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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Powerful water ombudsman to support customers with complaints

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Powerful water ombudsman to support customers with complaints

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed to establish consumer champion with legal powers as part of ‘root and branch’ reform

    Water customers will have more support than ever before when faced with leaking pipes, incorrect bills or water supply issues, Environment Secretary Steve Reed has announced today (Monday 21 July)

    It comes as the government is set to reestablish partnership between water companies, investors and communities to keep our waters clean.

    The government will create a water ombudsman with legal powers to protect customers in disputes with their water company. Customers will be able to use a single, free point of contact.  

    It will build on the Consumer Council for Water’s role, which is currently voluntary for water companies to follow. The changes will bring dispute resolution processes for water in line with other utilities – like energy – and are part of the government’s actions to put customers at the heart of water regulation.

    Steve Reed is expected to announce ‘root and branch’ reforms on Monday to
    clean up rivers, lakes and seas and make the water sector one of growth and opportunity that serves hard-working families and businesses, as part of our Plan for Change.

    He is expected to make assurances that government action will protect hardworking families from massive water bill hikes in future.

    In a speech following the report’s publication, Environment Secretary Steve Reed is expected to say:

    The water industry is broken. Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels of sewage. Water pipes have been left to crumble into disrepair. Soaring water bills are straining family finances.

    Today’s final report from Sir Jon Cunliffe’s Independent Water Commission offers solutions to fix our broken regulatory system so the failures of the past can never happen again. 

    The government will introduce root and branch reform in the biggest overhaul of water regulation in a generation.

    We are establishing a new partnership where water companies, investors, communities and the government will work together to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

    The Secretary of State has pledged that the government will cut sewage pollution in half within five years, making our rivers the cleanest since records began.

    The government has already taken decisive action to clean up England’s waterways. 

    • Record investment: with £104 billion to upgrade crumbling pipes and build sewage treatment works across the country. 
    • Ringfence customers’ bills for upgrades: customer bills earmarked for investment must now be spent on new sewage pipes and treatment works – not spent on shareholder payments or bonuses. 
    • Reinvesting company fines into local projects: with over £100million being invested into local clean-up projects in communities. 
    • Largest budget for water regulation: the Environment Agency received a record £189 million to fund hundreds of enforcement officers to inspect and prosecute polluting water companies.
    • Polluter Pays: companies will now cover the cost of prosecutions and successful investigations into pollution incidents, enabling the regulator to hire more staff and pursue further enforcement activity. 
    • Banning wet wipes containing plastic in England: introducing legislation to reduce microplastics in our waters.
    • The Water (Special Measures) Act: banned unfair bonuses for ten polluting water bosses this year and threatened prison sentences for law-breaking executives.

    We will work with the Welsh government to ensure reforms protect water customers across both England and Wales.

    Notes to editors: 

     Last October, the Environment Secretary asked the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Jon Cunliffe, to undertake the biggest review of the water sector since privatisation. The final report will be published on Monday 21 July. 

    An ombudsman to champion customers    

    • The current system for dealing with complaints lacks any teeth and too often leaves customers with nowhere to go. With no binding consumer watchdog, customers risk being left stranded.  

    • Water customers shouldn’t have to figure out who to contact and how to contact them if something has gone wrong – they should know exactly where to turn and be confident their problem will be listened to and resolved. 

    • The new measures will establish a new level playing field between customers and companies. This builds on our reforms to double automatic payments when water companies fail to deliver adequate standards of service and place customers at the heart of water company purpose.    

    • Following the Independent Water Commission’s final report, we will look at the CCW’s role as part of a reformed regulator. We’re clear there will be no additional ALB’s as part of our productive and agile state agenda.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Beatty’s Statement on Republican Package Clawing Back Public Media & Global Assistance Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Tonight, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) issued the following statement after voting NO on the House-passed Republican rescissions package, which claws back billions in funding already approved by Congress for programs that help keep Americans safe at home and abroad.

    “Just weeks after Republicans shoveled trillions in tax breaks to billionaires, their unnecessary clawback of approved funding once again shows that Trump and House Republicans will always put their wealthy donors first and everyday Americans last.

    This reckless measure doesn’t make government more efficient or meaningfully reduce the deficit. It hurts Ohio families. It slashes funding for local public broadcasting, which Central Ohio families rely on for resources like PBS Kids programming, classroom resources, coverage of local news and high school sports, and emergency alerts that keep our communities safe. More than $13 million in annual federal funding supports these crucial services in Ohio alone, and losing this funding could force stations to scale back or shut down completely.

    Globally, the Republican clawback guts billions from programs that provide clean water and health care to millions and basic education to tens of millions of children in developing nations. Republicans are rubber-stamping President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless DOGE demands, undermining American leadership and security abroad.

    House Democrats will keep working to meaningfully improve the lives of the American people.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: From Selma to Central Ohio: Beatty Reflects on John Lewis and the Ongoing Fight for the Vote

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) joined members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in a Special Order Hour on the House floor to honor the legacy of the late Congressman John Lewis on the fifth anniversary of his passing this upcoming Thursday.

    In her remarks, Congresswoman Beatty reflected on her close working relationship with Congressman Lewis during their time together in the U.S. House of Representatives. She recalled the profound honor of crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge with him to commemorate Bloody Sunday and traveling with him throughout Central Ohio to defend and promote the Voting Rights Act.

    The Congresswoman also renewed her call for Congress to protect and expand access to the ballot by passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

    “After the Supreme Court’s Shelby County v. Holder decision, we saw nearly 100 new laws emerge—closing polling places, cutting early voting, banning drop boxes, and changing ID rules. These efforts have fueled a growing racial turnout gap, and Black voters are left paying the price. That isn’t policy—it’s persecution,” said Congresswoman Beatty.

    “As John Lewis knew, Black voices are feared and fought precisely because they hold the power to transform this nation for the better. On this day, we honor his legacy not only with words, but with action—by advocating for voting rights as a guiding force for our shared future. That means passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to end these discriminatory practices and make it easier for everyone to vote.”

    In her floor speech, Beatty concluded:
    “John Lewis didn’t just talk about democracy—he lived it. He led with conviction and clarity, and his legacy demands that we act to protect the freedom he marched, bled, and fought for.”

    Watch Congresswoman Beatty’s full floor speech HERE.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Beatty Joins Bicameral Letter Opposing Cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty joined a letter led by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and 45 Members of Congress to President Trump urging him to reconsider his decision to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB supports America’s children with educational programming and ensures that emergency broadcasting keeps Americans safe amid natural disasters and emergencies. The proposed rescission to the CPB will force small stations around the country to close, leaving significant gaps in coverage for Americans who rely on these vital services for noncommercial, high-quality, localized content and telecommunications. 

     

    The letter comes amid Congressional Republicans’ attempt to pass President Trump’s proposal to rescind $10 billion in federal funding that Congress approved four months ago on a bipartisan basis. Despite bipartisan opposition to the bill, the U.S. Senate voted to move forward to debating and amending the legislation on Wednesday by the slimmest possible margin following a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance. 

     

    “We write to express our deep concern regarding the $1.1 billion claw back of funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) included in the proposed recissions you sent to Congress on May 28, 2025,” said the lawmakers in their letter to the White House. “The package was passed through the House of Representatives on June 12, over the objections of all Democratic and four Republican Members. The cuts to CPB in the recission package undermine the public media that Americans rely on for unfettered access to information, educational programming for kids, cultural programming, and nationwide emergency alerting.

     

    “Public media has received bipartisan support for the past 50 years because Congress has continuously recognized that access to public media is in the public’s best interest. The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) is the backbone of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Amber Alerts and plays a critical role in keeping Americans informed and safe during emergencies. As key local news providers, public radio stations leverage their reporting resources to offer live news and information on disasters and other emergencies, providing real-time information on where local audiences can access resources and safe locations.

     “Of the $1.1 billion included in the rescission proposal, 70% of these funds will be pulled out of local stations that are independently owned and operated in our communities. For many smaller stations in rural communities across the country, these cuts will prove utterly devastating, because they provide local, state, and regional news that is no longer provided through other outlets. These small stations will not survive, resulting in news deserts for these communities and putting thousands of American lives at risk.

    “We ask your administration to withdraw this rescission proposal and protect the vital services that CPB provides. If the rescissions go ahead as planned, we will be requesting a report to Congress as to how your administration plans to fill the void left behind, particularly in the areas of emergency alerting and local news reporting.”

    The letter is co-signed by Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)and 45 Democratic Representatives: Representatives Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Ami Bera (D-CA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Shontel Brown (D-OH), André Carson (D-IN), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Danny Davis (D-IL), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Laura Friedman (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), William Keating (D-MA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), James McGovern (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Dave Min (D-CA), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Emily Randall (D-WA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Nikema Williams (D-GA).

     

    Click here to read the letter.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Rescue Operation – Larapinta Trail

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    A female hiker has been rescued from the Larapinta Trail after the Northern Territory Police Force (NTPF) received notification of an emergency beacon activation yesterday evening.

    Around 7:45pm, police were notified by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) that an emergency beacon had been activated between Hugh Gorge and Serpentine Gorge on the Larapinta Trail.

    The NTPF’s Search and Rescue Section (SRS) coordinated the response and deployed police members to the location alongside St John Ambulance (SJA) personnel.

    The hiker was located at 1:30am this morning by police. She was assessed by SJA paramedics and conveyed back Alice Springs.

    SRS Senior Sergeant Paul Wood said, “This is another rescue in Central Australia that was greatly assisted by the hiker travelling with an emergency beacon.

    “For those considering hiking the Larapinta Trail, or undertaking any similar adventure in the Territory, please travel with enough food and water, ensure someone knows your itinerary, and carry an EPIRB, PLB or satellite communication device with you like this hiker did.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: IDEX Biometrics ASA – Contemplated Fully Underwritten Private Placement – 21 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN.

