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  • MIL-OSI Russia: US Science Agency Members Oppose Trump Administration’s Science Policy

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    LOS ANGELES, July 23 (Xinhua) — More than 140 employees of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) have signed a letter condemning the Donald Trump administration’s science policies and actions, which they say have undermined one of the country’s leading science funding institutions.

    In a letter released Monday to Zoe Lofgren, ranking member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, scientists accuse the Trump administration of drastically cutting staff, cutting funding for critical research, and slashing the agency’s budget.

    Due to concerns about the possible consequences, all but one of the employees’ signatures were revoked.

    The signatories expressed concern about a series of “politically motivated” and “legally questionable” actions by the Trump administration that threaten the integrity of the NSF and undermine the civil service protections guaranteed by federal law.

    The statement follows similar letters of protest issued last month by scientists and employees at the National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as a recent “Voyager Declaration” signed by current and former employees of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Overseas investors to be given access to financial products at Hainan Free Trade Port

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    HAIKOU, July 23 (Xinhua) — A pilot program allowing overseas investors to invest in financial products offered by local financial institutions is scheduled to be launched at the Hainan Free Trade Port on Aug. 21, 2025.

    These include asset management products, private wealth management products from securities, funds and futures operators, as well as funds for investment in public placement of securities and insurance asset management products.

    The program is aimed at increasing the cross-border supply of financial products and finding new channels for foreign investors to access China’s domestic market, said the People’s Bank of China’s Hainan branch, which co-authored the new rules.

    The said program is also expected to help attract both domestic and foreign institutions specializing in asset management to Hainan and establish business for the benefit of the development of Hainan Free Trade Port. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China is one of the safest countries in the world – Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defense of the PRC

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) — China is widely recognized as one of the safest countries in the world, Qi Yanjun, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), said Wednesday while outlining achievements in the public security sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

    Qi Yanjun made the statement at a press conference organized by the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China.

    He said law enforcement agencies have promoted China’s high-quality development while resolutely safeguarding public safety. Thanks to their efforts, China is among the countries with the lowest homicide rate, the lowest crime rate, and the fewest cases involving firearms and explosives. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI: Correction: Mandatory notice of trade in IDEX Biometrics – 22 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Reference is made to IDEX Biometrics ASA’s disclosure on 21 July 2025 of a private placement of 9,090,909 shares at NOK 3.30 per share, split in two tranches. IDEX discloses the following information on behalf of primary insiders. 

    In tranche 1 of the private placement, total 4,731,594 shares :-

    Pinchcliffe AS, a company closely related to CEO and CFO Anders Storbråten, subscribed to 739,360 shares, ISIN NO0013536078, at NOK 3.30 per share, and
    K-konsult AS, a company closely related to chair Morten Opstad, subscribed to 128,156 shares, ISIN NO0013536078, at NOK 3.30 per share.

    Contact person
    Anders Storbråten, CEO and CFO
    Tel: +47 4163 8582
    E-mail: ir@idexbiometrics.com

    About IDEX Biometrics
    IDEX Biometrics ASA (OSE: IDEX) is a global technology leader in fingerprint biometrics, offering authentication solutions across payments, access control, and digital identity. Our solutions bring convenience, security, peace of mind and seamless user experiences to the world. Built on patented and proprietary sensor technologies, integrated circuit designs, and software, our biometric solutions target card-based applications for payments and digital authentication. As an industry-enabler we partner with leading card manufacturers and technology companies to bring our solutions to market.

    For more information, visit www.idexbiometrics.com

    About this notice
    This correcting notice was issued by Erling Svela, Vice president of finance, on 23 July 2025 at 11:25 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. The information shall be disclosed according to article 19 no. 3 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU 596/2014) and published in accordance with section 5‑12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Correction: Mandatory notice of trade in IDEX Biometrics – 22 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Reference is made to IDEX Biometrics ASA’s disclosure on 21 July 2025 of a private placement of 9,090,909 shares at NOK 3.30 per share, split in two tranches. IDEX discloses the following information on behalf of primary insiders. 

    In tranche 1 of the private placement, total 4,731,594 shares :-

    Pinchcliffe AS, a company closely related to CEO and CFO Anders Storbråten, subscribed to 739,360 shares, ISIN NO0013536078, at NOK 3.30 per share, and
    K-konsult AS, a company closely related to chair Morten Opstad, subscribed to 128,156 shares, ISIN NO0013536078, at NOK 3.30 per share.

    Contact person
    Anders Storbråten, CEO and CFO
    Tel: +47 4163 8582
    E-mail: ir@idexbiometrics.com

    About IDEX Biometrics
    IDEX Biometrics ASA (OSE: IDEX) is a global technology leader in fingerprint biometrics, offering authentication solutions across payments, access control, and digital identity. Our solutions bring convenience, security, peace of mind and seamless user experiences to the world. Built on patented and proprietary sensor technologies, integrated circuit designs, and software, our biometric solutions target card-based applications for payments and digital authentication. As an industry-enabler we partner with leading card manufacturers and technology companies to bring our solutions to market.

    For more information, visit www.idexbiometrics.com

    About this notice
    This correcting notice was issued by Erling Svela, Vice president of finance, on 23 July 2025 at 11:25 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. The information shall be disclosed according to article 19 no. 3 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU 596/2014) and published in accordance with section 5‑12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call for Bids: China Network’s Open Societies ODA Fund 2025/26

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Call for Bids: China Network’s Open Societies ODA Fund 2025/26

    British Embassy Beijing is pleased to open a call for bids for our Open Societies programme, for ODA-eligible projects running from September to February 2026.

    All projects should aim to contribute to sustainable development in China by advancing or deepening understanding of contemporary human rights in ways that support the welfare and empowerment of local communities.

    We welcome bids that are Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) eligible on topics including:

    • Women’s Rights
    • Rights of LGBT+ people
    • Rights of persons with disabilities
    • Civil society resilience
    • Media freedom
    • Digital rights

    This bidding round will only fund projects running between Autumn 2025 (September onwards) and 28 February 2026. All project outputs, including finalised research/analytical products, must be completed by 28 February 2026.

    If bidders see potential for their project to extend into a subsequent project beyond 31 March 2026, bidders are welcome to explain how this might be achieved in the project summary, but should note that a further bid would be required next year in order to secure funding.

    Selection Criteria

    Bids will be assessed against the following criteria:

    • Project design: Feasibility of activities and outputs including the capacity of implementing organisation to deliver outcomes.
    • Impact: Demonstrated contribution to sustainable development outcomes in China, particularly through strengthening inclusive governance, civil society engagement, access to justice, or protection of vulnerable groups. Working together with other diverse partners to enhance impact of the project.
    • Alignment: Alignment with internationally recognized development goals, and with HMG’s strategic priorities for promoting human rights and inclusive development in China.
    • Scalability: The potential for the project to act as a building block for subsequent expansion/work improving human rights.
    • Viability and risks: Clear engagement/buy-in of key stakeholders. Robust analysis of key risks including a plan of action to manage and mitigate those risks.
    • Value for money: Comparable and reasonable costs against the scale of achievable outcomes

    We draw your attention to the below key points:

    • Proposals should be up to £80,000
    • Proposals of £10,000 and under should be completed using Project Proposal Form (up to £10,000)
    • Proposals over £10,000 and up to £80,000 should be completed using Project Proposal Form (up to £80,000)
    • All funding must be activity-based, however the FCDO will reimburse an implementing partner the costs that are not directly associated with, but still necessary for, the delivery of a project.

    Process

    1. Project proposals must be submitted by 23:59 (GMT) on Wednesday 20 August 2025. Late proposals will not be considered.
    2. Proposals must be submitted using the attached forms only (Project Proposal Form (up to £10,000), Project Proposal Form (up to £80,000) and Activity Based Budget), which must be completed in English.
    3. Proposals must be submitted to: China.InternationalProgramme@fcdo.gov.uk

    Important Information to Note

    • Project payments will be paid in arrears in three instalments, on a quarterly basis. Implementers must have enough resourcing to fund one third of the project costs at a time.
    • Bidders should send the Activity based budget in the currency they wish to be paid in. Please reach out to the above-mentioned inbox for exchange rates.
    • If the project involves work with children or vulnerable adults, implementing partners can reflect a proportion of safeguarding costs as legitimate overheads in their bid, or include programme-specific safeguarding budget lines.
    • If the project is approved, implementers will be expected to sign a Grant Agreement with the British Embassy Beijing.

    Attachments

    Project Proposal Form (up to £10,000)

    Project Proposal Form (up to £80,000)

    Activity Based Budget Template

    Guidance for Implementers

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Households given freedom and choice with more ways to cut energy bills

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Households given freedom and choice with more ways to cut energy bills

    Government sets out plans for a more flexible electricity system, helping working families save on their bills.

    • More support for consumers to bring down their bills, with new ways to take advantage of off-peak, lower electricity prices if they choose 
    • flexible tariffs and technologies allow consumers to shift energy usage to times when it is cheaper 
    • plans for a more flexible electricity system will ensure families benefit from the government’s clean energy mission and Plan for Change

    Households and businesses will be supported with more options to take control of their energy – expanding freedom and choice as the government drives for clean power.  

    The government’s plans for a more flexible electricity system set out today will help working families save on their bills, by supporting those who want to take advantage of low prices when clean energy is abundant. Consumers will have the opportunity to switch to a flexible tariff and use smart appliances to automatically reap the rewards of cheaper power at non-peak times. 

    Many consumers are already protecting their pockets by varying when they use their electricity. Electric vehicle drivers, for example, could save up to £330 per year by smart charging overnight.  

    More households who want to feel those benefits will be supported through the government’s commitments in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap. These include helping electric vehicle drivers get discounts on their electricity when using public chargers at off-peak times, requiring suppliers to make information on smart tariffs more accessible to consumers, and taking the next steps to help consumers access tailored products and services based on their electricity usage. 

    Supporting more consumers to use electricity at off-peak times will also boost the efficiency and resilience of the electricity network, making up to £70 billion in estimated savings on system costs by 2050.  

    This marks a crucial milestone in ensuring consumers reap the rewards of the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, which it is driving forward as part of its Plan for Change.

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

    This roadmap gives households and businesses the choice and control over when and how they use their energy.

    The flexible electricity system we are working to build will help make that a reality for consumers across the country, by supporting them to bring down their bills through using new tariffs and technologies.

    In this way we will protect working people’s pockets and ensure they are the first to benefit from our clean power mission.

    Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, NESO, said:  

    The journey towards a decarbonised system will bring opportunities for industry and consumers if we can solve the challenges of using the system flexibly. 

    This roadmap provides clear direction for that, setting out the actions needed to increase flexibility across Great Britain and the rewards it will bring.

    Akshay Kaul Director General for Infrastructure Group, Ofgem, said:

    A more flexible energy market will be a real game changer, giving households more control over what they pay for their energy.   

    Small lifestyle tweaks such as programming a dishwasher or tumble dryer to run overnight when costs are low or charging your electric car during high winds can have a material impact on people’s bills.    

    At Ofgem we’re opening up flexibility markets to bring better tariffs and products to consumers to make cheaper bills a reality.

    Stakeholder reaction

    Sarah Honan, Head of Policy at ADE: Demand, said: 

    Industry demanded a step change in leadership to match our ambition – and this roadmap delivers. A dedicated Flexibility Commissioner aligns squarely with our sector’s blueprint for consumer-led clean power.  

    Now, we must place British homes and businesses at the heart of the system; paying them to flex, not paying gas plants to bail us out. That’s how we lower bills, ditch fossil fuel dependency and make clean power by 2030 real.

    Barnaby Wharton, Director of Future Electricity Systems, RenewableUK, said:  

    A secure, affordable and resilient power system based on renewables needs flexibility at its core, to match times when wind and solar are generating with smart demand. 

    This roadmap puts consumers at the heart of that system, empowering households and businesses to take control of how and when they use electricity, so they can save money by using power when it’s cheapest. 

    By embracing smart tariffs and technologies like EVs, modern heating systems and home batteries, and by accelerating the roll-out of more grid-scale batteries and Long Duration Energy Storage alongside renewables, we can build a more agile system which can shift, adapt and respond to demand faster. Scaling up our capacity to store energy is essential to strengthen the grid and enhance the UK’s energy security.

    Naomi Baker, Senior Policy Manager at Energy UK, said: 

    Energy UK welcomes the roadmap as a positive step towards a smarter, more flexible electricity system that passes the lower cost of renewables through to bill payers. We support the comprehensive scope – from the major new technologies (long duration storage, CCUS and hydrogen) that will ensure system resilience, through to the knotty regulatory barriers that limit market access from consumer assets. 

    The UK is already leading the world in creating an energy system with consumers at the heart of it. Today’s publication builds on this with a market-led approach where customer participation is voluntary, attractive and accessible. A smart flexible system will be a win for bills, a win for British jobs and a win for energy security.

    Kelly Butler, Director of External Affairs at BEAMA, said: 

    As long-standing advocates for accelerating electrification, BEAMA welcomes the publication of the Clean Flexibility Roadmap and a commitment not only to track progress but also focus on practical delivery.

    With appropriate lead times for product development, a technology agnostic approach within electrification and a clear connection across consumer facing policies such as EPCs, we anticipate major supply chain investment to meet the challenge.

    With the oversight of a new Flexibility Commissioner, the roadmap has the potential to help grow the sector, and bring increased momentum to delivering flexibility to consumers and businesses through mass market uptake of Energy Smart Appliances.

    Merlin Hyman OBE, Chief Executive of Regen, said: 

    Making our power system more flexible in how we match supply and demand is a key part of clean power 2030 so we greatly welcome the government’s Clean Flexibility Roadmap.

    The roadmap is an important step to bring together reforms needed to unlock the full value of the rapidly developing grid scale storage sector and consumer led flexibility in a coordinated work programme.

    The challenge now is to deliver what is a significant programme of reform of the way our electricity markets and system work to enable a rapid transition to a clean power system and to deliver value to customers.

    Notes to editors

    In December 2024, the government published its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which set out plans for a two to three-fold increase in clean flexibility capacity from 2023 levels, to a range of 51 to 66 GW, by 2030. The Clean Flexibility Roadmap, published today, explains how the government, working with Ofgem and NESO, will deliver that commitment.  

    The first steps that will be taken to support a more flexible electricity system as part of the roadmap include:  

    • appointing a Flexibility Commissioner, who will provide leadership over the policy area 
    • establishing ways of working with NESO and Ofgem to hold government and industry to account for delivery
    • setting up an annual forum to track progress

    Policies being delivered as part of this work include Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement, which will enable energy usage to be billed every 30 minutes, and the Smart Secure Electricity Systems programme, which aims to help people access consumer-led flexibility. 

    All figures included are based on government analysis unless clearly labelled otherwise.  

    The government has today also published:

    • a consultation on consumer engagement in consumer-led flexibility, which explores how more consumers who want to use energy flexibly can be supported to do so, to help optimise and sustain uptake over the short, medium and long term

    • a call for evidence on improving asset visibility, which seeks views on options for improving how distributed energy assets, like heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points, are registered with distribution network operators (DNOs). This aims to reduce administrative burdens for installers, support flexible use of the assets and prevent network infrastructure from being built unnecessarily

    • a response to the call for evidence on energy smart data, which confirms that the government will continue work to consider whether to introduce a smart data scheme for the energy sector. Smart data is the process of sharing customer data – at the customer’s request – with authorised third parties in a secure way. It will help customers access useful, innovative and personalised products and services that cater to their needs

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Folkestone business wins US contract through $475,000 UK Export Finance deal

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Folkestone business wins US contract through $475,000 UK Export Finance deal

    UKEF announces its support for British engineering firm Dyrhoff, enabling the company to supply key components for a large-scale water management project in the United States.

    A water control gate installed by Dyrhoff in Scotland. Image provided by Dyrhoff

    • Dyrhoff, a Folkestone-based provider of water control gates, has recently won a major export contract following support from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and NatWest.

    • The business is supporting a flood protection project in North Dakota, using both UK and internationally manufactured parts.

    Dyrhoff, a provider of water control gates, has won a major contract to deliver two pneumatically operated spillway gates for a flood protection project in North Dakota, USA, following support from a government financing scheme.

    Throughout its more than 30 years, the business has specialised in the design and supply of inflatable rubber dams and spillway gates. These gates can be used to reduce flood risk and aid water regulation.

    In line with the government’s Plan for Change and its mission to kickstart economic growth, UKEF guaranteed a $475,000 finance facility to be issued by NatWest. This facility enabled Dyrhoff to meet the bonding terms required to win the contract in North Dakota.

    Dyrhoff works with UK and international partners to engineer and manufacture parts which are subsequently assembled at the project location. The majority of Dyrhoff’s business originates from overseas contracts, contributing to 156 projects in over 33 countries, including USA, Italy, Canada, Norway, Turkey, Portugal and Indonesia.

    Although Dyrhoff is a seasoned exporter, the financial support provided by UKEF has enabled the business to win one of its largest contracts to date.

    As a result of the North Dakota deal and other successful contracts, Dyrhoff is now planning to increase staff numbers at its manufacturing facility in Folkestone, Kent.

    Don Mason, Director at Dyrhoff said:

    We have been providing market-leading rubber dam and spillway solutions since 1989, but the support afforded by UKEF has enabled us to set our sights on an exciting overseas growth opportunity.

    By assisting us in winning such a significant project for the business, UKEF support has set us up to carry on building momentum in key markets like the USA. Despite economic uncertainty in the market, we are now well placed to use this project as a springboard for success.

    Lisa Maddison-Brown, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex Export Finance Manager at UKEF said:

    We are really pleased to be able to assist a business which maintains a focus on developing critical infrastructure to keep areas safe from flooding. A key goal of ours is to continue placing British engineering at the heart of vital projects worldwide, and Dyrhoff is helping to do just that.

    Ellie Morrison, Trade Finance Manager at NatWest commented:

    I’m delighted to announce NatWest’s Trade Finance support for Dyrhoff, as they secure a significant export contract creating impactful engineering solutions that serve a crucial international and domestic purpose.

    The financing package has equipped Dyrhoff to meet essential bonding requirements, thereby enabling the company to secure and mobilise on this project. This partnership, facilitated with the support of UK Export Finance, aligns with NatWest’s commitments to foster the growth of UK-based businesses and contributing to vital infrastructure projects worldwide.

    Dyrhoff are a great example of a successful UK exporter and NatWest is proud to support the business with the financial solutions they need to thrive globally.

    News of Dyrhoff’s success follows on from the recent publication of UKEF’s Annual Reports and Accounts for 2024/25. The department provided £14.5 billion in loans, guarantees and insurance in support of exporters of all sizes and supported up to 70,000 jobs.

    Contact

    Media enquiries:

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova held the first meeting of the organizing committee to prepare for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of GITIS

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Previous news Next news

    The first meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS in 2028, chaired by Tatyana Golikova

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova held the first meeting of the organizing committee for preparations for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS in 2028. The agenda included discussion of the plan of events. The meeting was attended by GITIS Rector Grigory Zaslavsky, Deputy Minister of Culture of Russia Andrei Malyshev, General Director of the NTV television company Alexei Zemsky, Head of the Vocal Arts Department of GITIS Tamara Sinyavskaya, Chairman of the Union of Theatre Workers Vladimir Mashkov and others.

    “GITIS annually confirms its status as a leading university in the field of theater education according to the K.S. Stanislavsky system. The upcoming anniversary – the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS – is a wonderful opportunity not only to look back on the path traveled, but also to fully present the achievements of the national theater school, recognized throughout the world,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova. – Many destinies and events are connected with GITIS. These are not just pages of history, but the very history of the transformation of our country. Epochs changed, but GITIS remained a forge of outstanding cultural figures. This is its true purpose and role in the fate of Russia.”

    Today, the institute has about 1,800 students from 30 countries, who are taught their skills by more than 500 teachers. Eight departments teach actors of dramatic and musical theater, directors of drama, musical theater and circus, choreographers and ballet teachers, theater artists and makeup artists, playwrights, producers and theater historians.

    Deputy Minister of Culture Andrei Malyshev emphasized that GITIS is an ambassador of Russian culture and identity, so the institute’s anniversary is important not only for GITIS and the theater community, but also for all of Russian culture.

