NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI: Veritex Holdings, Inc. Announces Date Change for Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Cancellation of Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Veritex Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: VBTX), the parent holding company for Veritex Community Bank, today announced a date change for release of its second quarter 2025 earnings results. Veritex will now release its second quarter 2025 earnings results before the opening of the market on Friday, July 18, 2025. The earnings release will be available on Veritex’s website, https://ir.veritexbank.com/.

    Veritex also announced the cancellation of its second quarter 2025 investor conference call that Veritex had announced would occur on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 due to the announcement on July 14, 2025 that Veritex has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. There will be no conference call scheduled this quarter relating to Veritex’s second quarter results.

    About Veritex Holdings, Inc.

    Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Veritex is a bank holding company that conducts banking activities through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Veritex Community Bank, with locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and in the Houston metropolitan area. Veritex Community Bank is a Texas state-chartered bank regulated by the Texas Department of Banking and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. For more information, visit www.veritexbank.com.

    Source: Veritex Holdings, Inc.

    CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, certain plans, expectations, goals, projections, and statements about the benefits of the proposed transaction, the plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of Veritex and Huntington, the expected timing of completion of the transaction, and other statements that are not historical facts and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that are beyond the control of Veritex and Huntington. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, estimates, uncertainties and other important factors that change over time and could cause actual results to differ materially from any results, performance, or events expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including as a result of the factors referenced below. Statements that do not describe historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as expect, anticipate, continue, believe, intend, estimate, plan, trend, objective, target, goal, or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as will, may, might, should, would, could, or similar variations. The forward-looking statements are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    Veritex and Huntington caution that the forward-looking statements in this communication are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to assess and are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond Veritex’s and Huntington’s control. While there is no assurance that any list of risks and uncertainties or risk factors is complete, below are certain factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in the forward-looking statements or historical performance: changes in general economic, political, or industry conditions; deterioration in business and economic conditions, including persistent inflation, supply chain issues or labor shortages, instability in global economic conditions and geopolitical matters, as well as volatility in financial markets; changes in U.S. trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs; the impact of pandemics and other catastrophic events or disasters on the global economy and financial market conditions and our business, results of operations, and financial condition; the impacts related to or resulting from bank failures and other volatility, including potential increased regulatory requirements and costs, such as FDIC special assessments, long-term debt requirements and heightened capital requirements, and potential impacts to macroeconomic conditions, which could affect the ability of depository institutions, including us, to attract and retain depositors and to borrow or raise capital; unexpected outflows of uninsured deposits which may require us to sell investment securities at a loss; changing interest rates which could negatively impact the value of our portfolio of investment securities; the loss of value of our investment portfolio which could negatively impact market perceptions of us and could lead to deposit withdrawals; the effects of social media on market perceptions of us and banks generally; cybersecurity risks; uncertainty in U.S. fiscal and monetary policy, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve; volatility and disruptions in global capital, foreign exchange and credit markets; movements in interest rates; competitive pressures on product pricing and services; success, impact, and timing of our business strategies, including market acceptance of any new products or services including those implementing our “Fair Play” banking philosophy; changes in policies and standards for regulatory review of bank mergers; the nature, extent, timing, and results of governmental actions, examinations, reviews, reforms, regulations, and interpretations, including those related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Basel III regulatory capital reforms, as well as those involving the SEC, OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC, CFPB and state-level regulators; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement between Veritex and Huntington; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Veritex and Huntington; delays in completing the transaction; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction); the failure to obtain Veritex shareholder approval or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the transaction on a timely basis or at all; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where Veritex and Huntington do business; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; potential adverse reactions or changes to business, customer or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; the ability to complete the transaction and integration of Veritex and Huntington successfully; the dilution caused by Huntington’s issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the transaction; and other factors that may affect the future results of Veritex and Huntington. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in Veritex’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, each of which is on file with the SEC and available on Veritex’s investor relations website, ir.veritexbank.com, under the heading “Financials” and in other documents Veritex files with the SEC, and in Huntington’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, each of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and available in the “Investor Relations” section of Huntington’s website, http://www.huntington.com, under the heading “Investor Relations” and in other documents Huntington files with the SEC.

    All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are based on information available at that time. Neither Veritex nor Huntington assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or other factors affecting forward-looking statements that occur after the date the forward-looking statements were made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by federal securities laws. If Veritex or Huntington update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that Veritex or Huntington will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. As forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on such statements.

    IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    In connection with the proposed transaction, Huntington will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a Proxy Statement of Veritex and a Prospectus of Huntington, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. The proposed transaction involving Huntington and Veritex will be submitted to Veritex’s shareholders for their consideration. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF VERITEX ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE TRANSACTION WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Huntington and Veritex, without charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Huntington Investor Relations, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, Huntington Center, 41 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43287, (800) 576-5007 or to Veritex Investor Relations, Veritex Holdings, Inc., 8214 Westchester Drive, Suite 800, Dallas, Texas 75225, (972) 349-6200.

    PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION

    Huntington, Veritex, and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Veritex in connection with the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information regarding the interests of the directors and executive officers of Huntington and Veritex and other persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of shareholders of Veritex in connection with the transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus related to the transaction, which will be filed by Huntington with the SEC. Information regarding Huntington’s directors and executive officers is available in its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 6, 2025, and other documents filed by Huntington with the SEC. Information regarding Veritex’s directors and executive officers is available in its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2025, and other documents filed by Veritex with the SEC. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described above under “Important Additional Information.”

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New foundation aims to give refugee communities a voice – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Supporting vulnerable refugees, advocating for, and building the capacity of grass roots refugee communities is the mission of a new not-for-profit organisation.

    The RCAA Foundation is a refugee driven organisation that also aims to give refugees with lived experience a voice to government and in national conversations.

    The inaugural foundation chair is settlement sector veteran and the retiring CEO of settlement agency AMES Australia Cath Scarth.

    An extension of the Refugee Communities Association of Australia, the bi-partisan foundation aims to work with grass roots refugee communities in Australia to build their capacity, advocacy and agency.

    Ms Scarth said the foundation was about self-determination and agency for refugee communities.

    “The foundation is an opportunity to build capacity within refugee communities to help them devise and deliver their own solutions to the challenges they face,” Ms Scarth said.

    “We saw during the COVID pandemic the ability of refugee communities to rise above challenges and support each other.

    “The foundation is also an opportunity for people who are not from refugee communities to play a part in supporting them,” Ms Scarth said.

     RCAA Foundation director Parsu Sharma Luital said the Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.

    “The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

    “Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.

    “Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

    Fellow foundation director Elijah Buol OAM said the foundation was an extension of RCAA’s work in supporting refugee communities.

    “Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.

    The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance to people in Australia who are disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness so as to arouse compassion in the community, with a particular emphasis on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are at financial risk or in other vulnerable circumstances”.

    RCAA is the national peak body for grass roots refugee communities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New foundation aims to give refugee communities a voice – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Supporting vulnerable refugees, advocating for, and building the capacity of grass roots refugee communities is the mission of a new not-for-profit organisation.

    The RCAA Foundation is a refugee driven organisation that also aims to give refugees with lived experience a voice to government and in national conversations.

    The inaugural foundation chair is settlement sector veteran and the retiring CEO of settlement agency AMES Australia Cath Scarth.

    An extension of the Refugee Communities Association of Australia, the bi-partisan foundation aims to work with grass roots refugee communities in Australia to build their capacity, advocacy and agency.

    Ms Scarth said the foundation was about self-determination and agency for refugee communities.

