the launch of this trade strategy as a landmark moment. For the first time, we have a coherent, long-term plan that reflects the realities of current geopolitics and the UK’s unique strengths – particularly in services and high-growth, innovation-driven sectors like ours.

    It’s especially encouraging to see government pulling together the full suite of tools at its disposal – from digital trade agreements to commercial diplomacy and meaningful trade defence instruments. We look forward to working closely with government to turn this vision into impact and ensure the UK remains a leader in the global digital economy.

    Marco Forgione, Director General of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, said:

    Today’s new Trade Strategy is a welcome step forward that reflects many of the priorities we’ve been championing on behalf of our members, especially SMEs, who need targeted, accessible support to grow internationally.

    From the Small Exports Builder to enhanced UK Export Finance, these are practical tools designed to reduce friction and unlock potential for thousands of firms across the UK.

    We’ve worked closely with government to feed in the real-world experiences of our members, and it’s encouraging to see those insights reflected in today’s announcement.

    Launched alongside the Industrial Strategy, this sets a more joined-up direction for trade and growth. Now the focus must be on delivery, and we stand ready to help make it happen.

    Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said:

    Small firms know exporting is good for growth, so it’s good to see a clear strategy on trade. We welcome the government’s commitment to creating better digital tools, less red tape and putting stronger focus on practical support beyond just trade deals. 

    We also need to see more money and new funding programmes for SMEs wanting to trade internationally, as well as more bespoke support for the smallest firms, who do not qualify for one-to-one help.

    Small firms have been bogged down by unnecessary rules and costs for far too long, and today’s strategy is the first step to creating a better environment for exporters and importers.

    Notes to editor 

    • Department for Business and Trade (DBT) analysis of UNCTAD (2025) Global import data 2013-2023, mapped to industry sectors using sector definitions from DBT (2023) Global trade outlook.  

    • The GTO will be published at 0001 Thursday 26 June here 

    • The Trade Strategy will be published 0915 Thursday 26 June here 

    • More information on the UK Steel Trade Measures Call for Evidence will be issued separately, embargoed until 22.30 Thursday 25 June.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murkowski Engages with VA Secretary Collins on Alaska Veterans’ Priorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    06.24.25

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) welcomed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget request. Senator Murkowski reinforced to the Secretary the unique needs of Alaska’s veterans, and sought confirmation that the VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs will continue to serve the needs of Alaska Native veterans.

    Watch the Senator’s full line of questioning here.

    The full transcript is below.

    TRANSCRIPT

    Murkowski: Welcome, thank you. To follow on Senator Collins’ comments about our rural veterans, you kind of pointed out that Alaska is in that same bucket. I’m just going to say, we’re bigger, we’re badder, we’re just more complicated as you know. We’re very proud to host more veterans per capita in Alaska than anywhere else out there. So, how we do outreach to our rural veterans has long been a challenge. You and I have had an opportunity to talk about that. But it’s everything from traveling the long distances, we’re not going to be able to put that veteran in a car. More likely than not, it’s going to be travel that requires flying. It may be trying to access them through telehealth but when you have limited broadband that’s a problem. Then we have shortages of local healthcare providers, it’s complicated in many ways. But all of our veterans deserve this care and I think we recognize that.

    So, know that I, along with Senator Collins, are very interested in any strategies that you are looking to advance to maintain and expand services in our rural communities. I have talked about establishing an outreach program that would send teams to rural areas that are off the road system to just kind of let them know about their benefits, about the services that are made available. We can’t necessarily do everything, but we can at least let you know this is what your VA can do for you. I would hope that you’d work with us to support that kind of an event.

    Collins: I definitely would and if you would allow me to expand just a minute on that: I think this is one of the issues that… I want us to break out of the model in many ways, and I say this in a very generic fashion. I want us to break out of the model that everything has to be the way we’ve always done it.

    Murkowski: Right.

    Collins: We have to go to a brick and mortar, we have to go to this as a clinic. We have one of the things, and it just highlighted recently: we had to close our ambulatory clinic. This is not a rural issue, but it’s sort of the class of the issue, we had to close our ambulatory clinic in L.A. because of the riots and other things going on in L.A. We had interrupted almost 1,800 appointments and some were telehealth, some we were able to move to others, but for the most part we had folks who weren’t getting care. Very familiar, if you were in the middle of a rural state or Alaska or anywhere else you’re not getting it.

    So, we were already beginning to see how could we bring in mobile clinics and others even in that area, in a safe area, where our appointments could be kept. So, for me, if we have those kind of resources, can we do those in states such as Alaska and others? Instead of always just defaulting to something as you said, like a telehealth model or a visiting doctor, maybe have regular roundabouts that have our health teams go out with these mobile vehicles that could actually do and provide primary care and others. Of course, they need to go elsewhere, and we could do that I think. I’m willing to think outside the box to do that. It would work in a very rural state, it could work in a state like you know New York, Georgia, anywhere else.

    Murkowski: You’ve kind of picked my brain. We provide or there are some non-profits and some for-profits that provide mobile mammography units, that go out to put them on a barge, you go up the river. It has provided access to women in rural parts of the state that would never be able to get this kind of screening. You can do that kind of teaming, but you do have to be willing to think outside the box a little bit, and I appreciate that you’re looking into that.

    Let me ask you here about the Tribal health side. I’m pleased that IHS and VA have entered into a reimbursement agreement as we’re trying to figure out how we access some of the unique challenges in VA services. Office of Tribal Government Relations, this is an office that has proven to be important. I would like to know if you think that that government relations office will continue. And then, the VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs, this is another VA advisory body, this is under review. Know that the committee really does play a vital role in ensuring that Native voices are represented when VA policies are developed. We think that it’s good, it helps to advance culturally competent care, strengthens Tribal consultation, and helps the VA fulfill its commitment.

    So, I don’t know if you can give me an update on the current status of this committee and whether its work will continue uninterrupted. And then, if you can share with me whether or not you think the Office of Tribal Government Relations will continue.

    Collins: Yes, to both, they’re both going to be continuing and also, we’re continuing to outreach as well through, and as I said earlier, we’re making sure our intergovernmental offices and working with different organizations is strengthening. We brought in our caseload to make sure that we’re reaching out to States, Tribes, and others, that is being a part of what we do, so, they’re both increasing. Also, I’m looking forward to being there I think, if my schedule told me correctly, I’ll be up there in October. I think around some of these issues that will be going on with the Tribes.

    Murkowski: Great, hopefully you’re scheduling that trip to coincide with the Alaska Federation of Natives Conference in October.

    Collins: I believe it is, yes.