    Oslo, Norway, 21 July 2025

    IDEX Biometrics ASA (“IDEX” or the “Company”) has engaged Arctic Securities AS (the “Manager”) to advise on and effect a contemplated private placement in the Company of 9,090,909 new shares in the Company (the “Offer Shares”) raising gross proceeds of NOK 30 million (the “Private Placement”). The subscription price per Offer Share (the “Offer Price”) is NOK 3.30 per Offer Share.

    Altea AS, Pinchcliffe AS (closely associated company of the CEO and CFO, Anders Storbråten), Anders Storbråten, Charles Street International Ltd. (Robert Keith) and K-Konsult AS (closely associated company of the chairperson of the board of directors, Morten Opstad) (the “Underwriters”) have, subject to customary conditions, accepted to be allocated Offer Shares that are not applied for during the Application Period (as defined herein) for up to NOK 30,000,000 pursuant to an underwriting agreement entered into with the Company (the “UWA“). An underwriting fee equal to 5% of the underwriting commitment by each Underwriter will be payable by the Company to each of the Underwriters in the form of a total of 454,542 new shares in the Company (the “Underwriting Shares“), subject to the approval and issuance of the Underwriting Shares by the EGM (as defined herein).

    The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to Company’s commercialization efforts in line with the new business strategy announced in March 2025 as well as for general corporate purposes.

    The application period for the Private Placement will commence today, 21 July 2025 at 09:00 CEST and is expected to close no later than 21 July 2025 at 16:30 CEST (the “Application Period”). The Company, in consultation with the Manager, reserves the right to at any time and in its sole discretion resolve to close or extend the Application Period or to cancel the Private Placement in its entirety without further notice. If the Application Period is shortened or extended, any other dates referred to herein may be amended accordingly.

    The final number of Offer Shares will be determined at the end of the Application Period, and the final allocation will be made at the sole discretion of the Board after consulting with the Manager. The allocation will be based on criteria such as (but not limited to) timeliness of the application, relative order size, sector knowledge, investment history, perceived investor quality and investment horizon. The Board may, at its sole discretion, reject and/or reduce any applications. There is no guarantee that any applicant will be allocated Offer Shares. Notification of allotment and payment instructions is expected to be issued to the applicants on or about 22 July 2025 through a notification to be issued by the Manager.

    The Private Placement will be divided into two tranches: Tranche 1 (“Tranche 1”) will consist of up to 4,731,594 Offer Shares, which may be issues based on the current outstanding authorization to issue new shares given to the Company’s board of directors (“Board”) by the annual general meeting on 21 May 2025 (the “Authorization”) and Tranche 2 (“Tranche 2”) will consist of the number of Offer Shares that, together with the Tranche 1 shares, is necessary in order to raise gross proceeds of NOK 30 million. The issuance of Offer Shares in Tranche 2 remains subject to approval by an extraordinary general meeting, scheduled to be held on or about 14 August 2025 (the “EGM”). Applicants will receive a pro rata portion of shares from Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 based on their overall allocation in the Private Placement, with the exception of the Underwriters which has agreed that the new shares it is allocated in the Private Placement will all be allocated in Tranche 2.

    Tranche 1 will be settled with existing and unencumbered shares in the Company that are already listed on Oslo Børs, pursuant to a share lending agreement entered into between the Company, the Manager and an existing shareholder (the “Share Lending Agreement”). The Share Lending Agreement will be settled with new shares in the Company to be resolved issued by the Board pursuant to the Authorization. Settlement of the Private Placement is expected to take place on a delivery versus payment basis on or about 24 July 2025.

    The completion of Tranche 1 is subject to (i) approval by the Board under the Authorization and (ii) the Share Lending Agreement and the UWAs remaining in full force and effect (”Tranche 1 Conditions”). The completion of Tranche 2 is subject to (i) completion of Tranche 1, (ii) approval by the EGM and (iii) the Share Lending Agreement and the UWA remaining in full force and effect (”Tranche 2 Conditions”). Both the Tranche 1 Conditions and the Tranche 2 Conditions include the share capital increase pertaining to the issuance of the allocated Offer Shares under such tranche being validly registered with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises and the allocated Offer Shares being validly issued and registered in the Norwegian Central Securities Depository Euronext Securities Oslo (“VPS”), Completion of Tranche 1 is not conditional upon completion of Tranche 2, and acquisition of shares in Tranche 1 will remain final and binding and cannot be revoked or terminated by the respective applicants if Tranche 2 is not completed. The Board reserves the right to cancel, and/or modify the terms of the Private Placement, at any time and for any reason prior to delivery of the Offer Shares in Tranche 1, without or on short notice. The Applicant acknowledges that Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 of the Private Placement will be cancelled if the relevant conditions for such tranches (or issuance) are not fulfilled, and may be cancelled by the Board in its sole discretion for any other reason whatsoever prior to delivery of the Offer Shares in Tranche 1. Neither the Manager nor the Company will be liable for any losses if the Private Placement is cancelled or modified, irrespective of the reason for such cancellation or modification.

    The Private Placement will be directed towards Norwegian and international investors, subject to applicable exemptions from relevant registration, filing and prospectus requirements, and subject to other applicable selling restrictions. The minimum application and allocation amount has been set to the NOK equivalent of EUR 100,000. The Company may however, at its sole discretion, allocate amounts below EUR 100,000 to the extent exemptions from the prospectus requirements in accordance with applicable regulations, including the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and ancillary regulations, are available.

    The Board has considered the contemplated Private Placement in light of the equal treatment obligations under the Norwegian Securities Trading Act and Oslo Børs’ Circular no. 2/2014 and deems that the proposed Private Placement would be in compliance with these requirements. The Board holds the view that it will be in the common interest of the Company and its shareholders to raise equity through a private placement, in view of the current market conditions and the growth opportunities currently available to the Company. A private placement enables the Company to raise capital in an efficient manner, and the Private Placement is structured to ensure that a market-based subscription price is achieved. In order to limit the dilutive effect of the Private Placement and to facilitate equal treatment, the Board will consider carrying out a subsequent offering directed towards shareholders who did not participate in the Private Placement (see details below).

    The Subsequent Offering
    Subject to among other things (i) completion of the Private Placement, (ii) relevant corporate resolutions including approval by the Board and an extraordinary general meeting, (iii) the prevailing market price of IDEX’s shares being higher than the Offer Price, and (iv) approval of a prospectus by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority, IDEX will consider whether to carry out a subsequent offering (the “Subsequent Offering”) of new shares in the Company. A Subsequent Offering will, if made, be directed towards existing shareholders in the Company as of 21 July 2025, as registered in IDEX’s register of shareholders with Euronext Securities Oslo, the central securities depositary in Norway (Nw. Verdipapirsentralen) (the “VPS”) two trading days thereafter, who (i) are not allocated Offer Shares in the Private Placement, and (ii) are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful or would (other than Norway) require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action (the “Eligible Shareholders”). The Eligible Shareholders are expected to be granted non-tradable allocation rights. If carried out, the subscription period in a Subsequent Offering is expected to commence shortly after publication of the Prospectus (if relevant), and the subscription price in the Subsequent Offering will be the same as the Offer Price in the Private Placement. IDEX will issue a separate stock exchange notice with further details on the Subsequent Offering if and when finally resolved.

    About IDEX Biometrics ASA
    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.

    This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to MAR article 17 and section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange release was published by Kjell-Arne Besseberg, Chief Operating Officer, on 21 July 2025 at 07.30 CEST.

    Important information:
    This announcement is not and does not form a part of any offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities of the Company. The distribution of this announcement and other information may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful or would require registration or other measures. Persons into whose possession this announcement or such other information should come are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

    The securities referred to in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and accordingly may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in accordance with applicable U.S. state securities laws. The Company does not intend to register any part of the offering or its securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States. Any sale in the United States of the securities mentioned in this announcement will be made solely to “qualified institutional buyers” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

    In any EEA Member State, this communication is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of the EU Prospectus Regulation, i.e., only to investors who can receive the offer without an approved prospectus in such EEA Member State. The expression “EU Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation 2017/1129 as amended together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State.

    This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at persons in the United Kingdom that are (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom this announcement may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only for relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Persons distributing this communication must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so.

    Matters discussed in this announcement may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “strategy”, “intends”, “estimate”, “will”, “may”, “continue”, “should” and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control.

    Actual events may differ significantly from any anticipated development due to a number of factors, including without limitation, changes in investment levels and need for the Company’s services, changes in the general economic, political and market conditions in the markets in which the Company operate, the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel, changes in the Company’s ability to engage in commercially acceptable acquisitions and strategic investments, and changes in laws and regulation and the potential impact of legal proceedings and actions. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not provide any guarantees that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this announcement are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this announcement or any obligation to update or revise the statements in this announcement to reflect subsequent events. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this document.

    The information, opinions and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review, update, confirm, or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise in relation to the content of this announcement.

    Neither the Manager nor any of their affiliates make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of this announcement and none of them accepts any responsibility for the contents of this announcement or any matters referred to herein.

    This announcement is for information purposes only and is not to be relied upon in substitution for the exercise of independent judgment. It is not intended as investment advice and under no circumstances is it to be used or considered as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities in the Company. Neither the Manager nor any of their affiliates accept any liability arising from the use of this announcement. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: IDEX Biometrics ASA – Business Update – 21 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IDEX is executing well on the strategy announced in March 2025 and outlined in the Company’s presentation held on 21 May 2025- IDEX-presentation-20250521.pdf. The Company’s strategy is to become the world’s leading biometric ID company, with a world class product portfolio in both ID & Access and Pay. IDEX has set out clear priorities, a disciplined capital allocation, and a sharp focus on building long-term value.  

    IDEX has delivered multiple test cards as part of signing letters of intent with customers and partners; the purpose of which being to enter into distribution and purchase agreements subject to successful trials of these test cards. Testing is currently taking place. The Company believes that these sample cards will demonstrate the advantages that IDEX technology has over competitors in the field. The feedback to date is positive and IDEX expects to have further news shortly. 

    Meanwhile, IDEX remains focused on cutting costs and accelerate time to market with its new product portfolio, both within ID & Access and Pay. Further software supporting security is underway and a further improved product line is expected to launch in Q3 2025.