    “The foundation is an opportunity to build capacity within refugee communities to help them devise and deliver their own solutions to the challenges they face,” Ms Scarth said.

    “We saw during the COVID pandemic the ability of refugee communities to rise above challenges and support each other.

    “The foundation is also an opportunity for people who are not from refugee communities to play a part in supporting them,” Ms Scarth said.

     RCAA Foundation director Parsu Sharma Luital said the Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.

    “The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

    “Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.

    “Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

    Fellow foundation director Elijah Buol OAM said the foundation was an extension of RCAA’s work in supporting refugee communities.

    “Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.

    The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance to people in Australia who are disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness so as to arouse compassion in the community, with a particular emphasis on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are at financial risk or in other vulnerable circumstances”.

    RCAA is the national peak body for grass roots refugee communities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New foundation aims to give refugee communities a voice – AMES

    Source: AMES

    Supporting vulnerable refugees, advocating for, and building the capacity of grass roots refugee communities is the mission of a new not-for-profit organisation.

    The RCAA Foundation is a refugee driven organisation that also aims to give refugees with lived experience a voice to government and in national conversations.

    The inaugural foundation chair is settlement sector veteran and the retiring CEO of settlement agency AMES Australia Cath Scarth.

    An extension of the Refugee Communities Association of Australia, the bi-partisan foundation aims to work with grass roots refugee communities in Australia to build their capacity, advocacy and agency.

    Ms Scarth said the foundation was about self-determination and agency for refugee communities.

    “The foundation is an opportunity to build capacity within refugee communities to help them devise and deliver their own solutions to the challenges they face,” Ms Scarth said.

    “We saw during the COVID pandemic the ability of refugee communities to rise above challenges and support each other.

    “The foundation is also an opportunity for people who are not from refugee communities to play a part in supporting them,” Ms Scarth said.

     RCAA Foundation director Parsu Sharma Luital said the Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.

    “The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

    “Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.

    “Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.

    Fellow foundation director Elijah Buol OAM said the foundation was an extension of RCAA’s work in supporting refugee communities.

    “Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.

    The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance to people in Australia who are disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness so as to arouse compassion in the community, with a particular emphasis on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are at financial risk or in other vulnerable circumstances”.

    RCAA is the national peak body for grass roots refugee communities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ovidio Guzman Lopez — son of El Chapo and head of Sinaloa Cartel — pleads guilty to federal drug charges in Chicago

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    TUCSON, Ariz., — Ovidio Guzman Lopez, who succeeded his father — Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as El Chapo — as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges. The guilty plea is the result of a collaboration between several agencies to include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of New York and the Southern District of California, and law enforcement partners from the FBI and the DEA.

    “The guilty plea by Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo, is a real victory for both the U.S. and Mexico but also a clear win for the rule of law,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations acting special agent in charge Ray Rede. “So much blood and violence lay with the Guzman family as well as spreading terror and plaguing both sides of the border with deadly drugs and weapons — no more. It’s impossible to measure the amount of work HSI and partner agencies have spent in securing this guilty verdict, but what is clear and evident is that no one is beyond the reach of law enforcement and our nation’s laws. Deliberate and coordinated teamwork resulted in today’s victory.”

    Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The guilty plea was entered as part of a multidistrict plea agreement with the government that resolves charges against Guzman Lopez brought by grand juries in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of New York.

    U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date. Guzman Lopez has been detained without bond since his extradition from Mexico to the U.S. in 2023.

    The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, as well as protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

    “Today’s historic guilty plea sends yet another crystal-clear message that this administration is going to shut down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros. “Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Our enforcement work will also extend to drug trafficking organizations, narcotics traffickers and other dangerous criminal enterprises that seek to poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs. Our successes stem from our close partnership with federal prosecutors across the country as well as our tight collaboration with our many law enforcement partners.”

    As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as the Chapitos, assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the U.S. using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft and other means, the plea agreement states.

    After the drugs were distributed throughout the U.S, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico, the plea agreement says. Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, civilians, and rival drug traffickers in order to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking activities.

    As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of an $80 million forfeiture money judgment.

    “Today’s guilty plea is another major step toward holding the Sinaloa Cartel and its leaders accountable for their role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that has plagued so many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “We remain committed to dismantling the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure and ensuring that the Chapitos and their violent organization can no longer flood our communities with this poison.”

    “With each passing day, you are seeing the sunset of the Sinaloa cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gordon. “The Chapitos’ latest violence reflects their fading future. Their leaders who remain free are now paranoid, distrusted and desperate.”

    Guzman Lopez’s three brothers — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar and Joaquin Guzman Lopez — were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and remains detained in U.S. custody without bond. He pleaded not guilty to charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois and is awaiting trial. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. (See Reward information for Guzmán Salazar, Ivan Archivaldo and Reward information for Guzmán Salazar, Jesus Alfredo.)

    The charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Read the plea agreement

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Community projects boost Sign Language

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Families of Deaf children and teenagers are among those able to take part in 11 community projects being funded to boost sign language In New Zealand.

    Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says together, the projects will receive a total of almost $250,000 to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language.

    “Each year, the NZSL Board distributes community grants to projects supporting and encouraging the use of NZSL,” Minister Upston says.

    “This year, it’s fantastic to see a particularly wide range of funded initiatives including:

    • NZSL classes for families of Deaf children and Deaf teenagers hosted by the Wellington Deaf Society
    • community events at local Deaf and NZSL clubs in Hamilton, Cambridge, Dunedin and Alexandra
    • a directory website providing a hub of information translated into NZSL
    • a review of the NZSL interpreting code of ethics from a te ao Māori perspective and a mentoring programme for interpreters
    • workshops, podcasts, and courses to develop the skills and tell the stories of the Deaf community

    “I want to congratulate the NZSL and Deaf community organisations who have been successful,” Louise Upston says. 

    “Many Deaf children are born into hearing families, so NZSL classes for these families are important to ensure these children get access to language from a young age. 

    “I am also excited to see initiatives that strengthen our NZSL interpreter workforce, help the Deaf community to find information in NZSL all in one location, and provide NZSL-first spaces at Deaf clubs.”

    NZSL is an official language used by almost 25,000 New Zealanders. The NZSL Board promotes the use of NZSL and provides expert advice to government and the community.

    The Government, through the NZSL Board, invests about $1 million each year to support initiatives and projects that maintain and promote NZSL.

    Notes for Editors

    More information about the projects being funded can be found here: 

    https://www.nzsl.govt.nz/nzsl-community-grants/previous-nzsl-community-grant-rounds/2025-recipients

    An NZSL translation of this media release can be found here: 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCjZXW-bd8

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Pakistani Leader of International Alien Smuggling Organization Extradited from Mexico

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A Pakistani man made his initial appearance in court in Tucson, Arizona, today after being extradited from Mexico to face charges relating to his role in leading an international alien smuggling organization.

    In May 2024, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Abbas Ali Haider, 48, of Sialkot, Pakistan, for conspiring to smuggle Pakistani nationals into the United States.

    Haider allegedly operated two sham film production companies, Diamond TV World Productions and Multimedia Advertising Ltd., which were fronts for his alien smuggling organization. According to court documents, Haider used those Pakistan-based companies to contract with film companies in Ecuador, Cuba, and Colombia. He then had those companies sponsor visas for Pakistani nationals purporting to work for Haider’s companies under the guise that they were working on a joint filming project in Latin America. Haider provided the Pakistani nationals with phony paperwork indicating that they worked for his companies, which they used at ports of entry in Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Haider coached the aliens to say they worked in the film industry to deceive and thwart customs and border officials. Haider’s network of smugglers then assisted the Pakistani nationals in traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they illegally crossed into California, Texas, and Arizona. Haider charged the aliens up to $40,000 for the trip.  