    Murkowski: That’s great. Mr. Chairman, I’ve got a couple questions that I’m going to submit for the record, one is on the roof of the Palmer Pioneer Home. I can’t let a hearing go by without mentioning that. As well as the electronic health record roll out,  as you know the Alaska VA system is going to get the roll out of this technology in 2026. There’s a lot of people anxious about that because previous rollouts have not exactly been fun. So, you will see those questions submitted for the record.

    Collins: I look forward to that and maybe later on you know, we’ll discuss it. Electronic health record is very important.

    Murkowski: Yes, it sure is, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Announces Appointment of Ahmed Alomari to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO), announces the appointment of Ahmed Alomari to the Board of Directors of both the Company and the Bank. Mr. Alomari was appointed by the F&M Board of Directors on June 24, 2025, at the monthly board meeting.

    Mr. Alomari is widely recognized for his expertise in Oracle database performance and enterprise systems architecture. He founded Cybernoor in 2007 and remained CEO until it was acquired in 2021 by Buchanan Technologies [Cybernoor Info]. As part of the acquisition, Alomari became the Executive Vice President for Buchanan Technologies, overseeing the company’s database and application operations [Buchanan Technologies Appoints Ahmed Alomari as Executive VP].

    “Ahmed brings a deep level of technical expertise and a strong track record of innovation and strategic insight,” said Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M Bank. “His knowledge of enterprise systems and data performance will be a valuable asset as we continue to enhance our digital capabilities and technology infrastructure.”

    Mr. Alomari holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan’s School of Engineering.

    About F&M Bank

    F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe harbor statement

    Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81637346-a2e6-4544-b7ff-fe65be09b5e1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Announces Appointment of Ahmed Alomari to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO), announces the appointment of Ahmed Alomari to the Board of Directors of both the Company and the Bank. Mr. Alomari was appointed by the F&M Board of Directors on June 24, 2025, at the monthly board meeting.

    Mr. Alomari is widely recognized for his expertise in Oracle database performance and enterprise systems architecture. He founded Cybernoor in 2007 and remained CEO until it was acquired in 2021 by Buchanan Technologies [Cybernoor Info]. As part of the acquisition, Alomari became the Executive Vice President for Buchanan Technologies, overseeing the company’s database and application operations [Buchanan Technologies Appoints Ahmed Alomari as Executive VP].

    “Ahmed brings a deep level of technical expertise and a strong track record of innovation and strategic insight,” said Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M Bank. “His knowledge of enterprise systems and data performance will be a valuable asset as we continue to enhance our digital capabilities and technology infrastructure.”

    Mr. Alomari holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan’s School of Engineering.

    About F&M Bank

    F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe harbor statement

    Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81637346-a2e6-4544-b7ff-fe65be09b5e1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Announces Appointment of Ahmed Alomari to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO), announces the appointment of Ahmed Alomari to the Board of Directors of both the Company and the Bank. Mr. Alomari was appointed by the F&M Board of Directors on June 24, 2025, at the monthly board meeting.

    Mr. Alomari is widely recognized for his expertise in Oracle database performance and enterprise systems architecture. He founded Cybernoor in 2007 and remained CEO until it was acquired in 2021 by Buchanan Technologies [Cybernoor Info]. As part of the acquisition, Alomari became the Executive Vice President for Buchanan Technologies, overseeing the company’s database and application operations [Buchanan Technologies Appoints Ahmed Alomari as Executive VP].

    “Ahmed brings a deep level of technical expertise and a strong track record of innovation and strategic insight,” said Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M Bank. “His knowledge of enterprise systems and data performance will be a valuable asset as we continue to enhance our digital capabilities and technology infrastructure.”

    Mr. Alomari holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan’s School of Engineering.

    About F&M Bank

    F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe harbor statement

    Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81637346-a2e6-4544-b7ff-fe65be09b5e1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Announces Appointment of Ahmed Alomari to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO), announces the appointment of Ahmed Alomari to the Board of Directors of both the Company and the Bank. Mr. Alomari was appointed by the F&M Board of Directors on June 24, 2025, at the monthly board meeting.

    Mr. Alomari is widely recognized for his expertise in Oracle database performance and enterprise systems architecture. He founded Cybernoor in 2007 and remained CEO until it was acquired in 2021 by Buchanan Technologies [Cybernoor Info]. As part of the acquisition, Alomari became the Executive Vice President for Buchanan Technologies, overseeing the company’s database and application operations [Buchanan Technologies Appoints Ahmed Alomari as Executive VP].

    “Ahmed brings a deep level of technical expertise and a strong track record of innovation and strategic insight,” said Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M Bank. “His knowledge of enterprise systems and data performance will be a valuable asset as we continue to enhance our digital capabilities and technology infrastructure.”

    Mr. Alomari holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan’s School of Engineering.

    About F&M Bank

    F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe harbor statement

    Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81637346-a2e6-4544-b7ff-fe65be09b5e1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Members review farm policies, food security, technology transfer and transparency issues

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Updates on agricultural market developments and food security

    Members heard updates from observer international organizations, including the International Grains Council (IGC), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Their contributions encompassed the overarching theme of global food security and related challenges, with a particular focus on the unique difficulties faced by least developed countries (LDCs) and net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs), along with their continuous efforts to mitigate these challenges.

    The IGC reported that the prospects for the next grain harvest remain broadly favourable, although an unusually dry winter and early spring has reduced yield potential in parts of East Asia. Including upgrades for the Americas, the global crop projection is boosted by 2 million tonnes, to a record 2,375 million. Due to a slightly lower estimate for feed use, the forecast for total grain consumption has been revised down slightly month-on-month, now standing at 2,372 million tonnes.

    With grains and oilseeds markets expected to be comfortably supplied, the IGC emphasized the importance of open trade, noting that global price developments may be strongly influenced by demand-side measures, including trade policies. It also underscored the value of market transparency and drew members’ attention to the Wheat Maritime Trade and Food Security Dashboard, developed jointly with the WTO. This tool supports the monitoring of short-term trends in international wheat maritime trade flows in response to changing market conditions and enables analysis of longer-term developments.

    FAO shared with members the main information contained in The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2024. The publication confirmed that global progress towards the goal of ending hunger is not on track, with chronic hunger and food insecurity persisting at elevated levels. After a sharp increase between 2019 and 2021, the prevalence of undernourishment remained well above pre COVID-19 figures, reaching 9.1% in 2023. This means an estimated 713 to 757 million people facing hunger, with a mid-range estimate of 733 million – approximately 152 million more than in 2019.  