    Having experienced a disappointing and prolonged time to market within Pay, IDEX is pleased to announce that momentum appears to have picked up somewhat: On 5 July 2025, IDEX launched together with Mastercard and EBL the world´s first biometric metal card in Bangladesh. The business activity post launch has been very positive, and IDEX expects further launches to happen in H2 2025. 

    In July 2025, the Company executed a share issue towards employees and board members, further strengthening the commitment to IDEX success.

    IDEX Biometrics’ reports and presentations are available on our website: www.idexbiometrics.com/investors

    For further information, please contact:

    Anders Storbråten, CEO and CFO, Tel: +47 416 38 582

    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 notice was issued by Kjell-Arne Besseberg, COO, on 21 July 2025 at 07:30 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: KGNCLOUD Unlocks Zero-Threshold Gold Mining Opportunities in a New Era of Cryptocurrency Profitability

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the wake of global regulatory shifts and a fresh surge in Bitcoin’s valuation, the world of cryptocurrency mining is witnessing a remarkable transformation. Today, KGNCLOUD, one of the fastest-growing names in cloud mining, officially launches its Global Cloud Mining Wealth Guide, an investor-focused initiative designed to empower individuals to tap into the booming cryptocurrency economy through low-barrier, AI-assisted cloud mining.

    This comprehensive framework outlines how ordinary users—without hardware, technical skills, or significant capital—can now participate in a fully legal, clean-energy mining infrastructure. With real-time daily payouts, zero maintenance burden, and automated strategies, KGNCLOUD signals a new era in crypto wealth creation.

    “We believe cloud mining shouldn’t be gated behind technical complexity or massive investment,” said Victor Norrell, CEO of KGNCLOUD. “With regulatory tailwinds and AI technology finally aligning, we’re enabling anyone to plug into real mining rewards with confidence and speed.”

    Profitability Without Complexity: Cloud Mining for All

    KGNCLOUD has designed a diversified set of cloud mining contracts, covering everything from beginner to professional tiers:

    Contract type Investment amount Cycle (days) Expected income
    Free experience $100 1 $100+$1
    Classic computing power (primary) $500 4 $500+$100
    Classic computing power (advanced) $1200 5 $1200+$240
    Smart miner $2800 6 $2800+$660
    Innovative mining machine $5580 7 $5580+$2506

    A user who rented 1030 TH/s computing power reportedly generated $1,750 in daily earnings, highlighting the platform’s competitive edge.

    Global Reach Meets Inclusive Access

    In keeping with its “zero-threshold” vision, KGNCLOUD extends the following benefits:

    • $100 Free Trial: New users receive an instant credit to test real mining scenarios—risk-free.
    • No Hardware or Power Costs: KGNCLOUD handles infrastructure, cooling, and uptime—users simply earn.
    • Multi-Currency Support: Withdraw in any of 11 currencies, including USDT, BTC, ETH—funds settle in under 5 minutes.

    This accessibility model has already attracted tens of thousands of new participants from regions across Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America—ushering in an era of truly global mining democratisation.

    How to Get Started:-

    KGNCLOUD has simplified the entry process into three clear steps:

    1. Register at KGNCLOUD and receive $100 trial mining credit.
    2. Choose a Contract that fits your budget and time horizon.
    3. Earn Daily Rewards, track your dashboard, and withdraw when desired.

    With favourable regulations, superior green infrastructure, and scalable mining plans now available, KGNCLOUD’s Global Wealth Guide signals a turning point for mainstream crypto participation.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How are Australians adapting to climate change? Here are 729 ways

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tia Brullo, Research Fellow in Climate Change Adaptation, The University of Melbourne

    Australia’s climate is changing. To avoid catastrophic disruptions from successive supercharged disasters, society must adapt. But change takes time and it’s not always clear how much progress we’re making.

    We wanted to find out what Australia’s governments, industries and local groups are doing to adapt to climate change. Our work culminated in the Australian Adaptation Database, which captures more than 700 initiatives so far.

    Standout examples from this first national stocktake include Ramblers Reef in Victoria – an artificial reef of rocks and shells 500 metres offshore that has helped reduce coastal erosion. In Adelaide, urban cooling and greening projects are transforming the city and suburbs across 17 councils .

    Our project shows climate adaptation is happening in Australia, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. The more society can do now to prepare for change, the better off we’ll be in the long run.

    Urban greening is helping to cool the city of Adelaide.
    Ozitraveler, Shutterstock

    What does climate change adaptation in Australia look like?

    Australia is lagging behind many other nations when it comes to managing climate action. The federal government is yet to release its first national adaptation plan, while other countries are up to their third or fourth versions.

    Why track Australia’s progress in climate adaptation? First, it enables progress to be reported efficiently to governments and international bodies such as the United Nations.

    The database also helps people share knowledge. Anyone striving to improve their resilience to climate change can look to the database for ideas and inspiration.

    The data was mainly gathered from conversations we had with people in state and territory government departments, local government associations, not-for-profit organisations and private companies across Australia.

    On Wednesday, we will present the database at the opening of the national Climate Adaptation 2025 conference in Perth.

    The project shows the vast range of ways Australians are preparing for a warmer world. Examples include:

    Anyone can explore and search the database. It’s not an exhaustive record of all climate adaptation in Australia, but provides more detail than ever before. It’s constantly being updated as new examples are added.

    But the database is only as good as the information we feed into it, so we need everyone to contribute. All you need to do is hit the “submit an entry” button on the homepage to get started.

    Artificial reefs such as Ramblers Reef help slow erosion (ABC News)

    The role of government: local, state and federal

    Much work to date in climate adaptation has involved laying the foundations for practical actions.

    For example, South Australia’s Climate Ready Coasts program aims to improve planning for coastal hazards. This joint effort between state and local governments make sense, given both have a role to play, and it helps ensure adaptation actions are efficient and coordinated.

    At the federal level, the Australian government has focused on funding for national disasters such as the Future Drought Fund. Another example, the Infrastructure Betterment Fund, involves making roads, rail, bridges and other infrastructure more resilient to climate change.

    Australia is yet to release its first National Adaptation Plan. This document is expected to clarify the federal role in climate adaptation.

    The private sector

    The private sector is beginning to adapt to climate change. Examples include:

    Knowledge sharing and capacity building

    We also found extensive efforts to communicate and share information about adapting to change.

    Such activities include knowledge building for organisations and communities through workshops, training sessions and simulation games.

    Examples include Western Australia’s “being waterwise in the home” tips, and Hobart’s Sparking Conversations, Igniting Action Program for bushfire preparedness. These activities help lay the groundwork for practical action.

    Change is hard, but Australia is finally making some progress in climate adaptation.
    Markus Spiske, Unsplash., CC BY

    What’s next?

    Our research shows the policy and governance mechanisms to drive adaptation are largely in place. The knowledge and networks to support meaningful action are gradually being developed.

    But the next “heavy lifting” phase – putting plans into action – is yet to begin in earnest.

    There’s a clear need to channel funding to those best placed to deliver frontline projects and programs, especially local governments and community organisations.

    The Australian Local Government Association is calling for a A$400 million climate adaptation fund to support Australian councils to deliver place-based adaptation actions.

    Last year, the Australian Council of Social Services called for a $2 billion investment in a national housing retrofit program to make Australia’s 670,000 low-income houses cooler in summer to reduce illness and death from extreme temperatures. Neither of these calls has been answered.

    Let’s get moving

    This research is part of a three-year project exploring how to encourage and promote best practice in adapting to climate change across Australia.

    The next step is to measure progress around climate adaptation, which is difficult and rarely done – even though it’s required under the Paris Agreement.

    The good news is Australia has made a start, but there is much more to do to ensure the wellbeing of our country through a changing climate.

    Tia Brullo receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1

    Elissa Waters receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1 and Australian Climate Service.

    Jon Barnett receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1

    Sarah Boulter receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.

    – ref. How are Australians adapting to climate change? Here are 729 ways – https://theconversation.com/how-are-australians-adapting-to-climate-change-here-are-729-ways-256446

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Newspoll and Resolve give Labor big leads as parliament resumes after the election

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    With federal parliament to sit for the first time since the election on Tuesday, Newspoll gives Labor a 57–43 lead and Resolve a 56–44 lead. In Tasmania, Labor is a chance to gain a seat despite a 3% slide in their statewide vote.

    A national Newspoll gave Labor a 57–43 lead (55.2–44.8 to Labor at the May federal election). Fieldwork dates and the sample size were not reported, but it’s likely to have been taken July 14–18 from a sample of about 1,200.

    Primary votes were 36% Labor, 29% Coalition, 12% Greens, 8% One Nation and 15% for all Others. This is the lowest Coalition primary vote in Newspoll history that goes back to 1985, and about three points below the Coalition’s result at the election.

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval was net zero, a ten-point improvement for him since the final pre-election Newspoll, with 47% both satisfied and dissatisfied. Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s first rating was -7 net approval, with 42% dissatisfied and 35% satisfied. Albanese led Ley as better PM by 52–32.

    Here is the graph of Albanese’s net approval in Newspoll. While net zero is better than his negative ratings before the election, it’s a long way from his peak after winning the 2022 election.

    The lack of a massive surge in net approval for Albanese indicates that Labor’s landslide was more about voters’ dislike for alternatives than their liking of Labor. Peter Dutton and Donald Trump were both big factors in the election result. A DemosAU poll I covered on Saturday had voters opposed by 71–19 to a PM like Trump.

    Resolve poll

    A national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted with unknown fieldwork dates from a sample of 2,311, gave Labor a 56–44 lead by respondent preferences, from primary votes of 35% Labor, 29% Coalition, 12% Greens, 8% One Nation, 8% independents and 8% others.

    Albanese’s net approval was +3, with 45% giviing him a good rating and 42% a poor rating. In contrast to Newspoll, Sussan Ley’s first rating in Resolve was +9 (38% good, 29% poor). Albanese led Ley as preferred PM by 40–25.