    GITIS is actively developing. “Just two days later, on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on July 25, in the city of Blagoveshchensk, we open together with Governor Vasily Orlov of the Far Eastern branch of GITIS. The exams have already passed, the competition was, there was a competition, which is also very important for us, so we are just starting. The next day we move to Heihe, to China, and there we also present the Far Eastern branch of GITIS. It is very important for us that from the moment of changes, we not only have not decreased the flow of foreign students, but there are even more of them. This year we have almost accepted 46 students. This is Latvia, and Italy, and Iran, and Morocco. And of course, we are trying to maintain leadership in Central Asia, we have just held the GITIS school on Lake Issyk-Kul, the traditional, already fourth in a row. There were four countries with Russia. It is also important for us to expand the presence of GITIS in Central and South America. Last year, the second time was held by GITIS School in Chile, the first time GITIS School in Brazil after a long break in the framework of the “Russian seasons“. This year, the Brazilians came to us at the theater festival. It seems to me that one of the most important problems that we realized is that the theater is one of the arts, maybe the only one that cannot exist without constant self -understanding. The writer. It can be written in the world in 100 years by someone that can be brilliant in 100 years, no one will call the contemporaries, we have not been appreciated by the problem of the Institute of Expertise. We began the publication of the “Theater Journal“ and we consider this to be one of the most important tasks of returning a serious and high -quality examination to the theater, ”said the rector of the university Grigory Zaslavsky. 

    The plan to celebrate the 150th anniversary included 20 events, including festivals, tours, exhibitions and conferences.

    Key events include a gala concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of GITIS, the International Competition of Young Choreographers named after R.V. Zakharov “Maria”, and the premiere of a documentary film about the history of the institute. In September 2028, GITIS will launch its branded train, on which students and teachers will travel from Moscow to Blagoveshchensk with performances and festive concerts, as well as master classes and selection tests in various regions of the country.

    Traditional GITIS festivals will be scaled up. The VIII International Student Festival of Diploma Performances “GITIS-fest” will be held in two cities – Moscow and Blagoveshchensk. In April 2028, the XIX International Competition of Young Choreographers named after R.V. Zakharov “Maria” and the XVIII International Festival of Stage Fencing “Silver Sword” named after N.V. Karpov will be held, and in November – the theater festival of the CIS countries “GITIS – Master Class”. The international scientific conference “Perspective – 150 years of GITIS” will bring together young specialists from leading universities in Russia, near and far abroad: art history, theater studies, philology, directing, choreography, scenography.

    An exhibition entitled “Russian Revolutionary Theatre” is planned for the fall of 2028, dedicated to the unique traditions of Russian theatre and domestic education in the field of theatrical art.

    Other events include tours of GITIS graduation performances in the CIS republics and regions of Russia where GITIS national studios were created. In addition, a series of 12 podcasts from GITIS students with stories about faculties and teachers will be released in 2028.

    An important event in preparation for the celebration will be the renovation and restoration work in the main academic building, as well as a major overhaul of the dormitory.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Conversation between Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Current issues of the region’s socio-economic development were discussed.

    Conversation between Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak

    From the transcript:

    M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, good afternoon!

    Thank you for showing the hospital, the emergency department, modern, new, with all the necessary equipment, built in two and a half months. This is pleasing. The speed with which it was all done and the professionalism are visible. We also heard this from the people who visit it.

    More and more tourists are coming to the Altai Republic. Soon, literally in a few days, the International Ecological Conference will take place. Distinguished guests will arrive.

    Last year, a decision was made (we discussed this with you) to build a modern, now international airport. The funds are there, they are planned, there is an investor. And it is very important to provide for the entire complex development around it, the logistics infrastructure – this is a transport hub, access roads, service maintenance and much more.

    First of all, I want to ask how this work is going? Please.

    A. Turchak: Mikhail Vladimirovich, first of all, thank you for giving our airport the status of an international airport. Today, a modern international checkpoint has already been opened on the territory of the airport terminal. In general, as you correctly said, the tourist flow is growing, and the airport infrastructure can no longer cope with it. Therefore, by 2028, within the framework of the concession agreement, we will complete the modernization of the entire airfield infrastructure and build a new terminal. Our goal is to increase passenger traffic to 1.3 million passengers per year by 2030.

    By road. You are absolutely right, connectivity is necessary, because tourists come to us not only by air, but also by car.

    Regarding the road sector, in 2024, under the national project, we allocated about 6.6 billion rubles for this and brought 196 km of our roads into compliance. And it is very important that 10 km are directly in the Gorno-Altaisk agglomeration itself, which includes our capital Gorno-Altaisk and the suburban Mayminsky district. This year, we plan to bring 101 km and 12 bridges into compliance. The topic of bridges is very important for our republic, I reported to you about it last time. We are systematically moving towards putting the bridge sector in order. This year, our road fund is 3.5 billion.

    This year, with your support, the reconstruction of the Chuysky tract will begin – this is a 21 km section to Manzherok, which will solve the problem of traffic jams, especially during the high tourist season, and reduce accidents.

    One project I wanted to report to you about, you supported it last year, is the construction of the Platovsky Bridge by shifting funds to the left. We are handing it over ahead of schedule. This is the first bridge that has been built in the republic in the last six years.

    We continue working with the Ministry of Transport to bypass Maima and, in general, Gorno-Altaisk, the entire Gorno-Altaisk agglomeration. We need to take transit transport beyond the boundaries of the agglomeration. In this part, the Ministry of Transport will support us. Once again, I would like to thank you very much for supporting the development of our transport infrastructure.

    M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, I know that you are very actively involved in infrastructure. It is important to keep everything under personal control here. So that the logistics infrastructure, the new airport will allow for the expansion of tourism opportunities, and also contribute to the growth of the number of residents.

    Another task is the construction of social, in particular educational, facilities. You are also actively involved in this.

    The federal budget for three years provides funds for the construction of a school in Gorno-Altaisk, as well as a lyceum of about 2.5 billion rubles. Much is being done for healthcare as well. The hospital admissions department that we looked at today is one example.

    Please tell us what else is being done and built in the fields of education and medicine.

    A. Turchak: Mikhail Vladimirovich, at the last meeting I reported to you that one of the main challenges I faced was the large number of long-term construction projects that existed at that time. I want to thank you. With your support, additional funds were allocated. We commissioned the seventh school in Gorno-Altaisk – a long-awaited facility that was built on the direct instructions of the President. The start of construction of this facility is 2021. We commissioned it in January of this year. A unique school.

    M. Mishustin: Were the problems mainly due to contractors?

    A. Turchak: The problems were due to the poor quality of the project. We had to redesign, undergo a new assessment, then the cost of materials increased, and so on. Nevertheless, the school was completed, it became such a good gift for the 200th anniversary of Gorno-Altaisk, which we celebrated.

    The only school in the city where children from the 1st grade study the Altai language. The school has a very large sports core. Two sports halls inside the school, a large stadium, several playgrounds where children can practice national sports.

    Another long-term construction project is a sports and fitness complex with a games room. We also completed it in December last year. Residents were waiting for it with impatience.

    The Cultural Development Center, which I reported to you about, has also been completed. In July, we opened it with the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. The first cultural institution built in the city in the last 13 years.

    Also, with your support, the issue of reconstruction of the 12th school has moved from dead center. Not just reconstruction, but, in fact, the construction of a new building. We will introduce this facility by 2027 – the federal budget has allocated 615 million for it, and the republican budget – 345 million rubles.

    Regarding the Republican Classical Lyceum, which you are monitoring. All work is on schedule, the completion date is 2026. The budget provides 3.3 billion, of which 2.7 billion is the federal budget. And the uniqueness of this project is that the developer additionally attracted its own 500 million rubles to complete the construction of the campus of this lyceum. It will be a truly unique educational institution, in which gifted children from the most remote corners of our republic will be able not only to receive a quality education, but also to develop their talents in various fields.

    This year we have planned to carry out major repairs of 11 rural schools and the first gymnasium in Gorno-Altaisk. More than 700 million rubles from the federal budget are allocated for these purposes.

    In addition, we are building another new school for 360 students in the Chemalsky District. This is a comprehensive rural development program that is actively operating in our republic.

    We also repair kindergartens, primarily in rural areas. We have repaired four in a year and are building three new ones. 920 million rubles are allocated for these purposes from the federal and republican budgets. In general, we keep the issues of modernization and improvement of educational infrastructure under control and work on them with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. Our colleagues support us.

    M. Mishustin: Modern schools, kindergartens, educational institutions, hospitals, clinics – this is very important for people and makes it possible to attract investors. And for the republic, by decision of the President, an individual program of socio-economic development has been formed. Quite significant funds are provided until 2030.

    Tell us what is planned within this program?

    A. Turchak: If possible, one more thing on the topic of healthcare. Today, the Minister of Health reported to you on the overall situation in the republic. We examined the admission and diagnostic department of our republican hospital, equipped with a modern operating unit, modern diagnostic equipment – MRI, CT, ultrasound. We are the first region to implement this project this year. Indeed, the timing of its implementation is quite unique. In almost less than three months, this facility was erected, and 80% of the structures, materials, and equipment itself were of domestic production. By your decision, we received 744 million rubles from the federal budget for this project, including the MRI machine, which was also introduced this year on your instructions, and now our residents do not need to travel to other regions for such high-tech examination.

    I would like to talk about the perinatal center. I approached you with this question last year. Our current perinatal center is located in a maternity hospital built in 1975. You gave the order to work out a step-by-step, phased plan for the implementation of this project. I would like to report on the work done.

    As of today, we have worked out a medical and technical assignment together with the Ministry of Health. The concept for the construction of a new perinatal center is ready. Mikhail Albertovich Murashko saw it and supported it. And, if possible, I would like to separately report to you our proposals on how to gradually put everything related to obstetrics in our republic in order.

    M. Mishustin: Yesterday we inspected the perinatal center in Chita. A wonderful and, in fact, methodological center not only for the Zabaikalsky Krai, but also for the entire Far East. And most importantly, the people who work there, mostly women, really help with obstetrics, and warmly welcome mothers and fathers. It seems to me that it is very important to support you in the construction of this center.

    A. Turchak: Thank you very much.

    According to the individual development program. We have good results for the first five-year plan. 2 thousand jobs have been created. 2.5 billion in extra-budgetary investments have been attracted. During the period of the individual program, the region has become one of the leaders in terms of investment growth rates in fixed capital.

    In terms of specific results, 120 projects in the agro-industrial complex were supported, 8 accommodation facilities, 8 sites for processing milk, meat, wood, and producing dietary supplements were created. The Industrial Development Fund and the SME Fund were recapitalized, and 66 preferential loans were issued.