    FAO reminded members that the vast majority of people and countries facing acute food insecurity have remained in that situation for several years, underscoring the protracted nature of the crisis and the importance of resilience-building efforts. FAO also noted that it has been closely monitoring the global food security situation and has developed a dedicated web page – FAO Response to Global Food Security Challenges – which provides detailed information on various aspects of food security.

    The WFP stressed that global food insecurity remains alarmingly high, with 295 million people acutely affected. Catastrophic hunger, the most severe form, has surged – rising from 80,000 people in 2018 to 1.9 million in 2024. Conflict remains the primary driver, with 70% of the acutely food insecure living in fragile, violent contexts. Extreme weather, such as droughts and floods, also threatens food security, as do economic factors like inflation, debt and high food prices. Humanitarian operations are further strained by severe funding shortfalls, said the WFP, which in 2025 expects to assist 24 million fewer people than in 2024.

    To address this crisis, increased funding, humanitarian access and robust data systems are urgently needed. The WFP thanked WTO members for the Decision adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) to exempt humanitarian food purchases from export restrictions. The decision has improved access to local and regional production, facilitating international and regional movement of commodities and positively impacting the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of WFP operations

    Nairobi and Bali decisions – transparency

    Regarding the implementation of the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition, the Chair called on members concerned to make all possible efforts to fully conclude this exercise of aligning export subsidy schedules with the obligations under the Nairobi Decision. The next export competition dedicated discussion is scheduled for the Committee meeting in September. Referring to the Committee’s Decision in G/AG/2/Add.2 of December 2024, the Chair reminded members that 2024 is the last implementation year for which the information required under the export competition questionnaire (ECQ) needs to be provided via a response to the questionnaire.

    Starting from the implementation year 2025, members will be required to submit a new annual export competition notification, which consolidates and streamlines existing export competition related notification requirements and formats, including the ECQ. Members were urged to redouble efforts to submit outstanding responses to the ECQ, and to use the ECQ Agriculture Information Management System (AG IMS) on-line facility for this purpose.

    The Chair noted that the second triennial review of the operation of  the Bali Decision on Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) administration is due in 2025. This topic will remain on the Committee’s agenda all this year. Members shared thoughts on the possible contents and outcomes of this review. The Chair also reminded members of the specific issues raised at the March 2025 Committee meeting and invited them to build on those discussions.

    Issues addressed included the need for better follow-up on the first review’s conclusions , improved transparency and completeness of market access notifications, particularly for TRQs with country-specific allocations in the schedule of commitments, as well as the inclusion of tariff data in TRQ notifications. Members also called for action on TRQ underutilization by addressing barriers, such as unrelated licensing requirements, enhancing notification practices, compiling current challenges and exploring ways to reallocate underused quotas to improve TRQ effectiveness and transparency.

    Technology transfer

    Members expressed interest in advancing discussions on the transfer of technology to developing economies in the food and agricultural sector. Delegations expressed support for continuing discussions on the topic, with calls to shift from educational exchanges to examining how WTO rules could bolster technological development.

    To capitalize on this momentum, the Chair encouraged delegations to turn this interest into concrete, substantive ideas for collective exploration, utilizing the Committee’s nearly three decades of experience with the implementation of the Agreement on Agriculture. Despite encouragement from the previous Chair, Anna Leung of Hong Kong, China, at the March 2025 meeting, no written proposals have been submitted.

    The Chair suggested convening informal discussions and continuing to include this topic on formal agendas to support ongoing reflection and shape collective guidance.

    Agricultural policies review

    A total of 180 questions were raised by members concerning individual notifications and specific implementation matters during the meeting. This peer review process allows members to address issues related to the implementation of commitments outlined in the Agreement on Agriculture. Of these, 14 issues were raised for the first time, while 23 were recurring matters from previous Committee meetings.

    The 14 new items covered a range of topics, including Australia’s livestock industry funds, Brazil’s rural development efforts, Canada’s involvement in farm and dairy support, and the European Union’s emergency agricultural measures and tariff actions on Russian products.

    Other discussions focused on India’s domestic support programmes, sugar policy, and export duties, as well as Indonesia’s agricultural support. Japan’s initiatives to lower carbon emissions and secure fertilizers were also reviewed, along with Paraguay’s rural assistance project, Switzerland’s payments to farmers, Thailand’s debt relief and rice support policies, Türkiye’s tax and pricing systems, the United Kingdom’s schemes to enhance farm productivity, and the United States’ trade programmes, avian flu response, and broad agricultural support measures.

    Since the previous meeting in March 2025, a total of 53 individual notifications have been submitted to the Committee: 24 related to market access, 14 concerning domestic support, 11 regarding export competition, and four related to the implementation of the Marrakesh Decision on LDCs and NFIDCs.

    The Chair urged members to submit timely and complete notifications and to respond to overdue questions, stressing the critical importance of enhanced transparency.

    All questions submitted for the meeting are available in G/AG/W/255. All questions and replies received are available in the WTO’s Agriculture Information Management System.

    Next meeting

    The next meeting of the Committee on Agriculture is scheduled for 25-26 September 2025.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Bentz Statement on Public Lands

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– To be clear – I do support and encourage sale or exchange of parcels of federal land when there is a clear economic or social demand for such disposition, and when that disposition follows appropriate procedure and is generally supported by those affected. I include congressional action as an appropriate procedure. I do not support a mandated disposition of millions of acres of federal land, the amount of which was arbitrarily established, the primary goal not being to respond to demand, but instead being the removal of land from federal ownership.

    A policy to permanently dispose of massive amounts of land currently owned and managed for multiple use by the federal government should not be included in a reconciliation package where debate, by design, is truncated or completely avoided. A decision to irreversibly divest the nation of  federally owned land is an important policy issue that must be carefully discussed with and designed by those of us representing states impacted by this policy.

    Of particular concern in making any decision to sell public land is the sale’s impact on those who have rights in the land or currently have some type of use of the land. Indian Tribes, neighbors, grazing permittees, those utilizing public access across the land, hunters, watershed function, holders of easements, and environmental impact are some of the issues that must be taken into account in making a decision to alter ownership. These realities make the process used in selecting parcels of federal land offered for sale extremely important.