    Asked whether the next year will get better or worse, 28% thought it would be personally better and the same share thought it would be worse. Asked this question on the national outlook, by 42–25 respondents expected it to get worse.

    By 33–32, respondents opposed the Liberal party having gender quotas, with Coalition voters opposed by 44–27. Men were opposed by 39–34, while women supported quotas by 30–27.

    Labor was thought best to handle economic management by 31–30 over the Liberals. On keeping the cost of living low, Labor led by 30–26. The last time Labor led on economic management in Resolve’s monthly polls was July 2023, and the last time they led on cost of living was October 2023.

    Tasmanian election updates

    Since my election night article, the count has advanced from 63% to 73% of enrolled voters, with all pre-poll votes now counted. These additional votes have not had major impacts on the results.

    Postals will be the largest number of outstanding votes still to be counted, but the Tasmanian Electoral Commission won’t begin the postal count until Thursday owing to legislative changes that require the TEC to ensure a postal voter hasn’t already voted by other means.

    Postals must be received by 10am on July 29 to be included. In Tasmania the Hare-Clark distribution of preferences is done by hand, and will begin after the postal receipt deadline. The TEC expects to have final results by August 2.

    Analyst Kevin Bonham has called 14 of the 35 seats for the Liberals, ten for Labor, five for the Greens and four for left-wing independents, leaving two undecided. In Lyons, the final seat is likely to be won by a Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate.

    In Bass, there’s a complex fight for the last seat between Labor, the Liberals and the Shooters. Labor may benefit from having two candidates in the race who have nearly equal votes, possibly enabling them to win three seats when they only deserve two based on party totals.

    If Labor wins the final Bass seat, they would gain a seat in an election where their statewide vote slid 3.1% to 25.9%.

    Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Newspoll and Resolve give Labor big leads as parliament resumes after the election – https://theconversation.com/newspoll-and-resolve-give-labor-big-leads-as-parliament-resumes-after-the-election-261538

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eritrea: Mai-Nefhi College of Engineering and Technology Graduates 383 Students

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    In its 18th commencement, Mai-Nefhi College of Engineering and Technology graduated 383 students, including 44% female graduates, in degree and diploma programs yesterday, 19 July.

    The degree program graduates include 13 in Agricultural Engineering, 26 in Chemical Engineering, 30 in Civil Engineering, 39 in Computer Science and Technology, 27 in Electrical and Electronics Technology, 27 in Mechanical Technology, and 28 in Mining Technology.

    The diploma program graduates include 23 in Automotive Technology, 28 in Computer Application, 18 in Computer Technology and Networking, 13 in Construction Technology, 23 in Electrical Technology, 24 in Electronics Technology, 26 in Mining Technology, 11 in Surveying, and 11 in Cooling System Technology.

    Dr. Araya Zeray, Dean of the College, stated that since its establishment in 2004, the College has been providing higher education in eight fields of study in degree programs and nine in diploma programs, significantly contributing to the production of professionals who play a vital role in the country’s economic development.

    Dr. Araya further noted that the College has 79 academic staff members—44 foreigners and 35 nationals. He also mentioned that as part of ongoing staff development efforts, 18 staff members are currently pursuing master’s and PhD programs abroad in Russia, China, India, Hungary, and Japan.

    A representative of the graduates, commending the support of parents, lecturers, and the college community, expressed their commitment to live up to the expectations of the Government and people who provided them with the opportunity for higher education.

    The honorary guest, Mr. Abraha Asfaha, Minister of Public Works, underlined the significance of engineering and technology in national economic development and called on the graduates to apply their knowledge practically in their respective workplaces.

    Since its establishment, Mai-Nefhi College of Engineering and Technology has graduated 7,671 students in degree and diploma programs.

    – on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana: President Mahama flags off work on second phase of Blekusu sea defence project

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    President John Dramani Mahama was in Agavedzi on Saturday for a groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project.

    The project, a significant initiative that will protect lives and livelihoods in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region, was met with palpable joy and deep gratitude from the chiefs and people of the Some and Aflao Traditional Areas, who gathered to witness the realisation of a long-awaited development.

    The ceremony saw an emotional outpouring of appreciation, as community members sang praises and danced, celebrating the President’s commitment to addressing their decades-long struggle against severe tidal erosion.

    Upon completion in four years, the project, which will protect an 8-kilometre stretch of coastline, is set to bring immense relief to the communities of Blekusu, Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina.

    Messrs Amandi Holding Limited is the contractor and will deliver 37 groins, extensive dune restoration, reinforced embankments, and other critical shoreline defence structures.

    President Mahama stated that the project is a comprehensive one that will extend beyond mere coastal protection.

    “Aside from the coastal protection works, government has incorporated vital development projects to enhance the lives of the people in the affected area,” he noted.

    These integrated initiatives include a modern fish market, cold storage and processing facilities for fisherfolk, dedicated spaces for fish drying and smoking, a car park, and a lorry station. Additionally, public sanitation facilities and a comprehensive waste collection system will be provided.

    “The sea has taken a lot from this community. It has taken land, it has taken livelihoods, and it has taken our peace of mind. But today, I stand here to say no more will the sea consume our land”, the President said.

    “We are here to reclaim what has been lost, to rebuild stronger, to offer our children a future where they are not forced to flee their homes because of rising tidal waves.”

    President Mahama added that the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project and other ongoing infrastructure developments reflect his government’s strong dedication to building a better Ghana.

    “This is not merely symbolic,” he asserted, “but a clear demonstration of what responsive leadership can do when it listens, when it cares, and when it acts.”

    Phase I of the project, covering 4.3 kilometres of coastal defence works, commenced in 2015 under the Presidency of Mahama to mitigate the serious threat of tidal erosion in Ketu South.

    While that phase offered significant relief, the President lamented, “Unfortunately, for nearly a decade after this, the second phase of the project stalled. Despite repeated appeals by residents, Members of Parliament, traditional authorities, and civil society, the project did not commence.”

    The President specifically referenced the devastating tidal waves that pounded the communities in 2017 and again in 2021, recalling the harrowing images.

    I can still picture the videos and photos showing the aftermath of these tidal waves,” he said, highlighting “the pain, the anxiety, the fear that was etched on the faces of our fellow citizens.”

    He reaffirmed the pledge he made earlier this year during his visit to the Volta Region, promising swift action.

    “And today, I am proud to say that this commitment is being fulfilled. Your cries have not been in vain. Your voices will no longer be ignored. Today is your day – a day of renewal and a day of reassurance.”

    President Mahama also announced progress on the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Programme, designed to enhance coastal resilience across the sub-region.

    Currently awaiting approval, the WACA project is envisioned to extend coastal protection from where the Blekusu project ends, all the way to Aflao, securing Ghana’s vital 550-kilometre coastline, which supports countless livelihoods through fishing, trade, and tourism.

    – on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • Microsoft alerts businesses, governments to server software attack

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Microsoft has issued an alert about “active attacks” on server software used by government agencies and businesses to share documents within organizations, and recommended security updates that customers should apply immediately.

    The FBI said on Sunday it is aware of the attacks and is working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.

    In an alert issued on Saturday, Microsoft said the vulnerabilities apply only to SharePoint servers used within organizations. It said that SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365, which is in the cloud, was not hit by the attacks.

    “We’ve been coordinating closely with CISA, DOD Cyber Defense Command and key cybersecurity partners globally throughout our response,” a Microsoft spokesperson said, adding that the company had issued security updates and urged customers to install them immediately.

    The Washington Post, which first reported the hacks, said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.

    The hack is known as a “zero day” attack because it targeted a previously unknown vulnerability, the newspaper said, quoting experts. Tens of thousands of servers were at risk.

    In the alert, Microsoft said that a vulnerability “allows an authorized attacker to perform spoofing over a network.” It issued recommendations to stop the attackers from exploiting it.
    Microsoft has issued an alert about “active attacks” on server software used by government agencies and businesses to share documents within organizations, and recommended security updates that customers should apply immediately.

    The FBI said on Sunday it is aware of the attacks and is working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.

    In an alert issued on Saturday, Microsoft said the vulnerabilities apply only to SharePoint servers used within organizations. It said that SharePoint Online in Microsoft 365, which is in the cloud, was not hit by the attacks.

    “We’ve been coordinating closely with CISA, DOD Cyber Defense Command and key cybersecurity partners globally throughout our response,” a Microsoft spokesperson said, adding that the company had issued security updates and urged customers to install them immediately.

    The Washington Post, which first reported the hacks, said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.

    The hack is known as a “zero day” attack because it targeted a previously unknown vulnerability, the newspaper said, quoting experts. Tens of thousands of servers were at risk.

    In the alert, Microsoft said that a vulnerability “allows an authorized attacker to perform spoofing over a network.” It issued recommendations to stop the attackers from exploiting it.

    In a spoofing attack, an actor can manipulate financial markets or agencies by hiding the actor’s identity and appearing to be a trusted person, organization or website.

    Earlier, Microsoft said it is working on updates to 2016 and 2019 versions of SharePoint. If customers cannot enable recommended malware protection, they should disconnect their servers from the internet until a security update is available, it added.
    In a spoofing attack, an actor can manipulate financial markets or agencies by hiding the actor’s identity and appearing to be a trusted person, organization or website.

    Earlier, Microsoft said it is working on updates to 2016 and 2019 versions of SharePoint. If customers cannot enable recommended malware protection, they should disconnect their servers from the internet until a security update is available, it added.

  • Owen shines on debut as Australia beat Windies in first T20

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Mitchell Owen made an impressive debut as Australia beat West Indies by three wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Twenty20 International series in Jamaica on Sunday.

    Owen took a wicket with his medium pace bowling before returning to smash 50 off 27 balls as Australia chased down a 190-run target with seven balls to spare.

    West Indies, who lost the preceding test series 3-0, got off to a strong start after being put into bat at Sabina Park.

    Captain Shai Hope (55), Roston Chase (60) and Shimron Hetmyer (38) laid the platform for a 200-plus score but the late flourish they expected never materialised.