    Haider travelled from Pakistan to Mexico in late 2024 and was arrested in Mexico in January 2025 at the request of the U.S. government. Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in Haider’s timely extradition.

    Haider is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States and four counts of bringing in illegal aliens for profit. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, made the announcement.

    HSI Calexico led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI’s Brasilia, Quito, Tijuana, and Caribbean attaché offices and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol; the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Miami, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Detroit provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Haider. 

    Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Kreamer Hope and Evan Wesley for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

    The indictment and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Adopting Resolution 2787 (2025), Security Council Extends Reporting Requirement on Houthi Attacks against Merchant, Commercial Vessels in Red Sea

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The Security Council today extended the request to the Secretary-General to provide written monthly reports through 15 January 2026 on any further Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

    Adopting resolution 2787 (2025) (to be issued as document S/RES/2787(2025)) with a vote of 12 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (Algeria, China, Russian Federation), the Council extended the reporting request in paragraph 10 of resolution 2722 (2024), while also recalling all its relevant resolutions on the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea, including resolutions 2216 (2015), 2722 (2024), 2739 (2024) and 2768 (2025).

    Acts of Terrorism by Houthis

    In the ensuing discussion, the representative of the United States, who served as co-penholder of today’s resolution, said that the recent Houthi attacks on two civilian cargo vessels — the MV Magic Seas and the MV Eternity Sea — are yet another stark reminder of the Houthis’ terrorist tactics and their blatant disregard for civilian life.  These attacks have also disrupted the free flow of global commerce through the Red Sea and, according to some reports, more than doubled the cost of operating commercial vessels in the area.  “The United States strongly condemns these acts of terrorism, which threaten freedom of navigation and undermine regional economic and maritime security,” she said, calling for the immediate and permanent cessation of all Houthi attacks against vessels transiting the Red Sea.  Demanding the unconditional release of the crew of the MV Eternity Sea, who remain in Houthi custody, she also reiterated condemnation of Iran’s ongoing violations of Council resolution 2216 (2015), which continue to “enable Houthi terrorism” — including these latest attacks.

    No Justification for Any Attack against Innocent Seafarers

    The representative of Greece, also co-penholder of today’s resolution, said that the recent, unprovoked attacks against two commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea region “provide a clear testimony of the Houthis’ continued aggression and destabilizing role, as well as the need to keep the reporting mechanism in place”.  Underscoring that there is no justification for any attack against innocent seafarers — “whose contribution to international maritime trade is irreplaceable” — he stressed that, if the Red Sea region “becomes even more degraded, it will expose the international community to more acute security risks and economic uncertainty”.  He therefore called on all Member States to respect and implement the arms embargo established by resolution 2216 (2015).

    As a nation deeply invested in the stability of the Red Sea, Somalia’s delegate said that he supported the resolution as a reflection of an unwavering commitment to maritime security.  “We recognize the gravity of the current threats and their far-reaching implications, from economic disruption to environmental risks,” he said.  While this resolution is a constructive step forward, its effectiveness will depend on a thoughtful approach that accounts for regional realities and sensitivities.  Security in the Red Sea cannot be separated from the stability of its coastal States or the broader peace process.  Lasting solutions must tackle the root causes of instability while upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations in the region.  “We must avoid actions that risk further escalation and instead focus on addressing the legitimate concerns of all stakeholders,” he said.

    Nexus between Attacks in Red Sea and Aggression against Palestinians in Gaza

    The representative of Algeria said that his delegation’s abstention “comes in line with its principled position”, including abstentions on resolutions 2722 (2024), 2739 (2024) and 2768 (2025).  He stressed, however, that this abstention must not be interpreted either as a reservation regarding the Secretary-General’s monthly reports or as a justification for the attacks targeting commercial vessels or cargo carriers. Rather, it is a “reflection of our deep concern” over the implementation of resolution 2722 (2024), he said, noting that such resolution has been misused to justify attacks on the territory of sovereign States.  He added that the Council cannot disregard the “clear nexus between the attacks in the Red Sea and the aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.

    The representative of the Russian Federation — whose delegation also abstained — noted with concern that the text represents a direct continuation of resolution 2722 (2024) — an instrument that, despite its stated aim of ensuring freedom of navigation, has “raised serious concerns on our side” regarding its interpretation and application in practice.  While the resolution’s original intent is commendable, namely safeguarding maritime security around Yemen, the broad and ambiguous language has opened the door to arbitrary interpretations, including its use as justification for unilateral military actions on the sovereign territory of Yemen.  “We emphasize that such misinterpretations are unacceptable and undermine the authority of the Security Council,” he said.  Stabilization efforts in and around Yemen must be pursued exclusively through political and diplomatic means, in full respect of international law.  Moreover, it is impossible to decouple the Red Sea’s security from the wider instability across the region — most notably the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said.  Achieving sustainable peace requires immediate steps:  a ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.

    Council Resolutions Should Not Be ‘Misinterpreted or Abused’

    The representative of China — whose delegation also abstained — recalled its similar abstention on resolution 2722 (2024).  “Following the adoption of that resolution, certain countries took military actions against Yemen, which seriously impacted Yemen’s peace process and exacerbated tensions in the Red Sea,” he recalled, adding that the “negative effects” of such actions “continue until today”.  He underscored that Council resolutions should not be “misinterpreted or abused”, and that Yemen’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected.  Adding that tensions in the Red Sea are a “major manifestation of the spillover from the Gaza conflict”, he said that issues in the Red Sea and Yemen cannot be resolved without easing tensions and de-escalating the overall situation in the region.

    Red Sea Corridor for Global Trade, Vital Channel for Humanitarian Aid

    The representative of Pakistan, Council President for July, having voted in favor of resolution 2787 (2025) and speaking in his national capacity, reaffirmed “our principled and longstanding commitment” to upholding maritime security and unequivocally condemning attacks on all commercial shipping.  He denounced the recent assaults on vessels in the Red Sea and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained crew members.  In the current context, the extension of the reporting mandate is a necessary and timely step.  “We underscore the strategic significance of the Red Sea maritime corridor — not only as a critical artery for global trade, but also as a vital channel for humanitarian aid to Yemen,” he said.  All attacks on merchant and commercial vessels navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden must cease immediately and permanently, in full compliance with international law.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Northland News – $3.8M of Regional Sporting Facilities Rate funding allocated