    According to the new program. In the current 2025, we will support the development of the material and technical base of at least four agricultural enterprises. First of all, these are projects in the dairy industry. I can give one example. Our agroholding “Ekoniva” will build a dairy complex in the Ust-Kansky district. Moreover, the owner of this project in the recent past is a citizen of Germany, who has now acquired Russian citizenship and is registered for tax purposes in the Altai Republic.

    Farmers will also be provided with a subsidy to support and develop crop production, meat and milk processing. We will support 22 SME projects, 4 tourism infrastructure projects and, most importantly, personnel training – we plan to train at least 150 specialists per year.

    Dear Mikhail Vladimirovich, the implementation of individual programs is impossible without solving the main issue in the republic. And the main issue in the republic I reported to you at the last meeting – this is land.

    I would like to thank you for your support: last year you supported our proposal to lift the moratorium on mass inspections of the intended use of land. Thanks to this decision, a land amnesty was launched in the region, which is aimed at legalizing the illegal accommodation facilities that were identified.

    Together with Rosreestr, the FMS worked. They identified about one and a half thousand accommodation facilities that were not registered with the tax authorities, that is, they did not pay either land tax or property tax. More than half went for legalization – 800 voluntarily submitted applications, and are now preparing their documents.

    The amnesty ends with the inclusion of these accommodation facilities in the register. Accordingly, in addition to direct tax revenues, we will receive at least half a billion rubles of our own income. I reported to you today that we will spend a third of them on supporting healthcare, in particular, on developing the emergency medical service.

    In this regard, I would like to make one request to you – to use a similar approach to reduce the level of shadow employment and legalize labor relations in the region. If possible, I would like to ask you to instruct Rostrud, just as we did for the land, to conduct unscheduled monitoring and supervisory activities for the Altai Republic with the involvement of employees of territorial bodies of Rostrud from other regions, because our own forces are not enough. In this way, we would also bring this topic out of the shadows. Thank you for your support.

    M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, the plans are serious. I wish you success in their implementation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Ministry of Economic Development will act as a strategic partner of the Russian Creative Week

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Ministry of Economic Development of Russia has become a strategic partner of the Russian Creative Week. The forum will be held in Moscow on September 25–27 at the Russia National Center. The initiator and organizer of the event is the Creative Economy ANO.

    The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation carries out functions to develop state policy and improve the regulatory framework in the creative economy, and is also engaged in developing a long-term strategy for the development of this sector.

    The cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia and the ANO “Creative Economy” will allow for a comprehensive discussion of the draft strategy – the fundamental document at the site of the “Russian Creative Week”, key issues in the field of creative economy at the federal level, and to attract the attention of entrepreneurs to the issues of developing creative industries.

    “The development of the creative economy requires a systematic approach and consideration of the positions of all participants in the process: the state, business and industry associations. The forum will create a space for uniting these views and developing joint solutions,” commented Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Tatyana Ilyushnikova.

    President of the ANO “Creative Economy” Marina Mongush emphasized: The Ministry of Economic Development has launched the process of preparing a document that will determine how this sector will develop until 2030.

    “We are actively working with colleagues, with departments, with the expert community so that the strategy takes into account not only the economic, but also the socio-cultural, value-oriented approach to the creative economy. The Russian Creative Week forum will give our joint work with the Ministry of Economic Development an additional impetus,” believes the president of the ANO Creative Economy.

    “Russian Creative Week” has become an effective tool for the development of the industry as a whole – this is acknowledged by experts, noting that the forum gives a powerful impetus to the growth of regional “experience economies”.

    “It is important for people to be part of something big, and not just stand at a machine or work in a bank branch. It is important for everyone to build their own temple and feel involved in big goals, and it is the value-oriented approach that gives this feeling and distinguishes one community of people from all the others, both in the example of a separate company and in the example of the country,” emphasized the head of the Presidential Administration for Public Projects of the Russian Federation, Sergei Novikov.

    Partners of the Festival-Forum “Russian Creative Week”:

    Official partners: Rostec State Corporation, Andrey Melnichenko Charitable Foundation.

    Business partner: Aluminum Association.

    Business program partner: Prosveshchenie Group of Companies.

    Participating regions: Moscow, the Republic of Bashkortostan, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Nizhny Novgorod, Chelyabinsk, Tula regions.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mikhail Mishustin visited the Republican Hospital in Gorno-Altaisk

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Prime Minister got acquainted with the new admissions department of the hospital and a presentation on the progress of the development of the healthcare system of the Altai Republic.

    Previous news Next news

    Mikhail Mishustin got acquainted with the new admission department of the Republican Hospital. With the head of the Altai Republic Andrei Turchak and chief physician Anton Khazov

    In Gorno-Altaisk, the construction of a modular emergency department for the Republican Hospital is nearing completion. This is the first modular emergency department within the new national project “Long and Active Life” out of 21 planned for commissioning in 2025. The department covers the full cycle of emergency patient admission and treatment and will be equipped with everything necessary for prompt diagnostic and emergency treatment, including in the event of a mass admission of patients.

    The new department includes a diagnostic unit (CT, X-ray, ultrasound, ECG, endoscopy, express laboratory), a resuscitation and operating unit, a unit for emergency medical care patients, and an administrative and economic unit. It is integrated with the main hospital complex through a heated passage for unimpeded patient transportation. The opening of the new admission department will relieve the main hospital buildings and improve emergency care.

    From the transcript:

    M. Mishustin: Friends, I want to thank you all. Two and a half months – and the building, they call it the emergency department, is ready. But this is practically a full-fledged hospital, a field hospital, with modern equipment, which can be converted into an operating room. And all this for reasonable funds. This project costs approximately 643 million rubles. The region invested 100 million, the rest of the funds are from the federal budget.

    But the most important thing is the people, the doctors. I am very happy to see such a team here. Andrey Anatolyevich (Turchak) attracts the best. Anton Viktorovich (Khazov) recently returned from a special military operation, he was in charge of the hospital and saved people. I want to thank him for such prompt and professional organization of this work. Everything here is at the highest level. I am sure that the professionals who came here will provide high-quality medical care, and this is very important for the republic, where more and more people are now going.

    The presidential program to support doctors and nurses, mid-level medical personnel is also very important – doctors who work in small, remote settlements, villages, as well as nurses, mid-level personnel are paid an additional 50 thousand rubles. All this also helps to attract qualified personnel.

    And it is very important – I remember, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin, colleagues in the Duma are always concerned about the quality of medical personnel and education being high enough. And of course, so that people want to come here. We also need to carefully collect feedback. Andrey Anatolyevich is a professional, he knows his stuff. We need to very carefully monitor together what else can be done.

    I would like to congratulate you all and wish both those who come here and those who work here health.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: The Zabaikalsky Krai exposition on the “Far East Street” within the framework of the EEF will link technological innovations and the cultural heritage of the region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Zabaikalsky Krai pavilion at the Far East Street exhibition, which will be held in Vladivostok from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum, will present cutting-edge technologies, and its design will reflect a deep connection with the natural and cultural heritage of the region. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “Zabaikalsky Krai is actively developing and is among the leaders in terms of investment growth rates. In order to create favorable conditions for investors, the territory of advanced development “Zabaikalsky Krai” has been formed, and financial and infrastructural support measures are in place. It is equally important that the social sphere develops and urban spaces are transformed. Social infrastructure is being developed with the help of a single presidential subsidy allocated through the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East. Special tools have been introduced – “Far Eastern mortgage” and “Far Eastern hectare”. Construction of large facilities has begun according to the master plans of the cities of Chita and Krasnokamensk. But the most important thing is that wages are growing in Zabaikalsky Krai, a large number of jobs are being created. The pavilion exposition will tell visitors about this and much more,” said Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.

    The Zabaikalsky Krai pavilion is a synthesis of natural grandeur, cultural heritage and high technology. The architectural appearance of the stand was created using modern forms and materials. Interactive zones, spectacular media facades and art objects give the guest the opportunity to take part in an immersive journey into the world of possibilities of the region.

    “We strive to show not only the economic potential of the region, but also its cultural wealth, historical values, and natural beauty. Our pavilion will combine advanced technologies, cultural heritage, and the rich history and nature of Zabaikalsky Krai. Traditionally, we will present the works of our fellow countrymen, whose names are known throughout the world. I am confident that the Zabaikalsky Pavilion will become a source of inspiration and new ideas for all visitors, and will awaken the desire to come to our sunny region,” emphasized the Governor of Zabaikalsky Krai, Alexander Osipov.

    The entrance to the Zabaikalsky pavilion will be decorated with a monumental 9.5-meter composition “Solar Myth” by the artist and sculptor Dashi Namdakov. The avant-garde art object depicts a mighty Siberian elk made of bronze, whose antlers form a solar halo – a symbol of the cultural heritage and natural energy of the region.

    In the “Investment Projects of Zabaikalsky Krai” zone, the leading enterprises of the region will be presented using modern technologies. Visitors can expect multimedia holographic and panoramic projections, as well as interactive panels that will demonstrate the achievements of the region in industry and culture. Particular attention will be paid to the largest investors – “Udokan Copper” and Bystrinsky Mining and Processing Plant. Panoramic screens and controllers will allow users to control the virtual space, creating the effect of full immersion and emphasizing the importance of these enterprises for the economy of Zabaikalsky Krai.

    The “Achievements of the Zabaikalsky Krai in 10 Years” platform will show how the development plans of Chita and Krasnokamensk are being implemented. The main feature of the zone is an interactive wall: by touching special tags, guests will see interesting images and will have the opportunity to take bright photos for social networks.

    In the “Tourism Potential” zone, visitors will be able to find out where to go and where to stay in Zabaikalsky Krai. The region’s tourism opportunities will be presented through a projection table and an interactive “mandala”.

    A separate zone “80 Years of Victory” will be dedicated to the exploits and achievements during the Great Patriotic War, as well as the heroes and events of the special military operation. The exhibition will use augmented reality technologies, allowing you to see biographical materials about the participants of the Great Patriotic War and the SVO.

    In addition, the pavilion will house a museum area, where works of art and historical artifacts will be displayed. Special design will create an atmosphere of comfort and respect, allowing visitors to better feel the value of the cultural heritage of Transbaikalia. The exhibition will become a kind of bridge between the past and the present, demonstrating the richness of the history and art of the region.

    On the street near the pavilion, products from the Transbaikal producers “Vkusy Zabaikalya” and “Sdelano v Zabaikalye” will be presented. On the large stage of “Ulitsa Dalnego Vostok”, the municipal theater of song and dance “Zabaikalye” will present the musical performance “Song of the Family”.