    Andre Russell, who will quit international cricket after the second T20 on Tuesday, made only eight.

    Australia’s Ben Dwarshuis (4-36) mowed down the middle and lower order as West Indies were forced to settle for a modest 189-8.

    While Australia lost both their openers, captain Mitchell Marsh and Jake Fraser-McGurk, inside the powerplay they were propped up by a breezy 80-run stand by Cameron Green (51) and Owen.

    Green belted five sixes in his 26-ball blitz, while Owen smacked six of them before holing out in the 17th over with Australia on the cusp of victory.

    (Reuters)

  • ECB to host next three World Test Championship finals till 2031, ICC says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will continue to host the biennial final of the World Test Championship for the next three editions till 2031, global governing body ICC said on Sunday.

    The match, which crowns the world champions in the longest format of the sport, has been held in England since it was introduced, with Southampton hosting the first edition in 2021 and the two subsequent finals taking place in London.

    “We are absolutely delighted that England and Wales has been chosen to host the next three ICC World Test Championship finals,” the ECB chief executive Richard Gould said.

    “It’s a testament to the passion that fans in this country have for this treasured format of the game and the willingness of supporters from around the world to travel here for these games.”

    The 2025 final at Lord’s, where South Africa beat defending champions Australia, was attended by 109,227 people over four days and received 225 million digital views, the ICC said in a statement last month.

    “Hosting these finals is a privilege, and we look forward to working with the ICC to build on the success of the previous editions,” Gould added.

    (Reuters)

     

  • MIL-OSI: Change in Financial Calendar – 21 July 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Oslo, 21st of July – IDEX Biometrics ASA (OSE: IDEX) hereby announces a change to the company’s financial calendar.

    Postponement of Q2 2025 Report

    The company informs that the publication of the quarterly report for the second quarter of 2025 is postponed from the originally scheduled date to Tuesday, August 27, 2025.

    IDEX Biometrics’ reports and presentations are available on our website: www.idexbiometrics.com/investors

    For further information, please contact:

    Anders Storbråten, CEO and CFO, Tel: +47 416 38 582

    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 notice was issued by Kjell-Arne Besseberg, COO, on 21 July 2025 at 07:20 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5-12.

    The MIL Network –

  • Youth Spiritual Summit concludes in Varanasi with launch of Kashi Declaration for Drug-Free India

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Youth Spiritual Summit, held under the theme Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat, concluded on Sunday at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi with the formal adoption of the Kashi Declaration — a visionary roadmap to drive a nationwide youth-led movement against drug addiction

    Organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the summit brought together over 600 youth leaders from more than 120 spiritual and socio-cultural organisations, along with academicians, experts, and government representatives. The event was a moment in India’s pursuit of a drug-free society by 2047, uniting spiritual strength with youthful resolve.

    Over the course of four thematic plenary sessions, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the psychological and social impacts of substance abuse, the complexities of drug trafficking and supply chains, grassroots awareness strategies, and the critical role of spiritual and cultural institutions in prevention and rehabilitation. These deliberations culminated in the Kashi Declaration, which outlines a multi-dimensional and collaborative approach to drug de-addiction, rooted in India’s civilisational ethos and driven by youth leadership.

    Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, described the declaration as a collective Sankalp (resolve) arising from the reflections and dialogue of the summit. He emphasized that the document is not just a vision statement, but a shared commitment to national transformation.

    The Kashi Declaration calls for treating substance abuse as a complex public health and societal challenge. It recommends a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, integrating efforts from spiritual, educational, technological, and cultural domains. The declaration proposes the formation of a Joint National Committee for coordination among ministries, annual progress reporting mechanisms, and a national platform to connect individuals affected by substance abuse with support services.

    Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the unique role of spiritual organisations in this campaign, stating that Bharat’s spiritual legacy must now lead the charge in creating a drug-free generation. “Spiritual institutions will serve as the backbone of this Maha Abhiyan,” he said, urging collective action through community engagement.

    Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, also addressed the summit, invoking the cultural sanctity of Kashi. He described the ancient city as the “cradle of Sanatan Chetna,” where discipline and values guide personal and national progress. He warned that a nation where 65% of the population is youth cannot afford to succumb to addiction, stressing that only a liberated and conscious youth can build a strong future.

    The concluding session saw the participation of several prominent leaders, including Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment; Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism; Anil Rajbhar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment; Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs; and Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.

    The summit also marked a key step forward in the MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) framework. Going forward, MY Bharat volunteers and affiliated youth clubs will spearhead pledge campaigns, awareness drives, and grassroots outreach across the country. The Kashi Declaration will act as a guiding document, and its progress will be reviewed at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, ensuring accountability and long-term impact.

  • Youth Spiritual Summit concludes in Varanasi with launch of Kashi Declaration for Drug-Free India

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Youth Spiritual Summit, held under the theme Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat, concluded on Sunday at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi with the formal adoption of the Kashi Declaration — a visionary roadmap to drive a nationwide youth-led movement against drug addiction

    Organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the summit brought together over 600 youth leaders from more than 120 spiritual and socio-cultural organisations, along with academicians, experts, and government representatives. The event was a moment in India’s pursuit of a drug-free society by 2047, uniting spiritual strength with youthful resolve.

    Over the course of four thematic plenary sessions, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the psychological and social impacts of substance abuse, the complexities of drug trafficking and supply chains, grassroots awareness strategies, and the critical role of spiritual and cultural institutions in prevention and rehabilitation. These deliberations culminated in the Kashi Declaration, which outlines a multi-dimensional and collaborative approach to drug de-addiction, rooted in India’s civilisational ethos and driven by youth leadership.

    Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, described the declaration as a collective Sankalp (resolve) arising from the reflections and dialogue of the summit. He emphasized that the document is not just a vision statement, but a shared commitment to national transformation.

    The Kashi Declaration calls for treating substance abuse as a complex public health and societal challenge. It recommends a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, integrating efforts from spiritual, educational, technological, and cultural domains. The declaration proposes the formation of a Joint National Committee for coordination among ministries, annual progress reporting mechanisms, and a national platform to connect individuals affected by substance abuse with support services.

    Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the unique role of spiritual organisations in this campaign, stating that Bharat’s spiritual legacy must now lead the charge in creating a drug-free generation. “Spiritual institutions will serve as the backbone of this Maha Abhiyan,” he said, urging collective action through community engagement.

    Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, also addressed the summit, invoking the cultural sanctity of Kashi. He described the ancient city as the “cradle of Sanatan Chetna,” where discipline and values guide personal and national progress. He warned that a nation where 65% of the population is youth cannot afford to succumb to addiction, stressing that only a liberated and conscious youth can build a strong future.

    The concluding session saw the participation of several prominent leaders, including Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment; Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism; Anil Rajbhar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment; Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs; and Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.

    The summit also marked a key step forward in the MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) framework. Going forward, MY Bharat volunteers and affiliated youth clubs will spearhead pledge campaigns, awareness drives, and grassroots outreach across the country. The Kashi Declaration will act as a guiding document, and its progress will be reviewed at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, ensuring accountability and long-term impact.

  • Youth Spiritual Summit concludes in Varanasi with launch of Kashi Declaration for Drug-Free India

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Youth Spiritual Summit, held under the theme Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat, concluded on Sunday at the Rudraksh International Convention Centre in Varanasi with the formal adoption of the Kashi Declaration — a visionary roadmap to drive a nationwide youth-led movement against drug addiction

    Organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the summit brought together over 600 youth leaders from more than 120 spiritual and socio-cultural organisations, along with academicians, experts, and government representatives. The event was a moment in India’s pursuit of a drug-free society by 2047, uniting spiritual strength with youthful resolve.

    Over the course of four thematic plenary sessions, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the psychological and social impacts of substance abuse, the complexities of drug trafficking and supply chains, grassroots awareness strategies, and the critical role of spiritual and cultural institutions in prevention and rehabilitation. These deliberations culminated in the Kashi Declaration, which outlines a multi-dimensional and collaborative approach to drug de-addiction, rooted in India’s civilisational ethos and driven by youth leadership.

    Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, described the declaration as a collective Sankalp (resolve) arising from the reflections and dialogue of the summit. He emphasized that the document is not just a vision statement, but a shared commitment to national transformation.

    The Kashi Declaration calls for treating substance abuse as a complex public health and societal challenge. It recommends a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, integrating efforts from spiritual, educational, technological, and cultural domains. The declaration proposes the formation of a Joint National Committee for coordination among ministries, annual progress reporting mechanisms, and a national platform to connect individuals affected by substance abuse with support services.

    Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the unique role of spiritual organisations in this campaign, stating that Bharat’s spiritual legacy must now lead the charge in creating a drug-free generation. “Spiritual institutions will serve as the backbone of this Maha Abhiyan,” he said, urging collective action through community engagement.

    Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, also addressed the summit, invoking the cultural sanctity of Kashi. He described the ancient city as the “cradle of Sanatan Chetna,” where discipline and values guide personal and national progress. He warned that a nation where 65% of the population is youth cannot afford to succumb to addiction, stressing that only a liberated and conscious youth can build a strong future.

    The concluding session saw the participation of several prominent leaders, including Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment; Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism; Anil Rajbhar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment; Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs; and Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.

    The summit also marked a key step forward in the MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) framework. Going forward, MY Bharat volunteers and affiliated youth clubs will spearhead pledge campaigns, awareness drives, and grassroots outreach across the country. The Kashi Declaration will act as a guiding document, and its progress will be reviewed at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, ensuring accountability and long-term impact.

  • All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership-VP

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>There is no power on the planet to dictate India how to handle its affairs-VP
    We work in tandem, we have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions-VP
    Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what?, VP expresses concern
    Our object is not to just simply grow our economy, Our object is to develop the people-VP
    Vice-President Addresses Officer Trainees of the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 Batch

    Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that, “Don’t be guided by narratives outside. All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership. There is no power on the planet to dictate India how to handle its affairs. We do live in a nation and nations that are a comity. We work in togetherness, we work in tandem. We have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions.”

    https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946559722725007704

    He underlined, “Is it required to play every bad ball? Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what? One who scores good runs on the cricket pitch always leaves bad balls. They are tempting, but not attempted. And those who attempt, you have safe gloves of the wicket keeper and someone in the gully.”