    Some might argue that the abject failure of the federal government to adequately manage BLM and Forest Service land justifies its sale. But sale of this land to someone else is no way to assure it’s proper management.  The best way to protect this land is to identify and correct the reasons these agencies are failing in their mission. The easiest observation to make is that environmental organizations, using the ESA, CWA, CAA, and other environmental laws, compliant federal judges, and the Access to Justice Act, (an act that pays the attorney fees of plaintiffs who successfully sue the federal government) through protracted and expensive litigation, make a mockery of agency’s attempts to craft management plans. If our nation is to be a landowner (and it is), it must take care of that land. This means that the laws that are being perverted to line the pockets of environmental organizations at the expense of the taxpayer and our forests and rangelands, must be changed so that such perversion is stopped. 
     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK partners with Gavi to help save up to eight million lives by 2030

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    UK partners with Gavi to help save up to eight million lives by 2030

    New UK support will see millions of children vaccinated against some of the world’s deadliest diseases, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced today at Gavi’s global summit in Brussels.

    • The UK will support Gavi as a leading investor in the Vaccine Alliance, committing £1.25 billion to vaccinate millions of children between 2026-2030.
    • The commitment will help Gavi protect up to 500 million children from some of the world’s deadliest diseases like meningitis, cholera and measles.
    • Gavi’s global vaccination work prevents the spread of dangerous infectious diseases while boosting investment and jobs in UK science as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    New UK support will see millions of children vaccinated against some of the world’s deadliest diseases, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced today at Gavi’s global summit in Brussels.

    The UK’s new £1.25 billion pledge to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, extends a close 25-year partnership which has helped to vaccinate over one billion children globally against diseases like meningitis, to prevent more than 18 million lives being lost, and to improve countries economic prospects. Since 2000, when the UK was a founding member, Gavi has generated $250 billion in economic benefits through reduced death and disability. Gavi now receives investment from 56 countries and over 60 organisations. 19 countries have graduated from Gavi support, including India and Indonesia who have now become donors to Gavi.

    Today’s pledge will help Gavi in their mission to protect up to 500 million children between 2026-2030 and save up to eight million more lives.

    It will also have a positive impact at home, creating British jobs and growth, through partnerships with health companies like GSK, which employs about 14,000 people in the UK, as the government delivers on its Plan for Change to boost economic growth.

    Gavi helps strengthen the UK’s health security by preventing the spread of dangerous infectious diseases before they reach our borders. This reduces pressures on our hospitals and health workers, enabling an NHS fit for the future.

    UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

    Gavi’s global impact is undeniable. Over 1 billion children vaccinated, over 18 million lives saved, over $250 billion injected into the global economy.

    I’m immensely proud of the role the UK has played in reaching these milestones. Our ongoing partnership with Gavi will give millions of children a better start, save lives and protect us all from the spread of deadly diseases.

    GSK is a leading supplier to Gavi, providing vaccines for diseases like malaria and human papillomavirus (HPV). Their partnership supports UK research, science and innovation.

    Earlier this week, Minister for Development Baroness Chapman visited GSK’s research campus in Stevenage, alongside the Gavi CEO, Dr Sania Nishtar and and GSK’s President of Global Health, Deborah Waterhouse. Together they discussed some of the world-leading research being conducted by British scientists, including on new malaria and TB vaccines.

    UK Minister for Development, Jenny Chapman said:

    Our modern approach to development means focussing on where we can have the biggest impact, and on areas the UK can lead. We must ensure every pound delivers for the UK taxpayer and the people we support.

    Our partnership with Gavi does just that. It will save the lives of millions of children around the world, to grow up safe from deadly diseases like cholera and measles. And it will make the world and the UK healthier and safer, helping prevent future pandemics.

    It is partnership based on the UK’s world-leading expertise, not just money. By rolling out vaccines developed by British scientists, Gavi puts our best brains and their innovations on the world stage, and supports UK jobs and growth.

    CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Dr Sania Nishtar said:

    The United Kingdom is one of Gavi’s longest and most committed partners. This pledge for our next strategic period reaffirms its status as a leader in global health and I am delighted that we will be able to count on its support in our next strategic period, working together and leveraging some of the best in British science and innovation as we save lives and fight outbreaks around the world.

    President Global Health at GSK, Deborah Waterhouse said:

    The UK’s world-class infectious disease research continues to inform our work at GSK and combined with our scientific expertise, is enabling GSK to advance malaria prevention and control, directly impacting global health agendas and access strategies.

    As a longstanding partner of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – an organisation that plays a vital role in delivering vaccines to children in lower-income countries – we welcome the UK Government’s new pledge to Gavi, to help save up to eight million lives by 2030 and get ahead of disease together.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: American Rebel Light Beer Recaps Successful Title Sponsorship of American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    American Rebel Light and NHRA Exceed Expectations with Brand Building and Product Penetration as American Rebel Light Outsells Top 2 National Brands Combined

    NASHVILLE, TN, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel, reports that the American Rebel Light Beer title sponsorship of the American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals June 20 – 22 at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, VA exceeded expectations. American Rebel Light was available at all concession locations selling beer at Virginia Motorsports Park as well as in the American Rebel Light Party Tent and the American Rebel Light Trackside Bar. CEO Andy Ross performed two concerts during the race weekend and the Sunday concert was covered on the FOX broadcast. The American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals Finals were broadcast on the FOX broadcast network on Sunday, June 22, and re-aired Monday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 25. Additional re-airings of the American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals are scheduled for Thursday, June 26 from 9 – 11 pm Eastern on FS2 and Friday, June 27 from 3 – 5 am Eastern on FS1. Viewership of the American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals is expected to approach two million.

    American Rebel Light Beer outsold the top 2 national brands during the race weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park, benefiting from the trackside signage and brand integrations throughout the track. The American Rebel Party Tent was a huge success as race fans escaped from the heat to enjoy a cold Rebel Light. The FOX broadcast announcers and the track PA announcers made frequent references to American Rebel Light and the NHRA drivers were very complimentary of the American Rebel Light title sponsorship during their on-camera interviews and the drivers and crew spotlighted American Rebel Light beer in victory lane celebrations.

    “The NHRA does it right,” said American Rebel CEO Andy Ross. “Everyone is very appreciative of our involvement as title sponsor and everyone from the drivers, their teams and the track express their thanks to American Rebel Light and make sure they have our beer visible and they all are brand ambassadors for us. Everyone knows the sponsor needs to get value for their investment, and they deliver. The buzz at the track and the FOX nationwide broadcasts generate significant interest from potential distributors, bar owners, alcohol buyers for retail and convenience chains and the end customer walking into their local stores and asking for American Rebel Light by name.”

    “The success of this weekend will continue after we leave town,” said American Rebel Beverage President Todd Porter. “Our neon signs and product integration will stay in place and we’ll continue to benefit from this weekend the rest of this racing season and beyond. We were the title sponsor for the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in late April and they are still selling our beer very well, one of their top sellers.”