    Live music performed by the orchestra of the national song and dance theater “Amar Sain” will be heard near the Zabaikalsky stand, soloists of the vocal group “Forte” and the youth dance group “Klyukva” will perform. Also, guests of the pavilion will be able to participate in making dolls in national costumes, an art master class “Drawing together” and painting a memorable souvenir.

    The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Emergency food assistance grinds to a halt in Nigeria amid surging insecurity and record hunger

    Source: World Food Programme

    ABUJA, Nigeria – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will be forced to suspend all emergency food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in northeast Nigeria at the end of July. This is due to critical funding shortfalls which come at a time of escalating violence and record levels of hunger.

    WFP’s food and nutrition stocks have been completely exhausted. The organization’s last supplies left warehouses in early July and life-saving assistance will end after the current round of distributions is completed.

    Without immediate funding, millions of vulnerable people will face impossible choices: endure increasingly severe hunger, migrate, or possibly risk exploitation by extremist groups in the region.  

    “Nearly 31 million people in Nigeria are now facing acute hunger, a record number,” said David Stevenson, WFP Country Director for Nigeria. “At the same time, WFP’s operations in northeast Nigeria will collapse without immediate, sustained funding. This is no longer just a humanitarian crisis, it’s a growing threat to regional stability, as families pushed beyond their limits are left with nowhere to turn.” 

    Children will be among the worst affected if vital aid ends. More than 150 WFP-supported nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states will close, ending potentially life-saving treatment for more than 300,000 children under two and placing them at increased risk of wasting. 

    In conflict-affected northern areas, escalating violence from extremist groups is driving mass displacement. Some 2.3 million people across the Lake Chad Basin have been forced to flee their homes, straining already limited resources and pushing communities to the brink.  

    “When emergency assistance ends, many will migrate in search of food and shelter. Others will adopt negative coping mechanisms – including potentially joining insurgent groups – to survive,” added Stevenson. “Food assistance can often prevent these outcomes. It allows us to feed families, help rebuild economies and support long-term recovery.”

    In the first half of 2025, WFP has been able to hold hunger at bay across northern Nigeria, reaching 1.3 million people with life-saving food and nutrition assistance. Support for an additional 720,000 people was planned for the second half of the year before funding shortfalls put life-saving programmes in jeopardy.  

    WFP has the capacity and expertise to deliver and scale-up its humanitarian response, but the critical funding gap is paralyzing operations. WFP urgently requires US$130 million to prevent an imminent pipeline break and sustain food and nutrition operations through the end of 2025. 

    Note to editors:

    Broadcast quality footage of operations in northeast Nigeria can be accessed here.

    Nigeria Emergency Page here.

    #                 #                   #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media 

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tender results of 10-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

    The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced that a tender for 10-year HKD institutional Government Bonds (issue number 10GB3507001) under the Infrastructure Bond Programme was held today (July 23).
     
    A total of HK$2.0 billion 10-year Government Bonds were offered today. A total of HK$10.545 billion tender applications were received. The bid-to-cover ratio, i.e. the ratio of bonds applied for to bonds issued, is 5.27. The average price accepted is 100.43, implying an annualised yield of 3.144 per cent.
     
    HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds Tender Results
     
    Tender results of 10-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
     

    Tender Date : July 23, 2025
    Issue Number : 10GB3507001
    Stock Code : 4294 (HKGB 3.17 3507)
    Issue and Settlement Date : July 24, 2025
    Tenor : 10 years
    Maturity Date : 24 July 2035
    Coupon Rate : 3.17 per cent
    Amount Applied : HK$10.545 billion
    Amount Allotted : HK$2.0 billion
    Bid-to-Cover Ratio* : 5.27
    Average Price Accepted (Yield) : 100.43 (3.144 per cent)
    Lowest Price Accepted (Yield) : 100.21 (3.170 per cent)
    Pro-rata Ratio : About 95 per cent
    Average Tender Price (Yield) : 99.13 (3.299 per cent)

    * Calculated as the amount of bonds applied for over the amount of bonds issued.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Manpower of doctors and consultation efficiency

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by Dr the Hon Chan Han-pan and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

    Question:

         According to the data of the Hospital Authority (HA), the number of full-time doctors increased from 5 695 in 2013-2014 to 7 350 in 2023-2024, representing an increase of 29 per cent. During the same period, the number of HA’s specialist outpatient attendances increased by only 18.9 per cent while the relevant increase rate in the number of its general outpatient attendances was 3.34 per cent, and the number of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances even recorded a drop of 4.4 per cent. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it knows the respective numbers of HA doctors providing general outpatient clinic (GOPC) services and specialist outpatient clinic (SOPC) services in 2013-2014 and 2023-2024, as well as the respective percentages of such numbers in the total number of HA doctors (set out in a table);

    (2) whether it knows the respective average waiting time for HA’s SOPC new cases, GOPC services and A&E services, the average consultation time per patient, as well as the average number of consultations per doctor in 2013-2014 and 2023-2024 (set out in a table);

    (3) whether it knows if the HA has compared the average number of consultations per doctor between the HA and medical institutions in other places; if the HA has not, how the HA assesses the efficiency in the use of doctor manpower and the consultation efficiency; and

    (4) as there are views that the aforesaid data show a significant increase in the number of HA doctors from 2013-2014 to 2023-2024, but there is no significant rise in the number of attendances for various outpatient services, whether the Government knows if the HA has examined the reasons for that, and whether the HA will consider providing additional evening consultation services, so as to enhance the efficiency in the use of manpower and the service coverage while alleviating the pressure on the daytime services?

    Reply:

    President,

         In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Chan Han-pan, is as follows:

         With the ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for various types of services provided by the HA has continued to rise over the past decade. While coping with the ever-rising service demand, the HA is also committed to enhancing the quality and efficiency of public healthcare services, while adopting an integrated and multi-disciplinary team approach in the delivery of various healthcare services, with a view to providing optimal treatment and care to patients. 

         Apart from providing general out-patient (GOP), specialist out-patient (SOP) and Accident and Emergency (A&E) services as mentioned in the question, doctors of the HA are also tasked with providing a comprehensive range of services including in-patient, out-patient, and day services, as part of the overall healthcare team. The table below sets out the number of hospital beds and the number of attendances for each of the major service categories of the HA in 2013-14 and 2023-24, which show an increase in the utilisation of each of the services over the 11-year period mentioned in the question. In particular, the HA has been gradually promoting ambulatory care and community-based care in recent years to replace the traditional hospital-centric service model, with a particularly significant rise in the demand for day in-patient services. 
     

      2013-14 2023-24 Increase
    Number of hospital beds
    (as at year-end)
    27 440 30 671 11.8%
    Number of in-patient discharges and deaths 1 026 998 1 146 494 11.6%
    Number of patient days 7 479 088 8 750 456 17.0%
    Number of day in-patient discharges and deaths 542 333 809 505 49.3%
    Number of day hospital attendances (Note 1) 477 553  508 961 6.6%
    Number of SOP (Clinical) attendances 7 040 883 8 368 107 18.9%
    Number of Family Medicine out-patient (including Family Medicine Specialist Clinic and GOP clinic) attendances 6 100 888 6 359 781 4.2%

         As far as day in-patient services are concerned, day surgery brings significant benefits to patients, the public and the HA. For patients, day surgery has the benefits of causing less disruption to daily lives, reducing the risk of cross-infection and relieving psychological stress. In addition, day surgery is less costly and more efficient as it reduces the need for patients to stay in the hospital overnight, thereby releasing beds for more critical cases. Studies have also shown that the efficacy of day surgery is similar to that of in-patient surgery. For ambulatory palliative care services, the HA provides medical, nursing, rehabilitation, psychosocial and bereavement services through a one-stop multi-disciplinary team to alleviate patients’ symptoms and improve their quality of life, as well as reducing unnecessary hospitalisation. Day rehabilitation services include geriatric day hospitals, day rehabilitation services and allied health rehabilitation services. The HA provides specialty-oriented rehabilitation programmes, such as thoracic rehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, geriatric rehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation, in its ambulatory care facilities to cater for the needs of individual types of patients. This development strategy can effectively shorten unnecessary hospitalisation time, help patients return to the community and enhance their ability to take care of their own health.

         Moreover, the HA has actively increased the number of endoscopic sessions to meet the public demand for endoscopic examination. The table below sets out the number of common endoscopic procedures performed in 2014-15 and 2023-24.
     

      2014-15 2023-24
    Common endoscopic procedures (Note 2 and 3) 9 608 10 591

         The HA will review and plan the role and positioning of its hospitals in each cluster to reflect the changes in healthcare needs brought about by changes in population in various districts over time, and will review from time to time and ensure that hospitals in the clusters can complement each other in the continual provision of A&E and in-patient, ambulatory care, extended care as well as community care services, so as to ensure that patients will continue to receive optimal treatment and services at appropriate locations.

         Please refer to Annex 1 for the number of doctors in each major specialty providing GOP or SOP services and their respective proportions in the total number of doctors in the HA in 2013-14 and 2023-24 as mentioned in the question. However, as mentioned above, since the HA adopts an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach in service provision, and flexibly deploys its staff to meet service and operational needs from time to time, the number of doctors in the above table only reflects the number of doctors providing GOP and SOP services, and the doctors concerned may also be tasked with providing other services including in-patient, A&E and ambulatory services, etc.

         The HA has also been implementing various measures over the years to enhance consultation efficiency and improve waiting time.

         In respect of SOP services, the HA has implemented a triage system to determine the priority of patients attending SOP clinics (SOPCs) based on their clinical condition. In addition, the HA has also adopted the strategy of “narrowing upstream, collaborating downstream, diverting midstream”. The HA has introduced doctor-led multi-disciplinary integrated clinics, and allocated more resources for new cases, rationalised referral arrangements for cross-specialty cases, set up more integrated clinics to provide multi-disciplinary support, and enhanced primary healthcare to follow up on patients in stable conditions. With the implementation of various measures, the waiting time for SOPCs has improved notably in the past few years. The data shows that the number of new SOP cases in 2023-24 has increased by 18 per cent compared to a decade ago, with the number of stable new cases (i.e. routine cases) increasing from 448 545 in 2013-14 to 577 191 in 2023-24, an increase of 28 per cent. Please refer to the Annex 2 for the number of new cases and waiting time for SOP services in 2013-14 and 2023-24.