    Source: Northland Regional Council

    Ruakākā Wahitakaro and Northland Regional Volleyball Arena will receive up to $2.6 million and Sportsville Dargaville Stage Two up to $1.2M in the latest allocations from the Northland Regional Council’s Regional Sporting Facilities Rate.
    The council’s Strategic & Commercial Projects Manager Phil Heatley says the GST exclusive sums will go to Ruakākā Wahitakaro and Northland Regional Volleyball Arena in the current financial year and to Sportsville Dargaville Stage Two in 2026-2027.
    Stage One of Ruakākā Wahitakaro was a community centre completed in 2024. The estimated total project cost for Stage Two is $8.5M and will include a multi-sport indoor facility featuring two indoor courts and supporting meeting spaces. It will also include ‘Northland’s Home of Volleyball’, a regional facility for volleyball providing training and competition opportunities and the ability to host regional, district and community events.
    Mr Heatley says Sportsville Dargaville Stage One was completed in December 2018 and involved six multi-purpose outdoor courts with a supporting multi-sport facility.
    “The estimated project cost of Stage Two is $9M and will include a multi-sport indoor facility featuring two indoor courts and supporting meeting spaces.” “It is designed to provide opportunities for training and district competitions and the ability to host regional, district and community level events.”
    Mr Heatley says the NRC struck the targeted $14.07 plus GST Regional Sporting Facilities Rate (per SUIP/Rating Unit) in its 2024-2034 Long Term Plan to provide funding support to assist in the development of Northland sporting facilities that are of regional or district-wide benefit.
    A working group made up of representatives from the NRC, Northland’s three district council’s and Sport Northland had recommended the funding for the 2024-2027 financial years. Regional councillors had confirmed the group’s recommendation at a council meeting late last month.
    “This will give those overseeing the projects a degree of certainty to plan and a platform to apply for third party funding.”
    Mr Heatley says potential recipient projects are identified through a regionwide consultation process, initially to inform ‘Kokiri ai Te Waka Hourua’, a strategy for play, active recreation and sport. The strategy was produced in partnership by the NRC, Sport Northland, Northland’s three district councils and Sport New Zealand.
    “A proposed project is presented to Sport Northland in the first instance, by a regional or district not-for-profit sporting focussed group, for consideration and prioritisation.”
    “Substantial work by the working group sees the prioritisation of regional sporting facility projects.
    Mr Heatley says for this allocation, 16 projects had been in varying states of readiness with six being advanced enough to be able to be scored and benchmarked against council-approved criteria. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

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

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

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

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

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

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

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

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Calls for Resignation of DHS Secretary Noem 

    US Senate News:

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

    Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
    “The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here: 

    Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:  
    “Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.  
    “And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.  
    “I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.” 
    • • • 
    “We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.   
    “And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course. 
    “It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union. 
    “We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.” 
    • • • 
    “We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Eco eel pass to lead the way for species migration in Cumbria

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Eco eel pass to lead the way for species migration in Cumbria

    Work is underway to replace an outdated eel pass at Newby Bridge Weir to encourage better migration for the critically endangered European eel.

    The European eel has suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades. This project forms part of the Environment Agency’s efforts to improve fish passage, support biodiversity and restore river ecosystems.

    Activity is underway to replace an eel pass in Cumbria as part of work by the Environment Agency to improve river ecosystems and support the safe migration of the European eel.  

    The European eel has suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades due to habitat loss, overfishing and barriers such as weirs that disrupt its long migration routes.  

    Action is now being taken to improve eel passage in the River Leven by replacing the existing fish pass at Newby Bridge. It is outdated and no longer meets modern standards for safety, remote monitoring, or effective water management. 

    Formal notice has now been given for its removal, with a new, improved eel pass required to be fully installed and operational by March 2026. Construction began on 14th July 2025 and will continue for approximately seven weeks 

    The project will introduce a hybrid eel pass system, designed to enhance eel migration and biodiversity while minimising any environmental impact.  

    At the heart of the improvements is an intelligent float switch-controlled pump. This system activates during low water flows to assist eel movement, ensuring their continued migration even in challenging conditions.  

    When water levels rise, the float switch automatically deactivates the pump which will allow migrating eels to use the natural river flow. This is especially important to help promote effective movement to their local habitats . 

    This adaptive pumping approach not only supports the local eel population but also reduces energy consumption, contributing to a more sustainable water management solution. 

    Improvements for maintenance, reliability and resilience

    Once completed, the pass will also feature pebble resin strips, a specialised material that aids eel movement while limiting the build-up of debris.

    During periods of high flow, the design allows for natural self-cleaning, reducing the need for manual maintenance and helping to maintain higher water quality standards by minimising blockages and stagnation. 

    To further improve efficiency, the system has been designed for easy visual inspection from the riverbank and will include remote monitoring capabilities, strengthening overall maintenance, reliability, and long-term resilience. 

    Francis Frimpong, Environment Agency project manager, said: 

    Replacing the eel pass at Newby Bridge is part of our ongoing commitment to protecting endangered European eels and improving river ecology across the region. 

    Over recent years, significant improvements in water quality—thanks to targeted investment, regulatory action, and partnership work—have helped support the recovery of native species across Cumbria.  

    This new eel pass is another step forward in improving river connectivity and enhancing biodiversity. By enabling eels to navigate past man-made barriers, we’re helping to restore their natural migratory routes and strengthen their numbers for the future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens react to chancellor’s plans to place financial services at the heart of government’s growth agenda

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Green Party

    Reacting to plans by Rachel Reeves to place financial services at the heart of the government’s growth agenda by softening up regulations on banks and reintroducing greater risk-taking into the financial system, co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsay MP, said:

    “If in their desperation to achieve growth, the government is willing to set up the conditions for another disastrous financial crash, then we need to question whether growth should be the be-all and end-all of economic policy.

    “For Greens the focus will always be on improving health and wellbeing, creating greater equality and building a greener economy. And designing economic policy as a means to those ends.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority: Best Value Inspector appointment letters

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority: Best Value Inspector appointment letters

    Letters appointing Best Value Inspectors in relation to West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority: Lead Inspector appointment letter (Fenella Morris KC)

    PDF, 322 KB, 2 pages

    West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority: Assistant Inspector appointment letter (Anna Bicarregui)

    PDF, 321 KB, 2 pages

    West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority: Assistant Inspector appointment letter (Gethin Thomas)

    PDF, 321 KB, 2 pages

    West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority: Assistant Inspector appointment letter (Tasnim Shawkat)

    PDF, 322 KB, 2 pages

    Details

    Letters from Suzie Daykin and Yvette Bosworth, Deputy Director, Fire Strategy and Reform Unit at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to:

    • Fenella Morris KC confirming her appointment as the Lead Inspector
    • Anna Bicarregui confirming her appointment as Assistant Inspector
    • Gethin Thomas confirming his appointment as Assistant Inspector
    • Tasnim Shawkat confirming her appointment as Assistant Inspector (Monitoring Officer)

    The letters set out the scope of the inspection and the responsibilities of the inspectors.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Letters from Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR), UK Ministry of Defence, to Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) individuals regarding 2022 data incident

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    Letters from Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR), UK Ministry of Defence, to Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) individuals regarding 2022 data incident

    Letters on a data incident that took place in February 2022 and its implications.

    Documents

    Letter from DARR to individuals who have relocated to the UK under the ARP regarding the 2022 data incident

    HTML

    Letter from DARR to ARP-eligible individuals who remain outside the UK regarding the 2022 data incident

    HTML

    Details

    Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR) address a data incident which took place in February 2022 affecting some applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme and its predecessor, the Ex-Gratia Scheme (EGS).

    The first letter addresses individuals who are currently in the UK, having relocated under the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP).

    The second letter addresses individuals who are ARP-eligible and are in the process of relocating to the UK.

    The letters provide information on the nature of the incident, its implications for affected individuals, and the protective measures implemented by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Guidance is also provided, including links to further support and resources.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Afghans Data breach ‘shocking and horrifying’ say Greens

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Green Party

    Reacting to news that thousands of Afghans have moved to the UK under a secret scheme which was set up after a British official inadvertently leaked their data, Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire and Green Party spokesperson for foreign affairs, said:

    “It is nothing short of horrifying that a British security breach exposed the personal details of thousands of Afghans who risked everything to stand alongside our forces, leaving them and their families exposed to persecution, torture, or worse at the hands of the Taliban.

    “It’s truly shocking that proper data protection practices were not in place to prevent such a dangerous event. And though the government has assured Parliament that action has been taken to prevent such a leak from happening again, this does not negate the great danger posed to thousands through sheer carelessness.