    Race fans aged 21 and older had the chance to enjoy American Rebel Light – America’s Patriotic, God Fearing, Constitution Loving, National Anthem Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer at the track concession stands that sold beer. The American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals introduced American Rebel Light to the state of Virginia and laid a foundation for the expansion of distribution throughout the state.

    American Rebel Light Beer debuted their new television commercial during the FOX Qualifying and Finals broadcasts, airing eight times over the weekend.

    “The support from FOX and the NHRA has been great,” said Andy Ross. “When I watched the re-air of the Finals, I was blown away that the band and I got some coverage. We get lots of compliments from the NHRA and the drivers and their teams for providing entertainment during some of the breaks. It’s really an honor to play for race fans. They are the perfect demographic for the American Rebel brand.”

    About American Rebel Light Beer

    American Rebel Light is more than just a beer – it’s a celebration of freedom, passion, and quality. Brewed with care and precision, our light beer delivers a refreshing taste that’s perfect for every occasion.

    Since its launch in September 2024, American Rebel Light Beer has rolled out in Tennessee, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Florida, Indiana and now Virginia and is adding new distributors and territories regularly. For more information about the launch events and the availability of American Rebel Beer, please visit americanrebelbeer.com or follow us on our social media platforms (@americanrebelbeer).

    American Rebel Light is a Premium Domestic Light Lager Beer – All Natural, Crisp, Clean and Bold Taste with a Lighter Feel. With approximately 100 calories, 3.2 carbohydrates, and 4.3% alcoholic content per 12 oz serving, American Rebel Light Beer delivers a lighter option for those who love great beer but prefer a more balanced lifestyle. It’s all natural with no added supplements and importantly does not use corn, rice, or other sweeteners typically found in mass produced beers.

    For more information about American Rebel Light Beer follow us on social media @AmericanRebelBeer.

    For more information, visit americanrebelbeer.com.

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Light Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit americanrebelbeer.com. For investor information, visit americanrebel.com/investor-relations.

    Watch the American Rebel Story as told by our CEO Andy Ross visit The American Rebel Story

    Media Inquiries:
    Matt Sheldon
    Matt@Precisionpr.co
    917-280-7329

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com
    ir@americanrebel.com

    American Rebel Beverages, LLC
    Todd Porter, President
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. American Rebel Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: AREB; AREBW) (the “Company,” “American Rebel,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include benefits of our continued sponsorship of high profile events, success and availability of the promotional activities, our ability to effectively execute our business plan, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Moving Notting Hill Carnival to Hyde Park would wrench it from the community and history at its heart

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Maggie Inchley, Reader in Contemporary Theatre and Performance, Queen Mary University of London

    Shutterstock/JessicaGirvan

    Today’s Notting Hill Carnival, first held in its streets in 1966 when it was led by a Trinidadian steel band, is a glorious cultural blend. It’s a hotch-potch of traditions, music, dancing and food which commemorates the history of black British communities and integrates others.

    But the future of Notting Hill Carnival is now in doubt amid concerns that the event doesn’t have the funding to ensure the safety of attendees.

    One touted solution is to move the carnival to another location. Writing in the Guardian last year, retired black Met superintendent Leroy Logan recommended a more open space, such as Hyde Park. Policing would be far easier there, with walled boundaries removing escape routes for potential “trouble makers”.

    But holding the carnival in Hyde Park could alter the way that the carnival is enjoyed in ways that would be fundamental to the community it comes from.

    My research in creative performance with communities explores the joy that comes from participating in events and activities that celebrate our collective strengths and differences. I look at the important issues of lived experiences and cultural heritage in events like Carnival.

    This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too.

    The Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin (1895-1975) wrote of a “carnival sense of the world”. For Bakhtin, carnival was an unleashing of energies, in which hierarchies disappeared, and people were free to mix with each other.

    For his critics, the liberating energy that Bakhtin describes can be too easily co-opted to dominant cultures, especially where carnival can be made to serve the market’s insatiable appetite. While the democratising dynamics of carnival are valuable, it is also important to consider the particular histories and places in which its traditions and practices have developed. Even joy is contingent on place and context.

    The Notting Hill Carnival is currently free to over 1.5 million visitors. Controlling access would severely contract its size and almost certainly lead to commercial exploitation, reducing its renowned inclusivity.

    What’s more, the right to be publicly seen and heard carries intense symbolic significance for the Caribbean community. This is profoundly important in the wake of the 2018 Windrush scandal, in which the government tried to remove many black citizens who had lawfully lived and worked in Britain for decades under the terms of the British Nationality act of 1948.



    Read more:
    Unravelling the Windrush myth: the confidential government communications that reveal authorities did not want Caribbean migrants to come to Britain

    Many of this Windrush generation, a large number of whom lived in Notting Hill and north Kensington, made a huge contribution to the rebuilding of the British economy, having been invited to the country in the wake of the second world war. In their daily lives however, they suffered racism and harassment which undermined the right they had to make their homes as British citizens.

    The history of the carnival

    It is important to recognise that the sights and sounds of the Notting Hill Carnival are tied to the history of black people’s displacement and exploitation by white enslavers and colonialists. An exuberant street presence is a culturally distinctive statement of resistance and heritage.

    Author Dan Hancox has written about the fact that enslaved people in the Caribbean were not permitted to take part in the European colonialists’ Mardis Gras balls.

    Crowds at the Notting Hill Carnival.
    Shutterstock/Turgut Cetinkaya

    In 18th century Trinidad, a ritual called Cannes Brulees (sugarcane burning), in which sticks were used to perform the rhythms of African drumming, reconnected these transplanted peoples with their places of origin, and sounded an act of resistance.

    Liberation is still enacted today in the right to make music and dance through the streets. Interviewed by Hancox in 2023, CEO of the Notting Hill Carnival Trust, Matthew Philip, pointed to the significance of the newly emancipated black presence in Trinidad’s streets, from which they had been banned by their colonial masters, and their joyful mockery of the white governing class.

    Any considerations of safety at the Notting Hill Carnival must also consider how – despite this exuberantly joyful community celebration of black diasporic culture – the event has been commonly portrayed as a flash-point of racial tensions.

    Social geographer Peter Jackson has pointed to the racialised media representation of “black youth” after unrest in 1976, during which carnival goers clashed violently with a heavy police presence.

    Steve McQueen’s 2020 drama Mangrove portrayed the tensions with the police in the 1970s. In a notable scene outside Trinidadian immigrant Frank Crichlow’s restaurant, the film captured the combination of resistance and joy expressed in West Indian music and dancing. Crichlow was part of the Mangrove Nine, the group of black activists who were tried in 1971 at the Old Bailey for inciting a riot, after repeated police raids on Crichlow’s restaurant.