         In addition, the HA has also rationalised the waiting procedures for SOP services to reduce the waiting time for patients to see doctors, with more than 75 per cent of SOP patients completing the process from registration to doctor consultation within 60 minutes in 2022-23 to 2023-24. The table below shows the percentage of the HA SOP patients who have completed the process from registration to doctor consultation within 60 minutes in 2022-23 and 2023-24:
     

    Year
    2022-23
    (Since November 2022)
    Year
    2023-24
    76.5%  83.6%

         Regarding A&E services, to ensure that citizens with urgent needs can receive timely services, A&E departments implement a patient triage system under which patients are classified into five triages, namely critical, emergency, urgent, semi-urgent and non-urgent based on their clinical condition, and will receive treatment as prioritised by their urgency category. The HA’s performance targets specify that all critical patients (i.e. 100 per cent) will receive immediate treatment, and emergency and urgent patients will be prioritised for treatment upon arrival at A&E departments, with the targets being that most emergency patients (95 per cent) and urgent patients (90 per cent) will be treated within 15 and 30 minutes. The table below sets out the number of attendances and average waiting time for each triage category of A&E services in the HA in 2013-14 and 2023-24 respectively:
     

      No. of A&E attendances
    Triage 1(Critical) Triage 2  (Emergency) Triage 3 (Urgent) Triage 4 (Semi-
    urgent)
    Triage 5 (Non-
    urgent) 
    Year
    2013-14
    19 358 41 136 674 841 1 288 359 145 406
    Year
    2023-24
    28 138  56 566 820 353 1 126 207 58 965

         The above attendances for A&E services under various triage categories in various hospitals under the HA exclude (i) first-time visits without triage categories, and (ii) follow-up visits to the A&E departments.
     

      Average waiting time (in minutes) for A&E services
    Triage 1 (Critical) Triage 2 (Emergency) Triage 3 (Urgent) Triage 4 (Semi-
    urgent)
    Triage 5 (Non-
    urgent) 
    Year
    2013-14
    0 7 27 106 124
    Year
    2023-24
    0 8 29 180 205

     
         The data show that, over the past decade, the number of A&E attendances for patients in Triage 1 to Triage 3 has increased by 23 per cent from more than 730 000 to more than 900 000. In particular, attendances for patients in Triage 1 and Triage 2, who are the primary service targets of the A&E departments, have increased by 45 per cent and 38 per cent respectively. That said, patients in these two categories are treated promptly and the relevant average waiting times continue to meet the service targets specified by the HA.
     
         Regarding GOP services, the HA provides public primary healthcare services through its 74 GOP clinics (GOPCs) (including community health centres), providing more than five million out-patient attendances annually. Of these, a total of 23 GOPCs in all districts of Hong Kong provide evening out-patient services until 10pm. Patients under the care of the GOPCs comprise two major categories: patients with chronic diseases in stable medical condition, such as patients with diabetes mellitus or hypertension; and episodic disease patients with relatively mild symptoms, such as those suffering from cold or gastroenteritis. As for patients with chronic diseases requiring follow-up consultations, they will be assigned a time slot for follow-up by the GOPCs after each consultation and do not need to make separate appointments by phone. Episodic disease patients can make appointments for the next 24 hours through the HA GOPC telephone appointment system and “Book GOPC” function in the HA’s one-stop mobile app “HA Go”. There is no waiting time for GOP services. 
     
         The HA has been closely monitoring the operation and utilisation of different services with a view to deploying manpower and service resources flexibly. Since 2008, the HA has adopted a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure its service performance, covering clinical services, human resources and finance, with a view to establishing a mechanism for monitoring service performance and identifying service areas for continuous improvement. The HA conducts regular reviews of the KPIs annually and will enhance and refine them in accordance with its service strategies. Progress reports on KPIs are submitted to the HA Board and the Health Bureau on a regular basis, through quarterly progress review reports for the latter, to keep track of the HA’s performance in key service areas. Trend analyses within and across hospital clusters can be conducted to help identify areas for deliberation and formulation of enhancement measures, and to provide reference on service planning and resource allocation.
     
         Moreover, the HA has set up the Governance and Structure Reform Committee to provide strategic guidance, oversight, and reform advice on implementing governance and structure reforms. The work of the Committee includes examining the introduction of KPIs to measure the service performance of the HA.
     
         In recent years, the HA has also endeavoured to enhance public healthcare services through various measures, including enhancing primary healthcare services, shortening the waiting time for cataract surgery, making good use of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital to alleviate the pressure on the radiology services in public hospitals, and establishing centres for major illnesses, with a view to improving the quality and efficiency of treatment. Regarding evening out-patient services, the HA and the Primary Healthcare Commission will also review the demand and supply of evening out-patient services in different districts as well as the utilisation of such services by members of the public in various districts, with emphasis on districts where private evening out-patient services are scanty, with a view to further increasing the number of quotas of evening out-patient services through flexible deployment of manpower and resources, as well as exploring the feasibility of setting up additional evening out-patient clinics.
     
    Note 1: The above figure includes attendances at Geriatric Day Hospitals, Psychiatric Day Hospitals, Day Rehabilitation Services, and Ambulatory Palliative Care Services. Of these, the number of attendances at Geriatric Day Hospitals includes those participating in the Integrated Discharge Support Programme for Elderly Patients.
    Note 2: The HA has maintained the relevant statistics since 2014-15.
    Note 3: The above endoscopic procedures include bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, flexible cystoscopy, oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography. Of these, endoscopic ultrasonography covers upper gastrointestinal tract, lower gastrointestinal tract, as well as bronchus and mediastinum.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Latest situation of Big Wave Bay Beach

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Attention TV/radio announcers:

    Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

         Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 23) that the shark prevention net at Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, has been repaired, and the beach is reopened. The beach was temporarily closed earlier for shark prevention net maintenance work.
     
         However, according to the Beach Water Quality Forecast System of the Environmental Protection Department (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/beach_quality/forecast_system.html), the Beach Water Quality Forecast Index for Big Wave Bay Beach is 4, which means the predicted water quality at this beach is “Very Poor” due to potential transient water quality fluctuations caused by heavy rain. The red flag has been hoisted, and beachgoers are advised not to enter the water to safeguard their health.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man sentenced for the murder of Abdul-Latif Pouget

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been jailed for life with a minimum of 24 years at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 22 July after stabbing a man to death and leaving him to die in the middle of a side street in Islington.

    Oguzcan Dereli, 26 (08.04.98) of Alexander Road, Islington, was found guilty at the same court of the murder of 20-year-old Abdul-Latif Pouget following a two-week trial that concluded on Friday, 18 July.

    The court heard that on Friday, 18 October 2024, Abdul had turned into a side street off Clerkenwell Road and parked his moped. Less than a minute later a blue Ford Focus estate pulled up alongside Abdul’s moped.

    Dereli calmly left the vehicle, inadvertently dropping his phone on the road, before approaching Abdul and launching a vicious assault, fatally stabbing him in the thigh, causing significant blood loss. Abdul collapsed on the pavement and Dereli walked back to his vehicle before driving away and leaving him to die.

    Kawsaw Pouget, Abdul’s mother, said:

    “Our beloved Abdul-Latif Pouget — known to us simply as Abs — had just turned 20, two months before the attack. His life was taken from us too early. He was young, intelligent and full of promise.

    “Though he cannot speak for himself at this hearing, we are here to honour him and speak in his name.

    “We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the emergency services, police, the hospital staff, the public who assisted him on that night and the local community who stood with us. You have been a ray of hope and support, and there are no words that can truly express our gratitude.”

    Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the Met’s investigation, said:

    “My thoughts and that of my team remain with Abdul’s family, a much loved brother, friend and neighbour.

    “A young man has tragically died in a senseless and brutal way. I can only hope that this sentence can go some way in providing a sense of justice to Abdul’s family.”

    On the day of Abdul’s death, police were called by the London Ambulance Service to Back Hill, Islington, at 21:36hrs, following reports of a moped colliding with a wall.

    Officers attended and while paramedics were treating Abdul they discovered a series of stab injuries. He was rushed to an east London hospital but despite the best efforts of the medical team he died three days later.

    An investigation was launched and detectives from the Met specialist crime team began gathering evidence.

    They reviewed hours of CCTV that captured the defendant drive the Ford Focus estate down Back Hill road, then approach and assault Abdul. In the footage it is clear that he was armed with a large machete.

    Details from the CCTV footage of the vehicle used in the incident proved that the car was registered to Dereli. However, when officers went to arrest him he was not at his home address.

    On the evening of Saturday, 19 October 2024, Dereli and his partner were spotted checking into a hotel on Old Street, Shoreditch.

    On Sunday, 20 October officers approached the hotel, arresting Dereli and later charging him with murder the following day.

    During the trial, Dereli said that he had the machete with him because it had been left in his car by a friend, and that he was planning to throw it in the canal when he saw Abdul.

    However, the jury did not believe this account, and he was found guilty.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Africa: United Arab Emirates (UAE) leaders congratulate Egyptian President on July 23 Revolution anniversary

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a congratulatory message to President Abdel-Fattah El Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt on July 23rd Revolution anniversary.

    His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, sent similar congratulatory messages to President El Sisi and to Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly.

    – on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) to hold its 20th Plenary Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) (https://SECAM.org) will convene for its 20th Plenary Assembly from July 30 to August 4, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda, under the theme: “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace.”

    The plenary will bring together over 250 participants, including Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Consecrated Men and Women, and Lay Leaders from across Africa and its islands, as well as partners from other continents.

    The Kigali Assembly will assess the progress made since the 19th Assembly, held in 2022 in Accra, Ghana, and chart a visionary course for the Church in Africa. Key agenda items include:

    • Presentation of SECAM’s long-term vision document for 2025–2050, built around 12 foundational pillars such as evangelization, family leadership, youth engagement, care for creation, digital mission, and political responsibility.
    • A pastoral reflection on accompanying Catholics in complex cultural realities, including polygamous unions.
    • Discussions on governance, justice, peace, interfaith dialogue, climate change, and safeguarding.

    The Assembly will also unveil the Triennial Strategic Plan (2025–2028) and initiate the renewal of SECAM’s leadership in line with its constitution.

    Rev. Fr. Rafael Simbine Junior                      
    Secretary General of SECAM                                                                                         

    Accra, Ghana

    – on behalf of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).