    “This breach should never have happened. Yet, in the face of this appalling mistake, it is absolutely right that the government acted decisively to bring those exposed to safety in the UK. These courageous people stood by us at great personal peril and put their trust in the government to not expose them to more risk; the UK owes them nothing less than safe refuge and a chance to rebuild their lives in security and dignity in Britain.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defra Secretary of State at Water UK Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Speech

    Defra Secretary of State at Water UK Reception

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs delivered a speech at the UK Water Reception hosted at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems. 

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    [Political section removed]

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

     And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.    

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK promotes agricultural cooperation with the Guatemalan Ministry of Agriculture

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    World news story

    UK promotes agricultural cooperation with the Guatemalan Ministry of Agriculture

    British Ambassador, Juliana Correa, held a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food, María Fernanda Rivera, to strengthen collaboration in smart agriculture, biotechnology, and sustainable rural development.

    During the meeting, opportunities to promote British offerings in the agri-tech sector were discussed, including solutions in fertilizers, seeds, machinery, animal genetics, and technologies for water conservation and waste management. The interest of British companies in entering the Guatemalan market was highlighted, as well as the need to facilitate regulatory processes for biotech products. 

    The Embassy also highlighted the work of the UK Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF), which supports initiatives in Petén and the Trifinio region for biodiversity conservation, community development, and climate change adaptation. The importance of strengthening MAGA’s technical assistance in areas such as beekeeping, agroforestry systems, and value chains like cocoa was emphasized. 

    The meeting reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to the sustainable development of the Guatemalan agricultural sector, promoting strategic alliances, technological innovation, and comprehensive solutions to environmental and productive challenges.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rachel Reeves Mansion House 2025 speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    Rachel Reeves Mansion House 2025 speech

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered her second Mansion House speech on the evening of Tuesday 15 July 2025.

    Lord Mayor, Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen.

    My thanks go to the City of London Corporation for hosting us here this evening…

    …and to the Lord Mayor for his address…

    …as well as to the Economic Secretary to the Treasury for all her hard work.

    It is a year since my party was elected to office…

    …and year since I was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

    Recently, on a visit to a primary school, a young girl asked me –

    “if you could have any job in the world, what would it be?”

    Given the events of the last few weeks, I suspect many of you would have sympathised if I had said –

     “anything but the Chancellor.”

    But I didn’t.

    Because I am proud to stand here tonight and address you for a second time at Mansion House…

    …as the Chancellor of Exchequer.

    This evening, I want to talk about the progress we have made over the past year:

    Restoring stability;

    Securing investment;

    And delivering reform.

    And I want to talk about the future:

    The economy that we are building;

    The opportunities that we are seizing;

    And the prosperity that we together are creating.

    In my Mais lecture last year, I talked about how a resilient economy must be built on security.

    And the importance of that security has been brought into sharp focus in recent months.

    As the world changes before our eyes, and global economies are becoming more uncertain.

    The job of a responsible government is not just to watch this change –  

    We must step up, not step back.

    We must build a dynamic economy on strong and secure foundations…

    …where success is not limited to a handful of sectors, a few people, or certain parts of the country…

    …but where the rewards of hard work are shared…

    …harnessing the contribution of every part of Britain.

    This is the foundation of an economy and a country that is more active and more confident…

    …where people and business look to the future and talk about hope…

    …talk about opportunity…

    …assured of their own capability, and of the ability of our country to boldly face the challenges ahead…

    …and certain in the prize when they succeed:

    Of higher wages and higher living standards;

    The renewal of Britain in every home and every high street.

    To put it simply: a Britain that is better off.

    The financial services sector is critical to my ambitions for our country.

    It is one of the largest and most successful sectors in the UK…

    …worth around 10% of total economic output…

    …and supporting 1.2 million jobs in clusters right around the UK:

    In Cardiff, and Belfast and Edinburgh where we have growing Fintechs;

    In Manchester, where BNY have their new Angel Square hub;

    And in London, the financial centre of the world.

    And financial services is also critical in people’s everyday lives:

    Whether that’s a couple looking to buy their first home;

    A budding entrepreneur wanting to start  their first business;

    Or people getting more out of the money they’re putting aside for the future.  

    And that’s what these plans, that I will set out tonight, will deliver.

    Growth must be built on a platform of economic stability.

    When we came into office…

    …it was our government, this government, that restored Britain’s reputation as a beacon of stability by putting the public finances back on a firm footing…

    …getting debt on a downward path, while investing prudently alongside business.

    That was – and still is – the right choice…

    …because there is nothing progressive – [political redaction] – about a government that simply spends more and more each year on debt interest, instead of on the priorities of ordinary working people.

    And fiscal stability is a choice that reflects economic reality.

    National debt remains at its highest level since the 1960s…

    …and globally, the cost of borrowing has increased in recent years.

    This is not the inheritance that I would have chosen…

    …but it is the reality.

    And that is why the Prime Minister, and I and this government are remain committed to our non-negotiable fiscal rules.

    The stability that we have restored is already delivering:

    Four cuts in interest rates by the Bank of England since the General Election, reducing the cost of mortgages and business lending;

    [political redaction]

    And investment is returning to our economy.

    At the Spending Review, I set out £120 billion of public investment over the next five years…

    …and last month, the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK has attracted £120 billion of private investment – in just the last 12 months.

    In a globally competitive market…

    …firms all over the world are choosing to invest in Britain…

    …as one of the best places to start up, to scale up and to list:

    The FTSE is at an all-time high, today, for the first time ever, breaking 9000 points;

    London is home to the deepest equity capital market in Europe;

    It is the third biggest venture capital market globally;

    And the London Stock Exchange is the most international in the world…

    …with the FTSE soon to include shares listed not just in sterling but also in dollars and in euros.

    Last year, to ensure the UK remains competitive, we made significant changes to the listing regime…

    …for example, relaxing dual class share rules to give founders flexibility to pursue their growth ambitions.

    The FCA have today published their final Prospectus Rules…

    …simplifying the listing and capital raising processes for firms of all sizes.

    And, as I committed to last year at Mansion House, we are delivering PISCES…

    …a brand-new type of stock exchange for private company share trading…

    …with the first trading events due to take place later this year.

    And I am announcing a new Listings Taskforce with the Office for Investment…

    …to attract the best businesses in the world to IPO here in London.

    But we must do more to ensure that British savers benefit from the success of growing British businesses.

    Last year at Mansion House, I set out an overhaul of our pensions system…

    …and the Pension Schemes Bill, led by my colleague the Pensions Minister, will be signed into law in the next few months.

    The creation of Defined Contribution and Local Government Pension Scheme megafunds…

    …will mean larger and more powerful pots of funding invested productively across the country.

    Pension funds, and this government, are united in our determination to deliver higher returns for savers and more investment in the economy.

    That is why, since last year, funds covering the majority of the Defined Contribution market have committed to the Mansion House Accord…

    …pledging to invest at least 10% of their main funds into private assets such as infrastructure and growth markets…

    … with at least half of that going into UK projects.

    And I would also like to congratulate the Lord Mayor on his employer pension pledge…

    I am delighted, Lord Mayor, to see businesses such as Tesco, First Group and Octopus making this commitment…

    …and like you Lord Mayor I look forward to seeing more companies joining up.

    The UK economy is enhanced by its outward-facing approach…

    …and this year we have built on that with our new trade deals:             

    A trade deal with the United States, where we were the first country to sign a deal so that British businesses are better protected against tariffs, and where we have worked with our G7 colleagues to avert new taxes.

    I’m pleased to welcome US Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester Peirce here tonight…

    …who is driving forward proposals for greater digital collaboration between our two financial centres. Thank you for being here.