    The trailer for Mangrove.

    The group’s acquittal was an important milestone in the history of the rights of black people to live and work without harassment in the London area they were trying to make their home under difficult conditions.

    When West Indian migrants came to Notting Hill they were housed in slum conditions. They were charged extortionate rents, often in dilapidated properties once built for the wealthy. Having lived through this and built a thriving community, black residents have in recent decades been forced to move out following the area’s “regentrification”. The trend again points to the displacement of black and working class populations, this time at the housing market’s convenience.

    To relocate the carnival from the streets of Notting Hill would risk continuing these histories of displacement of black communities, and ignore the huge symbolic significance of street celebration to black people in Britain and beyond.

    Unquestionably, the government must act in the interest of public safety. As it considers the best ways to protect attendees, it will no doubt also assess the carnival’s considerable social and economic benefits

    To guarantee these, officials must work with communities whose heritage and citizenship is bound up with the carnival. They need to balance issues of safety with those of access and heritage, and with the need to express a joy that emerges not entirely spontaneously, but from long and complex histories of displacement, relocation and resistance.

    Maggie Inchley 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. Moving Notting Hill Carnival to Hyde Park would wrench it from the community and history at its heart – https://theconversation.com/moving-notting-hill-carnival-to-hyde-park-would-wrench-it-from-the-community-and-history-at-its-heart-259587

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • PM Modi chairs 48th PRAGATI meeting; urges health infra push in remote areas, stresses self-reliance in defence

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the 48th edition of PRAGATI — the Centre’s multi-level, ICT-enabled platform aimed at ensuring proactive governance and timely implementation of key schemes and projects.

    During the session, the Prime Minister reviewed critical infrastructure projects across the Mines, Railways, and Water Resources sectors. These projects were examined with a focus on timelines, coordination among agencies, and resolution of pending issues.

    The PM stressed that delays in project execution result in escalating costs and deprive citizens of timely access to services and infrastructure. He urged officials across ministries and state governments to adopt a result-oriented approach, calling for stronger inter-agency coordination and time-bound delivery.

    The PM reiterated the importance of equitable access to healthcare for marginalised and underserved populations, describing PM-ABHIM as a key opportunity for states to strengthen health infrastructure at the block, district, and state levels. “This is a golden opportunity to bridge the gaps in primary, tertiary, and specialised health services,” the PM said.

    PM Modi also reviewed efforts made by ministries and states in promoting self-reliance in the defence sector. He praised initiatives that foster indigenous manufacturing and innovation, citing the recent Operation Sindoor — carried out using homegrown capabilities — as an example of the strides being made in the sector.

    The Prime Minister urged states to tap into the growing ecosystem by supporting local innovation and contributing to the broader push for self-reliance in defence.

    Launched in 2015, PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) is a platform through which the Prime Minister directly engages with top officials of central and state governments to review key projects and address bottlenecks in real time.

  • MIL-OSI USA: California awards $15 million to support economic growth in tribal communities across the state

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 25, 2025

    What you need to know: As part of California Jobs First, the state is awarding $15 million through the Regional Investment Initiative to support California Native American tribal partners in creating jobs and developing high-paying and fulfilling careers.

    Sacramento, California – Today, Governor Newsom and the California Jobs First Council announced $15 million in grants to 14 California Native American tribes, tribal coalitions, and tribally led organizations. The grants support projects aimed at spurring economic growth, providing job training, cultivating business development, protecting the environment, and conducting research and development.

    This $15 million commitment recognizes that, since time immemorial, California tribes have been best aware of the opportunities and advantages of their regions and communities. California is proud to partner with tribes across the state to support good jobs and expand economic opportunity in a meaningful and lasting way, delivering on the promises we made years ago.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    “Our tribal partners are uniquely positioned to grow their local communities and economies utilizing cultural values and principles of self-determination,” said Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari. “Today’s awards promise to advance our shared goals for a stronger economy and greater opportunities for all Californians.” 

    Today’s announcement includes awards for projects spanning a range of local investments, from developing community centers to constructing a bioenergy production facility:

    • Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians was awarded $1.51 million to develop a strategic energy plan.

    • California Indian Museum and Cultural Center was awarded $587,000, and will develop a career pathway program in the health sector titled “Climate-Ready Tribal Community Health Representatives.”

    • Kashia Band of Pomo Indians were awarded $999,000 in order to conduct the pre-development activities necessary to establish the Kashia Aquaculture Center.

    • Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria was awarded $999,000, to conduct the pre-development activities necessary to establish a Resilience Hub and Multi-Functional Community Center.

    • Native Development Network was awarded $776,000 to conduct research supporting the development of career pathways in the clean economy, healthcare, and high-tech sectors.

    • Native First Lending was awarded $1 million to develop a revolving loan fund for Native American businesses in Los Angeles County.

    • Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe was awarded $744,000 to support land restoration activities on two culturally significant historical sites.

    • Owens Valley Career Development Center was awarded $1.995 million to develop career pathways in the clean economy.

    • Pit River Tribe was awarded $954,000 for a comprehensive land use assessment to identify locations for new businesses in industries such as tourism and outdoor recreation.

    • Scotts Valley Energy Corporation was awarded $1 million for a bioenergy production facility.

    • Southern California Tribal Chairperson’s Association was awarded $933,000 to develop an Innovation Ecosystem to support small businesses in the clean economy sector.

    • Table Mountain Rancheria was awarded $950,000 to conduct pre-development activities for the TMR Healthcare Center.

    • The Sierra Fund was awarded $945,000, which will provide economic and workforce development planning support for two local Tribes.

    • Tule River Economic Development Corporation was awarded $1.6 million to develop career pathways and provide training in the clean economy sector.

    “Each of these awards represents our efforts to invest in locally driven projects that will advance meaningful job creation, attraction, and access across California,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz and Stewart Knox, Secretary of Labor & Workforce Development. “The California Jobs First Council is honored to have the opportunity to invest in these 14 communities, and we look forward to working closely with our tribal nation partners to ensure the ongoing success of their projects.”

    See full award details here. 

    California Jobs First

    In February, Governor Newsom released the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint — a new economic vision for California’s future. The Blueprint outlines key initiatives to support regional growth throughout the state, invest in job training for the future, attract job creators, and strengthen California’s innovation economy — all to help increase access to good-paying jobs for Californians. 

    As part of California Jobs First, the state has invested $287 million since 2022 to develop viable projects that advance strategic sectors in regional economies.