    For more information, please get in touch with the Secretary General of SECAM at the following contact:
    secamsg@yahoo.com
    Communications Coordinators on the following contacts:
    communications.secam@gmail.com
    +233541717984
    mutabazifide@gmail.com
    +250783 462125

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Reaffirms Commitment to Peaceful Dispute Resolution

    Source: Government of Qatar

    New York, July 23

    The State of Qatar foreign policy gives the highest priority to the peaceful settlement of disputes, particularly through mediation. This commitment is reflected in a track record of successful mediation efforts that have contributed to enhancing security and stability across various regions of the world, HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani stated.

    Delivering Qatar statement before the Security Council s high-level open debate on Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes at the UN Headquarters in New York, Her Excellency highlighted the tripartite summit held last March in Doha, during which HH the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani hosted HE the President of the Republic of Rwanda and HE the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    The summit contributed to creating favorable conditions for de-escalation, which led to the signing of the Declaration of Principles between representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and representatives of the Congo River Alliance/March 23 Movement, last Saturday in Doha. This declaration complements the peace agreement signed last month in Washington, D.C., between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda under the auspices of HE President of the United States of America Donald Trump, and supports the path toward a comprehensive peace agreement facilitated by the State of Qatar.

    On the situation in Afghanistan, Her Excellency reaffirmed that the State of Qatar will continue its mediation efforts to support the country in facing major challenges to achieving peace and stability. This includes hosting the UN-led Doha Process on Afghanistan, which aims to fully reintegrate Afghanistan into the international community.

    Addressing the situation in the Gaza Strip, Her Excellency stated that the outbreak of war in Gaza in 2023 posed a serious challenge to the international community. In line with its unwavering commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, the State of Qatar initiated intensive mediation efforts in cooperation with the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America. Despite the complexities, these efforts led to tangible outcomes, including a ceasefire agreement that improved humanitarian conditions and increased access to aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip, as well as the exchange of hundreds of prisoners and detainees. Mediation efforts are still ongoing to achieve a final ceasefire agreement that would bring an end to the war and its resulting humanitarian catastrophe.

    Her Excellency emphasized that Qatar has spared no effort in working with regional and international partners to prevent the further escalation and regional spread of the conflict, while consistently warning of the grave consequences of regional destabilization. Nevertheless, despite repeated international warnings, the Israeli military escalation has persisted, not only in Gaza but also targeting Lebanese, Syrian, and other territories in the region, leading to heightened tensions and threatening the stability of the entire region, culminating in a peak last June.

    She noted that the escalation on June 23 resulted in a direct missile attack on Qatari territory. However, Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted the missile, preserving the country s territorial integrity.

    Her Excellency further stated that Qatar was among the first countries to warn of the dangers of regional conflict escalation and the consequences of continued Israeli military actions. She reiterated Qatar s call for prioritizing diplomatic solutions, upholding the principles of good neighborliness, and exercising restraint over escalation. She also welcomed the ceasefire reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel, expressing hope that both parties would adhere to it and that it would serve as a foundation for meaningful dialogue and diplomacy, paving the way toward sustainable peace and stability.

    In conclusion, Her Excellency reiterated Qatar’s emphasis on the need for the Security Council to maintain its commitment to advancing peaceful processes and political solutions to avoid further human suffering and promote global stability. She called on the Council to assume its responsibilities in preventing conflicts and addressing violations of international law by enforcing its resolutions, ensuring respect for international norms, and ending impunity. 

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA hosts key TB vaccine workshop

    Source: Government of South Africa

    South Africa is making a significant move in its global response to Tuberculosis (TB) by hosting a pivotal TB Vaccine Preparedness Workshop. 

    This event is part of ongoing efforts to decrease the incidence and mortality of TB, under the ‘End TB Strategy,’ a global initiative established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) aimed at ending the TB epidemic by 2035.

    TB is a leading cause of death as an infectious disease and a major contributor to ill-health in South Africa and globally. 

    The Health Department said vaccination has proven to be one of the main effective and feasible ways to contain the spread of infectious diseases.

    “With several new TB vaccine candidates in the late stages of clinical trials, and the most promising expected to be available in the next few years, this workshop will position the country as one of the first to deliver a new generation of TB vaccines to the most vulnerable populations, including adolescents and adults.”

    According to the department, the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine remains the only licensed TB vaccine available, and it has been used to effectively prevent severe TB in infants and young children for over 100 years.

    The two-day meeting, starting today, 23 July 2025, brings together scientists, policymakers, academic experts, donor funders, health regulators, TB survivor advocates, and civil society leaders. 

    This gathering signals a new era of proactive planning and coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to expedite access to life-saving innovations that could significantly reduce TB deaths and infections.

    South Africa has one of the world’s highest TB burdens and has played a leading role in global TB vaccine development. 

    The workshop is being convened by the Department of Health and WHO, in collaboration with various stakeholders in the health sector. 

    The department said delegates will work toward developing a country-specific roadmap for TB vaccine introduction, including how to strengthen readiness across supply chains, financing, community engagement, health worker training, and policy frameworks.

    “This is the first national meeting of its kind focused exclusively on TB vaccine rollout preparedness. 

    “It signals South Africa’s intent to lead from the front in accelerating access to new health technologies,” the Health Department said. 

    Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, will deliver the keynote address at the workshop on Thursday, 24 July. 

    He will be joined by the WHO Representative to South Africa, Shenaaz El-Halabi, and other senior health officials. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Well done Banyana Banyana!  

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Wednesday, July 23, 2025

    The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has congratulated Banyana Banyana on their performance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

    “Well done Banyana Banyana! Mzansi is very proud of how far you’ve come,” said the department in a social media post on X.
    The team was beaten 1-2 by Nigeria in their semi-final match on Tuesday night.

    Played at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, the match according to the South African Football Association (SAFA) was marred by a serious injury to Gabriela Salgado in the 83rd minute.

    SAFA said the incident “visibly traumatised the Banyana Banyana players and the entire South African bench” and the “defending WAFCON champions never recovered after the incident.”

    SAFA President, Dr Danny Jordaan, wished Salgado a speedy recovery.

    “First of all, we would like to wish a speedy recovery to Gabriela Salgado. Banyana Banyana fought very well, and it was a brave performance from the WAFCON defending champions. You have established yourselves as one of the best teams on the continent. 

    “We fought bravely, and we are proud of your performance. Well done to the whole team, the team’s Head of Delegation Thabile Msomi, the coach Dr Desiree Ellis, the captain Refiloe Jane and all players. We are proud of your efforts,” said Dr Jordaan in the statement.

    The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations which began on 5 July is scheduled to conclude on 26 July 2025. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eskom clarifies dispute with Koeberg contractor

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Eskom has confirmed that the two contractual disputes with Koeberg Nuclear Power Station contractor, Framatome, are being addressed through an agreed resolution process.

    This after media reports that the French energy company had won a high court order instructing the power utility to pay some R1 billion to the company, following contractual issues.

    Framatome was contracted for the Steam Generator Replacement Project at the nuclear power station located in the Western Cape.

    “In accordance with the contract, disputes are first referred to adjudication and, if not resolved, to arbitration. 

    “Two disputes were adjudicated between December 2022 and February 2023. As Eskom was not satisfied with the adjudicator’s decisions, the two matters were escalated to arbitration as per the agreed process. The arbitration was held from June to July 2025, and a decision is expected in the last quarter of Eskom’s financial year.  

    “Recent media reports appear to have mixed separate legal processes. To clarify, no new payments are currently due, and all actions taken by Eskom have been in line with the applicable legal and contractual procedures,” the power utility said in a statement on Tuesday.

    Furthermore, Eskom said although it “disagreed with the adjudicator’s decisions” – it complied with the outcomes and made payments.

    “All payments had been made by March 2024 as part of standard contract processes – not as penalties or fines,” the electricity supplier said.

    Simultaneously, the power utility approached the courts.

    “Eskom approached the Cape High Court to have the adjudicator’s decisions set aside due to procedural irregularities (independent of the merits of the decisions). The court only delivered its judgment on 17 July 2025, over a year late. Eskom is currently reviewing the judgment to determine the appropriate next steps.

    “We encourage the public and media to trust the integrity of this process. Eskom is following the proper legal channels to resolve these matters responsibly, and we remain committed to transparency and accountability throughout.

    “Most importantly, despite these disputes, the core technical work, replacing the steam generators on Koeberg Unit 2, has been completed. This is a major milestone that contributes to the safe and extended operation of the power station, helping to ensure energy security for the country,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: eThekwini council approves strategy to improve solid waste management

    Source: Government of South Africa

    The eThekwini Municipality has approved the Cleansing and Solid Waste Turnaround Strategy during a special council meeting held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.

    The strategic plan has been developed in line with National Treasury’s Metro Trading Services Reform Framework.

    The new strategy, which was adopted on Monday, will see the transformation of the Waste Management Unit to a Cleansing and Solid Waste Business Directorate, establishing a single point of accountability.

    This change will enable the Executive Director of the Waste Management Directorate to have the necessary responsibility and authority to improve its services and ensure accountability.

    As per the requirements by National Treasury, the strategy is supported by two key documents, including Cleansing and Solid Waste Directorate’s Institutional and Governance Roadmap (A1) and Business and Investments Plan (A2), also forming part of the Metro Trading Services Reform to improve all aspects of the solid waste business.

    According to the report, the institutional reforms focus on improved management and governance, while the Business and Investment Plan focuses on the Waste Business Development Plan.

    The Directorate is also required to develop a Performance Improvement Action Plan (A3) which is due in April 2026.

    “The report states that this will be submitted in due course, as it is a pre-requisite for the Urban Settlements Development Grant, an incentive grant that will be provided during the 2026/27 financial year,” the council said.

    This marks the third major turnaround strategy adopted by the Council under the National Treasury’s Trading Services Reform to improve the performance of trading services, following similar approvals in the Water and Sanitation and Energy sectors.

    “Metros, including eThekwini Municipality, had to first develop a turnaround strategy outlining plans to address structural and investment gaps affecting trading services,” the council said. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NS&I Chair to step down

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    NS&I Chair to step down

    HM Treasury has confirmed today (23 July) that Lord Gerard Lemos CMG CBE will be stepping down from his role as Chair of the Board for National Savings and Investments (NS&I) with immediate effect.

    Lord Lemos has been a member of the House of Lords since January 2025. Prior to this, he was appointed to the NS&I Advisory Board as Chair from 1 April 2024 on a three-year term but will be stepping down with immediate effect to take up an appointment in the Whip’s Office within the House of Lords.  