    And a trade deal with the European Union, where our strategic partnership will slash red tape and reduce costs for business…

    …as well as providing a platform to further deepen our relationship in future.

    And I am pleased to welcome the European Union’s Financial Services Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque.

    Maria Luis, we met earlier today to discuss our continued cooperation on financial services, and I look forward to working more closely with you.

    And a trade deal with India, with whom our recent FTA agreement will give us the best trading relationship of any country in the world with India.

    And we have concluded the first Economic and Financial Dialogue with China in six years.

    And we are implementing the Berne Financial Services Agreement with Switzerland too.

    At the G20 in South Africa later this week I will continue the call I made at the IMF Spring meetings –

    …for countries to come together to tackle trade imbalances and drive growth…

    …underpinned by stronger multilateral institutions.

    I look forward to hearing more on this from the Governor in his address…

    …and I would like to congratulate him on his recent appointment as Chair of the Financial Stability Board…

    …a testament to both Andrew and this government’s commitment to international standards.

    Britain is open for business;

    Open for trade;

    Open for investment.

    And that’s why we must be willing to change how we do things to stay competitive in that global economy.

    We have ripped up the planning rules;

    We have swept away regulations;

    We have published our industrial strategy;

    And today we can go further, by announcing the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy…

    …including my Leeds Reforms…

    …named after one of the UK’s great hubs for financial services…

    …and the city that I have been proud to represent as a Member of Parliament for fifteen years.

    These are the most wide-ranging package of reforms to financial services regulation in more than a decade.

    At Mansion House last year, I said we must regulate for growth and not just for risk…

    …and we are delivering on that commitment…

    …while continuing to protect financial stability…

    …so that the benefits of a thriving and growing financial services sector can be realised for people all over Britain.

    Let me set out the details of that package in four parts:

    First, I am rolling back regulation that has gone too far in seeking to eliminate risk;

    Second, I am delivering targeted changes in the areas where the UK already has particular strengths;

    Third, I am making changes to capital requirements to unlock more productive capital;

    And fourth, I am introducing measures to boost retail investment so that more savers can reap the benefits of UK economic success.

    I will begin with the biggest reforms.

    As I promised last year, I am delivering the most significant reform to the Financial Ombudsman Service since its inception…

    …including proposing to limit for ten years for claims.

    This will speed up the time it takes for consumers to get redress for their complaints…

    … returning it to its original purpose as a simple, impartial arbitration service…

    …and ensuring that it no longer acts as a quasi-regulator.

    And I welcome the announcement today, made by the Financial Ombudsman Service that will reduce the interest rate it applies before a decision from 8% to base rate plus 1%.

    I am introducing new targets for the FCA and PRA to cut times on authorisations and approvals…

    …and I have tasked the FCA with assessing the impact of the Consumer Duty and whether it unduly effects wholesale activity…

    …to ensure that regulators are really regulating for growth.

    And I am streamlining the Senior Managers and Certification Regime…

    …reducing the burdens it imposes on firms by 50%…

    …and slashing approval timelines…

    …so you can bring in talent to your business more quickly.

    My next set of reforms provide targeted regulatory support to the areas where the UK does already have a comparative advantage.

    For insurance – where Britain is the destination of choice for underwriting complex, specialised and high-value risk…

    …I am introducing a new competitive framework for captive insurance.

    For asset management – where the UK is the world’s second largest centre…

    …I am futureproofing the regulatory regime and will publish draft legislation in early 2026.

    For sustainable finance, I am determined to focus our efforts on policies that matter most to our world-leading sector and support investment in the transition…

    …so, after consultation and consideration, I have decided not to pursue a green taxonomy…

    …but instead work with regulators through the Transition Finance Council to capitalise on the £200 billion opportunity of the global transition to net zero.

    And for Fintech – where almost half of Europe’s Fintech’s are already based here in the UK…

    …the PRA and FCA are launching a scale-up unit to support innovative firms to grow in the UK, including in our world-leading payments system.

    And I will drive forward developments in blockchain technology…

    …including tokenised securities and stablecoins…

    …and an ambitious design for a new digital gilt instrument…

    …so that UK financial services can be at the forefront of digital asset innovation.

    And because I believe the UK is the best place in the world for financial services…

    …today I’ve announced the Office for Investment’s new concierge service.

    Launching by October this year, it will provide a tailored service to companies considering setting up and expanding in the UK…

    …and I am grateful to Chris Hayward from the City of London Corporation, for his work to drive this forward.

    Thank you Chris.

    Now, let me turn to the changes I am making to capital requirements…

    …to allow UK banks to do more lending and release more capital for investment into our infrastructure and into our businesses.

    First, I am supporting the Bank of England’s decision to raise the asset threshold for MREL requirements to between £25 and £40 billion.

    This will benefit the challenger banks and bring increased competition and innovation to the market…

    …and support those businesses to expand their footprint here in the UK.

    Second, I am confirming our approach to Basel 3.1…

    …implementing lower capital requirements for domestically focussed banks from January 2027…

    …while preserving flexibility on our approach for international banks to ensure the UK always remains competitive while aligning with international standards.

    Third, I have committed to meaningful reform of the UK’s ringfencing regime…

    …recognising that now is the time to go further in tackling inefficiency and boosting growth…

    …while retaining the aspects of the regime that support financial stability and protect consumer deposits.

    And fourth, following the new, growth focussed remit letter I sent in November…

    …I welcome the Financial Policy Committee’s announcement that it will review the overall level of bank capital needed for UK financial stability…

    …reporting back to me by the end of this year.

    The review will inform the work the Treasury is taking forward with the Bank…

    …to ensure the prudential framework strikes the optimal balance to deliver resilience, growth and competitiveness.

    And I welcome the recent changes the Financial Policy Committee has announced to the loan-to-income limit on mortgage lending…

    …which the PRA and FCA are implementing immediately…

    …that means tens of thousands more people could be able to get a mortgage in the next year alone…

    …with Nationwide already offering its ‘Helping Hand’ mortgage to more first time-buyers…

    …supporting alone an additional 10,000 each year.

    And my thanks to Dame Debbie Crosbie for her leadership.

    My final set of reforms are focussed on boosting savings investment.

    I recognise the potential for ISA reform to improve returns for savers…

    …and access capital for UK businesses.

    I have confirmed that Long-Term Asset Funds can be included in stocks and shares ISAs…

    …allowing long-term ISA investors to benefit from this innovative product.

    And I will continue to consider further changes to ISAs…

    …engaging widely in the coming months…

    …and recognising that despite the differing views on the right approach…

    …we are united in wanting better outcomes for both UK savers and for the UK economy.

    For too long, we have presented investment in too negative a light…

    …quick to warn people of the risks, without giving proper weight to the benefits…

    …and our tangled system of financial advice and guidance…

    …has meant people cannot get the right support to make decisions for themselves. 

    That is why we are working with the FCA to introduce a brand-new type of targeted support for consumers ahead of the new financial year.

    And I also welcome the campaign to promote the benefits of retail investment which will launch next April…

    …and the action to look at our current approach to risk warnings – and that will report back in January…

    …and I’m grateful to Chris Cummings of the Investment Association for spearheading both of those initiatives.

    Thank you very much Chris.

    Today, I have placed financial services at the heart of this government’s growth mission…

    …recognising that Britain cannot succeed and meet its growth ambitions…

    …without a financial sector that is fighting fit and thriving.

    The reforms I have set out this evening are the next chapter in how I intend to support this growth…

    …and I thank Gwyneth Nurse and her brilliant team at the Treasury for all of their hard work on this package.