    “There will be challenges. Challenges will be to create divisiveness. For example, we have seen global conflagrations — two of them in particular, you know them. These have become open-ended. Look at the devastation of property, human lives, and their misery. And look at our calibration. We taught a lesson — taught it well. We chose Bahawalpur and Muridke, and then brought it to a temporary conclusion. ‘Operation Sindoor’ is not over — it continues. Some people ask the question — why was it stopped? We are a nation that believes in peace, nonviolence, a land of Buddha, Mahavira, and Gandhi. We do not wish to kill even living beings — how can we target human beings? The idea was to generate sanity, to generate a sense of humanity in the others”, he added.

    https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946562875889463711

    Addressing the officer trainees of Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 batch at the Vice-President’s Enclave today, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ Our demographic dividend is a global envy. 65% of our population is below 35 years of age. The median age of this country is 28, whereas that of China and the U.S. is around 38–39, and Japan, 48. Now, you are the chosen ones. You’ve got the opportunity to serve Bharat, home to one-sixth of humanity. And look at the area of your working. If you commit yourself, keeping into view our civilizational ethos, we are a unique nation. No nation can boast or claim to be closer to us — five thousand years of heritage, culture, legacy, knowledge, wisdom, repository. In such a situation — eighteen lakh acres? If you engage — which you are engaging, your seniors are engaging — you can define to the entire country, how to manage the estates, how to manage ecology, how to manage the environment, how to raise herbal gardens, what is sustainable development, how to protect and how to use modern technology.”

    “One aspect about which I am slightly concerned. Development, civilian development, close to the proximity of your states, requires your sanction. That sanction often gets into the domain of discretion and suffers delay. I would urge — evolve a mechanism or a protocol. Let people know about it — what height they can have. Why should the system come into play? With the kind of technology we have, we should be fully aware. Why can’t we put it on one platform? This is the area — if your building is coming up here, height will be this. Yet agencies have to be hired. People have to pay for it. Delay takes place. Now you can take the lead. You will earn the goodwill of the people around”, he added.

    https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946560846785917408

    Expressing his concern over rising coaching centres in the country he stated, “Coaching is needed for skill. Coaching is needed to make you self-dependent. If for a limited number of seats, all over the country there are coaching centers vying with one another for advertisement space in newspapers. Not one — one page, two pages, three pages, sometimes four pages in a row. And what a spectacle — putting you boys and girls in photographs. No, this is not Bharat. We can’t have commodification and commercialisation. We have to believe in Gurukul. You have to come out of — youth has to come out of the silos. You have to know the opportunities elsewhere. Those opportunities are also very necessary for the development of the nation….I am not against anyone, but why should coaching become an integral part of education? After more than three decades, the nation has been blessed after getting input from stakeholders in hundreds of thousands, National Education Policy. Why coaching? Coach has to improve your skill. We can’t have people cramming and then getting through. We want thinking minds to get in and go there. Always bear that in mind”. 

    https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946561334973460885

    Talking about ‘Viksit Bharat’ he stated, “ Our object is not to just simply grow our economy. Our object is to develop the people. Viksit Bharat is not our dream. It is not even our destination now. We are marching in that direction. Every day we are progressing towards that direction, and that’s a big challenge because 10 years of phenomenal development has given the people a taste of development. People of my generation never believed…there will be a toilet in the house, a gas connection in the house, internet connection, piped water, roads close by, school or health center, such world-class trains to travel. No. We never imagined. So the nation now has become globally the most aspirational nation in the world.”

    https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946550260601606602

    Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, Govt. of India, Shri S.N. Gupta, Director General, Defence Estates, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Director, NIDEM and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

  • In a world first, The Hague wants to arrest Taliban leaders over their treatment of women – what happens next?

    Source: ForeignAffairs4

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Lecturer in Criminal Law and International Law, Curtin University

    Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan.

    The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber II cited reasonable grounds for believing supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani were guilty of “ordering, inducing or soliciting the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds.”

    The warrants – the first ever on charges of gender persecution – are being hailed as an “important vindication and acknowledgement of the rights of Afghan women and girls”.

    But will they improve the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, given the Taliban does not recognise the court or its jurisdiction?

    The signs are not good with the Taliban denying the allegations and condemning the warrants as a “clear act of hostility [and an] insult to the beliefs of Muslims around the world”.

    Erased from public life

    Strict rules and prohibitions have been imposed on the Afghan people since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

    Women and girls have been singled out for even worse treatment by reason of their gender.

    According the warrants, the Taliban has

    severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.

    Women are banned from public places and girls from attending school once they turn 12.

    Zahra Nader is the editor-in-chief of newsroom Zan Times which investigates human rights violations in Afghanistan. She says Afghan women and girls are being silenced, restricted and stripped of their basic human rights.

    It is this discriminatory system of control of woman and girls in Afghanistan that is at the core of the court’s prosecution.

    The warrants also accuse the Taliban of persecuting

    other persons who don’t conform with the Taliban’s ideological expectations of gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as ‘allies of girls and women.

    This is the first time an international tribunal or court has confirmed crimes against humanity involving LGBTQIA+ victims. This marks an important milestone in the protection of sexual minorities under international law.

    Crimes against humanity

    International law clearly spells put the offences which constitute crimes against humanity.

    The aim is to protect civilians from serious and widespread attacks on their fundamental rights. Different definitions of crimes against humanity have been included in the statutes of a handful of international tribunals and courts.

    The definition under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the most comprehensive. It includes severe deprivation of personal liberty, murder, enslavement, rape, torture, forced deportation or apartheid.

    Specifically, the Taliban leaders are accused under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, which states:

    Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender […] or other grounds that are universally recognised as impermissible under international law.

    Physical and direct violence is not necessary for persecution on “gender […] grounds” to be established. Systemic and institutionalised forms of harm, which can be the imposition of discriminatory societal norms, are sufficient.

    Women and girls are often disproportionately affected by Taliban policies and rules. But proving gender-based crimes have occurred is not enough. Discriminatory intent must also be established.

    The Taliban has been open about its religious beliefs and interpretations, suggesting a clear intention to persecute on the grounds of gender.

    Not just symbolic

    As with other cases, the court relies on the cooperation of states to execute and surrender those accused.

    The interim government in Kabul which was formed after the US-led invasion in 2001 became a party to the Rome Statute in 2003. Afghanistan remains legally obligated to prosecute perpetrators of these crimes – it must accept the Court’s jurisdiction in the matter.

    The Purple Saturdays Movement, an Afghan women-led protest group, is warning the arrest warrants must be more than just symbolic. Any failure to prosecute would likely result in an escalation of human rights violations:

    The Taliban has historically responded to international pressure not with reform, but by intensifying such repressive policies.

    Hopeful step

    It is important to note the strict policies and widespread abuses targeting women and girls in Afghanistan are ongoing, despite the intervention by the International Criminal Court.

    The court’s Office of the Prosecutor is stressing its commitment to pursuing “effective legal pathways” to bring the Taliban leadership to account. The Afghan Women’s Movement in Exile wants an independent international judicial committee established to monitor and accelerate the legal process.

    It is not yet clear if the warrants will actually lead to arrest and prosecution in The Hague. But we know this is possible. A prime example being the the arrest earlier this year of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.

    At the very least, the arrests warrants are a hopeful step towards accountability for the Taliban and justice for the women and girls of Afghanistan.

    The Conversation

    Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. In a world first, The Hague wants to arrest Taliban leaders over their treatment of women – what happens next? – https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-first-the-hague-wants-to-arrest-taliban-leaders-over-their-treatment-of-women-what-happens-next-261008

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Roadmap to rebuild trust in water sector unveiled in major new report

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Roadmap to rebuild trust in water sector unveiled in major new report

    Sir Jon Cunliffe publishes final recommendations

    A new integrated regulator for water, stronger consumer advocacy and 9 new regional water authorities to deliver on local priorities are among the final recommendations set out today (21 July) by the Independent Water Commission.

    Chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, the Commission sets out 88 recommendations in its report to the UK and Welsh governments to transform the sector.

    The report covers how the system is regulated, how to manage the competing demands on water, how water companies are governed and how critical water infrastructure is kept resilient both now and in the future.

    It follows just under nine months of extensive engagement, analysis and research, including the 50,000+ responses submitted to the Commission’s Call for Evidence.

    Key recommendations include:

    1. Single integrated water regulators. The report recommends a single water regulator in England and a single water regulator in Wales. In England this would replace Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and water-environment related functions from the Environment Agency and Natural England. In Wales, Ofwat’s economic responsibilities would be integrated into Natural Resources Wales. Water is a complex sector responsible for the second-largest infrastructure programme in the UK. Water companies will spend £104 billion on investment and operation over the next 5 years. Climate change, population growth and economic development will put huge pressure on water systems over the coming decades. The current regulatory landscape is fragmented and overlapping and fully joined-up regulation is essential for the system to meet the demands of the future and ensure that private water companies act in the public as well as the private interest. A powerful, single regulator for water would simplify the system, reduce duplication, close regulatory gaps and ensure a much stronger “whole-firm” view of each company.* It would also improve investor confidence through a more stable regulatory regime. In making this recommendation, the Commission has looked closely at other regulatory models such as Ofcom.**

    2. Eight new regional water system planning authorities in England and one national authority in Wales. As part of a radical overhaul of water system planning, the report recommends devolving current planning responsibilities and transferring resources from the regulators to 9 new regional water authorities. These would be responsible for developing water investment plans that reflect local priorities and voices. They would streamline existing planning processes and be empowered to direct funding and ensure accountability from all sectors that impact water.  They would be independent and include representation from local councils, public health, environment, agriculture and consumers, among others.