    Non-Executive appointments to NS&I’s Board, including the Chair, are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The process to identify an Interim Chair will follow the Governance Code for Public Appointments and HM Treasury will seek to confirm the Interim Chair as soon as possible.

    Further information  

    NS&I is an arm’s length body of HM Treasury, responsible for raising cost-effective finance for the government through the retail savings market.  

    The role of NS&I’s Non-Executive Directors, including the Chair, is set out in the Framework Document agreed between HM Treasury and NS&I. The Chief Executive Officer remains responsible for the day-to-day operations of NS&I and ensuring that NS&I is run on the basis of the standards set out in Managing Public Money, including terms of governance, decision-making and financial management.  

    As the Minister responsible for NS&I, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury is responsible for determining the overall policy and performance framework within which NS&I operates. Further information can be found in the Framework Document.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Targets Prolific Fly-Tipper in Major Enforcement Operation

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Wednesday, 23rd July 2025

    Birmingham City Council successfully carried out a major enforcement operation to arrest a prolific fly-tipper who had been under investigation for the past six months.

    The individual was believed to be responsible for a significant number of illegal waste dumping incidents in the south of the city, causing environmental damage and blighting local communities.

    As part of the investigation, the Council seized one vehicle that had been used to transport and dump waste illegally and West Midlands Police seized three vehicles for road traffic offences. In connection with the case, one person has been arrested.

    Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our communities and a serious criminal offence. We will not tolerate individuals who think they can profit by dumping waste illegally and leaving the clean-up costs to taxpayers. This joint operation between the council’s waste enforcement team and WM Police sends a clear message – if you fly-tip in Birmingham, we will investigate, we will find you, and we will take action.

    “We are committed to protecting our neighbourhoods and the environment. Illegal dumping not only scars our streets and green spaces, but it also poses health risks and undermines the hard work of residents who take pride in their communities.

    “I want to thank our enforcement teams for their tireless efforts in tracking down offenders and bringing them to justice. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal — from receiving intelligence from the public to surveillance, vehicle seizures and prosecutions — to crack down on this behaviour. I am sure everyone is really pleased when we catch these criminals.”

    The Council urges residents to remain vigilant and continue reporting any suspected fly-tipping or unlicensed waste carriers. Anyone with any information on cases of fly-tipping is urged to contact www.birmingham.gov.uk/flytipping.

    The Council continues to work closely with West Midlands Police and other partners to investigate and prosecute fly-tipping offences wherever possible.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Assembly wants blue light decision reversed

    Source: Mayor of London

    Permitting Transport for London (TfL) Emergency Response Unit (ERU) vehicles to use blue lights when responding to emergencies was one of the key recommendations of the London Assembly 7/7 Review Committee’s 2006 report on the response to the tube and bus bombings. The report highlighted the ERU’s vital role in the response, and the benefits of blue lights for their rapid deployment in emergencies.1

    A recent media report revealed that the blue light capability, introduced in 2012, was revoked last year following a review.2

    Today, the London Assembly Transport Committee has urged TfL and BTP to allow ERU vehicles to continue using blue lights.

    Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, Elly Baker AM, said:

    “TfL’s ERU has an important role in London’s emergency preparedness, and its vehicles need blue light status to support the safety and resilience of our transport network.

    “Londoners have been left in the dark about why this decision was taken and what evidence there is to support it.

    “The Committee wants this decision reversed – and urges those behind it to provide the evidence that led to them revoking a vital part of the ERU’s emergency response capability.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI: Aurora Mobile Explores Strategic Opportunities in Real World Asset (RWA) Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, China, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recent reports have indicated that Aurora Mobile Limited (NASDAQ: JG) (“Aurora Mobile” or the “Company”), a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China, has been approached by various parties seeking to collaborate in exploring opportunities in the Real World Asset (RWA) markets, both in China and globally.

    In response, Mr. Weidong Luo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aurora Mobile, commented, “There are many different aspects of our current products and services that I believe can help all parties grow and prosper in the RWA markets. We are actively exploring opportunities in this space and have been engaging in meaningful discussions with institutions that have expressed strong interest.”

    As a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China, Aurora Mobile sees great potential for synergy with RWA development through its core business segments: data services, marketing cloud services, and customer engagement solutions. Specific opportunities include:

    • Integrating Data Services with RWA:
      Aurora Mobile has amassed an extensive data asset base, having served 1.78 million apps with more than 1.4 billion monthly active devices. This data can be combined with RWA projects to provide critical support in assessing underlying asset value and risk. For example, in real estate RWA projects, Aurora Mobile can provide data on surrounding population density and consumer purchasing power to aid investor decision-making. Similarly, for renewable energy RWA initiatives, Aurora Mobile can offer user behavior insights to optimize asset operation strategies. The Company’s data strength can also support asset valuation and pricing of RWA projects by establishing more accurate data-driven models.
    • Marketing Cloud Services Empower RWA Promotion:
      Aurora Mobile’s marketing cloud solutions help businesses achieve multi-channel customer reach. For RWA projects, its robust marketing channels can be used to promote RWA products to a wider base of investors. For instance, Aurora Mobile can deliver project updates and investment opportunities to potential investors via SMS, Email, and other channels. This enhances visibility and recognition, ultimately boosting RWA asset sales and liquidity.
    • Customer Engagement to Support RWA:
      Aurora Mobile is committed to helping enterprises build strong relationships with customers by enhancing investor service experiences. Aurora Mobile can facilitate timely responses to investor inquiries, handle complaints, and strengthen investor trust and satisfaction in RWA projects. In addition, investor feedback gathered through these interactions can offer valuable insights for RWA project refinement and optimization.
    • AI-Driven Collaboration Opportunities:
      Aurora Mobile has made strategic advancements in AI, such as integrating with GPTBots.ai, the Company’s AI agent platform. AI technology is also essential in the RWA space, particularly for asset pricing optimization and risk forecasting. Leveraging its AI technology capabilities, Aurora Mobile can collaborate with RWA stakeholders to develop AI-powered applications, improving the intelligence and efficiency of RWA project management.
    • Cross-Border Business Synergies with RWA:
      Aurora Mobile provides customer engagement and marketing technology applications for Chinese companies that are expanding overseas. As a result, the Company has accumulated extensive experience in cross-border business. As RWAs enable the global trading of assets, Aurora Mobile can leverage its cross-border service capabilities to support RWA projects across borders. This includes helping promote and operate such projects in different regions and assisting with issues such as cross-border payments and investor communications.

    With its proven technological capabilities and deep market experience, Aurora Mobile is well positioned to contribute to the growth and innovation of the RWA ecosystem and looks forward to exploring further collaboration opportunities with partners in this space.

    About Aurora Mobile Limited

    Founded in 2011, Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) is a leading provider of customer engagement and marketing technology services in China. Since its inception, Aurora Mobile has focused on providing stable and efficient messaging services to enterprises and has grown to be a leading mobile messaging service provider with its first-mover advantage. With the increasing demand for customer reach and marketing growth, Aurora Mobile has developed forward-looking solutions such as Cloud Messaging and Cloud Marketing to help enterprises achieve omnichannel customer reach and interaction, as well as artificial intelligence and big data-driven marketing technology solutions to help enterprises’ digital transformation.

    For more information, please visit https://ir.jiguang.cn/.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the Business Outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Aurora Mobile’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Aurora Mobile may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Aurora Mobile’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Aurora Mobile’s strategies; Aurora Mobile’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Aurora Mobile’s ability to attract and retain customers; its ability to develop and effectively market data solutions, and penetrate the existing market for developer services; its ability to transition to the new advertising-driven SAAS business model; its ability to maintain or enhance its brand; the competition with current or future competitors; its ability to continue to gain access to mobile data in the future; the laws and regulations relating to data privacy and protection; general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Aurora Mobile undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

    For more information, please contact:

    Aurora Mobile Limited
    E-mail: ir@jiguang.cn

    Christensen

    In China
    Ms. Xiaoyan Su
    Phone: +86-10-5900-1548
    E-mail: Xiaoyan.Su@christensencomms.com

    In US
    Ms. Linda Bergkamp
    Phone: +1-480-614-3004
    Email: linda.bergkamp@christensencomms.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Aerospike Opens Champions of Scale Nominations Worldwide

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aerospike, Inc., today opened nominations for its first-ever Champions of Scale awards.

    Champions of Scale celebrates CTOs, CIOs, data architecture VPs and directors, or any other technology innovators who’ve built massive and efficient internet-scale data infrastructure that powers outstanding customer and user experiences. The program will showcase their personal and technical journeys in their industry, regardless of the underlying technology stack.

    “Today’s IT leaders are expected to rapidly deploy and scale-up applications while still controlling costs and promising lightning-fast and predictable performance – even during the most unpredictable times,” said Subbu Iyer, CEO, Aerospike. “Champions of Scale celebrates the technology heroes who’ve forged new ground, delivered growth, and solved previously impossible or impractical data challenges in ML, generative and agentic AI, and other operations.”

    Industry Luminaries to Judge Applications

    A panel of industry luminaries in AI, ML, data science, and the large-scale, mission-critical data architectures behind some of the world’s most successful companies will judge Champions of Scale applications. The panel will also include two Aerospike executives:

    • Srini V Srinivasan, Ph.D., founder and CTO of Aerospike. Recognized as one of the database pioneers in Silicon Valley at companies like Oracle and Yahoo!, Srini has spent decades designing, deploying, and operating high-scale infrastructure.
    • Srinivasan (Sesh) Seshadri, Ph.D., chief evangelist of Aerospike. Sesh has spent decades building and operating business-critical infrastructure as the former vice president of data and discovery at Target, CTO of Yahoo!, and director of engineering at Google.

    Additional criteria and conditions apply.

    About Aerospike

    Aerospike is the real-time database for mission-critical use cases and workloads, including machine learning and generative and agentic AI. Aerospike powers millions of transactions per second with millisecond latency, at a fraction of the cost of other databases. Global leaders, including Adobe, Airtel, Barclays, Criteo, DBS Bank, Experian, Grab, HDFC Bank, PayPal, Sony Interactive Entertainment, The Trade Desk, and Wayfair, rely on Aerospike for customer 360, fraud detection, real-time bidding, profile stores, recommendation engines, and other use cases. Try Aerospike for free.

    Contact:
    Bryan Scanlon
    Look Left Marketing
    aerospike@lookleftmarketing.com

    The MIL Network