    California is the fourth-largest economy in the world. With an increasing state population and recent record-high tourism spending, California is the nation’s top state for new business starts, access to venture capital funding, and manufacturing, high-tech, and agriculture.

    Recent news

    Jun 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: The First Partner launched her annual Book Club today, which features great kids’ reads curated by librarians across California, as well as investments to support library community programming. SACRAMENTO – California First Partner Jennifer…

    Jun 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: Today marked the start of the final phase of work on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing – a monumental wildlife preservation effort in Southern California. LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that the final phase of the…

    Jun 25, 2025

    News What you need to know: President Trump’s unlawful deployment of military personnel to Los Angeles has slashed California’s National Guard fentanyl and drug interdiction force by 32% — undermining public safety and weakening border fentanyl seizure operations….

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Khelo India University Games 2025 to be held in Rajasthan this November: Sports Minister Mandaviya

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday announced that Rajasthan will host the fifth edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2025 in November. The Games will be jointly organised by Poornima University and Rajasthan University in Jaipur.

    More than 4,000 athletes from over 200 universities across India are expected to take part in the Under-25 multi-sport event, which has become one of the flagship initiatives under the Khelo India program since its inception in 2020.

    “I am extremely happy to announce that the Khelo India University Games will take place in Rajasthan in November 2025,” Dr. Mandaviya said. “These Games provide a national platform for our university athletes to showcase their talent in front of scouts and sports federations. This is a stepping stone for many young players aspiring to make it to the national and international level.”

    The upcoming edition of KIUG will feature competitions in at least 20 sporting disciplines, continuing the tradition of previous editions. The announcement comes just months after the successful hosting of the Khelo India Youth Games (Under-18) in Bihar in May 2025.

    Reflecting on the previous edition held in the Northeast, Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the Games’ growing impact on university-level sports in India. “Worldwide, university students dominate multi-sport events. In Rajasthan, we expect high-quality performances as the athletes will be at their competitive peak,” he added.

    Recap of KIUG 2024

    The KIUG 2024, hosted across seven northeastern states — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Tripura — saw around 4,500 athletes compete in 20 sports. A total of 770 medals were awarded over 11 days, including 240 gold, 240 silver, and 290 bronze.

    Chandigarh University clinched the overall team championship, continuing its strong presence in university sports. Lovely Professional University finished second with 20 gold, 14 silver, and 8 bronze (42 total), while Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, came third with 12 gold, 20 silver, and 19 bronze (51 total).

    Individual highlights from KIUG 2024 included swimmer Pratyasa Ray of Utkal University, who emerged as the most successful female athlete with four gold, one silver, and one bronze. The top male athlete was Xavier Michael Dsouza of Jain University, who bagged four gold medals in swimming.

    Eight new records were set in athletics during KIUG 2024, five of them by male athletes, underlining the growing competitiveness and standard of university sports in India.

    As the focus now shifts to Rajasthan, anticipation builds for another edition of intense competition, rising stars, and record-breaking performances at the Khelo India University Games 2025.

  • MIL-OSI Security: Record 769 arrests and USD 65 million in illicit pharmaceuticals seized in global bust

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    25 June 2025

    Operation reveals growing demand for semaglutides and peptides as ‘lifestyle enhancers’

    SINGAPORE – An INTERPOL-coordinated operation across 90 countries has resulted in the seizure of 50.4 million doses of illicit pharmaceuticals worth USD 65 million, highlighting the alarming scale of the global trade in unapproved and counterfeit medicines.

    Operation Pangea XVII, which took place from December 2024 to May 2025, saw the arrest of 769 suspects and the dismantling of 123 criminal groups worldwide.

    The seizures and arrests are the largest in the operation’s 17-year history.

    Nervous system agents, including psychostimulants, anti-anxiety drugs, and medications for Parkinson’s disease, topped the list as the most seized product type, with erectile dysfunction medicines, the second highest.

    Other commonly seized product types include anabolic steroids, anti-diabetic medicines, anti-smoking products, dermatological agents, health supplements, herbal products and psychotherapeutic agents.

    David Caunter, Director pro tempore of Organized and Emerging Crime at INTERPOL, said:

    “Fake and unapproved medications are a serious risk to public health. They can include dangerous or illegal ingredients potentially resulting in severe illness, or even death.

    “The rapid growth of online platforms has made it easier for these unsafe drugs to reach people as well as opening new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit.

    “Working together through Operation Pangea, countries are taking action to protect people’s health and keep healthcare systems safe.”

    Ethiopian authorities discovered illicit pharmaceuticals hidden inside a container.

    Seizures of anti-diabetic medication in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

    Customs inspection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia.

    Inspection at a warehouse in Malaysia.

    Illicit pharmaceuticals seized in Türkiye.

    Illicit pharmaceuticals seized in Malaysia.

     

    Growing demand for anti-diabetic medications and peptide supplements

    The operation revealed growing demand for anti-diabetic drugs and peptide supplements, driven by increasing self-medication, among other factors.

    This trend is being driven by the widespread promotion and availability of these medicines across social media and online marketplaces, creating lucrative and relatively low-risk opportunities for criminal networks selling low-quality or counterfeit products.

    Data from participating countries indicate increasing circulation of illicit anti-diabetic medicines globally due to their off-label weight loss effects, with unapproved and potentially fake drugs seized in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America.

    Estimates suggest that a single semaglutide pen may sell for several hundred US dollars on the secondary market.

    The seizures corroborate recent alerts from the World Health Organization and various national health regulatory agencies warning of emerging risks associated with GLP-1-related injectable drugs.

    Operation Pangea XVII revealed another emerging trend – growing demand for peptide supplements for their perceived cosmetic and performance-enhancing benefits, especially in high-income countries across Europe, North America and Oceania.

    These supplements, such as BPC-157, ipamorelin, and melanotan, remain unapproved in many regions due to potential health risks and the lack of sufficient human trials, and until recently, seizures of such peptide-based biologically active substances were rare.

    Ethiopian authorities discovered illicit pharmaceuticals hidden inside a container.

    Illicit pharmaceuticals seized in Argentina.

    Unapproved pregabalin medicines seized in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

    Suspected counterfeit tramadol and other medicines seized in Gabon.

    Illicit pharmaceuticals found in a clandestine clinic in Mozambique.

    Illicit erectile dysfunction medicines seized in Bulgaria.

    Operational highlights

    In total, law enforcement agencies worldwide launched 1,728 investigations and issued 847 search warrants targeting criminal networks engaged in the illicit distribution of pharmaceutical products.