    3. Greater consumer protection. The Commission sets out proposals to improve affordability and customer service. That includes upgrading the consumer body CCW into an Ombudsman for Water to give stronger protection to customers and a clearer route to resolving complaints. It then proposes transfer responsibility for consumer advocacy to Citizens Advice. The Commission also recommends the introduction of a national social tariff to provide consistent support for low-income customers who need support to pay their bills. This will help address the widely different levels of support currently in place, with caps on bills varying by £100s in different parts of the country.

    4. Stronger environmental regulation. The report recommends significant improvements to areas such as Operator Self-Monitoring through greater digitalisation, automation, third-party assurance and inspections. It proposes stronger regulation on abstraction, sludge, drinking water standards and water supply. After one of the driest springs on record, it recommends compulsory water metering, changes to wholesale tariffs for industrial users and greater water reuse and rainwater harvesting schemes. It also sets out where environmental legislation needs updating and why, including proposals for a new long-term and legally binding target for the water environment.

    5. Tighter oversight of water company ownership and governance. The Commission recommends new powers for the regulator to block changes in water company ownership – for example, where investors are not seen to be prioritising the long-term interests of the company and its customers – as well as potential new ‘public benefit’ clauses in water company licences. It recommends that the regulator set “minimum capital” requirements so that companies are less reliant on debt and more financially resilient. On investment, the report sets out proposals to improve investor confidence, including government direction to the regulator to support stability and predictability for long-term investors.  

    6. Public health reforms: The report covers legislative reforms to better manage public health risks in water, recognising the many people who swim, surf and enjoy other water-based activities. These include a) new public health objectives in water quality legislation b) senior public health representation on regional water planning authorities and c) legislative changes to address emerging pollutants such as PFAS, micropollutants and microplastics.

    7. Fundamental reset of economic regulation. More detail is set out on the Commission’s recommendation for a new ‘supervisory’ approach to economic regulation, supporting tailored decisions and earlier interventions in water company oversight. The report also makes recommendations on the Price Review process, including changes to ensure companies are investing in and maintaining assets and to help attract long-term, low-risk investment.

    8. Clear strategic direction. A new long-term National Water Strategy should be published by both the UK and Welsh governments. This should have a minimum horizon of 25 years, with interim milestones on a 5 and 10 year basis. It should be cross-sectoral, with a clear framework for managing the many demands on water. A set of ministerial priorities specifically for the water industry should also be issued to regulators every five years, replacing the current Strategic Policy Statement (SPS). A clear long-term strategy will help drive the right outcomes for consumers, growth and the environment and support long-term investment planning.

    9. Infrastructure & asset health reforms. The report sets out a marked step change in how water infrastructure is managed, monitored and delivered – essential for safeguarding the provision of water and wastewater management for future generations. That includes new requirements for companies to map and assess their assets and new resilience standards that are forward-looking and applied consistently across the industry.

    Sir Jon Cunliffe said:

    Restoring trust has been central to our work. Trust that bills are fair, that regulation is effective, that water companies will act in the public interest and that investors can get a fair return.

    Our recommendations to achieve this are significant. They include the management of the whole water system, regulation of the water industry, the governance and financial resilience of water companies and a stronger voice for local communities and water customers.

    In this report I have considered what is best for the long-term future of water.  This is a complex sector with a highly integrated system, responsible for the second-largest infrastructure programme in the UK.

    Resetting this sector and restoring pride in the future of our waterways matters to us all. In countless conversations in the last nine months I have been struck by the urgent need and passion for change. Doing this will require hard work, strong leadership and sustained commitment. But it can and must be done.

    I am grateful to all to all those who have contributed generously and constructively to our work with their time, expertise and challenge.

    The final report also shares recommendations on implementation, including which reforms can be delivered in the short-term and which require new primary legislation.

    As set out in the Terms of Reference, the Commission has operated independently of UK and Welsh Ministers.

    Sir Jon Cunliffe has been supported by an expert Advisory Group, with leading voices from areas including the environment, public health, consumers, economics and investment.

    Notes to editors

    • The full report is available here: Independent Water Commission final report
    • Sir Jon Cunliffe was appointed on 22 October 2024 to lead the Independent Water Commission. His Terms of Reference were published on gov.uk. 
    • The Commission launched an eight-week Call for Evidence on 27 February 2025. The Commission’s interim report was published on 3 June.
    • *The Commission has looked in detail at the challenges within the existing regulatory framework. The existing model of multiple regulators makes it difficult for the regulatory system to come to a clear, overall view of a water company’s performance and the challenges it faces. Enforcement action in some areas has been described as duplicative. Elsewhere, there are gaps in the oversight of asset health and monitoring water infrastructure delivery. There is an inherent complexity in the current system whereby the EA, NRW and the DWI set the requirements that determine much of water company costs, while Ofwat subsequently determines the revenues companies can receive from water bills to cover those costs. 
    • **Ofcom was established through combining five existing regulators into one. Further detail is covered in Chapter 4 of the final report. 
    • ***Social tariff variability: Evidence returned via the Commission’s Call for Evidence set out the differing levels of support a low-earner would receive under 2024/25 rates depending on where they lived. For example, a single parent with one child, working part-time and receiving Universal Credit with an income under £19,000 per year would have an annual water bill capped at £91.12 in Portsmouth, compared to £364 in Bradford.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: WISeKey and SEALSQ Confirm New Cross-Border Center of Excellence for the 4th Industrial Revolution Activated Between La Line and Gibraltar

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WISeKey and SEALSQ Confirm New Cross-Border Center of Excellence for the 4th Industrial Revolution Activated Between La Line and Gibraltar

    Gibraltar/La Línea – July 21, 2025 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey” or “Company”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, and its subsidiary, SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) (“SEALSQ”), a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI, and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products today announced that a transformative initiative launched several years ago to establish LLG4IRir.com a Cross-Border Deeptech Center of Excellence (the “Center”) for the 4th Industrial Revolution is now being formally activated, following the historic agreement between Spain and the United Kingdom on Gibraltar’s post-Brexit border status.

    Strategically located near Gibraltar Airport, this innovative Center will act as a shared technological and industrial hub bridging La Línea de la Concepción (Spain) and Gibraltar (UK). It aims to provide a collaborative platform for companies working in advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, the Internet of Things, AI, Space, Cybersecurity, and Semiconductors, aiming to position the region as a global epicenter of innovation.

    The recent UK–EU agreement facilitates the free and secure movement of people and goods across the border, unlocking opportunity for the Company to realize the full potential of this ambitious project and enabling seamless cooperation between the two jurisdictions.

    Meetings held with the Gibraltar government and the Mayor of La Línea have resulted in unanimous support for the project. The Center is recognized as a mutually beneficial opportunity: Gibraltar-based companies will gain access to European Union technology legislation and platforms, while Spanish businesses located at the Center will benefit from cooperation with Gibraltar and potential partnerships with African innovation ecosystems, reinforcing the region’s status as a tri-continental innovation gateway.

    First Milestone: Manufacturing Plant for Post-Quantum Communication Devices
    Under the LLG4IR.com cross-border framework, the first physical installation is planned to be a secure manufacturing facility in La Línea dedicated to producing post-quantum-ready communication devices. These devices are intended to form the foundation of a secure communications infrastructure designed to operate seamlessly with satellite constellations, providing quantum-resilient, end-to-end communications across industries.

    This facility is also expected to host the initial manufacturing operations for WISeSat.Space, WISeKey’s secure space communication platform. Production would begin as soon as the site becomes operational, establishing La Línea as a new hub for secure aerospace and telecommunications manufacturing.

    In parallel, SEALSQ has allocated a dedicated budget to develop its first post-quantum communication device manufacturing plant, confirming its commitment to secure, satellite-linked, next-generation technologies. This plant will produce devices that connect directly with WISeSat.Space’s satellite constellation, delivering resilient, quantum-secure data flows critical to sectors such as defense, logistics, healthcare, and energy.

    Additionally, WISeKey and SEALSQ have signed a memorandum of understanding with the regional port authority to implement Smart Container Technology, allowing maritime cargo containers, even in mid-sea transit, to connect directly with satellites. This will enable real-time, secure, blockchain-verifiable logistics tracking, bolstering supply chain transparency and resilience on a global scale.

    A Quantum Corridor for Europe’s Digital Sovereignty
    The Center is a vital node in the expanding Post-Quantum Corridor, a high-tech European network being developed by SEALSQ and WISeKey to enable secure, quantum-resilient infrastructure from chip to satellite. This strategic corridor connects key technology hubs including:

    •        La Línea de la Concepción
    •        Gibraltar
    •        Malaga Technology Park
    •        Murcia – home of the QUANTIX Semiconductor Center
    •        Aix-en-Provence – SEALSQ Semiconductor R&D Center and Operational Headquarters
    •        Grenoble – IC’ALPS Advanced Chip Development Lab
    •        Geneva – WISeKey and SEALSQ Global R&D and Cybersecurity Centers

    The Quantum Corridor will also integrate leading universities across the region to foster academic–industry collaboration and talent development. It will provide a dynamic environment for quantum, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity companies to work together, co-developing the secure, intelligent technologies of the future, from next-generation encryption to space-based AI systems and quantum processors.

    In the coming weeks, SEALSQ will engage a leading international consulting firm to develop a comprehensive business and technology integration plan for the Cross-Border Center. This strategic study will guide the implementation of the project, from infrastructure to ecosystem development. It will be aligned with existing studies already underway in Gibraltar focused on shared prosperity, helping to shape a unified master plan for the successful and coordinated execution of the initiative on both sides of the border.

    Public and Private Funding Synergies
    The project will benefit from grants and allocation of funding available for this type of strategic activity, particularly those supporting innovation, digital infrastructure, and cross-border cooperation. This public support will be complemented by investment from the private sector on a pari passu basis, ensuring a balanced and sustainable funding model that drives both economic development and technological leadership.

    “Think of the Center as an aircraft carrier for innovation,” said Carlos Moreira, CEO of WISeKey. “Companies can land, refuel with knowledge and infrastructure, and take off again stronger. Instead of each company reinventing the wheel, they plug into a common ecosystem, just like plugging into the electricity grid.”