    I knew that Gwyneth would get the biggest clap …

    I am also pleased to have been able to work in lockstep with our regulators…

    …and I want to extend my thanks both to Nikhil Rathi and Sam Woods for their innovation and the work they have done in response to my updated remit letters last year.

    Thank you Nikhil and thank you Sam.

    We have been bold in regulating for growth in financial services…

    …and I have been clear on the benefits that that will drive…

    …with a ripple effect felt right across all sectors of our economy…

    …putting pounds in the pockets of working people.

    Getting better deals on their mortgages…

    better returns on their savings

    and more jobs paying good wages across our country

    As I look ahead…

    …it is clear that we must do more.

    In too many areas, regulation still acts as a boot on the neck of businesses…

    …choking off the enterprise and innovation that is the lifeblood of economic growth.

    Regulators in other sectors must take up the call I make this evening…

    …not to bend to the temptation of excessive caution…

    …but to boldly regulate for growth…

    …in the service of prosperity for our whole country.

    I’m really proud of how far we have come in the last year as government and as a country.

    I know that the changes that we have made will reform and transform our economy and our country.

    And I know that you will waste no time in seizing the opportunities that lie ahead:

    To build a stronger economy;

    To deliver the renewal of Britain;

    And to make working people in all parts of Britain better off.

    Thank you very much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee, Budd Introduce Keep Your Coins Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) cosponsored the Keep Your Coins Act today with U.S. Senator Tedd Budd (R-NC) to allow Americans to maintain self-custody of crypto assets, protecting their financial privacy and freedom from burdensome regulations and third-party custodians. 

    “Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets.”

    “Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.

    Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:

    “As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”

    The Keep Your Coins Act:

    Prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:

    • Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.
    • Protecting an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.
    • Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Electricity sector changes create more ways to save

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kiwi households and businesses will be able to save more on their electricity bills as a result of changes announced by the Electricity Authority (EA) today, Energy Minister Simon Watts and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say.

    “The changes today are welcome developments for consumers who are not getting a fair deal at present from the energy market,” Mr Watts says.

    “First, solar is getting another big boost – energy companies must now pay households with rooftop solar and battery who export their electricity to the grid at peak times a fair price for that electricity – this will help reduce power bills and encourage more solar installations and electricity generation.

    “The large energy companies will also need to offer time of use plans by 30 June 2026 to provide better options for customers to save money by moving their electricity use from peak periods.”

    Mr Watts says these simple solutions will help Kiwis with the cost-of-living impacts driven in part by rising electricity costs. 

    “New Zealand needs more electricity generation to power our economy, and Kiwis rightly expect abundant and affordable energy, which this government is taking action to deliver.

    “The Government is working on a review of the electricity sector, with a focus on ensuring Kiwis get a fair price and aren’t hit in their pockets, and on addressing energy shortages.”

    “The new rules announced today will give New Zealanders more ways to reduce their costs and will incentivise uptake of solar and battery systems, as well as drive power prices down over the long term. Ensuring energy companies pay a fair price for consumers exporting electricity to the network is one of the single best ways to help boost solar uptake to date.

    “I want to see more New Zealanders benefitting from the smarter use of electricity. For this to happen, the electricity sector must appropriately reward consumers for the benefits they provide when they shift their power use away from peak times. 

    Mr Jones says that as our electricity market evolves, these small-scale systems will play an increasingly important role in enabling peak morning and evening demand to be met with local supply. 

    “With new, fairer rebates in place, there will be better opportunities for people to receive income from solar electricity they sell back to the grid.” 

    The Task Force was established by the Electricity Authority and Commerce Commission, with MBIE as an observer in August last year in response to the winter power crisis. 

    The Task Force is focused on enabling new generators and independent retailers to enter, and fairly compete, in the market as well as providing more options for consumers.

    “I thank the Task Force members and the Authority for their work in reaching these decisions. There is more work to do, and I look forward to further Task Force decisions in coming weeks,” Mr Watts says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defra Secretary of State at UK Water Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Defra Secretary of State at UK Water Reception

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs delivered a speech at the UK Water Reception hosted at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems. 

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    [Political section removed]

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

     And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.    

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: Republicans own the health care crisis that they’ve created

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    July 15, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu held a press conference on the failure of House Republicans to protect health care and lower costs.

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Thank you for joining us. Pleased as always to be joined by Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, Ted Lieu. Good morning. Republicans spent the last week lying about their vote to throw 17 million Americans off of health insurance. They’re so terrified of voter backlash that they’re charting new frontiers in dishonesty and political chutzpah. Rob Bresnahan says the Big Ugly Law will be the largest deficit reduction in 30 years, when it actually explodes the deficit by $4 trillion. Gabe Evans, on the other hand, has twisted himself into knots claiming that there are no Medicaid cuts, because, technically, health care spending will continue to rise—he’s hoping that the one in three voters in Colorado who he represents won’t notice losing their health care. Derrick Van Orden wants his voters to believe that somehow he managed to secure more money for BadgerCare even though he voted for $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid—prompting the Governor of Wisconsin to call him out for lying.

    Here’s the truth: Republicans own the health care crisis that they’ve created. People will get sick, hospitals will close—like we’ve seen in places like Curtis, Nebraska—and nursing homes will shut down. And they’re doing all of this so they can give billionaires tax breaks and make private jets fully tax-deductible. They’re the same rich and well-connected elites that they’re protecting by keeping the Epstein files under lock and key after campaigning to release them. It’s shameful—and House Democrats will make sure that they’re held accountable. Now I’ll turn it over to Vice Chair Ted Lieu. 

    VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. Donald Trump, when he campaigned, promised on day one he would end inflation and lower costs. Donald Trump lied to the American people because we now know that inflation has continued to increase under his policies and that of Republicans. The most recent inflation report shows that inflation increased to 2.7 percent above expectations and core CPI increased to 2.9 percent. We call on Trump and Republicans to focus on lowering costs instead of things like the Big Ugly Bill, that are kicking millions of people off health care.

    I’ve also noticed that there’s been an uptick in activity around Epstein files recently. I just want to remind the American people that in February of this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged the existence of Jeffrey Epstein’s client list. In fact, she said that Jeffrey Epstein’s client list is, ‘sitting on my desk right now.’ Where is that client list? What is Attorney General Pam Bondi hiding? She needs to release the Epstein files as soon as possible. I talked about the Epstein files under the Biden Administration; I’m talking about it under the Trump Administration. This is a case of the powerful protecting the powerful. We need to have those files released. I also note that the Epstein files that have already been released show that Trump is all over the files. He’s in multiple pictures with Jeffrey Epstein. There’s multiple videos of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein. There are plane logs of Trump on Epstein’s plane. There are statements by Trump about Epstein. There are court pleadings of alleged victims of Epstein naming Trump. So, we need to have these Epstein files released.

    I also want to talk a little bit about Ukraine. The only way we get Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table is to defeat Russian troops on the battlefield. I support President Trump’s decision to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. I support President Trump’s decision to say that he’s going to backfill Europe’s military equipment when Europe sends military equipment to Ukraine. That is how we’re going to get Putin to the negotiating table by letting Putin know that he cannot win this war. With that, I yield back.

    Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.

    ###

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: White River Bancshares Co. Announces Annual Cash Dividend of $0.50 Per Diluted Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV) (the “Company”), the holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas (the “Bank”), today announced its Board of Directors declared an annual cash dividend of $0.50 per share. The dividend will be payable on August 29th, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 18th, 2025.