    93 per cent of the illicit pharmaceuticals seized lacked regulatory approvals from national health authorities.

    Such products may contain counterfeit, substandard or falsified substances which have not been identified.

    The remaining seven per cent were confirmed as either counterfeit, diverted, or misbranded products.

    Australia recorded the largest seizures globally, with psychostimulants such as modafinil and armodafinil being the most common category seized nationally. This was followed by anti-smoking pouches and erectile dysfunction medicines.

    Professor Tony Lawler, Head of Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said:

    “During this operation, the TGA assessed over 9,500 imports referred by the Australian Border Force and facilitated the seizure of over 5.2 million units of unlawfully imported therapeutic goods, including products that were found to be substandard or falsified.

    This operational partnership represents a significant disruption of dangerous medicines from entering our community, and diversion of profits from those that would usually benefit from the illegal sale and supply.”

    Large seizures of various illicit pharmaceuticals were similarly reported in Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, among other countries. 

    Operation Pangea XVII also saw the shutdown of approximately 13,000 criminal-linked websites, social media pages, channels, and bots used to market and sell illegal or falsified medicines.

    Malaysia removed the greatest number of online listings (7,000), followed by Russia, Ireland, Singapore and Iran. The five countries collectively accounted for 96 per cent of all listings taken down.

    In Burkina Faso, 816,000 tablets including analgesics and anti-inflammatories were discovered hidden in vehicles.

    In Mexico, authorities intercepted 27,000 clonazepam tablets and 20,000 alprazolam tablets passing through a courier facility in Tijuana.

    In Portugal, anabolic steroids were discovered in eight prisons across the country, unveiling evidence of a criminal network smuggling illicit substances into correctional facilities.

    Notes to Editor

    Operation Pangea is an annual INTERPOL operation targeting the online sale of illicit pharmaceuticals. The 17th edition of the operation marked a departure from previous iterations with enforcement action taking place over six months instead of the traditional one week. This extended duration allowed for a more comprehensive and sustained effort to disrupt criminal networks.

    Additional support was provided by national health regulatory agencies, Europol, the International Narcotics Control Board, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute, the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Universal Postal Union, the World Customs Organization and the World Health Organization.

    The following countries participated in Operation Pangea XVII: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Democratic Rep. of Congo, Denmark, Dominican Rep., Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Greece, Guyana, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rep San Marino, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 Sherpa meeting to focus on global solidarity and sustainable development

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    G20 Sherpa meeting to focus on global solidarity and sustainable development

    The third Sherpa meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) kicked off on Wednesday, focusing on global collaboration, sustainable development, and addressing new international challenges.

    The Sun City Convention Centre was filled with representatives from the world’s largest economies and organisations as Zane Dangor, the Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and South Africa’s G20 Sherpa, delivered his opening remarks.

    The meeting, which will run for three days, brings together international representatives to discuss critical global challenges and explore potential collaborative solutions.

    The meeting will take place under the theme: “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability”.

    Dangor announced that the Foreign Ministers will lead detailed discussions on global geopolitical issues, focusing on international law and mutual accountability while emphasising the need to prioritise substantive matters.

    “The meeting also provides an opportunity for Sherpas to have a discussion, dare I say it, on the geopolitical issues as part of the agenda. 

    “And I think, we’ve always shied away from geopolitical issues, but given the events not only of the last two years but particularly of the last month, we’re going to have some discussion in a measured but robust way,” he told delegates. 

    He recognised that the G20 serves as a platform for international economic cooperation, making it a crucial focus.

    “But the ongoing conflict worldwide, as it has been pointed out before, is definitely now even more detrimental not just to peace and security but economic development and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals. 

    “So, we will discuss it, but we will also make sure it doesn’t hold us back.”

    However, he said, only the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and ultimately the leaders will engage in the geopolitical issues, following the example set by Brazil, while the working groups will concentrate on the technical issues.

    Today’s meeting marked the beginning of a series of 10 sessions, during which Dangor announced leadership changes, including the appointment of several new Sherpas and representatives from Brazil, India, China, and the United Kingdom. 

    This shift indicates a new approach to international cooperation. 

    “The discussions will provide us with the opportunity to refine objectives. We will report back from some of the working groups and task teams, and we’ll look at how they align with the priorities we’ve set up to ensure that we do reach out to inclusivity and that also reflect our own collective aspirations.” 

    Dangor stressed the importance of creating actionable, measurable declarations that go beyond aspirational statements, with a commitment to reducing global inequalities.

    “It is our responsibility, collectively as Sherpas, to resolve the challenges that are being presented to us within the working groups or task teams, even the new emerging challenges, and there are many new emerging challenges. I do think that we should work to ensure that none of the working group fails to reach consensus.” 

    According to South Africa’s G20 Sherpa, the gathering also aims to shape a clear and actionable G20 Leaders’ Declaration, with a strong emphasis on sustainable development, reducing inequalities, and achieving measurable goals.

    Dangor said he hoped that the G20 Leaders’ Declaration has concrete, measurable, and time-bound actions, not just aspirational statements.

    He announced that, out of the 132 planned meetings, the Presidency has already hosted 70, and most of the working groups have completed their third sessions.

    The Sherpa also announced the upcoming social summit. 

    He concluded the opening remarks, expressing confidence in the fruitful deliberations over the next three days. – SAnews.gov.za

    Gabisile

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • Trump signals willingness to send Ukraine more Patriot missiles after meeting Zelenskiy

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he would consider supplying Ukraine with more of the Patriot air-defence missiles Kyiv relies on to defend itself from mounting Russian strikes, after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart on Wednesday.

    Both leaders said the 50-minute meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague was a positive step in a war now in its fourth year, and which Trump described as “more difficult than other wars”.

    Trump, during a press conference, said the weapons are “very hard to get” but that “we are going to see if we can make some of them available.”

    The U.S. leader also left open the possibility of providing more military aid to Kyiv, which has struggled to fend off grinding Russian advances on the battlefield in recent months.

    Trump had previously shown no signs of resuming the donations of weaponry to Ukraine against Russia’s invasion that his predecessor Joe Biden had instituted.

    Zelenskiy described the meeting as “long and substantive”, saying it covered “all the truly important issues”.

    “We discussed how to achieve a ceasefire and a real peace,” he wrote on X. “We spoke about how to protect our people.”

    Trump added that he would speak to Vladimir Putin again soon, saying the Russian president “really has to end that war”.

    Zelenskiy has worked to rebuild relations with Washington after a disastrous White House meeting in February with Trump, whose overtures to Russia in recent months have concerned officials in Kyiv.

    (Reuters)