    The LLG4IR.com Cross-Border Center of Excellence will serve as a launchpad for collaborative research, startup incubation, international joint ventures, and workforce training programs, aligned with the long-term strategies of the European Union, the United Kingdom, and key private-sector stakeholders.

    Further announcements regarding the Center’s commissioning, founding partners, and investment roadmap will follow in the coming weeks.

    About WISeKey
    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com     		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@theequitygroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • Sensex, Nifty open flat amid India-US trade deal uncertainty

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s benchmark indices opened on a cautious note Monday, as uncertainty surrounding the India-US trade deal weighed on investor sentiment and capped early gains.

    The Nifty rose 30.60 points, or 0.12 per cent, to open at 24,999, while the Sensex added 160.80 points, or 0.20 per cent, to start at 81,918.53. However, both indices quickly gave up their gains. By 9:20 am, the Sensex had slipped 50 points, or 0.05 per cent, to 81,714, and the Nifty was down 17 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 24,951.

    Analysts attribute the weak start to investor unease over the lack of progress in the fifth and latest round of India-US trade negotiations.

    “The failure to reach a breakthrough in the trade talks is pushing countries to pursue multilateral FTAs to reduce reliance on the US,” said Ajay Bagga, banking and market expert. “The final signing of the India-UK FTA this week will symbolize a broader shift towards multilateralism in a post-Pan-Americana world.”

    India and the UK had concluded negotiations on their FTA in May. Bagga stressed the need for India to deepen trade ties through new and existing FTAs, especially with ASEAN countries, where current terms favor imports over exports.

    Adding to the market pressure are concerns over a lackluster Q1 earnings season and ongoing uncertainty around US tariff policies. A potential US-India tariff deal is being closely watched as a possible trigger for market recovery.

    Another factor influencing sentiment is the flood of primary market activity. With several large IPOs and qualified institutional placements (QIPs) lined up, investors are diverting funds away from the secondary market. Promoters and private equity firms continue to dilute stakes, adding to the supply overhang.

    Meanwhile, a potentially positive development could emerge on the policy front. The NITI Aayog has reportedly recommended allowing automatic approvals for Chinese investments of up to 24 per cent in Indian companies, a move that could revive Chinese capital inflows and signal India’s openness to alternatives beyond the US.

    On the NSE, all major broad-market indices were under pressure. The Nifty 100 dropped 0.13 per cent, Nifty Midcap 100 slipped 0.10 per cent, and Nifty Smallcap 100 fell by 0.10 per cent.

    Sectorally, only Nifty Media, Nifty Metal, and Nifty Realty showed gains. The rest lagged, with Nifty Auto down 0.37 per cent, Nifty FMCG lower by 0.32 per cent, Nifty IT falling 0.67 per cent, and Nifty PSU Bank declining the most, by 0.70 per cent.

    “The Nifty 50 did not perform well last week, ending down by 181 points. Back-to-back bearish candles indicate that sellers are in control, which could push prices further down,” said Sunil Gurjar, SEBI-registered analyst and founder of Alphamojo Financial Services. “A breakdown below 25,250 would signal a strong downtrend. The 24,650 level could act as crucial support. If breached, it may confirm further downside. That said, prices remain above key moving averages, hinting at underlying strength.”

    (With inputs from ANI)
    @918920982302

  • Over three lakh perform Amarnath Yatra in 18 days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Over 300,000 yatris have undertaken the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in the 18 days since it began on July 3. With 20 days still left for the yatra’s conclusion on August 9, the figure is likely to exceed the official estimate of 3.5 lakh this year.

    Officials said that as of Sunday, 3.07 lakh pilgrims had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine.

    “Another batch of 3,791 yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas today for the Valley in two escorted convoys. The first convoy of 52 vehicles carrying 1,208 yatris to the Baltal base camp left at 3:33 a.m., while the second convoy of 96 vehicles carrying 2,583 yatris to the Pahalgam base camp left at 4:06 a.m.,” officials said.

    J&K Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), visited the Baltal base camp on Sunday. The L-G chaired a meeting of officials to review the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra. He had lunch with the yatris at one of the ‘Langars’ at Baltal and also interacted with them. The L-G expressed satisfaction with both the security and other arrangements made for the yatra.

    This year, the Bhumi Pujan of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) was performed at Pahalgam on July 10. The Chhari Mubarak was taken to Pahalgam by a group of seers led by its sole custodian, Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar.

    In Pahalgam, the Chhari Mubarak was taken to the Gauri Shankar temple, where the Bhumi Pujan was held. It was then taken back to its seat at the Dashnami Akhara building. It will begin its final journey towards the cave shrine from the Dashnami Akhara temple in Srinagar on August 4 and will reach the holy cave shrine on August 9, marking the official conclusion of the yatra.

    Authorities have made extensive multi-tier security arrangements for this year’s Amarnath Yatra, as this takes place after the cowardly attack of April 22 in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam. An additional 180 companies of CAPFs have been brought in to augment the existing strength of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and the local police. The Army has deployed over 8,000 specially trained commandos to secure the passage of the yatris.

    This year, the yatra started on July 3 and will end after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

    Yatris approach the holy cave shrine, situated 3,888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas, from either the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route. Those using the Pahalgam route pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni to reach the cave shrine, covering a distance of 46 km on foot over four days. Those using the shorter Baltal route trek 14 km to reach the shrine and can return to the base camp the same day after having darshan.

    No helicopter services are available to yatris this year due to security reasons.

    The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe the structure symbolizes the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

    (IANS) 

  • Calm reported in Syria’s Sweida, Damascus says truce holding

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Residents reported calm in Syria’s Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a U.S. envoy signalled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented.

    With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze.Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call.

    Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, “paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate”.

    Reuters images showed interior ministry forces near the city, blocking the road in front of members of tribes congregated there. The Interior Ministry said late on Saturday that Bedouin fighters had left the city.

    U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said the sides had “navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities”. “The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process,” he wrote on X.

    Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said there was an uneasy calm but the city’s residents were struggling with a lack of water and electricity. “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded,” he said by phone.

    Another resident, Raed Khazaal, said aid was urgently needed. “Houses are destroyed … The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital,” he said in a voice message to Reuters from Sweida.

    The Syrian state news agency said an aid convoy sent to the city by the government was refused entry while aid organised by the Syrian Red Crescent was let in. A source familiar with the situation said local factions in Sweida had turned back the government convoy.

    Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel sent urgent medical aid to the Druze in Sweida and the step was coordinated with Washington and Syria. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shi’ite Islam. Some hardline Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical.

    The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.

    Residents of the predominantly Druze city said friends and neighbours were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia.

    Sharaa on Thursday promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people”.

    He has blamed the violence on “outlaw groups”.

    While Sharaa has won U.S. backing since meeting President Donald Trump in May, the violence has underscored the challenge he faces stitching back together a country shattered by 14 years of conflict, and added to pressures on its mosaic of sectarian and ethnic groups.

    COASTAL VIOLENCE

    After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the defence ministry in Damascus last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarisation of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida.

    He also said Israel would protect the Druze.

    The United States however said it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days.

    A Syrian security source told Reuters that internal security forces had taken up positions near Sweida, establishing checkpoints in western and eastern parts of the province where retreating tribal fighters had gathered.

    On Sunday, Sharaa received the report of an inquiry into violence in Syria’s coastal region in March, where Reuters reported in June that Syrian forces killed 1,500 members of the Alawite minority following attacks on security forces.

    The presidency said it would review the inquiry’s conclusions and ensure steps to “bring about justice” and prevent the recurrence of “such violations”. It called on the inquiry to hold a news conference on its findings – if appropriate – as soon as possible.

    The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on July 18 it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides.

    The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people.

    Reuters could not independently verify the tolls.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and EU to hold 25th China-EU leaders’ meeting in Beijing /detailed version-1/

    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 21 (Xinhua) — According to an agreement between China and the European Union (EU), European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit China on July 24. Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with them, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in Beijing on Monday.

    A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman added that Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the two EU leaders will jointly chair the 25th China-EU leaders’ meeting. -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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Total length of rural highways in China to reach 4.64 million km by end of 2024

    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 21 (Xinhua) — The total length of rural highways in China will reach 4.64 million km by the end of 2024, Chinese Transport Minister Liu Wei said Monday at a press conference on the country’s achievements in transportation development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). -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: Goods from Belarus were imported to Xinjiang for the first time through the border trade zone located at the Khorgos checkpoint.

    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 21 (Xinhua) — A batch of crystal goblets from Belarus cleared customs and entered the Horgos border trade zone in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday, becoming the first batch of goods imported from Belarus to Xinjiang under the trade regime in the zone, filling a gap in direct trade between the region and Belarus, according to the press service of the Horgos city government.

    These goods from Belarus weigh more than 3 tons and cost 340 thousand yuan (approximately 47.54 thousand US dollars) include 25 items, said a representative of the border trade zone at the Khorgos checkpoint, adding that the zone is focused on importing specific goods from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries to expand the range of imported products.

    According to the city’s Commerce Bureau, in the first six months of this year, more than 3,820 tons of goods were imported through the border trade zone located at Horgos Port, with the trade volume exceeding 42.9 million yuan, bringing in 429,200 yuan in revenue for local merchants.

    To date, there have been 60 Chinese and foreign trading shops registered in the zone, as well as more than 4,000 local traders on the Chinese side. -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: One dead, one missing after emergency at construction site in central China

    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

    CHANGSHA, July 21 (Xinhua) — One construction worker was killed and another is missing after four people were trapped during underground work at a construction site in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province, on Sunday afternoon, local authorities said Monday.

    Four construction workers were trapped in a manhole while carrying out inspection work on a pipeline at a construction site on Xinchang Road in Tianxin District of Changsha city at around 4:50 p.m. on Sunday, the district emergency management department said.

    As a result of emergency measures, three workers were rescued and hospitalized. Two of them are in stable condition, and one died from his injuries. One person is still missing. Search operations are ongoing.

    Work is underway to eliminate the consequences of the incident and investigate its causes. -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 –