    “We sincerely thank every shareholder for your trust and investment in our community bank. I’m proud that our 2024 performance enables us to reward our shareholders through both earnings growth and our annual cash dividend,” said Gary Head, Chief Executive Officer.

    About White River Bancshares Company

    White River Bancshares Company is the single bank holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bank has locations in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Rogers, Brinkley, Harrison and Jonesboro, Arkansas. Founded in 2005, Signature Bank of Arkansas provides a full line of financial services to small businesses, families and farms. White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV), trades on the OTCQX® Best Market.  

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements about future events. These forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions of management of the Company and the Bank and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms. Our ability to predict results of future events and the actual effect of future plans or strategies are inherently uncertain and actual results may differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could affect the outcome of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates; the economic health of the local real estate market; general economic conditions; credit deterioration in our loan portfolio that would cause us to increase our allowance for loan losses; legislative or regulatory changes; technological developments; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality or composition of our loan and securities portfolios; demand for loan products in our market areas; deposit flows and costs of capital; competition; retention and recruitment of qualified personnel; demand for financial services in our market areas; and changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

    Contact: Scott Sandlin, Chief Strategy Officer
      479-684-3754

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Statement Ahead of 80th Anniversary of Trinity Test

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test:
    “Tomorrow marks 80 years since the Trinity Test — eight decades of pain, loss, and injustice for the victims still living with the fallout of nuclear testing and uranium mining.
    “For over a decade, our Congressional Delegation has worked alongside courageous advocates to fight for justice. Thanks to this tireless work, Congress passed a historic expansion and extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, finally recognizing more of the families harmed by the federal government’s actions.
    “As we reflect on the lasting harm caused by these tests and the government’s negligence, we must renew our commitment to the people still suffering today. That means doing everything we can to help them access the compensation they deserve. Together, we will keep fighting to make sure no one is left behind.”
    Since being elected to Congress, Senator Luján has played a leading role in advancing legislation to strengthen the RECA program, introducing RECA legislation in every Congress and twice passing it through the Senate.
    Last week, Senator Luján led a bipartisan push and urged the Trump administration to swiftly provide detailed guidance for claimants to access the RECA program following its recent expansion and extension by Congress.
    More information for New Mexico Downwinders can be found here.
    More information for New Mexico uranium workers & on-site participants can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Young Futures Hubs to launch offering vulnerable young people lifeline

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Young Futures Hubs to launch offering vulnerable young people lifeline

    Vulnerable young people who are at risk of being drawn into gangs, violence or knife crime will be given the help they need when the first Young Futures Hubs get up and running later this year. 

    • First wave of Government’s Young Futures Hubs to launch later this year
    • The new hubs will bring together vital community-focused services under one roof to help teenagers who face being dragged into violence and at risk of mental health challenges
    • Latest step in the Government’s pledge to halve knife crime and open up opportunity for all, part of the Plan for Change

    Vulnerable young people who are at risk of being drawn into gangs, violence or knife crime will be given the help they need when the first Young Futures Hubs get up and running later this year. 

    Sitting at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change, these hubs will help create opportunity for all and keep our streets safe. They will bring together vital local services in the local community, providing support ranging from well-being and mental health to careers advice. 

    The hubs will help all teenagers thrive, in particular, those who face being dragged into criminal gangs or young people at risk of mental health challenges.

    Backed by a £2m cash injection eight hubs will launch this year, targeted in areas with high levels of knife crime and antisocial behaviour and offer a lifeline to vulnerable young people. It is expected that 50 Young Future Hubs will be launched over the next four years.

    The Prime Minister set out these plans while attending a summit hosted by His Majesty The King at St James’s Palace and attended by Idris Elba OBE to discuss youth opportunity. Members of the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, set up at Downing Street last year, also attended the event. 

    The event was an opportunity to discuss what more must be done to offer community-led support to young people, in particular those who are vulnerable, stopping them from taking the wrong path.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    “My government was elected on a pledge to tackle knife crime, and we have hit the ground running by banning dangerous weapons and bringing in laws to clamp down on illegal online sales. 

    “We are determined to do more to prevent vulnerable young people from turning to violence in the first place and open greater opportunities. As part of the Plan for Change, we will open up Young Futures Hubs across to country to stop teenagers from being dragged into crime and find a better future.”  

    To make sure young people get the help they need, before getting caught up in criminal activity, the Government will also pilot new multi-agency Prevention Partnership Panels to proactively identify and refer vulnerable teenagers – who may currently be falling through the net – to a range of different support services much earlier, including the Young Futures Hubs. More than twenty panels will be up and running in the coming months, across the areas of the country that collectively account for more than 80% knife crime, with many more to follow.

    This is the latest measure taken by the government to cut knife crime and keep our streets safe, part of its Plan for Change. 

    Since coming into office last year, the Government has brought forward the strongest controls on dangerous knives, implementing bans on zombie-style knives and ninja swords and announced plans to toughen up online sales, including sanctions for tech executives who fail to remove illegal knife crime content from their platforms.

    In September, the Prime Minister also launched the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, bringing together campaign groups, families of people who have tragically lost their lives to knife crime, young people who have been impacted and community leaders. 

    The Prime Minister will reconvene this group later in the year to update on the progress the Government has made during its first year in office.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper:

    “Knife crime devastates families and communities across the country, and too many young lives have already been lost. That’s why we’ve set out an unprecedented mission to halve knife crime in a decade and why we are working tirelessly with our coalition to tackle the scourge of serious violence on our streets. 

    “We are bringing in some of the toughest measures to date, curbing access to weapons being sold online and getting them off the streets, but we also need to make sure that the right prevention structures are in place to stop young people being drawn into violent crime in the first place. 

    “Today’s Youth Opportunities Summit is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when government, communities, and campaigners come together with a shared purpose.”

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

    “Too many young people are being let down – left without the support they need when they should be building bright futures. Young Futures Hubs will help change that, providing mental health support, mentoring, careers guidance, and activities that help young people thrive, ensuring no one is left behind.

    “This is our Plan for Change in action – clearing barriers to opportunity while creating safer streets. With our National Youth Strategy coming later this year, we’re putting young people back in the driving seat of their own futures, offering the support they deserve with the opportunities they need.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: StromEase 25 mg/ml Eye Drops, Solution for Dogs and Cats – SPC change

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    StromEase 25 mg/ml Eye Drops, Solution for Dogs and Cats – SPC change

    Change to the information provided on adverse events in the Summary of Product Characteristics for StromEase 25 mg/ml Eye Drops, Solution for Dogs and Cats.

    Following monitoring of pharmacovigilance data, the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for StromEase 25 mg/ml Eye Drops, Solution for Dogs and Cats has been updated.

    Section 4.6 has been amended to clarify that irritation or inflammation of the eye and/or its adnexa have been reported in very rare cases, especially blinking of the eyelids or even closure of the eye, eye redness or conjunctival oedema, particularly in dogs.

    The frequency of adverse reactions is defined using the following convention:

    • very common (more than 1 in 10 animals treated displaying adverse reaction(s))

    • common (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 100 animals treated)

    • uncommon (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 1,000 animals treated)

    • rare (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 10,000 animals treated)

    • very rare (less than 1 animal in 10,000 animals treated, including isolated reports).

    Any veterinary medicinal product which is authorised for marketing in the United Kingdom will have its Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) available on our Product Information Database.

    No medicine is 100% risk free, the SPC includes information on what adverse events have been known to occur following administration of a particular product, these can be found in either section Adverse events (3.6) or Adverse reactions (4.6).

    All updates to SPCs other than template changes, are published in the medicine updates section of VMD Connect.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –